Sankt Augustin, Germany - Polyurethane machinery manufacturer Hennecke GmbH will use the American Composites Manufacturers Association's exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada, 9-11 Feb, to highlight process innovations in PUR-CSM (composite spray moulding) polyurethane technology.
From its US base in Lawrence, Pennsylvania, the German supplier will focus at Las Vegas on a new system for hand-operated spraying, and will also display novel items from the automotive and sanitary sectors on its Las Vegas exhihition stand.
Hennecke also notes that ongoing development of PUR-CSM spray technology has made it is possible to identify new fields of use. The best example of this is as a cost-efficient and eco-friendly alternative to GRP (glass reinforced plastics). "The flexible spray technology fulfils the highest requirements in terms of production flexibility, reproducible component quality and an efficient use of materials," claims the company.
A decisive factor allowing good manual processing is Hennecke's new 3-component spray mixhead with individually connectable glass-fibre feed (see picture). Apart from the targeted reinforcement with cut glass-fibre, the mixhead also enables the direct insertion of different PU foam layers (sandwich structure), the company explained.
A bonus for the plant operator, according to Hennecke, is "excellent environmental balance," with spray polyurethanes, compared to traditional hand lamination, because the need for time and energy-intensive temperature control processes is eliminated. This means that it makes sense to use the hand-operated PUR-CSM variant from both an economical and ecological point of view, said the company.
PU specialist Hennecke will also show samples demonstrating the flexibility and specific spray quality of CSM technology. One of these is a roof module for the Artega GT, a new German high-performance sports car, which is also claimed to be the first series-production passenger car worldwide whose body is completely made of polyurethane. The module is a pioneer for another reason - "it is the first roof module in a composite design," Hennecke said.
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