RIM & urethanes.

SRIM, liquid C[O.sub.2], robotic gasket laydown, and new 'ozone-friendly' materials - NPE has them all.

Look for several new high- and low-pressure metering systems for RIM, foams, and elastomers, as well as new C[O.sub.2] gas and liquid metering units and even robotic dispensing systems for gasketing, sealants, and adhesives. The most unusual developments may be two systems for producing structural RIM without costly glass mat. And don't miss some new RIM and foam material systems on display.

RIM & HIGH-PRESSURE SYSTEMS

Perhaps the most novel urethane technology exhibited in Chicago will be two systems for chopping glass fibers at the mixing head for dispensing along with foam material into an open mold. The robotic dispensing mechanism eliminates the need for expensive glass mat and allows the flexibility to put reinforcements selectively where you want them. Krauss-Maffei Corp., Florence, Ky., will exhibit for the first time in the U.S. its LFI (Long Fiber Injection) system. Bayer Corp.'s Hennecke Machinery Div., Pittsburgh, will have a video demonstration of its version, called FipurTec.

Among other new high-pressure equipment, Decker Industries, Inc., Port Salerno, Fla., is featuring its new Pocket Head right-angle mixhead capable of dispensing 30-150 g/sec of rigid foam or elastomer. The head requires no solvent or air purge and can make up to 8 shots/min. Expected life between repairs is 250,000 cycles. Uses include potting of air filter caps.

Hi-Tech Engineering, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., will feature a new laboratory-scale RIM unit called Pure Shot. It is available in 5-30 lb/min versions with maximum mixing pressures of 3000 psi. Since it is a cylinder machine, it is capable of running fillers.

Gusmer Corp., Lakewood, N.J., is introducing the VH-3000 variable-ratio high-pressure metering unit for RIM, pouring, or spraying of foams and elastomers. The hydraulically driven machine comes in dual-ratio or single-ratio models.

FOAMING WITH C[O.sub.2]

Linden Industries, Inc., Peninsula, Ohio, will launch Froth-Ex C[O.sub.2], a new metering unit that allows addition of C[O.sub.2] gas to the polyol side of flexible and rigid PUR and PIR foams. The unit utilizes Linden's Froth-L mixhead. Not only does it replace foaming with water or HCFCs, but adding C[O.sub.2] gas directly to the polyol is said to enhance molding characteristics.

Krauss-Maffei will showcase its GBE2000/ C[O.sub.2] gas-nucleation unit for adding C[O.sub.2] to the polyol component to achieve density control. It features a new measuring system with improved accuracy.

Gusmer-Admiral, Lakewood, N.J., is featuring a new liquid-C[O.sub.2] metering module and a four-stream, L-type high-pressure mix-head capable of dispensing C[O.sub.2] as an independent stream or mixed with polyol.

NEW LOW-PRESSURE MACHINES

Cannon USA Inc., Cranberry Township, Pa., will introduce Model "b2G," a new low-pressure metering unit along with a specially designed distribution robot for production of seamless seals and gaskets. It has a mini-size version of the C3RF low-pressure mixhead, which mounts on the new M 13G cartesian foaming robot. Another robotic dispensing system for gaskets, sealants, and adhesives of PUR or silicone is the upgraded PluraFoam unit to be shown by Nordson Corp., Amherst, Ohio. A new dynamic mixer permits running a wider range of formulations.

Hi-Tech Engineering will introduce the AmeriFlex line of low-pressure cast-elastomer machinery, which it has been licensed to build in the U.S. by Michel Baule SA of France. The machines can handle up to seven components and make color changes on the fly. PLC controls can include a CRT display with up to 16 stored formulations.

Decker Industries will launch a new retrofittable hot-water and surfactant purge system for its low-pressure, mechanical-mix PUR dispensing machines. The mixhead has also been redesigned for optimum purging. This system eliminates use of solvents.

Flexible Products Co., Kennesaw, Ga., is showing the new AccuPak foam-in-bag packaging machine, said to be the first gunless and cartridge-free dispensing system of its kind. The unit uses fixed nozzles to dispense into bags of various lengths with varying foam-fill percentages. The self-cleaning system uses no solvents.

Also new is a vacuum-casting machine from MCP Systems, Fairfield, Conn., for prototyping with urethanes or epoxies.

NEW PUR MATERIALS

BASF Corp., Mt. Olive, N.J., will display an instrument panel made of its new Elastolit M low-density RRIM PUR material. The panel is molded by Tempress of Seattle for the new Kenworth T-2000 trucks. It contains wollastonite filler, which BASF says gives performance similar to glass flake but costs about half as much.

Bayer Corp., Pittsburgh, will introduce Baydur GS-772 specialty solid PUR RIM system for applications exposed to harsh environments, such as pump housings. The PMDI-based system has a Shore D hardness of 76, tensile strength of 5700 psi, and flexural modulus of 200,000 psi.

Foam Supplies, Inc., Earth City, Mo., will feature a new, rigid PUR foam for rigid structural support of plastic rotomolded parts and composite doors. The foam is said to cause zero ozone depletion and is 96-98% closed-cell, versus 92-96% for competing foams. Foam K factor is said to be 14, and dimensions reportedly change less than 0.5% in accelerated testing.

What to Look for

* New SRIM technologies do away with costly fiberglass mat.

* C[O.sub.]2 metering units reduce foaming cost.

* Gasketing systems come with distribution robots.

* Hot-water and surfactant purge system eliminates solvents for low-pressure PUR dispensers.