Engineering Plastics as Competitiveness Agents in the Automotive Industry

Abstract

Due to the advancement of technology, companies could find more alternatives within the market to improve their processes and products in order to pursue better productive results, minimized costs and increased quality. Together, these elements can provide to the product a sufficiently competitive scenario, allowing it to remain attractive to the market’s eyes and attends the customer’s expectations. When it’s about automotive market, which competitiveness is mandatory for the business survival, any differential, based on design, performance, safety or economy of the vehicle, it may be a determinant factor in the battle for a big share of the market. Through an analysis of the market and automobile developments launched under the period of 2000 until 2012, it is noted that one of the key factors about being competitive could be the application of engineering concepts in the evaluation of alternative materials with mechanical properties compatible to all different applications, and with prices and weight minimized. By meeting the requirements already mentioned, and due to the lower costs of production, diversity of sizes, shapes and colors possible in the manufacturing of industrial artifacts, engineering plastics have been gaining preference mainly for its contribution to reducing vehicle weight, which results in reduced fuel consumption and increased savings for the end consume