First Use of Urethane Foam Seat Cushioning

Believed to be the earliest use of polyurethane foam in automotive seating, this application was featured on the rear seat of the 1957MY Desoto and Chrysler 300 2-door hardtops by then Chrysler Corp.   The urethane seat topper replaced cotton batting and latex-rubber sponge products, providing a 50-60% weight and 10-20% piece-cost savings plus lower manufacturing and assembly costs.  It also increased seat comfort, durability, flexibility, and breathability for consumers. Flame-retardant materials were used for safety.

OEM/Vehicle 1957MY Chrysler Corp. DeSoto & Chrysler 300 2-Door Hardtop System Supplier Reynolds Chemical Products

Material Supplier Union Carbide (Now Bayer MaterialScience) Resin PUR

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Interior/Auto-Upholstery.html

Soy Foam Automotive Seat Cushions

This is the first use of soy-based polyol to formulate flexible polyurethane foam for commercial automotive seat backs and cushions.  By replacing up to 25% of the petroleum-derived polyol in typical urethane foam, a more sustainable material is created, CO2 emissions are reduced, no tooling changes are required, and cost is neutral.

OEM/Vehicle 2007 Ford Motor Co. Ford® Mustang® Sports Car   System Supplier Lear Corp. Material Processor Lear Corp.

Resin PUR

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Upholstery

Instrument Panel with Seamless Airbag

This hand-stitched & hand-wrapped topper panel with passenger airbag (PAB) door significantly reduces cost ($110 USD) and mass (10 lb / 4.5 kg) vs. previous technologies, while improving vehicle craftsmanship.  A polyurethane skin is laminated to a polyester spacer fabric, then attached to a polypropylene substrate; both skin & substrate are simultaneously laser scored to produce the PAB door using an “H” pattern that eliminates out-of-position concerns.  Additionally, a molded-in-color TPO defroster grill is sonically welded to the substrate and the airbag chute and door are attached via vibration welding with neither exhibiting read-through.

OEM/Vehicle 2009MY Ford Motor Co. Lincoln® MKS Sedan System Supplier Automotive Components Holdings Material Processor Automotive Components Holdings – Saline

Material Supplier Advanced Composites Resin PUR, PP, & Polyester

For more Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/InstrumentPanels

Ultrahigh-Durability Pneumatic Bladder

Pneumatic bladders in seating help increase passenger comfort, but a desire to meet ultrahigh-durability requirements necessitated development of a method to correlate radio-frequency input factors, weld geometry, and the life cycle of the bladder. Using DOE methodology and a 3-factor interaction, a predictive equation was developed to accurately model the RF-weld process and predict bladder durability. New RF-welding requirements were established that differed significantly from benchmarked standards, yet allowed for consistent, maximized weld strength. Weld failures during ultrahigh-durability testing have now been reduced from 80% to 0%.

OEM/Vehicle 2010MY Ford Motor Co.: Ford®   Taurus® Sedan System Supplier L&P Automotive Group Material Processor L&P Automotive Juarez

Material Supplier Nike Resin PUR Tooling/Equipment Supplier Stellar

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Interior/Auto-Upholstery.html

Soft-Foam-Feel IP

This is the first ultrasoft-foam instrument panel (IP) in North America that uses injection mold/closed-pour soft foaming and spray urethane skin technology to improve customer-perceived craftsmanship. The program began with competitive benchmarking and a customer tactility clinic to learn which variables affected consumer perceptions of softness and quality. This led to an ability to quantify softness targets and development of a new Ford softness spec. The commercial launch has helped reduce manufacturing foam scrap rates and lowered part weight 100 g, while improving customer craftsmanship expectations.

OEM/Vehicle 2010MY Ford Motor Co.: Ford®  Taurus® Sedan System Supplier Automotive Components Holdings Material Processor Automotive Components Holdings

Material Supplier Renosol Systems Resin PUR Tooling/Equipment Supplier Frimo

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/InstrumentPanels?css=print

Lightweight Acoustic Headliner

Lightweight, open-cell acoustic foam based on polyurethane chemistry with some soy-based polyols (replacing petroleum-based polyols) were used in this application, which also featured permeable thermoplastic adhesives and permeable felt fabrics in the headliner construction. The result is delivery of industry-leading noise / vibration / harshness (NVH) performance and lower weight.

OEM/Vehicle 2010MY Ford Motor Co.: Ford® Escape® HEV, & Ford® Edge® & Lincoln® MKX CUV System Supplier Magna (Escape) & International Automotive Components (Edge) Material Processor Magna & International Automotive Components

Material Supplier Woodbridge Group & Cargill Resin BiOH® Soy Polyol PUR

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Upholstery

Bio-Polyurethane Foam in Automotive Seating Head Restraints

This head restraint foam uses 13 - 16% by weight (equivalent to 13-26% by volume) soybean oil-derived polyol to replace petroleum-based reactants in this MDI catalyzed polyurethane.  Ford’s use of bio-based foam in head restraints, seat cushions, and seat backs has helped the company reduce its petroleum usage by more than 3-MM lb annually and carbon dioxide emissions by over 15-MM lb.  The switch was cost neutral.

OEM/Vehicle Ford Motor Co. 2011 Ford Fusion & Lincoln MKZ Sedans System Supplier Lear Corp. Material Processor Lear Corp.

Material Supplier Lear Corp. Resin Bio-Based PUR Tooling/Equipment Supplier Lear Corp.

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Interior/Auto-Upholstery.html

Reinforced Airbag Lid in Foam (RALF)

RALF technology is an optimized instrument panel / passenger airbag door system that uses a reinforced structural 3D-skeleton of PET mesh textile  and polyurethane foam lid. RALF replaces the traditional metal or plastic airbag lid door and offers much improved airbag lid positioning with less risk of windshield breakage. It offers significant weight savings over traditional foam-in-place airbag construction and is cost-neutral.

OEM/Vehicle Ford Motor Co. 2011 Ford Focus compact car System Supplier Faurecia Interior Systems Material Processor Faurecia Interior Systems

Resins PET & PUR

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Automotive-Safety?css=print

Bio-Foam for Instrument Panels

The use of bio-based castor beans for the polyurethane foam in this application provides a partially sustainable alternative to conventional urethanes with 100% petroleum inputs. By reducing petroleum-based content, the carbon footprint of vehicles are reduced, thanks to the CO2 sequestering plants do during their growth cycle.  The bio-foam also provides softness for this foam-in-place application, which required no tooling changes yet saved approximately 15% and was cost neutral.

OEM/Vehicle Ford Motor Co. 2012 Ford Focus compact car System Supplier Automotive Component Holdings LLC Material Processor Automotive Component Holdings LLC

Material Supplier BASF Corp. Resins Elastofoam Balance 27730 & 27731 Foamed PUR Tooling/Equipment Supplier NA

For More Information See: http://www.plastics-car.com/Todays-Automobiles/Auto-Interior/Instrument-Panels.html