There is not electrical car without plastics

The chemical company BASF supplies versatile plastics for the production of diverse innovative components that form part of the electrical vehicle BMW i3 of the Group BMW, as well as his exhaustive know-how constructive in the development of the pieces of the same. These components include the backrests of the leading seats, critical pieces of reinforcement in the bodywork of fibre of carbon and the carcasa of the rear seat.

Raimar Jahn, responsible of the division of business 'Performance Materials' of BASF, affirms that: "when unifying all our expert knowledge in plastics in the division of 'Performance Materials', can offer personalised solutions to innovative customers, such as the Group BMW and his providers, all over the world and support them along the construction of his components. With his BMW i3, the Group BMW has stepped of giant to the future of the car industry and the intelligent solutions of BASF are realizar a crucial contribution in this appearance”.

The backrest of the seat of the driver and of the copiloto is the first structural component no recubierto, molding by injection and manufactured in polyamide, with superfície sight that uses in the interior of the vehicle. This hybrid and light component, that weighs so alone 2 kg, embodies all the know-how of the Team of Global Competition of Seats of BASF. The rear seat, that integrates multiple functions, is manufactured with polyamide 6, that possesses a high resistance to the radiation UV and has been developed especially by BASF for these applications (Ultramid B3ZG8 UV). In addition to contributing the sufficient rigidity, this material also guarantees the elongation and the suitable tenacity to fulfil the mechanical requirements of the Group BMW, always inside a rank of temperatures of -30 °C to +80 °C.

The backrest of the seat owe his final form, complex and especially, very thin, to the early utilisation of the universal tool of simulation Ultrasim of BASF. Thanks to the precise numerical simulation of the materials used for the backrest of the seat, the crowbar of release and guide of the belt, the behaviour calculated in the simulation of crash coincided with the subsequent essays with big accuracy. The optimisation could like this realizar in the computer in the early stages, avoiding the need to realizar modifications more advance during the development of the components. The method of simulation Ultrasim of BASF reproduces the conditions of all the certifications that demands the law in the different positions of the seat, temperatures and loads.

Besides, the degree of special plastic Ultramid produces broadcasts especially low. His resistance to the rayado is very high and the extraordinary quality of his surface allow that it use visibly the structure of the seat, what turns it into an important component. Regarding the crowbar of release of the seat, is necessary that manufacture with a material to proof of crashes. Therefore, it employs the special degree Ultramid reinforced with fibre of glass for this application: Ultramid Structure B3WG8 LF.

The bodywork of carbon of the BMW i3 contains structural pieces of PBT (tereftalato of polibutileno) between the carcasa internal and external. The greater component and the first of his class is a component, designated integral, that locates in the rear zone, between the carcasas of the bodywork of fibre of carbon. In addition to the function of support of load in case of crash that realizar, also serves to keep separated the two carcasas of the bodywork and conforms the rear opening for the lateral window. The PBT Ultradur B4040 G6 of BASF is ideal for this function, since his dimensions do not see affected by the climatic conditions that surround it and offers the resistance to the deformation by pandeo necessary. The simulation realizar by the engineers of BASF has supposed a key contribution to facilitate a production of low deformation by alabeo, as well as the orientation of fibre of glass adapted for the loads that produce . The component of moldeo by injection comprises diverse components smaller, that scheduled in the past to reduce his complexity and the costs. They have integrated more than two dozens of components of Ultradur smaller and with a total weight of roughly nueve kilos, in other areas of the bodywork of the vehicle where offer reinforcement and reach the acoustic conditions wished.

The carcasa car-portante of the rear seat is manufactured with the system of polyurethane Elastolit of BASF. For the first time in a vehicle of production in series combine the fibres of carbon with a matrix of polyurethane. This component integrates diverse functions like the piece bear of the reposa-glasses and the tray of storage, what saves so much time of assembling like weight. One of the characteristic key of Elastolit® of BASF is his wide window of processing, together with his high resistance to the fatigue and tolerance to the damages. Thanks to the special properties of the material, this important piece in case of crashes fulfils the strict requirements of hygiene stipulated by the Group BMW, in spite of the fine thickness of his wall, that measures so alone 1,4 millimetres.

The structural foam of PU Elastolit D uses like material of reinforcement in all the frame of the ceiling, including the column To. The foam presents a high resistance to the pressesure and manufactures in shape of material composed of type sándwich of carbon, that bears the structural rigidity of the vehicle.

• The BMW i3 incorporates a lot of other pieces manufactured with the plastics of BASF, that already have installed in numerous vehicles:
• between them include diverse electrical and electronic applications manufactured with Ultramid, Ultradur or polyurethane, as for example: the box of fuses manufactured with Ultramid B3ZG3, that fulfils the demanding requirements of rigidity and resistance to the traction, as well as a connector of high tension manufactured with Ultramid To3EG6. On the other hand, also they manufacture linings and covers for cables with the polyurethanes Elastollan and Elastoflex.
• In the interior of the vehicle, uses the foam of PU semi-rigid Elastoflex And for the processing of the foam of the backside of the signpost of instruments, whereas the cover of the column C is manufactured with Ultramid B3ZG3.
• The two different foams of polyurethane Elastoflex And use in the construction of the ceiling to improve the acoustic conditions of the interior: on the one hand, in the revestimiento inner of the ceiling, forming the centre of the material composed of type sándwich, that has an excellent capacity for termoformado and a high rigidity; and by another, Elastoflex And, the foam of open cell and density extremely low, uses like base to manufacture pieces of high acoustic effectiveness.
• In the production of the module of the ceiling descapotable optional, uses Elastolit R 8919, the system of encapsulado of fibre of resistant glass to the atmospheric agents and to the radiation UV. The frame of the ceiling descapotable manufactures with Ultradur B 4040 G6, a mix of PBT/PET of low deformation.
• Supports of spring of light weight, manufactured with the special elastomer micro-cellular Cellasto, incorporate to the suspension of the back and frontal axis of the BMW i3.

Finally, the operative division of Coatings of BASF also contributes to the extraordinary design of the BMW i3. It supplies to the new line of production for the BMW i3 in the factory Leipzig with basic layers in four colours that fulfil the requirements of the coating of additional components and of the processes of painting involved.

More information on the products in:

www.plasticsportal.eu

www.polyurethanes.basf.de

www.basf-coatings.com