A method for producing an injection-moulded plastic component made of a plastic having at least one recess for accommodating sensors, having the following steps: producing the injection-moulded plastic component in a mould having top and bottom mould halves; raising the top mould half and introducing a thermoregulatable ram which is guided in a sleeve; placing the sleeve with integrated annular space on the surface of the injection-moulded component, to form an annular bead in the annular space; pressing the thermoregulated ram into the surface of the injection-moulded component; and cooling the ram and raising it from the surface.

Illustrative examples of forming and using suitably adapted materials for improving interface strength between thermoset-thermoplastic joined parts includes exposure of a thermoplastic substrate to a plasma to form an amine-functionalized substrate having amine chemical moieties disposed on a first surface. The first surface of the thermoplastic substrate is positioned adjacent to and contacts a second surface of a thermoset substrate to form a workpiece. The thermoset substrate includes epoxide chemical moieties on and within material forming the thermoset substrate. The workpiece is subsequently heated to form a structure, where heating of the workpiece causes covalent chemical bonds to form between the plasma-treated first surface of the thermoplastic substrate and the second surface of the thermoset substrate. Thereafter, additional thermoplastic components can be fusion bonded to a surface of the thermoplastic substrate opposite the first surface—thereby providing improved attachment of additional thermoplastic components to the thermoset substrate.

A method of producing a reinforcement element for reinforcing a structural element in a motor vehicle includes the following steps: pultruding a support element having a longitudinal axis that extends, when in use, along a longitudinal axis of the structural element, the support element having a plurality of outer faces that extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis; placing an adhesive on at least one of the outer faces of the support element; and cutting the pultruded support element to size

There is provided method of manufacturing a knuckle for a vehicle. The method includes a preform forming operation of forming a preform serving as a preliminary molding object for forming the knuckle for a vehicle; and a main-molding-object forming operation of hot-pressing the preform to form a main molding object for forming the knuckle for a vehicle. The preform formed in the preform forming operation may be formed in a shape corresponding to a shape of the main molding object, and may be formed in a shape offset inward by a predetermined dimension from an outer shape of the main molding object.

An object is to provide a metal-resin bonded member that is easy to manufacture and has high bonding strength. The metal-resin bonded member includes a metal body having an iron oxide layer on the surface and a resin body bonded to the metal body via the iron oxide layer. The iron oxide layer has a thickness of 50 nm to 10 μm. The iron oxide layer comprises 60-40 at % Fe and 40-60 at % O at the outermost surface side. The iron oxide layer contains magnetite (Fe.sub.3O.sub.4). The iron oxide layer is formed by heating the surface of an iron-based substrate at 200-850° C. in an oxidation atmosphere. The resin body is composed of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). The bonding of the metal body and the resin body via the iron oxide layer can be carried out by insert molding, thermal adhesion utilizing friction heating, etc.

Illustrative examples of forming and using suitably adapted materials for improving interface strength between thermoset-thermoplastic joined parts includes exposure of a thermoplastic substrate to a plasma to form an amine-functionalized substrate having amine chemical moieties disposed on a first surface. The first surface of the thermoplastic substrate is positioned adjacent to and contacts a second surface of a thermoset substrate to form a workpiece. The thermoset substrate includes epoxide chemical moieties on and within material forming the thermoset substrate. The workpiece is subsequently heated to form a structure, where heating of the workpiece causes covalent chemical bonds to form between the plasma-treated first surface of the thermoplastic substrate and the second surface of the thermoset substrate. Thereafter, additional thermoplastic components can be fusion bonded to a surface of the thermoplastic substrate opposite the first surface—thereby providing improved attachment of additional thermoplastic components to the thermoset substrate.

A method of producing a control panel for a vehicle. The method includes the following operations: a) producing a touch-sensitive film, the touch-sensitive film including a film, a conductive layer, a main decorative layer, and a secondary decorative layer, the conductive layer being arranged on an inner face of the film, the main decorative layer being arranged on an outer face of the film, and the secondary decorative layer having at least one critical deformation portion arranged on the inner face of the film in at least one corresponding critical deformation zone; b) shaping said touch-sensitive film, the touch-sensitive film being shaped in a non-developable three-dimensional manner in each critical deformation zone; and c) molding a layer of plastic material onto the main decorative layer.

An embodiment system for molding a plurality of plastic composite material panels to be assembled on a vehicle body includes a coextrusion unit configured to manufacture a multi-layered sheet in which a plurality of resin layers are laminated, a thermoforming unit configured to manufacture a forming sheet having a plurality of panel forming portions partitioned by a forming connection portion by thermoforming the multi-layered sheet, a reinforcing source spraying unit configured to spray a reinforcing source in which a fiber material and a polyurethane compound are mixed toward a preset region on the forming sheet, and a press-molding unit configured to press-mold the forming sheet applied with the reinforcing source to manufacture a composite material panel sheet in which a reinforcing layer is formed on the forming sheet.

Various techniques are provided to enclose at least a portion of a thermal imaging system in a thermoplastic material to create a waterproof thermal imaging system and encapsulate associated electrical components. In one example, a method includes placing at least a portion of a thermal imaging system comprising a plurality of exposed electronic components into a mold. The method also includes injecting a thermoplastic material into the mold to deposit the thermoplastic material onto the electronic components and encapsulate the electronic components in an overmolded solid enclosure formed by the thermoplastic material. Additional methods and systems are also provided.

A fiber preform for use in an overmolding process is provide that includes a fiber bundle arranged in a predetermined pattern and attached to itself with thread stitches to form at least one preform layer. At least one intumescent material is associated with the at least one preform layer. A vehicle component having fire resistant characteristics is also provided that includes a housing having a first side and a second side. The housing has a shape that defines the vehicle component. An intumescent material is provided on at least one of the first side and the second side of the housing.