A thermoplastic forming tool includes a wand that includes a handle, a tip, and a conduit coupling the handle to the tip. The tip includes a heating element, a forming shoe, and a forming shoe support. During use, heat from the heating element heats the forming shoe to a temperature at or above the glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic polymer. The thermoplastic forming tool may be used to apply a thermoplastic material to a surface.

A component comprising a sheet-like reinforcing component having a first stiffness and a sheet-like attachment made of an attachment material having a second stiffness, wherein the first stiffness is higher than the second stiffness, wherein the planar reinforcing component has an upper and lower side and the attachment is connected at least to the upper or lower side of the planar reinforcing component in a first partial area of the planar reinforcing component.

A method including providing a trim profile, the trim profile including a bend extending in the longitudinal direction of the trim profile, wherein the bend is arranged between side edges extending in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the bend shapes an interior surface and an exterior surface of the trim profile, fixating a first part of the trim profile including the bend in a first fixation arrangement, and arranging and fixating a second part of the trim profile in a second fixation arrangement. A deep drawing operation providing a relative displacement between a stamping tool and at least one of the fixation arrangements in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction so that the stamping tool moves into a working space, wherein the deep drawing operation forces a wall material of the trim profile into the working space to provide an end wall part on the trim profile.

A method for producing a channel-shaped hollow profile component from a nonwoven material includes providing first and second nonwoven material layers arranging the first and second nonwoven material layers in a mold tool having first and second mold tool halves and a core body wherein a formation of the first and second nonwoven material layers and the core body is arranged between the first and second mold tool halves, and wherein the core body is arranged between the first and second nonwoven material layers in the formation, and simultaneously forming the first and second nonwoven material layers in the mold tool to form a first nonwoven partial shell and a second nonwoven partial shell.

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.

A seat includes a framework; a foam body supported by the framework; and a trim cover assembly covering the foam body. The trim cover assembly includes a trim material and one or more coatings, with at least one of the one or more coatings including encapsulated silicone configured to release silicone oil upon abrasion of the at least one coating.

An instrument panel unit (2) includes an instrument panel (3) and a decorative sheet (4). The instrument panel (3) includes a sticking portion (3a) and an exposed portion (3b). A plurality of insertion grooves (3c) and insertion holes (3d), into which bent pieces (4a) formed at rear end of the decorative sheet (4) are inserted, are formed alternately on a rear side end of the sticking portion (3a). A groove front-surface (3g) forming the insertion groove (3c) of the instrument panel (3) is formed in a tapered shape such that a width between the groove front-surface and an opposing groove rear-surface (3h) gradually increases upward. The bent piece (4a) of the decorative sheet (4) is thinner than a groove width at an upper part serving as an entrance part of the insertion groove (3c) and thicker than the groove width of a groove bottom-surface (3i) in the insertion groove (3c).

A trim component for an interior of a motor vehicle has a film and has a carrier from a thermoplastic plastics material. The film has a relief structure, the carrier has a lattice structure having lattice members, and the carrier is back-molded on a rear side of the film such that the lattice members are connected in a materially integral manner to the rear side of the film.

A method is provided to fabricate an injection molded piece with a weakened portion in an injection molding system having a cavity defined by a fixed mold part and a moveable mold part. The method comprises injecting raw material in a liquid state into the cavity to form the injection molded piece; moving a weakening insert into the injection molded piece from a first surface of the injection molded piece; injecting a gas to the first surface of the injection molded piece with a controlled pressure, wherein moving the weakening insert into the injection molded piece and injecting the gas are performed while the injection molded piece is in the liquid state.

A method for manufacturing a composite part (100) for covering, sealing, trimming, or retaining a component of a vehicle, wherein the composite part (100) has a main body (110) with a vehicle side surface (111) and is made of a first polymer, and has a mounting pin (130) configured to engage in a form fitting manner and is made of a second polymer, wherein the second polymer has a higher formability than the first polymer, comprises the steps of extrusion molding of the main body (110) and injection molding of the mounting pin (130). This is done in such a manner that the mounting pin (130) is being integrally bonded to the main body (110) on the side of the vehicle side surface (111).