Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Middle East Foam & Polyurethane
  • UTECH Asia/PU China
  • UTECH Europe
  • UTECH Las Americas
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Ukraine
  • News
    • Asia
    • Americas
    • Europe
    • M & A
    • Financial results
    • Automotive
  • Data
  • Information
    • Country Overview
    • Market Sector overviews
    • Technical articles
    • Company profiles and strategies
  • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Conferences
    • Webinars / Livestreams
    • Become a Speaker
    • UTECH Europe 2021
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Issues
  • Subscribe
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Information
December 07, 2010 11:00 PM

One-component mechanically foamed gaskets give non-stop production

Simon Robinson
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

     by Liz White, editor

    Foam-in-place gaskets were on offer from several suppliers at the K 2010 event, but Japanese producer Braking Sunstar thinks its Penguin one-component polyurethane foams, made at the K show using Ceracon’s robotic dispensing equipment, have stolen a march on the competition

    Sunstar’s mechanically foamed 1K Penguin material and Foamply application process give very high productivity — much better than twopart, chemically foamed materials and processes, claimed Stephan Hoof, manager of Sunstar’s chemicals business in Europe

    “It is a very simple process,” he said, explaining that, “This is why we show equipment running, making gaskets. This is why we run it throughout the day, which for our competitors is very difficult.” Two-component foaming technology has been on the market for about 30 years. It makes foam by mixing the components, including blowing agent, and creating a gas at atmospheric pressure, Hoof said, in a 28 Oct interview during K 2010, held 27 Oct-3 Nov in Düsseldorf, Germany

    Hoof described this chemical process as “very inconsistent,” pointing out that it depends on many environmental issues: “temperature of the part, atmospheric pressure, chemical reaction, temperature of the components.” As a result, he said, productivity drops to 85 percent, with the other 15 percent needed to service or clean the equipment. “It depends on the operator to keep it running,” he said

    “In our case,” Hoof said, “we do not have this chemical process, we have no reactive materials in the process. We do not have to interrupt the process to do any purging,” and parts can be made 24 hours a day

    Sunstar developed the Penguin technology about 15 years ago in Japan, when the company was looking for new applications. It recognised that “the standard range of adhesive and sealants is a commodity business,” and that means competition is high, while prices are low and dropping further. So Sunstar was, “looking for advanced products, innovative products and we detected that this FIPG market would be growing quickly in the future,” Hoof explained

    As well as several special formulations — which Sunstar does not divulge details of — the foaming process mechanically mixes air into a one-component ‘paste-like’ material

    In Japan, Sunstar sells both the application technology and material, while in Europe, it has licensed German company Ceracon to supply the gasket-application technology Sunstar has been in Europe with this technology for about eight years now. Hoof said. For this FIPG material, there are a couple of competitors, but they not are using the Penguin materials, and Hoof commented that, “The market is very big; the competitors are very small.” Asked about the variety of uses, Hoof said basically supply to automotive OEMs “is 80 percent of our market, and 20 percent is nonautomotive.” The automotive uses cover a wide range: “We can use it in tail-lights, we can use it in door-module technology, we can use it for HVAC — heating, ventilation, air conditioning,” he noted. In gaskets, “You have about 40-50 potential applications per car,” Hoof said

    These applications use Sunstar’s whole range of gasket materials, and include handapplied gaskets, which can be made using 2-K FIPG technology or the 1-K material

    In Japan, Sunstar makes both material and equipment and sells these across Asia. In Europe, “Ceracon has the licence to build the equipment according to our specification,” with joint marketing and sales, Hoof said

    Braking Sunstar’s European operations are based in Italy, with a subsidiary in Germany

    Hoof claims the business is “very strong in Asia, very strong in Europe, and we are starting  to get stronger in the US, where we started to implement this technology two years ago.” Sunstar has a big advantage in North America in that, “we already have very, very strong contact with the Japanese car manufacturers,” through relationships and contracts in Japan, Hoof emphasised

    “And for 20 years we have had subsidiaries in the US, dealing with our commodity business,“ which are now adding FIPG products

    Sunstar also offers two-component foams in polyurethane and epoxy resins, Hoof said the company keeps its Penguin formulations to a minimum: “We try to do only one super product and sell it for everything

    “Everybody would like to have a onecomponent material ... it is the top target.” Very quick cure, and an extremely long shelf life are vital, but “when you would like it to react you want instant reaction,” Hoof explained

    “Everyone is looking for it: we are very close,” said Hoof.

    Recommended for You
    Flag of Mexico
    Mexico looks to the north
    2022, Alesund, original, Norway, Laader Berg
    From Norway to the world
    2022, iStock, Machinery, cogs, 800.jpeg
    Machinery survey 2021: Room for improvement
    Latest Issue
    April/May 2022 issue
    Click HERE for Free Download
    View All Archives
    Get our newsletters

    Breaking news and in-depth coverage of essential topics delivered straight to your inbox.

    Subscribe today

    Register to access our archive of leading information on the polyurethanes industry.

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Youtube

    Follow us on social media for the latest polyurethanes industry news and event updates.

    Logo
    Contact Us

    Crain Communications
    11, Ironmonger Lane
    London
    EC2V 8EY
    United Kingdom

    Editorial
    Phone +44 (0) 20 3287 5935
    Email click to send

    Customer Service
    Phone +1 313 446 0450
    Email click to send

    Resources
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Staff
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2022. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • Ukraine
    • News
      • Asia
      • Americas
      • Europe
      • M & A
      • Financial results
      • Automotive
    • Data
    • Information
      • Country Overview
      • Market Sector overviews
      • Technical articles
      • Company profiles and strategies
    • Events
      • Exhibitions
      • Conferences
      • Webinars / Livestreams
      • Become a Speaker
      • UTECH Europe 2021
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Issues
    • Subscribe