To underline its commitment to the automotive industry, DSM Engineering Plastics is attending key industry events to demonstrate various new solutions for automotive applications.

According to Bert Havenith, DSM Global Technical Marketing and R&D Manager Automotive, the main trends and needs in the automotive industry today can be described as system cost optimizations and productivity gains, improved safety, long term sustainability and reduced environmental impact.

Mr. Havenith explains that each of these needs is driven either by legal regulations (CO2 emissions, Euro 4/5/6, pedestrian safety, fuel consumption, biofuels; pedestrian safety; recycling and End-of-Life-of Vehicle), consumer wishes/needs (more infotainment; more safety devices; more comfort and more individualized designs) or by profit considerations within the business chain in the automotive world.

DSM Engineering Plastics has a well established portfolio to address these needs. The key approach can be highlighted as follows:

System cost optimization
• in processing, productivity gains can be achieved through the use of High Flowabilty & High Productivity materials such as Akulon® Ultraflow® PA6, Stanyl® High Flow and Super Flow PA46, Xantar® C PC/ABS
• in design, greater freedom can be obtained by using High Flow materials such as Akulon Ultraflow PA6, Stanyl High and Super Flow PA46, Xantar C PC/ABS and via High Modulus (50-60%GF) grades of Arnite® (PBT, PET), Stanyl (PA6) and Akulon (PA6)

Improved safety performance
• excellent materials and design support in air bag systems
• high quality and narrow spec PET for brake booster systems

Sustainability and reduced impact on the environment
• weight reduction projects such as metal-to-plastic conversions in order to reduce fuel consumption and thus emission levels
• design for recyclability via function integration within plastic parts
• green materials such as halogen free flame retardant materials materials
However, in recent developments DSM Engineering Plastics has introduced new materials to deliver step-change solutions for all these requirements. Mr. Havenith explains the key advancements:

Weight reduction
Weight reduction via metal-to-plastic conversion has a long track record in automotive: various applications have already been converted into plastic parts such as air inlet manifolds (PA6), air ducts (PA6, TPC), charge air cooler endcaps (PA46, PA66, PA6), chain tensioners (PA46, PA66), pulleys (PA46), bearings (PA46), torsion dampener parts (PA46), air bag containers (PA6) and many more. In these and many other applications, not only the weight is significantly reduced (by up to 50%), but also system costs (sometimes by up to 30%).

An important prerequisite for metal replacement, however, is a need for long term temperature resistance of the plastic at more and more elevated temperatures. DSM EP introduced Stanyl Diablo OCD2100, a PA46 material which exhibits hardly any loss of strength during 5000 hours at temperatures up to 210-230 °C. This material has recently been approved for hot charged airducts. In addition, system costs could be reduced further because of the extremely good weldability of Stanyl Diablo OCD2100.

Another interesting development is the metal-to-plastic replacement for ETC covers and vacuum pump parts and motor housings in DSM EP’s Arnite PET XT, a material which exhibits extremely good dimensional stability and which is able to meet the most tight part tolerances.

System Cost Optimization
Akulon Ultraflow (PA6) offers the potential for system cost optimizations as a result of its high flowability: 25% faster injection molding cycles, lower tool investment costs, 10-20% lower wall thicknesses and great surface appearances especially for highly reinforced (50-60%GF) grades. This material has been approved for various automotive applications such as air inlet manifolds, under-the-bonnet covers, cooling fans, sensors, interior parts and many more.

Another opportunity to reduce system costs is the use of Arnitel® (Thermoplastic copolyesther) instead of PA11 or PA12 in brake tubes (air brake tubes for trucks, vacuum brake tubes for passenger cars); In addition, Arnitel offers various performance benefits in these applications, since it is plasticizer free; remains stiff even at temperatures up to 170 °C and is creep resistant, offering better fitting retention over the service life.

DSM Engineering Plastics is able to design-to-the-limit based on extensive CAE knowhow: the availability of integrative simulation techniques (micromechanical models based on exact prediction of GF orientation effects) and of high speed tensile data and high speed dynamic burst pressure data for several materials enable DSM EP to advise customers on the most optimal design and with the lowest system costs, even for safety applications such as air bag containers and structural reinforcements.

Sustainability and Green Material
DSM Engineering Plastics is currently developing a range of products that are (partly) based on recycled materials. These will help the automotive industry to meet the ELV-directory requirements.

DSM EP recently introduced Arnitel C, a halogen free flamer retardant TPC with very good hydrolysis resistance, which has already been approved for automotive class D (150 °C) cables and automotive class E (175 °C) convoluted tubes and which enables significant system cost reductions compared to ETFE and less environmental question marks than PVC.

DSM Engineering Plastics also offers other halogen free flame retardant materials for connectors. These include Arnite XG (PBT), Arnitel XG (TPC), Stanyl HB (PA46), Akulon XG (PA6) and Xantar C (PC/ABS).