National Academy of Sciences, Fuel Economy Committee
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PLASTICS IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY, TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE PRESENTATION TO THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, FUEL ECONOMY COMMITTEE Matthew Marks, Lead, Market Development and Technical Service October 16, 2018 Classification: General Business Use PREFACE In preparation for the NASEM Fuel Economy Committee – Phase • Medium-term technologies are those that may be 3, SABIC prepared the following information in response to the available between 3-7 years and may require additional request to provide input on the feasibility, cost, mass research and development to reach full scale reduction, safety and research required to bring mass saving production. technologies to widespread industry adoption. • Long-term technologies may require more than 7 years These pages detail technologies available today and those in to reach production and require extensive research and development to reduce vehicle mass, improve fuel economy development. and reduce green house gas emissions. • An implementation timeline is used as a surrogate for • Cost is not discussed in this document, and is left to feasibility and research. companies further down the supply chain. • Optimizing existing technologies are applications that • Mass savings are calculated from a combination of specific are in production today and are the focus off continuous gravity difference between the incumbent materials and mass optimization and parts integration production materials, as well as, design dependent structural considerations and functional integration. • Short-term technologies are applications that are in production today or could be in production within the • Many, if not most, of the applications identified in this next 3 years. document require some level of safety. Detailed presentations can be provided at a later date if requested. 2 Classification: General Business Use GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE MARKET TRENDS AND NEEDS CO2 LIGHTWEIGHT MEETING REGULATIONS AESTHETICS SAFETY EV/HEV AUTONOMOUS COST COMPETITIVE Collaborate to reach the best balance between performance, weight and cost. 3 Classification: General Business Use GROWTH IN PLASTICS Long-Term Trends in NAFTA Light Vehicle Plastics & Polymer Composites Use (pounds/vehicle) Source: ACC Report: Plastics and Polymer Composites in Light Vehicles – July 2018 prepublication 4 Classification: General Business Use TECHNOLOGY OUTLINE Optimizing existing applications Short-term technologies Mid-term technologies • Instrument panels • Floor rocker reinforcement • Instrument panel cross car • Door modules • B-pillar reinforcement structure • Front end modules • Battery protection solutions • Composite B-pillar • Tailgate inner structures • Instrument panel core back • Composite hybrid molding • Bumper fascias molding • Backlight with defroster • Exterior trim • Moving side window • Fixed rear quarter window with • Interior trim • Fixed front quarter window integrated lighting • Rear quarter window • Panoramic roof • All-plastic liftgate • Windscreen Long-term technologies • Transparent front panel • Retractable moon roof 5 PLASTICS IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY, TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE OPTIMIZING EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES 6 Classification: General Business Use OPTIMIZING EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES The technologies identified on the following pages represent automotive applications that: • Have been produced for serial production with an automotive OEM Mass savings from these applications are calculated from a combination of specific gravity difference between the incumbent materials and production materials, design dependent structural considerations, and functional integration 7 Classification: General Business Use WEIGHT SAVINGS FROM COMMERCIALIZED SEMI-STRUCTURAL PARTS Instrument panels Door modules Status - Commercial Status - Commercial Replaced TPO at 3.0 mm with LGF PP Optimization of part resin at 2.0 mm geometry thru predictive Existing Existing simulation and using LGF PP resin Current design Mass savings Current design Mass savings Thermoplastic olefin (TPO) • Up to 30% mass savings Steel stamping • Up to 33% mass savings Mass = 2.8 kg • 1 kg per vehicle savings Mass = 1.5 kg • 0.5 kg per door • 2.0 kg per vehicle savings • 20 parts integrated into 1 Front end module Tailgate inner structure Status - Commercial Status - Commercial Commercialized in plastic Multiple vehicles on road with FEMs tailgates and translated on molded in LGF PP resin replacing multi- partial plastic tailgate piece metal stamping parts solutions ( inner or outer) Existing Existing Mass savings Current design • Up to 35% mass savings Current design Mass savings Steel • 2 kg per vehicle savings Metal (steel) stamping • Up to 40% weight savings Mass = 6 kg Reduced number of components Mass = 6 kg tailgate inner compared to metal from 17 to one • Component integration • Inner trim panel • Potential assembly cost savings 8 Classification: General Business Use WEIGHT SAVINGS FROM COMMERCIALIZED AESTHETIC AND TRIM PARTS Bumper Fascia Exterior trim Status - Commercial Status - Commercial Bumper Fascia optimization continues Advanced mineral fillers for PC/ABS to progress with thinwall, low density, enable low CLTE for metal replacement. and emission optimized mineral filled Maintains OEM gap & flush Existing TPO’s. Existing Cowl Top & End caps requirements while meeting mechanical property and aesthetic requirements. Current design Mass savings Current design Mass savings Talc filled TPO • Up to 25% mass savings Steel • Up to 50% mass savings Mass = 4.0 kg • 1 kg per vehicle savings Mass = 5 kg • Up to 2.5 kg per vehicle savings • Can contribute to lightweighting, improved aero, lower emissions Interior Trim Rear quarter window Status - Commercial Status - Commercial OEM replaced glass with polycarbonate Part optimization continues with resin to achieve: respect to thin-wall mass reductions for - weight saving TPO and Engineering resins. Advanced - integrated pillars Existing Existing materials enable further lightweighting - aerodynamic functionality through part consolidation Current design Mass savings & innovation Current design Mass savings Molded in Color TPOs • Up to 10% mass savings Glass • 30% to 50% mass savings PC/ABS and ABS Trim • Low density high scratch TPO’s for Mass = 2*4.0=8.0 kg/vehicle • 3.2 kg/vehicle saving (40%) per lightweight durability vehicle savings 9 PLASTICS IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY, TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE SHORT-TERM TECHNOLOGIES 0-3 YEARS 10 Classification: General Business Use SHORT-TERM TECHNOLOGIES The technologies identified on the following pages represent automotive applications that: • Have been produced for serial production, or • Have been validated with an automotive OEM and meet the specifications of that OEM • Are applications expected to be in production within the next 0-3 years Mass savings from these applications are calculated from a combination of specific gravity difference between the incumbent materials and production materials, design dependent structural considerations, and functional integration 11 Classification: General Business Use WEIGHT SAVINGS FROM PARTS COMMERCIALIZED, VALIDATED OR PROTOTYPED FOR STRUCTURAL AND SEMI-STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS Floor rocker reinforcement B-pillar reinforcement Status – Validated (prototype) Status –Commercial Innovative, lightweight and efficient energy Innovative, lightweight and efficient absorbing plastic/metal hybrid elements energy absorbing plastic/metal hybrid for B-pillar reinforcement that can enhance elements for floor rocker reinforcement side crash and roof crush performance that can enhance side crash Shortterm performance Shortterm Current design Mass savings Current design Mass savings High strength steel • Up to 45% mass savings potential High strength steel • Up to 30% mass savings potential Mass = 1.2 kg each x 2 • 1.1 kg per vehicle savings Mass = 1.6 kg each • 0.5 kg per vehicle savings • Can improve assembly: E-coat • Can improve assembly: E-coat capable, capable, no structural adhesive reduced components, no adhesives Battery protection solutions Instrument panel core back molding Status – Validated (prototype) Status – Commercial A structural hybrid solution, using both Injection Molding Structural Foaming with plastic and metal, to produce a lighter Core-back process. Molded at 1.9 mm reinforcement part and one that can before foaming to 4.0 mm potentially improve crash performance Shortterm Shortterm Current design Mass savings Current design Mass savings Injection molded plastics • Up to 15% mass savings potential High strength steel • Up to 50% mass savings potential Mass = 3.5 kg • 0.5 kg per vehicle savings Mass = 40 kg per vehicle • 20 kg per vehicle savings • Low Volatile Emissions, meeting VDA 278 • Can improve assembly: E-coat capable, specification reduced components, no adhesives 12 Classification: General Business Use WEIGHT SAVINGS FROM PARTS COMMERCIALIZED, VALIDATED OR PROTOTYPED FOR GLAZING APPLICATIONS Fixed front quarter window Moving side window Status – Validated Status – Commercial OEM replaced glass with polycarbonate OEM replaced glass with polycarbonate resin to achieve: resin to achieve: - Weight saving - First movable side window - Weight saving Existing - Windows rail integration Shortterm Current design Mass savings Current design Mass savings Glass • Up to 33% mass savings potential Glass • 30% to 50% mass savings potential Mass = 7.8 kg • 2.6 kg/vehicle saving per vehicle savings Mass = 1.0 kg • 0.3 kg/vehicle saving per vehicle • Can contribute to HVAC load reduction savings • Can contribute to HVAC load reduction Panoramic