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European Automotive Design's Technology section provides an archive of editorial features used within the magazine. This articles are made public on the website 3 months after their publication.
 
 
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Showing 1 to 25 out of 125 results

  Compaction stations!
The strength, stiffness and fatigue resistance of compacted graphite iron are well known, but now process improvements are driving the material's adoption. Jeff Daniels reports
 01/01/2008 

  IR colourants technology preserves optical clarity
New infra-red absorbing colourants for use with Makrolon AG 2677 polycarbonate automotive glazing are said to allow great flexibility in colour tone and concentrations of IR absorbers.
 01/01/2008 

  Cat ceramic has ultra-thin walls
Corning has developed a ceramic substrate for catalytic converters with ultra thin walls that it says will increase engine power and reduce fuel consumption by lowering exhaust system back pressure.
 01/01/2008 

  New polymer promises high performance
A completely new polymer, PA4T, has been developed by DSM for which patents have been filed.
 01/01/2008 

  Motorised tailgates use combined materials
In pursuing its modular strategy, Plastic Omnium Auto Exterior has developed new solutions in three fields – motorised rear access doors, vehicle front ends and bumpers.
 01/11/2007 

  PA46 targets underbonnet applications
A high performance grade of PA46 has been formulated especially for under-the-bonnet applications. Stanyl Diablo OCD2100 is said to extend the functional life of components well beyond the limits of other high temperature polyamides.
 01/11/2007 

  TPEs for vibration damping
Two new grades of Zeon thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) have been developed to give specific properties useful to automotive engineers. Zeotherm 100-60B has been formulated to give parts improved vibration dampening and a rubber-like flexibility (Shore A value of 62) while maintaining a sustained heat resistance to 150ºC with repeated excursions to 175ºC.
 01/11/2007 

  Light shines through ‘metallic’ surfaces after start-up
A centre console concept being shown to car-makers by Preh contains significant innovations in materials technology, displays and the human-machine interfaces, writes Roger Bishop
 01/11/2007 

  Mixed blessings
Hybrid structures that optimise the capabilities of both metals and plastics are well established. Steve Snook looks at developments that will extend their application
 01/10/2007 

  Tyre technology rolls onwards
Tyres are becoming high-tech components, the latest of which can measure forces within their structures and integrate directly with safety systems. Jeff Daniels reports on developments in rubber and electronics
 01/10/2007 

  Polyamide water hoses now more flexible
Polyamide 12 multilayer tubing systems (MLTs) for coolant lines are now even more flexible, thanks to a modification carried out at the molecular level by scientists at Degussa. No plasticiser has been added.
 01/10/2007 

  Elastomer meets filler neck hose demands
Filler neck hoses are key components in a fuel system. They must provide a flexible connection between the filler pipe and the fuel tank and be strong enough to withstand significant crash impact without fracture and fuel leakage, while providing an impermeable barrier to evaporative emissions (in compliance Euro 4 and US Lev II and PZEV requirements).
 01/10/2007 

  RTV silicones protect critical electronics
Working with a major Tier One supplier has allowed a specialist supplier of room temperature vulcanising (RTV) silicones to share new knowledge on the effective sealing of electronic assemblies.
 01/10/2007 

  Mazda uses nanotech to cut precious metal use in catalytic converters
A catalyst material structure that cuts the amount of precious metals that are used by 70 to 90% has been developed by Mazda, writes Duncan Leslie.
 01/10/2007 

  Panel games
At the launch of the Lotus Europa S last autumn, chief of design Russell Carr said the form of a design should reflect the spirit of the car. As Steve Snook reports, designers are adopting a variety of approaches to create the exterior panels that help shape that spirit
 01/09/2007 

  Show and tell
Europe’s biggest car show takes place in Frankfurt from 13 to 23 September. We look beyond the gloss of the show cars and concepts to preview some of the technologies that will be on display
 01/09/2007 

  Roto alloys improve temperature and toughness
A flame-retardant nylon and the first commercial Aardalloy thermoplastic alloy products are among a range of next generation roto resins from Aardvark Polymers.
 01/09/2007 

  Ball-and-socket fastener allows trim demounting
A new type of fastener based on the well-known BigHead design allows trim and panels to be demounted. A ball-and-socket construction is the key innovation of the Poppit fastener.
 01/09/2007 

  High flow plastics cut process costs
DSM Engineering Plastics has introduced what it calls ‘high flow, high productivity’ materials to offer substantial system cost reductions by shortening injection moulding production cycles and allow greater design freedom in parts. To back up its claims, the company is providing customers with product cost analysis spreadsheet tools.
 01/09/2007 

  Gas injection used on PA66 water pipes
Cooling-water pipes are exposed to high temperatures and aggressive environment. At the same time they have to provide long-term leak resistance despite internal pressures of almost 2 bar. Consequently they have been traditionally manufactured from metal.
 01/09/2007 

  Harnesses integrated with crashpads
Rigid foam crashpads are fitted in areas that pose the greatest danger in accidents – for example, side impact protection in doors, direct impact areas for the head, in the A-pillar or headliner and front impact areas of the passenger compartment. Polyurethane foam is also used in cable sets to protect the enclosed cables and to make it easier to fit the cable harnesses.
 01/09/2007 

  Super soft foam breakthroughs for car interiors
Car-makers are placing strenuous demands on foam materials. They must be durable while offering good haptic properties, flexible, robust, odourless and have low emission values. These requirements are said to be met by Alveolit TP EE and Alveo-Soft, the latest polyolefin foams developed by Sekisui Alveo AG.
 01/09/2007 

  TPU-PA parts to replace rubber-metal
An alternative to costly rubber-metal composite components for damping vibrations in chassis systems uses a novel cross-linked thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and a high strength glass-fibre reinforced polyamide (PA66) produced in a single process, writes Roger Bishop.
 01/09/2007 

  Weight loss diet
In determining the true cost of choosing a weight-saving material for an automotive application, more needs to be considered than just the manufacturing cost. Steve Snook reports
 01/08/2007 

  Advanced catalyst transforms elastomers
From 2008, DSM Elastomers is to start producing specialty EP(D)Ms based on a worldwide exclusive licensing agreement with Nova Chemicals.
 01/05/2007 

 
Showing 1 to 25 out of 125 results