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TPE for
Automotive
Flexible SEBS/SBS-based TPE compounds for automotive mechanical parts - soft-touch grips, interior overmoulds, seals, gaskets, and vibration-damping pads. Compliance-critical applications need qualification to the relevant standard.
15-90A / 40-52D
Shore hardness
range
40+
Farrprene
grades
100%
Recyclable &
reprocessable
Custom
Colour
matched
OUR MISSION
We engineer flexible TPE compounds for automotive mechanical parts, matched to your hardness, feel, and processing requirements.
01
Recommended grades
Suggested FARRPRENE compounds for this sector, matched by hardness and processing. Open a grade for its full datasheet.
| GRADE | HARDNESS | TYPE | TENSILE | TYPICAL USE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FARRPRENE EF651A | 65 Shore A | Extrusion / Filled | 7 MPa | Door/window weatherstrip and glass-run profiles (extrusion) |
| FARRPRENE EF655A | 65 Shore A | Extrusion / Filled | 5 MPa | Sealing and trim profiles (extrusion) |
| FARRPRENE IF801A | 80 Shore A | Injection / Filled | 10 MPa | Firm pedal pads, grommets and load-bearing flexible parts |
Typical average values, not a specification. Request the signed datasheet for current values, and ask us to qualify a compound to your exact requirement.
OVERVIEW
Thermoplastic elastomers replace vulcanised rubber in automotive mechanical parts where a component must flex, seal or feel soft but does not need the extreme temperature range of a cured elastomer. Because TPE needs no vulcanisation step, parts can be injection moulded or extruded on shorter cycles, overmoulded directly onto rigid substrates in a two-shot tool, and reground at end of line. FARRPRENE supplies SEBS-based compounds from 15 to 90 Shore A, plus rigid Shore D grades, for interior trim, soft-touch overmoulds, sealing and trim profiles, and vibration-damping components.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- TPE eliminates the vulcanisation step, so automotive parts run shorter cycles than cured rubber equivalents.
- Two-shot overmoulding bonds TPE directly to a rigid substrate without adhesive or primer, subject to substrate qualification.
- Extrusion grades hold profile geometry between the die and the cooling line; injection grades flow more freely to fill complex tools.
- Any application governed by an OEM material specification, a fogging limit or a flammability requirement needs a separately qualified compound.
02
Hardness selection
Typical Shore A bands by part type. Selection guidance, not a specification - confirm against your own duty cycle. Rigid Shore D grades are a separate range.
| PART TYPE | TYPICAL BAND | WHY |
|---|---|---|
| Soft-touch interior grips and knob overmoulds | 50-70 Shore A | Compliant enough to feel cushioned in the hand while holding its shape under repeated grip loads. |
| Interior mats, bin liners and cup-holder inserts | 60-70 Shore A | Resists scuffing and holds a moulded texture without feeling hard underfoot or under a container. |
| Door and window weatherstrip, glass-run profiles | 60-70 Shore A | Extruded profiles need enough stiffness to stay dimensionally stable and enough compliance to seal. |
| Vibration-damping pads and soft mounts | 15-35 Shore A | Very soft compounds absorb more energy per unit deflection. |
| Pedal pads, grommets and load-bearing flexible parts | 75-85 Shore A | Firm enough to carry load and resist permanent deformation while remaining flexible. |
| Stiff clips and near-rigid components | 85-90 Shore A | Behaves closer to a flexible plastic; bends without cracking but does not compress easily. |
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Questions
engineers ask.
Can TPE replace EPDM in automotive sealing?
- In many interior and secondary sealing applications, yes. TPE seals require no curing, can be recycled at end of line and are lighter to process. EPDM still performs better where the seal sees sustained high temperature or long-term high compression, so a primary under-hood or engine-adjacent seal should be evaluated against the real duty cycle rather than swapped directly.
Which hardness is used for automotive interior trim?
- Soft-touch interior surfaces and grip overmoulds typically sit between 50 and 70 Shore A. Below roughly 40 Shore A the surface marks too easily for a visible trim part; above 80 Shore A it stops reading as soft to the touch.
Does FARRPRENE TPE bond to polypropylene in overmoulding?
- SEBS-based compounds are formulated to bond to polyolefin substrates in two-shot and insert moulding. Actual bond strength depends on the substrate grade, tool temperature and interface geometry, so it should be verified on your own part before production. Contact us with the substrate and part geometry and we will recommend a grade to trial.
Are FARRPRENE grades approved to OEM automotive specifications?
- The published catalogue values are typical mechanical properties, not an approval against an OEM specification. Applications governed by an OEM material standard, a fogging limit such as DIN 75201, or a flammability requirement need a compound qualified specifically for that standard. We can develop and qualify one.
Can TPE production scrap be reprocessed?
- Yes. Thermoplastic elastomers are not chemically cross-linked, so sprues, runners and rejected parts can be reground and fed back into production. This is the main processing difference from vulcanised rubber, which cannot be re-melted once cured.
AUTOMOTIVE TPE
Ready to elevate your
vehicle components?
Our engineering team specializes in developing automotive-grade TPE compounds tailored to your exact performance requirements.