Lear Corporation
Molded loose grain inspection tools and method

Abstract:

A method for molding or replicating leather samples for inspection, selecting and later using those samples in applications such as automobile interiors with leather surfaces that are laminated or have a loose grain appearance. In one process variant, the main steps include choosing original samples for replication, the original samples including a characteristic to be replicated; making a replication tool from the approved samples; and producing replicated molded samples with the replication tool that emulate the original samples, thereby enabling the replicated molded samples to be compared with the original sample.