Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) has been widely applied to automotive exterior parts and sliding roof housings for its excellent mechanical properties. Generally speaking, it is difficult to be recycled. But since SMC offers excellent mechanical proper ties that may not be obtainable from other plastic materials, we have developed a new recy cling technology for SMC. By this technology, the scrapped SMC is ground to fine par ticles and introduced into virgin SMC as filler. The mechanical properties of recycled SMC are similar to those of the original material. It is applied to the overhead rack of the Sprinter Carib. We now plan to apply recycled SMC to other parts.
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Mishima Y. and H. Hiraiwa.1989. "Development of Super Low-Density SMC Sun-Roof Housing,"Toyota Engineering, 39(2):43.
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