The document discusses the increasing use of plastics in automobiles as an alternative to metals. It provides examples of common plastic applications like instrument panels, engine components, and tires. Plastics compete with metals based on weight savings, design flexibility, and ease of fabrication. Specific plastic materials used in different car parts are listed. The document also discusses how plastics are processed and compares properties of plastics to metals. It highlights benefits plastics provide like weight reduction and lower tooling costs compared to metals for certain applications.

2. PRESENTATION BY
NAWAL KISHORE BABUL
100109034

3. Plastics vs. Metals
 Polymer Applications in Automobiles
- Instrument Panels
- Engine
- Windows
- Tires
- Body Panels


4. 
Compete with other materials based on:
◦
◦
◦
◦
Weight savings
Design flexibility
Parts consolidation
Ease of fabrication

5. Car Part
Polymer
Trim Panels (3)
Polypropylene (PP)
Impact Absorber
Thermoplastic Olefin (TPO)
Radio Housing
ABS/ Polycarbonate(PC)
Door Outer Panel
ABS/ Polycarbonate(PC)
Handle
Polypropylene (PP)
Fog Light Cover
Thermoplastic Elastomeric
Olefin (TEO)
Elastomers
Tire

7. Application
Material
Processing Method
Load-Bearing
Glass-fiber reinforced
Pressing of resin
- bumper beams
polyester resins
compounds
Moldings/covers Polyurathane
Injection Molding
- front apron
Polypropylene
- spoiler
Polyethlene
- wheel-well liners
Acrylonitrile-butadiene- radiator grill
styrene (ABS)
- hood
Polycarbonate
- fenders
- trunk
Protective
Moldings
Energy
Absorbing Foam
Polyvinyl chloride
Ethylene-Propylene
Terpolymers
Polyurethane
Injection Molding/
Extrusion
Liquid Reaction
Foaming

8. Polycarbonate/ABS resins
 Introduction of airbags in IP design
 Injection Molding vs. Blow Molding


10. 
ULTEM polyetherimide (PEI) resin to replace
aluminum under the hood for 1st time
• High-performance
amorphous resin from
GE
• Complete air management
modules can be made of
thermoplastic
Throttle Body

11. 
Plastic Body Panels Chevy Corvette since
1953
Sheet Steel - still most commonly used for vehicle
body structure
Aluminum - weighs less but costs more
Plastics - increasingly used for metals parts
replacement

12. 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cost
Flexural Modulus
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
Chemical Resistance
Impact Resistance
Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT)

13. Advantage
of plastics
• Better color match
• Incorporate in existing
facilities
• Assembly line
temperatures exceed
200oC
Alloys:
Polyphenylene ether/polyamide
ABS/Polyesters
ABS/Polycarbonates
• Larger choice in
materials
• Additional steps take
time
• More plastics will
enter the market as
assembly lines are
redesigned

14. Highly cross-linked and highly filled
 Polymer component is polyester
 Suitable of compression molding
 Molded product combined high modulus with high
strength
 Body panels (hoods and deck lids)
 More expensive than metal, but lower tooling cost


15. 
Bottom line benefits
◦ Tooling for SMC hood was 23% of steel
◦ Weight savings of 18%
• Growth of applications
- Body panels on GM’s Lumina, TransPort, and
Silhouette
- Structural components - valve covers, grilleopening reinforcements, fascia supports, etc.
• 250 million lbs. of SMC was used in 1997

16. Composite front fenders and hood design
for 1995 Lincoln Continental
 Result of need for lighter-weight and more
cost efficiency integrated system
 SMC fenders and hood
 Bottom line benefits:

◦ SMC fender tooling was 40% of projected tooling
for steel fenders
◦ Comparative weight saving was 33%

17. 
Toughened Safety Glass (TSG)
- tempered glass

Laminated Safety Glass (LSG)
- two panes of glass bonded together
using polyvinylbutyral

18. SGL Group and car company BMW

19. JV by SGL Group and car company BMW
 carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP)
 Costs around $100m


20. THANK YOU