Quality assurance method for coated parts

A method for assuring that coated molded articles meet predetermined quality standards, said articles being formed entirely in a mold by a process that includes forming a substrate from a first composition using a first set of process conditions and subsequently, using a second set of process conditions, coating said substrate by injecting a coating composition into said mold and allowing said coating composition to cure on said substrate so as to provide a coated molded article, said method comprising:

• a) Inspecting a first coated molded article manufactured by the process after said article is removed from said mold;
• b) determining whether said coated molded article meets quality standards for substrate formation and, if the article does not meet such standards, modifying the substrate formation step of the process by adjusting one or more of first composition injection volume, first composition Injection temperature, first composition injection pressure, and substrate molding pressure;
• and
• c) determining whether said coated molded article meets quality standards for coating and, if the article does not meet such standards, modifying the coating step of the process by adjusting one or more of cure time, injection time, injection pressure, injection volume, injection temperature, and mold temperature at injection of said coating composition, and
• wherein the determination of step (c) comprises determining (i) whether said coating is intermingled with said substrate, (ii) whether a surface appearance of said coating is acceptable, and (iii) whether said coating is sufficiently adhered to said article, said mold optionally having a constant volume maintained throughout the process