Why do automakers use plastic bumpers?

Many years ago, the front and rear bumpers of automobiles were still made of metal materials. A steel plate with a thickness greater than 3 mm is pressed on the U-shaped channel steel, and the surface is chrome-plated. It is rivets or welded to the frame rails, and the cross section of the car body is larger. The gap seems to be an additional part. With the development of the automobile industry, automobile bumpers, which are important safety devices, are also on the road of innovation. In addition to maintaining the original protection function, the front bumper and rear bumper of today's cars must also pursue harmony and unity with the shape of the body, and pursue their own lightweight. To achieve this goal, the front bumper and rear bumper of a car are made of plastic, which is called a plastic bumper. Since then, this money-saving plan has been quickly imitated by major car companies. Why are automakers adopting plastic bumpers one after another?

1. Reconstruction of bumpers to protect pedestrians
The safety of the vehicle is not borne by a single part of the bumper, but mainly depends on the structure of the body frame. Therefore, in addition to manufacturing costs, the protection of pedestrians is also one of the factors in its use of plastic materials. After all, a vehicle cannot only guarantee its own safety. As a strong participant, protecting pedestrians is also one of the considerations for vehicle safety. Due to material reasons, plastic bumpers are more flexible than metal bumpers and have better impact absorption capabilities. Therefore, if the vehicle collides with a pedestrian, the cushioning and elastic protection of the person are very important. If the bumper is replaced by metal, please consider carefully, the tragedy is likely to be pedestrians.

2. Self-healing ability in slight collision
In a minor collision, the plastic bumper has good elasticity and has a certain impact resistance, which means that if there is a minor collision, the plastic bumper can rebound and repair automatically. Keep in mind that in the early days, some Japanese models even used these features as selling points. For example, after a collision, the bumper will not damage the paint, but it will dent a little. After being exposed to high temperatures for a certain period of time, some bumpers can be repaired by themselves. Even if the scratches are small and the paint peels off, the cost of applying plastic bumpers is much cheaper than metal bumpers for sheet metal repairs!

3. Can control the manufacturing cost
It is undeniable that the original intention of using plastic materials for car bumpers is indeed to save costs. Hyundai automobile production has taken shape. In addition to meeting the necessary safety requirements, for example, the body will use high-strength materials, and many parts will use engineering plastics or other materials as much as possible. The front and rear bumpers of a car are typical representatives. Plastic bumpers can not only save manufacturing costs, but are also easier to produce. After controlling the manufacturing cost of the car, the price of the final product in the hands of consumers will be more reasonable, which must be corresponding. Of course, in addition to plastic bumpers, some cars will also use a lot of carbon fiber materials, and even aluminum alloy materials. The purpose is very simple, mainly to create a lightweight body, thereby improving the vehicle's acceleration and braking performance and reducing fuel consumption.
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