AUTOMOTIVE SITE

Window Lifter Regulator

Window lifter regulator is rail mounted inside automotive doors. Slider runs inside the guide when lifting window up and down, thus it requires high dimentional stability, smooth surface, and high creep resistance / stiffness. We have developed THERMOFIL HP™ high performance glass fiberreinforced polypropylene and by providing our technical support taking advantage of our CAE experties,we have replaced metal parts and contributed to significant weight reduction.

Piano Black Interior & Exterior Parts

Anti-weathering and anti-scratch performance are the two major requirements for exterior parts such as pillar outer cover for automotive. It is often painted in order to achieve high surface quality.
Sumitomo Chemical has developed SUMIPEX™ FJ series, which demonstrates excellent scratch performance whilst having excellent gloss and aeshetics. Excellent appearance and durability can be achieved through standard injection molding process without painting.

Tail Light Cover, LiDAR Senser Cover

Acrylic Resin is quite often used for the automotive tail light cover due to its high clarity, anti-weathering performance as well as excellent aesthetics. Tail light defines the car design from the rear. Recently, large, horizontal long tail light is preferred. To manufacture such parts with thin cross section, the material needs to have high fluidity. To respond to these demands, Sumitomo Chemical has developed SUMIPEX™ EPM featured by its high flow to enable efficient molding of light coverings.

Fuel Filler Lid Hinge

Fuel filler lid hinge is the hinge part linked between the lid covering the fuel / electricity charging port and the body. Despite its small size, fuel filler lid hinge needs to have quite high stiffness and toughness as this needs to remain intact even when a person leans on it. Due to its mechanical requirement, it is generally made of metal or glass fiber reinforced polyamide(PAGF), however we have successfully replaced PAGF with THERMOFIL HP™ high performance glass reinforced polypropylene(PPGF), which is featured by its light weight and high-strength/hardness Due to high water absorption by PA6GF, improved dimentional stability of PPGF was an additional benefit.

Gear Shifter Support

Gear shifter support is a base part supporting shift lever of cars. Despite it's size, gear shifter support requires quite high level of toughness as shift lever needs to remain intact even when leaned or kicked.
Generally, glass fiber reinforced polyamide(PAGF) is used for such application, however, we have successfully replaced polyamide with THERMOFIL HP™ high performance glass reinforced polypropylene(PPGF),which is featured by its light weight and high-strength/hardness.

Brake Pedal and Pedal Box

Brake pedal and pedal box are one of most crutial parts to protect lives of passengers and pedestrians. In an emergency circumstances to stop the vehicle, quite high stress is applied to the part and it needs to remain intact to function properly. Due to such high mechanincal requirement, metal and glass fiber reinforced polyamide(PAGF) are generally use . However, as a result of great evolution in strength and toughness, we have replaced PAGF with our state-of-the-art THERMOFIL HP™ high performance glass reinforced polypropylene(PPGF), achieving weight reduction.

Mold in Color / Paintless Airbag Cover

Airbag(AB) cover ruptures and opens along the tear line by the pressure when the AB inflates. To secure stable deployment performance at any temperature range, AB cover needs to have excellent properties with a balance between strength and resilience. Sumitomo Chemical has developed ESPOLEX™ olefin polymer based Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) suitable for AB cover material satisfying above requirements. Some of our mold-in-color grades feature excellent surface quality without painting, especially on tear line which quite often shows uneven luster with conventional materials.

Center Console Top Finish Panel

This injection molded top finish panel is one of interior part used on the center console.
Generally, interior parts require good surface quality, not only the appearance of the part itself, but scratch resistance when mistakenly hit by hard objects, such as keys and belts. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene(ABS) is typically used when such scratch resistance is required however, we have developed SUMITOMO NOBLEN™ polypropylene(PP) having excellent scratch resisntance equivalent to ABS and successfully replaced ABS using same tools without paint contributing to weight reduction.

Air Intake Manifold

Air intake manifold (AIM) is an inlet tube introducing air into combustion chamber in an engine.
Resin made AIM needs to be assembled by vibrating upper and lower parts to weld them thus high weld strength is required. Also, anti-acidity is required to accomodate exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). Due to such tough requirements, quite often glass fiber reinforced polyamide(PAGF) is used however, Sumitomo Chemical has developed THERMOFIL HP™ high performance glass reinforced polypropylene(PPGF) specially suitable for AIM application successfully replaced PAGF.

Radiator Support (front end module)

Radiator support is the heavy structural part assembled in the forefront of automotive underhood, supporting radiator fan module. It requires very high stiffness and mechanical toughness. Sumitomo Chemical has developed THERMOFIL HP™ high performance glass fiber reinforced polypropylene(PPGF) with 50% Glass fiber.
It outperforms conventional PPGF. We have successfully replaced glass fiber reinforced polyamide(PAGF) with this and contributed to parts weight reduction while keeping its integrity.

Battery Tray

Battery tray is a small mount for a 12V battery used to run cell motors. This is quite often made of virgin material of glass reinforced polypropylene(PPGF). Sumika Polymer Compounds Europe has developed THERMOFIL CIRCLE™ recycle PPGF(※) and this has successfully been used for automotive applications. This product satisfies various performance requirements of the automotive industry whilst contributing to reduce one-way plastic consumption and carbon foot print by making the economy circle.
※Recyclate content ranges from 30%-100% of matrix resin portion.

Wire Coating Material

Wire harnesses are used to supply electricity and transmit signals to various electronic devices assembled in automobiles, and are required to be durable and flexible. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is generally used as a coating material for wire harnesses. On the other hand, recently there has been a growing need for lightweighting, safety improvement (to prevent the spread of combustion when on fire), and eco-friendliness. To respond to such needs, we have developed ESPOLEX™ "Halogen-free(※1） flame-retardant elastomer," which is featured by its high flame retardancy and flexibility.

Window Lifter Motor Housing

Window lifter motor housing is a motor cover mounted inside automotive doors. As it lifts window up and down, it requires high dimentional stability and high stiffness and toughness. We have developed THERMOFIL HP™ high performance glass fiber reinforced polypropylene(PPGF) and by providing our technical support taking advantage of ourCAE experties, we have replaced glass reinforced PBT(PBTGF) and contributed to significant weight reduction.

Interior Upholstery

Elastomeric interior upholstery materials have a texture similar to that of genuine leather, and are applied to the surface of instrument panels and door trims. "Softness" and "easy to process" are essential features of elastomers, which help to realize luxurious texture. We offer ESPOLEX™, olefinic thermoplastic elastomer suitable for this application having excellent balance of flexibility and moldability. We have successfully replaced Poly Vinyl Chloryde (PVC) / Thermo Plastic Urethan (TPU) with ESPOLEX™ due to its various advantages.

Sealing Parts (Glass Run Channel, Weather Strip, etc.)

Sealing parts are attached to doors and window frames and perform a variety of functions, such as preventing rain and wind from entering inside the cabin, enhancing sound insulation, absorbing shock when doors are opened and closed, and preventing glass from vibrating when driving or when the window is lifted up and down. Highly elastic vulcanized rubber (EPDM, etc.) is generally used, however our customers have successfully replaced them with our olefinic thermoplastic elastomer ESPOLEX™ which has helped to improve productivity and reduce weight while keeping sealing performance.

Door Trim and Other Interiors (Foaming Application)

Interior automotive parts such as door panel consist mainly of polypropylene（PP）.
Door panels are positioned at the side of passengers and they need to possess necessary impact strength to prevent unexpected breakage when hands and legs impacted. We offer SUMITOMO NOBLEN™ PP materials suitable for foaming to reduce part weight while keeping sufficient impact strength. Part of our portfolio enables you to eliminate paiting process thanks to our unique material composition, whilst having excelent surface quality.