Mazda develops new resin material for reduced vehicle weight
Mazda Motor in association with Japan Polypropylene has developed new resin material for vehicle parts that the company says maintains the same rigidity as parts made with conventional materials while achieving weight reduction.
The new resin material helps manufacturer to produce parts thinner than those using conventional resin, while maintaining the same rigidity.
Two components found in polypropylene and rubber were blended by Mazda and successfully distributed them in a double-layer structure in line with the required function for the surface and the inside of the base bumper material.
This resulted into the surface having good paint film adhesion and the inner section retains high rigidity and impact absorption, with reduced thickness, said Mazda.
Mazda said the resin when used for both front and rear bumpers contributes to weight reduction of approximately 20%.
The fluidity of the resin material has also been optimized by using computer-aided engineering (CAE) technology, and molding time for bumpers is claimed to have come down to half.
Mazda will use this resin to build the lightest bumpers for the all-new Mazda CX-5 SUV to go on sale this spring, as well as other upcoming new models.
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