More design freedom and comfort in the automotive interior
With BASF’s high-tech materials like Elastoflex®, Elastofoam®, Elastollan®, Elastocoat® and Elastoskin® as well as the engineering plastic Ultramid® and plastics additives, modern automotive interior design can be achieved – for processors and automotive manufacturers alike. Apart from the high-class surface quality, the refined feel, look and acoustics and the long service life, the materials convince with efficient production, reliable service and global system solutions.
Emission-optimized instrument panels, acoustically effective roof linings or solid, comfortable seats – polyurethanes and engineering plastics by BASF offer versatile application possibilities for less weight, optimum comfort and low emissions. BASF materials for the automotive interior ensure the following – even difficult – application areas:
With their versatile properties and unlimited application possibilities, our PU systems can make the automotive interior safer, more comfortable and more beautiful. BASF polyurethanes can be adjusted to many different densities, they can be soft or hard, flexible or stiff, they resist hot and cold temperatures as well as many aggressive media.
Whatever your specific needs for your interior application: BASF connects new material developments and services in order to create system solutions which give your interior application the distinctive advantage.
Elastoflex® W – Flexible foam system
BASF provides full systems or special isocyanate solutions for comfortable seats with high productivity even at low densities down to 40g/l. The range of hardness adjustable directly on the application machines allows for different hardness zones in a seat, providing soft feel and strong seating support, even for long use and under dynamic loads.
Elastofoam® I – Flexible integral skin foam
Steering wheels made of the flexible integral foam Elastofoam® I have a soft, comfortable touch combined with a tough outer skin. They are wear resistant and durable, unaffected by sweat, sun cream or cleaning agents. Current systems offer a significant weight reduction down to 340g/l without loss of properties at demolding times down to 60 seconds, naturally at the latest emission standards.
Elastofoam® I – Flexible integral skin foam
Especially in utility vehicles the extraordinary durability of Elastofoam® I parts is appreciated. Pleasant flexibility and haptics are combined with easily cleanable, abrasion-, scratch- and impact-resistant surfaces. Parts can be produced in a cost-effective one-shot process with IMC coating (in-mold coating) which enables a broad range of applications in armrests also with functional joystick controls, handrails or floor mats.
Elastoskin® I – Elastomers for skins
Spraying of Elastoskin® I 4649 offers the opportunity to use open half-molds. After applying the in-mold coating (IMC) of the desired colors the skin is directly sprayed on top by a robot. Due to the controlled 3D application and targeted point operation, skins of high design flexibility are available including undercuts. Latest systems allow for reduced densities down to 750g/l at general wall thicknesses of only 1.0mm. Completed skins are removed from the open mold without having any release agents on the back side perfectly fitting to Elastoflex® E back-foaming.
Elastoskin® I – Elastomers for skins
In comparison to spraying, liquid PU systems like Elastoskin® I 4639 RIM can also be injected into a closed mold filling the gap. This process is faster, has no overspray, and offers a very even skin thickness. Due to the closed mold a very flat and even backside of the skin is possible – and that with a fast, 60 seconds demolding time.
Elastoskin® I – Elastomers for skins
In contrast to spray and RIM processes, which provide separate skin parts, PU also offers the opportunity to be directly injected onto a carrier (e.g. of an I-panel). The specially designed system Elastoskin® I 4659 ROM allows to fill different gap thicknesses from 1.0 to 20mm and directly bonds to the carrier. New processes use two-side mold concepts where in a first step the carrier is produced via injection molding with a thermoplast. After changing the front-side mold, Elastoskin® I is injected on top.
Elastollan® – Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)
Many polymers suffer from aggressive media like sweat, sun cream or detergents. Elastollan® is not affected by these and offers a long-lasting, scratch-resistant surface with a smooth, flexible touch. Thanks to Elastollan®, interior door handles stand out for their high-quality look as well as good touch properties and long service life. Gear lever knobs made of Elastollan® offer a hand-friendly surface structure, are abrasion-resistant and show excellent mechanical and chemical strength.
Elastollan® – Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)
The TPU slush material from the Elastollan® portfolio offers a plug-in solution in convenient skin slush production. In con-trast to PVC, Elastollan® shows uniform properties in hot and cold environments, enabling safe airbag deployment at all conditions. Elastollan® contains no plasticizers, which are known to cause problems with emissions, discolorations and ageing. Depending on design, skin thicknesses down to 0.6mm are possible.
Elastocoat® C – Clearcoat for decorative surfaces
For protecting valuable wood parts, Elastocoat® C clear coating offers a transparent and lightfast solution. It is designed to avoid scratches and even self-heal smaller damages. Latest improvements deal with temperature resistance, reduced emissions and improved processing, which now allows for demolding at half of the original time (45 sec).
Elastoflex® E – Semi-rigid foam system
As instrument panels contain airbags they are safety-relevant parts with extreme requirements. Although the foam must fulfill high durability even at humid and hot environments, it must not hinder any airbag deployment. Elastoflex® E is well-suited for this purpose. The current portfolio, in closed- and open-mold technology, offers low density solutions down to 110g/l at fast demolding times, suitable also for gaps smaller than 5mm. Emissions are extremely low fulfilling new VDA278 and chamber test requirements. They fit to all kinds of surface skins and reduce plasticizer migration of PVC skins without discolorations. Precise laser weakening processes or knife cuts in the airbag section are achievable without being noticable. Special soft grades fulfilling harsh heat and humid aging tests requested by some OEMs are also part of the portfolio.
Although the main target of Elastoflex® E is to provide sys-tems suitable for many OEM requirements and interior applications as “one system for all”, some more specialized grades for particular applications are provided. The main focus lies on fast, easy and very robust processing. Apart from the classic cavity foaming between carrier and skin,
also front-side foaming with a subsequent lamination of surface materials (leather or textile) is possible.
Elastoflex® E – Thermoformable foam with ISO 116 adhesives
Car headliners are the biggest surface to absorb sound and reduce reverberations, though available space and thickness is limited. Elastoflex® E 3943 perfectly fits to this application. It provides acoustic active headliner parts of high stiffness and very low emissions at an extreme low density of 22-35g/l. In combination with the adhesive series ISO 116 parts with several top floors are available at high productivity ranges and low scrap rates.
Elastoflex® E and Elastolit® D – Semi-structural foams
Elastoflex® E 3532 is the ideal resin to realize extremely lightweight honeycomb-sandwich structures due to easy and fast processing. No matter which part size, using our thermo-activated systems ensures thorough wetting of the fibers, a firm bond with the sandwich core and a rapid curing. Due to its excellent mold-release properties, tailored rheological profile and low-tempera-ture curing mechanism, a resource-saving efficiency in the whole production process is given.
Travel light and comfortable with superior quality for high-class surfaces: The Elastoskin® spray skin for interior applications sets new standards. It is a polyurethane spray system for high-quality, soft-touch surfaces for instrument panels, door modules and center consoles – in the car and commercial vehicle segments.
We offer a comprehensive range of products with a broad variety of property profiles. Find the right product for you!