Polyolefin based instrument panel skins, door skins, and similar soft touch articles are commonly used in most countries that produce automobiles. Until now, one common aspect of all IP skins including PU and PVC is that they must be primed and painted to achieve scuff and mar performance required for automotive interiors. Additionally, the paint is used to reduce gloss. The systern cost increases as the priming and painting process is expensive and time consuming. Eliminating the need for paint will require a product with exceptionally good surface durability while capable of producing low surface gloss after forming. Industrial consciousness to utilize environmentally friendly products in manufacturing and a need for better performing products is the engine for development of non-PVC soft instrument panel skins. Consequently, SEP has developed a series of thermoformable engineered polyolefin based products that are fully recyclable, and in many aspects supersede performance properties of PVC skins. These fülly weatherabie materials exhibit very good deep draw characteristics and excellent grain retention by virtue of high melt strength over a wide range of processing temperatures. Grain definition with embossed forming tools is very well defined with uniform wall thickness. The surface of these materials can be painted, or customized for unpainted applications to exhibit very low gloss and good scratch resistance. The materials can be used for extrusion or calendaring of thin sheets for therrnoforming or insert molding. Alternatively, these materials can be used for co-extruded structures such as skin layers over rigid or foamed materials. The thermoforming characteristics of these materials correlate with laboratory measurements of melt strength. These products have also been impact tested after aging to verify low temperature ductile behavior as required for hidden passenger side airbag doors.
Advances in soft polyolefin thermoplastic elastomers with high melt strength and abrasion resistance for thermoformed instrument panel skins and other automotive interior components
Fortschritte im Bereich weicher thermoplastischer Elastomere mit hoher Schmelz- und Reibfestigkeit für thermoformte Umhüllungen von Instrumententafeln und anderen inneren Fahrzeugbauteilen
2002
9 Seiten, 5 Bilder, 5 Tabellen, 3 Quellen
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Englisch
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