An award-winning, pioneering all-polypropylene (PP) rear-seat carrier is among the many innovative applications Borealis showcased at IZB, the International Suppliers Fair in Wolfsburg, Germany, recently.
Products of Borealis, majority-owned by a UAE company, attracted interest at the show. The company highlighted the benefits of its pioneering PP materials to key decision-makers in the automotive industry.
Visitors to its stand experienced why Borealis materials such as Daplen PP resins and Xmod high-performance short-glass fibre-reinforced compounds are among specifiers’ top choices in the development of interior, exterior and under-bonnet parts that meet the manufacturing, performance, weight-saving and fuel-reduction challenges facing the automotive industry. Breakthroughs in single-material solutions that were in the spotlight included:
All-PP rear-seat carrier – An all-Xmod solution is replacing a polyurethane and steel hybrid previously used by a major European car maker. The new design, in a model due to be launched later this year, is 35 per cent lighter than its predecessor, taking around 4 kg off the weight of the car. The concept should also yield significant cost savings in production, thanks to a simplified moulding manufacturing process.
Skoda Fabia interior - The interior quality and visual appeal of the new Skoda Fabia are enhanced with the use of three different Daplen PP grades, for the dashboard, visible structural parts integrated into the dashboard, and door panels – as well as for the trunk cladding. Scratch resistance, a balance of stiffness and impact strength, thermal expansion, gloss, emissions, odour and fogging were all key issues that had to be tackled in the development of the parts. To cope with cost pressures, moulders also focused strongly on processability and reduced scrap rates.
Smart for two body panels - The second generation of this ground-breaking Daimler Group car is the first production vehicle in the world to have all vertical body panels manufactured from PP. Borealis developed Daplen ED230HP to meet Smart’s targets for improved environmental performance and higher quality aesthetics compared with the original version. The six injection moulded PP exterior body panels (front end, rear end, bonnet, tailgate, doors) contribute to an overall weight reduction in the car of 15 per cent. They also provide a better fit and finish, with reduced gap between parts and higher surface quality, as well as an excellent impact/stiffness ratio.
Audi TT bumpers - The front and rear bumpers of Audi’s new TT are made from Daplen ED223AE, a 20 per cent mineral and elastomer modified PP compound for injection moulding with an excellent impact/stiffness ratio. The superb surface aesthetics, very low CLTE thermal expansion values and excellent paint adherence were among the other key determinants in choosing this material.
