Outer Moldings

    These components fall into two main families：the first relates to shielding of aestheticdefects such as unsatisfactory sheet joints，and the second is designed to protect body-painted sheets from small impacts. The first family includes roof moldings，typicallyconstant section and small size if compared to molding length. The second includes doorsand body side moldings，constant section or shaped.

    In the cash, of roof moldings，the superposition of side outer panel and roof panel,whatever the assembly process used, can put in evidence the trimmed sheets, requiringprotection against corrosion and waterproof sealing.

    In the case of doors，moldings supply a local protection against little damage occurringin parking operations (for instance, due to door opening contact) or in narrow entrancemaneuvers.

    In the case of the roof, sealing is the primary goal，followed by aesthetics and fittingease；in the case of doors, protection effectiveness, resistance to extraction and scratchingare the main goals，but aesthetics still represents an important target.

    In the case of the roof, the technical reference parameter is the section size to be filledby the molding, usually determined by body side and roof assembly process and commonlynot narrower than 12 mm. In the case of doors，protection effectiveness of the molding is acomplex parameter to evaluate as it is strongly influenced by design, stiffness andresistance of the hosting door itself.