Automotive Wheel Liner

A leading automotive parts retailer reached out to Northern Plastics Inc. to manufacture a custom-made thermoformed inner wheel liner for the Bison Chevy Colorado line of mid-size pickup trucks.

Our team knew exactly what the client required, having built thousands of custom parts for the automotive industry for over 35 years.

The custom inner wheel liner needed to be perfectly contoured to specific dimensions to fit into the wheel well of the pickups. The liner also had to be durable and impact-resistant to protect the wheel well from damage caused by rocks, dirt and other off-road debris.

The inner wheel liner was thermoformed from customer specified, heavy gauge HDPE (high-density polyethylene) using our state-of-the-art 3-Station Rotary Thermoformer outfitted with a 2-cavity aluminum water cooled tool. This allowed us to meet the volume demands of the client with repeatable quality and consistency.

We completed fabrication by using our fully automated 5-Axis Dual-Table CNC Router to trim the wheel liner to the vehicle’s wheel well dimensions. To facilitate installation, we then deburred the edges for a smooth finish.

Our entire process, from start to finish, was documented and monitored to ensure the highest quality output in accordance with ISO 9001 – quality management systems requirements. We later produced a volume of 3000 vehicle sets per year for this particular client, with each unit manufactured to tolerances per OEM standards.

The completed units were manually inspected as per our quality processes and procedures using visual inspections, shrinkage measurements, and radius inspections to ensure that the final product was fit for its intended purpose.

All materials used also underwent strict Level 3 PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) verification and were IMDS (International Material Data System) compliant to meet the specifications of the customer.

Overall, this project showcased our ability to mass produce high quality automotive components that meet the various specifications of the automotive industry. Thanks to our 35 years of experience in thermoforming auto parts and our state-of-the-art tools and techniques, we manufactured the wheel liners in a reasonable timeframe without compromising on quality.

Do you need customized thermoforming services? Let us help with your next thermoforming project! Please feel free to contact us. Our qualified experts are eager to assist you.

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Automotive Wheel Liner Highlights

Custom Thermoforming Capabilities

Primary: Thermoforming
Secondary: CNC Trim
Check Fixtures
Debur
Pack
Equipment Used to Manufacture Part3 Station Rotary Thermoformer
5 Axis Dual Table CNC Router
2-Cavity Aluminum Water Cooled Tool
ToleranceGM Specifications
Material UsedHDPE per Customer SpecificationsMaterial FinishSmooth/SmoothIn process testing/inspection performedVisual Inspection
Shrink Measurement
Check Fixture
Industry for UseAutomotiveVolume3000 vehicle sets per yearDelivery LocationUSA
Standards MetISO 9001
IMDS
Level 3 PPAP
Material Testing
Product NameInner Wheel Liner