Suresh Shah
General Motors and Inteva
Inducted 2021
Suresh Shah (1956 – ) led the team, introducing the”plastics module” concept to the automotive industry in 1993. His game-changing all-plastic inner door module – SuperPlug® – replaced fifty metal pieces with a single plastic module, achieving the highest level of parts integration, multi-functionality, lightweight, and ease of assembly. It ultimately saved labor time and costs and reduced warranty claims. SuperPlug® was the “First, most complex part” ever commercialized by gas injection molding technology.
Shah’s module work demonstrated a vision ahead of its time. It included procedures such as applying artificial intelligence (AI) and Taguchi methods for process optimization, in-cavity temperature/pressure sensors, additive manufacturing (3D printing) for prototyping and fit-and-finish, an infrared camera for process monitoring, and sequential valve gating.
Shah has received 50 patents and 20 prestigious awards worldwide, including the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) International Plastics Industrial Product Design Award. SPE also gave SuperPlug® its Hall of Fame Award in 2011, in production on more than 60 million vehicles for General Motors. Millions of other manufacturers’ vehicles also use plastic inner door modules. In 2017, Dr. Shah received the Automotive Division’s “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
In 2015, he received the SPE “International Research and Technology Award.” In 2009, he received the “Michigan Scientist of the Year” award from ESD and 77 affiliated societies, as well as a “Special Tribute” award from the Governor of Michigan. He has been interviewed over 30 times by industry trade journals, presented as a keynote speaker more than 15 times, and presented more than 100 technical papers worldwide.
This plastic door module has brought about a paradigm shift in the industry. It led to the development and commercialization of other modular applications, including a front-end module, seat module, and instrument panel module. As a result, millions of pounds of plastic resin are now used in the automotive industry.
Shah holds bachelor’s degrees from St. Xavier’s College (Gujarat, India) and the Institute of Chemical Technology (Mumbai, India), as well as a master’s degree and doctorate from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He is active in professional circles, especially the Society of Plastics Engineers.
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