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].

Arkema and Xenia have signed an agreement to develop carbon fiber reinforced long chain polyamides, including the Pebax thermoplastic elastomer.

The companies said applications for the compound include sports, optical and electronics, where toughness and lightness are crucial.

Carbon fiber technology enhances the performance of polymers in the search for lightness and strength, the companies claimed, producing ultra-thin and lightweight parts while maintaining extremely high stiffness and impact resistance.

Xenia, based in Italy, specializes in compounding carbon fibers with thermoplastic polymers that the company said aligns with the development strategy of Arkema's Technical Polymers group.

According to the firms, the Pebax grades will have higher rigidity while maintaining features of Pebax TPE including elasticity and impact resistance at extremely low temperature, while being processed through direct injection molding.

The companies said in the future, the technology will be applied to our other high performance polymers such as Rilsan and Rilsamid, in the automotive and industrial markets.

For more information, go to www.pebaxpowered.com.

Dow Automotive Systems, a business unit of the Dow Chemical Co., has introduced Betaforce composite bonding adhesives for use in the Audi A8 and the Lamborghini Huracan.

Dow Automotive said the material helps weight reduction without compromising on safety or comfort. The company said composites from carbon fibers are being used more frequently in the material mix, and Audi and sister brand Lamborghini are utilizing carbon fiber and bonding of structural parts including pillars or tunnels with coated aluminum.

Other attributes of the material, Dow Automotive claims, are the pre-treatment-free joining of carbon fiber, optimized open times and balanced mechanical properties regarding optimal stiffness and driving properties.

Dow Automotive said comprehensive trials demonstrated that these materials meet Audi and Lamborghini's requirements, and that other adhesive solutions from Dow Automotive are being reviewed for application in other models at Audi and Lamborghini.

For additional information, visit www.dowautomotive.com.

Mahr Federal Inc., a member of the Mahr Group, has released an improved measurement system, the Multimar 844 T universal measurement gauge.

Built on a hard chrome-plated column, the instrument is available in a range of sizes, Mahr Federal said, and can measure ODs and IDs up to 2500 mm with sensitivity and accuracy.

Improvements to the 844 T include a new precision guideway with ball bearings on the moveable arm to improve reliability and repeatability, the company said. New stop elements include three-point support for tilt measuring motion on the work piece, according to Mahr Federal, which claims the heat isolating handles reduce thermal influences.

The device comes with a set of mounting stands to hold the gage when not in use, which helps prevent damage to the gage, the company said.

The Multimar 844 T can be fitted with any measuring indicator with an 8 mm mounting shank, Mahr Federal said, and includes wireless indicators for easy data collection. The stationary measuring arm adapts for coarse adjustment, and constant measuring force is applied because of a built-in measuring force spring, Mahr Federal claimed.

The direction of the measuring force and the measuring arms can be changed for either external or internal dimensions, the company said.

Measuring applications include: IDs and ODs; external and internal thread measurements; centering shoulders, narrow collars, recesses and grooves; external and internal tapers; external and internal and gear tooth profiles, Mahr Federal said.

The Multimar 844 T offers a range of measuring arms, anvils, mounting attachments and depth stops, with anvils and tips available in a variety of shapes and configurations, including threads, flat and spherical shoulders, blades and round faces, Mahr Federal said.

The device is available in seven models for different ID/OD size ranges and are supplied with battery, instruction manual, mounting and resting blocks, and a wooden case.

For more information visit www.mahr.com.