Xtreme RFID Relies on New Fortron® ICE PPS from Celanese for RFID Tags Engineered to Withstand Harsh Environments
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High-Temperature Performance Combined With Unmatched Processability
DALLAS, FRANKFURT, SHANGHAI – Thanks to Fortron® ICE polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) from Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE), a global technology and specialty materials company, Xtreme RFID, a Cascade Engineering company manufacturing one-piece, fully encapsulated RFID tags for asset tracking, is now able to use its proprietary plastic injection molding process to cost effectively manufacture the Allied Series VX-MidTM HT, a rugged, high-temperature mount-on-metal ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag built to withstand extreme industrial environments.
"Our newest RFID tag ensures read reliability in difficult conditions, such as high temperatures and pressures and harsh environments," said Mike Lewis, business unit leader of Xtreme RFID. "Celanese's exciting development of Fortron ICE PPS and Xtreme's state-of-the-art plastic manufacturing expertise has led to the creation of one of the most robust tracking products available in the market."
Fortron PPS is a semi-crystalline polymer that features exceptional high temperature performance up to 240 degrees Celsius (464 degrees Fahrenheit); outstanding resistance to fuels, oils and solvents; excellent hardness, stiffness and dimensional stability; and is inherently flame-resistant.
The 1.1- by 2.3-inch VX-Mid HT package features a 25-foot read range when mounted on metal inventory. A permanently bonded Fortron ICE (Improved Crystallization Evolution) PPS encapsulation prevents water or chemical ingress (IP68 rated) and provides the RFID core with an added physical protection, especially in autoclave processes.
Fortron ICE PPS has quickly enabled expansion of the Allied Series product line, an RFID tag partnership between Xtreme RFID and Vizinex RFID announced in January. With Fortron ICE PPS from Celanese, Xtreme's proprietary injection molding and Vizinex's exclusive ViziCore™ RFID tag technology, the RFID industry is ready to take on the harshest high temperature application. The Allied Series tags will be featured at Xtreme RFID's Booth 101 during RFID Journal LIVE! 2014 from April 8 to 10 in Orlando, Fla.
New Fortron ICE grades use an innovative platform technology developed by Celanese material scientists that deliver material properties that are equivalent to or better than standard injection molding Fortron PPS grades and significantly improves the processing characteristics.
"Using its proprietary plastic injection molding process, Xtreme RFID is able to expand its product line by taking full advantage of Fortron ICE 716A, which belongs to our new generation of PPS and optimizes their process with low mold temperatures," said Edward Hallahan, Fortron PPS global marketing manager. "Fortron ICE technology enables full crystallinity at lower temperatures while maintaining PPS high-performance characteristics for excellent chemical and thermal resistance, high hardness, rigidity and dimensional stability, and low creep and moisture absorption."
New Fortron ICE grades can help customers stay competitive by reducing cycle times, scrap rates and overall production costs, as well as improve flatness and enable easier demolding.
Injection molders that use hot molding systems, operating at temperatures greater than 135 degrees Celsius (275 degrees Fahrenheit), can:
• reduce molding cycle times, providing production cost savings and increasing net operating capacity;
• improve demolding of parts, decreasing the number of broken parts and reducing costly rework.
In addition, molders with cold injection units, operating at temperatures between 90 degrees to 135 degrees Celsius (194 degrees to 275 degrees Fahrenheit), can achieve:
• full crystallization at lower temperatures, opening new opportunities without the additional cost of hot molding equipment.
Fortron PPS is a specialty semi-crystalline polymer often used to replace metals and thermosets in various automotive, electrical/electronics, aerospace, fluid handling and industrial/consumer applications.
About Celanese
Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. With sales almost equally divided between North America, Europe and Asia, the company uses the full breadth of its global chemistry, technology and business expertise to create value for customers and the corporation. Celanese partners with customers to solve their most critical needs while making a positive impact on its communities and the world. Based in Dallas, Texas, Celanese employs approximately 7,400 employees worldwide and had 2013 net sales of $6.5 billion. For more information about Celanese Corporation and its product offerings, visit www.celanese.com or our blog at www.celaneseblog.com.
All trademarks indicated above are owned by Celanese International Corporation or its affiliates.
Fortron® is a registered trademark of Fortron Industries LLC.
Celanese Business Contacts:
Engineered Materials:
Media Relations Americas
Stephen Cushard
+1-859-372-3164
Stephen.Cushard@celanese.com
Media Relations Europe (Germany)
Henning Küll
+49-69-45009-1797
Henning.Kuell@celanese.com
Media Relations Asia (Shanghai)
Amber Zhao
+86-21-3861-9222
Tong.Zhao@celanese.com
About Xtreme RFID
Xtreme RFID is a leader in customized design, engineering and manufacturing of rugged RFID tags for harsh environment applications. As a Cascade Engineering company, Xtreme is part of a family-owned business, headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that has been engineering and manufacturing plastic products for a variety of markets since 1973. With a core competency in plastic injection molding Cascade is a global company with 1,100 employees in thirteen strategic businesses located in 15 facilities throughout North America and Europe. As one of the largest certified "B" corporations in the world Cascade Engineering is a nationally recognized proponent of sustainable business practices that emphasize the key role business can play in building financial, social, and environmental capital. To learn more about Xtreme RFID, visit www.xtremerfid.com or follow the company on LinkedIn.
Compact and Rugged — Xtreme RFID combines the performance benefits plus unmatched processability of Fortron® ICE PPS from Celanese with its proprietary plastic injection molding process to create the compact Allied Series VX-MidTM HT a rugged, high-temperature RFID tag with a 10-year life expectancy.
Celanese Corporation
222 West Las Colinas Blvd.
Suite 900N
Irving, Texas 75039
