Process of making b-pillar covers for automotive vehicle

Abstract

A method of making thin walled covers employing a vacuum mold assembly comprises the steps of effecting a relative movement between a thin sheet of thermoplastic material and the vacuum mold assembly sufficient to form a peripheral seal with a surface area of the sheet and thereafter applying a vacuum to the vacuum mold to draw portions of the sheet about main body forming molding surfaces of molding horns, thin marginal edge molding surfaces of the molding horns, and inturned flange molding surfaces of the molding horns so as to form a plurality of thin walled covers, each with an exterior surface presenting a substantially dimple-free class A surface. The sheet is then separated from the vacuum mold assembly. During separation, the molding horns move so that the surface configuration providing portions of the horns move relatively away from the molded surfaces in an angular direction having a component in a direction to withdraw the thin marginal edge molding surfaces of the molding horns relatively out of the U-shaped marginal edges of the formed thin walled covers. The covers are subsequently cut from the sheet. Each thin wall cover comprises a main body portion having a U-shaped marginal edge along one elongated peripheral extent thereof and an inturned flange along an opposed elongated peripheral extent thereof.