Skin Light Panel: Attractive, Affordable, Sustainable
The Skin Light Panel is an integrated, single piece of 3D-sculpted mono-material polymer (polyurethane) that wraps around the rear of the front seats, providing an alternative to grained or wrapped plastic panels. It is light, strong, and premium to the touch, and because it can be positioned very close to the seat frame, it is less bulky than traditional panels, allowing up to 20mm more legroom for rear passengers plus a greater range of motion for the seat.
This slimline form also affords significant weight savings. Faurecia’s solution can deliver weight reductions of up to 20% compared to grained plastic and 30% versus wrapped plastic, resulting in greater range for electric vehicles and lower emissions for petrol combustion engines. CO2 performance is also improved, with reductions of up to 11% compared to a grained back panel and 32% verses wrapped plastic.
As the panel is created with a single process, this cuts down on transportation of parts, scrap processing and yield management, all lowering its environmental impact. No thermoforming is needed in its production, which also reduces the panel’s energy requirements.
The Skin Light Panel delivers perfect integration into the complete seat, including rear airbag management, with no additional seams. Its material allows for sharp, dramatic contouring with very precise detailing. It is available in a range of colors and high-definition grain finishes, and it’s possible to sew directly into the Skin Light Panel to attach it to the seat cover without any additional parts.
Faurecia’s innovation was also designed to be affordable, costing around 15% less than wrapped back panels. This saving is achieved without sacrificing quality, with the Skin Light Panel delivering a premium, soft, and high-touch experience to end consumers while maintaining high-performance scratch resistance and life-long durability.
The Skin Light was also designed to be easy to recycle. Whereas other seating panels are made from a mix of materials, usually coated with a thin layer of polyurethane, making them difficult to recycle at the end of their life, the Skin Light is mono-material, so it’s primed for chemical recycling.
Attractive, affordable, and sustainable, Faurecia’s Skin Light Panel offers weight reduction, extra room for rear passengers, improved recyclability, and cost savings – all in a stylish and premium package. It’s an ideal solution for automakers looking to trim costs while reducing emissions and offering their customers a first-class experience.
