Toraypef® and ToraSoft® are used in more than160 vehicle models worldwide. We supply more than 15 laminators, 32 Tier I and Tier II molding companies, and 18 automotive OEM manufacturers. Numerous vehicle components are made with Toraypef® and ToraSoft®, from door panels, instrument panels, and headliners to watershields and air ducts.
Interior Trim:
Toraypef® and ToraSoft® are used in automobile and truck interior cabin components to soften otherwise hard plastic surfaces. As a result, the surfaces have a luxurious feel and enhance the comfort of drivers and passengers.
Foams for vehicle interior trim are usually first laminated to a TPO or a PVC foil skin. The TPO/foam or PVC/foam laminates are typically supplied to a Tier I or Tier II automotive supplier for another processing step in order to create an interior trim component. These steps may include the following:
- thermoforming to a plastic or wood fiber substrate
- assembly by hand with glue or staples to a substrate
- back injecting with a thermoplastic
In thermoforming and hand assembly, the laminates may first be stitched for a decorative contrast.
Ducts and Liners:
Toraypef® is used as a door watershield, a headliner, an HVAC duct, a trenchliner, and other vehicle components. Typically, OEM manufacturers achieve a 90 percent weight reduction in components when they substitute Toraypef® for conventional injection-molded plastics.
Foams used for ducts and liners are typically compression molded or thermoformed. HVAC ducts in particular are formed as two separate pieces and then molded together in “twin-sheet” thermoforming equipment. Nonwoven materials and scrims may be attached to the foam before or after molding.