Application engineers at Bayer MaterialScience have developed and tested a production-ready film insert moulding process for Desmopan thermoplastic polyurethane resins (TPUs). The technology combines the recognised surface quality of slush skins (for instrument panels, for example) with the reliability and effectiveness of injection moulding. Substrate materials include both high-end and low-cost thermoplastics or polypropylene. The process is based on thin skins of Desmopan which are joined on one side to a thin mat. This material combination is manufactured in an extrusion coating process by Caplast Kunststoffverarbeitungs, of Nordkirchen, Germany. Measuring up to 2.7m in width, the film material is free of plasticisers but still flexible at low temperatures. It can be back-injected with thermoplastics to form a strong composite with a durable and scratch-resistant surface.
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