Ford Fusion
A cutting-edge polycarbonate solution for the rear window of a concept version of the Ford Fusion has dramatically slashed the vehicle's weight.
The innovative material developed by SABIC for the Ford Fusion rear window produced results that were 35 per cent lighter than the rear window on the 2013 model, making the vehicle potentially more economic in terms of fuel consumption, helping to meet emission targets.
The advanced polycarbonate (PC) glazing solution from SABIC's Innovative Plastics business produced weight savings of a total of 7.4 lbs, even though the rear window is over one millimeter thicker than the production glazing it has replaced.
Ford pursued the opportunity to produce the window from PC material due to the potential for significant weight-savings. With this PC-based rear window. Ford now has an additional platform upon which to rest the overall performance of this lightweight technology - which is consistent with its ongoing efforts to determine the right mix of materials and applications for future vehicles.
Scott Fallon, General Manager, Automotive, SABIC's Innovative Plastics business, was pleased with the results.
"SABIC is committed to spreading the adoption of PC glazing technology, which offers styling and weight saving benefits to help increase fuel efficiency and lower emissions. To date, several OEMs have validated the technology for use on rear quarter windows and roofs on production vehicles. At the same time, real-world demonstration programmes like Ford’s drivable multi-material lightweight vehicle concept are valuable to further highlight the performance gains that can come from an advanced approach like PC glazing and to ultimately help validate and speed up its wide-scale adoption."
Light, resistance, glass-like
The lightweight Ford Fusion concept model was developed with the US Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Program in partnership with Cosma International - an arm of Magna International - to illustrate the light-weighting solutions of the future.
SABIC contributed PC glazing materials, engineering design expertise and advanced coatings technology to support the development and production of the rear window. The glazing combines LEXAN resin, a PC material characterised by its lightweight, impact resistance and high optical clarity, with EXATEC E900 plasma coating for glass-like scratch and UV resistance. The E900 plasma coating, which is an offering unique to SABIC, is designed to deliver a high-level of weatherability and abrasion resistance over the lifespan of the vehicle, enabling automakers to meet homologation requirements for driver visibility - including US standards such as the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS_ 205 regulations, as governed by the NHTSA AS2 specification and the American National Standards Institute Z26.1, which covers the visibility, strength and abrasion resistance of glazing materials.
SABIC has determined that weight reduction benefits from the use of PC glazing can contribute to the sustainability of a vehicle by improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions. This green boost does not have to come from weight reduction alone, however, as it can be attributed to improved thermal insulation within the passenger cabin as a result of PC's five-fold lower thermal conductivity relative to glass.
Design and geometry
SABIC's advanced computer analyses have quantified LEXAN resin's potential to reduce the load on HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) system: emission that can be slashed by up to three grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre, while the range of electric and hybrid vehicles can be extended by as much as two or three per cent.
The design of the rear window of Ford's MMLV is identical in geometry to the part used in the Fusion production vehicle. This design approach enables Ford to test the two parts and compare their performances based strictly on the change in materials. The ability to injection-mould the material allows the windows to be designed to be even more lightweight and aerodynamic. Designs go beyond form and the complexity limitations of glass to glazing with geometric effects can make very thin PC surfaces possible, adding features enabled by the material that can minimise drag and contribute to greater fuel efficiency.
Integration opportunities, enabled by PC glazing, can also contribute to enhanced efficiency and cost savings by reducing the number of parts and materials associated with joining otherwise discrete components.
Another consideration for automotive OEMs and suppliers is the maturing of PC glazing technology and its suitability for mass production systems, SABIC has helped develop an advanced vacuum equipment technology for the automotive market to develop lightweight, plasma-coated PC glazing components both cost-effectively and efficiently on a wide scale.
In addition to PC glazing, SABIC offers thermoplastic solutions for almost every major application space on a vehicle. In the 2013 model year Ford Fusion, for example, about 20 kg of SABIC resins are used to reduce weight and meet diverse performance requirements for chassis, forward lighting, interior and structural, exterior, electrical and underhood applications.