SOFT SKIN INSTRUMENT PANEL
Soft skin instrument panel offers a unique feel and comfort in the auto interior space while also meeting today’s growing expectations for performance, aesthetics and lightweight initiatives. These combined features means manufacturers and end-use customers favor soft skin instrument panels as the preferred product for today’s automotive interior.
Soft skins for instrument panels are produced using different processing methods and material solutions. The slush molding process is a commonly-used processing method and traditionally used with PVC and TPU. However, the increased demand for lightweight and environmentally-friendly solutions, together with improved performance, ignited the need for new material solutions that deliver on this unique combination of requirements. Kraton TPE slush molding solution is an environmentally-friendly technology that provides customers with the benefits of lightweight and improved aging performance.
In addition to increased performance requirements, there is a demand to develop new technologies that improve cost positioning. Kraton IMSS solution delivers performance requirements such as improved aging performance and lightweight. IMSS is also an environmentally-friendly solution that delivers highly cost competitive positioning compared to existing soft skin technologies.