Categories and grand prize winners selected by a Blue Ribbon jury on October 1 will be announced at a gala on November 10, 2021. The submissions are below.
The Automotive division of the Society of Plastic Engineers of America (SPE, Danbury, CT, USA) has announced the finalists for the 50th annual Automotive Innovation Awards ceremony. Nominations are prequalified and then submitted to a panel of industry experts on September 23-24, 2021. The panel then advances the finalists to the Blue Ribbon judging round on October 1, 2021. The categories and grand prize winners selected in the Blue Ribbon judging will be announced at the 50th SPE Automotive Innovation Awards ceremony on the evening of November 10, 2021. The shortlist of this year’s competition is as follows:
Using 3D-printed TPU and post-processed steam smoothing instead of extruded rubber molding, these aftermarket polymer spring sleeves are designed using additive manufacturing (DFAM) principles to eliminate the viscosity commonly used to bond rubber sleeves to spring mixtures. The design balances the feasibility of assembly, performance, weight and use of materials, and provides an aesthetic not common in this type of application. When traditional suppliers could no longer provide parts, Ford designed and manufactured kits itself, reducing quality, cost and materials, improving drainage, and saving $150,000 by avoiding the use of molds.
In an industry first, customers have the option of downloading NFTL files and 3D-printing their own replaceable accessories (e.g., cup holders, trash cans, etc.) that fit into storage slots for the entire Maverick family of vehicles. The initial design was developed by Ford and its supply team, but future designs may be proposed by customers. Various printer types and suggested materials are available. This gives customers the option of flexible, customizable storage and use capabilities, or maximizing cabin space while avoiding large tool investments.
It is said to be the first external weatherability MIC application using low density microspheres and PCR carpet PP. The application reduces mass (0.2 kg) at a cost of $0.50- $1.00 per vehicle, while providing enhanced weatherability, superior dimensional stability and surface aesthetics in a greener form. Plug-in applications require minimal tool modification, but are 16% less dense than talcum powder filled primary PP, while providing better machining, machinery, surface finish, scratch and wear, weather resistance, and shorter cycle times. It helped avoid 680,000 kilograms of potential landfill and cut carbon emissions by 83 percent.
This hard coated and painted front grille with illuminated signage provides a 3D future effect in a single section. Injection/compression molding creates large transparent PC grids with variable wall thickness (3-5mm) in lower tonnage presses, helping to minimize or eliminate streamlines and stress marks. After molding, the optical quality section is impregnated with hardcover silicone for good weather and wear resistance, ground pony marking, and selectively starts and paints the B-side section, said to be the first — hardcoat coatings have been used in automotive exterior trim applications.
It is reported that this is the first integrated park auxiliary sensor has been successfully integrated into a blow molding bumper assembly. Compared to stamped steel, blow molded PP beams are lighter, less expensive, and offer optimized design degrees of freedom; They offer higher structural stiffness, lower assembly complexity, and lower die costs compared to injection molded beams. The resulting full-featured, lightweight bumper system features a snap fit that does not require additional hardware to hold sensors in place.
The 16 steel plate parts for the third-row seat back were replaced by a single plastic part that can be shot and transported, reducing weight by 30%, cost by 15%, collision performance by twice and crew workload by 63%. The seat can stand upright without the need for a seat motor. It’s the industry’s first all-plastic free-standing seat back, which doesn’t require a metal bracket and absorbs energy well. A new 35% short glass impact modified PA6 resin was developed for this sequential injection application.
A useful feature of this entry-level model is that the front driver and passenger seats can be fully reclined, but can support both neck and chest (via special five lock-in chest pads), as well as lift mechanisms for the hips and lower back (via cushioning). Plastic is key to achieving the right balance of comfortable support and flexibility, and provides a long lasting solution without worrying about BSR in the seat lift components. To date, the design has received 6 patents/innovations.
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Post time: Jun-07-2022
