HUSKY INTRODUCES NEW QTI SYSTEM FOR LARGE MULTI-MATERIAL AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS
03 November 2006 - Husky Injection Molding Systems

Husky has sold its first QTI system to Southfield, Michigan-based Lear Corporation, which plans to use the equipment for a variety of interior and exterior applications for its OEM customers.

"Our ultimate goal is to deliver what the consumer wants with high-quality components, while finding new ways to improve efficiency and lower cost for Lear and its customers," said Ken Shaner, Lear's Vice President of Manufacturing Engineering. "We believe multi-material automotive applications are an ideal solution in the ongoing quest to improve quality, while maintaining or reducing production and development costs."

The new Husky QTI injection molding system delivers finished, multi-material parts from a single machine and offers:

Improved productivity — Eliminates downstream process and assembly of multiple components.
Improved part quality — One-step molding process virtually eliminates squeaks and rattles, as well as downstream painting or coating.
Production flexibility — Using a combination of materials, colors and molds, the system can produce most large interior and exterior components of a vehicle.
Reduced production floor space — More than 40% savings in floor space versus molding components separately.
"Husky's ability to provide automotive-focused engineering and equipment support at the speed and cost we required was key in helping us develop this technology," Shaner added.

The QTI system is the latest development in Husky's Quadloc machine line and is designed to produce most large interior and exterior components of a vehicle, including body panels, instrument panels, fascias, as well as window and sunroof glazing. The system integrates Husky's Tandem two-mold concept with its Index rotating center platen on a Quadloc two-platen press.

"We believe that the QTI is a quantum leap in manufacturing large, multi-material plastic components," said Jeff MacDonald, Husky's Vice President of Automotive. "The QTI streamlines the injection molding process for multiple materials and colors, with dramatically improved quality and aesthetics compared to traditional multi-process methods."

The concept for the QTI was developed in partnership with Lear at Husky's Detroit Technical Center, which has become the development hub for the company's automotive customers. In the past 12 months alone, Husky has worked on 200 development projects with many of the leaders in the automotive industry.

"Automotive companies in the Detroit area like the fact that they have easy access to a state-of-the-art automotive plastics development facility," said Rich Sieradzki, General Manager of Huskys Detroit Technical Center. "We provide everything from injection molding machines for mold tests to confidential customer work areas to on-site engineering support.

"It's become a place where the automotive industry can develop their ideas and bring them to market at the speed required by the industry."

http://www.husky.ca

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