materials | High density compounds
Above: PolyCase Ammunition uses PolyOne’s Gravi-Tech compound to produce the injection
moulded fluted Ruger ARX bullet
hence better physical properties,” he explains. Ecomass Technologies categorises its high density materials into four primary application areas. Weighting applications include projectiles, plumbing fixtures, cosmetic packaging,
dishware, housings and casino chips. The materials are designed to deliver mass exactly when and where it is needed. This could be a functional requirement or a value perception. Balancing is required in applications such as inertia discs, golf shaft weights, inertial ballasts and counterweights. High density for vibration dampening is used in automotive shifter cartridges, audio headphones, acoustic probes and golf shaft weights. Radiation shielding is needed for x-ray tube housings, collimators, hand-held dental x-ray devices, backscatter shields and XRF table top analysers. “When it comes to weighting, balancing and vibration dampening, high density compounds usually compete with traditional materials such as metals. In these cases, depending on the density and specific application requirements, the ways in which they can be most competitive are applications or programmes that are ideally suited for the injection moulding production process. For example, a high volume job to amortise tooling costs and maximise production efficiency. The more complex the part geometry, then the more competitive plastics can be. Metals may require second- ary machining and further processing,” he explains. “For radiation shielding, the competition is lead. Regulatory pressures against lead are now resulting in greater opportunities for lead replacement compounds.” Recent Ecomass projects have included an iron powder-filled PP at 3.0 g/cm3
application, where added mass was needed to promote a luxury brand. A bottle closure application used a food contact iron powder-filled PP at 4.0 g/cm3
for luxury
and high-end liquor manufacturers. In addition, a tungsten and copper powder-filled PA66 at 7.4 g/cm3 was developed for a weighted, RFID embedded casino chip application. The company has also recently collaborated with electroplating vendors to achieve mirror finishes with some compounds.
Working on 3D printing For the future, Dailey highlights prototyping with 3D printing as work in progress. “One of the biggest hurdles we face is the inability to prototype with our materials - short of moulding standard stock shapes, bonding those
66 COMPOUNDING WORLD | March 2016
together and machining them down to size,” he says. “3D printing can help solve the prototyping problem without the need for expensive tooling. However, while it is a rapidly evolving industry, there is not yet a printer or technology on the market that can successfully print a metal-filled polymer compound. With that said we are presently working with several groups and believe this may be possible by mid to late 2016.” Compounder PolyOne was recently involved in a
project where a dense compound was required to create the ‘feel’ of quality in a packaging application. Its custom- er – a market leader in the production of closures for spirits – wanted to create a premium closure offering that conveyed superior quality and that met its brand owners’ performance and marketing needs while improving profitability. PolyOne proposed customising a high density, engineered Gravi-Tech compound formula- tion it had developed as an alternative to metal. Switching to the Gravi-Tech compound maintained the
for a cosmetics packaging
look, feel and sound of metal and retained the premium perception while the move from metal forming to injection moulding also enabled processing cost savings and expanded design freedom, according to PolyOne. The closure producer estimates the switch to the Gravi-Tech material resulted in a 35% cost saving, which it attributes to lower material and processing costs. PolyOne adds that, compared to metal, the polymer solution also enabled the closure producer to provide its spirits customers with customisation in terms of density and colour. The company’s Gravi-Tech formula- tions are colourable and can be tuned to replicate up to five times the density of traditional polymers. The materials can also be vacuum metalised or electro- plated to reproduce the premium metal finish that leading spirits makers prefer. Gravi-Tech high density compounds have also been used by US company PolyCase Ammunition to create and improve performance and manufacturing of its shooting range compliant high performance cartridges. The Ruger ARX projectiles feature a flute design moulded from Gravi-Tech high density compounds. PolyOne says that it developed a specific Gravi-Tech formulation that makes it possible to produce the geometry of the bullet while maintaining balance and weighting requirements to deliver higher velocity and more efficient energy transfer.
Click on the links for more information: ❙
www.phantomplastics.com ❙
www.lkabminerals.com ❙
www.lehvossllc.com ❙
www.ecomass.com ❙
www.polyone.com
www.compoundingworld.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104
