Technical Paper
Innovative Methods to Reduce Weight in the Production of Molded Polyurethane Parts
1998-02-23
980723
The proportion of non-metallic parts in automobile production continues to increase. Forecasts call for this percentage, on a weight basis including glass, rubber and plastics, to grow from 32% in 1997 to about 38% in 2005. One reason for this growth is the excellent durability, corrosion resistance, and design freedom that can be obtained with plastics parts, including, of course, polyurethanes. Superior economics have also been a major factor. Despite this impressive success, however, the automotive industry demands continuous improvement from its polyurethane part suppliers. A major focal point has always been in the area of weight reduction. Reduction in the weight of molded parts yields a double benefit to the automotive manufacturer. First, the cost of the parts can be somewhat reduced, by raw material savings. Second, the reduced weight of the finished part allows the automobile manufacturer to achieve higher fuel efficiency.
