Metal Replacement - The Expert's View

Feb 15, 2010 - Plastics Advance Fuel Cell Technology Solutions by SpecialChem (Article)

Fuel cells, despite being in the nascent stage of development, are viewed as a potentially vast market for plastics with reinforced thermosets and thermoplastics the most likely materials of choice for the manufacture of bi-polar plates,...
Mar 11, 2010 - Properties of carbon nanotube composites by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

This article reviews the current state of research in polymer/carbon nanotubes (single wall and multiwall) composites in context to various types of pre-treatments presently employed. The fundamental aspects of carbon nanotubes are briefly... (1 Member Reaction)
Mar 10, 2010 - Development of low moisture absorbing sheet molding compound by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

This article reviews the role of sheet molding compound (SMC) constituent components in controlling the moisture absorption of the final molded panels. A variety of polyester resins, low profile additives, and fillers were exposed to high...
Mar 08, 2010 - ePP replaces steel in automotive seat by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The French automaker Citroën has designed a lightweight seat structure in order to replace a heavy and costly steel structure for its new Citroën C3 vehicles. In fact it has chosen a strong, light and recyclable material i.e. an expanded...
Mar 03, 2010 - Innovative design for electric bicycle by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

On the occasion of the latest NPE 2009 worldfair, Karbon Kinetics Ltd. (KKL) unveiled its innovative Gocycle™ electric bicycle that includes several plastics components. This bicycle weighs only 16.2kg and offers clean electric power and an...
Mar 01, 2010 - An innovative composite-based space capsule by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

Researchers from the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) in collaboration with several partners (i.e. The Air Force Research Laboratories, Alcore Corporation, Alliant Techsystems (ATK), Bally Ribbon Mills, Collier Corporation, Genesis...
Feb 20, 2010 - All-composite military vehicle by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

An innovative first completely composite tactical vehicle has been designed for the US Army by the American company TPI Composites Inc, consequently offering lighter and more durable solution than conventional vehicles. Furthermore it...
Feb 17, 2010 - Carbon nanotube-polymer composites: Chemistry, processing, mechanical and electrical properties by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Carbon nanotubes have long been recognized as the stiffest and strongest man-made material known to date. In addition, their high electrical conductivity has roused interest in the area of electrical appliances and communication related...
Feb 12, 2010 - Materials and Methods for Hydrogen Storage by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Hydrogen is important as a new source of energy for automotive applications. It is clear that the key challenge in developing this technology is hydrogen storage. Current methods for hydrogen storage have yet to meet all the demands for...
Feb 08, 2010 - Lightweight materials for the automotive sector by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Automotive is a sector where energy consumption during the use phase prevails over the production and the end-of-life phases. Therefore, a lot of research and innovations have aimed at replacing classical steel parts by lighter materials...
Jan 29, 2010 - Carbon fiber roof for automobiles by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The German automaker BMW has selected HexForce® NC2® reinforcements for the inner structural layer of the carbon fiber roof of its new M Series vehicles. NC2® is a patented Non-Crimp Fabrics (NCF) technology from Hexcel...
Jan 25, 2010 - Transmission cross beam made of reinforced PA by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

While conventional transmission cross beam are made from aluminum, the German company ContiTech AG, a leader in the non-tire rubber sector, the material producer BASF AG and the automaker BMW have joined forces in order to develop an...
Jan 22, 2010 - New thermoplastics springs by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The UK company Lee Spring Limited, a leading spring manufacturer, has developed innovative thermoplastic-based springs to meet the growing demand of its customers for springs that combine the strength of metal together with the special...
Jan 20, 2010 - Robot speed reducers made from PEEK by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

While conventional robot speed reducers are made from stainless steel, the Korean-based ball bearing manufacturer SBB Co. has selected a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material supplied by Victrex in order to reduce both weight and production...
Dec 21, 2009 - Innovative gear wheels by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

Researchers of the Lehrstuhl Kunststofftechnik institute of the Erlangen-Nürnberg University have designed high-performance two-component gear wheels by developing mold and process technologies. This new mold technology allows thin-walled...
Dec 18, 2009 - Polymer nanocomposites: from carbon nanotubes to clay nanoplatelets by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

Highly ordered polymer nanocomposites are complex materials that display a rich morphological behavior owing to variations in composition, structure, and properties on a nano-scale. Metal-polymer nanocomposite materials are becoming more... (2 Member Reactions)
Dec 16, 2009 - New laundry clips made from polycarbonate by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The Austrian firm Lechner has designed an innovative range of polycarbonate-based laundry clips in order to replace conventional metallic ones. These new one-piece laundry clips are made by injection molding on an HM 60/210 press from...
Dec 10, 2009 - Sonochemical preparation of polymer nanocomposites by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

This article reviews sonochemical fabrication of polymer nanocomposites. In addition to its application to the synthesis of various polymeric systems, due to its powerful efficiency, sonochemistry has been widely used not only as the...
Dec 09, 2009 - All-plastic pipe for liquefied petroleum gas by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The Swedish fuel pipe producer KPS Petrol Pipe System has announced that it has developed the first all-plastic pipe designed for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). While conventional LPG pipes are made from steel, KPS Petrol Pipe System has...
Nov 27, 2009 - New automotive exterior components made from polyolefins by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The American automaker Ford has developed several new exterior components by using polyolefin materials for its new Kuga compact Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). For instance it has chosen a 30% talc filled polypropylene (PP) grade i.e. Hifax™...
Nov 23, 2009 - New automotive seat concept by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The French automotive component manufacturer Faurecia has designed an innovative seat concept for automotive. This new seat concept, namely Sustainable Comfort Seat, is based on the use of two sheets of injected molded thermoplastic...
Nov 13, 2009 - New air cargo container by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The American firm Advanced Composite Structures (ACS) that is specialized in the manufacture of air cargo and baggage containers has announced that it has developed a new kind of air cargo container by using lightweight thermoplastic...
Nov 10, 2009 - In-mold painting of LFI parts by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

In order to meet the growing demand for long fiber injection (LFI) molding process, the German plastic processing equipment Krauss Maffei has...
Nov 06, 2009 - Innovative clamp block system for aircraft by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

A collaborative industrial project between the Swiss company Icotec and the German firm Airbus Bremen GmbH has allowed to develop innovative thermoplastic-based clamp block system by using a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material together...
Nov 05, 2009 - Acrylic-based appliqué with SecureCode™ invisible keypad by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

Among several innovative industry-first plastics applications which have been designed for the new Flex® crossover utility vehicle (CUV), the Society of Plastic Engineers (SPE), as part of its 2008 Automotive Innovation Awards, has...
Nov 04, 2009 - Photovoltaic module housing by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The Spanish firm Concentracion Solar La Mancha has designed a new photovoltaic module whose housing has been injected molded from a reinforced poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) i.e. a mica- and glass reinforced grade of Rynite™ PET from...
Oct 29, 2009 - Composite panels for fighter aircraft by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI), a supplier to Northrop Grumman Corp on the F-35 Lightning II aircraft program, has designed innovative structural composite panels for the new F-35 multi-role fighter aircraft. These composite panels...
Oct 27, 2009 - CFRP frames for racing bicycles and mountain bikes by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

The German firms Canyon Bicycles GmbH and IVW have joined forces in order to develop the third outstanding generation of its extremely lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastic frames especially for high performance racing bicycles and...
Oct 21, 2009 - Metal Hybrid Automotive Components by Duane B. Priddy (R&D Highlight)

A review on polymer metal hybrid (PMH) technologies as viable alternatives for use in light-weight automotive body-in-white bolt-on as well as load-bearing (structural) components has been conducted. Within the PMH technologies,... (1 Member Reaction)
Oct 21, 2009 - Thermoplastic profiles with localized reinforcement by ISPA (Innovation Brief)

A collaborative industrial project between the French firm Bouvet & Lorillard and the Italian companies IDA Industrie Design and Rossi Stamp has allowed to develop innovative thermoplastic windows frames by developing a new process...