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Airbag canisters could be next big market for RTP
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Airbag canisters could be next big market for RTP THE NEXT major application for reinforced thermoplastics (RTP) in cars is likely to be the airbag canister housing, says BASF Automotive Materials’ Al Winterman. He predicts that by 2000 six to seven million vehicles may have nylon airbag canister housings, which would be 6-S% of the total market. “Considering the continuing emphasis being placed on both weight and manufacturing cost reduction, the use of nylon airbag canister housings should rise steadily.” Currently, the canister housing for passengerside airbag systems is formed from steel sheet or extruded aluminium, which typically weighs about 1.04 kg. The new airbag system uses a lightweight (729 g) injection moulded nylon canister housing. Improved versions may well weigh as little as 450 g. The first passengerside airbag system with a moulded nylon canister housing was on the 1995” Opel Vectra and Omega models. Allied Signal, BASF, Lemforder Metallwaren Elastmetall and Opel all collaborated in the development of the new airbag system. The Opel system incorporates new airbag inflation technology. For deployment of current airbags, an electronic trigger ignites a nitro cellulose based fuel, which produces a hot gas to rapidly
Reinforced Plastics May 1997
inflate the airbag. For deployment of the hybrid airbag design, Arcite@ propellant replaces the nitro cellulose-based fuel. The gas released into the airbag by this system is warm, but not hot. The new airbag design offers a number of advantages, including: pressure performance and build-up are very uniform and moderate - the nylon housing restricts container expansion; surface temperature of the airbag increases very slightly upon deployment - typically, temperatures do not exceed 45°C above ambient. The Opel airbag canister is moulded from Ultramid@ B3ZG8 resin, a 40% glass fibre reinforced, impact-modified type 6 nylon from BASF. The one-piece housing, which incorporates ducts for cable and plug attachments, has five to seven fewer parts than current designs. As a result, there are significant cost savings for manufacturing and assembly. Opel also uses the new design on its 1997 Vectra and Omega models. BASF says that US car companies are now developing passenger-side airbag system using the new technology and incorporating the nylon housing. At present, space and crash-impact restrictions inside a vehicle’s steering wheel preclude use of the new system. Diane Actman, BASF; tel: + I-201-426-3910.
Thermosets challenge metals in automotive applications
Kockwell’spiston jor hydraulic brakes has a stainless steel outer and a reinforced tbermoset core. It is 66% lighter than its all steel predekessor.
HEAT resistance and weight advantages are helping thermoset materials make significant inroads to automotive applications that are traditionally the province of metals, according to Fiberite Inc. “Reasons for automotive designers to switch from metals to thermosets for braking and under-thebonnet components are reaching critical mass,” says Dale Brosius, marketing manager for Fiberite. He cites key drivers as the need for heat resistance, dimensional stability and lower costs. FM 4029F- 1 phenolic, recently used in a Rockwell automotive application, is a glass and mineral reinforced phenolic moulding compounds, supplied in granular form. Key specifications include a glass transition temperature above 300°C and a coefficient of expansion of 13 ppm/“C, which is similar to the steel it replaces. Rockwell’s piston consists of a corrosion-resistant stainless steel outer
shell, with the thermoset core. The piston is 66% lighter than the company’s previous generation of all steel piston, making it the lightest piston of its kind on the market. It also delivers a 66% increase in insulation value, greater reliability thanks to the heat resistance of the thermoset and the piston’s overall corrosionresistance. Pat Cadaret, a senior project engineer with Rockwell, says the thermal insulating benefits of FM 4029F-1 were instrumental in selecting it as the core material. “We wanted to ensure temperature stability in the piston as the brake disc gets hot,” he explains. He notes that the thermoset material’s light weight also provides important advantages. “Because the piston is lighter, it’s easier to retract with our O-ring retraction system. That eliminates brake dragging, which affects lining life.” Chuck Hanson, Fiberite inc; tel: + I- 50 7- 4528044.
Airbag canisters could be next big market for RTP THE NEXT major application for reinforced thermoplastics (RTP) in cars is likely to be the airbag canister housing, says BASF Automotive Materials’ Al Winterman. He predicts that by 2000 six to seven million vehicles may have nylon airbag canister housings, which would be 6-S% of the total market. “Considering the continuing emphasis being placed on both weight and manufacturing cost reduction, the use of nylon airbag canister housings should rise steadily.” Currently, the canister housing for passengerside airbag systems is formed from steel sheet or extruded aluminium, which typically weighs about 1.04 kg. The new airbag system uses a lightweight (729 g) injection moulded nylon canister housing. Improved versions may well weigh as little as 450 g. The first passengerside airbag system with a moulded nylon canister housing was on the 1995” Opel Vectra and Omega models. Allied Signal, BASF, Lemforder Metallwaren Elastmetall and Opel all collaborated in the development of the new airbag system. The Opel system incorporates new airbag inflation technology. For deployment of current airbags, an electronic trigger ignites a nitro cellulose based fuel, which produces a hot gas to rapidly
Reinforced Plastics May 1997
inflate the airbag. For deployment of the hybrid airbag design, Arcite@ propellant replaces the nitro cellulose-based fuel. The gas released into the airbag by this system is warm, but not hot. The new airbag design offers a number of advantages, including: pressure performance and build-up are very uniform and moderate - the nylon housing restricts container expansion; surface temperature of the airbag increases very slightly upon deployment - typically, temperatures do not exceed 45°C above ambient. The Opel airbag canister is moulded from Ultramid@ B3ZG8 resin, a 40% glass fibre reinforced, impact-modified type 6 nylon from BASF. The one-piece housing, which incorporates ducts for cable and plug attachments, has five to seven fewer parts than current designs. As a result, there are significant cost savings for manufacturing and assembly. Opel also uses the new design on its 1997 Vectra and Omega models. BASF says that US car companies are now developing passenger-side airbag system using the new technology and incorporating the nylon housing. At present, space and crash-impact restrictions inside a vehicle’s steering wheel preclude use of the new system. Diane Actman, BASF; tel: + I-201-426-3910.
Thermosets challenge metals in automotive applications
Kockwell’spiston jor hydraulic brakes has a stainless steel outer and a reinforced tbermoset core. It is 66% lighter than its all steel predekessor.
HEAT resistance and weight advantages are helping thermoset materials make significant inroads to automotive applications that are traditionally the province of metals, according to Fiberite Inc. “Reasons for automotive designers to switch from metals to thermosets for braking and under-thebonnet components are reaching critical mass,” says Dale Brosius, marketing manager for Fiberite. He cites key drivers as the need for heat resistance, dimensional stability and lower costs. FM 4029F- 1 phenolic, recently used in a Rockwell automotive application, is a glass and mineral reinforced phenolic moulding compounds, supplied in granular form. Key specifications include a glass transition temperature above 300°C and a coefficient of expansion of 13 ppm/“C, which is similar to the steel it replaces. Rockwell’s piston consists of a corrosion-resistant stainless steel outer
shell, with the thermoset core. The piston is 66% lighter than the company’s previous generation of all steel piston, making it the lightest piston of its kind on the market. It also delivers a 66% increase in insulation value, greater reliability thanks to the heat resistance of the thermoset and the piston’s overall corrosionresistance. Pat Cadaret, a senior project engineer with Rockwell, says the thermal insulating benefits of FM 4029F-1 were instrumental in selecting it as the core material. “We wanted to ensure temperature stability in the piston as the brake disc gets hot,” he explains. He notes that the thermoset material’s light weight also provides important advantages. “Because the piston is lighter, it’s easier to retract with our O-ring retraction system. That eliminates brake dragging, which affects lining life.” Chuck Hanson, Fiberite inc; tel: + I- 50 7- 4528044.