THE ROLE OF THE

Design Concerns and Imperatives 47
mock-up of the final design or body in white. The chemist’s role is minimal at this
point in the design process.
4.3.2 in t E r i o r DE s i g n
The design staff will develop the interior of the vehicle based on themes such as
rectangular or round AC outlets, door trim panels, seats, ergonomic placements, and
surface finishes on the IP (instrument panel). As with exteriors, sketches are made
and then digital models are created, followed by clay models. Interior colors and
material choices, including paints, fabrics, leather grains, carpets, and plastics, are
made. The chemist’s role here is to help with the choice of interior materials and
finishes of the materials. Injection-molded plastics in interiors, such as instrument
panels, trims, consoles, and sun visors, all have “styled finishes”—a surface treatment
to the injection mold tool to give a desirable appearance or class “A” surface
appearance. Class “A” appearance has curvature and tangency alignments to nearly
perfect aesthetic reflection quality.
In addition, the color of the material must be matched to the theme of the car and
the leather or fabric seats being utilized. Designers will often draw inspiration from
other design disciplines, such as industrial design, fashion, or aeronautics. Research
is conducted into global trends in design for projects two to three model years in the
future. Trend boards are created from this research in order to keep track of design
influences as they relate to the automobile industry. Themes and concepts are developed
to refine vehicle models further.
4.3.2.1 Interior design and Performance
A major role of the chemist in interior design is to utilize coatings and stabilizers to
improve the appearance and life of the product and protect the part from physical
and chemical stress. The automobile industry is setting higher standards to fulfill
the stabilization requirements for vehicle interior coatings. Some of the materials
utilized in interior applications were listed in Chapter 3.
Coatings are generally applied to protect the underlying polymer or other substrate
from mechanical and chemical stress and environmental impact. For example,
the dash is exposed to ultraviolet rays on a daily basis. These rays are detrimental
to the underlying polymer, which must be enhanced to improve the life and appearance
of the dash. In addition to protection, coatings hide the differences in gloss
and shade that occur due to injection molding. These coatings provide a perceived
“higher value” of the product.
Coatings have to be protective and resistant to oxygen, humidity, staining, and
weather. To protect against these effects delaminating the substrate, material stabilizers
are added. There are three general categories of photostabilizers, each functioning
by a different chemical mechanism [3]:
UV absorbers;
radical traps; and
quenchers.