Plastics on the Move
A visit to Weber Plastics

Above average increase in profit, a sophisticated product range and, according to the company profile, Weber Kunststofftechnik considers itself “Best in Class”. What we wanted to know was who was behind it so we paid a visit to Dr. Thomas Zipp, Managing Partner at Weber GmbH & Co. KG. ....read more!

Lower Impact Plane for Passenger Protection
Unlocking the Potential for Vehicle Safety

To meet one of the declared aims of the EU – to halve the number of deaths resulting from road traffic accidents in Europe by 2010 - it is not enough to simply focus on the occupants of the vehicle. Other road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, who are often unprotected, need to be taken into account. Additional infrastructure projects such as separating roads, cycle tracks and paths, can help, but the main impetus for safety must come from exploiting the potential of the vehicle itself. ....read more!

Hybrid technology - a cost-effective design method
Good prospects for applications in and around the bodywork

Hybrid technology has long enjoyed a reputation as a cost-effective design method for intelligent lightweight solutions in the field of automotive construction. A fact evidenced by a whole range of front ends for small, mid-size and top-of-the-range vehicles. What’s more, new areas of application and an expanding pool of expertise underline that there is still plenty of untapped potential for cutting costs and minimizing weight. ....read more!

Stabilisation with minimum weight
Hybrid construction roof frame for the Audi A6

Anja Jäschke of Audi AG delivered a lecture at the VDI conference in Mannheim on the hybrid construction of the roof framework for the Audi A6. Here are some of the key points from her address. ....read more!

From the idea to the final product
Ferromatik Milacron is full line service partner to the automotive industry

Seeing themselves as a full line partner to their customers Ferromatik Milacron, Malterdingen/Germany is constantly watching the trends and developments in the automotive industry. Traditionally active in the small and medium segment, the injection moulding machine manufacturer today offers a complete machine program in the range from 30 to 2,700 tons clamping force. This covers standard machines which more or less can be chosen “off-the-shelf” as well as fully electrically driven machines up to high performance machines. ....read more!

Plastics Get it Together in Automotive Applications
BASF presents two new applications

The BASF Workshops, called Atelier-Treff, held on the eve of the VDI Conference in Mannheim have acquired something of a legendary reputation these past few years. This year the company, based in Ludwigshafen/Germany, used the opportunity to present two innovative products - an electric power-assisted steering system and an air flow sensor - made from Ultramid and Ultradur. ....read more!

Emission-optimised Plastic Products and Plastics Processing
Fraunhofer-ICT develops processes and measurement method

Emissions from plastic components have many causes. As well as raw or auxiliary materials from polymer synthesis, the processing procedure itself or the processing aids used can lead to increased undesirable emissions. It is particularly important to avoid or reduce emissions in very high-value areas of application, such as vehicle interior trim. But also in the production of products containing residual monomers or other impurities, low odour and emissions are important parameters. ....read more!

A Twist to Blow Moulding of Automotive Parts
3-D Moulding Gains Acceptance

Blow moulding of long and irregular parts with innovative mould and parison movements is not exactly new. In fact, SIG-Kautex of Bonn/Germany produced the first machines for these applications in 1993. Over time, the technology has developed into a series of modular machine components that give processors unprecedented control over part blowing. SIG-Kautex recently held an Open House at Roush Manufacturing in Livonia, MI/USA to display the latest advances in this technology. ....read more!

Licensed to bond: a riveting story
ASC riveting process for plastics

However unique the Series 5 BMW, the Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg may be, they still have something in common with the Opel Vectra, the Opel Astra or the A-Class and the C-Class Coupe from Mercedes. Sections of the interior trim are fabricated using the same riveting process. With the ASC riveting technique (Air Supported Contact) Kiefel of Freilassing in Germany have brought a new process for riveting thermoplastic polymers on to the market. This means that marks on the visible side, connections that come undone and grating noises are a thing of the past. ....read more!

All good things come from above
Integrated roof module shows the way forward for progressive modularisation in automotive engineering

The future of automotive engineering is customisation. The current trend is towards small production runs and meeting the individual’s wishes in terms of equipment. Merging individual subassemblies into modules offers the ideal way of meeting this challenge. Not only that but this modularised principle of construction makes an important contribution to rationalising production. ....read more!

The Fastest Dryer in the World
Series of dryers employs a radically different concept

Proper drying of the resins for automotive applications can be of the utmost importance to manufactures. Residual moisture levels in resins such as Polycarbonate leads to processing problems and surface defects that are unacceptable in parts such as lens covers. For years, desiccant dryers have been drying PET by circulating hot air through desiccant beds and the material. Now, Maguire Products, Inc. of Aston, Pennsylvania, USA has invented a new series of dryers that are about to change all that promising significantly lower power consumption and drying time while improving the overall dryness of the material. ....read more!

Rhodia launches new polyamide solutions
New polyamide launched for automotive vertical body panels and materials target noise insulatio

Rhodia Engineering Plastics announced the launch of two new polyamide grades. One has been specifically designed to address vertical body panel needs. The other is offering acoustic performance that is claimed to be superior to traditional engineering plastics. These new grades are said to offer more than 4dB improvement compared to other engineering plastics such as glass reinforced PP or PA. ....read more!

Read more about several products for the automotive industry
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