A good two weeks before the K 2013, BASF can prepare visitors to the plastics industry exhibition for even more exciting new ideas. In addition to a remarkable plastic bicycle with more than 20 plastic applications, some of them highly innovative, three unique prototypes from the winners of the "sit down. move." auto seat design competition will be displayed. Visitors of booth C21/D21 in hall 5 will be able to sit down on more than 200 A-chairs from Brunner. A demonstration kitchen element from Blum will show the functionality of high-performance sliding and guide elements in drawers and cabinet hinges. The big live event will be the production of a multi-material protective case on the basis of the new Ultracom product and service package for fiber-reinforced composites. At machine manufacturer Engel's stand B52/C58 in hall 5, visitors can experience the RTM process (resin transfer molding). For this purpose a lock shroud for the sports car X-Bow by KTM will be produced in an RTM process as a demonstration on an Engel v-duo 700 on the basis of a BASF polyurethane system.
New Ultracom approach to processing of semi-finished composites
Using production of a multi-part hard-shell case in a live demo at the booth, BASF will demonstrate the competence in materials and processing technologies that it offers in Ultracom, its new product and service package for continuous fiber-reinforced composite parts. As part of the demonstration, Ultralaminate thermoplastic laminate inserts that were manufactured earlier will first be subjected to a plasma treatment to ensure optimal adhesion to the soft component, and then be placed by a robot (from the FTP Co.) into a mold from the Glittenberg Co. In the central step, Ultralaminate will be overmolded with the Ultramid (PA) rigid component and the Elastollan (TPU) soft component. Every two half-shells manufactured in this way can be assembled to form a lockable case. The injection molding machine is being provided by the Arburg Co.; the plastic colorants are based on pigments from BASF. Under the umbrella of its Ultracom package, BASF is currently offering, in addition to Ultralaminate, also Ultratape with the appropriate overmolding compounds based on Ultramid COM and the associated development platform with design, manufacturing and testing know-how.
