Method and apparatus for molding a soft trim component onto a substrate

An apparatus for making a composite article, wherein the article has a substrate with a first surface including a first area, a second surface, and an aperture defining a closed path from the first surface to the second surface, and a soft trim component applied to the first area of the substrate, wherein the apparatus comprises:

• a pair of mold halves, wherein a first mold half includes a first mold cavity surface upon which to form a sprayed in-mold coating in opposition with the first area of the first surface of the substrate, wherein a second mold half includes a sprue for directing a moldable foam material between the first and second mold halves, and wherein the pair of mold halves is adapted to receive the substrate such that the first area of the substrate is placed in opposition with the first mold cavity surface of the first mold half to thereby define a gap between the first area of the substrate and the in-mold coating while moldable foam material directed between the first and second mold halves flows through the aperture of the substrate into contact with the in-mold coating.