Global interiors specialist Faurecia has devised and developed a new technology for vehicle interior surfaces, according to the company’s vice president of industrial design, Andreas Wlasak.
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DaimlerChrysler’s new SLK roadster is the first vehicle to use Faurecia’s polyurethane cast skins to give an extremely high quality, soft-touch finish.
According to Wlasak, so-called ‘slush skins’ are increasingly used in vehicle interiors. Slush skins are normally produced by a spray process, which results in a soft touch but a sometimes-uneven uniformity. However, Faurecia produces the two-tone skins for the SLK by casting them in polyurethane to give a perfectly controlled thickness, which leads to a very uniform surface and thus high perceived quality.
The new casting process also saves production time and reduces the likelihood of squeaks from the door skins, again resulting in a higher perceived quality.
Faurecia is the number one supplier in Europe for door panels and number two worldwide; the sector representing 34% of the company’s sales, second only to the seating division, which achieves 43% of sales.
Mark Wilkinson
