Which is a better material of a car bumper?
Thermoplastic olefin elastomers (TPO) constitute the largest single market of the automotive field: excellent weatherability, low density, and relatively low cost make TPO as current material of choice for automotive bumpers and fascias.
What are the different types of bumpers for cars?
Types of Bumpers
- Standard Bumper: Common on passenger vehicles.
- Step Bumper: SUVs, trucks and some cars have bumpers with a step-shaped cutout in the center, just below the license plate.
- Cowboy Bumper: These tall, heavy-duty bumpers usually have chrome plating and are most often seen on older trucks.
What polymer are car bumpers made of?
Polypropylene is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications. A saturated addition polymer made from the monomer propylene, it is rugged and unusually resistant to many chemical solvents, bases and acids. Application: automotive bumpers, chemical tanks, cable insulation, gas cans, carpet fibers.
What is bumper beam?
In automotive industry, bumper beams are used as shock absorbing parts. They are attached to the front and rear ends of motor vehicles by means of brackets, which act as crash-boxes by taking the loads mainly in the axial direction. Their effectiveness under such impact loads is called crashworthiness.
Are all car bumpers made of plastic?
Most OEM bumpers are made out of plastic and feature an aluminum or steel reinforcement bar hidden in the middle. Some bumpers may also contain polypropylene in order to help absorb energy during an impact.
Are plastic bumpers good?
Plastic is also considered to be safer than metal as a bumper material since plastic does a better job of absorbing an impact during an accident. This may sound bad, but when your plastic bumper dents or cracks, it is absorbing the impact energy that would otherwise get transferred to you.
What is the front bumper called?
What is a Bumper Cover? On the other hand, the bumper cover (also known as the front fascia) is a visible, molded body component that’s typically made out of either plastic or fiberglass. This is the part of the front end that people often misidentify as the bumper itself.
What is under the bumper of a car?
That’s why some automakers add a plastic strip (also called a front lower valance or air dam) to the bottom of the bumper on their cars. A bumper valance, also known as an air dam or rear spoiler, is a panel located below the bumper, usually installed for decorative or aerodynamic purposes.
Which is better ABS or PP?
In general, polypropylene has a lower density than ABS, but it also has a lower melting point. Of the two filaments, ABS is the most affordable and is easier to find. Both thermoplastics suffer from curling and warping issues that can be counteracted with either additives or enclosed chambers.
What are bumper beams made of?
The bumper beam material today is mostly steels and aluminum alloys, but carbon fiber composites have the potential to reduce the bumper weight significantly.
Why PP is used for bumpers?
It’s this quality that makes PP a viable alternative to plastics like Acetal. Also, when compared to other plastics, PP has a higher melting point, making it safe to use in conjunction with hot temperatures. In the automotive industry, PP’s commonly used for bumpers, chemical tanks, cable insulation, and gas cans.
Are plastic bumpers safe?
Plastic is also considered to be safer than metal as a bumper material since plastic does a better job of absorbing an impact during an accident. This is because plastic is meant to crumple and dent during an accident rather than hold its shape.
What are the characteristics of PP based bumpers?
Three used PP-based car bumpers are characterized by many techniques (fractionation, IR, TGA, DSC, DMTA, and SEM). They show different impact and static and dynamic mechanical properties depending on their composition and morphology.
What kind of plastic is used for car bumpers?
1 Materials. The car bumper has been made from all types of material. 2 Plastic Properties and Function. The outer shell of the modern car bumper is made of any of a number of thermoplastics. 3 Thermoplastic Olefin. A thermoplastic is a plastic which can be heated multiple times and retains its plasticity, or ability to be molded while hot.
Why do rubber bumpers have a regular shape?
In addition, a higher amount of rubber in domains regular in shape and of greater dimension (1–3 μ m) promotes a more homogeneous dispersion of external force inside the material, decreasing the risk of fracture.
What should be the design of a car bumper?
The design of bumper should be made in such a way that it should protect the hood, trunk, grille in low speed collisions and fuel, exhaust and cooling system in medium and high speed collisions.
