The Automotive Innovation Awards Program organized by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) is one of the oldest and largest competitions of its kind in the world. The annual program merits OEMs, tier suppliers, and polymer producers on the innovative use of plastics in the automotive industry. This year, the Grand Award winner comes from the Body Interior category: an All-Olefin, Soft Skin, Stitched Full instrument panel system.

Grand Award & Category: Body Interior

Winner: All-Olefin, Soft Skin, Stitched Full IP System

OEM Make & Model: General Motors Co 2013 MY Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia SUVs

Tier Supplier/Processor: Inteva Products, LLC

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Adell Plastics, Stahl, Ticona Engineering Polymers/KTX

Material/Process: TPO-631 SSXT Soft TPO, Celstran LFT-PP/multiple processes

Description: These midsize crossover vehicles demonstrate the use of contour stitching on an all-olefin, multi-grained full instrument panel (IP) surface with complex geometry. Advanced robotic sewing technology provides an "up-level" appearance while saving 15-25% costs vs non-cut/sew applications and up to 50% vs cut/sew leather plus 15% weight.

Category: Body Exterior

Winner: Carbon Composite Hood Assembly

OEM Make & Model: Chrysler Group LLC 2013 model year (MY) SRT Viper supercar

Tier Supplier/Processor: Plasan Carbon Composites

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Umeco plc/Cytec Industries (carbon fiber weave prepreg); Toray Carbon Fibers Americas, Inc (unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg); Ashland, Inc (structural polyurethane adhesive)/Weber Manufacturing Technologies Inc

Material/Process: G83C T700S-24K carbon composite/Vacuum bag, autoclave cure

Description: This hood assembly is a Class A CFRP part with a very large complex clamshell geometry. The painted Class A outer panel is complemented by an exposed weave inner panel. The part represents the largest Class A carbon fiber composite part provided to a mainstream OEM at volumes up to 3,000 vehicle sets/year. Design, tooling, and fabrication technologies from both marine and aerospace were employed for the first time in automotive to facilitate layup of the complex geometry with severe undercuts. Integrated mounting points using riv-nuts and studs are molded into the inner hood panel. Local section thickness was varied to meet structural requirements. According to the SPE, the final part, incorporating fenders as well as hood is 44% lighter than the previous hood-only assembly in SMC, helping improve weight distribution and lower the vehicle's center of gravity, for better vehicle dynamics and power-to-weight ratio.

Category: Chassis/Hardware

Winner: Dual-Rate Air Extractor

OEM Make & Model: Ford Motor Co 2012MY Ford Escape & Edge CUVs

Tier Supplier/Processor: Wegu Manufacturing Inc

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Rhetech/Anfe-Moulds Inc

Material/Process: 40% talc-filled PP/Injection molding

Description: As introduced, two-shot molding is used to produce this one-piece air extractor formed of rigid polypropylene (PP) and overmolded with TPE. The unit features plastic living hinges and plastic torsional springs that function as a one-way pneumatic valve, allowing air to exit through flaps but reducing the amount of outside noise that can enter the passenger compartment through the extractor.

Category: Materials

Winner: Controlled Crystallization Rate to Eliminate Paint

OEM Make & Model: Ford Motor Co 2013MY Ford Escape CUV & Fusion sedan, & Lincoln MKZ luxury sedan

Tier Supplier/Processor: TRW Automotive, Key Plastics LLC

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Asahi Kasei Plastics North America/Liberty Molds, Inc, J&J Tool & Mold Ltd

Material/Process: Leona 90G60 B3374 PA 6/6/6I/injection molding

Description: In order to support greater design freedom for any shape and length register vanes while meeting stiffness, durability, and perceived quality requirements, a partially aromatic injection-molded PA 6/6/6I resin was used to boost modulus without increasing wall thickness or adding glass reinforcement to achieve a high-quality, MIC Class A surface without paint. The "kinked" crystalline structure of the semi-aromatic PA resin allows better control of crystallization rate, so parts fully pack out before skins freeze off, leading to a resin-rich surface with a smoother surface and better appearance, eliminating the need to paint.

Category: Performance & Customization

Winner: Carbon Composite Air Extractor

OEM Make & Model: General Motors Co 2012MY Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sportscar

Tier Supplier/Processor: TransGlobal LLC/deBotech, Inc

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Umeco plc/Cytec Industries, BASF Corp, SABIC/deBotech, Inc

Material/Process: MTM Prepreg 57 Series epoxy/carbon fiber prepreg/Vacuum-bag/autoclave cure

Description: This single-piece CFRP composite construction with exposed fabric weave provides a lightweight, functional component that increases downforce at high speeds while providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance. As said, the air extractor makes extensive use of adhesive bonding to join additional components in alternative materials (a polyamide vent screen and a thermoplastic polyester deflector). Adhesive bonding also isolates the carbon composite panel from the rest of the aluminum hood, preventing galvanic corrosion.

Category: Powertrain

Winner: Water Ooutlet Assembly

OEM Make & Model: Nissan Motor Co Ltd 2012MY Nissan Altima sedan

Tier Supplier/Processor: MPC, Inc

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Solvay Specialty Polymers/Industrial Molds Group

Material/Process: AMODEL AS-1933HS PPA-GF33/Injection molding

Description: The combination of sequencing, precision timing, multi-slide actions, scientific molding, and robotics resulted in a high quality water-outlet assembly injection molded in glass-reinforced PPA. This metal-to-plastic conversion, whose main function is to act as a manifold for the cooling system, integrated two components into one assembly, which features 10 seamless barb ports that feed coolant to and from the transmission cooler, throttle cooler, heater core, oil cooler, and provides coolant to the radiator. The outlet also includes a press-in-place seal, sealed threaded insert, a wire harness bracket, an oil drip rail, plus it houses the thermostat. The 10 male ports are created without a parting line, which is usually required with conventional injection molding, and are made possible through precision timing of multiple valve gates and multiple slide actions to properly form this complex product.

Category: Process/Assembly/Enabling Technologies

Winner: Direct Extrusion of Bulb Seal On Cowls

OEM Make & Model: Ford Motor Co 2013MY Ford C-MAX HEV

Tier Supplier/Processor: Windsor Mold Group

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: ExxonMobil Chemical/Reis Extrusion GmbH

Material/Process: Santoprene 121 50E500 TPV

Description: By directly extruding a bulb seal onto an air-inlet panel (cowl), the application's functional requirements are met and time-consuming manual installation of the seal is eliminated as a secondary operation. An extrusion die, mounted to a flexible, heated hose and guided by a robot, quickly and efficiently lays down a TPV profile along the edge of the injection molded substrate. The fully automated process creates an easily tunable and functional seal that can be handled immediately after extrusion without need for post cure (as with thermoset rubber). SPE says the operation is cost-effective, eliminates a secondary operation, maximizes sealing to the hood interface with excellent dimensional stability, reduces scrap, and provides high design freedom and process flexibility.

Category: Safety

Winner: Integrated Headlamp/Hood Bump-Stop Bracket

OEM Make & Model: Ford Motor Co 2013MY Ford Fusion sedan

Tier Supplier/Processor: Magna Exterior & Interior

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Styron LLC/ Advantage Mold, Inc

Material/Process: PP/injection molding

Description: Hood bump stops, together with headlamps, provide stiff resistance to the hood structure when impacted, leading to high HIC values during pedestrian-protection (ped-pro) testing. Hood material, shape, and packaging space can also affect HIC performance. Traditionally, the hood bump stop and headlamp attachment bracket are designed as separate components. However, a new integrated one-piece plastic bracket combines the function of the hood bump stop and headlamp attachment and offers a more efficient way to meet new pending ped-pro requirements. The injection-molded 30% GR-PP patented part is tunable for a wide range of breakaway load levels, can be used on other vehicles, reduces assembly complexity, and lowered HIC values by 30%.

The Automotive Innovation Awards Program organized by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) is one of the oldest and largest competitions of its kind in the world. The annual program merits OEMs, tier suppliers, and polymer producers on the innovative use of plastics in the automotive industry. This year, the Grand Award winner comes from the Body Interior category: an All-Olefin, Soft Skin, Stitched Full instrument panel system.

Grand Award & Category: Body Interior

Winner: All-Olefin, Soft Skin, Stitched Full IP System

OEM Make & Model: General Motors Co 2013 MY Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia SUVs

Tier Supplier/Processor: Inteva Products, LLC

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Adell Plastics, Stahl, Ticona Engineering Polymers/KTX

Material/Process: TPO-631 SSXT Soft TPO, Celstran LFT-PP/multiple processes

Description: These midsize crossover vehicles demonstrate the use of contour stitching on an all-olefin, multi-grained full instrument panel (IP) surface with complex geometry. Advanced robotic sewing technology provides an "up-level" appearance while saving 15-25% costs vs non-cut/sew applications and up to 50% vs cut/sew leather plus 15% weight.

Category: Body Exterior

Winner: Carbon Composite Hood Assembly

OEM Make & Model: Chrysler Group LLC 2013 model year (MY) SRT Viper supercar

Tier Supplier/Processor: Plasan Carbon Composites

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Umeco plc/Cytec Industries (carbon fiber weave prepreg); Toray Carbon Fibers Americas, Inc (unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg); Ashland, Inc (structural polyurethane adhesive)/Weber Manufacturing Technologies Inc

Material/Process: G83C T700S-24K carbon composite/Vacuum bag, autoclave cure

Description: This hood assembly is a Class A CFRP part with a very large complex clamshell geometry. The painted Class A outer panel is complemented by an exposed weave inner panel. The part represents the largest Class A carbon fiber composite part provided to a mainstream OEM at volumes up to 3,000 vehicle sets/year. Design, tooling, and fabrication technologies from both marine and aerospace were employed for the first time in automotive to facilitate layup of the complex geometry with severe undercuts. Integrated mounting points using riv-nuts and studs are molded into the inner hood panel. Local section thickness was varied to meet structural requirements. According to the SPE, the final part, incorporating fenders as well as hood is 44% lighter than the previous hood-only assembly in SMC, helping improve weight distribution and lower the vehicle's center of gravity, for better vehicle dynamics and power-to-weight ratio.

Category: Chassis/Hardware

Winner: Dual-Rate Air Extractor

OEM Make & Model: Ford Motor Co 2012MY Ford Escape & Edge CUVs

Tier Supplier/Processor: Wegu Manufacturing Inc

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Rhetech/Anfe-Moulds Inc

Material/Process: 40% talc-filled PP/Injection molding

Description: As introduced, two-shot molding is used to produce this one-piece air extractor formed of rigid polypropylene (PP) and overmolded with TPE. The unit features plastic living hinges and plastic torsional springs that function as a one-way pneumatic valve, allowing air to exit through flaps but reducing the amount of outside noise that can enter the passenger compartment through the extractor.

Category: Materials

Winner: Controlled Crystallization Rate to Eliminate Paint

OEM Make & Model: Ford Motor Co 2013MY Ford Escape CUV & Fusion sedan, & Lincoln MKZ luxury sedan

Tier Supplier/Processor: TRW Automotive, Key Plastics LLC

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Asahi Kasei Plastics North America/Liberty Molds, Inc, J&J Tool & Mold Ltd

Material/Process: Leona 90G60 B3374 PA 6/6/6I/injection molding

Description: In order to support greater design freedom for any shape and length register vanes while meeting stiffness, durability, and perceived quality requirements, a partially aromatic injection-molded PA 6/6/6I resin was used to boost modulus without increasing wall thickness or adding glass reinforcement to achieve a high-quality, MIC Class A surface without paint. The "kinked" crystalline structure of the semi-aromatic PA resin allows better control of crystallization rate, so parts fully pack out before skins freeze off, leading to a resin-rich surface with a smoother surface and better appearance, eliminating the need to paint.

Category: Performance & Customization

Winner: Carbon Composite Air Extractor

OEM Make & Model: General Motors Co 2012MY Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sportscar

Tier Supplier/Processor: TransGlobal LLC/deBotech, Inc

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Umeco plc/Cytec Industries, BASF Corp, SABIC/deBotech, Inc

Material/Process: MTM Prepreg 57 Series epoxy/carbon fiber prepreg/Vacuum-bag/autoclave cure

Description: This single-piece CFRP composite construction with exposed fabric weave provides a lightweight, functional component that increases downforce at high speeds while providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance. As said, the air extractor makes extensive use of adhesive bonding to join additional components in alternative materials (a polyamide vent screen and a thermoplastic polyester deflector). Adhesive bonding also isolates the carbon composite panel from the rest of the aluminum hood, preventing galvanic corrosion.

Category: Powertrain

Winner: Water Ooutlet Assembly

OEM Make & Model: Nissan Motor Co Ltd 2012MY Nissan Altima sedan

Tier Supplier/Processor: MPC, Inc

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Solvay Specialty Polymers/Industrial Molds Group

Material/Process: AMODEL AS-1933HS PPA-GF33/Injection molding

Description: The combination of sequencing, precision timing, multi-slide actions, scientific molding, and robotics resulted in a high quality water-outlet assembly injection molded in glass-reinforced PPA. This metal-to-plastic conversion, whose main function is to act as a manifold for the cooling system, integrated two components into one assembly, which features 10 seamless barb ports that feed coolant to and from the transmission cooler, throttle cooler, heater core, oil cooler, and provides coolant to the radiator. The outlet also includes a press-in-place seal, sealed threaded insert, a wire harness bracket, an oil drip rail, plus it houses the thermostat. The 10 male ports are created without a parting line, which is usually required with conventional injection molding, and are made possible through precision timing of multiple valve gates and multiple slide actions to properly form this complex product.

Category: Process/Assembly/Enabling Technologies

Winner: Direct Extrusion of Bulb Seal On Cowls

OEM Make & Model: Ford Motor Co 2013MY Ford C-MAX HEV

Tier Supplier/Processor: Windsor Mold Group

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: ExxonMobil Chemical/Reis Extrusion GmbH

Material/Process: Santoprene 121 50E500 TPV

Description: By directly extruding a bulb seal onto an air-inlet panel (cowl), the application's functional requirements are met and time-consuming manual installation of the seal is eliminated as a secondary operation. An extrusion die, mounted to a flexible, heated hose and guided by a robot, quickly and efficiently lays down a TPV profile along the edge of the injection molded substrate. The fully automated process creates an easily tunable and functional seal that can be handled immediately after extrusion without need for post cure (as with thermoset rubber). SPE says the operation is cost-effective, eliminates a secondary operation, maximizes sealing to the hood interface with excellent dimensional stability, reduces scrap, and provides high design freedom and process flexibility.

Category: Safety

Winner: Integrated Headlamp/Hood Bump-Stop Bracket

OEM Make & Model: Ford Motor Co 2013MY Ford Fusion sedan

Tier Supplier/Processor: Magna Exterior & Interior

Material Supplier/Toolmaker: Styron LLC/ Advantage Mold, Inc

Material/Process: PP/injection molding

Description: Hood bump stops, together with headlamps, provide stiff resistance to the hood structure when impacted, leading to high HIC values during pedestrian-protection (ped-pro) testing. Hood material, shape, and packaging space can also affect HIC performance. Traditionally, the hood bump stop and headlamp attachment bracket are designed as separate components. However, a new integrated one-piece plastic bracket combines the function of the hood bump stop and headlamp attachment and offers a more efficient way to meet new pending ped-pro requirements. The injection-molded 30% GR-PP patented part is tunable for a wide range of breakaway load levels, can be used on other vehicles, reduces assembly complexity, and lowered HIC values by 30%.