Method of manufacturing a honeycomb structure that is to be affixed to an automobile interior component at a desired location to allow impact standards to be met

摘要

A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure that is to be affixed to a desired location on an automobile interior component is disclosed. A mold half is formed with an shape defining cavity that is contoured to have generally the same as the shape of one side of the honeycomb structure that is to be formed. A plurality of vertically indexed straws that, include a central core formed from a first thermoplastic material having a relatively high melting point and an outer layer of second thermoplastic material that has a relatively low melting point, are placed in contact with the shape defining cavity of the mold. In order to form the honeycomb structure, the mold is heated to a temperature that melts the second thermoplastic material but does not melt the first thermoplastic material, thereby allowing the indexed straws to be bonded together and form one side of the honeycomb structure. A cutting utensil is then used to cut the straws and create a honeycomb structure that is to be affixed to an automobile interior component. In one embodiment, the cut in the indexed straws that is made by the cutting utensil creates the same shape in the indexed straws as that of the shape defining cavity of the mold.