Search Results

The use of Expanded Polyolefin foams including Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) material for interior applications has grown over the years to include applications throughout the vehicle. The demand for weight and cost reduction has forced designers to seek out the most versatile material available to satisfy the need for performance, durability, as well as design flexibility. The role of light-weight materials such as EPP has expanded. As such, the design challenges have also enabled the use of EPP in applications requiring energy management, as well as structural, acoustic, and storage/stowage functions. This paper will review the design guidelines that enable EPP to be used in numerous automotive interior applications. As EPP foam becomes more widely specified, and as the applications become more multifunctional, it is important to understand the potential solutions available to satisfy all aspects of design, performance, quality, and safety.

The industry demand for improved material properties and performance, as well as the ever increasing demand for weight and cost reduction has presented challenges for the automotive industry as a whole. From the plastic materials side, the challenge has been incorporating new fastening and assembling technology into existing applications, all while reducing cost and improving performance. This paper will explore new approaches for assembly and attachment methods for Shape Molded Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) Foam products used in automotive interiors. As EPP foam becomes more widely used throughout the automotive interior, it has become necessary to provide innovative ways of attachment and joining. Recent innovations have allowed for the insert molding of EPP using wireframes, plastic inserts, metal brackets, and bars.