The Importance of Automotive Composites for Lightweighting

The use of automotive composites offers lightweighting advantages, helping automakers create vehicle parts with reduced weigh...

The use of automotive composites offers lightweighting advantages, helping automakers create vehicle parts with reduced weight and improved performance and strength. Fiber-reinforced composites can compete with traditional materials and are well-suited for both interior and exterior applications. To drive new innovations in automotive technology, BASF opened a customer innovation center with a world-class, production scale development lab. Using spray polyurethane in a process called Spray Transfer Molding, BASF can co-develop composites from load floors to more advanced structural applications. This fully automated work cell features a large handling robot, state-of-the-art chemical mixing equipment, fiber chopping and a 300-ton hydraulic press that is capable of handling customers’ full-sized production tools. It is designed to scale from initial ideation and experiments to actual production components

BASF Automotive Color Trends 2017-18: Undercurrent Blue

Mixing artistry and chemistry, BASF designers translate cultural trends into 65 automotive concept colors. The key North Amer...

Mixing artistry and chemistry, BASF designers translate cultural trends into 65 automotive concept colors. The key North American Color is Undercurrent Blue, a dark navy with a silky texture that exudes mystery and a celebration of self. It leverages simple, in-use pigmentation yet offers a sophisticated color position.

BASF’s Low VOC Polyurethane Enables New Car Smell: Odorless

Love that new car smell? That familiar aroma comes from volatile organic compounds that negatively impact air quality. Howeve...

Love that new car smell? That familiar aroma comes from volatile organic compounds that negatively impact air quality. However, BASF leveraged its chemical expertise to create polyurethane solutions that prevent the source of emissions from plastic interior components without hurting production and performance. Reduce VOCs. Meet regulations. Drive change. BASF’s low VOC polyurethane offers three key components that make it the right choice for automakers in their efforts to improve vehicle interior air quality: chemistry expertise, comprehensive technical support and low emissions compliance. The solution can be incorporated into many of these interior vehicle elements such as: instrument and door panels, acoustic foam, trunk floors, skins and seating.

PremAir helps Automakers Meet Emissions standards

Go green with PremAir and reduce the total cost of compliance with emissions credits for your fleet. The US Environmental Pro...

Go green with PremAir and reduce the total cost of compliance with emissions credits for your fleet. The US Environmental Protection Agency Tier 3 and California Air Resources Board LEVIII regulations call for a 70 percent reduction of fleet average emissions by 2025. PremAir is a direct ozone reduction technology that qualifies for a 5mg/mi credit, which can be used against individual vehicle certification or fleet averages. BASF has shown through dynameter testing on a SUV that the credit allows automakers to reduce precious metal content in the three-way catalytic converter, thus reducing the total cost of compliance. Savings equal approximately $100 per vehicle. Given the right vehicle data, BASF can assist automakers in determining if PremAir is a good tool for a specific powertrain and estimate potential PGM savings. BASF is the world’s leading supplier of catalysts. To learn more, visit www.catalysts.basf.com

BASF’s Plastic can Take the Heat of Turbochargers

More automakers are using smaller powertrains equipped with turbochargers to reduce emissions without sacrificing power, whic...

More automakers are using smaller powertrains equipped with turbochargers to reduce emissions without sacrificing power, which leads to increased temperatures under the hood. While a lightweight alternative for automakers, plastic parts typically thermally oxidize when exposed to high temperatures. But BASF’s polyamide-based plastic Ultramid Endure is capable of continuous use in temperatures of up to 220 degrees Celsius and can withstand peak temperatures of 240 degrees Celsius.

Cellasto®: Polyurethanes for the Automotive Industry

For over 50 years, BASF Polyurethanes business unit Special Elastomers has been developing, manufacturing and selling Cellast...

For over 50 years, BASF Polyurethanes business unit Special Elastomers has been developing, manufacturing and selling Cellasto® components and modules to the automotive industry and its suppliers.

BASF Color of the Year on Phantasy Kolor’s 2009 Nissan GT-R

Get a closer look at BASF's Color of the Year on Phantasy Kolor's GTR refinished with R-M paint products. On display in the B...

Get a closer look at BASF's Color of the Year on Phantasy Kolor's GTR refinished with R-M paint products. On display in the BASF Booth at SEMA 2016.