TPO instrument panels more cost-effective over PC/ABS
Canadian Plastics
Owners of the Ford Freestyle SUV/station wagon who are stuck in traffic may not be aware of it, but the substrate in the dashboards that they are probably pounding their fists on are made from the new...
Owners of the Ford Freestyle SUV/station wagon who are stuck in traffic may not be aware of it, but the substrate in the dashboards that they are probably pounding their fists on are made from the new Hostacom thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) from Basell.
“Traditionally, painted instrument panels have been produced using PC/ABS (polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer) materials,” Steve Dwyer, senior vice-president of Basell advanced polyolefins, said. “Those materials create processing challenges and are not as cost effective as the Hostacom TPO.”
Available in mold-in-colour grades, the Hostacom resin offers superior chemical resistance, buzz and squeak performance when compared to materials previously used by instrument panel suppliers, according to Basell.
And the material’s easy weldability allows a reduction in part complexity while increasing overall stiffness, the company added.
Basell Canada Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.);
www.basell.com; 800-387-7870