Instrument Panel Offal and Substrate Recycling Process

A new process has been developed at the Ford Motor Company Saline (Michigan) Plastics Plant using reclaimed glass reinforced S/MA (styrene maleic anhydride) resin in the production of composite foam instrument panels. This process involves granulating rejected panels and offal and introducing the ground material into a separator/aspirator systemwhich segregatesthe S/MA from other components. The reclaimed S/MA is then blended with virgin material and is suitable for reuse in the injection molding process with no significant adverse manufacturing or performance effects.