PT Cruiser drives lighter with Canadian-made intake manifold
Canadian Plastics
Switching from aluminum to plastic not only shed 10 lbs. from the air intake manifold of Chrysler's 2005 PT Cruiser, but earned the part's designers top honours for innovation from the Society of Plas...
Switching from aluminum to plastic not only shed 10 lbs. from the air intake manifold of Chrysler’s 2005 PT Cruiser, but earned the part’s designers top honours for innovation from the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE).
“The Chrysler PT Cruiser GT plastic intake manifold is the first high-volume turbocharged plastic intake in the North American industry,” said Garry Kissick, a product design and development engineer with the Chrysler Group.
Developed by the Windsor, Ont.-based Air Fuel Modules Division of Siemens VDO, in conjunction with DuPont and Chrysler, the air intake manifold was one of the three finalists in the ‘Most Innovative Use of Plastics’ category at the SPE’s 34th Annual Innovation Awards Program.
By improving the design and constructing the part from a vibration-welding grade of DuPont’s Zytel nylon 6/6, Siemens VDO was not only able to reduce part costs for Chrysler, but able to improve the part’s performance, said Dariusz Kepczynski, manager — business development at Siemens VDO.
E.I. duPont Canada (Mississauga, Ont)
www.dupont.com; 800-263-3943
