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Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) instrument panel skins are in demand in Europe and Asia as a solution to final product disposition environmental concerns. In North America TPO is valued for its durability characteristics (particularly heat and UV aging) and capability for deployment of seamless airbags at cold temperatures. Desiring to have an environmentally “green” system to create the “green” product, Delphi designed a manufacturing process with in-plant closed loop recycling of 100% offal directly back into the skin and the use of waterbased coating system for combating concerns with solvents. Delphi's development of recyclable TPO skin for instrument panels was introduced on 1997 production of Mercedes-Benz M-class. The paper will describe how the systems approach was used in overcoming the challenges involved in closed loop recycling of engineered offal during sheet manufacturing and thermoforming processes and the implementation of waterbased primer and topcoat systems.

The possibility of changes in field life requirements, elimination of PVC in Europe and the push for a totally recyclable instrument panel have been the driving factors in the automotive industry for the replacement of polyvinyl chloride, PVC with thermoplastic olefin, TPO for automotive interiors. Field life requirements for instrument panels for the North American market has risen to 10 years of desert exposure or equivalent sealed box solar exposure. The TPO developed by Delphi is one of only a few materials able to retain its physical properties and color after this harsh exposure. TPO is fully recyclable, it can be ground and re-extruded into sheet form or ground and reused as a part of an all olefin instrument panel, TPO cover stock, polypropylene foam and rigid polypropylene substrate.