| Plastic intake manifolds moulded from Questra crystalline
that better aluminium intake manifolds by reducing cost and weight have
been developed by Dow Automotive for Russian carmaker Avtovaz for use
in the 1.5 litre, 1.6 litre SOCH and 1.6 litre DOHC Lada models.
The change from aluminium to plastic intake manifolds made sense for
Vyacheslav Meshkov, deputy division manger for gasoline engines, Avtovaz,
who singled out cost and weight advantages. He said: “We previously
specified aluminium intake manifolds, but switched to thermoplastics in
these applications primarily for cost and weight saving benefits along
with other manufacturing efficiencies.
Meshkov added: “Plastic intake manifolds are used on nearly 70 per
cent of all vehicles manufactured in Europe. We knew they [Dow Automotive]
could help us find a solution for this under-the-bonet application.”
Moulded from Questra solution that comprises of a 35 per cent glass fibre
reinforced grade of Questra crystalline polymer that is a blend of syndiotactic
polystyrene and polyamide, the linear vibration welded plastic intake
manifolds are ideally suited for replacing metal components under the
hood.
The material offers high levels of strength, stiffens, creep resistance
and chemical resistance under extreme temperature operating environments.
Commenting on the material, Anatoli Knyazev, chief engineer for OAO Plastik,
Avtovaz’s plastics’ moulding supplier, said: This material
from Dow Automotive is a good solution not only for its strength and heat
resistance properties, but also for its ease in processing and dimensional
characteristics that are essential to the moulding operation.”
The delivery of the plastic intake manifolds to Avtovaz is a first of
a kind for the Russian market and comes as a result of a co-operative
agreement between with Russian OEM, OAO Plastik and Dow Automotive.
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