Gasgoo Awards 2023 receives multiple applications from low-carbon new materials segment

Gasgoo, a global leading automotive industry information service platform, has kicked off the Gasgoo Awards 2023 program. For the Top 100 Players of China's New Automotive Supply Chain, the program will cover ten core segments, namely autonomous driving, smart cockpit, software, automotive chip, artificial intelligence, powertrain electrification, intelligent chassis, body and exterior & interior, low-carbon new materials, as well as thermal management.

In the low-carbon new materials segment, the Gasgoo Awards 2023 have attracted a number of companies to apply for the Top 100 Players of China's New Automotive Supply Chain. Here are some details about them.

Aquafil Synthetic Fibres And Polymers(Jiaxing)., Ltd.

Product: ECONYL® Regenerated Nylon

Description

ECONYL® regenerated nylon is 100% recycled yarn made of plastic waste such as fishing nets, fabric scraps and old carpets. ECONYL® regeneration system: since 2011, we have been able to give waste a new life, producing a special nylon that is 100% regenerated and fully recyclable, maintains the same quality as traditional nylon, and has way lower environmental impact if compared with production of standard nylon. Instead of crude oil, ECONYL® regenerated nylon uses a chemical process with 100% pre- and post-consumer recycled content, through a process of depolymerization and re-polymerization, can be recycled indefinitely, with no loss of quality.

Unique advantages

ECONYL® Nylon has some unique characteristics, which differentiates it from all other fibres in the market: 

1) 100% regenerated and 100% regenerable

2) It maintains the same exact qualitative characteristics of primary source nylon

3) It can be recycled an infinite number of times without losing quality, obviating the limitations associated with traditional mechanical recycling

4) It reduces the global warming impact of nylon by up to 90% in compared with the production of standard nylon. This means that for each 10,000 tons of raw material, 70,000 barrels of crude oil are saved and 65,100 tons of CO2eq. emissions are avoided.

5) It regenerates vast amounts of waste material that would otherwise be sent to landfill or end up polluting the environment, such as old carpets, pre-consumer or post-consumer waste, aquaculture and fishing nets waste. 

Application

It is used by more than 2,500 brands across the fashion, carpet, interiors, and automotive industries. 

1) Carpet yarn: Automotive, Residential, Contract, Rugs, Special Applications, Mobility   

2) Textile yarn: Clothing & fashion, Swimwear, Sportwear, Home Textile 3. Polymers: Inject molding, Extrusion, Compounding

Prospect

There are opportunities for ECONYL® nylon to be used in any product where nylon 6 is used today: as a fiber in apparel, carpets, and industrial ropes and cables, as an engineered polymer in sunglasses or automotive interiors, or as a filament in furniture or 3D printing. The regenerative properties of ECONYL® nylon empower designers to reimagine their creative process by designing with the end in mind. The opportunities for innovation and creativity are genuinely infinite with ECONYL® nylon.

Kautex (Pinghu) Plastic Technology Co., Ltd.

Product: thermoplastic composite battery system 

Description

Pentatonic high-voltage battery enclosures for electric vehicles (full hybrids and BEVs) are designed and manufactured from engineering thermoplastics. For the first time, metallic reinforcements can be eliminated.

Unique advantages

1) WEIGHT REDUCTION: Pentatonic weighs up to 60% less than its steel and aluminum counterparts, which improves the range of the vehicle and allows the opportunity to adjust chassis components – such as suspension and brake systems.

2)  "ONE SHOT" PROCESS: We integrate structural elements directly into our injection or compression molding process using reinforced materials, which eliminates timely assembly steps at our customer’s facility.  Fewer secondary operations, such as welding and riveting and shorter cycle times than our steel and aluminum counterparts and offers better leak-tightness.

3)  FULL SYSTEM SUPPLIER: Features and thermal management components, such as cooling plates, are integrated into one fully capable, lightweight system. Reduction of secondary process steps simplifies assembly process, reducing customer bill of material and overall cost, and fewer assembly steps reduces number of sealing joints, which lessens the risk of leakages. With proven capabilities in design, testing and production Kautex is a trusted partner in creating a more streamlined approach to the entire process.

4) SUSTAINABILITY: With the weight reduction that Pentatonic provides, the range of the vehicle improves dramatically, which in turn improves energy consumption and overall CO2 emission reduction along the supply chain.

5) SAFETY: The materials and processes we use make safety the highest priority when it comes to production and application. Our non-conductive housing material reduces risk of electrical shock and corrosion, unlike our steel and aluminum counterparts. Volumetric safety advantages: The Pentatonic Battery System requires less clearance between the enclosure and the modules due to the isolating characteristics of our materials and the increased integration (e.g cooling plates) during the production process. Homologation: As the pioneers in plastic fuel tank production, our decades of expertise with fire tests, leak tightness proofing, and crash tests are utilized and extended to the requirements in designing as well as producing composite battery systems.

Application

From hybrid vehicles to battery electric vehicles, Pentatonic is committed to providing customers with composite battery housing solutions.

Prospect

From hybrid vehicles to battery electric vehicles, Pentatonic is committed to providing customers with composite battery housing solutions. At present, the mainstream battery box on the market is mainly metal (steel and aluminum products), with the gradual promotion and widespread use of the composite battery box in the new energy models of major automobile manufacturers, the advantages of composite box in lightweight, customized, energy saving and emission reduction will be recognized by more customers, and its reliability will be further verified. Therefore, Kautex composite solutions will also occupy a significant share in the future new energy power battery market.

Antolin

Product: GREEN HEADLINER

Description

Antolin presents the first headliner substrate produced by thermoforming a PU foam with materials made from urban & post-consumer plastic waste and end of life tires. Working with recycled materials is a natural step in the company’s commitment to develop a sustainable business. The aim is to reduce waste and energy consumption during manufacturing and to meet the demand for eco-friendly interiors, something increasingly valued in car buyers' choices.

Unique advantages

The headliner part looks as an standard headliner and performs exactly the same (sustainability surge comes without any reduction in the physical properties of the headliner). This accomplishment has been possible thanks to a material’s manufacturing process developed by the partner BASF (by means of chemical recycling) that Antolin has validated and introduced in a fully electric European premium car that has just been launched to the market. Approximately 50% of the headliner weight is recycled. In this particular project, 100% of the textile, 70% of the core foam, and 70% of the plastic sunroof reinforcement frame have been obtained from residues that couldn’t be recycled in any other way and would have been, ultimately, disposed in landfills or, what is worse, in natural habitats, like oceans.

Application

Towards more sustainable vehicle overheads, Antolin focuses on different methods and technologies to recycle interior trim parts.

Prospect

To help the customers to develop more sustainable vehicles by reducing waste, weight and emissions.

Gestamp

Product: Gestamp Aluminum hot stamping technology

Description

In recent years, with the increasing demand from OEMs for further weight reductions on vehicle bodies, the aluminum hot stamping technology has become one of the most popular lightweighting technologies in the market. The aluminum hot stamping technology involves the solution treatment of aluminum material in the furnace for a certain period, then transferring the blank to the mold for one-stroke forming and cooling process. Additionally, the strength of the components can be further enhanced by the artificial aging process. The aluminum hot stamping technology can improve the stamping formability of aluminum alloy and the design flexibility of it. Moreover, this technology effectively reduces the spring-back of aluminum alloy, ensuring the dimensional accuracy of the final products. Also, compared to hot stamping steel products, it achieves remarkable weight reductions.

Unique advantages

1) Formability. The aluminum hot stamping technology can significantly enhance the material's formability, reduce forming/drawing operations, and increase the design flexibility of components.

2) Dimensional Accuracy. The hot stamping technology can greatly reduce the spring-back of aluminum alloy, ensuring the final products have excellent dimensional accuracy and meet the assembly requirements of OEMs easily.

3) Lightweight. The aluminum hot stamping technology can achieve up to 40% weight reduction compared to traditional cold forming steel solutions while meeting equivalent performance requirements at the same time.

4) Safety. Different grades of aluminum material can be selected flexibly, and the overall strength of the 6/7 series aluminum alloy is higher, which can improve the crash safety. In addition, the artificial aging process can further improve the strength of the components.

Application

Applied to the BIW side body structure components for weight reduction. And also applied to door inner panel components, achieving excellent formability and design modeling.

Prospect

In the transition driven by electrification and decarbonization in the automotive industry, lightweight vehicle body has become an unstoppable development trend. In response to this, Gestamp has introduced its aluminum hot stamping technology, which not only enhances stamping formability but also significantly achieves weight reduction for components. Moreover, it fully meets the requirements of OEMs in terms of safety and component assembly functionality, while positively contributing to environmental initiatives. This makes the Gestamp aluminum hot stamping technology highly competitive in the market.

Lear (China) Holding Limited

Product: Lear Eco Seating Solutions

Description

Lear's eco seating solutions include lightweight seat structure, low-carbon and environmentally friendly surface materials, soy foam and other technologies, which fully reflect the concept of low-carbon and environmentally friendly in a car seat. 1、Lear lightweight structure (APEX-LM) Lear's front seat structure adopts lightweight design. One 8-way electric seat structure weighs only 11.8kg, which is 10% lower than the market average. The design and manufacture of the seat frame follows the principle of green and low-carbon, in which the use of green steel (30% lower carbon emissions) weighs 9.3kg, accounting for more than 78% of the total weight of the seat structure. 2、Renewable surface materials (1) Natural and renewable leather: Lear Eagle Ottawa Leather is a natural and renewable resource, as well as a durable and cleanable surface material. Lear's Eagle Ottawa Leather is made from carefully selected. This year, Lear  Eagle Ottawa Leather has been awarded the gold medal by LWG (Leather Working Group), which is currently the world's most stringent certification for the "energy saving, carbon reduction, environmental protection and management" system for leather products. 2) 100% recycled textiles: Lear Guilford Performance Textiles including sustainable materials and processes, such as natural fibres, and fibres made from certified recycled materials. ReNewKnit™ is a Lear exclusive, first-to-market automotive textile that is fully recyclable at its end of life. Composed of 100% recycled plastic bottles, ReNewKnit™ fibers are spun from recycled polyester yarn and finished with a foam-free, recycled fleece backing that further reduces water and energy consumption in the manufacturing process.  ReNewKnit™ is a premium sueded material that challenges perceptions of reused and recycled textiles, with a wide range of surfaces suitable for various interior applications and improved functionality.  3、Soy Foam™ Lear Soyfoam™ solution is designed for market applications that require energy savings and offer automotive OEMs the opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint. Compared to petroleum, 60% less energy is required to produce soy polyols. 5% of foam weight is 100% renewable and available globally For every kilogram of Soyfoam™ used, there is a net reduction of 5.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide.

Unique advantages

Lear's lightweight 8 Way Power seating structure weighs just 11.8kg, 10% below the market average. Extensive use of green steel reduces carbon emissions by 30% compared to the carbon base of the same material that Bao Gang supplied to the Chinese market in 2020.  Lear Eagle Ottawa Leather is the industry's first automotive dermal supplier to use water-based coatings instead of traditional solvent-based coatings such as toluene, a technology that reduces harmful air pollutant emissions by 99%.  Lear ReNewKnit™ is a premium sueded material that challenges perceptions of reused and recycled textiles with its buttery-soft hand and improved functionality that meets OEM standards while being 100% fully recyclable to ensure a reusable future.   Lear is committed to developing sustainable yarns that turn coffee grounds, wool, plants and various crops into "green yarns". For example, yarns developed from coffee grounds waste can be 100% recycled, reducing polyester usage; yarns made from animal hair fibres such as wool and mohair are natural and harmless, reducing carbon emissions. Lear Guilford is also working with the waste management and recycling industry to convert marine debris into recyclable marine plastics to make marine yarn. For every kilogram of such marine yarn produced, one kilogram of waste is removed from the sea.

Application

Lear Eco Seating is built with Lightweight Structure (APEX-LM) and renewable materials technology. 1. Headrest Soft PET fiber pad with EPP energy absorbable material to increase comfort and recyclable 2. Guilford Textiles We manufacture a selection of premium textiles that include sustainable materials and processes such as natural fibers and fibers made from certified recycled stock 3. Eagle Ottawa Leather A natural, renewable resource, leather is also durable and cleanable 4. Cushion Pan A surface Insert -  30% Linen Fabric  + 70% Recycled Polyester A surface Bolster - 30% Wool Fabric + 70% Recycled Polyester  Foundation - 3D Spacer, 100% Recyclable  Recycled Thread 5. Back panel Renewable resource natural fiber replace plastic material, reduce 80% energy in manufacture and reduce 10% weight 6. Foam Made from 100% renewable soybeans, Soyfoam™ requires 60% less conversion energy to produce compared with conventional foam, which in turn creates 4 times less emissions. 7. Plastic Material Broad product portfolio, Up to 100% recycled content plastic material, low CO2 footprint and less energy consumption 8. TCS (Thermal Comfort Solution) Lear integrate thermal comfort systems and provide whole system solution with small package and light weight

Prospect

Lear Eco Seating Solutions represent the future trends of the automotive industry, which not only meet OEM customers' requirements for a low CO2 footprint and low energy consumption, but also reflect Lear's social responsibility as a global leader in automotive seating and E-Systems technology.  Lear will continue its commitment to low-carbon environmental practices in subsequent product development, and continue to invest in research and development in areas such as recyclable materials, low-energy processes, and natural materials development. The company has also completed reference life cycle assessments (LCAs) on seven of its major product lines to measure and identify opportunities to improve the carbon footprint of its products. By the end of 2022, Lear decreased its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by nearly 17% against a 2019 baseline, putting the company on track to meet its 50% carbon reduction goal by 2030.

Feize Composites Technology Co., Ltd.

Product: CFRP Rear Floor Assembly

Description

CFRP Rear Floor Assembly consists of 3 sub-assemblies, which is floor panel, seat pan and crossmember assembly. 4 CFRP parts are included in this assembly, all of which are made by wet compression molding process. The cycle time for the wet compression molding is only 80s. Fully automated bonding and assembly line improves the stability and consistency of the part quality. Taking cost into consideration at the design phase give us the opportunity to cut the cost to a quite satisfied level.

Unique advantages

1) High efficiency. With multi-cavity mold and fast cure resin, the cycle time is reduced to 90s. 

2) Fully automated bonding & assembly line. Multiple bonding & assembly technology are applied in this line. The cycle time of bonding & assembly (with a lot of bonding of metal parts and studs) is within 5 mins thanks to the reasonable layout design and process design. 3D visual online monitor system and 2D photograph system are applied to the key process of the line to guarantee the stability and consistency of the quality. 

3) Low cost. With special nesting system and stacking technology, the scrap rate of the fabric is largely reduced. Optimized milling process and the introduce of cutter reuse technology enable us to largely reduce the milling cost.  

4) Innovative quality control method. Combine the quality control method of automotive industry and the quality control method of the aerospace industry and develop a innovative quality control method for the mass production of CFRP parts.

Application

Over 150,000 units (600000 pieces) have been produced and delivered. This product has been applied to ES6 and ES7 models successively.

Prospect

This product has pioneered the large-scale application of carbon fiber composite materials in the automotive industry of China. The mass production of this product fully meets the requirements of customers for quality, cost and efficiency. This project is regarded as the landmark of the application of carbon fiber in the automotive field.

Domo Engineering Plastics (Jiaxing) Co. Ltd.

Product: TECHNYL® 4EARTH® A1E 60G1 V30

Description

TECHNYL® 4EARTH® A1E 60G1 V30 is a recycled PA66 HFFR material with 30% glass fibre  rainforced material. have wide range of electrical and electronic applications.

Unique advantages

TECHNYL® 4EARTH® A1E 60G1 V30 have approved UL card，DOMO is the first supplier to obtain UL RTI electrical rating for a mechanical recycled polyamide solution.

Application

ECV E&E applications；Machine and Electricity marker

Prospect

The M&E market requires HFFR halogen-free flame retardant solutions that meet essential fire safety and mechanical and electrical performance levels. At the same time, E&E manufacturers will also be faced with an overall CO2 footprint and the need to improve the recyclability of their products.DOMO's proprietary recycling technology ensures consistent material quality and security of supply to meet the rapidly growing demand for more sustainable, high-performance applications.