Feuchtwangen, Germany – German Tier 1 supplier Rehau Automotive has invested in a KraussMaffei ColorForm system. It is being used by to create front ends for the new breed of electric and autonomous cars.
Battery-powered cars do not need the large air outlet required by internal combustion engines, allowing for a radical redesign of car front ends. Further changes will be required for autonomous driving, as the cameras and sensors demanded by LiDAR and video systems will need to be incorporated along with the headlights.
The ColorForm system now installed at Rehau at its facility in Feuchtwangen includes an MX 2300 SpinForm with spin platen for PUR painting, automation and a RimStar-Compact 8/8 ColorForm metering system. The entire process is integrated into the MC6 machine control system. KM said that it is the only industry supplier to have both injection moulding and reaction process machinery expertise in-house.
The multi-component injection moulding process requires precise timing. First, a decoratively printed IML film is automatically cleaned and robotically transferred to the first mould cavity, where several processing steps create a front panel. It is then coated with a self-healing IMC polyurethane protective layer in the mould. This allows three materials and the film insert to be combined in the finished product before it leaves the injection moulding cell, with no need for any further painting steps.
It is also possible to extend the panel to add lighting functions. The company is cooperating with ZKW to integrate the lighting technology.
“By combining in-mould labelling, injection compression moulding and PUR painting, we want to industrialise an innovative product and process concept for future series development – and encourage our customers to lead the way,” said Axel Oberkampf, Rehau’s head of manufacturing engineering.
