Automotive
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news and highlights In Recycling Trash, Automakers Find Some Materials Stronger Than Organics [2/3/2010] Plastics Drive Hybrid Innovation [PlasticsNews.com, 1/22/2010] Plastics Make it PossibleSM |
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In automotive design, plastics have contributed to a multitude of innovations in safety, performance and fuel efficiency.
Take safety. Made from durable strands of polyester fiber, seat belts alone have reportedly helped to save 11,000 lives each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Airbags, commonly made from high-strength nylon fabric, can reduce the risk of dying in a direct, frontal car crash by about 30 percent, according to NHTSA statistics. And child safety seats made possible by numerous advancements in polymer science help to protect our kids at every turn.
Another priority in automotive design is weight reduction, a key driver in boosting fuel efficiency, reducing emissions and lowering costs for motorists. Many plastic components can weigh 50 percent less than similar components made from other materials. hat’s one reason why today’s average light vehicle contains 332 pounds of plastics and composites, 8.3 percent by weight.
But, it’s far from the only reason. Fact is, plastics deliver the engineering and styling qualities to go just about anywhere that innovation and high performance are demanded. In exterior applications, from bumper to bumper, plastics are not only light weight, they give designers the freedom to create innovative concepts that in many instances would otherwise be impractical or virtually impossible. Plastics also resist dents, dings, stone chips and corrosion. They allow cost-saving part consolidation and facilitate modular assembly practices for reduced production costs.
As for interiors, plastics have been nothing less than revolutionary. They have proven to be a great material for creating comfortable, durable and aesthetically pleasing interior components, while enhancing occupant protection, reducing noise and vibration levels.
Plastics don’t stop there. In electrical, power train, fuel, chassis and engine applications, they’re proving to be strong, durable, corrosion-resistant and able to withstand high temperatures in harsh engine environments.
Focus on Lightweighting for Improved Fuel Economy
When weight-savings is important, especially for improved fuel economy and lower vehicle emissions, plastics are often considered great materials. Automotive components designed in plastic and plastic-metal hybrids have achieved significant weight savings over some conventional designs. As the use of plastics in vehicle manufacturing increases, lightweighting design techniques—the integration of plastics and polymer composites into vehicle design where some other materials have been traditionally used—can benefit performance and energy savings.
Learn more:- ACC’s Automotive Learning Center
- Cars are Chemistry in Motion
- Research, Education and other Resources
- Plastic Child Safety Seats: Protecting Our Most Precious Cargo
- Plastics and Today’s Automobiles
New automotive research on how lightweight plastics enhance safety
Vehicle front-end safety:
- Physics in the crumple zone demonstrate how less stiff materials, like plastic, can help prevent injury and save lives
- Using plastics in auto “glass” can lightweight a vehicle and help prevent passenger injuries
- Composite driveshafts can increase torque and can help prevent injuries
- Plastic composite structures in the front end of a vehicle can lightweight without compromising safety
- Plastic headlamp lenses reduce weight and reduce lens breakage, which can improve nighttime visibility and safety
Vehicle interior safety:
- Using plastic to consolidate parts in door modules can reduce weight and maintain or improve side impact safety
- Plastic hybrid materials found throughout the Porsche Carrera GT make it light in weight and structurally strong
- Plastic can be incorporated in energy absorbing steering columns to help reduce vehicle weight and enhance driver safety
- Lightweight plastic foams can add strength to automotive body cavities and increase occupant safety in vehicles
Vehicle exterior safety:
- Composite fuel tanks lightweight vehicles allowing alternative fuels to be carried onboard
- Plastic fuel tanks can decrease vehicle weight and incidence of corrosion
- Using lightweight plastic to lower the center of gravity can help increase stability and decrease rollover tendency
- Lightweight plastic fibers can have added strength but enough ‘give’ to enhance pedestrian safety
- New auto safety research evaluates impact of size and weight on accidents
