Plastic Materials for Soft Bumper Facia

Plastic materials used to produce soft bumper fascia are reviewed, with an emphasis on thermoplastic compounds. The manufacturing processes used to produce soft bumper fascia from RIM urethane, thermoplastic polyolefin and thermoplastic polyester elastomers are compared. The critical contribution of the painting operation to the total cost structure of fascia manufacture will be outlined.

A property comparison of thermoplastic olefins with thermoplastic polyesters demonstrate that fascias from thermoplastic polyesters can be produced in thinner walls. It is shown that total part cost must be considered in choosing between these two resins, as low resin cost can be negated by high paint costs.