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In-mold coating (IMC) is used to provide protection against ultraviolet (UV) degradation of reaction injection molded (RIM) polyurethane encapsulated modular windows. IMC is a cost-effective method of producing weatherable RIM encapsulated windows. Coating thickness along with intrinsic UV absorbance plays an important role in providing the needed protection from UV degradation. The effectiveness of various thicknesses of in-mold coatings was measured using a spectrophotometer. The thickness of the in-mold coatings was measured using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Experiments were conducted to determine the desired coating thickness for the IMC process. A statistical analysis was performed on the coating thickness of in-mold coated windows produced under experimental conditions in order to determine the process capability to provide the desired coating thickness. This data was used to establish a lower limit on mean thickness to enable statistical process control.

Should a rearview mirror shatter under impact in an accident, it is important that occupants are not injured by glass fragments that scatter about the vehicle, and that occupants are not injured should they contact shattered glass retained in the mirror assembly. For decades, the safety of prismatic interior mirrors, and of flat and convex exterior mirrors, has been assured by use of antiscattering backings such as tapes or elastomeric layers which are firmly bonded to the rearmost surface of a single mirror glass element. Such backing materials are designed to prevent fragments detaching from the mirror should the glass shatter, and to securely retain shattered glass such that shards do not slide or otherwise displace so as to create a sharp edge or protrusion likely to lead to a lacerative injury. Recently, electro-optic mirrors have been introduced for use both on the interior and exterior of automobiles.