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| Description: | Molded In Color Tonneau Cover | Model: | Chevrolet Silverado |
| OEM: | General Motors | Model Year: | 2007 |
| System Supplier: | Penda Corporation | Generic Resin Type: | ABS Acrylic |
| Molder/Processor: | Penda Corporation | Resin Trade Name: | Senosan |
| Toolmaker: | Tooling Technology | Grade: | N/A |
| Material Supplier: | Senoplast | Other Innovative Features: | The thermoplastic tonneau cover provides a significant weight advantage of up to 50% over fiberglass tonneau covers of similar design. The tonneau cover features a patented hinge attachment system that enables the consumer to remove and securely re-install the unit in a matter of seconds. The tonneau cover's patented construction removes the concern of "witness" marks or lines and potential cracking of the top layer compared to most fiberglass units. |
| Most Innovative Feature: | This tonneau cover is the first thermoplastic tonneau cover to offer a precise color match to the vehicle body through the use of a highly durable molded-in color technology. | Forming Process: | The tonneau cover is produced by a molded-in color thermoforming process. |
| Weight Savings: | The weight savings is up to 50% more compared to fiberglass tonneau covers of similar design. | First Time Process Used? | The molded-in color thermoforming process is the first of its kind in developing a molded-in tonneau cover for the automotive industry. |
| Cost Savings: | Not Applicable | Previous Process: | Prior to the development of thermoplastic tonneau covers, the automotive industry relied on fiberglass technology within the rigid tonneau cover category. The first-generation thermoplastic tonneau covers, featured unit construction commonlydeveloped with ribs or braces on the underside of the tonneau cover and traditionally limited to black (the color of the material) or a painted topcoat. |
| Cost Avoidance: | Not Applicable | Transferable to Other Vehicles: | The Penda patented technology can be developed with other OEM's but the tonneau cover produced for General Motors is limited to their vehicle-specific applications. |
| Benefits to Consumer: | |||
| This tonneau cover is the first hard tonneau cover that is an OEM-certified product enhancing the truck's versatility, appearance, performance and value available through the OE channel as a thermoplastic tonneau cover. This tonneau cover provides improved fuel-efficiency, trouble-free (and guaranteed) installation and performance, and enhanced cargo security to consumers. | |||
| Method Comments: | |||
| The first-generation thermoplastic tonneau covers were limited to black, the color of the material. Penda has developed a technology that will support colored sheet that can be produced to match the vehicle manufacturers' truck-specific colors when the hard tonneau cover is a finished product. | |||
| Innovations/Improvements: | |||
| Specially matched inner and outer skin tooling and bonding fixtures to accommodate the Penda patented construction process. | |||
| Safety Improvements: | |||
| The tonneau cover was developed in response to extensive research indicating unfulfilled consumer needs in the rigid tonneau cover market. | |||
| Environmental Comments: | |||
| The molded-in color thermoforming and manufacturing process cuts down on the number of VOC's emitted into the atmosphere compared to traditional fiberglass operations. | |||
| Additional Comments: | |||
| The molded-in color tonneau cover developed by Penda has been awarded two separate patents for the technology utilized for this product line. The patents included the construction of the rigid thermoplastic truck bed cover and the releaseable hinge attachment system. | |||
| Summary: | |||
| This is the first OEM-certified, thermoplastic hard tonneau cover offering a precise color match to the vehicle body through the use of a highly durable, molded-in color technology and the thermoforming process. The thermoplastic part is up to 50% lighter than competitive fiberglass tonneau covers of similar design and eliminates concerns over “witness” marks/lines and potential cracking of the top layer, which occur with competitive technology. A patented hinge attachment system enables the consumer to remove and securely re-install the unit in a matter of seconds. With molded-in-color, VOC emissions from paint are eliminated. | |||
