The Society of Plastics Engineers Automotive Division has selected finalists for its 2014 Automotive Innovation Awards competition. Category winners and the grand winner will be announced during the Innovation Awards & Gala Nov. 12 in Livonia, Mich.
Nominated parts must be on vehicles that are in production during the 2014 calendar year. The award goes to the automaker.
The finalists are:
Body Exterior
- Hyundai Motor Group for the carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic panoramic sun roof frame in the 2015 Kia Sorento cross-over utility vehicle. Inalfa Roof Systems Korea supplies the part, which is injection molded with material from GS Caltex Corp. and tooling from Hyundai.
- Daimler AG for the roof ditch molding on its 2014 Mercedes-Benz C-class luxury sedan, a combination of metal carrier, thermoplastic adhesive and specially tailored transfer paint system. Scherer & Trier GmbH & Co. KG supplies the part and tooling, using material from Karl Wörwag Lack- und Farbenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG.
- General Motors Co. for the transparent injection molded fin on the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z06 sports car. SABIC supplies polycarbonate copolymer to Tier 1 3-Dimensional Services Group, which also provides tooling.
- GM for the light element on the 2015 Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicle assist step. The system is a polyurethane light bar with an extruded profile PC lens from Magna International Inc., using material from 3M Co.
- Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. for the trunk lid on the 2014 Nissan GT-R, made with compression molded prepreg carbon fiber from Mitsubishi Rayon Co., processed by Challenge Co. Ltd. The Tier 1 is Chiyoda Manufacturing Corp., and the tool maker is Yasuda Moldtec Inc.
- Ford Motor Company for the 20 percent talc-filled polypropylene belly pan with multiple airdam options on the 2015 Mustang sports car. The part is supplied by US Farathane Corp. using material from KW Plastics.
Body Interior
- Ford for the door trim local reinforcement on the 2014 Transit Courier van. Continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic tape is placed in the tool during injection molding. Fompak supplies the part with material from Celanese Corp. and tooling from Zimmermann.
- Ford for the top storage bin on the 2015 Ford subcompact car, using an all-plastic cinching clutch for personal electronic device docking. Supplier and processor Mitchell Plastics uses a variety of injection molded plastics. The Figo is sold in India.
- Ford for the all-plastic temperature averaging discharge air sensor on the 2014 Fusion mid-size car. PolyOne. Bermann GmbH supplies the material processed by TDK-EPC AG & Co. KG, which also supplies tooling. Epcos Inc. is the tier supplier.
- Ford for the second-row seat back using glass mat thermoplastic on the 2015 Mustang. Continental Structural Plastics Inc. supplies the part, using material from Hanwha L&C and tooling from Century Tool & Gauge.
Chassis/Hardware
- Ford for the seamless sliding back window with plastic frame and seal on the 2014 F-150 pickup. The part is supplied by Magna's Engineered Glass division.
- Ford for the 2015 Transit van's seamless flip window on an engineered plastic framework, also supplied by Magna's Engineered Glass division.
- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles for the plastic composite reinforcement for the chrome steel truck bumper on the 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup. SABIC supplies long-fiber thermoplastic PP to tier supplier Flex-N-Gate Corp. Integrity Tool & Mold Inc. provides tooling.
- Fiat Chrysler for the injection blow molded thermoplastic elastomer jounce bumper on the 2015 Fiat Punto supermini car. DuPont Automotive supplies the material to tier supplier Insit.
- Renault Group for the co-extruded thermoplastic coolant tube on the 2015 Renault Twingo city car. Supplier Tristone Flowtech gets its material from DuPont.
Environmental
- Ford for the PP composite gap hider with 25 percent recycled materials in the 2013 Escape CUV. Tier supplier S Group Automotive uses material from NWP Inc. and tooling from Precision Compression Mold.
- Ford for the cellulose fiber-reinforced PP console armrest in the 2013 Lincoln MKX luxury CUV, supplied by Johnson Controls Inc. with material from Weyerhaeuser NR Co.
- Ford for the lightweight thermoplastic olefin material with synthetic filler used for the rear decklid appliqué bracket on the 2015 Mustang. Ford and Amplas Compounding Inc. supply material for the part from Tribar Manufacturing LLC.
Materials
- Hyundai for the high-biomass content TPO used in crash pad and door trim skins on the 2014 Kia Soul electric vehicle. LG Hausys supplies material for Hyundai Mobis.
- Ford for the molded-in-color PC and ABS metallic appearance finish panels in the 2015 Mondeo Sedan, supplied by International Automotive Components Group. Key Plastics Löhne GmbH is the processor, Samsung Chemical supplies material and Michael Tool & Mold Ltd. provides tooling.
- Ford for the polycarbonate grille mesh on the 2015 Taurus SHO sedan, supplied by Flex-N-Gate with material from SABIC. SRG Global Inc. is the processor.
- Ford for the low-squeak ABS and ABS/PC in the 2014 Ford Taurus sedan interior. Techno Polymer America supplies the material to Tier supplier Summit Polymers Inc.
- Ford for the impact-modified polyoxymethylene head rest guide sleeve on the 2015 Fusion mid-size car. The part is made with material from Celanese, processed by ITW Deltar. Lear Corp. is the tier supplier.
Powertrain
- Fiat Chrysler for the injection molded polyamide charge air cooler duct and resonator in the 2014 Jeep Cherokee SUV, supplied by Hutchinson FTS. DSM Engineering Plastics supplies the material and Hutchinson FTS provides tooling.
- Volkswagen AG for the polyamide crank shaft cover with integrated oil seal on the 2014 MDB engine platform. Kaco GmbH + Co. KG supplies the part, which is made with material from DSM Engineering Plastics B.V. Engel Austria GmbH is the material processor and Elmet GmbH is the toolmaker.
- Fiat Chrysler for the sheet molding compound air intake system on the 2014 Dodge Challenger Shaker sports car. The system is made with material from Magna, processed by Molding Technologies, and tooling from Penco Tool Inc. North American Assembly is the tier supplier.
- General Motors for the nylon/polyimide thrust bearing on the 2014 Cadillac ATS sports sedan, Chevrolet Corvette sports car and Chevrolet Silverado pickup. Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies is the tool maker and processor, using material from Solvay Specialty Polymers.
Process/Assembly/Enabling Technologies
- Ford for the POM molded-in-color metallic console rail on the 2014 Edge CUV, supplied by Johnson Controls Inc. Celanese is the material supplier, Excel Global is the tool maker and DT Manufacturing Co. is the processor.
- Daimler for the ABS/PC entertainment system bezel on its 2013 Mercedes Benz S-Class luxury sedan. JCI supplies the part, made with material from Bayer MaterialScience and tooling from Groupe Plastivaloire, which is also the processor along with Trexel Inc.
- Ford for the PVC-encapsulated louvered side window on the 2014 Mustang 50th anniversary sports car. Magna's Engineered Glass division supplies the system with material from DSM Engineering Plastics.
- Ford for the molded PC LED optical headlamp lens on the 2015 F-150 pickup, from tier suppliers Flex-N-Gate Corp. and Ventra Plastics Division of Ventra Group Inc. DBM Reflex is the tool maker and processor. Bayer MaterialScience supplies the material.
Safety
- Ford for the injection molded knee airbag/glove box system in the 2015 Mustang, supplied by Faurecia. Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. and Advanced Composites Inc. supply material.
- Ford for the acrylic polymethyl-methacrylate tail lamp with blind spot information system in the 2015 Ford F-150. Flex-N-Gate supplies the system with material from Arkema Group and tooling from Ventra Sandusky LLC.
- Ford for the injection molded POM split link safety device in the 2015 Transit, from Magna's closures division. DuPont supplies the material.
- Ford for the TPO front-end energy absorber on the 2015 Mustang. Netshape International LLC supplies the part with material from LyondellBasell Industries LLC. Shape Corp. is the processor.
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