Plastic And The Automotive Industry – A Budding Relationship

At Rayda we like to know what else is going on within the Plastic Industry as a whole. One thing that has caught our interest lately is the role that the material plastic is playing within the automotive industry. There is much evidence to suggest that developments with using plastic within vehicles has improved some safety aspects. If this wasn’t enough there is also evidence to suggest that by using plastic, considerable energy savings are being made. As road users are always keen to spot the latest improvements in vehicles that could ultimately improve the performance of the car, the use of plastic is beginning to be noticed.

Most commonly, ABS (Acrylonite Butadiene Styrene),  HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) and PP (Polypropylene) are the plastics that you can expect to find integrated into your vehicle in some format. From your air bags to insulation electrics, it would be near impossible to find a vehicle that does not contain plastic.

So why are we using plastic?

Plastic has many benefits and it seems that some of the following properties have made it a favourable choice of material for the automotive industry.

Cost Effective – plastic can be cheaper to produce than other materials commonly found in vehicles.

Strong – Vehicles need to be sturdy and certain plastic parts in your car will be sturdy enough to help to withstand impact.

Lightweight – as plastic weighs less than alternative materials, you can expect the fuel usage of your car to be lower than if another material was used.

Malleable – plastic can be mould into a required shape, for example part of your steering wheel is likely to be created from plastic and this has been formed into the circular shape.

Provides Insulation for Electrics – Our electric wires will often be covered with a plastic coating.

Heat Resistant and Corrosion Resistant – Over time and during use your car can face extreme heat and parts can begin to corrode, certain types of plastic protect against this with their corrosion resistant properties.

At Rayda we are already aware of the profound benefits that plastic extrusion can also have on other industries, including the medical industry and building industry to name a few. Plastic is just fantastic!