FRIMO teams up with Weber to offer automotive in-mold graining solutions

FRIMO, one of the leading developers and providers of system solutions for the manufacture of high quality plastic components, has announced its partnership with Weber Manufacturing Technologies Inc., a fully integrated mold manufacturer, to provide complete In-Mold Graining (IMG) solutions to automakers in North America.

The partnership allows FRIMO to become the first supplier in the North American market to offer a complete, integrated IMG system for manufacturing automotive interiors, including equipment, tooling and process solutions, to its customers. It currently has three projects underway with its Tier 1 customers for 2014-2015 Chrysler and Ford vehicle models.

"Due to increasing demands for quality and appearance, accompanied by cost pressure, more automakers and Tier 1 suppliers are choosing the IMG process to produce grained surfaces for auto interiors," said Jeff Daily, president, FRIMO, Inc. "By combining FRIMO's IMG process know-how and Weber's mastering expertise and high quality nickel vapor deposition (NVD) shell manufacturing, we're able to offer our customers a one-stop shop for IMG solutions, something that was previously unavailable in the market."

"With our experienced team providing in-house master model machining and leather wrapping for any interior soft touch textured part, it's easy to see why our partnership with FRIMO is a natural fit and allows us to supply high quality IMG tooling faster than traditional electroforming methods," said Robert Sheppard, vice president, Weber Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. "Using our NVD technology, we produce stronger, more uniform nickel shells at a rate 20 times faster than electroforming.  NVD replicates authentic textures molecule-by-molecule into a nickel shell at a competitive price, perfect for the IMG process."

The IMG process benefits automakers in several ways, as it offers all the advantages of thermoforming, while meeting all the requirements for an optimal surface with no grain stretch, something which traditional thermoforming processes are unable to do. IMG is an economic alternative to slush skin, spray skin or RIM skin approaches and allows for grain adjustment between different components, different grain-zones on the same component as well as embossing of logos.

As weight reduction is becoming increasingly important with regard to fuel consumption, IMG is also an outstanding solution for lighter weight constructions. This process provides a significant weight advantage over slush skin or spray skin processes.

Although the IMG process was first introduced 10 years ago, FRIMO has made continuous improvements that now enable the process to be used for increasingly demanding interior surfaces and complex geometries.