Thermoset Molding for Automotive Applications – Cost Effectiveness

As an ISO/TS 16949:2009 & ISO 9001:2008 certified custom thermoset molder; Woodland Plastics offers extensive thermoset molding services & expertise to OEMs and suppliers in the automotive industry. With excellent Performance & Durability characteristics, Lightweighting options, & Low Manufacturing Costs; components molded from thermoset materials such as Phenolics & Bulk Molding Compounds (BMCs) are widely used in a variety of performance and aesthetic-based automotive applications.

Cost Effectiveness

One of, if not the most important variables for any product application is the overall manufacturing costs it takes to bring a product to market. Automotive OEMs and suppliers must offer the best performing product at a competitive price in order to maximize market share. With unrivaled dimensional & chemical stability at its price point, thermoset materials provide excellent cost savings for automotive applications over similarly-performing metal or advanced thermoplastics such as PPS and CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers).

Incorporating thermosets into a product design also allows for part consolidation, limiting the total number of components in an assembly while simultaneously reducing weight and mass of a product assembly. With excellent mold-ability, thermoset components do not require costly secondary operations such as machining or finishing that a metal component may require. Additionally, the molds to produce thermoset parts have a longer life span and lower capital costs vs tooling to produce metal parts. A conventional thermoset mold with hardened steel may last up to one million cycles.