Automated Lamination of Sewn Garments for Vehicle Trim Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing motor vehicle trim parts with visible surfaces made of real leather, imitation leather, and textiles are inefficient, costly, and prone to quality issues due to manual labor, material deformation, and complex assembly processes, particularly when dealing with geometrically complex areas and tolerances.
Innovation Solution
Automating the lamination process using a sewn dress with aligned seams fixed by vacuum on a positive mold, followed by transfer to a laminating tool, where a lining support with adhesive beads ensures precise positioning and bonding, allowing for the use of a one-piece carrier and soft inserts for optimal haptics, and employing polypropylene/polyethylene or polyurethane foam for elasticity and tolerance compensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual lamination of sewn garments is used, then quality and precision of seams can be maintained, but production costs increase and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sewn garment is pre-assembled with all seams completed before the lamination process. The entire garment is then laminated as a single unit to the carrier, eliminating the need for subsequent seam alignment and joining operations. This preliminary assembly approach maintains seam precision while dramatically improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple separate lamination operations for different garment components are merged into a single lamination process. The complete sewn garment, consisting of multiple pieces joined by seams, is laminated to the carrier in one operation, reducing the number of processing steps and improving efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate partial components are laminated and assembled, then complex geometric areas can be covered, but device complexity and assembly costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of laminating multiple separate partial components (armrest, parapet, map pocket) and then assembling them, the entire sewn garment covering all these areas is laminated as a single integrated unit. This merging of operations simplifies the overall process and reduces assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment is constructed from multiple cut pieces sewn together to form the complete coverage pattern, allowing complex geometric areas to be accommodated. However, the lamination process treats this segmented garment as a single unit, maintaining precision while reducing device complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate trim parts are used, then functional and decorative seams can be created, but weight increases due to material duplication
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate trim parts that would normally require duplication of material are merged into a single integrated sewn garment. The garment pieces are sewn together with functional and decorative seams, then laminated as one unit, eliminating the need for additional joining materials and reducing overall weight.
4Productivity
If conventional lamination methods are used, then production speed can be maintained, but quality and rejects are adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The sewn garment is pre-assembled with all seams completed and the entire garment is pre-positioned on the carrier before the actual lamination process begins. This preliminary preparation ensures proper alignment and positioning, maintaining high lamination quality while keeping the production speed efficient.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables cost-effective, high-quality production of multi-part/multi-colored trim parts with precise seams, reducing material duplication and weight, while maintaining the natural feel and appearance of leather, and minimizing surface defects and rejects by accommodating material tolerances and geometric complexities.
Implementation Method 1
existing seams (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) are aligned and fixed to the positive mold (2) on the back of the sewn dress (1) by means of vacuum
Implementation Method 2
the sewn dress (1) is fixed in the laminating tool (4) on the visible side by means of vacuum
Implementation Method 3
a lining support (5) provided with an adhesive coating is used with at least one bead (6) congruent therewith
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing trim panels of motor vehicles with lined visible surfaces made of real leather, imitation leather and/or fabric. The invention also relates to the thus obtained trim panels.