Plastics industry executives are on the prowl at NPE for new ideas and materials that improve aesthetics, increase design freedom and reduce cost. Those are among the findings from a DuPont survey of plastics designers and processors planning to attend the huge trade show at McCormick Place in Chicago, June 23-27.
Survey respondents also said global competition is their number one concern, but nearly 73 percent say their business outlook will improve next year, according to the survey.
"Growing in today’s competitive global environment requires innovation and innovative thinking, hard work and collaboration throughout the value chain," says Terry Caloghiris, vice president and general manager of DuPont Engineering Polymers. "We use our expanding global reach as an advantage to serve our global customers and to help smaller customers find new opportunities."
To help molders and original equipment manufacturers gain a competitive edge, DuPont is introducing six new materials and technologies that help make plastic products look better, work harder and reduce total system costs, according to Caloghiris. "The products and technologies we are introducing today support our vision to be the number one growth partner of choice in engineering polymers solutions for leading companies worldwide," he said.
Enhanced functional aesthetics
Functional aesthetics ranked highest in material attributes NPE attendees are looking for, according to the survey. Twenty-eight percent ranked it as the number one material attribute; 57 percent put it in their top three choices. Other high-scoring material attributes were resistance to extreme environments, structural properties and toughness.
For enhanced functional aesthetics, DuPont is introducing:
- DuPont™ DelrinÒ Decorating Systems - a product and processing solution for painting, printing, plating, and in-mold decoration of acetals.
- DuPont™ Shine-E RyniteÒ , which delivers an unparalleled "Class A" surface for paint or molded-in color applications.
- A platable DuPont™ ZytelÒ HTN high performance polyamide that will go beyond what many plastics can do to replace metal when toughness and high heat resistance are the challenges.
Thermoforming and improved productivity
Thermoforming is identified as a powerful process in the DuPont NPE survey results, coming in second behind injection molding as "the most important process technology in the next five years."
DuPont™ Delrin® Forming Solutions makes it possible to thermoform housings, panels and other products delivering the superior performance of Delrin® acetal resin.
DuPont also introduced new productivity resins:
- Two tough new flame-retardant grades of DuPont™ Zytel® nylon hold the potential for greater productivity than thermoset plastics in electrical circuit breaker housings, switchgear, fluorescent lighting and other applications.
- A new pelletized concentrate, DuPont™ Zytel® FE310014 nylon resin, can cut cycle time in molding difficult parts from unreinforced nylon 66, according to the experience of one leading molder.
Recycling
Recycle will become more important in the coming years, according to 70 percent of the NPE survey respondents. Material tests released by DuPont Engineering Polymers and DENSO indicate the new DuPont Composite Recycle Technology "can provide a workable, cradle-to-cradle solution" today for radiator end tanks, extendable likely to other large, glass-filled nylon parts, according to William Hsu, vice president-technology for DuPont Engineering Polymers. "This development program illustrates DuPont’s sustainability journey to deliver technologies today that are good for society, good for the economy and good for the environment," said Hsu.
E-business
Engineering data is the top website need for nearly 80 percent of NPE show attendees; 50 percent ranked a material selector as the second most useful tool.
Plastics.dupont.com, the newly launched DuPont portal for plastics users, sports both. The new SuperSelector provides material selection data downloadable in minutes to help facilitate material selection, including physical property data, product attributes compared to other polymers.
The DuPont survey of plastics designers and processors who plan to attend NPE was conducted by BRG Townsend of Mt. Olive, New Jersey. Of the nearly 300 people polled, half represent molders, half represent OEMs.
DuPont is a science company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by solving problems and creating solutions that make people’s lives better, safer and easier. Operating in more than 70 countries, the company offers a wide range of products and services to markets including agriculture, nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and apparel.
