Vehicles
Plastic molding
History (Urethane Foaming Molding)
|
Year
|
Urethane foaming molding
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Instrument Panel
|
Bumper
|
Seat Pad
|
|
|
1970
|
Hot cure introduced (for seat cushions)
|
|
|
X
|
|
1973
|
Hot cure line at Motomachi Plant
|
|
|
X
|
|
Integrated foaming line introduced
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
1977
|
Urethane RIM system developed
|
|
X
|
|
|
1978
|
Semi-hot cure line at Tsutsumi Plant
|
|
|
X
|
|
1979
|
Colored urethane bumper
|
|
X
|
|
|
1980
|
Water soluble surface lubricant
|
|
|
X
|
|
1981
|
Semi-hot cure line at Tahara Plant
|
|
|
X
|
|
Large integrated bumper
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
1983
|
Multipoint injection molding process developed
|
X
|
|
|
|
1984
|
Burr reduced by film adhesion process
|
X
|
|
|
|
1985
|
Urethane injection control process (for location specific pad hardness)
|
|
|
X
|
|
Robotization of pad removal from die
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
Powder slush molding process
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
1986
|
Foaming slush molding process
|
X
|
|
|
|
R-RIM system developed
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
1987
|
Enlarged urethane bumpers
|
|
X
|
|
|
1988
|
MDI (high-cure) promoted
|
|
|
X
|
|
LD5 for cure time reduction introduced (at Tahara Plant)
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Slush molding patents and equipment sold to Goodyear
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
Received the first "Katamu Aoki" prize from the Japan Society of Polymer Processing
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
High-flow materials and high-speed molding cycle
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
1989
|
Freon-free urethane composition for seats
|
|
|
X
|
|
Activities for improving seat finish quality
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
Automation and burden-reducing processes for seat assembly
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
Trimming by water jet
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
IMR material (i.e., switched to material that contains surface lubricant)
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
R-RIM side molding
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
1990
|
Cold back seat line at Motomachi Plant
|
|
|
X
|
|
Surface covering-integrated foamed seat
|
|
|
X
|
|
|
1991
|
Freon-free process
|
|
X
|
X
|
|
R-TPU side molding
|
|
X
|
|
|
|
1993
|
Low-density pads for instrument panels
|
X
|
|
|
|
1996
|
Cold back seat line at Tahara Plant
|
|
|
X
|
|
Slush molding machine and small-to-medium volume foaming equipment
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
1997
|
Module production preparation for instrument panel accomplished
|
X
|
|
|
|
2000
|
In-house urethane bumpers ended (moved to supplier)
|
|
X
|
|
|
2001
|
2.5-minute cure materials introduced (for soft instrument panel)
|
X
|
|
|
|
2002
|
In-house seat pad ended (moved to supplier)
|
|
|
X
|
|
Foaming of invisible A/B door (at Tahara Plant)
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
TPU covering material
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
2003
|
Innovative slush molding machine
|
X
|
|
|
|
1-minute cure materials and fixed die foaming system
|
X
|
|
|
|
|
2006
|
In-line X-ray inspection (for Lexus)
|
X
|
|
|
