Global Trends in Automotive
Plastics
Plastics have been increasingly playing a
significant role for reducing weight of various
auto components and thus improving fuel
efficiency. Furthermore, it aids design and
styling to provide better aesthetics, thereby
satisfying consumer preferences and also
complying with safety and environmental norms.
Introduction
Over the past decade, the automotive
industry has evolved on account of
safety, environmental norms, cost, quality
and consumer preferences that have
had a tremendous influence on the design,
styling and production of vehicles
globally.
Plastics have been increasingly
playing a significant role for reducing
weight of various auto components and
thus improving fuel efficiency. Furthermore,
it aids design and styling to provide
better aesthetics, thereby satisfying
consumer preferences and also complying
with safety and environmental
norms.
Global Trends
Now, let us examine what are the global
trends in plastic technology for the
automobile industry.
Design Trends
* Modularisation to reduce development
time and cost
* Improved appearance, texture, feel
and smell
* Weight reduction to improve fuel
efficiency
* Mono-material solution for
recyclability
OEMs design and develop modular
vehicle sections that offer both optimum
efficiencies of scale and reduced
development time and cost along with
widest possible variations to satisfy the
ever increasing variety of vehicle offerings.
Mono material solutions help
part consolidation and logistics at Tier
I suppliers thus aiding further cost reduction.
Material Trends
* Improved scratch and mar resistance
* Improved paintability and decorative
capability
* Enhancing flow of materials with an
excellent impact / stiffness balance
* Achieving better cost / performance
balance
High flow thermoplastic resins,
nanoclays, high performance additives,
UV and heat stabilizers and micronized
minerals have helped improve material
formulations and colour formulations to
tailor specific compositions to comply
with the stringent material and performance
standards of various automotive
components such as dashboards,
bumpers, door and trim components,
exterior body panels etc.
....contd.
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