Advances in Structural RIM Interior Trim Applications 950444

LD-SRIM process technology, which can be readily tailored to match material physical property requirements to end-use applications, is answering the interior trim automotive engineers call for high quality, durable and cost-effective low weight composites.

Due to their versatility, LD-SRIM composites, produced by reinforcing a water-blown MDI polyurethane foam matrix with a non-woven fiberglass mat, are successfully displacing PP and ABS thermoplastics, as well as wood fiber composites, in a wide variety of interior trim substrates. The technology's benefits, such as the ability to produce low weight parts (down to 0.27 g/cc for door panels) via pour-in-place techniques, and recent developments in internal mold release (IMR) formulations, have resulted in dramatic growth as demonstrated by its use in an expanding number of North-American produced vehicles. Continuous productivity and cost improvements resulting from parts consolidation, lower demold times and especially IMR efficiencies, have helped LD-SRIM graduate from interior door panel substrates, to other interior trim components, formerly dominated by thermoplastics and wood composites, such as package trays, seat pans and backs, instrument panel retainers, consoles, sun visors and quarter panels.