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Abstract

Breakthrough in Producing Soft and Sustainable Interior Surfaces by Injection Molding of TPE
There are several processing methods and materials on the market that allow production of soft-touch interior surfaces like instrument panels and door trims. Those processing methods are costly, and the materials are not recyclable. OEMs need to improve the sustainability while also limiting system costs. Now it is possible to produce large scale surfaces by injection moulding of the new high-flow thermoplastic elastomers Dryflex® HiF. In close collaboration with Kraton Corporation and based on their IMSSTM technology, HEXPOL TPE developed ready to use materials by utilizing their long-term compounding experience.

TPE are already the material of choice for many interior applications for numerous reasons, such as processability and adjustability to the application needs. Interior applications made with TPE include all-weather-floor mats, inlay mats and seals.

Until recently TPE have not been viable for large scale trim applications (e.g., instrument panels) because these applications have much higher requirements regarding abrasion behavior, processability and heat resistance. These new TPE are injection moldable and fulfil the typical requirements of these demanding parts and therefore they are an interesting alternative compared to the currently used production methods like PU coating, PVC slush moulding or TPO foil processes. With TPE injection moulding it is possible to save energy in production, decrease part weight and reduce emissions. Additionally, parts made from TPE can be easily recycled which supports the market need of a higher sustainability.

Even very large, thin parts can be produced with injection moulding due to the high flowability of the material. In a production trial, 0.8 mm thin skins for the soft surface of a complete instrument panel were successfully moulded and backfoamed with PUR. Currently the material is undergoing final part test at diverse OEMs and Tiers. Despite their high melt flow, the TPEs can pass even the especially stringent lightfastness and heat resistance requirements for instrument panels while offering an excellent soft-touch haptic, low gloss and a very high scratch-/abrasion resistance.

The ability of TPE to be used in multi component injection moulding opens new possibilities of direct overmoulding of Polypropylene. Compared to existing TPU or PU-RIM processes which are realized often with PC/ABS as hard component, the ability to adhere to PP can deliver further cost and weight reduction in 2K processes.

About the Speaker

Thomas Köppl is responsible for the Group Product Management of the global HEXPOL TPE business. He joined the HEXPOL TPE group in 2015 and is based in Germany. Before joining HEXPOL he was R&D manager of Sekisui Alveo in Bad Sobernheim focusing on foam extrusion and coating processes. He studied material science at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and received a Ph.D. in material science at University Bayreuth, following research and industry projects in polymer science and plastics engineering.