You will be surrounded by nonwoven fabric when you enter the interior of a modern car – under the carpet, behind the doorboard, inside the trunk, inside the top of the car, under the wrap, under the wrap, under the seat buffer, and under the firewall insulation.
For automobile purchase managers, first- and second-degree parts suppliers, interior manufacturers and material engineers, knowledge of what a car nonwoven fabric is, how it is manufactured, what performance requirements it must meet and how to assign the right material for each interior application is the basic knowledge for procurement and qualification decisions. This Guide covers all these dimensions of needle-punched nonwoven fabric, which is the main nonwoven fabric technology used in auto interior applications.
What's needle-punched nonwoven fabric?
needle-punched nonwoven fabric is made of mechanical processes in which loose fibres (polyesters, polypropylenes, nylons, regenerated fibres or natural fibres, depending on the application) are placed in a needle-stabbing machine with a needle plate.
Key production parameters — fibre type and Daniel, fibre-net weight, needle density, needle penetration depth and pattern, groceries — determine the density, thickness, stretch strength, surface texture and functional properties of the finished fabric. The performance of the fabric is determined by the number of yarns and weave structures, and needle and non-weave fabrics can be designed to modify these process parameters to allow them to be highly adapted to the different performance requirements of different vehicle interior applications.
Why did auto manufacturers use nonwoven fabric in their interiors?
The use of needle and non-weaving cloths as core interior material in the automobile industry is driven by a combination of functional performance advantages, manufacturing efficiency and cost factors, which together drive non-weaving fabrics to become the preferred material for many interior applications, whereas alternative materials (machine fabrics, foams, natural fibre pads) are not suitable for these applications.
Inhalation and noise, vibration and acoustic roughness (NVH) controls.The interior of the car, NVH (levels of road, engine, wind and internal vibration) is a key quality perception indicator for car buyers. needle-punched nonwoven fabric, especially multilayer or high-density structures, is an effective acoustic material because their three-dimensional fibre structure is used to deplete acoustic energy by friction between the acoustic and fibre surfaces. The falcon insulation is used under the carpet, in the cavity, behind the dashboard, and in the firewall of the engine chamber, precisely because they provide broadband acoustic effects at relatively low area weights — a combination that is difficult to achieve with alternative materials at equal cost.
Insulation.Car interiors require heat management – preventing heat from being generated by engines, exhaust systems and solar radiation, and keeping the car warm in cold climates. needle-punched nonwoven fabric’s fibre matrix contains air that provides effective insulation in firewalls, underside panels, and floor systems.
(c) Stereotyping and heat formation capabilities.Car interior parts — carpet components, luggage liners, door plate boards, roof linings — are not flat; they must meet complex three-dimensional shapes. needle-punched nonwoven fabric based on thermoplastic fibres (especially polyesters and polypropene) can heat up — heat up and suppress complex shapes, and retain them permanently after cooling. This thermoformation allows non-weaving fabrics to form directly into internal components with contours, so that in many applications no additional building blocks are required.
Consistent and even material characteristics.If properly controlled, a needle-stabbing process can produce fabrics that have a high degree of even weight, thickness and mechanical performance in the width and length of the entire production volume. This consistency is essential in vehicle applications, where components are subject to pressure, simulator or layer pressure in mass production – changes in material characteristics between scrolls and rolls lead to the calibration of tools, changes in the size of finished parts, and increased waste rates.
Weight reduction.Reducing the weight of vehicles has been a top priority for the automobile industry as a whole – a reduction of one kilogram increases fuel economy (or prolongs the distance of electric cars) and reduces emissions. Acupunctures do not fabrics have high performance weights and can provide acoustic, thermal and structural functions at lower area weights than many alternative materials. Engineering non-weaving composites (non-weaving fibres with thermoplastic bindings) are increasingly used as a structural basis for internal palettes, as they provide competitive rigid weight ratios at lower density than traditional alternatives.
needle-punched nonwoven fabric's main auto interior application
| Apply | nonwoven fabric function | Critical performance requirements | Typical fibre/structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpets and cushions | Suction under floor carpets provides buffers and size stability for carpet components | Accumulation factor; compression back elasticity; size stability after formation; weight (300-800 g/m2) | Polyester fibres or regenerative PET fibres; medium- and high-density needles |
| Baggage liner/loading floor | Surface cover on the floor and side wall of the suitcase; protection of the body plate from scratches and load noise | Hear resistance; surface appearance; color consistency; thermal formation of the torso shape | Polyester fibres, surface treatment (thermal adhesive or radish surface); 200-500 g/m2 |
| Door plate base/backline | Base structure behind doorboard decorations; door suction | Rigidity and size stability; cryogenic performance (creasure resistance); compatibility with decorations | Polyester or polypropylene fibre composites; thermal model |
| Baseline on top of the car. | NVH upgrades for roof liner assembly and grant base; | Rigid weight ratio; heat formation; layered surface smoothness; wet size stability | Multi-storey spin-free composites (glass fibre/polyester mix); 100 - 300 g/m2 |
| Firewall/platform insulation | Sound insulation between engine and cabin | Sound transmission loss; thermal resistance; flame retardation (FMVSS 302); heat aging stability | High-density polyester or mineral fibre mix; weight (500-2,000 g/m2) |
| Package/back shelf | Horizontal covers in rear trunk areas; beautiful surfaces; many designed speaker panels | Resistability (structural rigidity under self-heaviness and speaker loads); surface appearance; acoustic transparency of speaker applications | Hard-thermal non-weaving composites; surface pressurized fabrics |
| The seat against the back line. | Back cover on the back of the seat; protection of mechanical devices and provision of visual effects in the back seat area | Resilient; physical appearance; compatibility of annexes | Props; medium weight; surface treatment |
| Engine chamber liner | Soundproofing liner under hood; reduced transmission of engine noise to the outside; protection of the interior surface | High temperature resistance; oil and fluid resistance; flame retardation; sound inhaling | High-temperature-resistant fibres (PET, glass or mineral mixture); weight class |
Material specification parameters for non-weaving of vehicles
When a car nonwoven fabric is assigned to the component, the following parameters are usually defined in the material specifications and validated through the material quality control:
Area weight per unit (g/m2).The mass of the unit area of fabric is measured in grams per square metre. This is the basic specification parameter - it determines the cost of materials (more heavy fabric = more fibre = higher cost), acoustic quality and heat resistance.
thickness (mm).Specifies the measurement pressure (usually 0.5 kPa or 2.0 kPa, depending on the thickness of the fabric under ISO 9073-2). Thickness is related to the acoustic performance (the thick fabric usually has a better low-frequency acoustic capacity) and to the size of the component. Compressive behaviour (the thickness under load and the thickness when offloaded) is important for the application of non-weaving materials to compress between other components.
Thrust strength and extension (N/5cm).The force required by the fabric strip of the width of the break-up provision, and the break-out extension longness. This applies to the application of mechanical stress during the formation, installation or maintenance of the fabric, in particular the heat-forming components stretching on complex tool geometry.
Flammability.In the United States, FMVSS 302 sets the maximum combustion rate for the contents. In Europe, ISO 3795 (Equivalent Test) is applied. Flammability can be achieved by using inherent flame retardation fibres (e.g., certain classes of polyesters) or by chemical flame retardation of fibres or finished fabrics.
VOC and fog up.Driven by air quality regulations and OEM's internal air quality programme, modern car interior regulation includes strict restrictions on the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from interior materials. German car standard VDA 278 (VOC and FOG by thermal desorption GC-MS) and related methods are widely applied. Fuzzy (deposition of released volatilizers on the inside glass surface of the car) is tested on the basis of DIN 75201. The nonwoven fabric provider of the OEM project is required to provide material testing data to confirm compliance with the customer's VOC and fogification requirements.
Fibre content and recovered content.The sustainable development requirements of the automobile supply chain increasingly provide for a minimum recovery content, particularly from consumer bottles, PET (rPET). The European manufacturers of original automobile equipment have issued targets for the recovery of endemers and are increasingly requiring GRS (Global Recovery Standards) certification of recovered fibre content.
Common Question Answers
What difference does needle-punched nonwoven fabric and Sticky nonwoven fabric make in auto applications?
Wiggling non-weaving fabrics are produced by pressing continuous long silks directly out of the moving belts and by thermal bonding, thus obtaining relatively thin, smooth, and stable fabrics. Acupunctures are made using shorter preform short fibres, which are mechanically entangled by needles, usually with thicker, looser, more condensable fabrics, and have better acoustic effects. In automobile applications, the glued fabric is usually used for light-quality cover and back-sliding applications, where size stability and smooth surfaces are given priority; and the needle-stabbing fabric is the first selection for sound- and insulation applications, with thickness, perfluence and fibre-strength density determining functionality.
Can needle-stabbing non-weaving car fabric heat into complex shapes?
Yes - Thermal formation is one of the main advantages of needles and non-weaving cloths based on thermoplastic fibres. Heating fabrics to temperatures above the thermoplastic fibres softening point (polyesters or polypropylenes are usually 130-180°C) and then suppressing the three-dimensional shapes required between heat-heated male and female tools. The fabric remains in shape for all time after cooling. The composition of the fabric can be formed as deep and complex as it can be, without tearing or becoming thin — depending on the temperature overlay of the fabric, fibre mixing and unit mass. Samples for new vehicle parts should be tested using the geometry of the actual production tool to confirm the stymmetry before materials are approved.
How can automobile original equipment manufacturers qualify and approve non-weaving suppliers?
At the material level, non-weaving suppliers provide material test data and confirm material specifications that meet OEM (covering all parameters: area weight, thickness, stretching performance, flame retardation, VOC/foggling, etc.). OEM’s material engineering team reviews data and may conduct independent validation tests. At the component level, a level 1 or 2 manufacturer of non-weaving cloths into finished parts (carpets, doorboards, suitcase liners) executes component versions in PPAP (production approval process), including conformity certificates from non-weaving suppliers, as part of the package.
Car nonwoven fabricIt's from Chang Ming-ming.
Ming Yun Yun-Yung Sun-Yong Sook Co. Ltd.The product covers carpet liners and liners, luggage liners, doorboards and roof liner material, as well as soundproofing non-weave fabrics for firewall and engine cover applications. The unit mass ranges from 100 g/m2 to 2,000 g/m2; polyesters, polypropylene and regenerated PET fibres are optional.
Please contact us to inform you of car interior application, performance requirements and the required area weight to obtain samples and pricing.
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