Lear Corporation Introduces Two New Polymers for Interior Applications
8 June 2000
Applications Offering Enhanced Occupant Safety, Cost Savings and Weight Reduction
GOTHENBURG, Sweden - Lear Corporation, one of the world's premier automotive
interior suppliers, has launched two new polymer materials to be used in some of
Lear's future offerings of interior rim products: door panels, pillars and
trunk trim. With properties romising optimized occupant safety and cost saving
potential, these ultra-lightweight and recyclable polymers could literally save
vehicle manufacturers both weight and money. Because they are composed of
natural fibres that are replenishable, the two polymers are also environmentally
friendly.
The two innovative polymers, natural fibre acrylic and natural fibre
polypropylene, have been developed at Lear's Manufacturing Operation
Division's development center in Ebersberg, Germany, where materials
development focuses on vehicle safety and weight reduction. Lear made the
announcement on the new polymers at the VISE & VIBEX 2000.
"With these two new polymers, Lear is addressing key material needs for
European vehicle manufacturers, who want to reduce weight while contributing
to passive safety," said Randall Carron, President - International Operations
for Lear Corporation.
Natural Fibre Acrylic for Door Trim, Package Trays
This patent-pending natural fibre acrylic polymer has been developed for
automotive door panel trim, package tray and trunk applications. A so-called
"modular binder system" allowing stiffness and impact resistance to be varied
according to need offers extreme flexibility for customers. The exceptionally
lightweight properties of the natural fibre acrylic polymer also could make it
suitable for a range of other automotive interior applications in the future.
"In our extensive testing we have reached a record low weight of 1300 g/m2
- a weight savings of greater than 40% when compared to conventional injection
molded substrates," said Armin Schwaighofer, Material Development Engineer,
Lear's Manufacturing Operations Division in Ebersberg.
"The bending strength of this polymer has proven to be very high, which
puts this polymer among the very best in the market right now. The fact that
the material consists up to 70% of plant that regrow makes it an
environmentally friendly way to use natural resources," Schwaighofer added.
Selected after months of research, this unique formula of plant fibres and
acrylics also offers an improved environment for production workers compared
with glass fibre-based polymers.
Natural Fibre Polypropylene for Door Trim, Trunk trim
Natural fibre polypropylene is made from plants that can be regrown that
are combined with polypropylene. In this natural fiber, Lear replaced the
flax fibre with kenaf, hemp and jute. Additional improvements in mechanical
properties were achieved with the use of coupling agents that improve the
chemical bonding of fibre and polypropylene. This new material from Lear has
superior elasticity, providing high impact resistance. This new "elastic"
environment could mean improved occupant safety by eliminating potentially
sharp edges caused by conventionally brittle panels that may fracture during
an accident.
"Broken interior panels in accidents can sometimes be serious. Our tests
have shown that, in an accident, interior door panels furnished with our
natural fibre polypropylene are more 'impact friendly,'" said Ulrich Probst,
Vice President and General Manager, Lear's Manufacturing Operations Division
in Ebersberg.
Significant cost savings are achieved through the thermoplastic properties
of the polypropylene, which allow the material to be reheated. A one-step-
process for manufacturing is possible whereby the natural fibre polypropylene
is covered with the actual surface material in just one step.
Lear Corporation, a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Southfield,
Michigan, USA, is one of the world's largest automotive suppliers, with 1999
sales of $12.4 billion. The company's world-class products are designed,
engineered and manufactured by more than 120,000 employees in over 300
facilities located in 33 countries.