Distrupol Delivers DSM’s Sarlink® TPV Resin for Tough Audi Under-the-hood Application
January 06 , 2006
As a leading European polymer distributor, technical service and solutions provider, Distrupol plays an active role in supporting molders and OEMs through all stages of application development. A demonstration of this has been its successful partnering with UK automotive molder, P&D Manufacturing in the development of an under-the-hood heat shield in thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) resin for the Audi A4 and Audi A6 models.
Driving this development undertaken for Audi Tier 1 supplier Avon Automotive, was the need to replace EPDM rubber, in which the application had previously been made, in order to achieve better production and cost effectiveness.
"The key starting point was to identify the material that would give the advantages being targeted and that would meet the high performance criteria demanded by the part," explains P&D Manufacturing's Andy Penton. "With their in-depth materials knowledge, Distrupol support us with that and made an invaluable contribution from the outset of the project."
The material selected was DSMs Sarlink®, a family of TPVs based on dynamically vulcanized EPDM rubber and thermoplastic blends. Sarlink TPV combines the well-known benefits of thermoplastics such as low cost processing from convenient, easy-to-use granules and molding versatility, as well as the ability to achieve a tight tolerance fit in the end product. Additionally it has the distinctive characteristics of rubber vulcanizate, which includes elasticity, flexibility, high friction coefficients and softness.
"Distrupol helped us determine the correct material grades to meet the requirements for both toughness and flexibility," says Penton. "They also provided moldflow analysis of the part and helped establish the necessary processing guidelines. Importantly for us, this degree of co-operation has a positive influence on shortening overall development time."
In addition to satisfying all performance parameters, because of its outstanding high flow properties and fast cycling time, the injection molded Sarlink TPV also delivered increased productivity and cost savings to the molding of the Audi under-bonnet component heat shields.
Sarlink TPV, which can be injection molded, blow molded or extruded, finds applications in automotive, construction, electrical and electronic, leisure and general industrial applications. Moreover, specialised grades within the product family serve the needs of medical, pharmaceutical and food-contact end-uses. Distrupol is the sole distributor of DSM's Sarlink range of TPVs throughout the UK, Ireland, the Nordic region, Benelux and France.
About Distrupol
Distrupol provides plastics processors with the most comprehensive link to the world's leading polymers. Underpinning its customer-centric, Europe-wide materials distribution business is a full range of technical and application development assistance to supplement customers' own resources. Adapted to individual needs and local conditions, Distrupol's services give the support that delivers optimized technical and commercial solutions.
A daughter company of Univar NV, Distrupol is a major polymer industry distribution and service supplier in Europe where it already leads the market in the UK, Ireland and the Nordic region. Headquartered in the UK, Distrupol has a network of offices and logistics centres in the Benelux, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, as well as the in UK.
About Univar
Univar NV is one of the largest distributors of chemical raw materials in North America and Europe with an annual turnover of approximately 5 billion Euros. The company supplies a wide range of products from the world's leading manufacturers to customers in many sectors of the industry. Univar buyers operate in the foodstuff sector, pharmaceuticals and the cosmetics industry, detergents, the plastics industry, paints and coatings, and the metal, textile and transport sectors. They are supported by an extensive network of 195 distribution centres across the United States, Canada and fourteen European countries.
