Aluminum injection molds used to be thought ideal only for low-volume applications using commodity materials. That is changing as OEMs look more closely at tooling costs and cycle times to reduce piece-part pricing, and overall manufacturing cost.
The engine cover on the Ford Fusion Hybrid utilizes a metallic-effect compound from PolyOne that mimics the luster of a painted polymer without the extra energy requirements and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that painting can produce. Injection molded by MPC Inc. (Walworth, WI), a Ford World...
Electric vehicles—plug-in hybrids and battery powered—will comprise nearly 20% of the global market for light vehicles in 2030 says a study by automotive industry analysts at IHS Global Insight .
Chemicals and silicone supplier Wacker, in collaboration with the "society for innovation" (INPRO)—a joint venture of BASF, Daimler, Siemens, ThyssenKrupp, Volkswagen, and the state government of Berlin, Germany—has developed a new silicone rubber specifically designed to meet tough automotive-...
Multicomponent injection molding, in a single mold, with one of the materials a PUR coating that protects its thermoplastic substrate: that's the beauty of a technology that was first discussed five years ago and now is claiming its initial commercial success, and in no less of a project than the...
Once purely an injection molder of automotive parts and systems, German processor Sauermann recently expanded its skills set to include profile extrusion. The company tasked KraussMaffei Berstorff to supply the profile extrusion line, a KME 60-36 B/R single-screw extruder.
Operating at temperatures of up to 220°C, bushings made of DuPont's Vespel TP polyimide replace metal and promise to combine friction and wear performance with a low coefficient of thermal expansion to allow consistently smooth operation of the valves, including their fast and precise opening and...
Lower costs, a more environmentally sustainable process, improved quality, plus a reduced footprint, are among the reasons BMW cites for its switch from a powerwash system to a CO 2 "snow jet" system. The equipment is used to clean exterior plastic parts before applying a primer.
In two announcements this week, automotive OEM Ford Motor Co. showed progress in its efforts to build a "sustainable materials portfolio," offering details on cylinder head covers made from post-consumer nylon that was most recently carpet, and storage bins that use wheat straw to fortify...
In his first press conference, President-Elect Barack Obama wasted little time in addressing the travails of an industry he described as “the backbone of American manufacturing.”
