Considerations in the Development of Co-Colorable ABS Resins for Automotive Interior Trim Applications

The use of color concentrates for coloring unpainted automotive interior trim components made from low gloss ABS resins is a well established practice. Several grades of ABS are used to match the heat and light stability requirements for particular part locations within the vehicle, and each resin requires a different color concentrate formulated specifically for the resin. A potential cost savings exists if some of these color concentrates can be consolidated and still produce parts which meet the color requirements of the automotive industry. This paper discusses the development efforts required to implement such a concept and the benefits that result. The successful coloring of two grades of ABS with one color concentrate indicates that the resin pair is co-colorable.