A material system has been developed to achieve the strength and durability required of a truck while maintaining the design flexibility required to produce a multi-piece truck bed with lockable under-floor storage. This system consists of a new structural SMC, a 2-part structural adhesive, and a spatter-applied 2K urethane coating. Material targets were developed considering both the particular usage of a truck bed and the overarching goals of light-weight and excellent appearance. Each component was formulated to balance these requirements and validated through comprehensive specification tests including static strength, chemical and temperature durability, and other usage conditions.
Article of Honda R&D Technical Review Vol.17 No.2 (26 - 31)