The
recent SPE’s 42nd Automotive Innovation Awards stressed the use of new high
performance plastics in automotive production. The SPE’s Automotive Innovation
Awards Program is the oldest and largest competition of its kind in the world. It
is participated by various groups made up of OEMs, tier suppliers, and polymer
producers. These groups work closely to come up with innovative materials and
technologies for the production of whole automotive or parts, and they submit
their entries with a description, system used to produce such entry, and why
such entry merit to earn the Year’s Most Innovative Use of Plastics. This annual event typically draws 700 to 800
OEM engineers, automotive and plastics industry executives, and media. Funds raised from this event are used to
support SPE educational efforts and technical seminars, which help educate and
secure the role of plastics in the advancement of the automobile.
This
year's Body Interior category winner was also voted the Grand Award
winner. The entry is an all-olefin, soft-skin,
stitched full IP system, by General Motors Co. 2013 MY Buick® Enclave®,
Chevrolet® Traverse®, GMC® Acadia® SUVs, with material suppliers/toolmakers
being Adell Plastics, Stahl, Ticona Engineering Polymers / KTX. These midsize
crossover vehicles demonstrate the use of contour stitching on an all-olefin,
multi-grained full instrument panel (IP) surface with complex geometry. Advanced robotic sewing technology provides
an "up-level" appearance while saving 15-25% costs vs. non-cut/sew
applications and up to 50% vs. cut/sew leather plus 15% weight.
The
Body Exterior winner is a carbon composite hood assembly, entry by Chrysler
Group LLC 2013 model year (MY) SRT Viper® supercar with processor Plasan Carbon
Composites, and material suppliers/toolmakers Umeco plc/Cytec Industries (carbon fiber weave
prepreg); Toray Carbon Fibers Americas, Inc. (unidirectional carbon fiber
prepreg); Ashland, Inc. (structural polyurethane adhesive) / Weber
Manufacturing Technologies Inc. The hood assembly is a Class A CFRP part with a
very large complex clamshell geometry.
The painted Class A outer panel is complemented by an exposed weave
inner panel. The part represents the
largest Class A carbon fiber composite part provided to a mainstream OEM at
volumes up to 3,000 vehicle sets/year.
Design, tooling, and fabrication technologies from both marine and
aerospace were employed for the first time in automotive to facilitate layup of
the complex geometry with severe undercuts.
Integrated mounting points using riv-nuts and studs are molded into the
inner hood panel. Local section
thickness was varied to meet structural requirements. The final part,
incorporating fenders as well as hood is 44% lighter than the previous
hood-only assembly in SMC, helping improve weight distribution and lower the
vehicle's center of gravity, for better vehicle dynamics and power-to-weight
ratio.
In
the category of Materials, the controlled crystallization rate to eliminate
paint has been awarded to Ford Motor Co. 2013MY Ford Escape CUV & Fusion®
sedan, & Lincoln® MKZ® luxury sedan, processors are TRW Automotive, Key
Plastics LLC and materials supplier/toolmakers Asahi Kasei Plastics North
America / Liberty Molds, Inc., J&J Tool & Mold Ltd. In order to support greater design freedom for
any shape and length register vanes while meeting stiffness, durability, and
perceived quality requirements, a partially aromatic injection-molded PA 6/6 /
6I resin was used to boost modulus without increasing wall thickness or adding
glass reinforcement to achieve a high-quality, MIC Class A surface without
paint. Owing to the "kinked"
crystalline structure of the semi-aromatic PA resin, crystallization rate can
be better controlled, so parts fully pack out before skins freeze off, leading
to a resin-rich surface with a smoother surface and better appearance,
eliminating the need to paint.
For a complete list of winners, read related article: SPE’s 42nd Automotive Innovation Awards highlights use of high performance plastics
