Orlando, Florida -- Romeo RIM Inc. was named an ACE (Awards for Composites Excellence) winner during the recent Composites 2013 for a polyurethane roof panel.
The company received the Material and Process Innovation Award, which recognizes a material or process that best contributes to efficient manufacturing and product sustainability, for its Harvester Vehicle Roof, Class A, In-Mould Decorated, Glass Reinforced Polyurethane.
The Harvester Roof is produced using Romeo RIM's Long Fiber Injection (LFI) technology and a custom polyurethane system from Bayer MaterialScience LLC. The Harvester Roof is produced on Romeo RIM's recently installed LFI press, Romeo Rim says it is the largest in the world.
RomeoRim says its LFI system produces the Harvester Roof with similar mechanical properties to SMC, but only 45 percent of SMC's weight. It also enables an in-mould coated Class A surface, which reduces the total part cost by 20 percent over parts that are first moulded then coated with traditional topcoat systems.
The in-mould coating also provides superior paint adhesion, another of the combination of features and performance benefits that led to the part's selection as best in class in the ACE competition.