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The Automotive Division of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) has announced the finalists for its 51st annual Automotive Innovation Awards Gala, the oldest and largest recognition event (established in 1970) in the automotive and plastics industries. Nominations were first subjected to a pre-qualification review, then the most innovative nominations (category finalists) were forwarded to the blue-ribbon judging round. Selected finalists are as follows.

The powder-bed fusion process was used to source, print, process, and install 60,000 TPU spoiler closeout seals to meet 10 weeks of production as a bridge solution while hard tooling was being produced. Innovative vapor polishing and drying processes cleared a bottleneck, halved production time, and were used to finish parts, eliminating the need for post-print dyeing. The seals close out gaps on the left and right sides of the rear spoiler, improving finish and fuel efficiency.

Category: Aftermarket and Limited Edition/Specialty Vehicles

Eliminating the need to paint flame-retardant plastics for weatherability, this one-piece EV charging cover uses two grades of a PC/silicone co-polymer. The first shot is a high-gloss black and the second is a clear, hard coated lens. Both grades are UL94 V-0 and 5VA approved in thin wall sections and offer excellent low-temperature ductility, weatherability, scratch/mar, and aesthetics. Eliminating paint saved $3/part while reducing the CO2 footprint.

A specially designed flow-through spoiler modifies airflow at the rear of the vehicle, keeping window glass clean, improving rear visibility, eliminating the need for a rear wiper and motor assembly, and lowering vehicle mass 0.24 kg. The two-piece bonded assembly eliminates an internal bracket, improving aesthetics and reducing dimensional variance while still meeting 1,200-N upward force requirements. Additionally, piece costs were reduced $8/vehicle and tooling avoidance saved $250,000.

Integrated Console Map Pocket Assembly

To address the need for model differentiation while managing costs and providing flexibility, this center console structure was split in two pieces that are mechanically fastened. The Class A front retainer provides a map pocket and structure for the media bin and cupholder assemblies. The structural rear retainer manages armrest and floor-attachment loads. Producing two smaller tools was less expensive than a single large one and welding was eliminated. The approach also reduced assembly issues, shortened assembly time, facilitated serviceability, lowered mass, and saved $457,000 in tooling avoidance and $2/piece cost.

Desert testing showed that internal electronics for the vehicle’s exhaust valve actuator were over temperature. A hybrid composite shield was developed combining thin stamped aluminum skins with Grip Metal hooks (controlled for size, curl, and hook density) to retain a core of high-temperature glass-reinforced phenolic. Aluminum’s high thermal reflectivity and phenolic’s thermal insulation, high compressive strength and chemical stability, high inherent flame retardance, and heat resistance >300°C lowered temperature on the electronics by 50°C while reducing mass 55% and indirect costs by $10/vehicle. A special compression tool combines both materials.

Category: Electric and Autonomous Vehicle Systems

High Damping AC Compressor Bracket

Reducing cabin noise is a new challenge offered by EVs. This structural AC compressor bracket represents the auto industry’s first use of a novel, high-damping, semi-aromatic polyamide co-polymer specifically developed to address this issue. Bracket excitation was reduced by 10 dB and audible cabin noise was lowered 7 dB (80%). The fast cycling material can be dropped into conventional PA 66 tooling without modification.

A new top pad skin material was engineered to offer extra-high flow to enable 0.8- to 1.0-mm skin thicknesses. The material is 100% recyclable and offers high UV and thermal stability, yet provides good cold-temperature ductility for stable passenger airbag deployment. By replacing slush molding with injection molding, the carbon footprint is halved, weight is reduced by 20%, cycle time is reduced from 10 minutes to 90 seconds, and tooling lead times were reduced by 33%. The material is available in multiple colors; graining and a water-based coating improve haptics.

By switching from aluminum to 60% GR-PA 46 on an accumulator piston, two polymer wear bushings were eliminated while lowering wear, and cost and mass were reduced by 47% and 70%, respectively. The highly efficient part design met all performance requirements for fatigue, thermal cycling (-40 to 140°C), chemical resistance, wear, creep, and fluid pressure/spring force resistance .

Category: Process/Assembly/Enabling Technologies

To injection mold this high-precision, >30-mm-thick PMMA low-beam projection lens with optical microstructures at low cost and high volumes, a multishot, multilayer, multicavity approach was used. Controlling cavity pressure was critical to achieving tight dimensional control and optical performance. A complex, multicavity tool with multiple stations allowed lens thickness to be successively built up without long cycle times or risk of warpage. Thanks to new simulation tools, all prototyping was done virtually, reducing cost and increasing speed to market. Versus glass, mass was reduced by 58%, less energy was used, and the CO2 footprint was lowered by 20%.

Thanks to a patented recycling process, post-industrial recyclate bilaminate scrap comprised of TPO skins attached to cross-linked olefin foam is given new life in the same interior trim applications without sacrificing quality or performance. An additive package eliminates/binds/deactivates reactive residuals and trapped gases from foam. Just on this program, around 680 tonnes of TPO resin is reclaimed annually, reducing landfilled scrap 93%, replacing 50% of prime TPO, and lowering CO2 emissions and energy usage 48% each.

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