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Technically referred to as a thermoplastic or composite tailgate, the plastic tailgate is made of a plastic polymer with glass filling. The composite tailgates are more durable than metal sheets in terms of safety. The truck bed’s tailgate serves as its entry.
However, the tailgate can have a variety of uses, from an outdoor workplace to a place to party before a football game. The tailgate also functions as a step stool, a tool for measuring, and an aid for loading and unloading cargo.
Four polymers—polypropylene, polyurethane, polyamides, and PVC—compose more than 70% of the plastic used in autos. The most widely used thermoplastic polymer is polypropylene, which can be easily moulded into practically any shape.
Fans used the back fold-down tailgates as seats or buffet tables when the 1930s saw the introduction of station waggons with wooden sides.
Thus, pre-game celebrations were known as “tailgating.” It’s unclear who, if anyone, came up with the word, while some give credit to Yale’s director of sports information Charley Loftus.
The global Automotive tailgate plastics market accounted for $XX Billion in 2022 and is anticipated to reach $XX Billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of XX% from 2023 to 2030.
The world’s first short glass fibre reinforced polypropylene (PP) inner tailgate trim was created by combining the expertise of Flex-N-Gate Europe and Sumika Polymer Compounds (Sumika), two industry leaders in the development and production of high-quality polyolefin thermoplastic compounds and elastomers.
It was produced for Stellantis’ new DS4 hatchback. With more than 60 years of expertise working with auto OEMs, Flex-N-Gate provides a whole spectrum of design services, from preliminary concept renderings to fully functional prototypes for the creation of top-tier automotive applications.
The growing e-mobility trend has raised the demand for light-weighting solutions because performance and fuel efficiency depend on balancing the vehicle’s load and axle weight distribution. In terms of trunk weight balancing, battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) provide new difficulties for automakers.
The material selection had to offer a homogenous glass fibre dispersion in extremely long flow lengths, provide outstanding mechanical performance, and offer a Class-A surface finish that also included the OEM’s colour and UV specifications in order to be used to mould a complex, large inner tailgate part for Stellantis’ DS4 hatchback that allows for metal inserts and fixtures.
A customised THERMOFIL HP compound was created by Sumika, a company with more than 40 years of experience producing compounds for demanding automotive applications, using a high fluidity PP from parent company Sumitomo Chemical, special short glass fibres, and cutting-edge sizing and binding technology.
This compound outperformed long glass fibre filled PP compounds in terms of mechanical properties. Glass fibre reinforced polypropylene (PP) from Sumika’s THERMOFIL HPshort compound allows for simple processing during injection with fewer nozzles.
