Why is the bumper plastic? Isn't iron more durable? The reason is simple, but the truth is profound! The front and rear bumpers of the early cars were mainly made of metal materials. The first plastic bumper was Fiat, and other car companies have since followed suit. Because the advantages of plastic bumpers are many, let's take a look at the advantages of plastic bumpers.

One is light weight. First of all, in terms of weight, plastic bumpers are lighter than iron or other materials, which also reduces the weight of the vehicle, and the car is not heavier and safer. Many car manufacturers are now Reduce the weight of the car, the weight is down, and the fuel consumption naturally drops.

The second is to act as a buffer during a collision. When the car is driving at low and medium speeds, if it collides with other vehicles or objects, the plastic bumper can also play a certain role in buffering. Even if the car encounters a pedestrian, the bumper will absorb most of the deformation while it is deformed. Energy, this will also cause less harm to people.

The third is easy to repair. Car maintenance is also a huge expense. If it is not in the case of a small bump, the plastic bumper can automatically rebound and repair automatically. Even if the paint is dropped, it is always stronger than the recess. After all, spray painting is much cheaper than sheet metal repair.

The use of plastic bumpers by automobile manufacturers is not to cut corners. Although it is fragile, it does not mean that it is unsafe. Plastic bumpers not only benefit the passengers in the car, but also protect pedestrians in the event of a car accident.

Comparison of material selection for bumpers

When selecting materials, according to the performance requirements of bumpers, PC, PBT and modified PP materials are provided as the main selection objects.

PC material

Excellent comprehensive performance, especially with outstanding impact resistance, transparency and dimensional stability, excellent mechanical strength and electrical insulation, and a wide applicable temperature range (-60-120 ℃).

PBT material

PBT is one of the toughest engineering thermoplastic materials. It is a semi-crystalline material with very good chemical stability, mechanical strength, electrical insulation properties and thermal stability. These materials have good stability under a wide range of environmental conditions.

PP material 

PP material is modified polypropylene, which has high crystallinity and regular structure, so it has excellent mechanical properties. The absolute value of mechanical properties of polypropylene is higher than that of polyethylene, but it is still a relatively low variety in plastic materials, and its tensile strength can only reach 30 MPa or slightly higher.