Global Collaboration, Local Excellence for Automative parts

Automotive engineers select materials based on a balance of several factors:

• Weight: Lighter materials improve fuel efficiency and handling.

• Cost: Materials must be affordable for mass production.

• Performance: This includes strength, impact resistance, heat resistance, and chemical resistance.

• Aesthetics: Ability to be painted, textured, or made glossy.

• Manufacturability: How easily can it be injection molded, extruded, etc.?

•  

• Detailed Breakdown by Application

• 1. Exterior Parts (Bumpers, Body Panels, Trim)

  • Polypropylene (PP) is the king of bumpers and many exterior claddings. Its excellent chemical resistance prevents damage from road salts and fuels, it’s very lightweight, and it’s extremely cost-effective. It’s often used in a copolymer form (e.g., TPO – Thermoplastic Olefin) for better impact strength.

  • Polycarbonate (PC) and PC Blends (PC/ABS) are used for more demanding applications. PC/ABS combines the heat resistance and strength of PC with the flexibility of ABS. It’s commonly used for grilles, mirror housings, and wheel covers where a higher-quality finish is needed.

  • ABS is also used for bright trim pieces (like chrome-plated grilles) because it provides a very smooth surface for plating.

  2. Transparent Parts (Headlights, Lenses)

  • Polycarbonate (PC) is the dominant material for headlamp lenses. Its exceptional impact resistance prevents cracking from stones, and its clarity is excellent. It must be coated with a hard coat to resist UV degradation and scratching.

  • PMMA (Acrylic) is sometimes used for interior lenses or reflectors because it offers higher optical clarity and UV resistance than uncoated PC, but it is too brittle for external lenses.

  3. Under-the-Hood Components

  This environment demands high heat and chemical resistance.

  • Nylon (Polyamide, especially PA 6/6 and PA 6) is a top choice. It maintains its strength and stiffness at high temperatures. Used for air intake manifolds, radiator end tanks, engine covers, and connectors.

  • Polypropylene (PP), specially formulated for heat resistance, is used for battery cases and fluid reservoirs.

  • Polyoxymethylene (POM / Acetal) is perfect for small precision parts like fuel system components, gears, clips, and seatbelt mechanisms due to its low friction, high stiffness, and excellent dimensional stability.

  4. Interior Parts (Dashboard, Trim, Consoles)

  • ABS and PC/ABS are widely used for interior components like the dashboard skeleton, glove boxes, and trim panels. They offer a great balance of strength, heat resistance, and a good surface finish for painting or texturing.

  • Polypropylene (PP) is used extensively for less structurally demanding parts like A/B/C pillar trims, glove box doors, and battery cases because it is so economical.

  • Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) is increasingly popular for interior and exterior trim. It has similar properties to ABS but with far superior UV resistance, preventing it from fading or becoming brittle in the sun.

  5. Flexible Components (Seals, Gaskets, Bellows)

  • Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) / Thermoplastic Vulcanizates (TPV) have largely replaced traditional rubber for many seals and gaskets. They are easier to process (injection molding vs. vulcanization) and recyclable. Used for weather-stripping, window seals, and cowl top gaskets.

  • Polyurethane (PU) is used for larger, more structural flexible parts due to its toughness and abrasion resistance. Key applications include suspension bushings, foam for seats and armrests, and even body panels on some concept cars.