Proposed federal corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards of 54.5 miles per gallon, coupled with rising fuel prices, are spurring automakers to explore new ways to lighten up to improve fuel efficiency. It’s no secret that use of lightweight materials can help improve the energy efficiency of vehicles. New innovations in materials and technologies are expanding the scope of where vehicle weight can be trimmed.
David Loren, alternative energy vehicle market manager, Bayer MaterialScience LLC, highlighted several of Bayer’s lightweight solutions at the ITB Automotive Mass Reduction Strategies conference. Loren presented “Lightweighting Trends, and the Need for Innovative Solutions,” during the event’s “Materials Innovations” track on May 18.
“Automotive OEMs are increasingly interested in using lightweight materials such as polycarbonate and polyurethane in both traditional and innovative applications to reduce vehicle mass in order to improve fuel efficiency,” Loren explains. “Bayer is uniquely positioned to help OEMs achieve their goals, and ultimately, meet consumer demand for better vehicle energy efficiency.”
Bayer’s diverse portfolio of lightweight materials can be used in numerous automotive applications, including composite underbodies, roof modules, load floors, exterior body panels, window glazing, headliners and interior components to help automakers lose weight without losing their style. Examples include:
• An underbody formed from Bayer’s polyurethane composite structure, which enables part consolidation and weight savings.
• Trunk floors and similar “load” floors formed from a thermoset polyurethane sandwich technology offer mass savings as high as 80 percent compared with traditional metal floors.
• Instrument panel (IP) structures made from Bayer’s “super-flow” polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene blend (PC/ABS) molded in thin walls can wring as much as 25 percent in weight from the IP structures. Additionally, this technology can reduce mass when used in glove boxes and knee blockers.
• Glass windows replaced with polycarbonate glazing not only reduces weight by up to 50 percent, but also offers greater aerodynamic styling options and improved insulation benefits. When used in roof modules, polycarbonate glazing offers lighter weight compared with glass, thereby reducing the vehicle’s center of gravity.