Mazda's bumper weight savings
Polypropylene-rubber blend cuts mass by 20%
- Published in Technology.
Seeing the light: The CX-5 is the first application
Mazda has cut the weight of front and rear bumpers by a fifth, and claims the components are the world's lightest. The first application is the CX-5 compact crossover.
The weight saving comes from a new resin material developed with the Japan Polypropylene Corporation. As well as its Class-A surface finish and energy-absorbing properties it also allows designers to use thinner wall thicknesses.
The OEM said: “We blended two components found in polypropylene and rubber and succeeded in distributing them in a double-layer structure. As a result, the exterior surface has excellent paint film adhesion and the inner section retains high rigidity and impact absorption, with reduced thickness.”
The weight savings will improve vehicle fuel consumption and reduce CO2 emissions. Cutting cycle times from 60 to 30 seconds, together with the reduction in material content will reduce cost. Mazda plans to use this material on vehicles with engines between 1,500- and 2,000cc.
