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Tech Profile: Door Panel Carriers.
Tech Profile: Door Panel Carriers.
Tech Profile: Door Panel Carriers.
European passenger car door panel carriers are mostly made of natural fibre boards, accounting for 2/3 of the production volume in 2002. However, plastics carriers are gaining market share, with injection-molded polypropylene or ABS carriers showing the best cost/benefit ratio. Polyproylene carriers need expensive surface treatment for lamination of soft coverstock foils, that is why low-pressure molding (LPM) of a polypropylene carrier on the backside of a soft coverstock is an interesting alternative to ahesive-lamination.
Low-pressure-molding technology (LPM) was a Japanese domain until the introduction of the BMW 3 series door-panels in 1998. Since then, MCC Smart, Mercedes, Opel and VW are using LPM door panels, mainly in the B and lower C segment. Audi and Volvo will follow in 2004.
Molders are Magna/Intier-Eybl, Johnson Controls, Peguform, Faurecia and Findlay. LPM technology is a complement to their injectionmolding business.
Substrate is mainly unfilled or talcum-filled poypropylene. It is traditionally molded on fabric/non-woven laminates, or pre-formed TPO/PPfoam laminates. However, vinyl-based leatherettes are gaining market share, despite their limited heat-stability needed for this process.
This market survey shows a strong increase of LPM door panels in 1998, due to the start of the 4th generation BMW 3 series. The increase in 2004 is due to the start of the 5th generation VW Golf. Total European car volume using LPM door panels will reach 2.8 million units in 2005 (16%), with a further slight increase between 2005 and 2007
European passenger car door panel carriers are mostly made of natural fibre boards, accounting for 2/3 of the production volume in 2002. However, plastics carriers are gaining market share, with injection-molded polypropylene or ABS carriers showing the best cost/benefit ratio. Polyproylene carriers need expensive surface treatment for lamination of soft coverstock foils, that is why low-pressure molding (LPM) of a polypropylene carrier on the backside of a soft coverstock is an interesting alternative to ahesive-lamination.
Low-pressure-molding technology (LPM) was a Japanese domain until the introduction of the BMW 3 series door-panels in 1998. Since then, MCC Smart, Mercedes, Opel and VW are using LPM door panels, mainly in the B and lower C segment. Audi and Volvo will follow in 2004.
Molders are Magna/Intier-Eybl, Johnson Controls, Peguform, Faurecia and Findlay. LPM technology is a complement to their injectionmolding business.
Substrate is mainly unfilled or talcum-filled poypropylene. It is traditionally molded on fabric/non-woven laminates, or pre-formed TPO/PPfoam laminates. However, vinyl-based leatherettes are gaining market share, despite their limited heat-stability needed for this process.
This market survey shows a strong increase of LPM door panels in 1998, due to the start of the 4th generation BMW 3 series. The increase in 2004 is due to the start of the 5th generation VW Golf. Total European car volume using LPM door panels will reach 2.8 million units in 2005 (16%), with a further slight increase between 2005 and 2007
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