U.S. Department of Transportation's NHTSA Official to Speak on the CAFE Standards at the Lightweighting AutoPlastics 2012 Conference

LOS ANGELES, August 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Mr. Stephen Ridella, Director of Vehicle Safety Research-U.S. Department of Transportation's NHTSA, will share the Government Perspective on the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards and automotive plastics with major automakers and plastic manufacturers at the Lightweighting AutoPlastics conference, on November 14 - 15, 2012 in Troy, Michigan USA. For more information, visit http://www.lightweightautoplastics.com 

Automakers worldwide are ramping up their lightweighting programs to meet the fuel-efficiency standards for vehicles sold in the U.S., as mandated by the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulation. The goal is 54.5 MPG on average for the entire fleet by 2025, which will help consumers save significant energy costs but also present automakers with challenges in utilizing lightweighting materials and technologies. Plastic manufacturers are now working with major auto OEMs in strategic partnerships, such as Ford-Dow, GM-Teijin, Honda-Nissan-Toray and BMW-SGL to tackle these challenges when incorporating plastic based materials, such as engineering plastics and carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP), into existing car structures to achieve optimal engine performance.

PlasticsToday, a leading publication for the global plastic industry, is pleased to host the inaugural Lightweighting AutoPlastics 2012 conference, on November 14 - 15, 2012 in Troy, Michigan USA. The conference program features multifaceted perspectives from the entire automotive plastic industry, presented by auto OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, plastic manufacturers, processors, injection molders and other upstream suppliers. The meeting's agenda has been designed to drive innovation for future lightweight and fuel-efficient vehicles, and is tailored to those involved in lightweighting programs at automakers, Tier 1 suppliers and plastic manufacturers. This event is supported by SPE Automotive Division, SPE Detroit, Ohio State University's Manufacturing Institute, and Ohio State University's Center for Automotive Research.

The Lightweighting AutoPlastics 2012 conference is the only industry event where the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the government agency that administers the CAFE program, will deliver an exclusive presentation on the fuel-economy mandate. Mr. Stephen Ridella, Director of Vehicle Safety Research-NHTSA, will be presenting on the Government Perspective on the CAFE standards and the agency's expectations of automotive plastics in future vehicle design. Alongside Mr. Ridella, Dr. Adrian Lund-President of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), will participate in a panel discussion around plastic use in lightweight vehicles and the implications for safety and performance.

Other notable speakers include Lawrence Geise, Division Director-Design, Honda R&D; Patrick Blanchard, Composites Group Leader, Ford Motor; Avetik Harutyunyan, Chief Scientist, Honda Research Institute; Gary Lownsdale, Director of R&D, Plasan Carbon Composites; Erich Fries, Head of Composites Unit, KraussMaffei; Marianne Morgan, Industry Liaison Manager, BASF; and more. To view all speakers and download the conference brochure, visit http://www.lightweightautoplastics.com

"Plastics emerge as a top alternative to conventional metals to achieve tangible weight savings-yet, the application of plastics to existing car structures is not without challenges. Automakers find it challenging, for example, to fully utilize advanced plastic composites and carbon fiber reinforced polymers in a commercially viable way. When integrating plastics, implications for cost and performance need to be addressed. Moreover, in some cases new process technologies are needed for a full integration of plastics into car structures," said Tony Deligio, Content Director of PlasticsToday, who will be chairing the Lightweighting AutoPlastics 2012 conference.

Some highlights of the Lightweighting AutoPlastics conference include:

• Understanding the NHTSA and IIHS perspective on lightweighting and automotive plastics in terms of safety and performance
• Capitalizing on the sustainable mobility trends and the CAFE standards to incorporate plastics in future car design
• Devising a mass-market strategy for automotive plastics and carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP)
• Discovering advances in nanotechnology to develop carbon nanotubes as additives to high-strength composites
• Discussing future multi-material design that optimizes the use of plastics in car structures
• Updating on advances in high-performance thermoplastics, thermosets and reinforcing agents, and their applications for the auto markets
• Applying predictive engineering tools for composite structure validation and hydraulic technologies for automated mass-production

Registration for this event is now open. Sign up online at http://www.lightweightautoplastics.com before Sep. 14 to save $300, or call +1-310-996-9435 for information on special group discounts. Use promo code PR1

For further information, contact:

Vu Nguyen
[email protected] 
+1-310-996-9495

SOURCE PlasticsToday