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]

APS Elastomers L.L.C. has unveiled its Viprene thermoplastic vulcanizate, which exhibits properties similar to rubber, such as flexibility over a wide temperature range and resistance to degradation from water, oil and grease.

It can be processed using conventional injection molding and extrusion equipment, APS said, and is available in Shore hardness range of 35A-50D. Additionally, Viprene can be optimized with specific softness and grip needed in industrial, construction, appliance and electronic applications. Lower processing costs as well as adhesion to a broad range of substrates make it an ideal substitute of more costly material needed in soft touch parts, APS claimed, such as overmolded grips for power tools, appliance and utensil handles.

Viprene TPVs are fatigue resistant, dimensionally stable and offer very low compression set, heat aging stability, low temperature flexibility and excellent U.V. and ozone stability, APS said.

For more information on TPVs, TPEs or TPUs, go to www.apstpe.com or email [email protected]

Herbold Meckesheim USA, a subsidiary of Herbold Meckesheim GmbH, has released its SMS Series granulators that have been redesigned to cope with the most demanding heavy-duty size reduction applications in a single step.

These machines are manufactured with rotor widths ranging from 23 ½ inch to 78 ¾ inch, Herbold said, and with drive capacities between 60 and 420 HP.

The knife design is segmental, creating a quick exchange of the cutting tools, the firm said. The SMS Granulators are equipped with a third bed knife called a deflection wedge, Herbold said, and when the deflection wedge is removed larger, bulky items can be accommodated easily.

Typical applications for these heavy duty granulators are heavy, thick-walled semi-finished products in PE, PP, POM and PA; pipes with high wall thicknesses; and large purgings. Herbold said they are suited for difficult to grind materials, such as aramid fibers, carbon fibers and composite materials.

Another feature of the SMS Granulator is the ability to adjust knives outside of the granulator, greatly reducing downtime when replacing knives and ensuring a more consistent cutting circle, the company claimed.

For processing highly abrasive materials, Herbold SMS Series Granulators can be equipped with an optional wear protection packaging. Common wear areas can be fitted with exchangeable wear parts.

The two-piece split design allows for optimum access to all components simplifying cleaning and routine maintenance, Herbold Meckesheim said.

For more information, email [email protected] or visit www.herboldusa.com.

Exair Corp. has expanded its Long Super Ion Air Knives to a range from 60 inches through a maximum length of 108 inches. All knives 60 inches and longer are made in a one-piece construction, Exair said, which ensures seamless airflow and eliminates coupling multiple short length air knives together. Additionally, one-piece construction decreases overall height by one-half inch, making it better for tight spaces, Exair said. Materials and sizes within its Super Air Knife product line range from 3 inches to 108 inches in aluminum, 303 and 316 stainless steel, the company said.

Longer Super Ion Air Knives neutralize static electricity while blowing away dust and particulates from wide webs and printed surfaces, paper, plastics, wood, acrylic and three-dimensional shapes, the company claimed. Exair said the wide laminar airstream of static-eliminating ions is effective at high speeds and provides cleaning up to 20 feet away. Poor print quality, dust attraction, tearing, jamming and related equipment downtime can be eliminated from processes such as laminating, printing, routing and thermoforming, the company said.

It will operate effectively down to 5 PSIG and use a minimal amount of compressed air to entrain high volumes of surrounding room air, Exair said, and the shockless design is recognized to U.S. and Canadian safety standards. A factory-installed plumbing kit is available that makes it easy to connect Long Super Ion Air Knives to any plant's compressed air system and obtain the best performance, Exair said, with prices start at $1,994.

Go to www.exair.com for additional information.