Component Foams Specifically Engineered for Automakers

Guest Author: Isabell Wright, Armacell .

For most major car makers, all parts must be made from materials that are on their approved source list. It’s a competitive business and only the best suppliers with a proven track record of quality, new technology, on-time delivery and service will make the cut. Once a material has been included on the approved source list or our fabricator partners have been selected as preferred suppliers, the task is not over. We must continually maintain or improve our specs to stay competitive and meet the high expectations of auto makers and their supply chain.

Armacell’s foam is used in automotive components such as gaskets for sealing out water, air, dust or noise.

FIAT CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILES

In the 1930’s Chrysler was known for its iconic Chrysler building in New York City and affordable luxury vehicles. Now they are known as a maker of family cars including a hybrid. Armacell makes a number of materials on the approved source list for FCA including Monarch 3091® and EnsoLite® EF0 which meet the MSAY 430 spec. Both have the necessary resistance to UV, weathering and acid. They meet the horizontal burn requirements for interior automotive gaskets. EnsoLite EF0 has the added benefit of being a super soft and conformable, semi-closed cell, crushed foam that works well in applications that require the material to spring back to its original thickness.

Armacell made more than 6 million square feet of EnsoLite SF0 in 2018

TOYOTA MOTOR CORP

For 75 years, Toyota has disrupted the market and revolutionized manufacturing. As a maker of cars that are known for efficiency and reliability, Toyota stands by their brand. It makes sense that they insist on suppliers that do the same. Armacell makes a number of products that meet the tough Toyota TSM 1501G spec for automobile parts. Monarch 8002 is a 100% EPDM bun that has a dependable resistance to corrosive acids, UV and weathering. That means the material will hold up to the abuse auto parts take over time. EnsoLite IG1, manufactured in continuous rolls or sheets, has excellent resistance to oil, fuel and flame. These qualities make EnsoLite and Monarch great choices for gaskets and seals in automotive design.

Click Here to Download the Full Automotive Component Foams PDF.

To learn more about Armacell Products, visit their website – Armacell

To go along with the Component foams, Avery Dennison has put together an in-depth adhesive bonding study which can be found Here.

As flexible material specialists, the CGR Products team offers years of experience in converting foam material into gaskets and components. Our in-house precision cutting services include rotary and flatbed die cutting, kiss cutting, slitting, splitting, knife cutting, and more.  For your next foam project, Contact Us today.

Heat Sealed 3M™ Thinsulate™

CGR Products has been supplying various types of 3M™ Thinsulate™ materials to the automotive market for more than 10 years.  The 3M™ Thinsulate™ NVH material (noise, vibration, and harshness) is used in a variety of applications across many different industries and provides a wide variety of sound absorption and dampening properties.

The Advantages of 3M™ Thinsulate™

3M™ Thinsulate™ NVH Material provides a reliable acoustic solution for various automotive applications.  3M™ Thinsulate™ is engineered to provide high-performance sound absorption.  Specific products are engineered to assist in the creation of lower profile products and reduce mass in the automobile while also reducing noise around the vehicle.  3M™ Thinsulate™ is water repellent to absorb minimal moisture; thus, no need for an additional waterproof layer. It is also resistant to mildew growth, eliminating the risk of unintended odors.

Heat Sealing Thinsulate™

CGR Products supplies custom cut 3M™ Thinsulate™ to the automotive industry utilizing a heat seal around the perimeter of the part.  Some of the benefits of a heat seal include:

• Preventing contaminants into the part.  If your part is located in an area prone to dust, dirt or any other foreign contaminants, a heat seal is an ideal way to keep much of the substance out of the part.
• CGR can supply custom cut Thinsulate™ in a variety of ways, such as individual parts stacked in a box, or perforated on a roll.  If a heat seal is used, the parts will retain their shape and remain stable dimensionally.
• Visually Appealing. If you have a die cut part that is visible, you may be interested in a heat sealed edge. This type of edge will provide a more finished look as opposed to an open, fibrous part.

Keep in mind that for most die cut Thinsulate™ parts, the heat seal is not needed.  However, if there are OEM requirements or if you are looking at exterior parts, a sealed part may be what you are looking for.

Learn More

Consider CGR Products when you are developing sound and vibration dampening.  With over 140,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space and over 100 top-quality machines, CGR serves a diverse range of clients, including those in the automotive industry. To learn more about our capabilities within this field, download our automotive application guide, or visit our Sample Gallery to view a portfolio encompassing all the industries we serve.

A Record Year for Auto Sales

Last year was a record year for the auto industry, which seems to have finally bounced back from bailouts and recession woes. Americans were out in full force buying new cars and trucks, a far cry from the near hopeless automotive sector of 2008. The most popular vehicle of the year proved to be Ford’s F-150 truck, which sold 763,402 models in 2013, about 40% of the entire truck market. Overall, 15.6 million vehicles were purchased in the U.S., prompting an 8% increase in auto sales year over year. These strong sales were not only good for the automakers themselves, but our economy as a whole.

Jerry Hirsch of the LA Times notes that “Car companies and parts manufacturers have added more than 173,000 jobs over the last four years and now employ more than 826,000 workers in the U.S., according to federal jobs reports. That’s still down from the 1.1 million before the recession, but it represents vital growth, economists said.” That’s big news for a nation that has been struggling with unemployment for the better half of a decade. More demand has sparked production across the country, employing workers and bringing new business to manufacturers throughout the supply chain. Interest in new cars and trucks does not seem to be waning either: this year’s Detroit Auto Show had the highest attendance record in its history.

Not Your Average Tape

You may not even realize that you come across foam tape in your everyday life. It could have even been this morning when you opened your front door! Whenever there is a need to keep out water, dust, or to protect from UV exposure, foam tape can really come in handy. It’s so easy to apply that anyone can do it, which makes it even more likely that you’ve seen it today and may not have even known! CGR makes our product by laminating a tape to the foam with adhesive on one side. A customer can then peel the liner off and stick the foam tape where they want weather stripping. Super easy, super effective.

These insulating tapes are made with closed cell foam and can be found in a long list of applications ranging from acoustical insulation to medical devices to tractors to HVAC equipment. They can form a tighter seal to keep out wind, cold, dust, dirt, water, and UV rays from sensitive equipment and areas. We can make foam tapes as narrow as 1/8” wide and then create long, vulcanized rolls to accommodate virtually any length. CGR can also make tapes in a variety of thicknesses with clean, accurate, and consistent cuts to meet your specific needs. So the next time you open your screen door or roll down your car window remember to take a look at the insulating foam tape!