Materials EngineeringL Bumper-to-Bumper Looks That Last
Fiat set visual appeal as a top priority for designers working on both interior and exterior components of its new 500 model — launched last year to commemorate the car’s 50th anniversary.
Edited by Jean M. Hoffman
The
three-door 500 is based on the
Fiat’s Panda platform.
Designers didn’t disappoint —
European journalists named it
Car of the Year for 2008. The
eye-catching concepts come
thanks in part to savvy
material selection. They include
a large bumper with
outstanding scratch resistance,
a Class-A smooth
surface finish, and good
paintability.
Fiat designers worked
closely with a parts molder
and Austrian materials supplier Borealis Ag to create cutting-edge
features that give the small car a
highly-differentiated look. The
team chose polypropylene-based
Daplen thermoplastic olefins
(TPOs) from Borealis
for bumpers
and dashboards. Daplen EE103AE, a
high-melt-flow-rate (MFR) TPO,
resists scratches and let Ersi mold
large surface area parts with uniform
thickness. Its
low thermal
expansion
over a
broad temperature range ensures consistent large, molded
parts that fit precisely to other exterior panels.
The dashboard specs set by Fiat were particularly
challenging. For aesthetic surface appeal and to avoid visual defects, Fiat specified a monomaterial for major
interior parts. Poland-based parts molder Plastal
chose Daplen EE168AI to meet scratch resistance
and low-gloss specs. The material also molds with a
consistent finish and holds
dimensions tight with lowthermal
expansion. The
Daplen TPO’s high impact/
stiffness ratio is said to improve
vehicle safety.
Both bumper and
dashboard benefit from
the PP’s light weight without
compromising part
performance. The lighter
components help the Fiat
500 fall within the EU
CO2 emission standard of
120 gm/km set to take effect
in 2012.
Make contact
Borealis AG
+43 (0) 122
4000
borealisgroup.com