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This paper describes a joint development and testing program between Tier I suppliers and a North American automotive company to determine the efficacy of a new generation of cure-in-place gasketing materials (CIPG) as flange seals for water pumps. Employing a systems approach to validate design and process test procedures, the program demonstrated that this chemically-based material provides superior performance in applications requiring resistance to powertrain fluids. When combined with proper flange design, process controls, and dispensing systems, it proved robust and economical. Compared to the sealing methods and material it replaced, the new CIPG compound delivers improved processing, manufacturing flexibility, and enhanced quality.

Finite Element Analysis has become increasingly important to the automotive industry due to the emphasis towards reduced product design and development time. Meanwhile, plastics are becoming more widely used because they are satisfying other automotive objectives, such as cost and weight reduction, and thus are replacing metals in many applications. It follows that finite element analysis and plastics can be combined to reduce the time, weight and cost associated with developing and producing parts. This paper discusses modelling of a 40% glass fiber reinforced Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) compound by the Finite Element Method. Good reliability of this method requires a detailed understanding of the behavior and properties of the material. For example, fiber reinforced plastics exhibit anisotropic behavior, and thus require special consideration.