“The plastic in the automotive sector is a continuous source of improvements”

Anybody doubts of the importance of the plastic in the manufacture of vehicles. With the replacement of pieces of metal by plastic materials reduces the total weight of the car and, with this, reduce also the consumption of fuel and the broadcasts of CO₂ to our atmosphere. In the actuality, the plastic represents between a 12 and 15% of the weight of the vehicles. “This proportion will not leave to grow, since the requirements regarding the quantity of broadcasts and consumptions of fuel go directly tied to the weight, without forgetting us of the improvements that contributes in subjects of hygiene so much active like passive”, explains Ángel Lozano, director of the Spanish Centre of plastics (CEP).

Plastics are vital for the future of the automotive industry. Each new model coming to market has applied new solutions based on plastic materials, and that means new features and, of course, a reduction in the total weight of the vehicle.

Each year new directives limit the volume of vehicle emission engine. In addition, manufacturers are designing more efficient engines, and even equip vehicles with hybrid or completely electric motors. However, these reductions would be minor or impossible to reach if the use of plastics is not increased. By way of example, in the Park car European, with an average lifespan of 150,000 km, fuel consumption is reduced at 12 million tons a year and emissions of CO₂ in 30 million thanks to the use of plastics.

A continuing source of improvements. Every day they are put on the market new products or developments from existing allowing engineers and designers make a more daring developments both technically and aesthetically, getting new products that enhance the finishes and the technical performance, and reduce the weight of the components.

The developments that have had the cars and lighthouses, in near future, the progressive substitution which will be carried out with traditional crystals by others of plastic. In this case, in addition to reducing energy consumption by reducing weight, will allow to considerably lower the center of gravity of the car, thus increasing the stability and security of automobiles.

For years he is researching and conducting new developments for the replacement of the glazing of vehicles by crystals made of polycarbonate. To develop crystals with plastic materials, designers can create pieces with more large and complex shapes, integrate different brake components such as lights and, in addition, to improve the aesthetic reducing the final weight of the vehicle. I'm fully convinced that in the near future, similar to a vehicle with glass headlamps now unconceivable, nor be designed vehicles without a massive use of the crystals made of plastic material as, for example, the panoramic roofs.

XIII International Conference of plastics in automotive

In the course of the XIII International Conference of plastics in automotive, organized by the Spanish plastics Centre the last 19 and 20 June in Barcelona, presented papers and success stories in the replacement of parts and assemblies that have traditionally been metal by others completely of plastic."This is not achieved overnight overnight, is a long evolutionary process, because as we saw in one of the papers, instead of box pedals of a car, in which there are many components and safety standards that must be met strictly, manufacturers do not always accept such radical changes", says Lozano.

Other papers were based on innovative programs that can predict the results of the designs that have made engineers subjecting them to stress and impact tests of simulated form, and once optimized to simulate the injection process, which allows to significantly reduce new product development time and cost.

There were also papers focusing on investigations are carried out, such as plastics with memory that to regain their original shape after suffering an impact or new paintings on which is investigating where gets that they auto-reparen after suffering a surface scratch.

Where also agreed several of the papers was in the presentation of new materials that improve clearly benefits the currently existing and processes of manufacturing by injection plastic parts with fiberglass content extremely long, starting from raw materials standards either manufactured as in parallel during the injection process.

During the Conference, the sector, despite the crisis, points Lozano, it showed its strength and continuous evolution."We must not forget that Spain with a production of 2 million units in the year 2012, has again placed in second position in Europe and the ninth in the world, exporting 94% of production and giving jobs to 11% of the population of Spain", says director of the CEP.

The proportion of plastic in cars increases with each new model hits the market, which currently is between 12-15%. This proportion will not cease to grow, since the requirements in terms of the amount of emissions and fuel consumption are directly linked to the weight of the vehicles, not to mention the improvements in both active and passive safety issues.

With the development of electric vehicles has opened a new field of application for plastic materials. Today this type of car hardly exceed the 200 km of autonomy and one of the main reasons is the total weight that they have, minus the weight of the batteries.

Plastic materials available in the market with new applications are being developed to replace structural parts of vehicles that traditionally manufactured in metal. Due to the volume of units that produce new models, will be profitable to manufacture them in plastic materials such as composites, even using techniques such as the hybrid.

There are many fields of research open within the world of the automobile is one of the industries major manufacturers in Europe. Manufacturers of plastics, as well as the European technology centres are working on obtaining new materials and combinations of existing, together with productive processes that improve performance.

The direct improvement of the surface finish, the increase of the resistance to scratching, impact, and the temperature or even allow the electrical conductivity in a controlled way.

If you are interested in receiving the presentations shown during the day or video conferences, you can contact with the CEP or visit their website (www.cep-plasticos.com).