JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #34 - July/August 2007 - 26

FEATURE “Automotive” rear floor to save weight and gain greater design flexibility. There is vigorous competition between SMC (UP GF) and GMT (PP LGF). Plastics can substitute for steel when the shape of the part makes the stamping process difficult. Some developments are expected in the near future for spare wheel wells on new models. g…/… The European automotive industry will use more and more composites Engine streamlining. Carmakers want to reduce fuel consumption and noise through streamlining. System suppliers will push PP instead PUR or UP in order to cut costs. More and more new models will be equipped with engine streamlining, as it has always contributed to decrease fuel consumption by improving the drag coefficient, and will continue to do so. Weight savings in the front of vehicles also motivate the use of plastics instead of metals in battery trays. PP will go on replacing metals in this application. Engine panel. Exterior parts System suppliers will use PP (P/E or PP LGF) or metal parts (steel or aluminium) for rear bumper beams according to the requirements of carmakers. Traditional steel parts can be replaced by either aluminium or plastic ones. Some developments are expected in the near future for rear bumper beams on new models. Carmakers also tend to use plastics in the design of enginecompartment panels to save weight and get more flexibility. System suppliers will use PP or PA as a function of carmakers’ requirements. Here again, plastics can replace steel when part shape makes the stamping process difficult. Moreover, functional integration will favour plastics. In the near future, some developments are expected for engine-compartment panels on new models. Carmakers specify plastics for hatchbacks and trunk lids when special shapes are designed, mainly for niche vehicles (station wagons, coupes or convertibles). System suppliers prefer processing UP GF in SMC for niche vehicles and PP LGF for higher-volume vehicles. Plastics generally replace steel in this application, although sometimes steel makes a comeback, such as in the Mercedes A-Class. Conclusion In order to reduce weight, composites are being used more and more instead of traditional metal parts, especially in the front of the vehicle. The development of long-fibre thermoplastics has accentuated this trend. The main developments include gearbox levers and pedals, door panels, front-end carriers, engine streamlining, battery trays, rear bumper beams, spare wheel wells, engine compartment panels, and rear openings. We calculated European consumption of composites in automotive applications, and estimate that demand for reinforced plastics in the European automotive industry could reach 740,000 MT by 2010, or a 50% growth from 2003 to 2010. More information: www.mavel.com Rear bomper. Body-in-white Carmakers are using plastics for the spare wheel well and the JEC Composites Magazine / No34 July-August 2007

http://www.mavel.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #34 - July/August 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #34 - July/August 2007