LIGHTWEIGHT FOR TOUGH WORK

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LIGHTWEIGHT FOR TOUGH WORK
30 March 2005 - Bayer MaterialScience AG

Bodywork parts for agricultural vehicles have to be robust, lightweight and attractive. Not only that, their production also has to be cost-effective. The design of the engine hood for the new “Serie 75” tractor from Italian agricultural machinery manufacturer BCS S.p.A. Divisione Ferrari of Luzzara meets all these requirements thanks to a clever combination of materials.

To produce the engine hood, a robust thermoplastic film was combined with the Baydur® 110 glass fiber-reinforced polyurethane integral skin foam system from Bayer MaterialScience AG to form a high-performance composite. The part is manufactured by GMP Poliuretani S.p.A. of Oderzo, Italy.

“Our Foiled FiberPur Technology (FFT) really showed its mettle in the production of the engine hood,” says Guido Furlanetto, head of marketing at GMP. This patented process is based on a sophisticated technology in which thermoformed thermoplastic films are back-injected with a glass fiber-reinforced polyurethane.

“Polyurethane back-injection makes the molded part extremely strong. At the same time, this method retains all the benefits of versatile polyurethane RIM technology, as the molded parts can be manufactured in very complex geometries with significant variations in wall thickness,” says Furlanetto. Thanks to the high stiffness brought about by the glass fiber reinforcement, the molded parts can be designed with thinner walls than non-reinforced PUR-RIM components. The components are only reinforced where necessary. This not only helps reduce their weight, but also contributes to increasing the cost-effectiveness of production. Measuring 1.0 x 0.6 x 0.6 meters, the engine hood weighs just 14 kg, but meets all BCS's requirements in terms of impact strength.

Thanks to the high-quality surface of the colored film, the components look attractive and are already in the required color immediately after demolding. This means that time-intensive coating operations are no longer necessary – another important economic benefit.

As the liquid polyurethane mix is processed at low pressure, the molds can be made of aluminum. This cuts mold costs considerably compared to production with thermoplastics. “The combination of polyurethane, glass fibers and esthetic film meets all of our customer's technical requirements. And cost-effective processing is also a key competitive advantage,” says Guido Furlanetto.

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About: Bayer MaterialScience AG
Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is part of the worldwide Bayer Group, an international health care, nutrition and innovative materials group based in Leverkusen, Germany. Bayer employs 23,300 in North America with net North American sales of 8.8 billion euros in 2003. Bayer’s three operating business areas – HealthCare, CropScience and MaterialScience, improve people’s lives through a broad range of essential products that help diagnose and treat diseases, protect crops and advance automobile safety and durability.

Bayer MaterialScience AG is one of the world's largest producers of polymers and high-performance plastics. The main customers for Its innovative developments in coatings, adhesives, insulating materials and sealants, polycarbonates and polyurethanes are the automotive and construction industries, the electrical/electronics segment and manufacturers of sports and leisure goods, packaging, and medical devices.

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