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FINALIST |
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(click on the picture to see a larger illustration - it opens in a new window, close that window to return here) |
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| Description: | Front Grille Molding | Model: | FK |
| OEM: | Mitsubishi | Model Year: | 2006 |
| System Supplier: | Sakae Riken | Generic Resin Type: | PP |
| Molder/Processor: | Sakae Riken | Resin Trade Name: | Invision |
| Toolmaker: | N/A | Grade: | CX |
| Material Supplier: | A. Schulman Invision Inc. | Other Innovative Features: | The ability to vacuum form a decorative sheet around the core of an injection mold, which provides full edge wrap of the decorative surface onto the molded part. |
| Most Innovative Feature: | The ability to pre-form, injection and compression mold a class A part utilizing decorative, all polyolefin, sheet in a 1 step process. | Forming Process: | Vacuum Injection Compression (VIC). 1 process. |
| Weight Savings: | 10 % wgt. reduction vs. painted ABS. Part wgt. is also reduced due to thinner wall stock of finished part. Same performance of the part can be achieved by using this unique VIC molding process to produce a durable, thinner, lighter molding(1.5mm) | First Time Process Used? | Yes |
| Cost Savings: | 10% reduction vs. painted TPO or painted ABS. 40% reduction vs. paint film. | Previous Process: | Painted TPO (injection Molded), Painted ABS(injection Molded), Paint film with vacuum molded pre-form then back fill injection. |
| Cost Avoidance: | 1 molding process to achieve class A finished component. No pre-forming, no major trimming, reduced part handling, reduced auxiliary equipment, no painting, increased productivity, reduced man power, reduced floor space, and molded in attachment system | Transferable to Other Vehicles: | Yes it can be incorporated on any exterior or interior part for any OEM including bumper fascias and large interior trim components. |
| Benefits to Consumer: | |||
| Better scratch and chip resistant properties vs. painted TPO, painted ABS and paint film. No 'orange peel'...cleaner, crisper appearance. | |||
| Method Comments: | |||
| 100 % fully recyclable. 100% color matched to OEM paint standard, full color palette, all body colors; solid, metallic, and tri-coat colors. 100 % thermoplastic polyolefin (Ionomer/TPO) based, multilayer, thin sheet. UV stable exceeding 5000 KJ/m2. | |||
| Innovations/Improvements: | |||
| Vacuum capability on same press/tool as injection/compression molding i.e., 1 process to accomplish vacuum forming of thin sheet Invision and then injection compression to form the substrate. | |||
| Safety Improvements: | |||
| Better impact properties (including low temperature). Ductile, non-brittle failures. No projectile or sharp edge failures. | |||
| Environmental Comments: | |||
| 100 % elimination of VOC's through elimination of paint. 100% 'green' fully recyclable finished component (including attachments). Lower energy intensive process than painted parts. No paint lines used. Fast, shoot and ship process. | |||
| Additional Comments: | |||
| Since thin sheet is used on outer class A surface, the performance properties of the PP substrate mat'l. can be reduced for impact properties, resulting in a cost savings on the substrate mat'l. Very design flexible.100 % of scrap back into substrate mat'l. | |||
| Summary: | |||
| This is the first use of the Vacuum Injection Compression (VIC) process to produce such a part. The process provided the ability to pre-form, inject, and compression mold a Class A part edge-wrapped with a decorative film in a single-step process. Use of VIC eliminated the need for performing, requires no major trimming, and reduces the need for part handling, auxiliary equipment, additional labor, floor space, and the need for paint. | |||
