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Types Of Plastic Used In Cars And Car Parts

The Mechanic Doctor

Plastic is a widely used material worldwide. You can see it everywhere in every field, including the automotive industry. Back in the early days, there was no use of plastic in vehicles; they were only made of steel.

In present days, plastic is considered a lightweight alternative taken over by the automotive industry. There are a lot of benefits, though. Plastic is used to form a wider range of shapes, and it is durable and corrosion free.

Automotive manufacturers use a material that goes through a strict qualification process to meet the standard industry regulations. Many types of high-performing plastics have been utilized in this process. In the below section, you can learn about different types of Automotive dashboard plastics and other types of plastic used in cars and car parts.

Plastics Used in the Automobile Industry

  • Polypropylene

Polypropylene is the most used type of plastic in automotive. This is a thermoplastic polymer produced from propylene. It is highly durable, chemical resistant, easily adopts almost any type of shape, and is a more economical alternative too. This diminutive type of plastic is mostly used in bumpers, cable insulation, gas cans, and carpet fibers for interior flooring.

  • Polyvinyl Chloride

This is also called PVC, known as flexible, rigid, and flame-retardant plastic. Auto manufacturers use this plastic in a huge range of auto parts. Typically, PVC is used to make electrical cable sheathing, door parts, and instrument panels, as it provides high gloss, a sleek finish, and formability. To create these parts, the plasticizers go through extrusion, compression molding, injecting molding, and blow molding processes.

automobile interiors parts

  • Polyurethane

Polyurethane is an excellent type of plastic that can easily be formed in soft and hard components. The material has enough flexibility and heat resistance. Environmental wear, radiation, and other solvents don’t impact it. Polyurethane is used to make tires, seatings, suspension brushes, etc.

  • Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, also called ABS plastic, is a combination of polymerizing styrene and acrylonitrile. This material is very close to PVC. the styrene, and rubbery butadiene in ABS provides a shiny, tough exterior as well as impact resistance. This material is used to create heavy-duty applications, even for the vehicle’s body parts. Due to its absorbent quality during impact, it provides necessary protection to the passengers.

  • Polystyrene

Polystyrene is a transparent type of plastic, available in high-gloss and high-impact varieties. The plastic’s special quality is outstanding resistance against chemicals and electricity. But it is low antagonism to UV light, so people used it to create housing and displays.

  • Nylon 6/6

Nylon 6:6 is a low-cost yet robust and flexible type of plastic. It is a stable material with excellent wear resistance. Due to its outstanding mechanical qualities, this plastic is often used to make weatherproof components and coatings. It can be processed through molding or extrusion.

Last Words

Plastic is a synthetic material. Various types of materials are being used to blend with it and create more productive plastic. You may find many more types of plastic used in cars. However, I have discussed the most common types of plastic that have been widely used in vehicles.