BASF's plastic specialties will make their debut at this year's Fakuma, the international trade fair for plastic processing, being held from October 18 to 22 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The newly founded global unit "Specialty Polymers & Specialty Foams" encompasses the business with specialties within the Styrene Plastics Operating Division and is being showcased to the public for the first time. Ultraclean Batch? a product that makes it easy to clean injection-moulding screws, is a novelty in the line of engineering plastics. Specialists for polyamide film and monofilament brands will also be available for consultations. BASF will be at stand number 6320, located in Hall A6.
New business unit for styrene plastic specialties
"We are presenting specialty plastics, which offer additional product properties compared to the high-volume styrenic commodities, e.g. the high weather-resistance of Luran?S and the special surface quality of Terblend?N," explains Dr. Michael Stumpp, who has taken the helm at the newly established business unit "Specialty Polymers & Specialty Foams". In addition to the thermoplastic styrene plastic specialties Terlux?(MABS), Luran?S (ASA), Terblend?N (PA/ABS) and Terluran?HH (ABS-specialty), Michael Stumpp's unit also handles special foams like Basotect?(melamine foam) and Neopolen?(EPP and EPE foams). "In combination with these specialties we provide tailor-made service packages for many industries like automotive, health and diagnostics or building and construction. These product/service packages lead to innovative solutions that can result in a distinct reduction of system costs. Jointly with our customers we are closely looking at the whole production process up to the finished product, " Stumpp adds.
When it comes to the visual presentation of the styrene plastic specialties, they will appear under the new "PlasticsPlus" brand family, that draws attention to BASF's comprehensive range of services for these products. The specialty Terlux?HD2802 will be offered together with the service package for Healthcare and Diagnostics, which provides medical product manufacturers with the guarantee that the formulations will remain constant over the long run. Luraskin?is a film made of Luran?S, which replaces painting in three-dimensional construction elements such as doors and windows. It is part of a system that was developed together with the Permacoat?company.
Ultraclean Batch - the universal cleaner for plastics
The novelty in the product line of BASF's engineering plastics is Ultraclean Batch? a cleaner for the screws used in injection moulding. These new granules can be employed directly without admixtures whenever there is a need to clean the plasticizing units of injection-moulding machines quickly and effectively for colour and/or product changes. This material works for all common plastics in the temperature range from 180°C to 290°C [356°F to 554°F] and its high efficiency translates into cost savings. Since the new Ultraclean Batch?is transparent, it is easy to watch the cleaning process, which normally takes less than 20 minutes. Free samples for production trials can be ordered at the trade fair. Starting in October, information about Ultraclean Batch?will be posted at plasticsportal website and at basf.website. For the time being the product will only be available in Europe.
New items in the Ultradur High Speed product line
Following initial successes with Ultradur?High Speed, BASF's new and especially easy-flowing PBT, the company has now augmented its PBT product line with several high-speed grades. Upon the occasion of the Fakuma, BASF will also be offering warpage-optimized blends consisting of PBT and ASA (Ultradur?S4090) as well as PBT/PET blends that have a particularly good surface (Ultradur?B4040) as high-speed versions.
