An interior part for a vehicle is formed by core-back expansion molding. The interior part includes a foamed plastic body formed by injecting a foamable plastic resin into a mold and separating the mold portions of the mold to allow foaming expansion of the foamable plastic resin. An edge portion of the foamed plastic body includes a projecting freeze section and a core-back expansion radius located adjacent to the projecting freeze section. The projecting freeze section is formed in a freeze seal area of the mold adjacent a parting line to help prevent excessive flashing of material at the parting line during separation.

Disclosed is a method for producing an automobile sound absorbing member through molding. In the method, a first fiber and a second fiber are bonded to each other and molded at the same time, so that a working process and a process cycle are simplified, thereby improving production speed and reducing investment for equipment and facility. The method includes (a) preparing a first fiber and a second fiber, (b) providing an adhesive member between the first fiber and the second fiber and placing an aggregate of the first fiber, adhesive member, and the second fiber in a molding machine, and (c) pressing an upper mold and a lower mold of the molding machine so that the first fiber and the second fiber are bonded and molded into a molded body.

A method of making a trimmed, laminated trim component is provided. A heated plastic composite sheet is pressed against a heated laminated sheet to bond a plastic cushioning layer of the laminated sheet to the plastic composite sheet. The step of pressing compresses a portion of the laminated sheet spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the laminated sheet to locally compact and thin the cushioning layer at the portion to form a compressed portion of the cushioning layer. Unwanted portions of the laminated sheet are trimmed.

The invention relates to a device for laminating a laminating foil element onto a component having a profiled lamination plane using a lamination tool, by means of which tool the laminating foil element is laminated onto the component, the lamination tool comprising a first tool half and a second tool half, and the device comprising a deflection arrangement for deflecting portions of the laminating foil element out of the profiled lamination plane.

Disclosed herein are a vehicle door trim board that is less likely to break due to partial use of an impact resistant resin and a door trim using such a vehicle door trim board. A vehicle door trim board includes a reinforcing part made of an impact resistant resin containing a polyolefin resin, a polyamide resin, and a compatibilizer, wherein the compatibilizer is a modified elastomer having a reactive group that reacts with the polyamide resin. The door trim includes: the vehicle door trim board; and a surface skin layer provided on a design surface side of the vehicle door trim board.

A trim component for a vehicle interior is disclosed. The trim component may comprise a fiber panel comprising a compression-formed component and a structure comprising a resin. The compression-formed component may provide a structural substrate. The structure may comprise a molded resin feature for the structural substrate formed in at least one hole of the fiber panel. The structure may reinforce the structural substrate. The structure may also comprise a border. The fiber panel may comprise structural fibers and a resin. The structural fibers may comprise at least one of natural fibers; synthetic fibers; glass fibers; carbon fibers; polymeric fibers. The resin may comprise at least one of thermoplastic resin; polypropylene; acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; polycarbonate; thermoset resin; epoxy; polyimide; polyester; vinylester. The component may comprise at least one of a center console; a floor console; a door panel; an instrument panel; a headliner; an overhead console; a sun visor.

An additively manufactured (AM) hybrid composite structure is disclosed. The AM hybrid composite structure includes a first portion and a second portion. The second portion includes one or more AM elements which are configured to enable integration of the second portion with the first portion to form an integrated component including both the second portion and the first portion. A method of manufacturing a hybrid composite structure is disclosed. The method includes manufacturing a first portion, and additively manufacturing a second portion. The step of additively manufacturing the second portion includes co-printing one or more AM elements. The method further includes using the one or more AM elements as a part of a tool to integrate the first portion with the second portion, and forming an integrated component including both the first portion and the second portion.

A trim component for a vehicle interior is disclosed. The trim component may comprise a fiber panel comprising a compression-formed component and a structure comprising a resin. The compression-formed component may provide a structural substrate. The structure may comprise a border (e.g. edge, dimensionally accurate border, etc.); the structure may comprise a molded feature (e.g. rib, ridge, edge, ancillary component, etc.) configured to reinforce and/or support the fiber panel. The fiber panel may comprise a resin to bond the fibers; the structure comprising a resin (e.g. injection-molded plastic/material) may be bonded to the fiber panel. The trim component may comprise a cover for the structural substrate provided by the compression-formed component.

A sheet laminate that can be easily affixed to a bonded surface and which can enhance handleability. The sheet laminate (1) includes a pair of sidewall parts (3), each extending toward the rear surface (2b) side from a pair of mutually opposing edges of the main body part (2). The pair of sidewall parts 3 have a curved shape projecting outward with respect to the main body part (2). Including such a sidewall part (3) makes it possible to affix the sheet laminate (1) to the B-pillar (50) by sandwiching the side surfaces (50b) of both sides of the B-pillar (50) having a bonded surface (50a) by using the curved shape of the pair of sidewall parts (3) while covering the bonded surface (50a) with the design surface of the main body part (2). As a result, the sheet laminate (1) can be affixed easily to the bonded surface (50a), which enhances handleability of the sheet laminate (1).

The method for producing a skin material includes heat-pressing a raw material using an embossing die to obtain a skin material having a concave part formed on a front surface side and a flat back surface. The raw material is heat-pressed between the embossing die and an elastic mat to form, as the concave part, at least one of a plurality of concave parts for intensity display having different depths of a bottom and a concave part for gradation display in which the depth of the bottom gradually changes.