Performance Characteristics of Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic Instrument Panel Supports

The development of impact and heat distortion data for plastic instrument panel supports will be discussed using panels molded of glass fiber reinforced styrene and styrene-acrylonitrile materials. Two typical design configurations will be analyzed with special emphasis being given to glass fiber content and part thickness. Such information is valuable in the design and material selection of plastic instrument panel supports, primarily those parts with large unsupported areas.

The glass fiber reinforced styrene-acrylonitrile materials exhibit higher impact performance and improved heat distortion performance over styrene materials.