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Alternative powertrains, autonomous driving and the urge for more sustainability impact the vehicle design and driving experience.

 The USB connector system enables space saving of up to 60 %. The used PBT allows tight tolerances regardless of the ambient conditions.

16:9

Polybutylenterephthalat

Elektronik

Kfz-Elektronik

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Technische Kunststoffe

Steckverbinder

Smaller, Faster, Lighter

The plastics processor TKW Molding, which specializes in safety-related automotive components, is responding to the increasing requirements of its tier 1 and OEM customers by extensively automating its injection molding production. This also encompasses downstream process steps, such as integrated component testing, traceable part deposition and packaging. The company has been working closely with Arburg in this field since 2020.

A robotic system removes the parts from TKW’s 8+8-cavity mold.

Fully Automated In-Mold Assembly Process at TKW Molding

Spritzgießen

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Optische Mess- und Prüftechnik

Montage-Spritzgießen

KFZ-Zulieferer

Safely Belted in

Electromobility and increasingly autonomous vehicles are changing the car interior. This requires futuristic concepts combining design and functionality, which can be adapted to the occupants’ individual requirements. A good example of this is a roof lining console manufactured by Leonhard Kurz. It is particularly interesting for automotive manufacturers and suppliers, since it can be manufactured in only one production step.

The roof-lining console from Leonhard Kurz combines design and functionality in one component. The combination of the two is particularly in demand for electric vehicles.

One-Step Production of HMI Components

Folientechnik (IMD, IML, FIM, u.a.)

Kunststoffverarbeitung

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

A Console for the Roof Lining

Most of the energy in a crash is absorbed by metal parts. A new additional polyamide (PA) crash absorber has for the first time been integrated into the front end of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The advantage is that an additional loadpath could be added without significantly increasing the mass of the car.  Close cooperation between the project partners and the use of suitable simulation tools were key to successful realization of this project.

As part of the safety concept in the front end of the latest S-Class, Mercedes-Benz uses a crash absorber made from polyamide.

Crash Absorbers made from PA for the Front End Carrier of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Kfz-Sicherheit, passiv

Polyamide

Kraftfahrzeugtechnik

Accident Protection with Plastics

Electric-vehicle makers looking for fresh impetus are turning to thermoplastics, as these can be used to  improve the safety, performance and sustainability of the vehicles. Initial application areas for manufacturers can be found in a multitude of components ranging from battery cases to busbars, cooling lines and seals. Things become very interesting when material suppliers offer support in the form of CAE and injection molding analyses.

Thermoplastics play an important role in the batteries of electric vehicles. They help to keep battery temperatures in the optimal range for a long service life and high performance. 

Improving the Performance of Electric Vehicles with the Right Materials

Elektromobilität

Electric, Environmentally Friendly, Thermoplastic

The rising voltages in electric vehicles are creating higher requirements on insulation materials. This is why PEEK is increasingly used for this purpose. A problem with this high-performance polymer used to be its adhesion to the secondary insulation material. An epoxy resin now promises to solve the issue.

Due to higher voltages, manufacturers are increasingly using PEEK as insulation material for electric motors.

Partner for PEEK

Elektromotoren

Polyetherketon

Hochleistungskunststoffe

PEEK and Epoxy Provide Efficient Insulation for High Voltage E-Motor

The conditions in electric vehicles place high demands on the materials used. Therefore, automakers and suppliers must resort to expensive, high-performance plastics. For many applications, cost-effective alternatives are plastics whose properties have been greatly improved by means of treatment with high-energy electron beams.

Fig. 1. Crosslinked engineering plastics can be used for many different applications in electric vehicles.

Irradiation Crosslinking Replaces High-Performance Plastics with Cheaper Polymers

Strahlenvernetzung

Electron Booster for Electric Vehicles

In the past, relying on vertical injection molding machines instead of traditional horizontal molding machines when it came to the production of 2-component molded parts was a common option for molding small and medium-sized parts but not for large size parts. But when the automotive supplier Eldisy was faced with parts in that segment horizontal injection molding machines proved to be an inaptly alternative as new vertical machine systems proved as more reliable and therefore more productive. In the Bavarian injection molding machine manufacturer LWB-Steinl, the company found a partner to enter this new territory.

A vertical gantry frame machine with two thermoplastic injection units injecting from above proves to be a “gamechanger” for the production of 2-component automotive components at Eldisy in the German Gardelegen.

Eldisy Switches to Vertical Machines for the Production of Large-Size 2-Components

Mehrkomponenten-Spritzgießen

Spritzgießmaschinen

With a System Change  to New Competitiveness

The transition to electric cars is transforming automotive design. And so polymers producer Röhm has developed special polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) molding compounds with this in mind. These are sold under the company’s well-known Plexiglas brand. At Fakuma, the company will be demonstrating how they can be used to combine design requirements and functional properties.

Plexiglas Resist AG 100 is used, for example, in Volkswagen’s ID.3 electric vehicle

Automotive

Messe Fakuma

Polymethylmethacrylat

Greater Design Freedom for Electric Cars

Polymers distributor K. D. Feddersen will be presenting various new materials at the Fakuma trade-show which it will be sharing with other companies in the group.

M Vera bio-based compounds are also suitable for food contact

Compound

Biokunststoffe

Wide Range of Materials at a Shared Booth

Sustainable development is the focus of the Israeli company Tosaf’s trade show presence. The company presents functional, color and combined masterbatches for processing by extrusion and injection molding. These will include color masterbatches for recyclates with a special focus on post-consumer plastics as well as biodegradable masterbatches.

Special masterbatches can be used for permanent orange coloring of high-voltage components in electric vehicles

Masterbatches

Farbstoffe und Pigmente

Farbkonzentrate (Batches)

Farbstoffe

Kunststoff-Rezyklat

Additive

Masterbatches for Current Trends

At the Fakuma-trade show, the additive manufacturer Quarzwerke is presenting fillers for plastics in electromobility, wind power and for films. They are intended to help processors manage the high requirements on the materials in these industries.

The fillers are based on different minerals

Batterien

Füllstoffe, mineralisch

Füllstoffe, allgemein

Füllstoffe für Kunststoffe

Windkraft

Kunststoff

Folien

Fillers Improve Batteries and Wind Power Plants

The new mobile communications standard 5G is advancing steadily. This development is also increasing the demand for materials that facilitate and ensure the high transmission rates for 5G signals. Plastics manufacturer Covestro has presented a corresponding thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

Covers for cell phones must not only protect the devices from shocks, but also allow mobile signals to pass through without interference

Polyurethan

Cell Phone Covers Made from TPU

Electrical architecture in an E-car is significantly more challenging than for conventionally powered vehicles. Particularly for insulation of high-voltage (HV) components, the demands on the materials used are increasing. With specially-tailored materials for electric vehicles, challenges in automotive high-voltage technology can be overcome.

Insulation of high-voltage components in electric vehicles makes high demands on the materials used

Polyamide Specialties for Electromobility

High Voltage in Cars

Thermosets are being increasingly used for packaging electronic devices, and offer good properties for this application. Direct overmolding of the components is particularly interesting here. However, achieving a successful product requires striking a balance between processability, thermal conductivity and reproducibility.

In direct packaging,  the electronic devices or components are directly overmolded with the molding compound 

Thermoset Injection Molding of Packages for Electronic Devices

Duroplastische Werkstoffe

Duroplast-Spritzgießen

Duroplaste

Direct Packaging of Components

Bipolar plates are one of the key components of fuel cells and redox flow batteries. They consist of plastics compounds highly filled with electrically conductive materials. To save space, cut costs, and reduce weight, there is increasing demand for the production of thinner plates without compromising robustness and service life. This can be achieved using modified polymers. With a new technology, bipolar plate films based on these modified polymers can be processed as coils.

The modified polymers enable films to be processed  as coils

Modified Conductive Compounds Make It Possible to Manufacture Bipolar Plates from a Bipolar Film Coil

Brennstoffzelle

Brennstoffzellen

Ultrathin Bipolar Plates for Fuel Cells

Teknor Apex presents three halogen-free FR glass-reinforced polyamide compounds with UL94 ratings of V0.

Application example: engine cover in the automotive industry

Faserverbundwerkstoffe

Glass-Reinforced and Halogen-Free Flame-Retardant

For lightweight applications e. g. in automotive engineering BASF developed carbon fiber-reinforced polyphthalamide (PPA) grades with fillings of 20, 30 und 40 %.

The carbon fiber-reinforced PPA e. g. can replace aluminum and magnesium 

PPA Now with Carbon Fiber-Reinforcement

Lightweight Metal Replacement

The ZKW Group manufactures premium lighting systems for automotive customers. In order to be able to produce trouble-free and in permanently high quality in the injection molding process, several hundred temperature control units from HB-Therm are also used, among others.

ZKW manufactures both complete lighting systems and the necessary components, such as diffusers and lenses or the associated electronics

The ZKW Group Manufactures Innovative Lighting Systems for the Automotive Industry

Temperiergeräte

Temperiertechnik

Kfz-Leuchten, Beleuchtung

Where Night Becomes Day

There is still a need to catch up in terms of ion leaching and hydrolysis resistance of the materials used to date for fuel cells. Specially developed PPS represent one possibility for this.

Fuel cells are becoming increasingly important as a drive technology in the vehicle sector

Material Improvements Make Fuel Cells More Reliable

Getting Fuel Cell Vehicles Fit for Use

Due to its high-performing properties polyetheretherketone thermoplastic polymer is being used more and more frequently in many products.

PEEK can replace fluoropolymers in cryogenic applications. Advanced Engineering Valves uses PEEK from Victrex for sealings in ball valves