SABIC launches lightweight sheets for aircraft interiors

 

Hamburg, Germany – SABIC is expanding its LEXAN XHR sheet portfolio for aircraft interiors with the introduction of lightweight LEXAN XHR LIGHT sheet, including two grades, XHRL300 and XHRL200. These new offerings open further opportunities for design flexibility and weight savings, two things that are top-of-mind for aircraft OEMs and their tier suppliers. The new sheets comply with industry heat release, flame, and smoke regulatory requirements as well as OEM toxicity standards, and are available in custom colors and textures, with excellent thermoforming characteristics that help designers achieve more distinctive interior components. 

 

“SABIC understands the need for its aircraft interior customers to not only stay ahead of design trends, but also meet the demand for lighter weight aircraft interior components that can help improve the overall fuel efficiency of the aircraft. SABIC’s durable, lightweight LEXAN XHR LIGHT sheet is a market-first solution, created to help our customers remain at the forefront of innovation in this exciting environment where aesthetics, safety, and sustainability are all critical,” Kim Choate, market director, Mass Transportation, Innovative Plastics, said. 

 

SABIC’s new patent-pending high performance LEXAN XHR LIGHT sheet series is a complementary offering to SABIC’s LEXAN XHR sheet portfolio. It can be used in applications where weight reduction is desired and high impact strength is not critical. It also meets stringent industry regulatory requirements, including heat release (OSU 55/55), flame, smoke density (FAR25.853), and toxicity (BSS7239, ABD0031). With a density of 0.94g/cm3 and 1.07g/cm3 respectively, LEXAN XHRL300 and XHRL200 sheets offer up to 36% and 28% weight savings respectively when replacing traditional polyvinyl chloride and acrylic blend (PVC/PMMA)-based solid sheet products. 

 

Using LEXAN XHR LIGHT sheet to replace PVC/PMMA-based solid sheet products on seat backs can help increase fuel savings by approximately $660 for each kilogram of weight reduction, according to Composites and Forecasts Consulting, LLC. This can help each single-aisle jet save up to $33,000 in fuel costs each year, based on an average plane with 150 seats. The potential savings is due to LEXAN XHR LIGHT sheet’s innovative closed-cell structure, which can be thermoformed into complex 3D shaped parts with very thin walls, offering substantial potential for overall weight savings and fuel efficiency across an airline fleet. In addition to seat backs, the new solutions can be considered for interior components such as arm rests, tray tables, window shrouds, kick panels, side panels, seat trims, magazine holders, cockpit dashboard enclosures, partitions, luggage compartments, and passenger service units.   

 

SABIC will present its new LEXAN XHR LIGHT sheet series, as well as numerous other innovative solutions for aircraft interiors, at the Aircraft Interiors International Expo in Hamburg, Germany, April 14-16, 2015.