DOWN-GAUGING OUTER BODY PANELS THROUGH THE USE OF RIB-SHAPED PLASTIC REINFORCEMENT

Down-gauging outer panels is an effective method for reducing the weight of an automobile body. We have succeeded in narrowing the thickness of outer panels by using rib-shaped plastic reinforcement. The plastic reinforcement consists of unhardened resin and an adhesive sheet, and it conforms well to the curved panel surface. In the body paint oven, it is hardened on the outer panels and forms a rib-shaped structure. This paper describes the composition of the resin material, the manufacturing process and the strength and rigidity of outer panels made with the rib-shaped reinforcement. It also discusses the weight reduction effect achieved by applying these panels to the doors of a production vehicle.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01487191
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Passenger Car Meeting, Dearborn, Michigan, June 6-9, 1983.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • NAGATA, Y
  • Miura, T
  • Okada, Y
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 8 p.
• Serial:
  • SAE Technical Paper
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  • ISSN: 0148-7191
  • EISSN: 2688-3627
  • Serial URL: http://papers.sae.org/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Manufacturing; Material reinforcement; Motor vehicle bodies; Panels; Plastics; Resins; Weight
• Old TRIS Terms: Automobile bodies; Weight reduction
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00381382
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 830979, HS-035 510
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 29 1984 12:00AM