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WYANDOTTE, Mich., USA-- September 13, 2004 -- Jobwerx News -- BASF has introduced a new, one-piece plastic seating structure that is quickly gaining commercial acceptance in the U.S. automotive industry.

Typical metal-based automotive seating structures are comprised of individual parts that require hand assembly. The BASF plastic seating structure consolidates these parts into one component. For example, in one application, replacing a metal-based seating structure with BASF's plastic alternative resulted in 15 fewer parts and 10 less assembly steps.

In addition to the benefits of convenience and production efficiency, BASF's plastic automotive seating structure weighs at least 50 percent less than metal, depending on the component design and platform, enabling material cost savings without compromising performance. Also, the bumps, squeaks and rattles that occur in multiple-component seating structures due to localized fatigue are eliminated in this single-piece design.

BASF's automotive seating structure uses Ultramid(R) nylon, Petra(R) thermoplastic polyester (PET) and Nypel(R)polyamide nylon for seat cushion pans and back frames, seat track adjusters and transmissions, lumbar handles and supports, and recliner handles. The structure has commercial applications in domestically produced vehicles.

"The BASF plastic seating structure enables the automotive industry to consolidate parts, which reduces overall system costs," said Mark Minnichelli, Director of Commercial Technology for BASF's Engineering Plastics business in North America. "These savings multiply throughout the value chain because having fewer parts cuts down assembly time and simplifies inventory management."

"In addition, various functional and assembly features that may be impractical or impossible for stamped steel pans could easily be designed into a plastic seat pan," Minnichelli said. "For example, occupant comfort features such as contouring to minimize pressure points and integrated heating and cooling ducts can be incorporated into an injection-molded Ultramid nylon design with assistance from BASF's Application Development team."

Minnichelli added that plastics eliminate several secondary operations that metals usually require, such as welding and finishing, as well as painting and coating since the material is not prone to corrosion and produces a finished part with an excellent surface appearance. Plastic parts are also better for assemblers to handle and promote worker safety, he said, because they don't have sharp edges to contend with and weigh less.

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