WINTERTHUR - Autoneum has further developed its manufacturing process for multi-functional, felt-based inner dashes and floor insulators, supporting automobile manufacturers in the production of lighter, quieter and more fuel-efficient vehicles.

The new line, known as IFP-R3, is characterized by a higher production output, lower maintenance intensity and less material usage, the company said, adding that it was suitable for the manufacture of large components with high acoustic performance which makes the parts particularly suitable for use in sport utility vehicles (SUVs).

The Swiss manufacturer of acoustic and thermal management components bases has based the fully automated IFP-R3 production system on the Rotating Injection Fiber process. The basic material, a felt-fibre blend, is continuously injected into a component mold located in a rotating drum to create stable intermediate products which are subsequently converted into acoustic components.

Compared to the previous model, the IFP-R3 line has two additional feeding systems for the felt-fibre blend that allow a significantly higher production output while simultaneously reducing manufacturing time by 50 per cent. Thanks to the line expansion, large felt mats can be processed into inner dashes and floor insulators that are particularly suitable for all-terrain vehicles and SUVs.

With this system, Autoneum said it is making a decisive contribution to the weight and noise reduction of these globally sought-after vehicle models. As a result of the system adjustment, Autoneum said it also achieves a better environmental performance of the production process, as fewer fibre scrap is generated and can additionally be reused in the component production.

IFP-R3 is already operational in various Autoneum plants and the joint venture company UGN in North America and will in future be implemented at other Autoneum sites in Europe and China.