Automotive has been Trexel’s core industry since our beginning, and there have been thousands of automotive parts realized in commercial production with MuCell®.
Overall Vehicle Weight Reduction and Improved Fuel Economy
The Trexel complete process solution provides a lighter and more accurate plastic part at lower production costs. Trexel’s foaming solutions process enables automotive components manufacturers to lightweight plastics parts for overall vehicle weight reduction and improved fuel economy.
Part costs are typically reduced by 10 to 20% as a result of lower material consumption, shorter molding cycle times and reduced machine clamping tonnage requirements.
The uniform parts shrinkage and substantially reduced stress in the molded part lead to predictable and repeatable part geometry, allowing for the use of lower cost polyolefin resins without warpage or distortion in the part.
Overall Vehicle Weight Reduction and Improved Fuel Economy
The Trexel complete process solution provides a lighter and more accurate plastic part at lower production costs. Trexel’s foaming solutions process enables automotive components manufacturers to lightweight plastics parts for overall vehicle weight reduction and improved fuel economy.
Part costs are typically reduced by 10 to 20% as a result of lower material consumption, shorter molding cycle times and reduced machine clamping tonnage requirements.
The uniform parts shrinkage and substantially reduced stress in the molded part lead to predictable and repeatable part geometry, allowing for the use of lower cost polyolefin resins without warpage or distortion in the part.
Design For Functionality Without Plastic Process Limitations
To be a leader in the Automotive industry, you need customizable options and flexibility for your parts. By replacing the traditional pack and hold phase of the solid molding process with cell growth, Trexel’s foaming solutions allow for uniform and locally applied pack pressure through cell growth, which allows part design to be optimized with material thickness in those areas that require strength and reduced wall thickness in areas that are not structural.
Design For Functionality Without Plastic Process Limitations
To be a leader in the Automotive industry, you need customizable options and flexibility for your parts. By replacing the traditional pack and hold phase of the solid molding process with cell growth, Trexel’s foaming solutions allow for uniform and locally applied pack pressure through cell growth, which allows part design to be optimized with material thickness in those areas that require strength and reduced wall thickness in areas that are not structural.
Cost and Processing Advantages
Lightweighting
• 8-12% material density reduction
• 20-30% total part weight reduction by designing for MuCell®
Reduced Costs
• Reduced resin consumption
• Faster molding cycle time
• Increased yields
• Smaller molding machine
• Use of lower cost filled polyolefin material
Sustainability
• Reduced petrolium based material consumption
• Reduced molding machine energy consumption
• Ability to re-grind/re-use molded parts
• Reduced carbon footprint versus solid molding
Design Freedom
• Thin to thick wall flow
• 1:1 wall thickness rib structure
• Material where needed for function versus flow
• Improved dimensional stability
• Less warpage
MuCell® in Automotive Blow Molding
There are several highly desirable attributes of the Trexel physical foam process, when compared to solid blow molded parts, including:
• Weight savings
• The microcellular material structure improves thermal insulation and acoustical properties
• MuCell® foamed parts can be recycled in their original polymer designation; the process does not alter the chemistry of the polymer
MuCell® in Automotive Blow Molding
There are several highly desirable attributes of the Trexel physical foam process, when compared to solid blow molded parts, including:
• Weight savings
• The microcellular material structure improves thermal insulation and acoustical properties
• MuCell® foamed parts can be recycled in their original polymer designation; the process does not alter the chemistry of the polymer
