Research and Markets: Global Market Review of Automotive Glazing Systems - Forecasts to 2016 Presents the Latest Trends and Innovations in Automotive Glazing
DUBLIN--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d9bce2/global_market_revi) has announced the addition of the "Global Market Review of Automotive Glazing Systems - Forecasts to 2016" report to their offering.
“PVC is the lowest cost option. PVC unfortunately is not the most environmentally friendly material and because of that, some OEMs have made a move to TPE. TPE is used for a couple reasons. One is because it is a”
In this sixth edition of just-auto's glazing report, we review the key market drivers for automotive glazing, and update the report's market analysis.
As glazing plays an increasing role in the overall design of a vehicle, vehicle makers are looking for ways to use glass on other areas of the body. This has led to increased research into how sunroofs can be used more effectively as a design feature. The sunroof has subsequently emerged as a key styling feature and can in some cases replace the majority of the roof panel.
Higher and wider windshields have also led to the quantity of glass used in vehicle manufacture to gradually increase. The trends in MPVs, for instance, have seen bulky A-pillars become obtrusive for forward vision. Consequently, some car designers are focusing more and more on panoramic windshields that wrap around at the sides pushing the A-pillar back towards the front door.
This report presents the latest trends and innovations in automotive glazing, providing exclusive interviews with Saint-Gobain Sekurit and the California Air Resources Board plus extracts from interviews with Pittsburgh Glass Works and other leading glass suppliers and vehicle makers.
Following our market introduction in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 The market, predicts in some detail how the replacement glass market will evolve in Europe from 2006 through 2016. Data includes European country volumes for the aftermarket sector, plus world regional OE volumes and values for these years.
Vehicle production may have decreased during 2009 yet there is still a lot of development work being undertaken in the automotive glazing industry. The main drivers of growth relate to product complexity (curvature and surface tolerance), solar control, security and the complete glazing system.
This chapter begins by reviewing recent market trends, then looks at recent activity from the major OE suppliers, and developments in key markets. Global and regional 2008 market share percentages are given for the supply of OE and aftermarket glass, plus the market volume and value data tables are provided here.
Chapter 3 Technical review
An auto executive told us: ...if you look at what is happening with CARB relative to CO2 reduction and you look at these increasingly large glass roofs, then that is opening up more and more opportunity for heat to enter the vehicle. So these types of technologies for keeping cars cool and more efficient will become increasingly important around the world, not just in California..."
This chapter sets out a review of recent innovations in the auto glazing arena. Included are sections covering:
- panoramic roofs
- solar controlled glazing
- large-, acoustic- and heated-windshields
- laminated side glazing
- polycarbonate glazing
- switchable glazing
- bare-edge glass
- enamels
- shade bands
Plus, Saint-Gobain talk exclusively about the Citron C3's Zenith windshield.
Chapter 4 Manufacturers
This chapter provides profiles of the major manufacturers, namely Asahi Glass, Central Glass, Fuyao Group, Guardian Industries, Nippon Sheet Glass, Pittsburgh Glass Works and Saint-Gobain.
Executive Summary:
Review of automotive glazing Value-added glazing products are becoming increasingly important in the automotive market, delivering greater functionality and adding a further growth dimension at a time when the industry needs it most. Matthew Beecham reports on some of the latest developments.
Solar control
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently voted to adopt regulations that will require new cars sold in California, starting with the 2012 model year, to have windows that reflect or absorb the sun's heat-producing rays. Glassmakers applauded this regulation, saying it could present an opportunity for the glass industry to sell more value-added products.
Tom Cleary, Carlite research and development manager, Zeledyne LLC believes that if the CARB regulation goes nationwide, could it stimulate innovation within the automotive glass industry and provide another level upon which competitors can differentiate themselves. He told us: "From the perspective of intent, the legislation is a good thing and for glazing, it gives us the opportunity to add value to our products. My concern is in the cost-benefit analysis, particularly with some of the rules that will come into place in the 2016 model year which, with current available technologies, essentially drives you to laminate the entire car set. So that is going to be pretty costly to the end consumer.
"Additionally, laminating the entire car set means that you need to use twice as many pieces of glass and a sheet of petroleum based PVB for each part. This, of course equates to more energy consumption and emissions from manufacturing which need to be accounted for from an environmental impact perspective."
Mukesh Rustagi, director, strategic product management at Pittsburgh Glass Works (PGW), told just-auto: "I think this [CARB regulation] is great for the industry because the challenge is now out there to come up with more cost effective and better performing value added products. Certainly, it is an opportunity for the glass industry to innovate and provide a more competitive product in the marketplace."
Pete Dishart, PGW's global product manager, added: "Some of the overall drivers for laminated glass are the added value benefits of lighter weight and, in particular, reducing sound levels in the vehicle and for security, too. So I think by this regulation driving the use of laminated glass, it will go to help with the acoustics and security. So I believe that it will create a lot of innovation inside the automotive and glass industry as a whole."
The technologies required for such solar management are already available, as Marijke Bekken of the CARB told just-auto: "The initial standard that we selected was based on the average of these solar controlled glazings that are in use right now in Europe and elsewhere."
Polycarbonate glazing
Although the idea of replacing glass with lighter weight plastic sounds like an obvious innovation, it is not new. For over thirty years, auto glass experts have explored the potential for polycarbonate as a replacement to glass.
Compared to the shape limitations of glass, plastic (polycarbonate) glazing is highly versatile. It is also lighter by as much as 50% and has high impact resistance. Suppliers claim that a total weight reduction of more than 20kg (50%) is possible when replacing all glass windows (except the windshield) for a standard minivan. Vehicle manufacturers can now consider 3D-shaped windows, innovative designs and locations and new opening and closing mechanisms.
Richards told us: "The high profile surrounding polycarbonate glazing today is probably a bit lower than it has been historically. But we have still yet to see a strong introduction in the vehicle industry. I think certain barriers to using this technology have been overcome. However, cost remains an issue. Also, reliance on where the material has come from, i.e. is it sustainable or not? That said, we believe that polycarbonate will feature in the future but market penetration is yet be determined. It offers very clear styling advantages in some areas over glass."
In terms of integrating antennae into polycarbonate, Bolton points out that getting any sort of conductor onto polycarbonate glazing is a challenge. He said: "You can certainly use antennae on plastics but the issue is about finding a cost-effective way of laying a conductive heating grid down onto plastic."
Sealing systems For some time, there has been a desire for an overall smooth aerodynamic style to the vehicle. Glazing systems have been fulfilling this desire by having smooth curved windows with flush seals.
In particular, the use of single-side window attachment systems such as encapsulation together with the hardware mounted on one side of the glass has grown in response to this need. Such systems reduce drag and noise, improve fuel economy and provide a good aesthetic appeal.
In terms of the trends in encapsulated glass, three types of materials are used in the process, namely PVC, PUR or RRIM, and TPE. For some time, Magna Sealing and Glass Systems has honed its expertise in all three materials. So what determines the use of one material over another? Bruce Warren, division general manager, Magna Sealing and Glass Systems, told us: "PUR used to be the technology of choice. However, due to the cost of those materials, it has been really relegated to specialised applications, specifically certain encapsulations where you need some structure to attach a piece of metal to a glass or just to form the structure around the glass itself.
"The PUR technology is also used for very large and complex windows that styling designers at the OEMs have decided that they would like encapsulated. A windshield or a backlite would be a good candidate for this technology. This technology is best suited for these large pieces of glass because by being able to encapsulate under the low pressure that PUR or RIM utilise, there is a much smaller chance that you would break the glass in the mould.
"PVC is the lowest cost option. PVC unfortunately is not the most environmentally friendly material and because of that, some OEMs have made a move to TPE. TPE is used for a couple reasons. One is because it is a "green" material. The other is that TPE has sealing characteristics that PVC doesn't have. PVC is essentially just a plastic but TPE allows you to mould sealing features onto the glass as well."
The vehicle designers drive the choice of adhesive and moulding processes used. Warren added: "What we found is that it really depends on what they are trying to do with the glass itself. For example, backlites in some applications integrate the trunk seal as well. In a case like that, it would require an encapsulation. But the other reason is really driven by design. Some vehicle styling studios prefer the PVC look versus the flush look. That drives almost everything right now. We can accomplish really almost anything with a flush glass look if you want it."
As far as glass run channels are concerned, Chris Bitsakakis, group general manager, Magna Sealing and Glass Systems says there are no significant technical differences in requirements between automakers. In Europe, however the rubber industry is a little more entrenched and set on a specific set of materials.
Bitsakakis told us: "There are some people in the traditional rubber sealing industry who feel that this particular change is not required. I think this perception is more about past practice than true concerns about the technology. Some people in the industry have been using EPDM rubber exclusively for 20 - 30 years and don't really see the need to change yet.
"Some of the German automakers, for example, are also looking at glass run channels to act as a trim component. This approach makes the glass run channel more visible to the end consumer. Due to this added visibility, the German OEMs prefer a low gloss rubber appearance. They compliment this low gloss rubber appearance with a brushed aluminium or anodised greenhouse moulding as part of the overall styling theme on these vehicles. In contrast, the North American OEMs will migrate towards higher gloss black material and bright stainless steel trim. The Japanese automakers are trending towards styling themes that are more similar to the North American theme, but the requirements for wind noise reduction and ease of glass travel is quite similar amongst all the OEMs."
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