Provided are a method of producing a metal member, a method of producing a resin member, and a method of producing an exterior part of a vehicle, each using a laminated body including a paint substitute film that includes a thermoplastic resin film, a colored layer, and a semi-cured hard coat layer, in this order, and a protective film that is bonded to a surface of the semi-cured hard coat layer. (1) The method of producing a metal member uses a steel plate together with the laminated body, and includes: a molding step of performing thermocompression bonding on the laminated body and the heated steel plate and performing press-molding while curing the semi-cured hard coat layer. (2) The method of producing a resin member uses a molten resin together with the laminated body, and includes: inserting the laminated body into a mold; performing in-mold molding by performing injection-molding using the molten resin; and curing the semi-cured hard coat layer after the insertion into the mold and until the in-mold molding ends. (3) The method of producing an exterior part of a vehicle includes combining the metal member produced by the above-described method, and the resin member produced by the above-described method.

A method for producing a vehicle composite component with a layer structure having a core layer in a molding tool, the core layer being formed with regions of different thickness is provided. Steps for this method may include placing a cover layer, in particular a preformed cover layer, which in particular forms an outer skin of the vehicle composite component, onto a mold base plate of the open molding tool; introducing a first fiber layer, which is impregnated with PU resin and has not been subjected to forming, between the cover layer and a first mold counterplate of the open molding tool; closing the molding tool and compression molding the first fiber layer, which is impregnated with PU resin, against the cover layer, as a result of which a preform with a first support layer containing the first fiber layer is formed and hardened while supplying heat.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a method for molding, using a honeycomb core, a composite material structure that is high-quality, low cost, and leaves less voids. The present disclosure addresses the problem of providing a method for molding, using a honeycomb core, a composite material structure with which it is possible to reduce dimples in a composite material skin at low cost. According to a method for molding a composite material structure of the present disclosure, an uncured composite material honeycomb sandwich panel in which prepreg is laminated on upper and lower surfaces of a honeycomb core via an adhesive is covered with a vacuum bag and placed in an autoclave. After that, the vacuum bag is evacuated and, while the evacuation is being continued, is heated and pressurized by the autoclave to cure a matrix resin of the prepreg and achieve adhesion to the honeycomb core.

A method to form automobile vehicle acoustic insulators includes as stages: forming a fiber mass by mixing a low melting point polymeric fiber and a high melting point polymeric fiber in predefined volumes in a mixing device; adding a water volume to the fiber mass to create a semi-solid mass; placing the semi-solid mass in a mold; internally heating the semi-solid mass in the mold using microwave energy; and expelling a first portion of the water volume through apertures created in the mold.

Class-A components (CAC) include a first and second skin layer each having a polymer matrix and a fiber reinforcing material embedded within the polymer matrix, a third layer disposed between the first and second skin layers and including a third polymer matrix and a filler material interspersed within the third polymer matrix, and a Class-A finish coat applied to the second skin layer. The fiber reinforcing materials include a plurality of substantially aligned carbon fibers and a plurality of low strength regions staggered throughout the carbon fibers. The CAC can be integrated with a rigid vehicle frame. The CAC can be a structural component. The CAC can be a door, a roof panel, or a hood. The CAC can include a layer of woven fibers between the Class-A finish coat and the second skin layer and a portion of the woven fibers can be visible through the Class-A surface layer.

A joined article includes a first component having a laser-treated surface portion and a second component having a laser-treated surface portion. An adhesive joins the first component to the second component at the treated surface portion. A method of making a joined article form components and a system for making joined articles are also disclosed.

A vehicle component that includes at least one fiber preform. The fiber preform includes a substrate, a fiber bundle having one or more types of reinforcing fibers, and a thread. The fiber bundle is arranged on the substrate and attached to the substrate by a plurality of stitches of the thread to form a first preform layer having a principal orientation. The vehicle component includes a core having a geometry with at least one edge and at least one the fiber preforms positioned along the at least one edge, the core and the fiber preform being overmolded in a resin. A process of making the vehicle component includes providing the core having the at least one edge, positioning the at least one fiber preform along the at least one edge, and overmolding the core and the at least one fiber preform in the resin.

Disclosed herein is a manufacturing method of a spring pad interposed among a spring used in an automobile suspension system and an upper sheet and a lower sheet for supporting the spring, wherein the spring pad includes an insulator getting in contact with the spring to absorb shock and forming a body of the spring pad, and is manufactured through foam injection molding of the insulator to be lightweight.

A thermoplastic welding assembly and method for joining a plurality of thermoplastic support components to a thermoplastic component is provided. The thermoplastic welding assembly includes a frame, a plurality of heat sinks, and a plurality of individually actuatable pressurizers. The frame includes a plurality of welding slots. Each heat sink of the plurality of heat sinks is positioned within one of the welding slots. Each pressurizer of the plurality of individually actuatable pressurizers includes an alignment actuator configured to move one thermoplastic support component into alignment with one welding slot, and a clamping actuator configured to move the one thermoplastic support component into contact with the thermoplastic component. In some implementations, the thermoplastic welding assembly further includes a plurality of actuators configured to move the alignment actuator and the clamping actuator.

A plastic glazing of a window of a vehicle having a light feature includes a first vehicle window glazing component, a second vehicle window glazing component molded onto the first vehicle window glazing component, and a light unit configured to produce light for the light feature. The light unit being integrated with at least one of the following: the first vehicle window glazing component and the second vehicle window glazing component. The light unit further configured to direct the light for the light feature through or from at least one of the following: the first vehicle window glazing component and the second vehicle window glazing component. The plastic glazing is a one-piece molded plastic construction. At least one of the first vehicle window glazing component and the second vehicle window glazing component is translucent or transparent