Search Results

For generations, fiber felt technologies have been used as a building block in the development of various absorbers and decoupler composites used for automotive acoustics. This development has led to a variety of felt components with increasing complexity in their differentiations. This paper will review the evolution of three generations of felt technologies. Generation 1 and 2 will discuss needled, resinated, and thermoplastic fibers bonded felts by comparing various performance indexes from physical parameters of raw materials, manufacturing processes, product applications and physical characterization along with acoustic properties. Generation 3 will introduce strategies, technologies, and approaches to further simplify the multitude of fiber felt innovations.

Recycling of resinated and non-resinated reclaimed fiber pad, used in automotive applications as sound absorbers and insulators for headliners, package trays, floor insulators etc., has been ongoing for over thirty years. The feedstock for the fiber is a source reduction of textile industry waste, as compared to alternate first use material products. The fibers are actually reclaimed from apparel trim scrap (approx. 700MM pounds of apparel scrap produced annually). The acoustical trim product uses 60 to 100% of the available reclaim apparel scrap - material originally intended for basic necessities such as clothing, and in the case of resinated pad, blends this fibrous material with a binder resin (this only is a first use material.) During pad production, “pre-use” processing and trim scrap are reclaimed and re-introduced into production, up to 70% loading for resinated pad and up to 100% loading for non-resinated fiber pad.

Fiber-bonded insulators are reclaimed textile fibers bonded with phenolic resins. These have been used in automobile interiors and under-hood applications for a considerable time. Odor issues can result with the conventional phenolic-resin bonded molded insulators under improper process conditions. Under improper process conditions conventional phenolic resins can result in the formation of trimethylamine and other amines, which can form objectionable odor in the automobile interior. This paper highlights the process and product development for new low-odor phenolic-resin molded insulator. The materials are characterized by odor performance, mechanical properties and acoustical behavior. The odor issues associated with the phenolic-resin molded insulators have been shown to be eliminated.