Molded-in hook fasteners hold auto headliners.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Two U.S. automotive headliner applications are new and dramatic demonstrations of a unique technology that allows incorporating Velcro-style hook fasteners into the surface of injection molded parts. The patented Inter-Mold technology from Aplix Automotive Group, Southfield, Mich., uses a proprietary tooling insert with no moving parts to mold the hooks into the surface of a part. A field of hook-and-loop fasteners can be designed in any shape and size. The hooks have been molded from PP, PE, PS, ABS, nylon, ABS/nylon, K-Resin (styrene-butadiene), TPU, and TPO. Aplix custom molds parts using the technology and also offers it for licensing to other molders.

This new application is nylon 66 headliner attachment brackets for the 2007 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. The brackets with the Inter-Mold hooks are attached to the top side of the headliner. Six brackets around the perimeter of the moon roofs incorporate several hook fields to hold the headliner to the top of the vehicle by attaching to Aplix 800 loop patches on the moon roof. Tel: [phone] * www.aplix.com