Plastic glazing cuts concept car weight
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Sabic Innovative Plastics product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Mar 5, 2008
Through the use of Sabic Innovative Plastics' high-performance Lexan polycarbonate (PC) resin with Exatec coating, Land Rover was able to reduce each vehicle's overall weight by close to 19kg.
The Land Rover LRX concept car has a panoramic roof, side and rear windows, made from Sabic Innovative Plastics' Lexan GLX plastic glazing with Exatec coating technology.
In a second version of the car, only the side and rear windows feature the Lexan plastic glazing.
Sabic Innovative Plastics was able to contribute to the automaker's objective of using lighter weight and more sustainable materials on the LRX concepts.
Through the use of Sabic Innovative Plastics' high-performance Lexan polycarbonate (PC) resin with Exatec coating, Land Rover was able to reduce each vehicle's overall weight by close to 19kg.
"Our Lexan polycarbonate resin and Exatec coating technology offered Land Rover the opportunity to reduce the weight in key applications like the windows and roof to help them meet key design, engineering, safety and environmental objectives", said Derek Buckmaster, Director Exterior Body and Glazing, Sabic Innovative Plastics, Automotive.
The Lexan PC resin offered significant design advantages over traditional materials.
Land Rover designers were supported by the Sabic Innovative Plastics glazing and design teams in developing the LRX transparent glazing signature that wraps around the entire car, showcasing the fluidity of its lines and its surface quality.
The car's upper body offers enhanced visibility as a result of the clear window glazing.
The interior of the original LRX concept creates the feeling of a more spacious cabin with the use of the transparent plastic panoramic roof, supported by a "spider" frame running into the A-pillars.
The rear quarter pillars show how the Lexan material can enhance design freedom, incorporating an aerodynamic boundary layer separator as well as a sharp wrap-around to meet the backlight.
High-performance Lexan GLX polycarbonate with Exatec coating systems also provides high impact strength and UV protection for the LRX concept.
On the original LRX concept, the polymer glazing material is used in the A-posts, side windows, rear quarter windows, panoramic roof and backlight.
Incorporating several glazing technologies from Exatec enables the usual mast antenna to be eliminated, with hidden antennas incorporated within the panoramic roof glazing.
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