DuPont Automotive discusses weight saving at SPE conference

A new nylon - DuPont Zytel PLUS - and new materials to enable laser welding techniques were the focus of two DuPont Automotive Performance Polymers talks presented recently at the SPE Automotive Engineering Plastics Conference (AutoEPCON) at the Michigan State University (MSU) Management Education Center in Troy, Michigan, the US.

"New DuPont nylon resin can double performance life of components exposed to heat, corrosive fluids and chemicals," was presented by Gianluigi Molteni, DuPont Automotive Performance Polymers global powertrain segment manager. "Employing laser welding for creative and cost-effective solutions," was presented by Dan Jones, DuPont Automotive Performance Polymers technical service representative specializing in assembly techniques.

"Delivering innovation in a cost-effective manner is imperative in today's competitive environment," said Mike Day, DuPont Automotive Performance Polymers marketing director - Americas. "DuPont continues its commitment to inventing new materials and solutions that help differentiate and improve performance, drawing from its rich history of invention and global team of technical and development experts."

"The drive to reduce cost and weight will introduce plastics in applications never before considered," Gianluigi said. "Zytel PLUS nylon delivers long-term performance despite exposure to heat and chemicals, inviting new ways to replace metal – especially under the hood – in transmissions and exhaust systems."

Laser welding has found a niche in applications where components must be kept clean, are susceptible to thermal damage, require precision alignment or may be damaged by other traditional assembly methods.

"More than that, laser welding invites new design ideas for plastic assemblies, most of which can simplify the molding process, integrate multiple components and ultimately drive out cost," Dan said.