Special Effects Resins create colorful molded parts.
Press Release Summary:
EFFECTIONS special effects resins come in array of looks, including metallics, glitters, fluorescents, translucents, color shifting, marble, and pastels. Base finishes are customized for each application. Finishes are not only available as pre-colored formulations, but also as color concentrates for use with PROMATCH SM Self-Coloring Service.
Original Press Release:
Dow Plastics Launches EFFECTIONS Line of Special Effects Resins
Unique Aesthetic Materials Allow OEMs to Express their Design Vision at a Lower Cost
MIDLAND, Mich. - October 29, 2002 - Mysterious. Bold. Glamorous. Energetic. Sleek. Today's consumers want the electronics, appliances and other goods they buy to express their personality. Dow Plastics(TM) can help product designers tap into this trend with its new EFFECTIONS® special effects, a line of eight finishes that can be used with many of Dow's engineering plastic products to create colorful molded parts at a lower total cost.
"Aesthetics play a large role in product branding and value, especially in the competitive information technology equipment (ITE) and appliance market segments," says Scott Collick, global color manager for the Engineering Plastics business. "The use of color and special effects is a popular option to visually enhance products, as it can be an effective and affordable way to create consumer appeal."
EFFECTIONS special effects come in an array of eye-catching looks, including metallics, glitters, fluorescents, translucents, color shifting, marble, pastels and more. Instead of tying the new effects to standard colors and resins, however, the base finishes are customized for each customer's application - making Dow Plastics' color program unique among competitive offerings
"Some of the problems designers commonly run into when using special effects, such as flow line sensitivity and degradation of physical properties, result from applying stock color solutions without considering the application," Collick says.
"Dow Plastics offers a different perspective. We treat each special effect as a unique project, working together with the customer to design successful aesthetic solutions. After getting an understanding of the customer's application, we openly discuss which effects will best balance their product performance, fabrication and aesthetic needs. The results of this collaborative approach are dazzling - and effective - appearance options that often can be produced at a lower total cost."
Another distinction of EFFECTIONS special effects is that the finishes are not only available as pre-colored formulations, but also as color concentrates for use with Dow Plastics' PROMATCH SM Self-Coloring Service. By combining natural resins and color concentrates at the molding machine, PROMATCH Service can deliver significant cost savings over purchasing pre-colored resins via improved speed to market and productivity, lower obsolete color losses and elimination of small-lot premiums. In addition, PROMATCH Service allows for quick changes in aesthetic formulations, giving molders the flexibility to meet sudden market opportunities and the ability to customize and experiment with colors.
Expressive Appearances
Available in a rainbow of hues and colors, EFFECTIONS special effects can be used with several Dow Plastics resins and compounds, including EMERGE* advanced resins, MAGNUM* ABS resins and CALIBRE* polycarbonate resins. The consistent quality and excellent colorability and thermal stability of these natural resins yield stunning effects that are sure to catch consumer attention
Mystic - by tuning the amount of light transmission, this effect
creates anywhere from a frosty to smoky finish for appearances ranging from transparent to opaque, in hues from neutral to chromatic.
Hollywood - a glittery effect available in both transparent and opaque looks that catches the eye like stars capture the attention of the camera.
Vogue - this effect has the alluring look of satin, with subtle color variations and a pearl-like gleam.
Vegas - a collection of turbo-charged, attention-grabbing colors.
Hercules - a more conservative, but impressive effect that mimics marble or stone.
Metro - brushed or cast-metal finishes in gold, silver, copper and other metallic tones.
Frenic - a novel effect that shifts between two translucent colors in different angles of light.
Blossom - a palette of soft chromatic hues for a fresh, youthful
appearance.
Dow Plastics has an active program to develop new special effects, and plans to launch additional aesthetic offerings in 2003.
EFFECTIONS special effects are the most recent addition to Dow
Plastics' growing color capabilities. Earlier this year, the company opened a new Color Center in Midland, Mich., USA, and expanded the resources of its facility in Terneuzen, the Netherlands. The Color Centers are a source for individual access to Dow Plastics' color experts, as well as state-of-the-art color-matching equipment, and colorant and special effects technology. Another color development tool introduced by Dow Plastics in 2002 is Appearance Engineering software, which predicts aesthetic appearance in a virtual environment for faster and more cost-effective product development.
The world's largest producer of plastics, Dow Plastics offers the broadest range of solution-driven plastic products, services and support capabilities of any manufacturer worldwide. Products from Dow Plastics provide proven, cost-efficient performance in a wide range of market segments, including transportation, appliances and durable goods, building construction and maintenance, electronics and telecommunications, and packaging.
For more information about EFFECTIONS special effects, please visit www.dowep.com. Or, contact the Dow Customer Information Group at:
In North America: +800.441.4369 (+1.989.832.1426)
In Europe: +800.3.694.6367 (+32.3.450.2240)
In Asia Pacific: +60.3.7958.3392
In Brazil: +55.11.5188.9206
In Argentina: +54.13.3199.0264
