When production processes or product requirements change, you frequently have to spec new or different materials. Here are some that could upgrade your customer’s existing products or even help launch new ones.
PolyMed composite tubing is a non-conductive, electrically safe, insulating material.
Several suppliers have developed materials that are well suited for the medical and alternative energy industry markets. For example, a new composite tubing material from Polygon Composites Corp. targets medical applications. It can also replace other materials such as stainless steel. Called PolyMed, the material is a lightweight, yet strong product that maintains radiolucent and dielectric properties. Furthermore, the company’s medical composites can withstand a standard steam autoclave and are affordable enough to be disposable. The material is used in a variety of endoscopic and laparoscopic instrumentation applications, as well as vein harvesting procedures and instrument tubes for robotic surgical operations.
This composite is machinable and strong, which means it can be used for a variety of applications. Sizes range from 1 mm to 20 mm in diameter with walls as thin as 0.0080-in. The material can be formulated with a variety of continuous fiber orientations and structures that make it stiff and strong.
Other properties include the following:
•High strength to weight ratio
•High torsional stability
•Outstanding dielectric properties
•Electromagnetically transparent
•Proven bio-compatibility
•USP Class VI rated|
•Non-reflective optical characteristics
•Numerous fabrication options
•No secondary sheathing required.
Eco-friendly materials
Another supplier, PolyOne developed a line of ECCOH High Performance products for the solar industry such as photovoltaic wire and cable, photovoltaic back sheets, connectors, and housings. The materials used for photovoltaic components must resist harsh environments, provide long-term temperature resistance, and meet the performance requirements of all electrical components. In addition, the components must satisfy fire safety requirements, including low toxicity, low smoke emission, and low corrosion.
The company’s photovoltaic wire and cable products include:
•ECCOH Solar-T low smoke and fume, zero halogen (LSFOH) components
•OnColor Solar black color concentrate
•Smartbath Solar red or blue with UV additive concentrate
•OnCap Solar dry silane concentrate for crosslinking
For higher efficiency photovoltaic polymer backsheet laminates, the company offers specialized color and additive concentrates. For example, polymer-specific OnColor color concentrates are developed to meet targeted characteristics such as ultrafine dispersion, clear visual differentiation, optimum opacity, and reflectance. Proprietary OnCap additive concentrates extend the laminate’s already long-term service life.
For solar panel backsheet laminates, PolyOne developed proprietary colorants and additives within its OnColor and OnCap product lines.
The company’s Halogen Free Flame Retardant (HFFR) engineered materials include Bergamid PA PBT, Maxxam PP, and high temperature polyamide Edgetek AM, compounds that are suitable for use in a variety of photovoltaic electrical applications. These eco-conscious HFFR materials can be used in connectors, fuse holders, and circuit breakers where compliance with IEC 60364-7-712 international standards for solar photovoltaic electrical components is required. The compounds have excellent electrical properties (CTI 600V), dimensional stability, flammability requirements (GWFI 960°C, UL940V0), low moisture sensitivity, and high chemical and environmental resistance.
While the solar industry is growing in traditional applications such as solar panels for buildings, it is also expanding to applications such as hybrid aircraft, hybrid cars, and lighting. The company makes materials for solar-powered lights housings, which must maintain color and appearance under outdoor exposure. Its pre-colored Geon high-flow vinyl molding compound has excellent flow characteristics, surface finish, color retention, and a cost-effective alternative to painted metal housings.
Green products replace hazardous solvents
A third supplier, PolyChem, makes Acrastrip 600 CRR, a composite resin remover that was formulated as a safer acetone alternative. It cleans all laminated tools and chop guns without acetone’s hazards. The product can be used anywhere acetone had been used.
Furthermore, Acrastrip 600 B&G MOD Auto is an environmentally safe purge and paint booth maintenance solution. The product is non-hazardous and designed to remove solvent-borne and waterborne coatings during purge and clean up tasks. It is also a neutral, biodegradable, and water reducible composition for flushing paint lines of coatings such as urethanes, acrylics, epoxies, waterborne substances, and high-solid content baked enamels.
The product cleans electrostatic bells, paint guns, plural component metering systems, as well as pressure pots and pumps during multiple color changes in a production environment or in a booth or equipment maintenance applications. The active ingredient removes residual paints when new color requirements for the booth change rapidly. It replaces solvent materials such as MEK, acetone, xylene, toluene, and other solvents used in automotive and general industrial painting processes.
Acrastrip is also available in wipes. They are pre-saturated, dual-textured cloths that also remove resins, paint, oil, and putty as does the liquid. The wipes remove materials from equipment and most surfaces without any secondary wiping or rinsing. What’s more, the wipes do not affect any painted, plated, or welded surfaces or materials.
Polygon Composites
www.polygoncomposites.com
PolyOne
www.polyone.com
PolyChem
www.uspoly.com
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