At JEC World 2019 in Paris, France, SABIC announced a new technology that uses Udmax tape (a unidirectional continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite) to produce lightweight, low-cost And recyclable auto parts. This innovative technology aims to replace traditional automotive interior and exterior panels made of metal and thermoset materials, and will soon be used on a large scale in the global automotive market to produce light commercial vehicle (LCV) bulkheads.
This new technology is the result of cooperation between a number of international companies, jointly developed by SABIC and UK-based engineering service provider RLE International, Italian precision tool maker AMA Composites, and German textile company Setex Textiles. Automotive panels containing Udmax strips are light-weight, high-strength, and impact-resistant. Compared with metal parts, they can reduce the weight of interior cabin panels by 35%. In the case of external panels, the weight can be reduced by up to 50%. They are produced using a single compression molding lamination and low-pressure high-efficiency molding process.
The core of the patented lamination technology is the ultra-wide Udmax tape of Setex Textiles. A SABIC source pointed out that in fact, there are basically seven layers of this bulkhead material, and the material of the middle layer is Udmax GPP 45-70. In addition, the thickness of the panels can be changed to improve noise, vibration and harshness, and reduce interior noise. It is important that the weight of the plate is reduced without affecting the impact resistance. According to RLE International, the bulkheads produced comply with ISO 27956 safety standards for cargo transportation. Udmax's production process and tensile strength are the main factors to improve the impact resistance.
Compared with traditional tools, the new design can reduce tool costs by up to 80% and reduce total supply costs by 10%. In addition, the molding cycle time is less than 2 minutes, which effectively improves production efficiency.
Mark Grix, head of interior and exterior engineering at RLE International, said: "Our new technology for the production of panels using Udmax thermoplastic composite strips offers tremendous opportunities for the automotive industry. For the electric vehicle industry, for example, weight reduction of panels can extend driving Mileage; reduced tool costs help startups reduce capital investment. "