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issue: July 2004 APPLIANCE Magazine
Plastics & Plastic Parts
Plastic Triplets |
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by David Simpson, Contributing Editor
A triplet of applications demonstrates how plastics can benefit appliance producers across all product segments. |
| The general advantages of plastics are well
documented. Among these are design flexibility, including part integration;
chemical and corrosion resistance; cost effectiveness; and low weight.
With these advantages, plastics continue to make inroads in various internal
and external applications. |
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| Plastics can also create an advantage
in appliance design, notes Paola Babka, global marketing director, consumer
markets, GE
Advanced Materials, Plastics (Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands). “The
development, styling, and manufacture of next-generation appliances can
be done in such a way that new products immediately stand out from the
competition, also creating possible brand identity,” she says. “Products
such as these call for the greatest possible freedoms from the materials
they use. Engineering thermoplastics can offer among the broadest possible
range of performance properties and capabilities compared to conventional
metal-based materials.” |
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An example of what one leading appliance
company - in this case, Spain’s Fagor - can do with engineering
thermoplastics is seen in “Metallic
Look Enhances Refrigerator Design.” This is one of three applications
- plus a few pictures thrown in for good measure - illustrating some
of the ways plastics are used in appliance design.
Internal plastic parts
can also be vital to product success. Certainly in one food
equipment application they saved the day. When Hobart Corporation found
a problem created by contamination in a dough mixer design, it changed
over to a plastic-based bearing. The component is lubrication- and maintenance-free,
as well as contamination- and chemical-resistant. Find out more by read “Adding
More to the Mix.” |
A
Ruggedly Molded Lifesaver
Available in both automatic and semi-automatic configurations,
the Lifepak CR Plus is a small, portable automated external
defibrillator (AED) from Medtronic Physio-Control (Redmond,
WA, U.S.). The defibrillator is designed to be used by
a non-professional—in the event trained professionals
are not available—who comes to the aid of a person
experiencing cardiac arrest.
To
achieve the necessary ruggedness and a small, convenient
size, the manufacturer and its molder, Accurate Molded
Plastics, Inc. (Coeur d’Alene, ID, U.S.), used
Bayblend FR110 resin, a combination of polycarbonate
and ABS, to mold the case. The material comes from Bayer
Corporation (Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.).
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As populations continue to reach
retirement age in developed countries, the market for medical devices
is likely to continue to grow, and with
it, the use of plastics. In one medical application, Draeger Medical
was
looking for a material to use in a blower that could quickly reach high
speeds. The 2-in (55-mm) wheel needed thin walls and high tensile strength.
The material has the purity required for clinical use. Read more in “High
Power Plastic.”
Of course, compared to the whole range of what is happening with plastics
applications in the appliance industry, a triplet of cases is just a small
sampling. Still, perhaps these examples will trigger new thinking of innovative
ways appliance producers can use plastics in their product designs.
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Improving Look
- Feel - Function
 Hoping
to improve the look, feel, and function of its
compact
power mid-handle cordless DeWalt drill, Black & Decker
(Townson, MD, U.S.) enlisted the help of Phillips
Plastics (Hudson, WI, U.S.)
in a model redesign. The goal was to offer added features.
These included a fresh, updated
look, a new handle, and an adjustable end cap, which
would allow the motor to be serviced.
Because
the previous drill
was produced using a multi-shot molding process,
the power tool company had no reservations about
applying
the technology
to the updated version.
The requirement for the redesigned tool was to produce
various sizes to accommodate different variations of a
mid-handle and pistol grip in 12-, 14-, and 18-V drills,
and a hammer drill used for drilling into concrete and
masonry. These tools were built to produce the mid-handle
and pistol grip housings for the drill. Identical tools
were to produce parts in the U.S. and to be used in a
European press. Phillips’ team also built multiple
sets of tools in-house to produce the components for the
drills.
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Award-Winning Parts
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Parts
for the Xerox Corporation (Stamford, CT, U.S.) WorkCentre
Pro 40 Color Advanced Multifunction Office System were
awarded by the Structural Plastics Division of the Society
of the Plastics Industry at the New Product Design Recognition
event, held in conjunction with Structural Plastics 2004. |
| A left
shelf, right shelf, rear wall, paper tray, and paper tray
extension were formed with gas counter pressure induction
molding. The process is said to minimize pressures during
the injection phase, thereby providing excellent and consistent
visual surfaces, eliminating the need for paint. Single
cavity tools were used. The tool is sealed for nitrogen
gas to fill the cavity prior to plastic injection. The
part is filled through a single valve gate. Parts were
provided by GI
Plastek (Marysville, OH, U.S.) and the mold maker was
Solo Tool & Mold Ltd. (Windsor, Ontario, Canada). |
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A
Strong Brew
The
brewing units found in espresso machines from Saeco
(Gaggio Montano, Italy) need to withstand the acids
and material components of coffee, as well as high
mechanical stress.
To
withstand the challenging environment, the units
are constructed of Ultraform
polyacetel,
a high-strength material from BASF (Ludwigshafen,
Germany). |
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