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Basic automotive steering wheel armature design has been largely unchanged for years. A cast aluminum or magnesium armature is typically used to provide stiffness and strength with an overmolded polyurethane giving shape and occupant protection. A prototype steering wheel armature made from a unique recyclable thermoplastic eliminates the casting while meeting the same stiffness, impact, and performance criteria needed for the automotive market. It also opens new avenues for styling differentiation and flexibility. Prototype parts, manufacturing, and testing results will be covered.

Automobile manufacturers, designers, and cockpit system integrators are in constant search of solutions that reduce the number of interruptions across interior surfaces. Engineers require that this solution be efficient in terms of reliability, parts complexity, packaging space, and cost. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design and development of a cost effective, simplified seamless passenger airbag door system with an integrated chute for instrument panels. Through engineering thermoplastic material property advantages and scoring designs, this solution has a construction which may meet both styling and performance criteria while eliminating component parts such as a separate airbag chute, hinges, tethers, brackets, inserts, fabrics, and fasteners.

Basic concept of automobile steering wheel has been largely unchanged for years. A metal armature (cast Magnesium or Aluminum) is typically used for steering wheel in most of vehicles to provide stiffness and strength with an over-molded polyurethane giving shape and occupant protection. Thermoplastic steering wheel concept has been developed from a unique polycarbonate-based, recyclable thermoplastic. Thermoplastic steering wheel offers stiffness, impact and ductility performance needsed for the global automotive markets. It offers a green solution with mass and cost advantages. It also opens new avenues for design flexibility and styling differentiation. This paper presents thermoplastic steering wheel technology which optimizes the weight, processing complexity and performance.

Automotive steering wheel (SW) is generally manufactured with metal armature and polyurethane / polypropylene (PU / PP) overmolding. The metal armature is used to provide structural stiffness and strength while PU / PP foam gives shape, touch and feel. Developed market use cast Magnesium or Aluminum as armature material, however emerging markets use steel for armature construction. With additional requirements (airbag integration, functional integration, aesthetics, compact and light weigh) being added to steering wheel, the steering wheel design is becoming more and more complex in nature. Thermoplastic SW offers competitive stiffness, impact, ductility and chemical resistance characteristics needed for the global automotive markets. A thermoplastic SW had been developed from a unique recyclable polycarbonate.

Automobile manufacturers, designers, and cockpit systems integrators are in constant search for solutions in instrument panel designs that reduce the number of interruptions across styled interior contours. Eliminating the breaks across surfaces caused by functional seams or styling lines in traditional passenger airbag doors provides cleaner, more desirable interior aesthetics. Engineers require that this solution be efficient in terms of reliability, parts complexity, packaging space, and cost. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design and development of a cost effective, simplified-architecture seamless passenger airbag door system for instrument panels. Through engineering thermoplastic material property advantages and scoring designs, this solution has a construction which may meet both styling and performance criteria while eliminating component parts such as hinges, tethers, brackets, inserts, fabrics, and fasteners.