Smart Molding International 2-2020

40 smart_molding international 2/2020 U lrich Dajek, hybrid design ex - pert at LANXESS, explains: “Our easy-flowing polyamide 6 can be processed at lower injection pres - sures. For this reason, smaller injection molding machines with lower clamping forces can be used in the production of the hybrid bolster. This has a positive effect on the machine running costs and allows greater flexibility in terms of machine selection and production planning.” The bolster and the fully assembled front-end module were developed and are produced by Montaplast GmbH, a global system supplier of the automo - tive industry, which has its headquar - ters in Morsbach, Germany. Four integrated active grille shutters The bolster houses an actively control - lable unit consisting of four active grille shutters that ensure a demand-oriented supply of air to the engine cooling sys - tem. The bolster contains reinforcing metal inserts at the sides and in the up - per chord. The latter accommodates the highly loaded hood latch. Themain task of the hybrid design is to support the cooling systems and hold them in po - sition. Numerous additional functions are also integrated in the bolster – such as guides, mounts for the adjustment drive and fasteners. “Our development engineers have succeeded in integrat - ing all these elements, functions and interfaces so that the functional and load requirements aremet. At the same time, they have ensured that the entire front-end module can be produced in different region-specific versions in an automated high-volume process in a cost-efficient manner,” comments Horst-Dieter Haltrich, Product Develop - ment Team Leader at Montaplast. Direct threaded connections with greater stability thanks to polyamide 6 As a plastic component for the hy - brid bolster, polyamide 6 has two main advantages over the possible alterna - tive material, polypropylene (PP). The first advantage is that the component contains several direct threaded con - Thermoplastics with easy-flowing properties are usually somewhat more expensive than comparable standard materials; however, they offer advantages that ultimately pay off in terms of processing, production costs and freedom of design. This can be seen in the highly integrated bolster produced in plastic-metal composite technology (hybrid technology) for the Ford Kuga SUV. In addition to steel panels, the production of the highly loaded structural component includes polyamide 6, the easy-flowing, fiberglass-reinforced Durethan BKV30H2.0EF from LANXESS. Smartly designed with easy-flowing polyamide Photo: Ford