Composite Seatback Design Wins Altair Enlighten Award

The prestigious Altair Enlighten Award was recently awarded to BASF, Tier 1 companies Flex-N-Gate and L&L Products, and Toyota for their achievements in vehicle weight savings  with the composite seatback design on the 2022 Toyota Tundra truck. This is the second time in three years that BASF, L&L Products and Toyota have been recognized in the module lightweighting category.

The seat structure is the first interior application for L&L Products’ Continuous Composite Systems (CCS) technology that uses BASF’s polyurethane pultrusion system Elastocoat 74850. CCS is a fiber-reinforced composite carrier with highly engineered sealants and adhesives in a two-dimensional profile. Said Vik Bhatia, Toyota’s group manager for engineering design chassis, “Pultrusion composite technology allowed us to design a seat structure that was 20% lighter compared to the previous model and to meet our cost goals. BASF, L&L Products and Flex-N-Gate were great partners that help us reach our targets. “

In this application it was overmolded with BASF's Ultramid B3ZG7 CR impact-modified nylon 6 to create the 3D shape of the 60% seat back. Said L&L Products’ product engineering manager Hank Richardson, “With this partnership, we were able to eliminate an all-steel assembly which contained 60 stamped and welded parts and integrate into four composite parts which reduced assembly and scrap costs associated with the metal seat structure. This also allowed for greater functionality of the seating system.”

According to Kipp Grumm, BASF;s technology leader for thermoplastic composites, the company continues to show how pultrusion can deliver lightweight, cost-effective solutions as well as integrated functionality. “The unique design of the injection overmolded pultruded beam in the seat structure also passed all relevant crash test requirements and opens the door for more adoption of composites in automotive applications.”