Material suppliers create products at an amazing rate. It seems like nearly every day, I receive news about new epoxies, plastics, metals, and adhesives. They are as varied as the applications for which they can be used. Here is a sample of a few new products that have been recently launched to the marketplace. Maybe there are a few that might suit your needs.

For instance, Bilsing Automation NA says its line of carbon fiber (CF) tooling for robotic applications can reduce cycle times and improve cadence as compared to aluminum and steel tubing. The company says this is because carbon fiber weighs less than half of traditional materials, yet is stiffer, stronger, and settles more rapidly. The CF tooling enables robot motion paths to occur more quickly with less vibration and idle time as tools settle.

The company also says that its customers can achieve up to 20% increase in productivity after equipping robots with CF booms. Bilsing produces a series of round, square, and conical tooling as well as custom profiles for specific customer needs. Potential CF applications include crossbar beams, loading and unloading beams, destacking beams, panel loading T-booms, and tooling supports for body shop pressroom, injection molding, and other applications.

Tooling is manufactured from an ultra-high modulus pitch carbon fiber. The higher elastic stiffness can reduce the vibration as experienced with aluminum booms. In aluminum and steel tool tooling, the press needs to be opened wider to avoid component contact with other parts of the machinery due to potential vibration. This situation can slow cycle time.

Bilsing’s round carbon fiber profiles are compatible with a rage of standard vacuum, gripper, and power clamp components. The company offers a free carbon fiber applications guide and cost/value analysis information.

Composite components
LeeP Plastic Composite Springs are fabricated in formations of Ultem polyetherimide (PEI) resins from Sabic Innovative Plastics. The springs are stocked in a variety of standard sizes, each available in a variety of strengths from different Ultem resins. The six increasing strengths are identifiable by color – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Violet is the strongest.

Key benefits of LeeP springs:

• Patent pending designs to maximize spring rates and cycle life, while minimizing solid height
• High strength to weight ratios that optimize performance while reducing mass
• Stability of physical and mechanical properties at elevated temperatures up to 340°F
• Corrosion resistant and generally compatible with many chemicals including strong acids, weak bases, aromatics, and ketones
• Non-magnetic material does not interfere with imaging and other Ferro-sensitive materials
• Dielectric insulating material suitable for non-conductive applications
• Inert non-contaminating plastic composite protects product purity
• Low flammability and toxicity ensure environmental safety
• Recyclable and compliant with most global regulations including RoHS and Registration, Evaluation, Authorization of Chemicals (REACH)

LeeP Springs are designed to meet a range of spring applications where non-corroding, non-metallic, inert materials are preferred. These include:

• Medical products and processing equipment
• Pharmaceutical delivery devices
• Imaging and X-ray equipment
• Food processing and packaging equipment
• Aerospace products
• Marine products
• Electronics and electrical equipment
• Water purification systems
• Chemical environments
• Automotive interiors
• Pollution control systems
• Semiconductors
• Instrumentation
• Communication devices
• Cosmetics packaging equipment

Bioresins
NatureWorks LLC recently introduced its second generation Ingeo bioresin solution targeted primarily at injection molding of semi-durable consumer products. This new material is the latest in a series of Ingeo applications, which already include high heat thermoforms, films, and gift, and transactional cards.

The new resin facilitates the production of injection molded parts with thermal dimensional stability up to 120°C (248°F), notched Izod impact strength greater than 2-ft. lbs/in., and modulus of ~ 450,000 psi. The new product, called Ingeo 3801X, combines a high percentage polylactide base resin with a tailored additive package designed to achieve the high heat, impact, and cycle time requirements of semi-durable goods such as cosmetics, consumer electronics, toys, office accessories, and promotional products.

It is reported that brand owners who replace traditional plastic components with the new Ingeo material can reduce their dependence on non-renewable petroleum inputs and lower energy consumption.

Adhesives
Master Bond Supreme 30 is a low viscosity epoxy adhesive for general purpose bonding. It is especially suited where low viscosity is required for ease of application and bonding assemblies must exhibit superior dimensional stability. Shrinkage after ambient temperature cure is 0.0007-in./in. Formulated to cure at room temperature or more rapidly at elevated temperatures, it has a high bonding strength to both similar and dissimilar substrates of 3,200 psi in shear and a high T-Peel strength greater than 20 lbs/linear in. (pli).

The new material produces high strength and tough bonds which are resistant to thermal cycling and chemicals including water, oil, and most organic solvents. Adhesion to both similar and dissimilar materials including metals, glass, ceramics, wood, vulcanized rubbers, and many plastics is said to be good over the wide temperature range of 50°C to more than 120°C (60°F to 250°F). The hardened adhesive is also an electrical insulator. Volume resistivity is 1015 ohms-cm. The product is recommended for use in the electronic, electrical, metalworking, appliance, automotive, and chemical industries. It is available in premixed bi-packs and cartridge/gun packaging for convenient dispensing as well as in pint, quart, gallon and 5-gal container kits.

Master Bond Inc. also developed a single component, ultraviolet curing, ultraviolet stable, modified epoxy resin called UV10F. This product offers the good adhesion, low shrinkage, and chemical and water resistance associated with epoxy systems. In addition, it features the no mix and no cleanup convenience of single component systems together with fast cures. Cure is effected with commercially available dedicated UV lamps or other sources of UV energy. It cures tack free in the presence of air and will gel and cure within minutes even upon exposure to sunlight alone.

The material is recommended for clear coating, sealing, and bonding applications. However, if desired, pigmentation to some extent is possible. It is easy to form complete and durable coatings due to a viscosity (Brookfield) of 3,000-6,000 centipoise. The color is a maximum 3 on the Gardner scale. Having a 100% solids content, shrinkage on cure is minimal. UV10F is available in syringes for manual or automatic dispensing as well as in pint, quart, gallon and 5-gal containers.

Teflon
Custom engineered and fabricated diaphragms that can be made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Teflon, 3-trifluoromethyl-4-nitrophenol (TFM), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), and other materials.

Diaphragms can be molded, machined, or thermoformed in flat, convex, concave, corrugated, and other shapes with various backings to match application requirements. Chemically inert and impervious to moisture, these diaphragms can be bonded to rubber for increased elasticity and include fabric reinforced backings, center studs, and customer specified mounting hole patterns.

Suitable for applications involving air and liquids above a -450°F to +500°F operating range, the products can be fabricated in sizes ranging from 1/4-in. to 16-in. O.D. from 0.002-in. thick depending upon the material and configuration. Typical applications include air-operated diaphragm pumps in chemical, food, industrial, medical, and pharmaceutical equipment.

Metal cleaners and surface conditioners
Presto Kleen HP is a heavy duty, powered cleaner and Safe Scrub ST is a biodegradable liquid cleaner. Both are designed for medium to heavy duty soak tank cleaning of iron and steel parts. They are said to mix easily with water and operate at temperatures of 120°F to 180°F to quickly lift oily residues from metal surfaces and hold them in suspension. Their blend of detergents make them free-rinsing in cold water to produce water-break-free surfaces that are receptive to subsequent coating operations. In addition, Safe Scrub M can be used to clean light metals, such as aluminum, brass, and zinc without discoloring the metal.

In addition, Oxyprime can be used to prime a metal surface to make it more receptive to subsequent coloring or blackening operations. The product is available as a powder and liquid concentrate for finishing jobs including activation, oxide removal, or the formation of a base coat for black oxide finishing. All metal cleaners and surface conditioners are available in a variety of container sizes to handle small to large scale finishing jobs such as black oxide, phosphatizing, and other metal coating processes.

Discuss this on the Engineering Exchange:

Bilsing Automation
www.bilsing-automation.com

Birchwood Casey
www.birchwoodcasey.com

Jade Engineered Plastics
www.jadeplastics.com

Lee Spring
www.leespring.com

Master Bond
www.masterbond.com

Nature Works LLC
www.natureworksllc.com

Sabic Innovative Plastics
www.sabic-ip.com

---

Filed Under: Adhesives • epoxies, Springs • wave springs • retaining rings • spring clips, Materials • advanced

 

---