TPO Stands Up to Air-Bag Deployment

The Ford Motor Company is using a new thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) material for the interior B-pillar coverings on 2002 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable sedans.

The B-pillars sit directly in the path of the optional side-impact air bags. As a result, the coverings must be able to withstand the impact of an air bag deployment without fragmenting, even at -30C.

After testing a number of alloys and TPOs to replace the polyolefin-methylmethacrylate alloy that had been used on previous models, Ford decided on Solvay Engineered Polymers’ Sequel 2321, a new grade designed specifically for automotive applications.

Sequel 2321 was the only material that met the impact requirements and the shrinkage profile of the existing tooling. It was also easier to mold and more resistant to scratching than the previous alloy, which lowered scrap rates from parts sticking in the mold and from in-plant handling damages.

Solvay Engineered Polymers 248-391-9500