The use of plastics in cars will increase by 75 percent in 2020
The use of plastics in cars will increase by 75 percent in 2020
Industry experts predict that the amount of plastic used in each car will reach 350 kilograms by 2020 from 200 kilograms in 2014. Carbon fibre, meanwhile, will grow three times as much in the automotive manufacturing market, with a projected increase of 9,800 tonnes of carbon fibre in the car industry by 2030, up from 3,400 tonnes in 2013.
Car has led the rapid growth of the chemical industry, the next 17 years, auto output will double again, according to the survey of the ihs automotive information, a total of 2003 cars in 2003, to 2020, that figure will reach 104.1 million, which much of the growth will be driven by the rapid development of the Chinese market.
In practice, carmakers are starting to adopt new materials in order to reduce the weight of their cars and meet the government's emissions standards. The United States, for example, corporate average fuel economy standards (CAFE), force car makers to reduce fuel consumption, European vehicle road load and greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 30%, etc., this a series of policies required to adopt more advanced automotive engine, gearbox and hybrid technology, among them, the use of carbon fiber and polymer and composite materials can make the body weight decreased by 25% to 25%.
Composite materials have not yet accounted for half of the mountain.
In most cases, the mainstream of the traditional metal processing produce cost-effective method to reduce weight in order to improve the competitiveness, on the premise of safe, cost effective supply chain, manufacturing chamber of commerce to make bolder - using composite materials.
Plastics have been in the car industry for some time, like polycarbonate glass instead of regular glass, and almost every car on the road has a P headlamp and a PC/PMMA taillight. The PC's next target is the window, but cost and regulatory issues limit the material's development.
Windows PC materials will lead to more innovation, such as the component can be integrated in the glass, Windows/light/column board collection together, make the integral style of the car and the price to make a change, maybe it is a revolutionary innovation.
Auto glass and trim some automakers use plastic or composite material, is seeking to change the car outside act the role of the road, trying to use these materials in automobile body panel, with the development of more sophisticated.
What materials are still being explored
Carbon fiber has been used in the manufacture of the top racing, that is, using carbon fiber body panels, including grade A cladding, door plank, the dashboard and hood, to reduce automobile weight, even if such high costs of carbon fiber, hindered the development of the market.
In terms of cost, the chemical industry has given an exact answer - a mix of foam, plastic and fibre composites, using standard extruded plastic and fiberglass sandwiched in foam structures. The material can greatly reduce weight on the original basis, while maintaining the integrity of the structure. Bayer material technology, which exhibited the material at the 2013K exhibition, reduced the weight of carbon fiber and polymer and composite materials by 25 to 70 percent, and within the price range that manufacturers could accept.
Basf has become the leader of the lightweight revolution, and has already proposed the development solution of impregnated resin fiber and optimized the lightweight structure of the mould and plastic production. This material has been used in everyday vehicles. For example, the solution could be used in mass-produced vehicles, but today the technology only supports the replacement of car parts. Experts predict that these materials will bring conceptual breakthroughs and new design storms in the automotive industry by 2020.
Supply chain risk becomes an obstacle
While the new material has a bright future in the automotive industry, there are significant potential risks in the supply chain. Composite materials and the advanced plastic manufacturers need to invest huge costs and in operation worldwide supply base, in addition, the reliability and reproducibility of the products is crucial, although profitable, but the crude oil and raw materials can directly influence the manufacturing cost.
With a small supply base of raw materials to produce will be very easy to interference, such as evonik industries group of polyamide 2011 factory fire explosion, caused the world within the scope of polyamide stop supply raw materials, the material using the auto industry in a big range, evonik took nearly two years to regain the market.
