Multifunctional applications of polymer substances
New paths to the integration of functions in polymer components
On June 11th of 2008, circa 70 national and international domain experts congregated in Bayreuth to swap ideas on concepts about the integration of functions in polymer components at the symposium “Plastics for application 2008: Multifunctional applications of polymer substances”. The communal event of Kunststoff-Netzwerk Franken e.V. (Franconian network of plastics) and Kompetenzzentrum Neue Materialien Nordbayern GmbH (Centre of excellence New Materials North Bavaria) has evolved into a proper meeting point of branches in its fifth year. After the greeting, Prof. Altstädt of the chair in polymer substances of the university of Bayreuth introduced polymers for modern functional materials – electrets, piezo-electric material and electro-spinning. He demonstrated the great implementation range of these technologies and presented potential future applications. Using the example of a highly integrated door system, Rolf Bücker from Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG (Brose vehicle parts) in Hallstadt explained the thesis “Innovation requires comprehensive approach”. In cooperation with Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH, a concept for the manufacturing of inner joists of doors made of PP long glass fibres was developed. This injection-moulded part, produced with the inline-compounding-technique, leads to remarkable weight savings concerning doors and opens new paths of integration of functions for door systems. In the next lecture, Karl Neumeier from the Fraunhofer association for reliability and micro-integration presented a novel bio-chip cartridge made of a polymer substance, which enables a quick and highly parallel diagnosis of human antibodies. This concept was developed in cooperation with Kunststoff-Technik Scherer & Trier GmbH & Co. KG (Plastic engineering Scherer & Trier) in Michelau. This bio-chip cartridge and the corresponding system of interpretation makes it possible to abbreviate times of diagnosis from several days to less than two hours and to execute a great scope of antibody tests parallel to this at the same time.
Lutz Fischer from foliotec GmbH in Sparneck demonstrated examples for multifunctional applications by the use of in-mould labelling. Due to this, it is possible to integrate diverse functions in a component part, beginning with the surface design and different colouring for illuminated parts up to partial galvanization. Dr. Abach from Novem Car Interior Design GmbH, Vorbach, presented trim parts for the automobile interior – hybrids of three or more components. He depicted the efforts, which have to be made, to prepare and utilize the natural substance wood for automobile inner parts. The demands on plastics in power semiconductor modules were reported by C. Göbl from Semikron Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG (Semikron electronics) in Nürnberg. He demonstrated the different norms and test methods, which are taken as a basis for the choice of materials in the range of power semiconductors and defined the requirements on the ideal substance for this scope of application.
The lecture of Ger Vroomen from the company Allod in Burgbernheim showed the multifunctional orientation of adhesion modified TPEs. Thus, it is possible amongst others, to combine TPEs with surfaces of glass or steel with a reliable grip and so break new grounds in the component design.
The presentation of Ulf-Peter Pestel from Pestel PUR-Kunststofftechnik GmbH (Pestel PUR plastic engineering) in Chemnitz circulated in other dimensions, at least when it comes to the measurement of components. The multifunctional demands on heavily loaded extensive mouldings, like they are e.g. used for the sheathing of self-propelled harvesters, necessitate ultimate precision in the manufacturing process and the converting. Here, it is essential to fill cavities for components with more than 40 kg in 7 sec. As concrete example, the referee had such a component with him, which was more than 2 m long.
In the concluding lecture, Dr. Stefan Forero from FutureCarbon GmbH in Bayreuth demonstrated the current developments of carbon nano tubules for the application in composites.
The event ended with the possibility of visiting the technical centre of Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH.
Source: PU Magazin, November/December 2008, P. 282. Download (PDF, 933 kb).