Las Vegas, Nevada -- BaySystem's Baydur STR 675 polyurethane system is being used in the first long-fibre-injection (LFI) part with a Class A surface, a 9 Feb statement from parent company Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) said.
The LFI part, a knotter shield for a baler, was produced by Michigan-based Romeo RIM Inc. LFI is an efficient method for producing large lightweight polyurethane composite parts, the statement said. A baler is a piece of farm machinery which compresses a cut and raked crop, such as hay, into compact bales, BMS added.
"The ability to create a part with a high-gloss, zero-defect surface has great implications," said Craig Snyder, marketing representative at BMS.
The knotter shield, which protects the knotter-drive mechanism from the elements, was produced by first spraying an in-mould coating into a mould, followed by a barrier coat. Then, BMS said, specially formulated Baydur PU material and fibreglass are simultaneously dispensed into the mould cavity. "Use of the polyurethane barrier spray in conjunction with LFI shortens demould time and also improves the surface quality by preventing the glass from showing through the surface," the statement said.
"This advance marks the next step in the evolution of long-fibre-injection technology," said Matt Getty, Romeo RIM product engineer. (RD)
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