To meet the needs of an increasingly competitive and changing auto industry, makers of automotive interiors are also adapting to meet the changing demands of automobile manufacturers, both in the USA and internationally. The industry is moving in a direction where OEMs are thinking more about the overall design of the entire vehicle, and that includes the headliner. Widespread innovations in the automotive industry are driving that change. Overhead consoles have evolved. While they once merely featured a map light and sunglass holder, overhead systems today often include sophisticated storage, HVAC and audio/video consoles. While gradual, the evolution of headliners from simple Substrate and fabric cover packages into high-value overhead modules has been dramatic. Visors, wiring, overhead consoles and HVAC control units and speakers are all considerations makers of automotive interiors must face. As OEMs seek to improve the quality of headliners, their fabric tastes are also changing. While woven headliners have traditionally dominated the domestic auto industry, nonwoven products are increasingly being found in a number of interior applications, including headliners. This trend has been forged by nonwoven manufacturers such as PGI, Freudenberg Nonwovens, Weinheim, Germany; and Foss Manufacturing of New Hampshire. Some OEMs have sought to improve mouldability by taking foam out of the equation, either by bonding a woven face fabric to a nonwoven batting, or by bonding nonwoven facings directly to the core - especially in headliners. An advantage associated with the single component facings is their recyclability.
Automobile headliners go high tech, as nonwovens make market inroads
Automobilhimmelauskleidung wird zum High-Tech-Produkt, Vliesstoffe dringen in den Markt ein
T3 Technical Textile Technology ; 2 , 1 ; 50-52
2003
3 Seiten, 4 Bilder
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Englisch
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