JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #37 - December 2007 - 15

in partnership with JEC Composites E-letter material requirements, such as plasma cutting machines, welding machines and electric motors. www.norplex-micarta.com Weatherability of mold-in-color SMC components New research from Ashland Composite Polymers and Plasticolors show that the ability of sheet molding compound (SMC) to withstand the effects of weather can be improved. “The results from our laboratory and outside weather tests of Ashland’s AROTRAN® 805 SMC formulation show improved weatherability of mold-in-color SMC components,” said Cedric Ball, manager, global transportation for Ashland Composite Polymers. “Automobile manufacturers and composite molders can realize significant cost savings using UV-stable, mold-in-color systems. With no need to paint, the process can be more environmentally-friendly as well.” Although the original Ashland EKADURE® weatherable SMC has been available for a few years, technical advances have reduced the shrinkage of the formula while maintaining its excellent color, weathering and molding characteristics. For exposed nonClass A surfaces such as pickuptruck beds, the color and gloss retention of the AROTRAN® 805, low shrink weatherable SMC was shown to remain unchanged after 3,750 hours of exposure. www.ashland.com construction of future medical imaging equipment. www.advanced-composites.com Natural fibre reinforced thermoplastics for injection moulding New carbon fibre composite for medical sector Advanced Composites Group (ACG) announced that it has successfully developed MTM®59, a carbon fibre composite material that is set to benefit the medical sector. MTM®59, a 120°C curing matrix system, has been combined with a recent development from ACG to provide a high performance composite system in addition to enhanced clarity, which is required for X-ray tables and plates. Composite materials offer high strength, stiffness and low weight, but in the medical world it is their transparency to X-rays that makes these materials so attractive. Surface clarity can, through innovative resin chemistry, translate into through thickness clarity and high definition X-ray images. Presently under trial with a number of European manufacturers, the aim of the MTM®59 is to set the standards for the “Finally it is possible to mould plastic products, which really look and feel different…Kareline composites” - said one well known Finnish designer. Many designers have been waiting for the development of biocomposites, such as Kareline, with a more natural appearance to plastic products. End products can now be designed from the viewpoint of usability and aesthetics – plastic raw material no longer limits the freedom of designers. In addition, the natural appearance of Kareline material enables the designing of plastic products which look and feel appealing and very different. The Finnish company Kareline Oy Ltd is one of the first companies in the world which has seriously commercialised natural fibre reinforced thermoplastics for injection moulding. At present Kareline has one of the widest ranges of bio- Significant improvements in crash energy absorption in automotive crash tubes These composite tubes are designed to simulate standard steel chassis rails in a vehicle to see how they react in a crash scenario. Initial tests have shown that carbon-fibre parts manu-factured using the Quickstep Process absorb approximately 43% more energy than aluminium and 91% more energy than steel. The more energy that can be absorbed by a vehicle in a crash, the safer passengers are. Curing the tubes with this process takes seven minutes. This compares favourably with other composite manufacturing techniques, and is within the acceptable limits for the automotive industry, which manufactures in large volumes. www.quickstep.com.au No37 December 2007 / JEC Composites Magazine

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #37 - December 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #37 - December 2007