Mirror-housing bracket made of DuPont Rynite® wins award for innovative use of plastics
A mirror-housing bracket, made of DuPont Rynite® PET, has won the chassis/hardware category at this years Most Innovative Use of Plastics Program, an event hosted by the Amercian Society of Plastics Engineers. The Chrysler Group, Mayco Plastics and DuPont Automotive received the top award for the first use of plastic for structural support of a sheet metal body panel at the body in white stage. The bracket, located between the inner and outer door panels to support the driver- and passenger-side exterior mirrors, can be found on the second-generation 2004 Dodge Durango SUV and Dakota pickup.
The application provides significant savings on the cost of each part by eliminating costly multiple steps in the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for an additional welding cell on the assembly line and significantly reducing EHPV (engineering hours per vehicle) in the plant.
The weight, cost and EHPV savings alone make this a breakthrough application, said Sandeep Vijaywargiya, Chrysler Group truck products engineer, who accepted the award on behalf of Chrysler. The fact that this is the first use of plastic to reinforce non-crash body panels opens up a whole realm of possible automotive applications.
The bracket is made of Rynite® PET due to its resistance to creep, load, torque and its ability to take brutal e-coat oven temps of 175C for an hour. The material also had to resist weather and harsh chemicals and withstand durability testing, including a torture test that slams the vehicle door 50,000 times.
DuPont is proud to work closely with automakers and the value chain to drive valuable innovation programs, said Chris Murphy, automotive director Americas, for DuPont Automotive Performance Materials. This metal-replacement project, which is on the road right now, demonstrates the numerous automotive opportunities yet remaining for thermoplastic materials. In combination with smart engineering, these materials continue to provide significant weight savings, cost reduction and performance benefits.
The Society of Plastics Engineers has been celebrating innovation with this awards program for 34 years.
The application provides significant savings on the cost of each part by eliminating costly multiple steps in the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for an additional welding cell on the assembly line and significantly reducing EHPV (engineering hours per vehicle) in the plant.
The weight, cost and EHPV savings alone make this a breakthrough application, said Sandeep Vijaywargiya, Chrysler Group truck products engineer, who accepted the award on behalf of Chrysler. The fact that this is the first use of plastic to reinforce non-crash body panels opens up a whole realm of possible automotive applications.
The bracket is made of Rynite® PET due to its resistance to creep, load, torque and its ability to take brutal e-coat oven temps of 175C for an hour. The material also had to resist weather and harsh chemicals and withstand durability testing, including a torture test that slams the vehicle door 50,000 times.
DuPont is proud to work closely with automakers and the value chain to drive valuable innovation programs, said Chris Murphy, automotive director Americas, for DuPont Automotive Performance Materials. This metal-replacement project, which is on the road right now, demonstrates the numerous automotive opportunities yet remaining for thermoplastic materials. In combination with smart engineering, these materials continue to provide significant weight savings, cost reduction and performance benefits.
The Society of Plastics Engineers has been celebrating innovation with this awards program for 34 years.
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