A weekly look at new products, innovations

Editor's Note: Each week, Rubber & Plastics News will take a look at some of the rubber industry's new products and innovations on www.rubbernews.com. Does your company have a new product or new innovation? To be considered for inclusion in this recurring feature, email [email protected].

Teknor Apex Co. has introduced its Sarlink ME-2600 Series, a styrenic thermoplastic elastomer injection molding compound that provides automotive manufacturers with processing and end use properties that the company said are superior to those of TPE-S materials currently used for window encapsulation.

The Sarlink ME-2600 Series includes 55-, 65-, and 75-Shore A compounds that have low specific gravities of 0.93 to 0.94, Teknor Apex said that is comparable to those of TPE-S grades now used in window encapsulation, but lower than those of PVC and EPDM, which typically exceed 1.10.

Compared to the existing TPE-S materials, the new Sarlink ME-2600 compounds provide higher flow, enhanced surface appearance, improved tensile properties, and greater stability upon heat aging and UV exposure, the company claimed.

Teknor Apex can manufacture the Sarlink ME-2600 compounds at its facilities in the U.S., Europe and Singapore. Sarlink ME-2600 compounds are being evaluated for rear side window encapsulation uses in 2016 models to be built in North America.

Based on proprietary styrene block copolymer chemistry, the Sarlink ME-2600 compounds are one of several new series of TPE-S elastomers added to the Sarlink product range, Teknor Apex said, which traditionally has consisted solely of thermoplastic vulcanizates. Other TPE-S series include high-performance and general-purpose extrusion compounds and injection molding grades for exterior trim, interior components, active grille shutters, and under-hood parts.

For more information, visit www.teknorapex.com.

Spectronics Corp. has unveiled its OPK-441 Industrial Leak Detection Kit, a starter kit designed to pinpoint effectively the exact source of all leaks in hydraulic equipment, compressors, engines, gearboxes and fuel systems.

The kit features the Optimax 400 violet light LED flashlight, a compact, high-intensity unit that reveals leaks in small to medium-sized industrial systems, Spectronics Corp. said, even in cramped areas inaccessible to larger lamps.

Also included is an 8-ounce (237 ml) twin-neck bottle of Oil-Glo 44 concentrated fluorescent oil dye, which is compatible with all synthetic and petroleum-based fluids. When a leaking system is scanned with the Optimax 400 flashlight, the dye glows a bright yellow/green at all leak sources to reveal the precise location. The kit includes: 8 ounce (237 ml) spray bottle of Glo-Away dye cleaner, dye treatment tags and fluorescence-enhancing glasses. All components are packed in a carrying case.

For more information, visit www.spectroline.com.

APS Elastomers has released its Viprene TPVs compounds, which use a polyolefin phase with a cross-linked EPDM phase, giving products rubber-like performance in demanding industrial, automotive and construction applications, the company said.

Available in natural or black pellets with a Shore hardness range of 35A-50D, APS said Viprene TPVs exhibit many properties similar to rubber: flexibility over a wide temperature range and resistance to degradation from water, oil, and grease. Viprene TPVs offer a better compression set, are fatigue resistant, dimensionally stable and offer heat aging stability, low temperature flexibility and U.V. and ozone stability, APS claimed.

For more information on TPVs TPEs, TPUs, as well as standard and custom grades, email [email protected] or go to www.apstpe.com.