SIDE AIRBAG COVERS IN 2003 PHANTOM: ROLLS-ROYCE ADOPTS DSM ARNITEL® TPE-E FROM DSM ENGINEERING PLASTICS

Side door airbag covers for the 2003 Phantom from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. now employ DSM Engineering Plastics’ Arnitel® TPE copolyester elastomer. The Arnitel® TPE grade used for the cover was designed to perform well in automotive airbag and other demanding applications. With the successful Rolls-Royce Phantom application, DSM has extended the application range for its Arnitel® TPE into the automotive airbag market segment.

Arnitel® TPE excels in airbag applications owing to its ductility at -35ºC and strength at 85ºC. Low-temperature ductility is required to help prevent injury due to splintering during airbag deployment, while high-temperature strength is required to keep the airbag module in place. Arnitel® TPE airbag cover grades can replace competitive materials such as TPE-Es, SEBS, TPOs, and TPVs.

“There was a requirement for a combination of low-temperature ductility with strength at elevated temperatures and giving greater design freedom for airbag enclosures,” said Fredric Petit, General Product Manager for Arnitel® TPE at DSM. “By focusing on these needs, Arnitel® TPE has proven its merit in this use through the number of high-end automotive applications realised.”

In day-to-day operation of the Rolls-Royce, the Arnitel® TPE side airbag cover — itself moulded into a surface free of irregularities and skinned with decorative materials — presents the expected upscale look and feel traditional to the auto marque. Should the door be hit with sufficient impact to deploy the airbag, the cover opens in milliseconds along a molded-in tear seam. During deployment, the cover plays an important role in retaining the airbag mechanism and in maintaining door integrity.

In addition to airbag applications, Arnitel® TPE grades are well-suited for automotive interior components that depend on high aesthetic quality because the material takes an excellent moulded surface finish, as well as offering long-term paint adhesion.

To help customers optimise applications with Arnitel® TPE, DSM Engineering Plastics offers global product development, application development, design consulting, as well as access to computer-aided engineering (CAE) tools.

Beyond airbags, Arnitel® TPE is extensively used in the automotive industry for applications designed for human touch, such as armrest and steering wheel covers; and those requiring exceptional fatigue resistance and resistance to oil and greases, including rack and pinion bellows, constant velocity joint (CVJ) boots, air-ducts and air brake tubing. In the electronic and consumer goods industry, Arnitel® TPE is widely used for mobile phone antennas, cable insulation, flexible tubing, film, dispensers, cable ties, pads, handles, and soft-grip applications. The range of Arnitel® TPE is exemplified by its use both in tiny, low-noise gears, and in large, energy- and sound-absorbing railway pads.

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