Trelleborg develops engineered polymer solutions

Brian Richards, Director of Global R&D Business Development, says: “Our unique portfolio and knowledge of diverse markets and solutions enables us to maximise the value we create for our customers. They need a partner that has the right people, resources, and passion for solutions in a complex world. Trelleborg’s High-Performance Thermoplastics Technology and Development Center partners with customers globally on their complex challenges to simplify them and add real value. With such a wide variety of material options, choosing an experienced partner like Trelleborg is essential, with our expertise and resources reducing time-to-market when developing new products and keeping pace with accelerating innovation cycles.”

Previously expensive to produce, advances in manufacturing, part simulation, and material development make thermoplastic composites viable for an increasing number of applications, offering greater design flexibility than thermoset composites and metals. This makes it easier to meet application requirements, while optimising strength-to-weight ratios and physical properties.

Trelleborg’s High-Performance Thermoplastics Technology and Development Center offers custom thermoplastic materials, compounds, and geometries to meet specific application requirements. This includes products with enhanced corrosion and fire resistance, and specialised compounds that can withstand challenging or niche environments for longer periods of time. Innovative manufacturing processes at the centre enable production of smaller and more complex shapes, leading to reduced-size components or multiple functions combined into one solution.

In addition, the centre provides customers with access to Trelleborg’s extensive R&D resources, including simulation (mould flow and stress/strain), tribology testing, material analysis including DSC (digital scanning calorimetry), TGA (thermal gravimetric analysis), DMA (dynamic mechanical analysis), microscopy, SEM (scanning electron microscopy), and compositional analysis and operational testing.

Richards, adds: “Our thermoplastic composites offer customers products that are multifunctional, add or enhance properties or consolidate parts. Thermoplastic composites are significantly lighter, with half the density of aluminium and a sixth of steel, yet are strong with high impact resistance allowing them to replace structural elements.

“Globally, the High-Performance Thermoplastics Technology and Development Center combines design and manufacturing capabilities with our deep application expertise to address the challenges our customers face.”

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/19102022/trelleborg-develops-engineered-polymer-solutions/