Automotive Structural Components
Lightweight Materials for Cars
AAutomobiles can be safe and sound without being weighed down by metal or heavy plastic components. Structural composites are lightweight, fatigue-resistant and easily molded to shape, making them ideal substitutes for components in a car’s frame, body, or suspension. Chemical foaming agents help minimize the weight of plastic structures, such as dashboard carriers, for increased carbon footprint reduction. Give drivers the energy-efficient, materially advanced automobile that will give them peace of mind on every trip.
Highlights
- Chassis stiffeners and braces are often made of steel or aluminum. Lighten up with thermoset structural composites
- Metal structures restrict your design options. Polystrand™ thermoplastic structural composites give you the chance to flex your creative muscle
- Remove weight, not strength, by replacing the metal in your brackets with OnForce™ LFT long fiber materials
- Our extensive line of color and additive masterbatch products and services match colors exactly across many different plastic materials, while preventing material degradation due to heat, cold, hydrocarbon exposure and mechanical abuse
- Reduce the carbon footprint of structural plastic components with Hydrocerol™ Chemical Foaming Agents and our foaming prediction service
Technologies
| 0 | Product Name | Description | Characteristics | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glasforms™ | Pultruded thermoset composites | Stiffness | Fatigue strength |
| 2 | Polystrand™ | Continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites | Stiffness | Ability to post-form |
| 3 | Complēt™ and OnForce™ LFT | Long fiber reinforced plastics | High stiffness | Good impact in structural and metal replacement applications |
| 4 | Edgetek™ Toughened PPA | Polyphthalamide formulations | High temperature performance and excellent impact resistance | Low moisture absorption for mechanical and structural integrity |
| 5 | Hydrocerol™ Chemical Foaming Agents | Foaming additives and pre-production prediction service | Weight reduction | Preserved mechanical properties |
Resources
| NAME | CATEGORY | DESCRIPTION | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Aftermarket Side Step | Case Study (Snapshot) | Moisture-resistant Complēt™ long glass fiber reinforced formulation improves strength, design freedom, and finish | View |
| Automotive Removable Roof Bracket | Case Study (Snapshot) | Complēt™ long carbon fiber reinforced polyphthalamide composite replaced steel in bracket securing roof panels and achieved an 80% weight reduction | View |
| Automotive Steering Column Bracket | Case Study (Snapshot) | Complēt™ long carbon fiber reinforced nylon composite replaced metal steering column supports and lowered weight by 50% | View |
| Avient's Foaming Prediction Service | Video | Predict foamed part behavior and maximum weight reduction | View |
| Foaming Prediction Service | Product/Service Overview | Overview of services, key characteristics and key applications | View |
| How to Lightweight Automotive Components | Article | Explore three key opportunities for metal-to-plastic conversion | View |
| Lighten up with Hydrocerol™ - Video | Video | Hydrpcerol™ chemical foaming agents help to reduce the weight of automotive plastic parts like dashboard carriers, interior trim parts, door panels or glove boxes. | View |
| Optimizing Automotive Structural Component Designs with Advanced Modeling | Article | Learn how virtual capabilities can improve performance. | View |
| Panels for Off-Road Vehicles | Case Study (Snapshot) | Ten engineered material and Masterbatch solutions provided global service improvements for panels on off-road vehicles | View |
| Piranha Marine Propeller | Case Study (Snapshot) | Complēt™ MT Long Glass Fiber Reinforced Nylon 6 improved durability and vibration damping allowing the blades to flex and absorb energy from minor impacts | View |
| Replacing Aluminum with Long Fiber Thermoplastics (LFT) | Application Overview | Key factors and comparisons to consider when replacing aluminum with long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (LFT); including processing and material performance summaries | View |
| Services Capabilities Overview | Product/Service Overview | Discover the comprehensive technical services available through Specialty Engineered Materials at Avient to assist customers | View |