SABIC has made a car window from its Lexan Resin, a replacement for glass, in what they say is the auto-industry’s largest ever rear quarter window.
The Buick GL8 is a minivan sold in China, under a joint venture by Shanghai Autoindustry Group and General Motors. It is currently one of China’s leading minivans, but with SAIC-GM introducing a new generation of the GL8, SABIC has contributed polycarbonate windows, moulded from its Lexan Resin.
SABIC developed the windows for Ningbo Shentong Auto Decorations, SAIC-GM’s window supplier. To further the polycarbonate innovation, Shentong built a factory in Yuyao, China’s first polycarbonate glazing facility where they have brought in two-component injection compression moulding and flow coating.
SABIC provided technical assistance and transferred expertise to Shentong on part design, process simulation, equipment selection, testing, prototyping and coating. SABIC believes the new window is 40 percent lighter than glass, showing potential for future use in electric vehicles.
Scott Fallon, SABIC Automotives Leader, said: “This unique window in Lexan resin meets SGM’s requirements for a lightweight solution, and we are delighted to see it go into production.”
“We are also excited that this window marks the introduction of Shentong’s new manufacturing capability for high volume production of quality polycarbonate glazing parts. We have enjoyed our collaboration with Shentong to help make this possible, and we look forward to more potential opportunities to work with them to bring the benefits of PC glazing to automakers in China and elsewhere.”
The new rear quarter window measures a record-breaking 1200mm by 450mm. It is two-shot injection compression moulded at Shentong’s factory, using SABIC’s transparent Lexan resin and Cycoloy resin, a polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene material, for the blackout area. The window is then coated with silicone to prevent weathering.
Source : eppm
