The vehicle-manufacturing industry

Coated safety glazing materials and components for the vehicle industry

We manufacture work machine glazings from clear polycarbonate as well as other thermoformed and machined plastic components.

The vehicle-manufacturing industry is one of our most important industries. We have been working closely with customers in the industry over 35 years. For us the sector means wide range of different organizations, such as manufacturers of forestry machines, tractors, skid steers, emergency vehicles and armored vehicles. In addition, we serve manufacturers of lifts and elevators.

Vehicle and machine manufacturers must be able to guarantee machine operators a safe working environment, with minimal maintenance needs. For this reason, plastics are increasingly used in the manufacture of work machines. Plastics offer many advantages over other materials and one of the main advantages of plastics is lightness.

At Aikolon, we can manufacture e.g. safe and light windows in the cabs to replace heavy glass. Approval processes in the vehicle industry (ECE R43, ANSI Z26.1) are often complex, but we have them as part of a product development service.

In addition to window glazing made of optical plastics, we also manufacture e.g. thermoformed and vacuum formed parts for cabs as well as other machined plastic components for work machines. These include for example gears, slides and bearings, and grommet rings.

We want to be involved in the customer’s product development thus we manufacture prototypes and small series according to the customer’s needs. Also our production capacity and high degree of automation enable delivery of large production batches cost-effectively.

The main reasons for using plastics

  • high mechanical strength
  • good resistance to wear
  • good resistance to chemicals
  • good weather-resistance
  • a low coefficient of friction
  • lightness


Applications

Industrial machines

  • safety glazing
  • furnishings
  • slide blocks and bearings

Agricultural machines and forest machines

  • safety glazing
  • slide blocks and bearings
  • furnishings
  • machine shields

Small machines and reach stackers

  • safety glazing
  • furnishings
  • slide blocks and bearings

Lifts and elevators

  • glazing
  • slide blocks and bearings
  • furnishings
  • led diffusers

Emergency vehicles and defence industry

  • pulletproof glazing
  • furnishings
  • floor and partitions
  • slide blocks and bearings
  • bushings and washers

Glazing for vehicles

Polycarbonate (PC)

Polycarbonate is a clear material with an extremely high impact strength. It is also half the weight of glass. In addition, it is easy to drill and machine without the risk of cracking. Polycarbonate is one of the few plastics that can be bent both cold and heated.

This material’s only weaknesses are its low resistance to solvents and a soft surface that makes it prone to scratching.

Polycarbonate in brief

  • good optical transparency
  • high impact strength
  • lightness
  • easy machining and bending
  • low creep
  • relatively strong resistance to high temperatures

Hard-coated polycarbonate

Plastic materials are available with a variety of coating solutions, such as a hard, anti-static or anti-frost coating. Hard coating is the surface solution of choice in the vehicle manufacturing industry, since it overcomes PC’s weaknesses.

It provides PC with a surface that is resistant to wear and chemicals. A hard coating is also resistant to UV radiation and helps to prevent the brittleness and yellowing caused by changing weather conditions.

When a hard coating is used, polycarbonate makes an ideal material for vehicle glazing.

Laminated polycarbonates

In laminated polycarbonate, sheets of polycarbonate alternate with polyurethane film. This layered structure improves the material’s impact strength without compromising optical transparency. The manufacturing method enables the production of bulletproof windows from polycarbonate.

In addition to the vehicle manufacturing industry, the defence industry uses laminated polycarbonate to make visors for helmets and for vehicle glazing.

Heated polycarbonate windows

The laminating technique enables the production of heated polycarbonate window glazing.

An electrically conductive film is laminated between polycarbonate sheets, creating a heated surface when an electrical charge is applied to it. With heated glazing, windows in inaccessible locations can be kept transparent without the need for mechanical cleaning.

The heated film does not affect the material’s optical transparency.

Testing

The European Union’s Machinery Directive pertains to work machines. Under the directive, a machine equipped with a cabin must be designed so as to protect the driver from falling and flying objects, and to prevent any injuries caused by the vehicle overturning.

Before a machine may be placed on the market, its cabin must undergo thorough testing.

  • The term ‘ROPS’ is used with reference to the rollover protection system and its testing.
  • ‘FOPS’ refers to the falling-object protection system and its testing.
  • ‘OPS’ is used in reference to testing of the operator-protection structures.

Standards that govern cabin strength tests:
ISO 3471, ISO 3449, ISO 8082, ISO 8083, ISO 8084, SAE J 1040 and SAR J 1084

Other applications