Lightweight windshield – sustainable due to WIC compound
High-tech carbon fiber compounds from WIPAG are used in the Bavarian car manufacturer’s new BMW iX: thanks to WIC PA6 15 BK IM, the windshield of the fully electric vehicle features a low component weight and a plus in sustainability.
The metal-plastic hybrid component in skeleton design is manufactured by injection molding. The WIC compound contains recycled carbon fibers from the production of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) at BMW – a good example of circular economy. WIPAG and BMW have a long-standing cooperation in carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTP).
WIC PA6 15 BK IM offers high lightweight potential, very good mechanical properties and is also impact modified. The use of recycled carbon fibers in the WIC compound also ensures a lower carbon footprint compared with virgin carbon fiber: for example, the production of 1 kg of WIC PA6 releases around 6 kg of CO2 eq. compared with around 9 kg of CO2 eq. in the production of 1 kg of virgin carbon fiber. This CO2 balance was calculated with GaBi software.
Lightweight BMW iX windshield, consisting of metal inserts, carbon fiber rods and WIC PA6 15 BK IM.
Want to know how this BMW iX windshield is made?
Read the How It’s Made we published last October: “Serial CFRTP structural part for BMW Group body-in-white application“.
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