CompositesWorld
Issue link: https://cw.epubxp.com/i/891910
NOVEMBER 2017 44 CompositesWorld FOCUS ON DESIGN SMC + D-LFT: A hybrid box for the Gen 2 Ridgeline First use of weatherable SMC eliminates paint, reduces mass and stands up to tough-duty use while D-LFT optimizes vertical component functionality. » Although it wasn't the first pickup with a composite box, when the all-wheel-drive Honda Ridgeline from American Honda Motor Co. Inc. (Torrance, CA, US) launched in spring 2005, it attracted significant attention for its abundance of clever features. It included a unique, lockable, weathertight in-bed storage trunk with a drain plug that doubles as a giant ice chest/cooler, plus a spare-tire tray forward of the trunk, a dual-action tailgate, integral tie-down cleats and in-bed lights, and bed floor guides to accommodate multiple off-road motorcycles. And it had high load-carrying capacity (up to 1,100 lb/499 kg). Further, its sheet- molding compound (SMC) composite box was 30% lighter than a comparable steel design and, thanks to the significant parts consolidation opportunity composites offer, part count was reduced from what would have been more than 100 in steel to a mere seven — which ultimately enhanced manufacturability, assembly and in-service durability, and would have been impos- sible or impractical in metals. Honda's first foray into pickups so impressed judges that it won more than a dozen industry awards, including the prestigious 2006 North American Truck of the Year. Additionally, it was the first four-door/crew-cab pickup to earn five-star safety ratings from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Admin. (NHTSA), and it was the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) Top Safety Pick in the pickup category in 2009, 2012 and 2013. With all this going for it, it's no surprise that the first- generation Ridgeline developed a loyal customer base during its lifecycle between the 2006- 2014 model years. When it was time to do a refresh for genera- tion two, the pressure was on to create what Honda R&D; Americas Inc. (Raymond, OH, US) calls "a worthy successor." Gen 2: Design flexibility the key "Our first-generation Ridgeline broke new ground in terms of having in-bed storage, which we achieved using the design flex- ibility that composite materials afford," explains James Ryan, Not the first, just the most feature-rich Although it wasn't the first pickup with a composite box, when the first-gener- ation Honda Ridgeline from American Honda Motor Co. Inc. (Torrance, CA, US) launched in spring 2005, it earned a collection of honors, in part, for its feature-rich composite pickup box and unique in-bed trunk. When it was time to do a Gen 2 refresh, the pressure was on to create what Honda R&D; Americas Inc. (Raymond, OH) calls "a worthy successor," pictured here. Source (all photos) | Honda North America Inc. By Peggy Malnati / Contributing Writer