Cologne, September 29, 2021 – Chinese car manufacturer Geelyhas selected specialty chemicals company LANXESS as supplier ofchoice for an innovative front end carrier (FE) structural component,which will be used in a coming passenger car model. Thecomponent’s design concept is a state-of-the-art hybrid designsolution going beyond the traditional square/rectangular form FEstructure.

While the lower cooler mounting is in sheet metal, the complex uppermember was developed using the highly filled and heat stabilizedDurethan BKV50H2.0 EF, a material well suited for structuralcomponents that require high stiffness and strength. The full plasticdesign for the upper section caters to a wide range of requirements ofthis multi component assembly. The concept not only demonstratesLANXESS’ competence of hybrid solution application in automotivelightweight structures and the advantage of using high modulusthermoplastic material such as Durethan BKV50H2.0 EF, but alsoprovides a cost effective solution to achieve multiple saving targets.

Challenging competition environment

LANXESS was chosen by Geely as material supplier based on itsexpertise in handling the part design as well as the suitability of itsDurethan polyamide material. “Yet designing a plastic structuralcomponent and providing the right material is not enough.Considering the overall market background, customer expectations,understanding the tasks on hand and preparing different potential design proposals for the FE structure was also key in developing this project,” Add Tsui, project manager at the High Performance Materials (HPM) business unit, said.

High modulus material

LANXESS engineering plastics are designed to support customers in achieving maximum component performance and efficient processing. To meet these objectives, the company established the Pocan and Durethan EF and XF product lines, a broad range of easy-flow polybutylene terephthalates (PBT) and polyamide 6 and 66 grades. “EF” stands for “EasyFlow,” “XF” for “XtremeFlow.” In addition, LANXESS has developed high-modulus thermoplastics with glass fiber contents of 50% and more. These products display unusually high stiffness and strength and, despite their high filler content, can still be processed as easily and efficiently as comparable standard materials. “Smart materials offer attractive advantages for design and manufacturing provide designers with entirely new options”, said Wei Lin, LANXESS key account manager.

Support in component design and part validation

Apart from high-tech thermoplastics, LANXESS offers extensive know-how and experience, as well as state-of-the-art design and simulation methods, and part evaluation & testing. Its experts actively contribute their engineering know-how to customer projects. HiAnt, the integrated service package for lightweight solutions, aims to help our customers achieve maximum performance while minimizing weight. To pursue optimized design, mathematical simulation methods are outstanding instruments for the design and optimization of parts and they deliver fairly accurate statements on part behavior. When it comes to making a definitive statement on the functional capability of parts, however, it is generally still necessary to conduct practice-oriented tests on prototypes. For this reason, most OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) prescribe stringent corresponding acceptance tests and specifications. LANXESS has a state-of-the-art test laboratory and the corresponding specialist employees, and canoffer an extensive range of testing facilities.

Geely Holding Group is a global innovative technology groupengaged in the design, R&D, production, sales, and service ofvehicles, powertrains, and key components, as well as mobilityservices and digital technologies. The cutting-edge technologiescomprise new energy, shared mobility, vehicle networks, autonomousdriving, vehicle microchips, low orbit satellites, and lasercommunication as it lays the foundation for a future multi-dimensionalmobility ecology.

Headquartered in Hangzhou, China, Geely Holding today has morethan 120,000 global employees. It owns a number of brands includingGeely Auto, Volvo Cars, Polestar, Proton Cars, Lotus, LondonElectric Vehicle Company. It is also the largest shareholder inDaimler AG and the second largest shareholder in Volvo AB.