Faurecia makes light sculpted panel for car front seats
October 01, 2015 - France
Faurecia, a pioneer in automotive technology, has developed an innovative light sculpted panel using Cover Carving Technology (CCT) for the front-seat backs of the new Renault Talisman Sedan and Estate.
The Faurecia-patented CCT technology has enabled to offer three centimetres of extra knee room for rear passengers.
In a world first in the D-segment, in series production for the front seat backs of Renault Talisman, the sculpted light panels take the form of a semi-rigid, resistant, flexible and lightweight shell. The Faurecia innovation provides automaker designers with additional freedom, adds to the impression of quality, frees up space and weighs 1kg less per row than conventional plastic seat back shells. The technology also offers premium fit and finish versus traditional soft and rigid solutions.
The highly repeatable manufacturing process requires 80 per cent less tooling cost versus a traditional plastic back panel. It enables both concave and convex embossing shapes, marking and sewing lines. The panel is sewed directly onto the seat cover, with no fixation on the seat frame, allowing for a very flexible application. The CCT sculpted light panel works in close synergy with the Faurecia CMF seat frame as it tightly adheres to the backrest shape to offer a maximum space gain, according to a press release.
Jean-Luc Tété, vice president Comfort & Trim at Faurecia Automotive Seating said, “The Faurecia Cover Carving Technology offers a broad spectrum of industrial and end-user benefits to the automotive market. We are seeing a growing interest of our customers for this breakthrough technology.”
Engineered and developed at Faurecia’s Automotive Seating TechCenter in Magny-Vernois (France), and manufactured on the first European dedicated production line at Faurecia’s São João da Madeira plant (Portugal), the technology is readily available for automakers to deploy in their upcoming vehicles. (GK)