High-tech plastics in the automotive industry promise solid growth

Düsseldorf / Germany, June 16, 2010 - Development in the automotive industry continues to reflect three overarching trends: efficiency, safety and comfort. They are resulting in alternative drive systems, lightweight designs and a higher share of electronic components - and that also means increased use of high-performance polymers. Plastics manufacturer Ticona expects substantial growth in certain segments. Potential remains to be fully realized, especially in the vehicle interior and in electrical systems.

The use of plastics makes it possible to reduce weight, thereby lowering fuel consumption, and to integrate functions. According to information from Ticona's key customers, the quantity of Ticona polymers used in each vehicle as a share of its total weight increased by an average of five percent per year from 2005 to 2009. "Over the next three to four years, we still see considerable growth potential. In the vehicle interior, the estimated potential ranges from 150 to 175 percent and in electrical systems it ranges from 120 to 130 percent," says Maria Ciliberti, Commercial Director Europe, Ticona. The company projects growth of up to 45 percent in safety system applications and 40 to 50 percent in drive train and exterior applications.

The forecasts anticipate highly dynamic markets. Emerging regions such as China and India are driving accelerated growth in the automotive sector, but demand in existing markets is also gathering steam. Automotive industry experts project that passenger car production will reach pre-recession levels again as early as 2011. High-performance plastics such as Hostaform^®, Celstran^®, Factor^®, Fortron^®, Vectra^® and now also Zenite^® from Ticona are in high demand as result. Their versatile properties and efficient processing methods are helping automakers and automotive suppliers master new technological challenges. "Moreover, increasingly globalized markets also demands useful applications based on globally available materials and know-how. Our goal is to develop solutions that comply with the regulations and requirements of the various countries and regions - and to develop solutions that avoid development additional costs at the same time," says Maria Ciliberti.

Premises for automobiles: efficient and eco-friendly

As recently as a few years ago, the successful market launch of a new car required only three things: it had to be fast, stylish and inexpensive. Today's new vehicles mainly have to be economical and eco-friendly. Efficiency is important not only in the vehicle itself, but also during its production. Over the course of the past few years, CO₂ emissions, rising fuel costs and the development of alternative drive technologies have radically altered the assumptions governing global automotive production.

One eco-friendly mobility option that can conserve resources in the future is the electric car.  It will take some time, however, until this technology can be implemented on a large scale. Technical hurdles remain and acquisition costs are still too high. That's why automakers continue to focus on conventional drive systems in parallel. And just like the electric car, those conventional systems must also become more efficient - for example, through the use of lighter weight materials that are nonetheless extremely robust.

Generally speaking, the simple rule is this: the lower the weight, the less energy consumed and the less carbon dioxide released. New cars today already comprise approximately 15 percent polymers by weight. To achieve this in their vehicles, automakers such as BMW, Daimler, Honda and VW are turning to plastics for structural components of the chassis, functional and aesthetic elements in the vehicle interior and applications under the hood - plastics that reliably meet special requirements such as resistance to heat or chemicals.

More safety and comfort through electronic components

Many automobile manufacturers are now installing sophisticated control consoles. Navigation and entertainment systems have almost become standard equipment and the first passenger cars with PCs are also expected soon. "Today electrical and electronic components already represent 20 percent of the production value of a car. The reason is simple: many basic functions in modern passenger cars - whether for advanced driver assistance systems, communication, sensors or hybrid drives - cannot be implemented without the use of electronic systems," explains Ciliberti in conclusion as Ticona gears up for the industry's K 2010 trade fair.

From a technical perspective, and also for business reasons, one of the main prerequisites for the implementation of these demanding applications is the availability of high-performance polymers such as the ones offered by Ticona. Take convenient communication systems for example: they permit the user to connect a cell phone or an MP3 player without Bluetooth to the audio system via a USB connector - and now the driver no longer needs to press a button, but can also operate them by voice control. This USB 2.0 socket has to withstand high mechanical loads, so automakers rely on Vectra
E 130i liquid crystal polymer (LCP) from Ticona for such applications. Cost-effectively produced by injection molding, the component ensures a secure interface connection with high mechanical and thermal stability.

Hella, based in Lippstadt, Germany, is also enhancing safety on the road with its swiveling VARIOX module, a camera-controlled lighting system. At the heart of this latest generation Bi-Xenon^® headlight system is a swiveling roller with bearings made of Vectra LCP S 625 liquid crystal polymer. This headlamp module adjusts the position of the edge of the beam of light out in front the vehicle according to the specific traffic conditions: driving safety and comfort are enhanced, and oncoming drivers are no longer blinded.

Outlook: Spurring innovation in the automotive industry

The future of automotive construction belongs to alternative drives - and high-performance, lightweight materials. They will make it possible to carry forward current trends in an economically and ecologically rational manner and to develop new features and further optimize existing applications in the interest of consumers, manufacturers and the environment.

Bi-Xenon^® is a registered trademark of Hella.

Ticona - a broad range of automotive applications

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