Exterior

In exterior applications, engineering polymers are not only exposed to considerable mechanical loads, they must also be UV and chemical resistant (e. g. to detergents). Then there are also aesthetic requirements regarding the surface finish. Polymers such as Hostaform® and Celcon ®acetal copolymers (including UV stabilized special grades), Celanex® polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), Impet® polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and Celstran® and Compel® long-fiber reinforced thermoplastics (LFRT) fulfil the requirements and open up new possibilities for cost and weight saving by integration, modularization and metal replacement.

Steeply inclined and curved windscreens are pleasant to the eye, but set increasingly high demands for technology, especially with regard to windscreen wiper systems. Designers are using more and more polymers in windscreen wiper systems in order to reduce weight and cost. Designers are using special Celanex PBT grades for wiper arms, special Hostaform and Celcon polyacetal grades for wiper caps, and Impet PET for gear housings

Structural parts for roof modules and front parts for sunroofs with integrated cable runs require materials with optimal friction and wear properties combined with mechanical stability over a temperature range of –40 ° C up to 80 ° C. (40° F to 76° F Designers often use special grades of Celstran LFRT and Celanex PBT grades to achieve these properties.

Exterior mirrors have high requirements with regard to surface finish and UV stability. The housings are made of Celanex PBT and Celstran LFRT. Because of friction and wear requirements, designers use Celcon or Hostaform acetal copolymer in the electrical adjustment units.

The front end holds radiators, headlights and other units. It is therefore a structural component with a large area that has to withstand very high loads. These applications are produced by injection molding, by compression molding or by hybrid molding with Celstran LFRT and Celstran LFRT.

High-strength under body moldings that provide reliable protection from dirt and mechanical damage, especially in the engine compartment, are often made of Celstran and Compel LFRT.