SLUSH MOLDED SOFT SKINS
Kraton slush molding technology provides manufacturers with a lightweight, environmentally-sustainable solution with improved aging properties. Our thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) technology has enhanced features over incumbent products and enables the development of soft touch interior applications using current processing assets.
The new generation slush product offers key benefits including lower density properties that satisfy OEM lightweighting initiatives; the ability to run in existing slush processes without additional tooling; and long-term aging advantages such as safe airbag deployment performance over the vehicle lifecycle.
TPE Slush molded skins enable features consistent with current automotive interior design practices and is preferred over IMG Thermoforming and Sprayed Polyurethane (PU). This production process allows manufacturers and OEM greater design freedom and is used to produce a variety of automotive interior components.
APPLICATIONS
- Instrument panels
- Door trim
- Consoles
FEATURES
- Lower density then incumbent materials
- No cross linking, phthalate free and low plasticizer content
- Excellent abrasion resistance/durability
- Cold temperature flexibility
- Enables soft touch haptics
- Design freedom by slush molded process
- Uses existing slush and foaming resources
- The natural color of the material is clear
BENEFITS
- Enables vehicle weight saving
- Improved aging , fogging, VOC, odor performance and no scoreline readthrough
- Meets OEM performance specification
- Safe airbag deployment
- Improved perceived quality
- Enables skin designs with tight radii and aggressive undercuts
- No additional capital investment needed
- Excellent colorability