Smart Molding International 2-2024

49 www.smart-molding.com materials protection accelerate the pace of change, SABIC continues to diversify and add value to our portfolio.” Solutions for Sustainability Aerodynamics plays a role in extending range in electric vehicles (EVs) and reducing fuel consumption in internal combustion vehicles. Wheel inserts can improve aerodynamics by reducing drag, while adding visual excitement and differentiation to a vehicle’s design. At its exhibit, SABIC was displaying wheel inserts molded from NORYL™ GTX resin, a high-heat, impact-resistant material that can be painted to enhance aesthetics and also improve the durability of the application. It also features very low specific gravity for weight- out and optimized moment of inertia. Weatherable SLX SABIC helps customers achieve sustainability goals and lower system costs with paint-free LNP™ ELCRES SLX resins. These resins helpmanufacturers avoid volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with a molded in color, high gloss and weatherable solution featured in various automotive exterior applications. Beyond the market leading SLX2271T and 2291T resins, SABIC continues to innovate with solutions that help extend useful life with advancements in scratch resistance, and incorporate recycled content derived by renewable or post-consumer recycled content. SABIC’s LNP ELCRES SLX1271SR resin is another material in this family that provides excellent paint-free aesthetics and weatherability. This product won the 2024 Gold Edison Award in the Materials Science/Advanced Materials category. Besides avoiding volatile emissions from painting, the molded-in color capability of this resin can reduce system costs and accelerate throughput. SABIC was showcasing an illuminated front grille for an EV that can withstand harsh weather, automotive fluids and impact without the need for hard coating. This is another example of reduction of VOCs from paint and coatings to protect air quality and health. This part is molded from LNP™ SLX1271D copolymer resin, which provides a more sustainable alternative to hard- coated polymer substrates weathers at the similar rate as painted components, maintaining its desirable aesthetics for 10 years or more. One reason is that the resin forms a self-protecting layer that absorbs UV light on a continuous basis to help retain color and gloss. It also offers automotive OEMs a cost-effective route to designing and producing intricate, illuminated, instantly recognizable signature features as part of their exterior branding strategy. To amplify the sustainability benefits of EVs, SABIC has developed a service flap assembly for charging ports that features new NORYL GTX™ LMX310 resin. This conductive grade with very low moisture absorption can reduce global warming potential (GWP) by 30 percent compared to incumbent conductive polyamide-based materials. Solutions for Safety At PIAE, SABIC was displaying an interior rearview mirror with an integrated driver and passenger monitoring system for improved safety. To provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, the mirror housing is molded from new LNP™ FARADEX™ 9X23246 compound, a blend of PC and acrylonitrile- styrene-acrylate (ASA) formulated with electrically conductive stainless steel fibers. This application features a custom molded-in dark gray color. LNP™ THERMOCOMP™ compounds, which won the 2024 Silver Edison Award in theMaterials Science/AdvancedMaterials category, are another family of LNP materials that can be used in automotive safety systems. They offer highly stable and broad dielectric properties for satellite navigation and communication antennas, helping to advance self-driving technology. Battery safety is a crucial factor in consumer adoption of EVs. SABIC’s NORYL™ NHP8000VT3 resin is well suited for insulation film used in EV battery modules to help protect against short circuits and fire propagation. It achieves the highest comparative tracking index performance level category (CTI PLC0) and meets the UL94 V0 standard at 0.25 mm. Samples of insulation film were on display at the SABIC booth. PIAE 2024 was being held inMannheim, Germany, June 19-20. About SABIC SABIC is a global diversified chemicals company, headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It manufactures on a global scale in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, making distinctly different kinds of products: chemicals, commodity and high performance plastics, and agri-nutrients. SABIC supports its customers by identifying and developing opportunities in key end-use applications such as Automotive, Hygiene & Healthcare, Electrical & Electronics, Packaging, Agriculture, Consumer Products, and Building & Construction. The company has close to 29,000 employees worldwide, serving customers in more than 140 countries. Fostering innovation and a spirit of ingenuity, SABIC has 11,070 patents and pending applications, and has significant research resources with innovation hubs in five key geographies – USA, Europe, Middle East, South Asia and North Asia. SABIC www.sabic.com New conductive NORYL™ GTX™ LMX310 resin offers inline paintability for perfect color consistency with adjacent body parts and meets more stringent dimension control requirements in a wider temperature and humidity range for components such as large EV service flaps