MATERIALS | REINFORCEMENTS
Above:
Automotive lightweighting has been a major applica- tion area for LFTs and that remains the case with new EV powertrains
about materials that either contain recycled or renewable content.” There are several key considerations when selecting a reinforced thermoplastic system for any application, according to Wollan, and with long fibre materials it is all about the structural require- ments. Engineers really need to have a good understanding of what loads will be experienced and what the typical usage environments will be to avoid spending a lot of money on an over specified material. However, combining known specifications in tandem with the current line-up of software performance analysis tools means truly structural parts can be designed using long fibre reinforced thermoplastics, he says.
Sustainability aims In terms of development, finding cost-effective materials that will meet the growing demand for sustainability are at the top of the list, according to Wollan. “The pultrusion process used to manufac- ture long fibre composites has a narrow processing window so locating streams of post-consumer recycled polymers with a consistent melt flow and free of particulate contaminates is imperative. The expectation is always that sustainable materials have to perform the same and be just as, or more, cost effective to implement. Most markets show little willingness to accept an upcharge to obtain sustainability,” he says. “Most of the development in long fibre is around
incremental improvements to meet the specific performance requirements of individual applica- tions rather than revolutionary innovation. Unless someone invents a new type of fibre or a new polymer system, everyone is working with the same raw material feed stocks,” Wollan says. Although LFTs are most established in automo-
tive, they are also applied in other industrial applica- tions. Avient recently worked with US-based Bettcher Industries, a leading manufacturer of food processing equipment, to convert the support yoke of its Quantum motor from aluminium to Complēt LFT. The companies re-engineered the yoke, which
34 COMPOUNDING WORLD | June 2021
www.compoundingworld.com
supports an 11.3kg (23lb) motor that powers a variety of meat trimming tools. The aim was to deliver a lightweight polymeric replacement that would lower part cost yet retain reliable perfor- mance in the demanding end-use environment. Avient’s Complēt long glass fibre reinforced PA compound resulted in a part 40% lighter than the cast aluminium predecessor while bringing the added benefit of injection moulding for faster, single-step production. Avient carried out virtual prototyping on the re-designed yoke while Bettcher conducted testing on a physical prototype to simulate half a million use cycles. Backed by these results, a pre-coloured LFT was formulated that matched Bettcher’s existing product palette, eliminating secondary painting and finishing to provide further cost savings.
Market disruptions Wollan says market disruptions also play a part in stimulating innovation. “The two recent major disruptions in the nylon supply chain have many looking for alternatives that are less volatile but provide similar performance at a comparable price point. Successful industries count on stability.” Avient has introduced two new material lines intended to provide a solution to these supply constraints. Both are based on polyketone (PK) and are formulated to deliver comparable performance and lower production-related carbon dioxide levels than PA66 and PA6 and acetal (POM). The Edgetek PKE and LubriOne PKE series formulations com- bine good chemical and hydrolysis resistance to meet challenges of applications in chemical, fuel contact, or high-moisture environments. The new materials also offer sustainability benefits over the product lifecycle as the company claims the production of the PK base resin emits up to 61%
Bettcher’s
industrial food processing tool is a non-automotive application of LFTs
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
IMAGE: AVIENT
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