Oct 19 2009
Patent-pending technologies provide processing, performance and appearance benefits, including durable high- or low-gloss "paint-like" surface finishes
A. Schulman, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHLM) today announced the introduction of a family of high-performance Invision(®) enhanced polyolefin resins for sheet and profile producers.
Available globally, the product family consists of high melt strength TPO compounds, and durable high-performance olefinic capstock resins. As thermoplastic olefin-based materials, Invision resins provide many benefits in performance, appearance, and processing for sheet and profile extrusion, and thermoforming applications. Furthermore, the resins can be recycled and the regrind incorporated back into the material stream without affecting processing or performance.
"Our Invision enhanced polyolefin resins are well-positioned as high-value products that address the sheet and thermoforming industry's critical needs for durable resins that can also be color-matched to exacting appearance requirements," said Paul Boulier, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of A. Schulman. "We are very pleased to offer the sheet and profile producer market this patent-pending technology -- at a time when new developments in technology are essential to the growth of our global customers."
Invision high gloss capstock resin is noted for its extreme clarity and durable surface, enabling a "paint-like" surface finish without the risk of chipping or peeling and without the environmental challenges resulting from the painting process. Invision TPO resins offer durability and dimensional stability, making them ideal for demanding body panel applications in the Agriculture, RV, Power Sports, Personal Watercraft, Heavy Truck and Bus, Lawn and Garden, Industrial, Building and Construction, and Automotive industries. Typical applications include exterior body panels and trim components, fenders, door panels, housings and enclosures.
Invision materials are based on patent-pending polyolefin compositions that can be used in monolayer or multilayer coextruded sheet and profile applications. The product family includes:
- Invision 1040 resin is a high melt strength thermoformable TPO that balances impact resistance and stiffness, enabling processors and end users to reduce product weight and improve processing efficiency without sacrificing product performance. It can be extruded as a monolayer, or as the substrate of a multilayer sheet or profile structure.
- Invision 3568 resin is a low-gloss, thermoformable, non-stress whitening olefin capstock material. It readily accepts textures in embossed applications and provides a soft, non-tacky feel.
- Invision 3566 resin is a high-gloss, thermoformable, non-stress whitening olefin capstock material. Invision color technology, combined with the high clarity capstock resin, allows the capstock resin to match the appearance of any painted color.
"The superior aesthetics and performance provided by Invision enhanced polyolefin resins in numerous customer evaluations in thermoformed parts make them an excellent solution for applications where durability, good color/surface appearance and light weight are essential," said Boulier. "These products come from A. Schulman's New Product Engine, our innovation pipeline, and bring new materials to assist sheet extruders and thermoformers. This significant technology development complements our existing Invision thermoplastic polyolefin products, which are used extensively in injection molding and select slush molding applications."
Source: https://www.lyondellbasell.com/en/