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VW Tiguan Decorative PanelKDK Automotive GmbH

Development of a film insert moulding tool concept for the production of a decorative panel in the VW Tiguan for KDK Automotive.

Drei Automobil-Dekorblenden in schwarz, grau und weiß für den VW Tiguan
Automobil Dekorblende VW Tiguan gespritzt mit Werkzeug der Siegfried Hofmann GmbH

The customer

KDK Automotive GmbH is a specialist in decorative and interior panelling in vehicles. The Tiguan is a compact SUV from Volkswagen with five doors and five seats.

The task

For the VW Tiguan, KDK Automotive produces a decorative panel on the passenger side above the glove compartment. The task for Hofmann Impulsgeber was to develop a robust film insert moulding series tool with high availability for this visually distinctive and demanding component.

The requirement for the tool was mastery of in-mould decoration (IMD) technology. A kind of continuous film is pulled through the tool, on to which the plastic is then injected. A decorative layer of the film is transferred to the plastic, and a finished component is created directly by the machine.

The solution

Film insert moulding poses particular challenges for tools. The film must fit precisely on to the tool surface, because even the smallest warping would be visible as a fold on the finished component.

To ensure that the film clings to the tool, Hofmann’s specialists rely on what is referred to as a vacuum frame. This means that the film is preformed before it even comes into contact with the tool. As a result, the film rests better in the cavity.

With IMD technology, it is also important that the tool does not have any sharp edges that could damage the film. Hofmann can draw on its design experience with a large number of IMD tools.

The success

The tool from Hofmann Impulsgeber enables KDK Automotive to manufacture a finished panel, including a decorative element, in just a single step. Applying the film directly during the injection moulding of the component eliminates the need for time-consuming post-processing, such as painting. In addition, film insert moulding gives the customer a great deal of design freedom and flexibility in the selection of decorative elements. A total of two of these tools for the decorative panel of the VW Tiguan were built for KDK Automotive.

Christian Richardt

Your partner for automotive projects

Christian Richardt
Technical Sales Director - Customer Projects
T: +49 9571 766-9660