Some of the new Products on Show
Composite lightweighting solutions for seating applications
BASF
In Michigan, BASF will be focusing on composite solutions for interior applications such as spray transfer molding and pultrusion, as well as an application that recently won the prestigious Altair Enlighten Award for vehicle weight savings with the composite seatback design on the 2022 Toyota Tundra.
This is the second time in three years that BASF has been recognized in the lightweight enabling technology category for seating applications. Pultrusion composite technology allowed the company to design a seat structure that was 20% lighter than the previous model and to meet the customer’s cost goals. This application was also overmolded with the company’s impact-modified polyamide 6 Ultramid B3ZG7 CR to create the 3D shape of the 60% seat back.
BASF was able to eliminate an all-steel assembly that contained 60 stamped and welded parts and integrate it into four composite parts. The unique design of the injection-overmolded pultrusion beam in the seat structure also passed all relevant crash test requirements and opens the door for more adoption of composites in automotive applications.
Booth: A112