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How to Spec an EV Interior or Cabin Part: What to Send H-O for a Quote
A fast, accurate quote on a die-cut interior part comes down to nine inputs: the job at each location (NVH and anti-rattle, acoustic lining, HVAC and thermal insulation, or air filtration), the FMVSS 302 flammability requirement, any outgassing limit near glass or optics, the operating temperature, the environment, the airflow and particulate target for a filter, the geometry or drawing, the adhesive and liner configuration, and your prototype and annual volumes.
This guide walks each input, explains why it matters, and ends with a spec builder that assembles your answers into a request you can paste straight into the contact form.
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The application problem: an incomplete spec stalls the quote
H-O Products is a precision die-cut converter, and every interior pad, lining, insulation layer and filter element is made to order from sheet, slab or roll stock cut to your drawing. The concrete problem a buyer runs into is the stalled quote: a request that says "I need interior foam" without the job, the flammability requirement or the gap cannot be turned into a grade and a price without a follow-up.
The inputs below are the same ones an applications engineer would ask for, so sending them up front turns a back-and-forth into a single response.
The first input does the most work. As covered in the companion guides on cabin foams and quiet-cabin design, the part is doing one of four jobs: NVH / anti-rattle (a cushion or friction interface at a contact line), acoustic lining (absorb and damp on a panel), insulation (a light thermal layer on a duct or run), or filtration (an open-cell medium in the air path). The rest of the spec branches from that answer; for a noise, the BSR triage that names squeak, rattle or buzz comes first.
Why it is challenging: the gates are grade-level and the trade-offs are paired
Two realities shape an interior spec. First, the compliance gates are grade-level: the FMVSS 302 burn-rate result belongs to the specific material and construction, and an outgassing screen per ASTM E595 belongs to the grade, so "a compliant family" is not a specification. Second, the deciding values come in pairs: gap with closure force for a cushion, airflow with particulate capture for a filter, weight with temperature for insulation.
One member of each pair without the other leaves the grade ambiguous. The checklist below is organized around those realities.
What to send, input by input
1. The job at each location
List each location with its function: NVH / anti-rattle, acoustic lining, insulation, or filtration. The four jobs map to PORON® microcellular polyurethane, vinyl nitrile foam, Solimide® polyimide foam and reticulated polyurethane respectively, so the per-location list directs the whole review. For a noise, name the mechanism: squeak, rattle or buzz.
2. The FMVSS 302 requirement
State that the part sits in the occupant compartment and must meet FMVSS 302, and note the thickness, because the burn-rate result is a property of the tested material and construction. The requirement gates the grade list before any other property is compared.
3. Outgassing limits near glass and optics
If the part lives near glass, a display or an optic, state the fogging concern and any outgassing limit. Low-outgassing grades screened per ASTM E595 for total mass loss and condensable volatiles cover these locations; saying so up front keeps the grade list honest.
4. Operating temperature range
Send the real range for the location: a dash top in the sun, an HVAC duct, a floor console. Temperature decides where a polyurethane serves and where polyimide's wider range earns its place.
5. Environment
State dry interior, HVAC air path, or humid exposure. The air path adds its own flammability consideration and points filters at flame-rated reticulated grades where required.
6. Airflow and particulate target (for filtration)
For a cabin filter, send the airflow, the allowable pressure drop, the particulate target and the service interval. Pore size in pores per inch and density are chosen from that pairing, balancing capture against airflow resistance with the dirt-holding the interval needs.
7. Gap, closure force and geometry, or a drawing
For cushions, send the gap, its tolerance and the closure force; for linings and insulation, the coverage area and thickness allowance; for filters, the housing geometry. A dimensioned drawing (DXF, STEP or PDF) is the cleanest input, and a marked-up sketch is enough to start a prototype.
8. Adhesive, liner and presentation
Tell us whether parts need a pressure-sensitive adhesive, a liner, a pull-tab, or kiss-cut presentation on a roll. Interior NVH parts live or die on exact placement, so the liner and tab detail is part of the function.
9. Prototype and annual volume, and a target date
Share the prototype quantity, the expected annual volume, and any target ship date. All parts are custom manufactured to order, and minimum production run quantities apply, so the volume shapes the converting approach and the tooling decision. Prototype quantities through full production are welcome.
The spec at a glance
| Input | NVH / anti-rattle | Acoustic lining | Insulation | Filtration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance target | Mechanism + gap + closure force | Coverage area + lining thickness | Temperature range + weight limit | Airflow + pressure drop + capture target |
| Compliance | FMVSS 302 per grade and construction; outgassing per ASTM E595 where near glass / optics | |||
| Environment | Dry interior / HVAC air path / humid; real temperature range | |||
| Build | Adhesive, liner, pull-tab, kiss-cut presentation; thickness or range | |||
| Geometry | Footprint or dimensioned drawing (DXF / STEP / PDF) | |||
| Commercial | Prototype quantity + annual volume + target date | |||
Interior / Cabin RFQ Spec Builder
Job: NVH / anti-rattle (name the mechanism) Mechanism / location: [to be provided] Gap + closure force: [to be provided] Temperature: [to be provided] Environment: [to be provided] Airflow / particulate: [to be provided] Geometry: [to be provided] Build: standard die-cut; thickness [to be provided] Compliance: FMVSS 302 required (occupant compartment) Commercial: prototype quantity [to be provided]; annual volume [to be provided]; target date [to be provided] Drawing: to follow
Illustrative only; confirm against current material data and a drawing review. This builder formats your inputs into a request; it does not select a grade, verify a burn rate, or size a filter. Force-deflection, compression set, temperature, pore-size, outgassing and FMVSS 302 values are confirmed on the manufacturer's current technical data sheet and in an H-O drawing review.
Common failure modes in the spec itself
| Spec gap | Why it stalls the quote | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Interior foam," no job named | NVH, lining, insulation and filtration point at four families | List each location with its function |
| "A noise pad," no mechanism | Squeak, rattle and buzz have three different fixes | Name the mechanism; the part class follows |
| "FMVSS 302 compliant" with no thickness | The burn-rate result belongs to the tested construction | Send the requirement and the build together |
| Filter request with capture target only | Pore choice balances capture against airflow resistance | Send airflow, allowable pressure drop and service interval too |
| No mention of glass or optics nearby | Outgassing-prone grades can fog sensitive surfaces | Flag the location; ask for ASTM E595-screened grades |
| No volumes | The converting and tooling approach depends on prototype versus production scale | Send both prototype quantity and annual volume |
How H-O Products helps
H-O Products is a precision die-cut converter working across EV and battery programs. Once your spec is complete, we recommend a family and grade direction across PORON® microcellular polyurethane, vinyl nitrile foam, Solimide® polyimide foam and reticulated polyurethane, then convert the stock to your drawing: die-cut, kiss-cut, laser or waterjet cut, profiled, laminated, adhesive-backed on liners and kitted.
Documentation available on request includes the material technical data sheet, a certificate of conformance, lot traceability, and first-article inspection, all under our ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system. We do not produce the raw stock and we do not certify the finished assembly; the FMVSS 302 result belongs to the tested grade and construction.
Send the spec, get a quote
Use the builder above to assemble your request, then send it through the contact page with your drawing attached. We will recommend a grade direction and convert samples on your footprint.
Samples typically ship in 3 to 5 business days for common die-cut configurations; standard production runs about two weeks; special orders are quoted to the job.
Family-owned in Winsted, Connecticut since 1971 · ISO 9001:2015 certified · OEMs worldwide send us a drawing — and get back their part.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
What information should I send to get a useful interior material recommendation?
Five things move a recommendation from a guess to a real direction: the job at each location (NVH and anti-rattle, acoustic lining, HVAC and thermal insulation, or air filtration), the FMVSS 302 flammability requirement, any outgassing limit near glass or optics, the operating temperature, and the environment. Add the part geometry or a drawing, the adhesive and liner needs, and the prototype and annual volume, and engineering can match a family and grade direction in one pass.
Why does the thickness matter for an FMVSS 302 requirement?
Because the FMVSS 302 burn-rate result is a property of the specific material and construction tested, including its thickness, not a blanket property of a foam family. A spec that says only 'must meet FMVSS 302' without the build cannot be verified against a grade's data sheet. Send the requirement together with the thickness and construction so the grade can be matched to a documented result.
Does H-O make the raw foam, and is there a minimum order?
H-O is a precision die-cut converter, not a raw-material producer. We buy sheet, slab and roll stock from the material manufacturers and convert it to your drawing by die-cutting, kiss-cutting, laser and waterjet cutting, profiling, lamination, slitting and kitting. Every interior part is made to order; minimum quantities vary by material and part, and prototype quantities through full production runs are equally welcome.
Request a quote for your EV interior & cabin part
Send H-O your drawing or describe the part—engineering reviews every RFQ and converts samples on your geometry.
Last updated · Reviewed by H-O Products engineering (ISO 9001:2015 certified converter, Winsted, CT).
References
- FMVSS 302, Flammability of Interior Materials (49 CFR 571.302). U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- ASTM E595, Standard Test Method for Total Mass Loss and Collected Volatile Condensable Materials from Outgassing in a Vacuum Environment. ASTM International.
- ASTM D3574, Standard Test Methods for Flexible Cellular Materials: Slab, Bonded, and Molded Urethane Foams. ASTM International.
- ASTM D1056, Standard Specification for Flexible Cellular Materials: Sponge or Expanded Rubber. ASTM International.
This article cites general engineering principles and published standards (FMVSS 302 for occupant-compartment flammability, ASTM E595 for outgassing screening, ASTM D3574 and ASTM D395 for force-deflection and compression set, ASTM D1056 for cellular rubber classification). Material names refer to material families H-O Products converts.
Burn-rate, outgassing, force-deflection, pore-size and temperature values are grade- and construction-specific; confirm all values against the manufacturer's current technical data sheet and an engineering drawing review.
All parts are custom manufactured to order and minimum production run quantities apply. H-O is a die-cut converter, not a raw-material producer, and does not certify the finished assembly.