Thermoset - EP - Lord Corporation

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-29, Metal Replacement Accelerates In Under-Hood Parts
...lled rocker or cam covers), both newer glass-reinforced nylon 6 and 66 versions and the established thermoset vinyl ester composites are replacing metals by providing weight and cost savings and exten...

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-30, High-Temperature TPE Is Based on Silicone
Automotive engineers are becoming converts to thermoplastic elastomers as alternatives to thermoset rubbers, but they've found that TPEs can't go everywhere rubber can-particularly under the hood. For...

Plastics Technology, 2005-01-06, Engineering Thermoplastic Processes Like a Thermoset
...al production of a dramatically new family of resins that offer the processing advantages of liquid thermosets plus the properties and recyclability of engineering thermoplastics. Cyclics Corp., a com...

Plastics Technology, 2006-02-03, Polyurethane Was a New Attraction at Composites 2005 Show
PUR lumber and utility poles challenge standard thermoplastic and thermoset composites. Other show news included "tool-less" molding and new resins and equipment.

Plastics Technology, 2007-01-08, New "Ultra" Thermoplastics Contend for Top of Performance Pyramid
...Polymers, Alpharetta, Ga., market demand for lighter, tougher alternatives to metals, ceramics, and thermoset composites is driving development of new options at the top tier of the resin performance ...

Plastics Technology, 2007-01-08, New Rubber Types Play Well with Plastics
Plastics and rubber sometimes compete, but they also collaborate. Some new thermoset elastomers from the Performance Rubber business of Lanxess Corp. offer improved processing and performance properti...

Plastics Technology, 2008-10-23, TPEs Move Up the Performance Scale
... of thermoplastic elastomers to process like thermoplastics and imitate the performance and feel of thermoset rubbers has made them stars among plastic materials over the last 10 years. Speedier proce...

Plastics Technology, 2008-10-23, What"s New at the Show in MATERIALS
...s, and LCPs. There"s also news in TPEs, including crosslinkable TPUs with properties closer to thermoset rubber. Also look for a brand-new, high-heat amorphous polyphenylsulfone line. There will ...

Plastics Technology, 2010-03-08, Do"s and Don"ts for Overmolding Liquid Silicone onto Thermoplastics
...or injection molders in recent years, and a growing number of molders are extending that technology thermoset/thermoplastic combinations. In some applications, liquid silicone rubber (LSR) offers adva...

Plastics Technology, 2010-06-01, Getting Started in LSR: Understanding the Materials
...rge in interest for medical, automotive, infant care, and general industrial applications. LSR is a thermoset that offers properties not obtainable with today"s TPEs. LSR has attracted growing at...

Kunststoffe international, Delivering Efficiency Even in Harsh Environments
...development of flying taxis or eVTOL vehicles for both inter- and intra-city travel over the recent years. Light-weight composite material solutions are being considered for structural elements of eVTOL vehicles. In contrast to thermoset resin, thermoplastic composite products based for example on Victrex AE 250 composites have a weight similar to that of thermosets but offer additional advantages. They can be produced more quickly, require less infrastructure to manufacture, are recyclable, do ...

Kunststoffe international, Excellent Resistance at Reduced Weight
The transfer of foam injection molding from thermoplastic to thermoset processing has not yet been implemented in industrial practice. IKV Aachen has investigated this transfer and has precisely analyzed the economic efficiency of the process and the potential for lightweight construction. For years, politicians have been urging the automotive industry to reduce the CO2 emissions of its fleets – and thus above all the vehicle weight – [1–3]. At the same time, a trend towards increased temperatur...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, "Medical Grade" Plastics
...a certificate from the plastics supplier supports a medical application without further testing of the end-products thus remains a case-by-case decision. The following points need to be considered: - Nature of the material involved (thermoplastic, thermoset), - Potential release emission of monomers during the production process and the risks that these monomers present, - the type of additives used during the production process of the end-product (e. g. pigments, demoulding agents and polishing...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Contradiction in Terms?
...o applies to surface materials, e. g. plasticised film materials. Modern stripping methods remove paints and coatings completely and without environmental pollution. Problems do however arise when - the carrier materials cannot be reprocessed (e. g. thermosets), - incompatible carrier materials are combined with each other (e. g. ABS with PP), - materials with low decomposition temperature are combined with materials having a higher processing temperature (e. g. ABS with POM) and - non-detachabl...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Additives: Tough and Heat-resistant: New Silicone Particles for Thermosets
Thermoplastic Elastomers Tough and Heat-resistant: New Silicone Particles for Thermosets Additives A new generation of nanoscale silicone and core-shell particles is revolutionising the modification of heat-resistant thermosets. Even small additions of the new particles significantly increase the impact strength and fracture toughness of reactive resins and other plastics. Jochen Ebenhoch Highly crosslinking reactive resins, such as hot-curing epoxy resins, bismaleimide resins or cyanate resins ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Applications: Thermosets Get Going
Automotive Applications: Thermosets Get Going Metals, thermoplastics and thermosets are all competing against each other in the keenly-contested automotive sector. Thermosets have good prospects for under-the-bonnet applications, in particular, since they combine resistance and stability with the possibility of cost-efficient production. Eva Bittmann The use of plastics in cars not only permits weight reductions and hence energy savings when the car is in service but also makes for more co...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Conference: Lightweight Construction as Magic Phrase
...ainting is a very large factor in overall economics. Naturally, online painting would be ideal in this regard. However, the heat resistance of the blends is not yet high enough to allow this. SMC is used for the tailgate. This was the only thermoset capable of allowing the antenna to be integrated and the spoiler to be moulded on at the same time. This led to a 10% weight saving relative to steel (Wolfgang Meyr, BMW Group, Munich/Germany). Driving dynamics and stability benefit the most from wei...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Industry Revives Business: Thermosets
Trend Report Crosslinking Plastics Thermosets Automotive Industry Revives Business. Improved thermal/mechanical properties and long-term resistance in conjunction with more economical production processes are often the driving force behind new thermoset developments. The industry is enjoying gentle growth at present and inclined to be optimistic. The innovative automotive sector is making an important contribution to this. Eva Bittmann Globalisation and consolidation among manufacturers of ther...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Industry: Innovative CFRP Technology for Volume Production
Automotive Industry: Innovative CFRP Technology for Volume Production A new CFRP technology has the potential to be used for the first time in volume production in the automotive industry for the manufacture of lightweight parts of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics. In motor sports and in aircraft construction, load-bearing parts of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRP) have been used for many years to keep weight down. The prime reason for the outstanding lightweight properties of these ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bonding of Plastics
...ew products in which more and more different materials are being combined, increasing miniaturization (microsystem technology, microinjection moulding) and the production of high-strength composite structures from components with a thermoplastic and thermoset matrix entail bonding technology. A high level of training is crucial before bonding technology and its potential for innovation can be exploited, in order that bonding is not a question of blind faith, as was so often the case in the past,...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, CAD/FEA Integration: Water Pump with Improved Long-term Performance
...ater Pump with Improved Long-term Performance To model engineering components from phenolic resin, Vyncolit uses an FE analysis system. The development of a new water pump for a car engine is used as an example to demonstrate the potential of this thermoset to cut costs, reduce weight and increase the efficiency of a component previously produced from metal. Gerhard Auer Engineering phenolic resins have a range of physical properties that make them ideal for many applications traditionally...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Combinations Enhance Performance Many Times Over
...ades based on different monomers are more difficult; these have considerably lower market shares so far. A further trend in the materials for multi-component injection moulding are combinations of thermoplastics with crosslinking materials, such as thermosets and elastomers. Thermal separation in the mould plays a key role in the combination injection moulding of thermoplastics with crosslinking moulding compounds. Promising approaches are also emerging here in a number of applications. Trends ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compression Moulding of Long-fibre-reinforced Plastics
Compression Moulding of Long-fibre-reinforced Plastics Rolf Liebold, Bretten/Germany Large-area components are produced from both the thermoset materials, SMC and BMC, and the thermoplastic semi-finished products, LFT and GMT. In both sectors, new applications have been developed. The article describes the advances being made in industrial-scale processing. The manufacture of SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) has already been described in detail elsewhere [1] and this article will only cover t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compression Moulding: Highly Precise and Fully Automated
...also remove and deflash the parts. Process fluctuations that stem from the necessary irregularities of manual operation are reduced in this way. The trend towards automated production was also to be seen in the production of parts from unreinforced thermosets. L. Terenzio S.r.l. and Viebahn Pressen Systeme GmbH presented production cells for toilet seats in which the cycle time has been substantially reduced by means of automation. Users can gain a further time advantage by pre-treating the fre...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Continuous-strand-reinforced composites: Multilayer Knitted Fabrics for Rail Vehicles
... with variable sprue and riser system was developed and built (Fig.1.) With the aid of the four mould modules, it was possible to establish if the composite knit fabrics and the reference prepregs were suitable for low-pressure injection of thermoset resins that were designed to meet different requirements on three- dimensional part shapes and prepreg forming [3]. Viapal VUP 4786 BT/81-30 resin (manufacturer: Solutia Austria GmbH) was chosen as the flame-retardant thermosetting resin from the fo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Designing Injection Moulded Parts with FEM
...tresses (possibly also any exceeding of critical strains) and impermissibly high deformations; - If necessary, modification of the geometry and renewed calculation. Materials with Low Extensibility For a mechanical calculation of the geometry of a thermoset material or a chopped strand reinforced thermoplastic injection-moulded part, linear models are usually adequate. With the low strains permitted here, the non-linearity of the material behaviour does not take priority. The Poisson ratio can...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Determining Wear Mechanisms
...as a function of impact angle. The ductile materials mainly include elastomers and unreinforced polymers but also metals. The brittle materials group comprises most fibre-reinforced composites. Glass- or carbon-fibre-reinforced composites based on a thermoset matrix show particularly high wear rates. The effect of impact angle on wear rate and the maximum surface temperature of the elastomer nitrile rubber (NBR) is shown in Fig. 2 on the left. The wear maximum can be seen to occur at low impact ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Development History of Plastics: Growth through Changing Times
...arkers of social change and pacesetters for technological progress. This emerges clearly from a review of their development, which started before the 20th century and has been characterised by steady growth. It all began with galalith, celluloid and thermosets, while today polyolefins and other thermoplastics are the high-volume sellers. The growth opportunities for plastics today still appear to be almost limitless, as is demonstrated in today’s rapidly developing economies of Asia, with China ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Efficient Project Development
...ylinder. The system had to be kept absolutely leak tight with O-rings or integrally moulded lip seals. Sticking of the piston results in permanent braking. Even late release of the brake is not acceptable for racing cyclists. A cylinder design in thermoset material proved very good. However, the brittleness of the material caused connection problems and was unsatisfactory in accident situations. Finally, with the polyarylamide compound (PA MXD6) a very good sliding partner was found for the HS 1...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electrical Engineering: Plastics Go Electric
...iation of the Plastics-producing Industry). With a 25% share, Germany is the largest market, followed by Italy with 20% and France with 17%. Around 56% of applications are accounted for by standard plastics, 35% by engineering plastics and 9% by thermosets. When the statistics are broken down by type of plastic, PVC dominates among the standard plastics with an 18% share, followed by polystyrene (17%), polyethylene (11%) and polypropylene (10%). Breaking the statistics down by individual produc...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Engineering Plastics as a Growth Market
...om Being Exhausted DuPont is aiming to achieve the two-digit growth target in Engineering Plastics not least through various innovative applications. The company still sees considerable substitution-potential with parts still produced from metal or thermoset materials. "To date, we have exploited only 35 % of the acknowledged substitution-potential", estimates Mays. In his opinion, the fact that developing and threshold countries are also starting to produce technical components promise...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Export Champion: Changeover Completed
...sively in Taiwan. Jon Wai Machinery Works, Taipei/Taiwan, is a system supplier in the injection moulding field. The enterprise has existed for 30 years and offers toggle lever machines with closing forces from 60 to 6000 tonnes, machines for thermoset polymer processing with 50 to 500 tonnes closing force, two-colour machines in the closing force range from 150 to 500 tonnes, machines particularly for PVC injection moulding (60 to 1450 tonnes) and for manufacturing thin-walled containers (150 to...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fibre Composites: Bonding Automotive Bodies
...using SMC (sheet moulding compound) [3]. Fibre composites, such as SMC or GMT (glass-mat-reinforced thermoplastics) are established for mass production, while high-performance fibre composites, such as CFRP (carbon-fibre reinforced plastics) with thermoset matrix are suitable for small-series vehicles or technology leaders [1]. Hence, VW’s “1-litre car” has an outer skin made of CFRP [4]. Other examples of CFRP applications can be found in the Aston Martin Vanquish [5]. Numerous SMC applications...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flame Retardants: Flame-retardant Epoxy Resins
Transportation Flame-retardant Epoxy Resins Flame Retardants. While phosphorus-based flame retardants in epoxy resins often showed inadequate processing and material properties, recent work has succeeded in developing phosphorus-containing resins, curing agents and additives with significantly improved properties. Based on an organophosphorus compound, halogen-free, flame resistant epoxy resin systems can now be produced with good mechanical properties. There is no let up in the trend towards u...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flame-Resistant GRP Systems
...ated as superior to non-melting materials but exhibit totally different behaviour in a real fire, the SBI test offers the possibility of testing the materials under more realistic fire conditions. Because of this anomaly of DIN 4102, flame-resistant thermoset materials are often rated as being poorer performers than they actually are. The SBI test is much more realistic in this regard and does not disadvantage or advantage any material on account of its peculiarities. On the contrary, the SBI te...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Healthy Sleep . . .
...s took up when growing.Here thermoplastic systems such as starch or cellulose acetate can be used as they consist completely of renewable raw materials. Due to the high viscosity of the melt impregnating the fibres is clearly more complex than with thermoset matrices, which consist mainly of renewable raw materials, usually chemically modified vegetable oils. The profiles presented in this article were therefore made with a thermoset polyurethane (PUR) system in which the polyols component consi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High Requirements - Low Investment Costs
...fibre mixture. Polymers are to be found on the inside of automobiles, on their outsides, in the motor area and on their undersides. Also transparent parts and thus also associated functional parts are made of plastics today. Thermoplastic resins, thermosets and combinations of the two material types are used. Both the material and the processing procedures are aligned precisely to user requirements. The decision to select a thermoset or a thermoplastic resin is always based on the cost questio...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-Grade Design
...n Sanitary Engineering Eva Bittmann, Herreth/Germany Polymer composites for the sanitary sector display a wide variety of designs and colours, coupled with a high surface quality and pleasant haptics. Use is made here of thermoplastic mouldings, thermoset-based artificial stone and glass-fiber reinforced reaction resins. Washing, bathing, showering, flushing - all these activities require robust materials which will withstand long-term exposure to hot and cold water, bumps and jolts, and c...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-Performance Drives
...ticular requirements. Designs include gear wheel, gerotor, vacuum, rotary piston, vane and diaphragm pumps, and other special variations on these basic principles. Until now there were not many plastics to be found in pumps, usually only in gaskets, thermoset impellers in vacuum pumps and more recently for housings. The interior parts, such as rotors and gear wheels were still mainly metal, principally because of the narrow tolerances required. In view of continually growing requirements on weig...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-temperature Thermoplastic Films: Flexible Printed Circuits
... based on FPCs. In the automotive sector alone – it is estimated – approx. 75% of traditional round cable cord will be replaced by flexible flat cable (FFC) and FPC by 2008. Materials The most common polymer base materials used for FPCs are the thermoset polyimide (PI) and the thermoplastic polyesters, mainly polyethylene terephthalate (PET) [2]. At the moment, the spotlight is also on high-temperature thermoplastics. One such example is liquid crystal polymers (LCPs). The methods employed to pr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Hybrid Technology with Braided Preforms: Ski Poles by Multilayer Technology
...n important development aim is therefore to reduce the risk of injury by choosing the basic materials and their arrangement in the laminate. It must also be possible to print the surface without secondary operations. The first development stage with thermoset matrix material consists in developing a cross-country ski pole that meets the specification. Specification and Resulting Structure Ski poles are standardised according to DIN 7884 and must satisfy various requirements [1]. Under an eccen...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Hybrid Technology: Tailor-made Thermoplastics with Layer Structures and Continuous Fibre Reinforcement
...reforms. Optimised microstructure and interfacial adhesion are crucial to the outstanding mechanical properties of this new class of materials. Modern plastics are characterised by two extremes. On the one hand, there are the highly cost-intensive thermoset fibre-composite materials with strengths many times that of steel, and, on the other, there are the thermoplastic commodity products that are unsuitable for industrial applications where safety is crucial. Combining the advantageous propert...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Impact Modification Of Thermosets
Impact Modification Of Thermosets Addition Of Hygrothermally Decomposed Crosslinked Polyurethane Jürgen Gremmels and József Karger-Kocsis, Kaiserslautern/Germany The impact modification of brittle thermosets with liquid rubber is relatively expensive. An inexpensive alternative is to use hygrothermally decomposed polyurethane as the modifier. The process was tested with the aid of two epoxy resin grades and compared with the conventional method. Thermosets are highly crosslinked, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Injection Moulding and Crosslinking
Injection Moulding and Crosslinking Economical Processing of Polyester BMC and Thermosets Dietrich Hunold and Hans Wobbe, Munich/Germany Thermoset plastic moulding compounds are still associated with outdated processing techniques. Huge innovations in thermoplastic materials, particularly their heat resistance, have even led to predictions of the early demise of thermosets for large-scale plastic applications. However, thermoset processing has caught up. It is now a highly economical, state-of-t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovation through New Processes
...ons) can be processed into components by filament winding using slightly modified machine technology, as has already been demonstrated by an initial series of trials. In the impact penetration test, similar penetration forces are obtained as for thermoset matrices, while the energy absorption capacity of fibre-reinforced plastic composites with an elastomer matrix is 15 to 96 % higher (Fig. 9). Fibre-reinforced plastic composites with an elastomer matrix therefore have great potential, e. g. for...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Integrative Processing Technology: Injection Moulding Processes – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
...tegration of seals or vibration-damping elements. Currently, multi-material injection moulding is concentrated primarily on integration of functions and improvement of surfaces. Development projects are focussed on combinations of thermosetting (cross-linking) resins or ceramics materials with thermoplastics. Foam Moulding Improves Part Properties The direct gas injection technique that has been known for about 35 years – originally, a version of structural foam moulding – is intended to achiev...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Interface Definition: Design of Fabric-reinforced Thermoplastics
... continuous-fibre-reinforced thermoplastics are increasingly used in structural applications. This is not only because of their good mechanical properties, but also because the processing cycle times are often shorter than those for high-performance thermoset fibre composites. Various manufacturers offer preconsolidated semi-finished sheet products, from which parts with a complex formed surface can be produced by matched-die forming [1]. In this process, the thermoplastic is melted and pressed ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, It All Depends on the Blend
...l, since under dynamic loading it can easily propagate and under pressure cause buckling of individual layers and failure of the part [1]. This susceptibility to damage can be improved, for example, by impact modification of the usually very brittle thermoset matrix resins [2]. The disadvantages of modification include high production costs and a greater or lesser drop in stiffness and thermal resistance of the composites. Another way of improving resistance to damage is to use hybrid fibre mate...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Joining Technologies: Lightweight Hybrid Structures
...nsolidation, favourable radial prestresses are formed in the CFRP/metal contact interface. These are determined by the particular thermal expansion coefficients of the materials used. The prestresses can be further increased by using hot-curing thermoset matrix systems, although these make cycle times significantly longer. Hybrid Riveted Joints Many FRP lightweight structures are currently joined with conventional elements such as rivets and bolts, which have as a rule been developed for metals...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Latest Materials and Production Processes: 3D-MID Technology
...lopment and design of three-dimensional circuit carriers. It means, for example, that an electronic device can be manufactured in any desired shape, and it offers maximum integration potential at the same time. Klaus Feldmann Andreas Kunze Whereas thermoset materials are generally used to manufacture conventional printed circuit boards, thermoplastics tend to be the material of choice for the production of moulded interconnect devices (MID). Thermosets consist of close-mesh macromolecules cros...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Less Water
Less Water Polyamides with Lower Water Absorption Jose Poch Parramon, Iserlohn/Germany When incorporated into polyamides, thermosetting plastics reduce their water absorption and improve their rigidity. At the same time, the polyamides retain their normal processing properties. Among engineering thermoplastics, polyamides play a key role, with a consumption in western Europe of some 650,000 t/a. The automotive industry in western Europe alone uses around 250,000 t/a of this material, and...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, LFT-D Processes: Visible Parts from Continuous-strand-Reinforced Thermoplastics
.... The motivatione for using plastics in vehicle bodies stems fromis attributed to their low weight, the high level of design freedom and the possibility of functional integration that they offer. In practice, the key applications of fibre-reinforced thermoset materials have been limited to SMC, LFI and PU-RIM. However, these materials require a high level of postmachining, which restricts their amenability adaptility to mass production. On the contrary Uunreinforced thermoplastics are to be foun...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Lightweight Construction: Natural Fibres in Automotive Interiors
...se semi-finished mats are derived from, for example, secondary raw materials from the wood-processing industry. In the long natural fibre materials group (group2 in Table1), flax fibres are predominantly used at present, which are bonded by either thermosets or thermoplastics. In the thermoset concepts, in these cases, the matrices such as EP resins or PU are applied to the fibres by spraying (e.g. the Duo-Conti process and NafPurTec), and subsequently consolidated and shaped in the press mould....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Liquid Crystalline Polymers (LCP)
...ee reflow soldering method will lead to a temperature increase by 20°C to 30°C and thus create a demand for products with improved properties. At the same time, materials which are resistant to higher temperatures such as ceramics, metal and thermoset materials may be driven out of their existing application areas and replaced by the more cost-efficient injection moulding process with LCP. In addition to the thermal, mechanic and rheological advantages of LCP, special types are developed...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Market for GRP and Thermosets
Market for GRP and Thermosets GRP production will exceed 1 million metric tons for the first time this year. Thermoset moulding compounds have bottomed out. According to the German Reinforced Plastics Association (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Verstärkte Kunststoffe Technische Vereinigung e.V. or AVK-TV), demand for glass-fibre-reinforced plastics (GRP) grew strongly in the third and fourth quarters of 1999 after a weak start in the first half of the year. Overall, the European GRP market grew by 5.9 %...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Materials Recycling
... so far made any impact on the available quantities of such materials. It is anticipated that the EC legislation will have a greater effect. Present Status of Recycling in the Automotive Segment Thermoplastics The fact that thermoplastics - unlike thermosets - can be melted down again makes them basically suitable for reuse at the same level in the value-added chain as before. Thermoplastics are therefore good candidates for economically viable recycling. The best potential for multiple reuse ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Modular Drive Systems in the Spotlight
...tical variants, various customer projects and a cross-section through Arburg’s product range, seldom seen in such magnitude even at the big trade fairs. Interesting applications such as the two-component technique, LSR and thermoset processing also aroused keen interest. The extensive supply of information was rounded off with four expert presentations. Martin Hoyer, Head of Applications Development, gave an in-depth presentation on modular drive systems and proved the advantages of the new spec...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Mould Design: Advances in Injection Mould Design
...n extremely simple idea that nevertheless greatly simplifies setup. Hasco introduced new thermal insulating plates made from a glass fibre-reinforced polymer that are suitable for moderate temperatures and thermal loads up to 220°C. Thermoset-bonded glass fleece insulating plates are the common standard. Insulating plates based on high-temperature thermoplastics that provide the benefit of greater chemical resistance are a new product offered by Brandenburger Isoliertechnik GmbH & Co. The materi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Nanocomposites - En Route to Application
...hesive raw materials to pigment and filler dispersants, ink additives, detergents and cosmetics. Just as versatile in terms of their application are polyester polyols (Boltorn from Perstorp, Sweden) that have been specially tailored for use in thermoset chemistry. Just small percentage contents of epoxy-functionalised, hyperbranched polyester can increase the impact strength of epoxy resins without having to accept the massive loss in stiffness which otherwise takes place. With hyperbranched pol...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Natural Fibre/PP Injection Moulding: The Up-and-Coming Material Group
...t is thus time to take a closer look at these materials. Natural fibre composites have been successfully used in the automotive industry for many years but until quite recently this was always in the form of compression moulded parts. The classical thermoset processes, which use wood fibre or reclaimed cotton as a reinforcing and filler component, are currently being used less and less, while thermoplastic and thermoset compression mouldings with bast fibres such as flax, hemp, jute, kenaf and ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Natural Fibres in Automotive Interiors: All Natural on the Inside?
...while the figure for reprocessed-cotton-reinforced materials was 79000t. The latter were used mainly in lorry cabs. Total production of natural-fibre-reinforced composites therefore amounted to 160000t, consisting of 88000t natural fibres and 72000t thermosets and thermoplastics. On the basis that 5.5 million vehicles (cars and lorries) were manufactured in Germany in 2003, the quantity of natural fibres used per vehicle works out as around 16kg. Other natural fibres were used for automotive ins...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Natural Fibres in Plastic: Compression Moulding of Natural-fibre-reinforced Thermoset Prepregs
Automotive – Compression Moulding Compression Moulding of Natural-fibre-reinforced Thermoset Prepregs Natural Fibres in Plastic. The use of natural-fibre-reinforced plastics continues to increase, particularly in the automotive industry. Natural-fibre-reinforced thermoset prepregs can be compression moulded with fast cycles to produce components with low density and good acoustic properties. Natural-fibre-reinforced composite materials have become established in the automotive industry because ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Online Process Control: Ultrasonic Measurements on Thermoset Moulding Compounds
Reactive Processing Ultrasonic Measurements on Thermoset Moulding Compounds Online Process Control. Ultrasonic sensors in the mould can be used to directly observe the softening and curing of crosslinkable polymers. Deviations in the process are identified immediately and errors eliminated promptly. The targeted optimisation of parameters can greatly reduce the cycle times. Moulding compounds consist of reactive resin/curing agent mixtures and a high percentage of organic and non-organic admix...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Opportunity and Challenge
Opportunity and Challenge 3D-MID: Technologies and Trends Karl Kuhmann, Münster/Germany Roland Dörfler and Gottfried W. Ehrenstein, Erlangen/Germany As an alternative to conventional interconnect technology on the basis of planar thermoset circuit boards, MID technology represents a novel design and manufacturing concept that provides a high degree of functional integration. Well-considered use of MID technology can offer a number of benefits with regard to increased design flexibility, co...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Optimising Safety Systems: Modern Chainmail
...d who can support this hybrid technology in medium-sized to large production runs. It should be capable of producing large-area chainmails, i.e. in a size from 2m¥20m, which are necessary for safety systems. Where thermosets or thermoplastic matrices are used as embedding materials in conjunction with chain mail, extremely high dynamic impact loads can be absorbed. This property is used in motorsports for motorcylcle and Formula1 racing. In the author’s opinion a need has arisen for protection o...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Part Testing: Long Fibre Reinforced Thermoplastics
...o be lowered. These benefits have resulted in constant growth – at a much higher rate than with conventional materials. In view of the ratified EU end-of-life vehicle directive, the unproblematical material recycling of LFT (compared with FRP with thermoset matrices) is also becoming an increasingly important factor. In the past, the tendency was to use LFT for more simple applications such as covers or backings or for parts in unexposed areas, but with the arrival of new material systems optimi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PBT Compounds
...or years, polybutylene terephtalate (PBT) has been experiencing above-average growth rates. The main areas of application are in automotive engineering and the electrical/electronics industry where PBT compounds are increasingly replacing metals or thermoset materials. In the year 2000, 150,000 t of PBT compounds have been processed in Western Europe alone. The material group of polyesters is becoming an increasingly important engineering plastic material. The main representatives of this grou...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PBT Oligomers: Always in Good Form
...ics Always in Good Form PBT Oligomers. A recently developed technology is based on the fact that cyclic butylene terephthalate (CBT) oligomers – i.e. thermoplastic precursors – allow the economic production of reinforced PBT compounds under both thermoset and reactive thermoplastic processing conditions. By varying the process and process conditions, tailored PBT products covering a broad range of properties and applications can be produced. Martin Rösch The semicrystalline thermoplastic polyes...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastic Bodywork: No Steel, No Paint
...ts. Compared to the PP-LFT front-ends made today, which feature a high blend content (e.g. breakthroughs), hoods and roofs are ideal candidates for efficient manufacture by compression methods (less blending, no undercuts). Back-foaming with thermoset PUR systems: A proven alternative to manufacturing large parts consists in back-foaming the film with a glass-fibre-reinforced PUR [8 to 10]. ArvinMeritor has been using this technology since 1998 in the production of the all-plastic roof modules ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastic/Plastic Hybrids: It Doesn’t Always Have to be Steel
...ways Have to be Steel Plastic/Plastic Hybrids. Plastics are conquering new ground which used to be primarily the preserve of metals. Hybrid structures comprising inserts made up of either fabric-reinforced or glass mat-reinforced thermoplastics or thermosets, with injected-on plastic ribbing, have the same load-bearing capacity as comparable structures in steel. Sonja Pongratz Hans Laich If an individual material comes up against its limits, new horizons can be opened up by using a combination...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Positive Market Development: Thermosets
Special: World Market Thermosets Positive Market Development. The importance of thermosetting resins as an engineering material continues to grow. While traditional applications in West European markets are declining in certain segments, innovative products in the automotive industry, for the most part, and noticeable growth in Asia as well as North and Central America are resulting in a positive trend in the worldwide market. The worldwide market for phenolic moulding compounds has grown at a ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Processing of Thermosetting Resins: Pioneering Spirit Needed for Survival of the Species
Processing of Thermosetting Resins: Pioneering Spirit Needed for Survival of the Species Can thermoset processing prevail in the competition for raw materials in the future? To be in with a chance, courage will be needed to use the new processing and mould technologies and the improved materials for more economical working. Joachim Berthold Thermoset processing is still dominated by injection moulding and compression moulding. More than ever before, however, there are moves to make product...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Processing Technologies: Processing Fibre-reinforced Plastics
...es. The components are produced by laying individual, unidirectionally reinforced tapes. Because this method can be used for very large components, in many cases downstream assembly processes are unnecessary. For tape laying technology, both thermoset and thermoplastic semi-finished products can be used. Thermoplastic semi-finished products offer additional advantages over thermosets because they can be better adapted to component requirements. Generally speaking, thermoplastics cause far fewer ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Recycled CRP as Reinforcement for Thermoplastics
...the relatively expensive reinforcing fibres from a fibre-reinforced laminate. The demand or wish for mechanical recycling together with legislation were instrumental in the development of recycling methods for fibre composite plastics containing a thermoset matrix. Added to which, the industry is confronted with high disposal costs for production waste and is required by the German Recycling and Waste Disposal Act to fulfil its product stewardship obligations even at the end of the product'...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Simulation: Even Faster Development of Cylinder Head Covers
...plastics are state of the art for many European automotive manufacturers and in some cases have been used in series production for more than ten years. In the USA, the market for thermoplastic cylinder head covers is developing only slowly. Instead, thermoset components are often used under the hood for fire safety reasons. The European experience and clear cost advantages will encourage the use of thermoplastic components in the USA in the medium term. The Asian market for cylinder head covers ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Technology and New Dimensions
...wide variety of materials. The All-electric Injection Moulding Machine will Arrive Soon The lion's share of Arburg's business is still with the standard machine range. Machines for special applications such as PIM, PET injection moulding, thermoset injection moulding, CD production and chip card manufacture currently account for approx. 10 % of total sales. The main aim is, however, to further improve the quality and features of the standard machines by continuously developing the spec...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Future Role of the Plastics Producers
...pe; Deutschland = Germany; Produktion = Production Fig. 3. World production of plastics according to type, in 1998 [3] (thermoplastics overall approx. 125 m.t.) Polypropylen = Polypropylene; Polyethylen = Polyethylene; Sonstige (Duroplaste) = Other thermosets; PUR = PU; (duroplastisch) = (thermoset); technische Kunststoffe = Engineering plastics; Sonstige = Other

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Journey is the Reward
...nitially over long reference periods and then to subdivide them (i.e., do not estimate small values and then multiply them). A year is a good reference time period because many costs of living are broken down into units of years or months. Example: Thermoset Press As an example of how to determine the cost fundamentals of any production process, consider a thermoset press. It will be used to press flowable thermosets into high-quality visible home parts, such as light switches and plug sockets...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Thermosets
Thermosets Eva Bittmann, Herreth/Germany In the crosslinking plastics sector, alongside considerable restructuring and commercial setbacks, there have also been some successes. Demand in the GRP industry is high, even for specialty moulding materials. Material development is moving in the direction of resins with high heat and chemical resistance coupled with improved processability to ensure rapid production of parts in consistently high quality. In recent years, the thermosets market, li...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Thermosetting Moulding Materials
Thermosetting Moulding Materials Peter H. P. Brinkmann, Martin Kraemer and Christian Kürten, Iserlohn/Germany The importance of thermosetting construction plastics continues to increase. While traditional applications are slightly on the decrease in Western European markets, innovative products primarily in the automobile industry and a clear increase in Asian markets account for a positive world market trend. This report informs about phenolic (PF), urea (UF), melamine (MF), melamine phenol...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Towards Greater Automation
... or eliminates the need for subsequent jointing and assembly processes. Furthermore, the possibility exists of integrating sensor systems in the component during manufacture. Development of a Process for Series Production Tape-placement units for thermoset tapes have already been commercialised and are in industrial use. Thermoplastic tape-placement, on the other hand, is still at the development phase. The use of thermoplastics offers further possibilities for saving time and money. Less regu...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends in Automotive Headlamps
... glasses of polycarbonate (PC) or glass are now used. This has further increased the surface requirements on the visible elements such as the reflector and bezel (Figures1A and B). Where possible, old established materials such as metals, glass or thermosets are being replaced with more lightweight thermoplastics, which are simpler and more versatile to process. This allows the direct reproduction of complicated geometries by injection moulding, and the parts can be used immediately without seco...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Triple Combination
Triple Combination Multi-component Injection Moulding of Thermoplastics, Elastomers and Thermosets Richard Herbst, Eching/Germany, and Friedrich Johannaber, Lohmar/Germany Special conditions will have to be met, if different plastics are to be combined by injection moulding. The latest processing technology employs stack moulds and handling units, for increasing profitability through high output rates from relatively small machines. Gripping and handling systems, combined with magazining f...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Ultrasonic Production Control
...o; is material density and v is the velocity of sound for longitudinal waves. Application To investigate the potential and limitations of the ultrasonic method, the measurements are carried out under production conditions on a laboratory press. Thermoset moulding compounds, because of their short reaction times, allow large series of measurements to be made in a reasonable time. Available moulding compounds include phenol formaldehyde (PF), urea formaldehyde (UF), melamine formaldehyde (MF), e...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, VDI-K Automotive Congress: Progress in Smaller Steps
...sing an intake module for its new 8-cylinder engines in which the length of the intake pipe can be infinitely adjusted (Fig.2). The movable internal assembly consists of several shells made to very narrow tolerances. Vyncolit thermoset, which can be injection moulded, was chosen for this application. New types of air supply elements are being used in the CDI engines of the DaimlerChrysler C and E class models. They are made by 3D coextrusion, which has led to considerable cost savings. The Helmh...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Welding and Overmoulding of Thermoplastic Sheet Laminates
...ied out at the Institute of Polymer Technology (LKT) in Erlangen. Advanced fibre composites based on glass, carbon or aramid fibre woven or non-woven fabrics are excellent materials for developing high-strength, lightweight structures [1]. While thermoset composites have become established in a wide range of applications in recent years, advanced thermoplastic composites are still a young class of materials. The fact that the matrix can be melted opens up new horizons for design, processing an...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-30, Fluoro Polymers: Safe Construction of Chemical Apparatus and Plant
...st the liner of backed material is shaped and welded into its final form so that the backing is initially on the outer surface. Because of the low inherent strength, the parts are supported on the inside. The next step is to apply a FRP thermoset laminate either by hand or by machine to the outer fabric backing and thus to create a full-face join between the liner and the supporting laminate. The title picture shows an extraction tower of FRP-composite construction with an MFA liner. The advanta...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-18, News
AVK-TV. International Conference 2006. The German “Arbeitsgemeinschaft Verstärkte Kunststoffe – Technische Vereinigung e.V. (AVK-Tv)” is calling for papers for the 9th International AVK-TV Conference on Reinforced plastics and Thermosets, which will take place on 12 and 13 September, 2006 at the Kongresshaus in Baden-Baden/Germany. Papers are to focus on progress in the area of reinforced plastics and engineering thermosets. The following topical areas may be covered: market trends, environment ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-31, Implants: Plastics with Programmed Memory
Special Plastics with Programmed Memory Implants. Plastics with shape-memory can "remember" their original shape and resume it again on exposure to heat or UV radiation. Multifunctional materials with an unexpected combination of functionalities, such as biofunctionality, controlled active ingredient release, degradability and shape-memory have a special importance for medical technology, e.g. in minimally invasive surgery. Andreas Lendlein Steffen Kelch Karl Kratz Shape-memory means t...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-02-22, Carbon-fibre-reinforced Plastics (CRP): The Black Gold of Lightweight Building
...has established itself in sports – and is currently highly popular for racing boats. It is also enjoying notable uses in specialty infrastructure, such as bridge building. CRP Means Diversity of Materials. A traditional CRP composite comprises a thermoset epoxy resin matrix reinforced with continuous fibres or fabric. Structural parts are usually made manually from prepregs, which are hardened in autoclaves or under vacuum. Nowadays, other materials and processing possibilities are extending thi...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-02-23, Mass-production Properties: The Possibilities and Limits of RP
...rocesses are (still) modelled more for optimum processing instead of for optimum properties. On the other hand, there are problems in replicating the thermal/mechanical behaviour of a thermoplastic used for mass production by means of a thermoset – rapid prototyping parts are often produced by the use of curable resins. Nevertheless, for functional verification, the use of substitute materials with properties similar to those used in mass production can significantly increase the significance of...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-05-22, Market Overview: Sun over Taiwan
...n Taiwan”. Taking this approach, he has been successful in Canada and North America. His machinery line includes standard machines (D Series) as well as high-speed injection moulding machines, gas-assist machines and thermoset injection moulding machines. At the Taipei Plas, the company exhibited an injection moulding machine (B Series) for processing of liquid silicone rubber. Conclusion. The rubber- and plastics-processing industry in Europe is experiencing increasing cost pressures. The Tai...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-06-29, On-line Control: Process Control for Thermosetting Plastic Materials
Reactive Processing. Process Control for Thermosetting Plastic Materials. Wolfgang Stark, Christian Kürten. On-line Control. Dielectric sensors monitor the cross-linking process right inside the mould during injection. The state of curing is observed continuously, deviations are recognised and cycle times optimised. Free-flowing thermosetting plastic materials, especially in the field of highly demanding applications, have asserted themselves against their thermoplastic competitors [1–4]. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-08, Natural-fibre-reinforced Plastics: Considerable Potential for Improvement
... for polymer-bonded fibre mats. In this process, water vapour and other emissions are eliminated by a vacuum chamber integrated into the press. To bond such mats, BASF has developed Acrodur, a new acrylate dispersion, which cures to form a thermoset film on heating. The production of thin-walled mouldings for the automotive industry on platen presses severely limits the possibilities of component design. Far more functions can be integrated by injection moulding. Previously, in this process, th...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-27, Processing of Semi-Finished Products: Air or Vacuum?
...comparatively low machine and mould costs are only some of the reasons for the success of this process. In the following article, some innovations and further developments in materials, processes and machine technology are presented. Thermoformable Thermoset Foam – a Contradiction in Terms? Until now, only thermoplastic materials have been processed by thermoforming. But recently, BASF AG, Ludwigshafen/Germany, has launched a thermoset material on the market under the trade name Basotect TG, wh...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, A Holistic Approach: Integrated Engineering
...MPI offers nineteen specialised modules for simulating nine different manufacturing processes, including gas-assisted and coinjection moulding, injection-compression moulding and reactive processes such as thermoset, reaction (RIM) and structural reaction injection moulding (SRIM) and microchip and underfill encapsulation. The Moldflow Plastics Advisers (MPA) program assists the designer in predicting and solving potential problems during the design phase. He can thus design the injection mouldi...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, Lightweight Construction: Advances in the Processing of Fibre-reinforced Plastics
...sing the hand lay-up process, however, it is becoming steadily more difficult to keep up with the high piece numbers required and so in recent years intense activity to develop automated lay-up processes has increasingly been observed. Tape Lay-up. Thermoset contour tape laying machines have been in use since as early as the 1970s. These installations are able successively to lay down prepreg tapes unidirectionally reinforced with fibres and by this means to produce automatically flat or slight...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-10-27, Styling: Headlight Components Made from Thermoset Material
E+E Technology Headlight Components Made from Thermoset Material Styling. The latest generation of automotive headlights are primarily styling-driven elements designed for the layman. In car bodies, they help create the typical appearance of a car marque. The complexity of these products in terms of their optical, mechanical and thermal design aspects is hidden from view. The example of a headlight frame made from unsaturated polyester resins shows how mechanical design problems were solved. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-12-06, Metal Replacement: Liquid Crystal Polymer in Springform Baking Pan
... machines and control systems. Component engineering, mould design and mouldmaking are carried out on a process- and cost-optimised basis. In addition to conventional thermoplastics processing, GEC also manufactures thermoset components and can offer experience in multi-component injection moulding, in-mould film lamination and gas-assist moulding. Ticona Ticona, the engineering polymers business of Celanese Corporation, produces and markets a broad range of engineering polymers and achieved ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-01-22, Market Niches are Becoming ever Larger
...aGary, Lucite International, AsahiKasei and Cabot. Accordingly, we have at our disposal a range of products which leaves nothing to be desired (Fig. 1). The only thing we do not have in the range is the standard plastic PVC. Nor are we involved in thermoset materials. Kunststoffe: Is there a particular reason why these two classes of material are not represented in your product range? Kutsch: Our product portfolio is the result of our collaboration with injection moulding firms. Among PVC manuf...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-01-22, Preserving our Cultural Heritage
...but rather employ the word to mean reshaping in the sense of smoothing out minor unevennesses and waviness a few centimetres long in an exhibit. From the viewpoint of polymer specialists, it is not possible to thermoform ("umformen") a thermoset material after curing, but from the perspective of German restorers, careful preheating – even of non-meltable materials – can be used to remove slight deformation and shape irregularities (Fig.1) in a process they also call "umformen". I...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-04-17, Fibre Composite Robot Arms
...e structure of the robot arm with varying wall thickness and fibre orientation is built up with CFRP prepregs. Prepregs are made by pre-impregnating or coating woven fabrics, unidirectional fibre tapes and non-woven fabrics with a reactive thermoset resin system. The word prepreg is a convenient abbreviation of the expression "pre-impregnation". During the course of the pre-impregnation process the thermoset resin system progresses from it’s A-stage, where it is a low to medium viscosity...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-04-17, Tailor-made Matrix Systems for FRPs
...ever, SAN displays clearly higher oscillating strengths than the considerably tougher polyamide matrix (Fig.4). When tested for pulsating fatigue strength under bending stress, GF-SAN and GF-SAN-MA attain strengths that are just as good as thermoset glass fibre epoxy resin composites – materials that count as having a high fatigue resistance. The failure behaviour is also similar to that of a GF-EP composite in optical terms. While GF-SAN, GF-SAN-MA and GF-EP display clear delamination after a t...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-05-14, An Adventure Park for Injection Moulders
...had set up more than 40 machine exhibits showing highly varied applications. These included multi-component and water-assisted moulding, micro-assembly injection moulding, the processing of (foamed) liquid silicone, thermosets and a fully-recyclable bio compound, as well as metal and ceramic injection moulding and the production of medical engineering parts and optical lenses in the clean room. The application-engineering attraction was a dice shaker, injection moulded on an Allrounder 420C from...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-06-18, Formwork Panels Made of Plastic
...fe of plywood formwork panels to 50–80 applications. The subsequent disposal, preferably in the form of thermal recycling, creates problems because of the melamine and phenolic resin constituents in the wooden sheets. The poor UV resistance of thermoset coatings has an especially adverse effect on the appearance surfaces of fair-faced, or exposed, concrete structures because of the yellow and brown discolourations. For this reason, all-plastic composite panels have been used for concrete formwor...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-07-18, Heat Transfer in the Impregnation of Textile Semi-finished Products
... the case of tubes, metal cores with a slightly conical geometry (1 to 2° draft) are often used. After the curing process, the hollow articles are demolded by taking them off the core. At the forefront of industrial production is wet winding with thermosets [5]. In this case, the semi-finished product, between take-off and lay-up on the winding mandrel, is brought into contact with a thermoset matrix material in the impregnation bath. Since thermosets also have some disadvantages compared to t...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Polyarylsulfones (PSU, PESU, PPSU)
...dvantages lie in their economy for production by injection molding, the design freedom which that involves, as well as their capability for direct metallizing by vacuum coating processes (sputtering or steam treatment). Other metal and thermoset parts in automobiles are substituted by glass fiber or carbon fiber reinforced PESU (e.g. oil pumps, drive components, throttle valves, plugs). What is decisive here are properties such as resistance to fuels and lubricants, as well as high dimensional s...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Polyurethanes (PU)
...ted polyester resins cannot match this. In the electrical/electronics industry as well as in the machine building and aerospace industries, requirements regarding the high-temperature resistance and flammability of molded thermoset and composite materials are becoming more stringent. Here, PU cast and impregnated resin systems based on special polyisocyanates and epoxies (Blendur) offer a completely different level of performance compared to standard epoxy and phenolic resins. Their heat deflect...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, Technology being Consolidated
...ration remains simple and easy to comprehend. Vacuum for Higher Quality Lauffer GmbH & Co. KG, Horb, Germany, is well known as a manufacturer of horizontal and vertical automatic plastic compression molding machines with a turntable for processing thermosets and filled plastic compounds such as BMC (Fig. 1). A newcomer in the product range is a vacuum press for rubber processing. The company’s know-how from the field of laminated printed circuit boards and chip cards in which operations are us...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-07-15, Continuous Profiles with Targeted Orientation
...ison with an aluminum profile. Large numbers of the aluminum stringer profile depicted in Figure 1 are used in the fuselages of passenger aircraft to impart longitudinal rigidity. Also shown is an optimized FRP stringer – in this case, with a thermoset matrix produced by batch compression molding. The two types of stringer are compared in Figure 2. The selected fiber orientation allows the momentary case load to be adjusted. The elongation and flexural strength of the FRP profile are on a...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-08-14, Cross-Linked Precision
Thermosets are currently penetrating into demanding applications to replace metals and other materials. The trend is particularly striking in the engine compartment of motor vehicles – where thermosets are proving to be the ideal mateial because of their heat and chemical resistance. A throttle valve body recently developed by Christophery Kunststofftechnik GmbH, Brilon, Germany, shows the advantages of these materials. In the past, the components were made of aluminum, but the lightweight metal...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-09-23, Bonding with Sensitivity
.... The specialist for self-tapping fasteners, Ejot GmbH & Co. KG, Bad Lasphe, Germany, presented three surprises at the same time. The Ejot Delta PT PS is a new type of fastener with a special thread shape (Fig. 4) for assemblies based on thermosets, which because of their hardness and brittleness pose especially challenging requirements. The threads incorporate special grooves, even more pronounced at the tip, for optimum cutting action. They slowly disappear toward the head of the f...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-09-23, Growing Up while Remaining Small
... that favor the large machines that other manufacturers have in their lines. Kunststoffe: Mr. Schiffer, it was a pleasure to speak with you.??? formulation. To satisfy the requirements for production of a high-temperature electronic component from a thermoset material, Boy had to modify the geometry of the 18 mm screw; this equipment (Boy 22A) could also be viewed in operation. The smallest machine, a Boy 12A with a clamping force of 120 kN and a 12 mm screw, molded miniature gears in a ...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Polyarylsulfones (PSU, PESU, PPSU)
...es, the materials must possess very high dimensional stability – especially given the current trend towards more complex designs – because the heat must not alter the shape and orientation of the light cone. The key advantage over thermoset BMC is the possibility of direct metallization. In this process, a thin layer of aluminum is deposited from a vacuum vapor or by vacuum sputtering onto freshly injection molded parts. This market has been well served for some time by polyethersulfones (PE...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS)
...t requires neither halogen nor heavy metal content additives for fire protection thanks to its flame resistance and, moreover, it is recyclable. New material can have up to 30% recycled PPS added to it. PPS is often used as an alternative to thermoset materials that are coming increasingly under fire due to their styrene emissions. And PPS also enables applications that spare the environment either directly, by filtering out environmentally dangerous materials, or indirectly, by saving on energy...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Thermosets
The market for thermoset raw materials after some fierce movements between the mid-1990s and the beginning of the new millennium has now been significantly consolidated. Only comparatively few global suppliers are still operating, these being essentially DSM, Reichhold and Ashland for unsaturated polyester resins, Dow, Huntsman and Hexion in the epoxy resin business while the latter company and Sumitomo Bakelite are prominently competing in the field of thermoset molding compounds. Close collab...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Lightweight Construction Takes Off
... a combined air/coolant system is employed for cooling. In this way, it is possible to achieve heating rates of up to 100°C per minute. In-situ Polymerization of Resins during Processing Classically, the LCM processes have been reserved for thermosetting resins. Because of their relatively high melt viscosity, thermoplastics have not been suitable for LCM techniques. This clear distinction is being softened by a new materials development, so-called in-situ polymerizing thermoplastic systems. Cyc...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Race of Products
...ruction. Additional computation options for simulating molded parts are also available for special injection molding techniques (gas-assisted injection, water-assisted injection, twocomponent molding, sandwich molding) as well as for elastomer and thermoset injection molding. Furthermore, developers continually expand the program systems by new modules for individual branches of industry and niche applications. With Cadmould (supplier: simcon kunststofftechnische Software GmbH, Würselen, Germany...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-01-27, Bakelite Conquers the World
... resin. The West German sites of Bakelite AG were sold by Rütgers AG in the summer of 2005 and now belong to Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Columbus, Ohio, USA, a world leader in the manufacture of thermoset plastics. This epoch-making material which has been displaced to a large extent by many other less costly and more readily processable plastics is still valued. As a material having special properties it plays as ever an important role in technology. It just does not always appear directly as s...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-07-22, Big Breakthrough for PPS Composites
...e innovation is that, in late 2009, the G650 was the first ever aircraft to take off relying on load-bearing thermoplastic composites. It was a huge breakthrough in the aircraft industry. These parts had been conventionally made of combinations of thermoset and metals. ?:Why are aircraft manufacturers adopting the new composites instead of thermosets? Offringa: There are two crucial reasons for using thermoplastic composites: First, they save time and handling costs in production, by eliminating...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-07-22, The Sun is Back to Taiwan
...o., Ltd. in Taoyuan. The company offers a wide range of machinery: standard machines, all-electric injection molding machines, multicomponent plants. Also in the areas of LSR and thermoset processing, Multiplas has many years of experience. The vertical all-electric EV-50R-FAPC machine, which is now fully automated, was the booth’s highlight. It produced so-called LED bands. This was done by applying very small absorption elements to the flexible metal band introduced into the 512-cavity mold. A...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Environmental Awareness as a Business Plan
...es are distributed over several markets with varying percentage, with textiles and industrial goods representing the largest areas (source: Clariant) Fig. 2. Sales are distributed fairly evenly in all areas (source: PolyOne) Fig. 3. Reinforced thermoset profiles (20 m long and 1 m wide) were installed in the Sheraton Hotel in Milan, Italy – the hotel opened in July 2010 (photo: 3B)

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, WPC Has Different Filling Behavior
...fects: wall slip and shear flow [1, 2]. Filling studies with a glass-window mold demonstrate that a WPC does not always show the advance of the flow front in fountain flow that is typical for thermoplastic polymers, but behaves in a similar way to a thermoset and a highly filled metal/thermoplastic hybrid material [3, 4]. If the structure is unsuitably designed, the WPC melt breaks out at an unpredictable point on the flow front. It makes it almost impossible to predict the position of weld line...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Facilitating Technical Life
...The polyphenylene sulfide, Fortron PPS, is thus employed as a matrix for bipolar plates, which constitute the electrodes of the fuel cell. PPS replaces conventional materials, such as goldcoated stainless steel, aluminum, graphite, or thermoset/graphite mixtures. That not only saves weight, but also costs. The end plates required for the mechanical compression of the stack are also in reinforced PPS (Fig. 2). Environmentally compatible and low-emission materials are grouped together under the he...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-04-25, A Welcome Extension of Service Life
...pplies magnetic clamping systems for different requirements in three models. The M-Tecs 210 magnetic clamping elements are designed for the high processing temperatures up to maximum 240°C that are found in rubber and thermoset processing, die ing and in the production of O-rings and rubber parts. The M-Tecs 130 model that Koziol chose is a magnetic clamping system for molds for thermoplastic processing designed for temperatures up to 130°C. It is optionally available with an integrated heater a...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Fire Protection for Railway
...ding to CEN/TS 45545 too. Generally, the requirements posed by this technical specification for achieving the highest hazard level, are so high that flame retardant thermoplastics and the majority of flame-protected thermosets usually fail to reach HL3. Well Suited for Electrical Components It is therefore even more surprising that Polyamide 6 Durethan DP BM 65 X FM30 showed such excellent results in the tests. For instance, it perfectly passed all tests prescribed for listed products with the s...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-09-23, Resource Efficient Lightweight Design for Mass Production
...casing (incl. supporting structure) as a hybrid component, lightweight materials were integrated into an existing large-scale production process (D-LFT in compression molding) [8, 9]. The frame of the structural group consists of thermoset CRP fixtures and an intrusion-protected LFT battery protective casing. To stiffen the casing, intrinsic metal reinforcements (tailored LFT) and light metal crossheads were employed. In a future step, the CRP fixtures can be further optimized by means of thermo...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS)
...olymer with ideal prerequisites for the new technological developments. For instance in fuel cells this high-performance polymer is already replacing conventional materials such as gold coated stainless steel, aluminum, graphite or thermoset/graphite blends (Fig. 6). This not only leads to weight reduction, but also to cost savings. Due to its low weight and expansion coefficient, which is constant over a wide temperature range, it is suitable for coil cores as well as valve and pump casings. Ev...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Resins and Reactive Systems
More than ever before, the global players are trying to offer complete system solutions to the composite industry. It was against this background that last year Momentive Performance Materials, Columbus, OH/USA, merged with the thermoset manufacturer Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc., Columbus, OH/USA. Following a strategic reorientation Evonik Industries AG, Essen, Germany, is also positioning itself as a supplier of numerous raw material components for fiber composite technologies. In order to ...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-11-18, In-Situ Heating of CRP Organic Sheets
...verall weight of a vehicle, and thereby its CO2 emissions requires lightweight construction materials that are suitable for inexpensive mass production. In highperformance applications such as aircraft engineering, fiber-reinforced plastics based on thermosets are used. The reactive components’ low viscosity means that the fiber fabric can be easily impregnated. One of the disadvantages of thermoset fiber composites, however, is the long cycle time for curing. There are limitations to applying t...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, An Energy Efficient Process for Lightweight Construction
In the case of thermoset based fiber composites the reinforcing structure is normally impregnated as part of the molding process. An example of this is Resin Transfer Molding (RTM). In contrast the impregnation of thermoplastic fiber composites has, generally up until now, been part of preform manufacturing that is upstream of the molding process itself. The reason for this is that the high level and temperature dependence of the viscosity of thermoplastic matrix systems makes complete wetting o...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, Cellulose Fiber Reinforcement for Impact-Stressed Components
...erties of Cordenka RT700 regenerated cellulose fibers [14] are described as follows. In addition, the results of single edge notch bend tests (SENB) are reported to demonstrate how the use of Cordenka fibers can increase the fracture energy of a thermoset plastic by some 35 % as compared with using glass fiber reinforcement. Methods of Fiber Characterization Characterization was carried out on Cordenka RT700 regenerated cellulose fibers (fineness 1,840 dtex, 1,000 filaments) from Cordenka GmbH, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, Sun-Resistant
...er conventional designs. With a Long-term Guarantee The decision to use polyurethane in the solar thermal field was based on various factors: first of all, the material itself, since rigid polyurethane foam is a high-molecular-weight, cross-linked thermoset material. They are primarily closed-cell in structure and because of their good physical and chemical properties are preferred in areas with demanding requirements. PU is highly resistant to the solvents, fuels, plasticizers and mineral oils ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, Technology and Nature Combined?
...an also be biodegradable biopolymers based on petrochemical raw materials. Conversely, not all biopolymers based on renewable resources are necessarily biodegradable. The present trend is increasingly towards biobased, durable thermoplastics and thermosets for long-life applications. While thermoplastic biopolymers have already gained a high market share, the development of thermosetting biopolymers is not yet so far advanced. This is partly due to the fact that even conventional thermosets have...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, Impregnating Natural Fibers in an Extruder
At first, natural fibers such as bast, hemp or flax were mostly used to reinforce compression molded thermoset parts in automobile construction. Meanwhile, however, there are also natural fiber-reinforced plastics for profile extrusion or for injection molding [1, 2]. Vis-à-vis glass fibers, natural fibers in the manufactured compound material offer lower density, less machine wear and improved noise and vibration damping [3]. Moreover, natural fibers are entirely recyclable and available all th...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, Tour de Taiwan
...i-color and multi-component machines. Multiplas has many years of experience also when it comes to the processing of LSR and thermoset materials. “21 % of our employees work in research & development, no other company in Taiwan has such a large R&D department; we hold over 30 patents, we are ISO-certified and our products CE-certified,” says David Wu. Taiwan is one of the largest producers for the IT sector where multicolor injection molding and IMD are very much in demand. The company h...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-09-17, Integrative Simulation of Hybrid Composite Parts
...amide and glass fibers has good opportunities for lightweight designs of automotive parts. In many cases, it represents an economical alternative to designs based on the still very expensive continuous carbon fiber-reinforced thermoset systems. Compared to glass fibers, endless carbon fibers increase the stiffness and strength of composite sheet significantly, improving the lightweight design potential even further. Lanxess has thus decided to extend the engineering know-how gained with composit...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-10-15, Reinforced to the Future
... in importance in substructure applications. As regards the choice of matrix materials, a vast number of different materials are available that can vary greatly in their processing and performance characteristics. Essentially, these are divided into thermoset and thermoplastic systems. Modern practise leans mainly in favor of low-viscosity thermoset systems which are easy to process, but they suffer the disadvantage of poor recyclability and brittle fracture. This has led to growing demand for t...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-10-15, The Age of Combined Processes is Dawning
...mentum. A clamping concept of this type considerably facilitates the insertion of flexible reinforcing materials. Things will also be getting interesting when it comes to foaming. Whether thermoset or thermoplastic systems are at stake, or, indeed, particle foams – in this context too, the topic of lightweight construction can provide enough material for new developments. The transparency of complex processes will have to increase on account of the specified documentation obligations and quality...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Demands and Innovations
...es (PA) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT); this plant is scheduled to go into production this fall and will double the existing Exolit OP capacities. Parallel to that, Clariant has developed a new family of flame retardants for thermoset plastics applications in E&E, transportation and building. Exolit EP 150 and EP 200 are phosphorus-based reactive flame retardants that in small doses give epoxy resins and laminates highly effective flame protection. Currently still in the test phase, th...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, In-Mold Printing
... to the injection molding machine (Title photo). It transfers the ink onto the surface of the opened injection mold. The elastic silicone rubber pad permits a flexible and indirect transfer of ink from the cliché to the injection mold. Finally, the thermoset melt is injected into the mold. After the melt has solidified, the molded part is removed together with the ink adhering to it. A handling system that enters the open injection mold can be used for removing first the molded part and then for...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Lighter in the Air, in the Wind and on the Road
...o 6,000 kNm can occur at the root [1]. The use of CFRP straps can lead to a weight saving of 25 % over that of conventional glass fiber reinforced polymer in a 40-m long rotor blade, but comes at the expense of adding 10 % to the material costs [2]. Thermosetting plastics (resins) currently constitute the matrix materials of about 90 % of all CFRP composites [3]. The development of new, tailored, matrix resin systems for fiber composites is a major reason for the rapid spread of these materials ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-06-19, Innovative, Cost-Efficient, Eco-Friendly
... this growth. For example, Arkema AG, Colombes, France, together with partners, has developed a methacrylate-based matrix system for the production of thermoplastic FRP (Fig. 1). This system can be processed using conventional production methods for thermoset matrix systems and achieves comparable mechanical properties, while offering the additional advantages of post-formability, recyclability, and machinability. The use of high-performance thermoplastics such as PEEK, for example from Victrex ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-08-19, Overcoming Complexity with Tailored Solutions
...ustry to address the trends of miniaturization, rationalization, and increasing production quantities. As a result, demand for this material is steadily growing. In addition, LCPs are increasingly being used as an alternative to ceramic and thermoset materials. Tailored Adhesive Systems For successful cost-efficient production of microelectronic components, the assembly technology used is just as important as suitable materials. It must be space-saving and automatable. Since adhesive technology,...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-08-19, Pooled Expertise Creates More Value
...is applications could open up for composite materials from 2025/2030. For this reason, BASF will spend millions of euros in the high double-digit range over the next three years on research and development into thermoset and thermoplastic composites for automotive lightweight construction. Consumer Goods: For many years, BASF has been working successfully with customers from the shoe industry. Polyurethane foam concepts are being used for applications such as outer soles and ventilation elements...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-02-20, Trend Report (Part 1): Fiber Composite Systems for Lightweight Construction
... fibers of widely differing lengths are also used in the automotive industry, frequently in free-flowing intermediates which are processed into complex parts with short cycle times using compaction techniques (thermoplastics and thermoset plastics) or modified techniques [2, 3, 7, 8, 9]. Thermoset Resins and Thermoplastic Matrix Systems As already mentioned at the beginning, the matrix – whether thermoset resins or thermoplastic polymer systems – is of very great importance for fiber composites ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-03-21, Door Panels with Natural Fiber Content: Every Ounce Counts
...oduction. Usually it involves glass fiber reinforced thermoplastics such as fiberglass reinforced polypropylene. The second category are the materials used for the mat pressing process, in which the natural fibers are bound using thermoplastic or thermoset methods. The choice of material is determined by component specifications. Here the physical properties such as flexural strength, flexural modulus of elasticity and impact strength in comparison to weight play an essential role. The component...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-03-21, Thermoplastic Resin Transfer Molding (T-RTM): Tailored to Reactive Polyamide 6
...ng the FRP production methods still characterized by manual activities, Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) can well be regarded as a robust production process, since it has potential for a high degree of automation. In the previously used RTM processes, thermosetting matrix systems, usually epoxy resin, were used exclusively. By contrast with thermoset systems, thermoplastic matrix systems have the advantages of better recyclability, as well as the capability for subsequent reshaping and weldability, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-04-14, Trend Report (Part 2): Fiber Composite Systems for Lightweight Construction
... a profile. This process allows different profile cross-sections with high fiber contents and hence high mechanical properties to be produced very efficiently [2, 7, 8, 9]. The molding and extrusion process is used with thermoplastic and thermoset matrices. Extrusion, predominantly with fibers of finite length, is based on flow forming of flowable intermediates which completely fill the mold volume when the solid, at least two-piece mold is closed. The matrix/fiber distributions are dependent on...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-06-17, Cutting Process Suitable for High-Volume Production
...ocessing site. Figure 2 shows the lower part of the clamping fixture developed in-house.Qualified 2-D Process When CFRP is cut, the material at the cutting site is subject to thermal decomposition by the laser beam. The material components – thermoset plastic matrix and carbon fibers – do not have a molten phase at ambient pressure; for this reason, the material changes directly from the solid to the gaseous state. Depending on the materials selected, the thermal decomposition of the matrix mate...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-06-17, Heating Technology as a Key Factor
...ompatible with large series production is not yet so pronounced in the application areas as in series automotive production. As in aeronautical engineering, the automotive industry currently also makes use of fiber-reinforced plastic composites with thermoset matrix systems. However, vehicle manufacturers extend the requirements spectrum to the parts, with a focus on the mechanical properties of the parts, the quantities and the total unit costs.These requirements can be especially satisfied by ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-07-22, A Question of Adhesion
...ht of the liquid hydrogen stored in it [6]. To reduce the weight while also resisting the thermal loads, research in the automotive and aero industries is being conducted on cryogenic storage tanks of fiber-reinforced epoxy resin. With the aim of thermoset fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP), a weight saving of about 60 % can be achieved compared to steel tanks [6]. However, fiber reinforced plastics have very high permeability and leakage rates for hydrogen. The FRP tank for cryogenic hydrogen must...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-08-19, Eco-Friendly Fire Prevention
...etardant-modified in case of possible short circuits or malfunctions. Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) has traditionally been used, and continues to be so. This is added to the epoxy resin in a so-called pre-formulation and is integrated into the thermoset network during curing. Some years ago, the Japanese company Sanko Co. Ltd, Osaka launched DOPO (6H-Dibenz[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphorin, 6-oxide) as a halogen-free alternative. DOPO is also bonded to the epoxy resin via a pre-formulation but, unlike wit...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Natural Fibers Gently Heated
..., which are heated to formability by infrared radiation. Thus the investment costs for processing equipment can be reduced. For decades, natural fibers such as flax, hemp and kenaf have been used as an economical and ecological reinforcing fiber for thermoset and thermoplastic matrices. They have the advantage of a lower density and thus outstanding lightweight properties compared to conventional reinforcing fibers such as E-glass. Furthermore, natural fiber-reinforced composites (NFC) are used ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polyamides (PA)
...mized with continuous fibers. Such materials include unidirectional or fabric-reinforced continuous fiber tapes and laminates. In case short cycle times are achieved for processing these materials, too, thermoplastics will gain ground over thermoset polymer matrixes in regard to welding, forming, maintenance, recycling, and even from an economic point of view. The commercial launch of unidirectional and fabric-reinforced continuous fiber components is gaining speed only slowly, because the v...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Resins and Reactive Systems
...ing organizations of the German fiber composite industry. Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) are seen as the main driving force of growth in the future (Fig. 1) with increase expected in the automotive and aviation sectors.The market of thermoset glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRP), with its approx. 900 kt production volume in Europe, has largely stabilized in recent years [2]. There are decreases in certain applications and processing techniques, increases in other areas make up for, th...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-03-17, Bringing Light into Darkness
Knowledge of the percentage by volume of the natural fibers in correspondingly reinforced parts of thermoset plastics is one of the most important criteria in the quality assurance of fiber-reinforced plastics. An innovative microscopic method now makes the determination of the fibers possible within a very short time and with a relatively low fault rate. Thanks to their good ecological assessment, natural fiber-reinforced plastics (NFRP) enjoy high acceptance in industry. The latest research is...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-04-20, Tablets from the Injection Molding Machine
...ed and then the pellets themselves are re-ground for the next step of the tablet pressing line.Pharmaceutical Polymers as the BasisFor experts in polymer processing, complicated multiple passes through various operations might remind them of classic thermoset processing. Injection molding, by contrast, offers the advantage of combining many of these separate processing steps into a single integrated process. This knowledge together with the vast market potential – one study estimates that pharma...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-07-20, Three-Dimensional and with a Fine Structure
... technologically and economically interesting alternatives to the proven LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) grade Vectra E840i LDS from Celanese GmbH, Sulzbach, Germany. Besides thermoplastic materials, new developments in the field of injection moldable thermosets are being evaluated.The TechnologyThe potential benefit of MID technology can be achieved through the geometry of the molded body as well as selective structuring and metallization. The three-dimensional arrangement permits defined angles b...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-08-17, Additive Preforming for High-Volume Production
...reduction of the energy consumption (e. g. fuel) during the product lifetime possible, which is necessary due to increasingly strict regulations regarding CO₂-emissions in many parts of the world [1, 2]. Especially for structural components, thermoset FRP offer the highest potential for the reduction of weight, fuel consumption and emissions. Therein, low viscosity thermoset resin systems enable production of FRP by impregnating near-net shape preforms. Furthermore, the large scale use of FRP in...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-08-17, Conductive and Highly Filled
...ontact resistivities).Conductivity Increased A third, highly promising alternative to metal and graphite bipolar plates is based on polymer compounds. For this application, thermoplastics, e. g. polypropylene (PP) or polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and thermoset matrices, e. g. epoxy or phenolic resin, are often used. Thermosets are typically compression molded as plates (with or without channels), while thermoplastics can be injection molded or extruded in any desired shape and size. However, poly...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-09-18, Regulations, Markets, Trends
...m climate (14 days at 70 °C and 100 % relative humidity).For some time now, DuPont de Nemours of Geneva, Switzerland, has also been offering a flame-retardant, halogen-free polyamide compound – Zytel FR95G25V0NH – as a substitute for thermoset housings, covers, electric sockets and switches in applications. It features excellent ageing resistance (RTI value 160 °C according to UL746 certification), excellent electrical tracking index CTI of 600 V, attains UL94 V-0 at 0.4 mm and renders a very g...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-09-18, Staking by Ultrasound
...is characterized by short joining times and high breaking tension. The increasingly common substitution for classic metal applications by plastics has resulted in the increased use of hybrid material constructions (e. g. metal-plastic, thermoplastic-thermoset or incompatible thermoplastics) and multi-component systems. These fields of application entail constantly toughening product requirements in terms of mechanical and optical properties and, therefore, require new processing strategies that ...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-09-18, Variety of Lightweight Construction Processes
...less fiber-reinforced parts with a thermoplastic matrix. The basis of the process is the polymerization of caprolactam into high-molecular PA6. This reaction takes place in the mold at temperatures between 140 and 160 °C. Compared to parts with a thermoset matrix, the T-RTM parts have several advantages: they can be formed or welded subsequent to the actual molding process. In addition, at the end of the product lifecycle, material recycling of the fiber-reinforced polyamide can be performed. Th...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-10-12, Lightweight Construction with Thermoplastics Ready for Serial Production
Sustainability, weight reduction and CO2 footprint – these are the catchwords that are motivating endeavors to achieve lightweight structures and which have thus also prompted the increased use of fiber-reinforced plastics. Alongside thermosets, thermoplastics are now gaining greater importance as a matrix material for fiber-reinforced plastics. Savings on energy and raw materials are playing an increasingly significant role during the manufacture and use of products. Industry sectors of key imp...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-12-17, Copying Nature’s Mechanisms
...s are used widely in aerospace, automotive and mechanical engineering, in sport equipment or in medical technology. The transformation into architecture is still continuing. While the construction industry has mainly been tapped by thermoplastics, thermoset composites are on the threshold of opening up new structural and design possibilities. Research and development work is still necessary in a number of areas, as well as scientific teaching, for the use of such materials in construction or for...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-12-17, Interactive Composite Bridge
...tructure, limitations in terms of loadbearing capacity and serviceability were not the only consideration. It was also important to ensure that the required translucency of the GFRP outer layers could be achieved with the standard laminates and thermoset resin system used in order to be able to integrate LED lighting into the modules. GFRP is light-permeable in general. Although the translucency increases with decreasing fiber content, the load-bearing capacity will be reduced. This requires cor...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-02-17, Electrifying Lightweight Design
...nd production automation. The key to affordable large-scale lightweight construction for electromobility lies in the intelligent combination and optimization of these factors.Plastics as the Mainstay of Novel Combined ProcessesIn recent years, thermoset fiber composites and manufacturing processes, such as wet pressing and resin transfer molding (RTM) process have emerged as major trends in the auto industry. Fast-curing resins and new plant technologies have given the processes industrial-scale...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-02-17, Simulate "Longer"
...al components. Because of their specific properties, these materials occupy the niche between short fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, which are often manufactured in the injection molding process, and continuous fiber-reinforced materials with mostly thermoset matrix systems, which are not suitable for injection molding. Compared with short fiber-reinforced thermoplastics, LFTs offer advantages of higher strength, impact resistance and reduced creep. Unlike thermoset materials with continuous fib...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-02-17, The New Carbon Blacks Are Green
...ction of rubber compounds for technical rubber goods and tires. rCB has proven to be a very promising material [1] for establishing a sustainable plastics industry. Not only can it be used as an additive in polymer compounds, but also in masterbatch thermoset powders or coatings. Further, in comparison to traditional carbon black, which is produced from the combustion of oil and gas, rCB also has a significant price advantage.Production of RecyclatesPost-consumer tires are tires which are no lon...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-03-08, Using Simulation to Accelerate the Time to Application
...the effects that occur in the molding of complex components using in-situ polymerization as early as in the component development and mold design phases. Thermoplastic matrix materials offer a number of benefits in terms of processing compared with thermoset systems, for example improved recycling capability and more economic large-scale series production. This explains why the focus has shifted to them in automotive lightweight design. Prefabricated semi-finished products such as organosheets a...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-04-08, "It’s Hard to Believe how much Can Go Wrong in Practice"
...In 1984 he joined the sales department of the former Battenfeld Berges Duroplasttechnik GmbH in Marienheide. He continued as manager of sales for thermoset machines when the company merged with Battenfeld Spritzgießtechnik GmbH in Meinerzhagen. Beginning 1990, he headed European sales of injection molding machines with Cincinnati Milacron in Offenbach. Following a interim with Ferromatik Milacron in Malterdingen, he switched 1994 to gwk Gesellschaft Wärme Kältetechnik mbH, where he has been the ...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-07-20, Ultra-Strong and Media-Tight
...g and Polymer Technology (ILK) at the TU Dresden, Germany, also conducted tensile shear strength tests using PA6GF30, but with different surface treatments. Here, the maximum tensile shear strengths obtained from steel – coated with a thermoset adhesive film and from laser-structured steel, both of which were bonded to glass fiber-reinforced polyamide, are well below the maximum values obtained with PlasmaPlus (Fig. 6).Media Tightness as Corrosion Protection Water can easily penetrate the bound...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-09-23, Second Life for Aircraft Cabins
...irements. However, because the matrix of these composites is cross-linked, they are difficult to recycle. Now, a chemical process for the recycling of polycyanurates has been adapted to the treatment of phenolic resin materials as well. The usage of thermosetting fiber-reinforced plastics (FRPs) as lightweight materials in the aerospace industry is continuously growing [1]. Despite all advantages of these materials, it is still difficult to recycle them or retrieve some materials from them. Nowa...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-10-17, Reactive Systems and Fiber-Reinforced Composites
...h rates in the thermoplastic composites GMT (glass-mat-reinforced thermoplastics) and LFT (long fiber-reinforced thermoplastics). As before, applications in transportation and in E & E account for almost 70 % of GFRP consumption in Europe [1]. Among thermoset-based glass-fiber-reinforced polymers, closed resin transfer molding (RTM) methods are the strongest-trending technology (Fig. 2). Unsaturated polyester resin continues to be a major feedstock for GFRP and its price has tracked the longstan...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-10-17, The Efficient Route to Tailored Organo Sheets
...terial is heated with infrared radiation and consolidated quickly and efficiently under vacuum in the closed mold. Continuous-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics are currently the focus of many lightweight construction projects. Compared to conventional thermoset systems, they offer a compelling combination of advantages during processing, such as shorter cycle times, a high level of functional integration and less susceptibility to gaps. The first components made from fabric-reinforced thermoplasti...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-03-27, Layer-for-Layer Precision plus High Performance
...rmoplastic fiber composites is expanding continuously. Meanwhile, organic sheet has adopted a predominant role in the automotive and sporting goods industries, where series products are manufactured in large numbers. In the field of tape laying, thermoset processing shows the way. Here, pre-impregnated, rolled, and unidirectionally reinforced fiber composites supplied as prepregs have become established. Thermoplastic tape versions with matrices made of PA, PP, PE, PC+ABS, PPS, and PEEK have onl...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-05-22, Sustainability Depending on the Details
In case of thermoset Sheet Molding Compounds, the density of the resin paste can be reduced up to 22 % by replacing conventional filler materials such as calcium carbonate with bio-based filler materials – with consistent mechanical properties. This was proved on filler materials, which are by-products of plant-based oils and timber production. Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) has high market relevance in the processing of glass-fiber-reinforced polymer composites (GFRPC). This is based on the fact...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-07-19, How Are Viscosity Changes Detected and Corrected?
...ill follow in the September edition of Kunststoffe international.The four parts, in total, deal with the injection molding of thermoplastics. In a research project, attempts are currently underway to transfer the control process to the processing of thermoset molding compounds. You can read more about this in the August edition.

Kunststoffe international, 2017-07-19, Polymer Molecules Get Smart
...very high chemical resistance to, e. g., moisture, salt, oil and acid. Targeted at applications in automotive transmission parts, ForTii Ace is able to withstand peak temperatures of up to 320 °C and is claimed to undergo less creep than a thermoset. All in all, the PPA has performance properties similar to those of polyether ether ketones (PEEK), according to Vorage.Property Gains through Permanent Heat ExposureWido Ziemer from Solvay Engineering Plastics, Freiburg, Germany, presented a further...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-08-21, More Stability Increases Attractiveness
Their characteristic property profile makes thermosets attractive for many high-performance applications. Batch fluctuations, as well as process and environmental instability, produce disruptive effects in the injection molding of this highly filled, mold cross-linking material class, which have a direct impact on part quality. As part of the "QuaProDur" research project, alongside the Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences, the Deckerform Produktionssysteme GmbH tool manufacturer and the HBW-...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-10-13, Polyetheretherketones (PEEK)
...ntroduction of new materials such as Victrex AE 250 composites (Fig. 3) to develop parts in combination with hybrid molding processing techniques. This offers continuous manufacturing processes with cycle times measured in minutes versus hours for thermoset alternatives. Structural brackets have been a key development area where, as well as having capability to speed up the manufacturing of parts and consequent assembly of aircraft, the new brackets can deliver up to 60 % reduction in weight, wh...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-10-13, Reactive Systems and FRP
...tion AVK, the 1.069 million t of GFRP quoted for 2015 includes 140 t of thermoplastics based products, while approx. 300 to 400 t of parts produced by infusion are not included in the market survey. According to this, glass fiber composites with a thermoset matrix actually makes up almost 1.3 million t. Since transport and construction are the main consumers of GFRP parts, their manufacture, in the long term, follows the growth trend of the economy as a whole [3, 4].The market for carbon-fiber-r...

Kunststoffe international, 2018-05-15, Rediscovered Component of Hybrid Parts
Technical thermoplastic materials have high thermal stability and outstanding electrical insulation properties, which is why they are already widely used in electrical applications. Where thermoplastics reach the limits of their performance, thermosets can offer an interesting alternative. The much debated disadvantage of the brittle fracture behavior can be avoided by skillfully joining them with thermoplastics in a 2-component part. Thermosets are currently enjoying a renaissance in the market...

Kunststoffe international, 2018-08-14, Savings Potential in Dynamic Temperature Control
... cyclically. This makes the energy-intensive variotherm temperature control more efficient and cost effective. Dynamic temperature control, with its cyclic change between high and low-temperature heat-transfer media is gaining in importance for both thermoset and thermoplastic injection-molded parts. With the application of this process, which has become widely known as variotherm temperature control, plastic resin systems benefit from a reduced curing time. In injection molding, a brief conform...

Kunststoffe international, 2018-09-19, Elegant Surfaces with Visible Natural Fibers
... features a three layer structure. The base layer is a lightweight polypropylene/natural fiber mat. Hemp, flax, kenaf or jute are equally suitable as the main component of the natural fiber mats. The natural fibers are combined with thermoplastic or thermoset plastics and depending on the project requirements and further processing technology, e. g. in the one-shot process, are provided with various covering fabrics and printable protective laminations. As usual in the industry, the NF-PP mat is...

Kunststoffe international, 2018-12-19, More Precision for Sensitive Fast Curing Compounds
They offer high stiffness, are heat and chemically resistant and flow freely into the machine: we are not talking about high-performance thermoplastic resins such as PEEK or PPS, but thermoset polymers. For processing these challenging materials, the large series specialist Baumgarten automotive technics employs the APC plus machine function from KraussMaffei. As a result, rejects have fallen significantly. There is a gulf between metal and thermoplastics. If – as with brake pistons that must wi...

Kunststoffe international, 2019-04-25, Natural Fine-Tuning
...ged in a project on "Bast/basalt hybrid structures for the reinforcement of composites". The project has investigated processing these hybrid structures both with polypropylene (PP) as the thermoplastic matrix and with an acrylic-based thermosetting binder system (AC).Mechanical Characterization of the FibersFor these investigations, only materials available on the market were used. In a first step, all the selected fiber types were mechanically characterized with a single-fiber tester (type: F...

eMagazine "Journal of Plastics Technology", 2017-07-01, A review of radiative heating in automated layup and its modelling
...ecially for aerospace applications. Heat input by means of radiative heating offers advantages for these processes and is well established in different forms. The presented work reviews the modelling of radiative heating in automated layup, covering thermoset and thermoplastic materials. Laser and infrared heat sources are studied with their characteristics, similarities and differences, as well as optical interaction with the material. Numerical modelling of the heat transfer is presented with ...

eMagazine "Journal of Plastics Technology", 2018-01-01, PEI-epoxy thermoset interphases to bond functional surface layers on fiber-reinforced composites
In this paper, interphases between PEI and a commercial epoxy resin for aerospace applications are investigated. The core of the study is the analysis of the interphase formation and structure as a function of different curing cycles. Furthermore, the structural integrity of the interphase is characterized by the interlaminar energy release rate in mode I and II as well as by nanoindentation measurements. It was shown that both the structure and the mechanical properties of the interphase strong...

eMagazine "Journal of Plastics Technology", 2019-03-01, Integrative manufacturing of thermoset injection molding components with continuous fiber-reinforcement
A new process for the manufacturing of thermoset injection molding components with local continuous fiber-reinforcement in one shot has been developed. “Dry” textiles or continuous fibers are inserted into the cavity of an injection mold. Subsequently, the continuous fibers are impregnated and embedded into a short-fiber-reinforced thermoset molding compound by the following injection molding process. In this paper, the technical feasibility of the process is proven by the analyses of the wettab...

eMagazine "Journal of Plastics Technology", 2020-11-01, Analysis of the flow-curing behavior of chemically foamable phenolic molding compounds in the extrusion process
Contrary to the plastification in injection molding processes, thermoset molding compounds could be more heated in a twin screw extruder due to its stronger shearing effect which leads to the rise of the melting temperature above the initial curing temperature. Besides the screw speed, the screw configuration has an extensive impact on the shear-induced energy input and on the melt temperature profile along the extruder. The aim of this research is the development of an analytical method to inve...