In its 35-year history, Legendary Auto Interiors produced its own PVC sheet for the floor mat production line for the first time. #pvc #processorsedge #technologyinaction

A company that has helped classic car owners restore their car interiors to a new state for the first time in the field of extrusion processing for more than 35 years. About a year and a half ago, Legendary Auto Interiors Ltd. in Newark, New York, worked with Nordson’s EDI team to install the first sheet extrusion line. The sheet production line supports the company's undisclosed number of thermoforming machines, and plans have been made to add more extrusion capacity.

Since its founding in 1983 by owner Martin Beckenbach, Legendary Auto Interiors (legendaryautointeriors.com) has produced hundreds of thousands of soft trim components designed to modify hundreds of vintage car models, including many 1960s American "muscle cars" from the 1940s to the 1990s. From door panels and sun visors to upholstery and carpets, many of these components are cut, sewn and thermoformed inside the legendary headquarters.

So far, the company has relied on external companies to provide flexible PVC sheets for its floor mat production line. "We have 30 years of experience in cutting, sewing and thermoforming, but no experience in sheet extrusion," Beckenbach said. "The Nordson team has played a key role in helping us speed up and manufacture vinyl panels that fully meet our requirements."

Extruder, a 3.5 inch. Polytruder, refurbished. Beckenbach said the transformation includes all electrical, electronic and mechanical components, including a multifunctional mixing screw and a new 100-horsepower AC motor and drive.  

Legendary Auto Interiors produces a series of foot pads, such as this Jeep foot pad.

Downstream, the company repaired an old Johnson 54 inch internally. system. Beckenbach said: “Every nut and bolt, AC motor and drive, gear and gearbox, chain, wire, air and hydraulic system, and heating/cooling system have been replaced or rebuilt. Roll stack, tension gap and winder Restored. The cooling table, gantry and exhaust ventilation system are customized according to our requirements. The rolls have been repaired internally and externally and re-chrome-plated."

The EDI Ultraflex sheet die head is newly purchased and is equipped with a restrictor rod to enhance the control of the sheet uniformity. Nordson dispatched an EDI team to provide start-up services, including practical training on how to operate molds, make adjustments, perform maintenance, and ensure operator safety. 

Legendary Auto Interiors uses 55-inch flexible PVC panels. Wide (53.5 inches available), thicknesses vary from 0.030 to 0.1875 inches. When the system first started, Nordson was there. Nordson Service Technician Rick Crank recalled: “After installing the mold, we showed the legendary automotive interior team how to properly heat the mold to drive off the water in the heater, and then start the extrusion line to remove the remaining polymer in the system. After we explained how to adjust the mold and zone temperature to control the quality and thickness of the plate product, Legendary operators produced high-quality plates that met the required tolerances."

Legendary Auto Interiors equipped its first sheet extrusion line with EDI Ultraflex molds. The mold has a limiting rod to enhance quality control.

A key part of starting the training is to make full use of the restriction rod, which is located inside the mold but can be adjusted from the outside. James Winning, Nordson's regional sales manager, pointed out that Nordson equipped the sheet mold with a restrictor rod, which is suitable for products with a thickness of more than 80 mils. "Together with the standard flexible upper lip of the EDI extrusion die, the restrictor rod is used to adjust the thickness profile across the die width," Winning said. "One of its benefits is to ensure the uniformity of the melt flow just before the nip point between the rollers. This uniformity reduces operating costs and material consumption, and prevents material loss due to surface irregularities."

Beckenbach is very satisfied with the result. "The restrictor rod works perfectly. It is very easy to use and I can perfectly control the bank flow," he said.

Legendary Auto Interiors is using an extrusion line equipped with a new Ultraflex mold to produce its next-generation floor mats as well as customized vintage floor mats. In addition, the new extrusion capabilities will be used to manufacture sheets of various specifications for many other sewing, heat sealing and thermoforming products.

Factors include strong domestic and/or export demand, tighter supplier inventories, and rising raw material costs due to production interruptions. 

Concerns about falling global raw material costs and destruction of demand are forcing prices to fall.

The prices of PE, PP, PVC, and PS are temporarily stable, while PET fluctuates greatly.

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