Mazda develops a resin for its new models

Although Japanese brands always manage to stand out in technology development in general, Mazda has some of the most unusual ones in the industry. It was only a few years ago that the Hiroshima-based company decided to fully commit to reducing mass in its products and, apart from developing the lighter Skyactiv engine family, it also set out to find new materials.

One of the most innovative is a specific resin for this purpose, created together with Japan Polypropylene Corporation. It is made up of two substances found in both polypropylene and rubber. Combined, their properties offer stiffness equal to that of conventional materials but with 20% less total mass.

The first application in which Mazda has used this resin is in the construction of bumpers. Specifically, the CX-5 is the first model to take advantage of it, gaining lower consumption and emissions as a result. Because the SUV’s bumpers are thinner, they require less cooling time during manufacturing and therefore use less energy.

The double layer of resin that makes them up also has a surface that adheres well to paint layers, while its inner part can absorb impacts like any other bumper. Mazda plans to continue using this material in the next models it launches, although it will keep researching more ways to reduce their mass.

Source | Mazda