The 2012 Outlander Sports crossover from Mitsubishi Motor Corp. features what is reportedly the industry’s first two-cavity injection molded fenders. The front fenders are made from next-generation Noryl GTX 989 resin—a conductive blend of nylon and modified PPE from SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass.
Two-cavity injection molding allows left and right fender components to be produced in one shot, speeding production and reducing capital costs significantly since only one tool was needed, rather than two. This is the first automotive body panel using Noryl GTX 989. Compared with its predecessor, this next-generation resin grade delivers 10°C higher heat resistance, which makes it a candidate for in high-temperature online painting. The new grade also has 10% lower coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) than previous grades, providing increased dimensional stability and improved gap and flush management, which gives automotive designers freedom to create larger, high-precision panels.
Here are processing guidelines aimed at both getting the PHA resin into the process without degrading it, and reducing residence time at melt temperatures.
