Sunroof Module Is All Short-Glass PP
The first fully integrated automotive sunroof module made entirely of short-glass PP replaced long-glass PP and short-glass ASA/PBT on the 2010 Cadillac CTS.
The first fully integrated automotive sunroof module made entirely of short-glass PP replaced long-glass PP and short-glass ASA/PBT on the 2010 Cadillac CTS. The 1-m2 part was designed and built by Inalfa Roof Systems, a Dutch company with offices in Auburn Hills, Mich. The single-piece frame replaces a four-part assembly of metal, ASA/PBT, and long-glass PP. Use of Thermylene P7-45FG-0790 45% short-glass, chemically coupled PP from Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, Inc., Fowlerville, Mich., reportedly saved 12% in weight and 24% in component cost. According to the company, its material “provides long-fiber performance properties with the weight, cost, and processing advantages of short-fiber resin technology.” Molding cycles were 15 sec shorter, and eliminating assembly saved an additional 67 sec.
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