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]

Modern Dispersions Inc., a global supplier of thermoplastic compounds and concentrates, has introduced blue-tone carbon black masterbatches for use in automotive interior applications.

According to the firm, this product complements the company's line of masterbatch formulations for the automotive industry and comes in response to customer demand for blue-tone black colors.

The company will introduce the new masterbatch at the K 2016 exhibition, Oct. 19-26 in Duesseldorf, Germany.

Modern Dispersions' three new blue-tone carbon black masterbatches are targeted for door panels, instrument panels and other interior applications, according to the firm. Typical automotive applications require strong dispersion of pigments into various interior surfaces to match the overall color scheme, according to Modern Dispersions, including higher jetness along with different undertones from a pigment masterbatch to match the overall interior scheme.

The company said carbon black is used in auto interiors not only as a pigment but as a functional filler due to its ability to increase ultraviolent stability. Color levels are controlled for consistency since variables during processing can affect the color performance of the masterbatch, according to the company.

The blue-tone carbon black masterbatch can be used in a wide range of resin systems including polyethylene, polypropylene and thermoplastic olefin elastomers, the company claimed, and typical usage levels range from 5 percent to 8 percent by weight depending on the total polymer system in the final product.

MDI said it has an array of black masterbatches that produce interior surfaces with higher jetness coupled with different types of undertones ranging from blue to yellow and green to red.

For more information, visit www.moderndispersions.com.

Mahr Federal Inc. will introduce the MarShaft Scope 600 plus 3D at IMTS 2016, to be held Sept. 12-17 in Chicago. The firm also will display the MarGear GMX 400 and the MarSurf CNC premium surface finish system.

The MarShaft Scope 600 plus 3D combines optical and touch sensors in the same unit, according to the firm, and provides 3D functionality and complete inspection of the workpiece in a single measurement. In seconds, the matrix camera optically measures characteristics such as diameter, length, radius, shape, location characteristics, etc., the company claimed, while a new 2D sensor detects features that optically are not measurable, such as cam lift on concave cam profiles and reference (clocking) features such as holes or keyways.

The MarGear GMX 400 is a Class 1 universal gear tester that provides analysis for a range of gear and gear tool applications on gears with ODs up to 400 mm (15.75 in). Part of the Mahr GMX Series, the GMX 400 incorporates a four-axis Power PC controller with automatic tailstock and a high-accuracy 3D scanning probe head, Mahr claimed.

The company said the GMX 400 is equipped for standalone shop floor or gear lab applications and can be networked for transfer of measuring results and machine corrections. The GMX Series provides Class 1 accuracy in accordance with VDI/VDE 2612/2613 Group 1, the company said.

The MarSurf CNC premium Type 1 is an automatic roughness and contour measuring system designed to work on the shop floor, the company said, and is especially efficient on smaller workpieces and hard-to-reach spots. The device generates automated measuring sequences, and can be adapted for inline measurement for closed loop control of production machines, according to Mahr. The system has a vibration isolation system and an enclosure to mitigate environmental effects such as temperature, vibration, acoustics and humidity, the company claimed.

For more information visit www.mahr.com.

Spectronics Corp. has released the Spectroline EagleEye UV/white light LED leak detection lamp kit, a hands-free solution to locating leaks in cramped or hard-to-reach areas, according to the firm.

This kit features a palm-sized (3.75 inches by 2.25 inches by 1.85, lightweight (8 ounces) lamp that can be worn on a hard hat or directly on the head, the company said. It can be hand-held with an attached lanyard. It has two ultra-high intensity UV LEDs for fluorescent leak detection, the company said, with a three-LED white light assembly for illuminating dark work areas.

The lamp offers power comparable to high-intensity 100-watt lamps, Spectronics said, and runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides up to 75 minutes of continuous use between charges. It features an inspection range of up to 12 feet and a 100,000-hour LED service life, the company said, and has a built-in fan to keep the lamp cool.

The company said that the lamp works with all oil and water-based fluorescent dyes and is especially effective with difficult-to-fluoresce yellow, white and blue dyes and works in dirty fluids. According to the firm, the EK-365 kit includes an adjustable head strap; three splash guards with integral particulate filters; UV-absorbing spectacles; three rechargeable batteries; and a charging cradle with AC and DC cord sets.

For more information call 1-800-274-8888 or visit www.Spectroline.com.