Super High Flow Resins for lighter parts, energy savings, increased part consolidation

15-Dec-06

GE Plastics has launched Valox* Super High Flow resins, a family of glass-filled and mineral-filled polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) materials. Valox Super High Flow resins are aimed at helping automakers and tiers achieve thinner, larger parts with greater detail at lower injection pressures without sacrificing performance. The GE materials address several key challenges. As gas prices increase, the automotive industry is seeking new technologies to produce thinner, lighter components for greater fuel efficiency. At the same time, automakers are increasingly combining multiple functions in the same component to save space so they can pack in extra features. Until now, manufacturers had few options for high-performance resins that could effectively fill thin-wall parts as well as produce detailed, consolidated components. Valox Super High Flow resins surpass other glass- and mineral-filled, high-viscosity resins in their ability to mold thin-wall parts with lower injection pressure. Traditional materials often cause short shots and rejects because the machine cannot deliver sufficient pressure for complete mold filling. The excellent flow characteristics of the new GE grades - which achieved more than double the flow of existing PBT resins in spiral flow tests - make them ideal candidates for such parts as power distribution boxes, high pin density connectors, and HVAC vanes, whose significant length and thinness can challenge other materials. Further, the new Super High Flow products reduce peak filling pressure by more than 25 to 30 percent over similar conventional grades. A second benefit of Super High Flow Valox resins is the ability to reduce cycle times and system costs by increasing the number of mold cavities that can be filled in a single shot. Furthermore, the GE resin provides customers with an option to lower melt and mold temperature in existing tools thereby saving energy. Combining multiple functions into a single, complicated part, such as a high-pin-density electrical connector, is easier with Valox Super High Flow resins. Their enhanced flow helps ensure complete filling of even the most detailed molds. Further, the high dielectric strength and excellent chemical and heat resistance of these new materials makes them suitable for a variety of under-hood, electrical, and large part applications. (Press Release)