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KEEPING COOL AT THE SUMMER OLYMPICS
17 August 2004 - GE Advanced Materials
| Tecumseh Europe chose GE’s eco-friendly, expandable Noryl resin for new vending machine design unveiled at the Athens Summer Olympics. |
Tecumseh Europe, a specialist refrigeration system supplier, and Frigoglass, a specialist supplier of cold drink machines, chose Noryl EEF 2110 resin as the key material for a new refrigerated vending machine that went fully commercial in summer 2004, with a debut at the Athens Summer Olympics. The design concept for the vending machine refrigeration system is completely new. The refrigeration module incorporating components such as the compressor and condenser is installed at the bottom of the vending machine. It can then be installed or removed similar to any plug-in peripheral unit, bringing a dramatic difference to maintenance requirements compared with current machines, which have some components at the bottom of the unit and others at the top, connected by pipes and cables. Using the new design, maintenance can take place without interrupting vending operations. High-pressure components of the refrigeration system need to be insulated from the low-pressure parts supplying the cooling environment. The Noryl EEF resin is used in a two-part moulded, foam box that fits around the compressor and the other high-pressure units. Noryl EEF resin is an expandable grade of the modified PPO and polystyrene high performance polymer supplied by GE Advanced Materials. Noryl EEF2110 resin offers several key benefits when compared to conventional expandable polystyrene. It offers an eco friendly, flame retardancy, achieved without the need for halogen-flame retardants. The halogen-free flame retardant solution provides an added benefit in that it has the potential to greatly simplify recycling requirements. Increased thermal stability allows use up to 110C. In addition, this resin offers greater stiffness across the in-service temperature range. “Finding a material that was eco friendly and could insulate the refrigeration components was a very important part of the development process,” explains Olivier Bel, design and development manager of Tecumseh’s refrigeration group. “The part needs to have good insulation characteristics at a low thickness, and at as low a cost as possible.” The Noryl EEF resin expandable beads are moulded in a three-stage operation on the same equipment used for EPS and EPP. The Noryl EEF resin range also includes non-FR grade such as Noryl EEF2100 resin. Noryl EEF resin beads provide tailor-made, cost-effective design solutions for applications that demand high-energy absorption, temperature-resistance and a lighter typical weight. This versatility opens up a wide variety of application opportunities including interior and exterior automotive functionality, HVAC insulation systems, helmets and performance packaging. “The foamed components have an extremely complicated shape with a complex design geometry,” said Bel. “This concept would not have been possible with traditional EPS. Only Noryl EEF expandable resin could provide the material requirements and design freedom for our new application.”
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About: GE Advanced Materials
GE Advanced Materials is a world leader in providing materials solutions through engineering thermoplastics, silicone-based products and technology platforms, and fused quartz and ceramics. Among its businesses are:• Silicones, which includes GE Toshiba Silicones in the Pacific region and GE Bayer Silicones in Europe, offers silanes, specialty silicones, urethane additives, adhesives, sealants, resins, and elastomers for a variety of industries such as personal care, automotive, tire and rubber, construction, healthcare, electronics, household and institutional, agriculture, textiles, appliances, bedding and furnishings, foam control, and consumer (http://www.gesilicones.com/gesilicones/am1/en/home.jsp); • Plastics is a global plastics materials supplier and distributor, which serves customers in a variety of industries including aerospace, appliances, automotive, building and construction, data storage and optical media, medical, electrical and electronics devices, telecommunications, computers and peripheral devices, outdoor vehicles and devices, and packaging (http://www.geplastics.com/); • Quartz produces high purity materials for the semiconductor, fiber optic, lamp making and water purification industries. GE Quartz is a leading supplier of quartz materials to the semiconductor industry (http://www.gequartz.com/en/index.htm); Established in 1968, GE Advanced Materials’ Specialty Film & Sheet business is a leading supplier of high-performance engineering film and sheet products to the United States, Europe, Africa, India, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and operates a worldwide network of sales, research, manufacturing and technical services facilities. Today, GE Advanced Materials, Specialty Film & Sheet employs about 600 people, and manufactures engineering sheet and film products at 12 facilities in 9 countries worldwide. Recent investments:
• 2003 New Roofing Structures Line in Italy, Europe
• 2003 New Coating Lines in China & Malaysia, Pacific
• 2002 Acquisition of Plastech, China
• 2001 New Film Lines in USA and Europe
• 2001 Acquisition of Carboron, Malaysia
• 2000 Acquisition of Matraplast, Canada
• 2000 Acquisition of Nim Plastics, USA Products:
GE Advanced Materials offers a variety of film materials are to meet different type of applications such as graphic film, coated products, electrical & electronic products, and specialties. The key film materials available today include:
• Lexan* Polycarbonate film
• Ultem* film
• Lexan* SLX film
• Valox* film
• Lexan* Illuminex* film GE Advanced Materials’ sheet product line includes a wide range of structures from solid sheet, multi-wall sheet and corrugated sheet through to coated sheet and laminates and combinations of each of these. The key sheet materials available today include:
• Lexan* Polycarbonate sheet
• Lexan* Solar Control IR sheet
• Margard* coated sheet
• Lexgard* laminated sheet
• Ultem* sheet
• Lexan EXL* sheet GE Advanced Materials, Specialty Film & Sheet, serves customers in a variety of industries including aircraft, appliances, automotive, building and construction, business machines, electrical & lighting, furnishing, greenhouse, industrial roofing, medical, electrical and electronics devices, telecommunications and packaging. In January 2004, in line with GE Corporate’ new brand architecture, GE Advanced Materials has announced the change of GE Structured Products business naming to GE Advanced Materials, Specialty Film & Sheet. |
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