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Aldor Automotive only supplies car styling products for professional users. Therefore we only apply high-end production methods and materials. The production of our raw parts is contracted-out at carefully selected suppliers.
The mostly used production techniques are:
Vacuum formed ABS
Thermoforming is a plastic fabricating process, in which sheet plastic is heated and then formed over a male or female mould. The mould can be made out of steel, aluminium or epoxy. There are two basic types of thermoforming processes: vacuum forming and pressure forming. Vacuum forming is the mostly applied technique where sheet plastic is heated and formed over a mould by removing air from the area between the mould surface and the sheet. A common thermoforming plastic is ABS.
After the item has been formed superfluous material needs to be removed from the edges. For simple products this can be done by hand machining the edges alongside a special mould. A more sophisticated method is CNC-machining, which is mostly used at complicated products.
Since the wall thickness of vacuum formed plastic can be held very thin, this production method is especially suitable for grille frames, headlight and taillight masks etc. However, even complete skirts can be made using vacuum forming.
The advantages of vacuum formed ABS are:
- Low mould costs - especially suitable for small series.
- Smooth product surface with no pinholes - easy to paint.
The downsides are:
- Complicated 3D-shapes are not possible.
- Relatively much time needed for final machining - relatively high unit price.
- Stiff product - deviations due to production tolerances are difficult to adjust on the car.
Links:
PU-RIM
Polyurethane Reaction Injection Moulding (PU-RIM) technology was developed in the late 1960s. Two liquid components, an isocyanate and a polyol, are mixed in a mixhead just before entering a closed mould. The mould can be made out of steel, aluminium or epoxy. Inside the mould, the mixed liquid undergoes an exothermic chemical reaction. The result is an polyurethane foam which strongly expands in the mould. When the mould is completely filled the pressure starts to rise, causing the product surface to be pressed against the mould wall. In this way the surface gets rigid and closed, while the core keeps its foam structure. The result is a lightweight but strong product.
The mould mostly exists out of 2 halves, which can be opened to remove the ready product. In case of complicated product shapes extra removable elements may be added to a mould. During the production small brims of material are formed alongside the line where the mould halves close. These brims are easily removed with a knife after the product has been taken out of the mould.
The advantages of PU-RIM are:
- Complicated 3D-shapes are no problem.
- By adjusting the PU-mixture the elasticity of the part can be varied.
Examples:
- bodykits and skidplates are sensitive to damage, therefore they are made flexible
- trunk- and roofspoilers often have only a small support areas, therefore they are made rigid to maintain their shape.
The downsides are:
- Relatively high mould costs - only suitable for bigger series.
- Surface can show pinholes - filling is necessary before painting.
Links:
http://www.aldorautomotive.com/content/view/30/75/lang,en/
Blow moulded ABS/(M)PPE
The most sophisticated method for the production of hollow plastic objects (like spoilers) in large quantities is Extrusion Blow Molding (EBM). However, the required machinery and steel moulds are expensive, so that this technique is only used at very large series.
At EBM plastic is melted and extruded into a hollow tube (a parison). This parison is captured by closing it into a cooled metal mould. Air is then blown into the parison, so that it is pressed against the walls of the mould and forms into the desired shape. After the plastic has cooled sufficiently, the mould is opened and the part is ejected. The resulting product is even lighter and stronger than PU-RIM. Common blow moulding plastics for spoilers are ABS and (M)PPE.
The advantages of blow moulded spoilers are:
- Complicated 3D-shapes are no problem.
- Rigid and strong product with perfect surface quality.
- Large objects can be held light, while hollow.
The downside is:
- High mould costs - only suitable for large series.
Links:
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Production & materials 