May
11
Written by:
John
5/11/2011 10:07 AM
Acrylic Accent Panels
The use of Acrylic capped ABS in the manufacture of interior vehicle panels and components offers our customers’ many choices in colors, patterns, and accents.
The materials are extruded ABS plastics, either in black, white, or gray, which have a patterned material layered to the top surface. This pattern can be a solid color, like silver sparkle; metallic looks, like brushed aluminum; or a wood grain pattern, like Burl Walnut. The applied patterns will attain specific characteristics when formed in the thermoforming process and the backing material color will accent the look of the pattern.
When using these material in the thermoforming process, care needs to be taken to keep the draw rati
| Dash Accent Panels and Alternative Acrylics |
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| Burl Walnut Accent Panel |
Carbon Fiber Dash Panel |
Chrome Docking Light Assembly |
o low. That is, the depth of the part needs to be shallow compared to the width and length. This is desirable as the pattern will thin out and distort as the material is formed into various shapes. As the pattern stretches and becomes thinner, the backing material will be revealed. A wood grain on a white ABS sheet will look different than the identical pattern extruded onto a black ABS sheet. We typically will keep the draw ratio at 1.5 to 2.0 times the width in order to maintain the pattern density.
Advantages of this method are numerous. The same part can be drawn from several different materials providing entirely new looks. This means that a vehicle builder can tool up a single dash panel that is used to form many different patterns. This effectively changes the parts so that they can be used in several different boat models without creating new tools. The materials also are very durable and easy to maintain. Simple soapy water clean up is enough to keep materials looking fresh. The resistance to U.V. fading is also robust so panels will maintain their luster even when they are left in the sun for extended periods.
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