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HIGH-QUALITY KERAMAG BATHTUB MANUFACTURED USING POLYURETHANE TECHNOLOGY
Developed in cooperation with F.A. Porsche Design, the premium bathroom range "F1" from Keramag AG, Ratingen, Germany, boasts dynamic lines and innovative styling. But an aesthetic appearance is not the only thing these products have to offer; they also incorporate advanced materials with high functionality. Not one, but two modern polyurethane products from Bayer MaterialScience AG are used to make the F1 bathtub: the Multitec Short Fiber Spraying system and Baydur 60 foam-molded, microcellular, rigid integral skin foam. These materials give designers a great deal of freedom while simultaneously fulfilling the high demands imposed on the stability of bathroom fittings. DECS Kunststoff- und Gerätetechnik GmbH reinforces the back of a thermoformed acrylic film with the Multitec Short Fiber Spraying system , a polyurethane system typically comprised of an isocyanate, a polyol with adjustable reaction rate, and an optional foam additive. Several layers of Multitec, combined with cut glass fibers 12 millimeters long, are sprayed at room temperature onto the back of the film. The tub coating hardens in just three to five minutes. “We save a considerable amount of time compared to the classical method, by which it takes two to three hours to make one tub,” says Dr. Marc Schütze, polyurethanes expert at Bayer MaterialScience. Moreover, the use of styrene is eliminated, offering an added advantage since the maximum permissible workplace concentration of this solvent was recently reduced significantly. Other bathroom fittings, such as shower trays, can be effectively stabilized with the versatile Multitec system. “The properties of the molded parts can be varied over a wide range to meet specific customer needs and technical requirements,” Schütze explains. “By changing the type and proportion of Multitec components, we can create different combinations of solid, glass-fiber-reinforced and foamed layers.” The method is suitable for small series of manually crafted, complex parts, or for robot-assisted manufacturing, which means maximum productivity. DECS makes the base of the Porsche Design tub out of Baydur 60 polyurethane rigid integral skin foam from Bayer MaterialScience. “Considering the large dimensions of the part - it measures one by two meters - the advantages of this lightweight polyurethane product are immediately apparent,” says Ulrich Krämer, general manager of DECS. After curing, the part has a high load-bearing capacity. Supplied by the polyurethane systems house BaySystems BÜFA GmbH & Co. KG, Baydur 60 can be coated by various methods. Its high-quality surface finish fulfills all the aesthetic demands of modern bathroom design. The base is manufactured in a single shot in a closed aluminum mold. The connections for mounting on the top section of the tub (a tongue-and-groove configuration) are integrally molded for a precision fit. Combining two innovative polyurethane materials results in sleek design combined with maximum functionality. http://www.bayermaterialscience.com
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