Aug 02/24
High-Quality Automotive Moldings: Enhancing Vehicle Durability
Since 89% of American adults have driver’s licenses, OEMs have a wide reach across the US. To make your products stand out, you’ll need to create automotive moldings that hold up in a wide range of conditions.
Read on to learn the ins and outs of high-quality automotive moldings and how they upgrade vehicle durability!
How Are the Best Automotive Moldings Made?
Automotive moldings are decorative and protective parts of any vehicle. They’re made from lightweight plastic and protect the delicate parts underneath them.
High-quality automotive trims enhance the look of an automobile, but more importantly, they contain essential components and provide protection to drivers and their cars.
Injection molding is the best process for creating vehicle trim moldings. Manufacturers create custom molds tailored to your OEM’s specifications.
This means that the end product can be in any shape and contain whatever features you want. From decorative dips to holes for nut-and-bolt assembly, the possibilities are limitless.
Then, manufacturers pour molten plastic into the mold. It cools and solidifies, the mold opens, and the part is ready to go on vehicles during the next steps of the assembly process.
What Car Parts Require Durable Car Moldings?
Any high-quality automotive trim upgrades the durability of vehicles. Moldings are essential when creating plastic parts such as:
- Bumpers
- Trunk lids
- Trunk side trims and carpets
- Hoods
- Dashboards
- Steering wheel covers
- Insulation components
- Coatracks
All these parts are critical for protecting each area of your vehicle. They’re not just aesthetic features.
They need to protect the vehicle and ensure that it doesn’t succumb to damage. They can’t break when they hit a curb or succumb to damage from being jostled around while driving.
How Do Car Moldings Enhance Durability?
Injection molds can create car moldings with a wide range of materials.
Polypropylene is the most common because it’s a thermoplastic polymer. Part manufacturers can form it into almost any shape. It’s also chemical-resistant, holds up well in heat, and doesn’t get damaged easily upon impact.
Polycarbonate is another option that’s often used for bumpers and lenses on headlights.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is also available for flexible components while ABS sheet plastic is awesome for steering wheels and dashboard covers. It absorbs impact while providing a sleek look.
These versatile materials mean that OEMs have several choices when looking for durable trim materials.
Moldings also make cars more durable because they can perfectly fit the end product. OEMs can specify exact sizes, shapes, and features for the parts they order. This ensures that they’ll go snugly onto the rest of the car’s body, meaning that they won’t fall off or jostle around.
A precise fit is key to keeping cars from succumbing to weather damage. Elements can’t seep underneath the trim. It also makes the car more impact-resistant since parts won’t fall off easily post-collision.
Create High-Quality Automotive Trims
Now that you know how top-notch automotive moldings can create more durable vehicles, it’s time to begin designing vehicle trim moldings.
Mayco International is committed to designing vehicle parts that match any OEM facility’s precise specifications. This makes every step of the assembly process easier and streamlines your ability to create long-lasting, durable end products.
Contact our team to learn more about why we’re the best automotive supplier for your development, tooling, and manufacturing needs.