MACHINERY | THERMOFORMING
Electric performance US car manufacturer Tesla is using vacuum laminat- ing technology from Kiefel to produce internal door panelling for its Model X and Model 3 electric cars. For the Model X – an SUV – a PP door carrier is given a surface of TPO film with foam backing using vacuum lamination on an inline Kiefel machine. Kiefel machines also handle the next step in the process – called edge-folding. After success on this project, Tesla scaled up
Right: The door trim of Tesla’s Model X and Model 3 cars is made using Kiefel’s inline vacuum lamination system
production and used the technology for its higher volume Model 3. Four inline vacuum laminating systems are used to produce paneling for the vehicle – laminating the film onto door frames and door upper panels in a cycle time of 50 seconds. Kiefel developed a new inline system concept – including tools that can be changed in just six minutes – for the edge folding. “Tesla will make more than 2,000 Model 3 vehicles per day – so short cycle times and rapid tool changes are indispensable,” said Wolfgang Eglseer, sales manager at Kiefel. Tesla has two plants in the US and two in Mexico
that use this technology. “In the US, we can provide our own local tooling, and a well-equipped technology centre,” said Eglseer.
Lighter load UK-based thermoforming specialist Belgrade Poly- mer Products has developed a bespoke light- weight wheel box for an automotive client. Belgrade produced a wooden prototype mould
– and later and aluminium mould – from which it produced 40 wheel box samples for Doyle’s Commercial Bodybuilding. Doyle’s makes light- weight van bodies for manufacturers such as Renault Trucks. The wheel boxes protect the rear wheels in the van’s interior. Tony Harris, a pattern maker at Belgrade, said
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that size was the main challenge in developing the component.
“Having successfully proved the design with the wooden prototype mould, we moved into full-scale production with the aluminium tool. There is potential for other wheel box sizes in the future.” The wheel box, which is much lighter than
traditional steel products, is made from 6mm thick ABS sheet. Its lightness helps to increase the payload and fuel efficiency of the 3.5 tonne box vans on which it is used. More recently, Belgrade won extra business
from a local supplier of radiator fan cowls for commercial and agricultural vehicles. “Our convenient location helped to finalise our customer’s decision. Their business is growing notably – and keeping us busy thermoforming thousands of fan cowls per year,” said Patrick Burke, general manager at Belgrade. Belgrade manufactures seven different sizes of ABS fan cowl that are fitted as original equipment into vehicles destined for markets such as the US and Middle East. “We have been supplying this customer with
three-quarters of their needs for several years. Over the last 18 months we have secured 100% of their business,” he added.
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