Issue 24/2013 - BASF and Somick Ishikawa Corporation jointly develop plastic seat dampers

BASF and Somick Ishikawa Corporation jointly develop plastic seat dampers

Recently, a new damper jointly developed by BASF and Somic Ishikawa Corporation (SOMIC) was selected
by a Japanese automaker.

Dampers are used in a wide range of automotive applications, including glove boxes, seat adjustment levers, and armrests
.
Any component that can be opened or tilted can be controlled
by a damper.
The new damper jointly developed by the two companies is made
of Ultramid?.
BASF's Ultramid high-modulus polyamide products have a glass fiber content of up to 60% and excellent mechanical properties
.
At the same time, its water absorption is very low, which helps to maintain good dimensional stability
of the product.
In addition, Ultramid parts have good processability and excellent surface quality, even under high oil pressure, and no leakage
occurs.

"With Ultramid high-modulus polyamide products, the plastic damper structure can be designed with oil pressure, allowing the seat to be adjusted more smoothly from the vertical position to almost any horizontal position
.
"In addition, this innovative damping device can be used in a wide range of applications, from the front glove box to the rear tailgate, which will further improve the comfort, convenience and safety
of the owner.
" "
At present, due to the continuous improvement of mechanical properties, the amount of plastic has accounted for nearly 20%
of the mass of the whole vehicle.
Dr.
Martin Baumert, Head of Technical Marketing Asia at BASF's Performance Materials division, said: "The use of Ultramid instead of zinc in seat dampers has reduced the weight of the vehicle by 50 percent, resulting in significant fuel
savings.
In addition, the use of plastics enables the integration of some components of the car, thus helping to simplify the production process and reduce overall costs
.
(Lijun)