Door Panels

Dow Automotive innovation and teamwork has resulted in the design of a thin-wall door substrate using MAGNUM™ 347EZ ABS resin that reduces mass, weight, and cost. Dow Automotive was presented the challenge to develop a lighter weight, more cost-effective door panel substrate without sacrificing performance.

Dow Automotive collaborated with key customers to produce a plastics innovation that reduces wall thickness from a standard 2.5mm to a lighter, more economical 1.6mm. Using MAGNUM 347EZ ABS resins from Dow Automotive, which feature a melt flow rate of 15g/10 min, the team created a new substrate that significantly reduced weight and mass without sacrificing performance. Using this ultra high flow resin from Dow Automotive also enabled the design of a two-cavity mold that fills right and left-hand parts simultaneously, reducing cycle time.

The end product represents a 36 percent reduction in weight compared to a standard 2.5mm ABS door, weighing in about the same as a comparable glass reinforced urethane (GRU) door. High flow MAGNUM 347 EZ ABS resin presents an excellent choice for automotive suppliers who no longer have to make trade-offs between weight and performance. Currently the highest flowing ABS resin available, MAGNUM 347EZ ABS resin results in wider processing windows, saving manufacturing time and cost.

In addition, Dow Automotive's portfolio, that combines plastics and adhesives technology, enables unique door panel/module design and construction that incorporate energy and acoustical management properties. Please follow this link to Body Engineered Systems applications for more information.

For a listing of materials used in these applications, follow this link to Dow Automotive's Materials Finder.

For additional information on how Dow Automotive can meet your specific vehicle application needs please contact the Customer Information Group (CIG):

	CIG North America		800.309.0988
	CIG Europe		800.3.694.6367
	CIG Pacific		603.7958.3392

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