Has anyone else experienced trouble, with new windshield trim clips breaking? Options

[ChrisFoley]

We have to remove a brand new windshield to replace all the New trim clips made by a popular vendor. They're so brittle they all break as soon as you try to install the trim. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif)
More than 3 hours of labor generated by using substandard parts. Seems unfair to charge my customer and I'm not happy about eating that either, except that I'm the one who recommended the vendor. Never again. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)
Buyer beware. I'm going back to Genuine Porsche.

[DRPHIL914]

We did do our gating differently. And we do a a percentage of recycled material that is used. we can run virgin, and or change to a glass infused delrin. I'm thinking that we will do a preliminary and see when everything falls, possibly utilizing a better material. The feed back we have received on was mostly very good, but even if there is a small problem we will fix it. We also have an idea for a way to check fitment prior to glass being installed that would be handy too.

Plastic molecules align in the direction of flow and are strongest in that direction and weakest in the opposite. If you can tell me the grade I can take a look at the material data sheet. You’ll want a material that has a good flexural modulus. Also look at the elongation at break numbers. I would think an Nylon 66/ ST801 might be a good choice for these parts. Gf delrin might be too brittle. Any GF content isn’t going to allow the part to flex.

I don’t think nylon would be a good choice. I’d guess there were initially a PP, with some carbon black added in for color and to help stiffness. The flex mod numbers would be sufficient for this.

I don't know the answer but I am sure you guys will figure this out, it is definitely an issue of being too brittle and not enough flex. there is a good bit of pressure/tension on this part at some locations where the trim is holding onto this, or supposed to. I am sure its a balance of finding enough strength and yet flex with out flexing too much or it wont hold that way either, seems like common sense, but will take some more R& D to figure out where the best balance lies. I would say find some OEM(true Porsche oem not O.E.M.) to test for strength and flex. Like I said, the ones that were in place on my car were original and I ended up pulling or pushing out the pins from the back side to extract the ones that broke and reused those pins to put back in my original clips that we removed when the original glass was pulled and new was installed. Those held just fine on the re-install, but I know I have several clips , the new ones, that snapped off and are not holding the trim at at least 2 locations but once I had the corners in place and held down I was not going to pull it all back up, but I really should. and later on I probably will but installing this trim was such a bit*& I just don't want to try that again for a while and not with out sourcing all new clips and oh the trouble with pulling glass in order to do it - well I did get 2 of the broken clips pulled and new ones installed with glass in place but I don't think I could do that in all locations. I do applaud you for seeing and addressing the issue and making strides to correct it, Thank you. I know you will figure it out!.