US company Avient helping lightweighting in transportation
June 02, 2021 - United States Of America
Avient Corporation is helping replacement of metal or wood with its advanced composite materials that are valued for their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, durability, dimensional stability and corrosion resistance, in transportation sector. Manufacturers around the world have embraced lightweighting to improve sustainability in transportation.
Lightweighting involves removing weight without sacrificing strength or performance, which in turn, raises fuel efficiency and reduces carbon emissions associated with modes of transportation such as automobiles, railcars, aircrafts, off-road vehicles and those for marine applications.
"A primary goal among OEMs today is to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Lightweighting is an effective means to do this," said Walter Ripple, vice president of Sustainability at Avient Corporation. "As a result, we're seeing increased demand for our advanced composite technologies, which not only provide excellent performance but also are extremely versatile and offer a great deal of design freedom."
A few examples beyond traditional automotive applications include polystrand panels which are featured in all-composite medium-duty trucks and trailers that reduce weight by 45 per cent versus traditional materials and are completely recyclable, Complet long fibre-reinforced structural composites which replace aluminium in light aircraft seats and spacers, resulting in a 40 per cent weight reduction; hammerhead marine composite panels which reduce weight and increase durability versus wood in structural boat-building components, such as stringers and subfloors; and glasforms CRTM composite panels which replace steel doors on railcar auto carriers, saving up to 300 lb per railcar.
"Composites represent the next frontier of material replacement and we continue to invest in both the underlying technologies and commercial resources to meet our customers' toughest sustainability challenges," said Robert M Patterson, chairman, president and CEO, Avient Corporation. "As a result, our composites portfolio continues to be a key area of growth that we expect to expand double digits annually in the years to come."
Lightweighting involves removing weight without sacrificing strength or performance, which in turn, raises fuel efficiency and reduces carbon emissions associated with modes of transportation such as automobiles, railcars, aircrafts, off-road vehicles and those for marine applications.
"A primary goal among OEMs today is to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Lightweighting is an effective means to do this," said Walter Ripple, vice president of Sustainability at Avient Corporation. "As a result, we're seeing increased demand for our advanced composite technologies, which not only provide excellent performance but also are extremely versatile and offer a great deal of design freedom."
A few examples beyond traditional automotive applications include polystrand panels which are featured in all-composite medium-duty trucks and trailers that reduce weight by 45 per cent versus traditional materials and are completely recyclable, Complet long fibre-reinforced structural composites which replace aluminium in light aircraft seats and spacers, resulting in a 40 per cent weight reduction; hammerhead marine composite panels which reduce weight and increase durability versus wood in structural boat-building components, such as stringers and subfloors; and glasforms CRTM composite panels which replace steel doors on railcar auto carriers, saving up to 300 lb per railcar.
"Composites represent the next frontier of material replacement and we continue to invest in both the underlying technologies and commercial resources to meet our customers' toughest sustainability challenges," said Robert M Patterson, chairman, president and CEO, Avient Corporation. "As a result, our composites portfolio continues to be a key area of growth that we expect to expand double digits annually in the years to come."