Polyurethanes are suited for prototypes and short-run parts.
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Press Release Summary:
RenCast(TM) Fast hand-cast polyurethanes, formulated without mercury, include 2 Shore D polyurethanes and 2 Shore A systems. All products can be hand-poured and are demoldable in under 4 hr. Products include RenCast 6492 Fast off-white, Shore 85D, flame-retardant material; RenCast 6493 Fast off-white, Shore 90A hardness material; RenCast 6494 Fast amber-colored, Shore 45A rubber-like material; and RenCast 6496 Fast Shore 68D, white system.
Original Press Release:
New Hand-Castable Polyethanes Cure Fast
EAST LANSING, Mich., May 13, 2003 - Four new fast-setting, hand-castable polyurethanes for making prototypes and short-run parts were introduced today by the RenShape® Solutions Tooling Group of Vantico A&T US Inc. at Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing 2003 in Chicago. Each of the new RenCast(TM) Fast materials is formulated without mercury; two are Shore D polyurethanes and two are Shore A systems. The new products, including a flame-retardant polyurethane, feature performance properties comparable to rubber and such thermoplastics as ABS, PE and TPO. All offer a convenient resin to hardener mix ratio, can be hand-poured and are demoldable in less than four hours, depending on mold temperature, part thickness and geometry.
Among the new additions scheduled to join the RenCast Fast polyurethane line in June 2003 are:
o RenCast 6492 Fast polyurethane is an off-white, Shore 85D, flame-retardant material that passes UL 94 V-O specifications. It features a live to eight-minute gel time and can be demolded in four hours. With a flexural modulus of >400,000 psi, tensile strength of 9,000 psi, notched Izod impact strength of 0.6 ft.-lb./in., and heat deflection temperature of 150°F (66°C), the new product is ideal for molding ABS-like prototypes and initial parts for electrical/electronic and medical equipment.
o RenCast 6493 Fast polyurethane is an off-white, Shore 90A hardness material that simulates soft rubbers. The gel time is five to eight minutes and demold time is four hours. Once cured, the new product features good tensile strength (2,500 psi), high tear strength and an elongation of 240% for molding flexible parts such as hoses, gaskets and covers for automotive, medical, appliance and electronics applications.
o RenCast 6494 Fast polyurethane is an amber-colored, Shore 45A rubber-like material that has an elongation of 400% and tear strength of 90 ppi. It gels in five to seven minutes and can be demolded in four hours. Like RenCast 6493 Fast, the soft rubbery polyurethane is ideal for molding a broad range of extremely flexible parts used in medical, appliance and electronics equipment as well as automotive applications, among others.
o RenCast 6496 Fast polyurethane is a durable, Shore 68D system designed to simulate polyethylene and TPO. The white material gels in five to six minutes and has a two to four-hour demold time. Cured flexural modulus is 110,000 psi, notched Izod impact strength is 0.8 ft.-lb./in., tear strength is 430 ppi and heat deflection temperature is 140°F (60°C). Because the performance of RenCast 6496 Fast is comparable to TPO, it is an excellent choice for prototyping automotive components such as bumpers, fascias and instrument panels. It is also well suited for molding high-impact strength consumer and appliance prototypes including lawn care equipment as well as electric/electronic equipment housings.
For more information about new RenCast Fast polyurethanes, please contact: Joan Sheaffer, Vantico A&T US Inc., 4917 Dawn Avenue, East Lansing, Michigan 48823, 517-324-1374, e-mail: joan.sheaffer@vantico.com.
Vantico's RenShape Solutions Tooling Group manufactures and markets a broad range of stereolithography materials, epoxies and polyurethanes for modeling, moldmaking, prototyping and forming initial parts to the automotive, foundry, aerospace and general manufacturing industries. The company has been a world leader in plastic tooling materials for more than 60 years.
