Method and mold for forming a shaped laminate

Abstract

A method and mold apparatus are provided for forming and trimming a vehicle inner door panel. The panel is a shaped laminate including a vinyl cover layer and a structural foam backing layer having a glass fiber reinforcing substrate. Upper and lower mold members have peripheral seals which define a mold cavity when the mold is closed. A plurality of movable trim blades are carried by the lower mold member adjacent the seal. The trim blades move among retracted, intermediate and extended positions. Hydraulic rams open and close the mold and move the trim blades. Sheets of vinyl and substrate are placed across the lower mold member and the mold is closed to seal the substrate and vinyl layer about their periphery. As the mold closes, abutment surfaces on both mold members advance the trim blades to an intermediate position to pinch the cover layer against the substrate inwardly of the peripheral seals. A two-part polyurethane liquid foam system is injected into the cavity. The liquid permeates the substrate and sets up within the area delimited by the trim blades. When the foam sets up, the trim blades are hydraulically extended to sever the substrate and cover layer and trim the door panel to its finished shape as the foam fully cures. The mold members are opened, the blades are spring retracted, and the finished door panel is removed.