Patent ID: 8343409

Claim:
A molding system for creating a molded-in-color panel, the molding system comprising: a first mold member having a first forming surface for forming a portion of a panel with an exposed surface; a second mold member having a second forming surface for forming a concealed portion of the panel, one of the first and the second mold members being translatable relative to the other to collectively receive a heated resin with a molded-in-color to form the panel, second forming surface having a tolerance such that a height change of a projection along the second forming surface does not exceed fifteen percent of a thickness of the panel; an injector for injecting molded-in-color resin into the first and second mold members; at least one punch provided within one of the first or second mold members, the at least one punch being actuatable to extend through the second forming surface of one of the second mold member and being actuatable to form an aperture through a partially cooled panel; and a nest provided in the first mold member such that the at least one punch extends to through the nest to nest therein, wherein a punch surface of the punch and the second forming surface of the second mold has a height difference that does not exceed fifteen percent of a thickness of the panel so that any projection along the concealed portion ensures the exposed surface of the panel is free of visible flow lines and wherein the height tolerance along the concealed portion ensures that the exposed surface is generally free of flow lines adjacent any projections.