TROY, MICH., November 24, 2008 – Inteva Products, LLC and General Motors have been awarded the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Innovation Award in the materials category, honoring the recently developed polyolefin based material, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) blend for slush molding. The slush molding process is used for interior skins on instrument panels and interior trim. This game changing technology has been incorporated into the General Motors Saab 9-7X and is a significant step towards the goal of an all polyolefin instrument panel. The material represents a first for a North American OEM and parts supplier.
The material was designed to be a “drop in” replacement for PVC and TPU formulations and can be used on existing production equipment. The new material is a unique proprietary blend of compatible polymers. It was developed by Inteva to meet the special processing requirements of slush molding, including the ability to formulate for the very low melt viscosity requirements of the slush process. The material also has a wide processing window, and is ductile to temperatures as low as -35ºC.
The principal benefits of this new material are:
- Thermoplastic material
- “Running change” replacement for Slush PVC and TPU
- Wider processing window than Slush PVC and TPU
- Lower specific gravity provides a 25 percent weight reduction versus PVC at the same skin thickness
- Enables thinner skins than PVC providing additional weight savings
- Low temperature ductility to -35ºC means no fragmentation during hidden air bag deployment at low temperatures
- No discoloration, cracking, blooming or dimensional change during long-term weathering (both painted and mold-in color)
- Low VOC emissions and fogging
- Resistant to scratch and mar
Inteva has granted an exclusive license to A. Schulman LLC to produce and market the patented material worldwide.
About Inteva Products, LLC
Inteva Products, LLC has more than 90 years of experience and expertise, empowering some of the best automotive minds in the industry with global resources supported by more than 3,600 team members in 17 facilities on three continents. Inteva designs, engineers, manufactures, and assembles Interior Systems, Cockpits, Latch and Closure Systems and Door Module and Window Lift Systems for leading OEMs around the globe. Inteva’s integration capabilities provide everything from small component parts to fully integratedvehicle subsystems. Inteva is committed to execute to the highest level possible for all customers to create solutions that meet quality and technical specifications while remaining on time and on budget. For more information visit www.intevaproducts.com.
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