A method of forming a thermoplastic plastic component includes applying an amount of pigmented powder to a sheet of thermoplastic, heating the sheet of thermoplastic to a selected temperature, melting the amount of pigmented powder on the sheet of thermoplastic to form a coating, re-heating the sheet of thermoplastic to another selected temperature, positioning the sheet of thermoplastic over a pattern, and vacuum forming the sheet of thermoplastic to form the sheet of thermoplastic into the pattern.

A method for producing components of an outer skin of a vehicle with a film, which is back-molded at least from one a front side or rear side with clear plastics material, includes subjecting the film to a thermoforming process in order to generate the desired three-dimensional form. The film is subjected to further steps for preparation of the back-molding, including providing the film at least partially with a color layer. The film includes regions, through which other colors are intended to show through and be visible from the front side, or electromagnetic waves are intended to pass. The film may be punched-out in the regions to define punched-out portion in which components are inserted. The components are attached to the film by adhesive and/or overmolding on the rear side.

A liftgate (10) for a vehicle having at least one overmolding bracket (28) with at least one open mounting surface on the bracket for liftgate hardware attachments. In addition, overmolding the bracket (28) and maintaining at least one hole (26) for tether routing. The liftgate allows the overmolding of the bracket (28) and maintains a lower cost fastener joint that does not require extra components or special components such a compression limiters and rivet nuts or brackets that cannot be overmolded.

A method for producing a plastic composite panel which is provided as a layer structure. The method includes providing a film layer structure comprising an adhesive layer which is arranged between two transparent plastic films. The film layer structure is pre-molded to assume an approximately final shape and is arranged in a molding tool so that a first main surface of the film layer structure is towards the molding surface of the molding tool and so that a cavity is formed between the second main surface of the film layer structure and a surface of the molding tool. The film layer structure is then back-molded in a thermal molding method step while introducing a thermoplastic material into the cavity to provide the layer structure. A pre-molding and back-molding step, a rigidification of the thermoplastic layer, and a demolding of the layer structure is further performed.

Embodiments of a vehicle interior system and methods for forming the same are disclosed. A glass substrate is bent to a curved shape within a mold cavity, and a liquid polymer material is delivered to the mold and is in contact with the curved glass substrate. The liquid polymer is solidified to form a polymer frame that engages the bent glass substrate, and the engagement between the frame and the glass substrate holds the glass substrate in the bent shape. The temperature of the glass substrate during the bending process and formation of the frame are maintained below the glass transition temperature of the glass substrate.

Provided is a vinyl chloride resin composition having excellent powder fluidity. The vinyl chloride resin composition contains a vinyl chloride resin, a plasticizer, and a uracil compound. The content of the plasticizer is not less than 50 parts by mass and not more than 200 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the vinyl chloride resin, and the content of the uracil compound is not less than 0.05 parts by mass and not more than 3.00 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the vinyl chloride resin.

Parts (10) for connection to at least one further part (30, 30′). The part (10) has at least two weld sections (11, 11′) to be welded individually to at least one of the further parts (30, 30′) by vibration welding. Each weld section (11, 11′) has at least one weld surface (13, 13′), for connection to the corresponding further part (30, 30′), and is spatially separated from each other weld section (11, 11′) by at least one vibration decoupling zone (14, 14′,23, 26). The part (10) has a particular arrangement of the weld section (11, 11′) with respect to the center of gravity (S) or has a particular mass distribution with respect to the weld section (11, 11′). Methods for connecting a part to at least one further part (30, 30′) and a composite part (90) containing a part (10) and a further part (30, 30′) are also disclosed.

An outer skin component for a motor vehicle is designed as a shell component with an outer shell and an inner shell, which are in each case designed as fiber-reinforced plastics shells with a fiber reinforcement embedded into a thermosetting plastic matrix. The fiber reinforcement of the outer shell consists of one or more layers of nonwoven material.

A process for producing an interior trim part (1) with a decorative layer situated on a first side (S1) thereof and forming a decorative pattern (M) for the interior of a motor vehicle, the process comprising the following steps: (a) formation of at least one cutout configuration (R), defined by a predetermined decorative pattern (M), in a protective layer (120) situated on a first side (S1), which is situated on a first surface (110a) of the shell-shaped base body (110) made of a metallic material, (b) deposition of sinterable decorative material on the first side (S1) in such a way that the decorative material, as an intermediate layer (150), covers at least the area in which the cutout configuration (R) defined by the decorative pattern (M) is formed in the protective layer (120), (c) laser-sintering of the intermediate layer (150) inside the at least one cutout configuration defined by the decorative pattern (M), (d) removal of the sinterable decorative material that is situated outside the at least one cutout configuration defined by the decorative pattern (M),
as well as an interior trim part (1).

In embodiments described herein, it may be determined when to replace a degraded slush mold with a non-degraded slush mold by a method that may comprise monitoring a sample media while repeatedly contacting a surface of the sample media with an abrasive material to determine the number of contactings required to reduce a grain height of the surface of the sample media to a threshold grain height. The repeated contactings of the abrasive solution with the surface of the sample media may reduce the grain height of the sample media. The surface of the sample media may comprise a material substantially identical to the material of at least a portion of a forming surface of the slush mold.