Key Highlights:
- The outboard housing developed for Volvo’s EX90 vehicle, and manufactured using Xencor HPPA long glass fibre (LGF) reinforced, has received the Automotive Award 2024 by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Central Europe.
- The combination of Xencor HPPA long-fibre technology with the component’s design achieves the necessary rigidity and stability to withstand extreme temperatures and dynamic loads.
- The thermoplastic housing won third place in the Chassis Unit - Structural Component category, recognising the advancements of plastics for the design of tomorrow's vehicles.
Syensqo
Syensqo team receives the SPE Automotive Award at the Bilder Award Night 2024 on June 28th. From left: Thilo Stier SPE Award Committee / Marco Prigant EMS-Chemie Sponsor / Cartsen Tüchert Syensqo / Klara Baues Syensqo / Robert Kolloch ZF Group head of product engineering / Sridharan S. Krishnan ZF group senior product engineer / Andreas Lutz sales manager transportation / Leon Vervuurt technical specialist injection moulding/ Bernard Rzepka SPE Award Committee.
Syensqo, a provider of high-performance specialty polymers, and ZF, a Tier 1 supplying advanced mobility systems, announced that the outboard housing developed for Volvo’s EX90 vehicle, and manufactured using Xencor HPPA long glass fibre (LGF) reinforced, has been honoured with the prestigious Automotive Award 2024 by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Central Europe.
This innovative thermoplastic outboard housing, the first to be used in a steering system over a metal one, won third place in the Chassis Unit - Structural Component category, recognising outstanding advancements of plastics for the technology and design of tomorrow's vehicles. The combination of Xencor HPPA long-fibre technology with the component’s design, achieves the necessary rigidity and stability to withstand extreme temperatures (-40°C to +125°C) and dynamic loads, all while offering a favourable cost-performance ratio. The use of Xencor HPPA LGF thermoplastic over metal enabled weight saving of approximately 40% in this application.
Syensqo
Thermoplastic outboard housing developed by ZF for Volvo’s EX90 vehicle and manufactured using Xencor HPPA long glass fibre (LGF) reinforced.
“Syensqo's specialty polymers have advanced lightweight, fuel-efficient, and cost-effective mobility solutions for decades. We’re honoured to receive this award as a testament to our proficient collaboration with ZF Group and Volvo in a crucial automotive application," said Georges Houtappel, executive vice president of Transportation at Syensqo.
Given the safety-critical nature of the steering system, Syensqo developed comprehensive durability and ageing models to ensure long-term reliability. The innovative one-shot injection moulding process used for this component allows the integration of functional elements, such as metal dowel pins for precise alignment and moulded sealing ribs to enhance sealing performance. Unlike traditional aluminium high-pressure die-casting housings, the thermoplastic material provides inherent corrosion resistance, eliminating the need for additional anodisation.