General Motors’ Saturn unit has begun using Lear’s SonoTec EP lightweight
acoustic material in dashboard insulators for the new VUE sport-utility vehicle
produced at the Spring Hill, Tennesse, manufacturing plant.
SonoTec EP is a patented, thermoplastic material made from recycled carpet
scrap that is 40% lighter than traditional acoustic-barrier material but costs
the same as the material Saturn had previously been using. Lear claims that
SonoTec EP is also easier to install, which results in reduced scrap rates and
improved assembly line efficiency.
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"GM’s Saturn Corporation is the first original equipment manufacturer
to use this new technology in a major application," said Larry Bowen, tech
manager for SonoTec EP. "However, we foresee increased demand for it in
additional automotive applications in the future."
