Automotive: Combine molding with blowmolding, with no welding

Automotive plastics parts supplier Röchling Group (Mannheim, Germany; www.roechling-automotive.com), in announcing its 2007 fiscal year results, in which its global sales reached €1.09 billion, also reported the firm has introduced a new processing technology it calls JectBonding which combines blowmolding, injection molding and bonding into a single continuous process, so that molded clips, lugs and other components do not need to be welded to blowmolded parts in a secondary operation. JectBonding bonds the blowmolded and injection molded components while these still are being processed. Injection molding and bonding can either take place at about the same time as the blow molding within the same tool, or after the blowing in a second tool; regardless, both options have synchronous injection molding and bonding. The supplier already uses the process to manufacture charge air tubes for the Opel Corsa and Vectra. JectBonding within the blow mold—so the first option as described above--debuts globally with the charge air tubes for the new VW common rail engines.