High Performance RIM Fascia

Two new RIM polymers for fascia have been developed which provide significant improvements in processing and performance over commercial polyurethane/polyurea fascia systems. These polymers combine improved filler technology with new chemistries to yield a painted surface quality within five “DOI” units of steel, and they exhibit improved dimensional stability, without sacrificing low temperature impact strength.

Compositional modifications of polyurethane precursors provide these benefits in polyurethane/polyurea (PU/UREA) RIM polymers. This chemistry yields high performance fascia desired by the automotive industry.

Polyurea RIM systems, adapted from body panel technology, provide these same desirable characteristics and additionally offer the potential for self-release unassisted by external mold release agents. The increased cost of polyurea RIM chemistry is partially compensated by higher productivity. Performance comparisons show that fascia made from either high performance PU/UREA or polyurea RIM systems are equal or superior in properties and appearance to engineering thermoplastics presently being used for flexible fascia.