28 May 2004 - Commercial applications for automotive glazing in polycarbonate are set to take off in 2006, according to Battenfeld.
A handful of injection moulding machine makers are targeting the application and Battenfeld has already sold two 2,700-tonne machines to a European customer for moulding polycarbonate sunroofs. A fast mould will be delivered in September, to be followed by a production version.
The future of large plastic glazing for motor vehicles has begun, said managing director Fritz Dorner at an SMS Plastics Technologies preview for K 2004.
The company will demonstrate its IMPMore glazing technology inEurope for the first time at K 2004, with partners Summerer and polycarbonate joint venture Exatec. The technology now permits glazing of up to 1 sq metre, twice the capability shown so far.
Reviewing last years unsatisfactory performance by SMS Plastics Technologies, new joint managing director Wilhelm Schroder pledged a series of measures to achieve a turnaround. However, staff numbers would remain at about 2,320, he said.
The potential for plastics in automotive glazing applications will be examined in detail at a new one-day international conference later this year. Organised by European Plastics News and Plastics & Rubber Weekly, Plastics in Automotive Glazing will be held in Frankfurt on September 24. For more details go to www.plastics-events.com.