The 2012 Outlander Sports crossover from Mitsubishi Motor Corp. features what is reportedly the industry’s first two-cavity injection molded fenders.

Biomarine, Exton, Pa., a manufacturer of self-contained breathing apparatus for rescue and hazmat workers, firefighters, and miners has improved the safety and durability of its new BioPal 240R Revolution rebreather by replacing the existing PC compound for the external housing.

The new Fiat MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), already launched in Europe and set to debut here early in 2013, has what are said to be the first fixed rear side windows in the U.S. to use two-shot injection-compression molding, which allows for the seamless integration of an aerodynamic spoiler.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: The new Fiat MPV (multi-purpose vehicle),already launched in Europe and set to debut here early in 2013, has what are said to be the first fixed rear side windows in the U.S. to use two-shot injection compression molding, which allows for the seamless integration of an aerodynamic spoiler.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: A 30% glass-reinforced PPE alloy newly offered globally by Sabic Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., complies with both current European and global sustainability regulations governing materials used in potable water systems as well as new, tougher regulations that go into effect in 2016.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: New Lexan FST3403 PC copolymer from Sabic Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., is hailed as the first thermoplastic material developed specifically for railroad seat-back shells and side covers that meets the strictest fire-safety requirements of the new European CEN/TS 45445-2R5 standard.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: India’s first injection-molded plastic fenders are featured on the new global XUV500 SUV from Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M). They are made of Noryl GTX, a PPE/nylon blend from SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass.

Polystrand, Inc., Englewood, Colo., is starting up a new and larger production facility for continuous-fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites in Montrose, Colo.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., has filled out its portfolio of Flexible Noryl PPE alloys for wire and cable with two new grades that meet Europe’s HD 21.14 S1:2003 standard for AC cords.

Higher-performance and easier processing PE film resins for packaging, a one-pass crosslinked PE for photovoltaic (PV) wire and cable, several higher-performing nylons and TPEs, “greener” plastics, and enhanced styrenic and PC resins are among the new materials that made their debut at the big show in Orlando, Fla., last month.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Addressing the fast-moving trend toward miniaturization of solar photovoltaic (PV) connectors and junction boxes, SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., has come out with a new resin that enables molding thinner walls and placing conductors closer together.

SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., recently opened a specialty polypropylene compounding operation at its Bay St.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., recently opened a specialty polypropylene compounding operation at its Bay St.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: An unusual application for long-glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic is injection molded concrete forms measuring up to 3.7 x 2 ft.

The largest automotive component ever molded with the MuCell microcellular process—and also the first instrument panel ever molded with this process—won the Grand Award at the 2011 SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Competition last month.

In plastics molding, there is always a tradeoff between maximum part-size capacity and investment for a larger-capacity machine.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: New LNP Thermocomp EC006PXQ and ED008PXQ specialty compounds were recently tested in a proof-of-concept study validating their use to replace aluminum in aircraft food-tray arms.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) has agreed to purchase an equity stake in INPRO, a joint venture dedicated to collaborative innovation in automotive production.

Laser direct structuring (LDS) is a powerful technology for adding electrical circuit paths to plastics electronic products such as mobile phone and notebook antennas or molded interconnect devices (MIDs). But up to now, LDS-ready plastics were limited to black.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Laser direct structuring (LDS) is a powerful technology for adding electrical circuit paths to plastics electronic products such as mobile phone and notebook antennas or molded interconnect devices (MIDs). But up to now, LDS-ready plastics were limited mainly to black.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: New tests results published by SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., show that its Ultem polyetherimide (PEI) resin resists hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilization better than polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), another amorphous high-temperature engineering thermoplastic.

Thermoplastic compounds for laser direct structuring (LDS) to apply circuitry to mobile phone and notebook antennas don’t have to be just black anymore, so they don’t have to be hidden inside the devices.

“Unprecedented heat resistance” and “exceptional dimensional stability for thin-wall molding” are claimed for a new amorphous thermoplastic polyimide (TPI) blend from SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass.

 WEB EXCLUSIVE: “Unprecedented heat resistance” and “exceptional dimensional stability for thin-wall molding” are claimed for a new amorphous thermoplastic polyimide (TPI) blend from SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass.

Last fall’s K 2010 fair in Germany drew dozens of materials suppliers to show off hundreds of new products, aimed especially at packaging,medical, automotive, and electrical/electronics.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: New Valox PBT materials are said to overcome the limited mechanical properties of previous non-halogen flame-retardant compounds.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., has broadened its range of Geloy PC/ASA blends to address new markets.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: The rapidly emerging market for hybrid and electric cars holds numerous potential applications for specialized engineering resins and compounds that have been proven in other markets but are relatively new to the automotive scene.

The K 2010 show will present new plastics materials for a wide range of industries, which makes it hard to generalize, but a few markets stand out prominently: packaging, medical, automotive, and electronic equipment.

Additives that render plastic compounds antistatic or electrically and/or thermally conductive are in hot demand.

The footprint of thermoplastic materials suppliers at this year’s NPE is going to be fainter than usual.

 Demands to create smaller, lighter parts have made thin-wall molding one of the most sought after capabilities for an injection molder.

It’s an unusual business model: “We take existing products or manufacturing processes and try to make them better.

Already a familiar sight on European store shelves, the eye-catching appeal of "IML" is gaining traction among North American injection molders. The latest tooling and automation designs can handle the higher volumes needed here.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Fiber-reinforced plastic springs are being molded of Ultem polyetherimide by Lee Spring Co.

Injection molders are warming up to the idea of cycling their tool surface temperature during the molding cycle rather than keeping it constant.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Static electricity is a major challenge for users of inhalation devices, as tiny drug particles can build up a static charge, causing them to adhere to the device instead of being dispensed to the patient.

WEB EXCLUSIVE At NPE next month, at least two materials suppliers will be featuring new developments in long-fiber thermoplastic (LFT) compounds.

An unusual balance of high modulus and ductile impact behavior is claimed for Xenoy HMD resins, recently launched by SABIC Innovative Plastics.

Decorative laminated polycarbonate sheet for aircraft interiors is new from Boltaron Performance Products LLC, Newcomerstown, Ohio.

Two suppliers report greater availability of long-fiber thermoplastics (LFTs). First, European-developed Stamax long-fiber PP pellets are now available in the U.S. from SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass.

A new series of PC/PBT and PC/PET alloys combines a nanofibrillated thermoplastic network and patent-pending mineral filler technology to produce an unusual balance of stiffness and ductility.

A new thermoformable PC sheet from SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., complies with the OSU 65/65 standard and flame/smoke/toxicity (FST) regulations, thus avoiding the need for waivers.

A new electrically conductive PPO/nylon blend from SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., offers 25% lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and thus permits enhanced gap management for automotive body panels.

In the injection molding process, tool temperature is an important factor in achieving high-quality parts.

A new thermoformable polycarbonate film from SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., boasts a 1H pencil hardness rating, easy formability, and high impact resistance for insert-molded graphics in portable electronics.

Azdel, Inc., Forest, Va., a joint venture of SABIC Innovative Plastics (formerly GE Plastics), Pittsfield, Mass., and PPG Industries, Pittsburgh, has been sold to Hanwha Living & Creative Corp. of Seoul, Korea.

Bayer MaterialScience AG in Germany agreed to sell its 50% share in Exatec LLC, Wixom, Mich., to its jointventure partner, GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., just prior to the sale of GE plastics to SABIC of Saudi Arabia.

This month, the sale of GE Plastics, Pittsfi eld, Mass., to Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic) of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is expected to be completed.

GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., has opened its fi rst Automotive Glazing Center of Excellence in Bergen Op Zoom, Netherlands.

Three new engineering resins from GE Plastics, Pittsfi eld, Mass., are designed to provide reduced weight, enhanced fl ame resistance, and lower cost in aircraft interiors.

General Electric Co., Fairfi eld, Conn., has agreed to sell its GE Plastics business, based in Pittsfi eld, Mass., to Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for $11.6 billion.

The top of the thermoplastic performance pyramid is growing more crowded and more finely differentiated due to heightened demand for lighter, tougher alternatives to metals, ceramics, and thermosets.

Is one type of resin dryer faster or more energy-efficient than another? That question prompts competing claims from suppliers—but very little concrete data. When one vendor performed controlled tests to get some answers, its results, published here for the first time, prompted further debate about the difficulties of making valid comparisons and the many complex issues involved in dryer selection.

New Xenoy polyester alloys from GE Plastics, Pittsfi eld, Mass., are claimed to meet new and stricter fuelpermeation regulations for small-engine fuel tanks.

A new grade of polycarbonate sheet is designed to increase the visibility and appearance of illuminated signage.

Multilayer injection-blow molding technology has taken a leap forward with the commercialization of a barrier polycarbonate bottle for medical use.

New super-high-flow PBTs permit molding thinner, larger, and more intricate automotive parts at lower injection pressures.

A range of engineering resins and a new lightweight thermoplastic composite from GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., are employed in the body panels and glazing of General Motors’ latest concept vehicle, the new Chevrolet Volt.

There are more questions than answers surrounding recent reports in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times that General Electric Co. is in the early stages of placing its plastics business on the auction block.

The first in a new family of conductive PPO/nylon blends has been optimized for powder coating in applications such as office furniture, marine components, and non-automotive transportation.

It has the highest Tg of any amorphous thermoplastic plus premium-level chemical resistance and true melt processability with no need for post-cure.

Extem is the name of the new thermoplastic polyimide (TPI) family announced this month by GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass.

A new type of high-loft, lightweight glass-mat/thermoplastic (GMT) formable sheet is made with basalt fibers in place of glass.

Long-glass reinforcements and structural blow molding accounted for four of this year’s nine SPE Automotive Innovation Awards, presented last month in Detroit.

A novel combination of internal and external gas assist is the secret to injection molding a large panel that is both structural and requires a highly cosmetic surface.

Though not widely popular, induction heating has long had its advocates as an efficient method of heating plastics molds.

A new manufacturing process to produce Ultem polyetherimide (PEI) resin will enable GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., to launch new copolymers and blends that have even higher heat performance than standard Ultem.

A new line of thermoformable polycarbonate sheets incorporates GE Plastics' highly weatherable Lexan SLX resin for demanding Class A surface applications.

Increasing concerns about the impact of chemicals on health and the environment are being translated into strict legislation that may have significant impact on the use and disposal of plastics, particularly those used in electrical and electronic equipment.

Injection molding of polycarbonate automotive window and roof glazing is an emerging market that offers weight savings up to 50%, greater styling freedom and potential for parts integration (ribs or brackets) that glass cannot match.

GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., has developed a novel process to manufacture PBT resin using 85% post-consumer PET waste to produce materials that are virtually identical to standard grades.

Among new blow molding developments at the show was an innovative coextrusion system for the growing small-engine fuel tank market.

The so-called “format war” has finally hit the streets.

This emerging market promises to be big but challenging. Polycarbonate car windows require specialized machinery, high-end processing capability, premium polymers, advanced coating technologies, and innovative mold and runner designs.

GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., has contracted Germany's Geiss AG (U.S. office in Elk Grove Village, Ill.) to build two advanced thermoforming machines to expand the use of GE's engineering thermoplastics in large parts.

Coex blow molding has the inside track, but makers of small gas tanks and jerry cans are also looking at fluorination and other monolayer systems. Rotomolders, too, are considering multilayer alternatives.

A federal agency’s ruling has opened the way for a new polycarbonate window system to be used for all non-windshield glazing, provided it meets all existing auto glazing requirements.

Modifications to the common core pin can be a simple solution, but don’t expect all resins to behave the same. Gas assist is also worth a try.

There’s more to TP polyesters than you think. You may know PET, PBT, and PETG—but what about PCT, PCTG, PCTA, and PTT? If you’re not sure what they are, how their properties compare, and who sells them, we have the answers—and lots of new developments to report.

A lightweight version of Azdel glass-reinforced polypropylene sheet is gaining ground in a host of new automotive applications.

Thermoformers are gaining a foothold in large exterior panels of specialized automobiles and utility vehicles.

Injection molders looking to get in on the IMD action should ask plenty of questions: What are the mold-design considerations?

NPE 2000 saw the debut of many new nylons, ranging from 6 and 66 types that are tougher, easier to process, and lower in density to a brand-new class of branched nylons with outstanding physical and rheological properties and a long-carbon-fiber grade that combines high electrical shielding with flame retardance.Also new at the show were extrusion-grade and reinforced PPS, new PPS alloys, and new sources of high-heat, reinforced polyphthalamide, PEEK, and syndiotactic polystyrene compounds.

Expect to see numerous entries in automotive engineering thermoplastics at NPE, including a totally new amorphous thermoplastic that is said to provide a breakthrough in color and gloss retention outdoors without painting. Besides exterior body panels, new automotive materials for under-hood, interior, structural, and mechanical parts like gears will also be plentiful.

 Using sunlight to protect against sunlight—that’s the unusual concept behind GE Plastics’ new Lexan SLX polymer.

From its Detroit-area offices, Swiss-based Quadrant Plastics Composites (QPC) has introduced a family of lightweight reinforced thermoplastic (LWRT) composites to North America.

Thermoformed parts play two roles in the expanding field of in-mold decorating (IMD) of plastic parts: For injection molding, IMD begins by thermoforming a thin film into decorative shells that are placed in the injection mold cavity and then back-molded with a compatible substrate.

Plastics processors are eyeing form able films as an economical, durable, and environmentally friendly means of producing fully decorated parts right out of the mold.

New materials at NPE 2003 target automotive, appliance, and packaging sectors. Engineering thermoplasticsdominate the news, but there were also severalnew TPEs and a few polypropylene introductions.

Food and consumer packaging was the focus of new developments in polyolefins and styrenics, while automotive was the main target for new engineering materials.

The pace at which polyketone materials are replacing metals shows no sign of abating. Indeed, PEEK's potential in fuel cells, plus accelerated applications development in existing markets, suggest that supply tightness could persist through 2003, when more new PEEK capacity is expected to bring relief.

A brand-new family of thermoplastics for automotive and other markets offers an intermediate range of cost and performance between those of TPOs and engineering resins such as nylon, ABS, long-glass PP, and some modified PET and PBT materials. GE Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass., has broadened its Noryl range of PPO alloys by adopting a new matrix material: polypropylene. New patent-pending technology allows the incompatible PP and PPO materials to be blended so as to create new balances of stiffness, toughness, and heat resistance in a moderate price range. Initial Noryl PPX grades are priced between $1.20 and 1.80/lb.

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Two new polycarbonate alloys have been introduced for automotive interior parts by SABIC Innovative Plastics, Pittsfield, Mass.

Expect to see numerous entries in automotive engineering thermoplastics at NPE, including a totally new amorphous thermoplastic that is said to provide a breakthrough in color and gloss retention outdoors without painting. Besides exterior body panels, new automotive materials for under-hood, interior, structural, and mechanical parts like gears will also be plentiful.

Lots of new additive and color concentrates will be displayed at NPE 2000. There will also be new pigments, including some for laser marking. Several new processing aids and modifiers for thermoplastics and thermosets are slated to debut. Also look for new mold releases and a purging agent for optical disc resins. Interesting new fillers include a new electroconductive wollastonite and high-impact wollastonite grades for automotive applications.

How much has injection molding changed in the past 10 years? To get an idea, consider that in 1989 , "thin-wall" molding meant 2.5 mm, and a "tight tolerance" was around 0.002 in./in. Nowadays, top-notch molders produce thin-wall moldings only 0.5 mm thick and precision parts with 10-micron tolerances. A decade ago, compact-disc molding was in its infancy with total disc capacities of less than one gigabyte (GB). Today, the newest molded plastic optical storage media can hold up to 20 GB per square inch.