Developments in Thermoplastic Door Modules

The use of door modules as a pre -assembled functional unit inside a car door is discussed. This includes reasons why a door module should be used and why a long glass fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP) product is a good material of choice. As an example the development of the door modules for the new Ford Fiesta is given, including the mechanical and production design of the StaMax® P long glass PP carrier. * Special attention is paid to the excellent dimensional reproducibility of this material which is critical for door module designs in which the carrier also manages the wet and dry separation (e.g. “sealed” designs). Further integration potential for future door modules is also highlighted.