Articles 

Attaching Moldings

2011-02-23

While most moldings are considered cosmetic, they play a very large part in the sale of a product. Few customers wish to see welds, screws, and attachments every time they look at a windshield, doorway, or edge of a product. Coupled with a trend by the ultimate purchaser that the products have “invisible” attachments, the attachment of moldings presents unique and innovative problems. In this day of lightweight construction, the moldings are generally made of plastic. Although a durable material, it has joining difficulties; soft, low pull off strength, thermal properties, easily bent out of alignment, color matching (especially after the product had aged a bit. The fading and changing of color between the base trim and the moldings is a major design concern), ease of assembly, and repair are a few of the negatives that a designer must overcome. On the positive side, the shapes are as varied as could be imagined. Anything that can be molded in plastic is possible. Color, at the onset, can be matched in the molded product. Painting is generally not necessary as it is in metallic parts.