Efficiency through plastic composites is theme of SPE automotive conference

The 6th annual Automotive Composites Conference & Exposition (ACCE) will focus on ways that plastics composites can solve challenges facing the automotive industry, according to the Society of Plastics Engineers International (SPE).
The conference will run from Sept. 12 to 14, 2006, at the MSU Management Education Centre in Troy, Mich.
“Our theme this year reflects topics of considerable concern to the automotive and transportation industries worldwide”, said conference chair Terry Seagrave. “As energy costs skyrocket, and alternative energy powertrains begin to proliferate, there is greater demand for materials of construction that allow OEMs to produce lighter, more energy-efficient vehicles that maintain current levels of safety, comfort and aesthetics. Composites can solve many of the challenges vehicle manufacturers face by offering durability, high stiffness and strength at low mass, improved impact performance and high aesthetics”.
For the second straight year, the ACCE will run for three days instead of two. Conference organizers plan to draw some 40 North American-based exhibitors to the show, as well as speakers and attendees from Europe, the Middle East and Asia/Pacific.
Planned sessions for the conference include advanced and hybrid reinforcements, enabling technologies for composites, long-fibre reinforced thermoplastics, nano- and bio-composites, natural-fibre composites, structural composite applications, thermoset composite applications and new composite materials, processes and applications.