UTECH NA Conference report: Using more PU in Auto

Muhammad Usman, senior global manager and technical leader, powertrain at Ford Motor Company told delegates at the Automotive and sustainability conference in Charlotte in June that there are still many opportunities for polyurethanes in the automotive sector.

Trying to supply polyurethane components to automotive customers for the first time can be a daunting prospect for many companies and companies trying to enter this area face a number of challenges.

They need to find the right groups to talk to; they have to understand the engineering specifications their products must meet and then if companies have a product which checks the boxes How do they get that product into an OEM?

Usman said that the process “is a set process, and an implementation heavy. Take the idea to the product development group, not the tier group and not the research lab.”

“On the material side, any process that goes to any research group at Ford or GM or Chrysler will cost it out,” he added.

Usman continued: “Then it goes through the implementation-readiness process. The product is produced and tested and from the component point of view there is an ES spec, written by the development team. The material team will also be involved. Every material has to be approved and only once it gets an approval number within an OEM can it can be used.”

“We have to look at everything from material development how much work needs to be done as well as joining technology,” he said. For example, “If we are looking at foam on the back of a carpet, how durable with the joining be?”

Established processes

Usman added that if the material is specified for a part then there has to be enough capacity to make the material in the volumes needed for popular models. The Ford F150 will sell between 650,000 and 700,000 trucks/year. “When you introduce a new technology and mass production comes in the future, you will have to be able to produce that many components with that level of quality.” Parts suppliers need to ensure that their ingredients suppliers have sufficient capacity to meet future demand.”

While companies are scaling up production to meet demand, they need to keep working with the OEM to further develop the materials. “The joining technology development has to be continued. On the other side, supportive initiatives such as education and the supplier side of the development has to be continued.”

He suggested that polyurethane could further build on its niche in noise vibration and harshness applications.

“Looking at NVH, PHVs, and HTVs and electric vehicles, they are very quiet. So anything that makes noise annoys customers, this is because the conventional automotive engine masked a great deal of noise.”

“The application of polyurethane for noise reduction has become very important,” Usman said.

Ford, GM and Toyota are all increasing the percentage of premium vehicles in their fleets, he said, adding “we’re going from 10% to 20%. In a premium vehicle, the quietness is very high.”

“Using polyurethane is not just about weight reduction, it’s about increasing the quality of the vehicle by reducing the noise. This means there are opportunities for polyurethane in high-level NVH applications,” he said.

“There are other areas that polyurethane could be helpful. Traditional application exterior and interior where the foam is used. Better NVH and filling hollow structures with foam and giving the same structural capability as thick parts would give.”

Bumper to bumper

Usman suggested that there could be opportunities for polyurethane in bumpers. Polyurethane has been used in bumpers for a number of years, but he suggested that it could play more engineering/crash worthiness role than in the past.

“We have about five different systems for energy absorption in the bumper system. I think that with more development and new energy requirements I think there could be opportunities for polyurethane foam,” Usman said.

“There is a 5 mph, 8mph and 14mph (22 km/h) where the air bag has to deploy. That (14 mph) characteristic can be met by polyurethane foam: sections of the bumper system could be designed to absorb energy at some speeds and at 14 mph they could become rigid so the airbag has to deploy. Those properties can be achieved by polyurethane,” he said.

Polyurethane offers many useful properties that can increase passenger safety, Usman said “Polyurethane provides energy absorption and exhibits very good properties for knee bolsters and head restraints. It can be used to help cars meet head injury criterion regulations. But more development work is needed,” he said.

New applications

“There is the possibility of using polyurethane in knee bolsters, there has not been many applications in that area yet but it is a potential area.

“Another potential area for the use of polyurethane is around fuel tanks.

“High density polyethylene fuel tanks are used by the whole industry. We are talking 16m fuel tanks/year.

“I would also like to see polyurethane on the outer side of the fuel tank,“ said Usman. He added, This would help car makers solve two problems: “We hang plastic or aluminium or SMC stone shields around the fuel tank,” and additionally, “fuel tanks can be five-layer polyethylene based constructions including EVOH and carbon black. If I can use PU foam then I don’t need another heat shield which brings its own handling and durability issues.”

Usman also told delegates not to become downhearted if their products fail to make it into a model. There are “many applications,” he said. “In the middle of the production programme, we change the material, we change the design,” he said.