Material science, design, and engineering students are encouraged to participate in the PMA’s Second Annual Surprisingly Versatile Design Competition. The student who exhibits the best, most versatile use of cast polyurethane will be awarded a $4,000 scholarship and receive $1,000 for travel expenses to attend the PMA’s 40th anniversary meeting on April 10-12, 2011 in Amelia Island, Fla. The competition requires a written report, design and finished prototype of a cast polyurethane part that is traditionally made of common metal, rubber or other plastic. The project will help students become more aware of the diverse capabilities of cast polyurethane.
The written report, design and finished prototype must be received by February 15, 2011. The winner will be selected by the PMA Education Panel and notified by mail in March.
For technical requirements, judging criteria and more information, please visit the PMA’s scholarship site at http://www.pmahome.org/scholarship.aspx.
Students: Test your design skills for a $4,000 scholarship!
Labels: Cast Polyurethane , scholarship
Look for Us in the News
Check out October’s Rubber World and Manufacturing Digital and you’ll recognize a few members.
In the upcoming issue of Rubber World, PMA member Chuck Ruffing, technical director of Rubber Rolls Inc., discusses the benefits of using urethane instead of rubber where possible, including:
More load-bearing capacity
Greater tear strength
Better compression set
Stronger abrasion resistance
Higher tolerance to greases, oils and ozone
In Manufacturing Digital, PMA shares the success stories various members have found post recession in capturing new opportunities—setting a great example for other manufacturers in the post-recession era. Several PMA members across the country are highlighted for their company’s efforts in finding new applications and gaining business back.
With advice from Jeff Dietrich, senior analyst of the Institute for Trend Research and speaker at the PMA Annual Meeting 2010, this article provides tips for manufacturers to maintain customers and remain profitable in 2010 and beyond.
As always, we encourage each of you to send us story ideas. You, too, can see your story in print. Until then, take a peek at our upcoming stories.
If you have a story to share, please send an email to Rachel McCormick at rmccormick@insideSH.com
Labels: Cast Polyurethane , Manufacturing Digital , PMA , Rubber Rolls Inc. , Rubber World
Check Your Inbox for the PMA Membership Survey
To stay on top of the latest knowledge and trends in cast polyurethane, the PMA is rolling out our first member survey. In the next few weeks, all PMA members will be getting an email from us with a link to the survey online.
Please respond to the survey as soon as you can, answering all questions to the best of your knowledge. It should only take a few minutes.
Your feedback will help create benchmarks, allowing you to better understand the cast polyurethane market and where your company stands among other members. We’ll also use what we learn to help us promote the strength and vitality of the cast polyurethane industry in the coming year.
If you have any questions regarding the survey, please feel free to comment on this post or send us an email to the address provided below.
Want to see your story in this blog? Send an email to rmccormick@insidesh.com
Innovative DirectSkinning Process Meets the BMW Test
Technology Enables Plastic Part with a PUR Coating, All in One Mold
Exciting new advantages of PUR have the spotlight in Modern Plastics’ article “Molded parts get PUR coating in a single mold.”
DirectSkinning is a new technology involving multicomponent injection molding into a single mold—with one of the materials being a PUR coating that protects its thermoplastics substrate. First appearing at the K show in 2004, the technology had to develop some thick skin to meet commercial requirements for cost and efficiency.
In production at fischer automotive systems GmbH, a German processor of plastics, the DirectSkinning decorative panel seals off a kinematic drawer on the dashboard, directly above the central console. The panel is produced in five colors and has about a 1.4-mm-thick PUR covering based on plastics supplier Bayer MaterialScience’s Bayflex LS (Light Stable) material. The thickness of the PUR coating can be adjusted to a manufacturer’s need.
PUR surfaces provide additional protection and aesthetic appeal to parts. The stability of the product’s polyurethane surface has been tested through heat aging, hot-light aging, climatic change and solar stimulation showing no surface defects, discoloring or other issues over the service life of the product.
If you have a cast polyurethane success story that needs to be told, let us know! We’d love to hear from you. We are always looking for PMA member stories to share.
Have an idea? Shoot us an email at rmccormick@insideSH.com
PMA Grows Membership by 13 Percent
In an off-year for most manufacturers and suppliers, the value of joining an association becomes clear. Posting a 13 percent gain in membership, the PMA leads the way in promoting cast polyurethane as a critical product component.
Now more than ever, processors and suppliers are turning to the PMA for resources and knowledge regarding:
- The latest technology (see our technical papers and seminars)
- Regulatory practices
- Material science.
Plus, we continue to work vigilantly with members to spread the word on the strength and versatility of cast polyurethane as a material, exposing its advantages to new businesses and diverse markets.
Few companies would be able to dedicate so many resources to the advancement and development of cast polyurethane. As the exclusive organization dedicated to this material, we have a lot to provide our members, helping them win in what continues to be a challenging market.
As we further our mission of advancing cast polyurethane, we’d like to thank our current membership base as well as announce our latest partners. Please welcome the following new members:
- AdvanSource BioMaterials Corp
- American Polymer Products, Inc.
- BASF Corporation
- Bihler Flex
- Hewlett Packard
- Michelin North America
- Novatech
- Pittsburgh Plastics Mfgs, Inc.
- Polycoat Products
- Puma Polymers
- Uni-Eastern Sportswear Mfg, Ltd.
If you know someone interested in joining or if you have a story to share for our blog, please email Rachel Jennings at rjennings@insideSH.com
Positive News for Polyurethane Manufacturers
You don’t have to ask anyone – how was 2009? It was a tough year all around. And even earlier this year, economic reports were confusing.
But finally, we’re seeing a steadier uptick, including in the polyurethane market. Below are several industry highlights:
U.S. Manufacturing Executives
In a recent survey conducted by KMPG International, U.S. executives were optimistic about their business prospects over the next 12 months. 71% believed that the recovery will continue into the next year and business activity, revenues and profits will be higher.
Conveyor Belt
Recovering from a 22.7% decline in shipments in 2009, the conveyor belt industry has started 2010 with confidence. Booked orders increased 15% from January to February. Executive member annual meeting attendees of the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturing Association cautiously predict a 2% increase in 2010 shipments.
Automotive
Sharp sales increases across the automotive sector show a recovering industry. Industry giants, General Motors, Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai all experienced sales gains in March. Ford showed the most impressive growth with the best monthly sales increase (43%) in over 25 years. Positive gains among top automotive manufacturers will continue to trickle down to parts and component manufacturers.
For those doing business in these industries, it’s certainly a good time to boost your sales efforts and reconnect with customers.
Got an idea? A story to share? Let us know by emailing Rachel Jennings at rjennings@insideSH.com.
Resources and Research Help Product Innovations
Plastics changed the material game. In what once was a predominately metal and ceramic product driven world, plastic, for nearly 60 years, has grown in popularity at an unparalleled rate in comparison to most materials. Extensive research and a desire to continuously improve has pushed plastics and more specifically cast polyurethane to where it stands today as one of the most utilized materials in the world.
Rising out from its plastic family, the future direction of cast polyurethane is limitless, but constant research is inevitably vital to its growth as the material pushes its traditional barriers to replacing stainless steel and someday into high heat applications like automotive engines.
As urethane processors, the heavy weight of innovation comes to bear on you. But there are resources that can help take the load off from material analysis labs to research institutes and higher education.
These resources can help pinpoint the right material to prevent product failure or even tell you, more importantly, why your last product failed. For most processors, product failure is most commonly associated with human error in material selection/substitution, design, processing and in the mis-use of the product.
With hundreds of material combinations and grade modifications, it’s nearly impossible for a designer to be up on the latest materials. Early collaboration with experts ensure consistent quality, product reliability and in some cases cost savings from shorter production or less expensive materials. Plus designing to stringent quality restrictions and standards has become a critical reality in processing with an increase in product liability claims, environmental concerns and quality and approved supplier certification. There just isn’t room for a “break”.
It’s a thin line between perfect material selection and optimum performance and product failure. For plastic processors, it’s absolutely essential that they understand a materials’ fundamental nature, limitations and know there are experts who can help. Perhaps you don’t have the capital to internally house an expert or your expert doesn’t have time due to other obligations, but that’s no reason to take a risk in a product or worse not to innovate. An investment in research is well spent – look how it’s turned out for the industry already.
If you have any suggestions to additional benefits that the PMA does not currently offer and would like to see it added to your membership, please leave a comment or send your idea to rjennings@insideSH.com.