Bob Baker, technical service director at Huber Engineered Materials, and Gary Rex, senior research scientist at J.M. Huber Corp., led a session at COMPOSITES 2010 about the vital role fillers play in the industry.

They discussed common and uncommon fillers that are used in developing the composites matrix. Filler chemistry, particle shape and size, and even location of where fillers are mined contribute to final part quality, they explained.

Baker talked extensively about the prevalence of calcium carbonate in everyday life, underscoring the point that fillers are integral ingredients in applications ranging from homes to shoes, but often go underappreciated—even by composites professionals.

To help educate the audience, he presented a quick-hitting science class of sorts, explaining where fillers such as calcium carbonate, talc and others come from, what their physical properties are (hardness, opacity, etc.) how they react differently with other materials and where they’re commonly used.

Rex spoke about the utility and value of ATH, a critical material in the production of aluminum metal, a raw material for production of alumina chemicals and a flame retardant for polymers.

Bob Lacovara, president of consultancy Convergent Composites, led a presentation about ways composites firms can reduce emissions and thereby improve the quality and safety of their facilities. He presented an overview of technology available to make that happen, and how it can be applied to different processes. “Environmentally friendly materials translate to low styrene materials, styrene alternatives and additives such as styrene suppressants,” he said.

The emissions from fiber reinforced plastics processors can be major sources of volatile emissions, including styrene, the volatile component of polyester resin and gelcoat; and acetone, a solvent used to clean tools and other surfaces contaminated with resin.

Some discussion during the presentation was about the potential for converting open molding into close molding, which sometimes is a possibility and other times isn’t cost effective because of production cost and volume, Lacovara said.

The benefits of reducing volatile emission are numerous:

• Fewer emissions implies better raw materials use, improving the bottom line
• Less concern about Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations related to worker exposure to chemicals, especially styrene
• Less concern about regulation of air pollutants as a result of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA), and the Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards
• Reduced disposal cost of spent solvents as hazardous waste
• Reduced risk of fires caused by high concentrations of chemicals in the workplace

Lacovara said no single option is likely to replace the plant-wide use of solvent or completely eliminate the source of volatile emissions, so it’s best for composites companies to examine alternatives that combine several options.

When considering a substitute, firms should keep in mind the following:

• Do the new materials pose a worker health or safety risk?
• How much employee training will be required for successfully implementing a substitute?
• What experience have others in the industry had with the alternative technology?
• What regulations need to be considered?
• What will the effect be on product quality and production levels?
• Will a new waste stream be created? If so, how will it be handled?

The presentation began with the definition of color itself: a combination of light, object, and observer. To demonstrate this (particularly the latter characteristic), Howard pointed two lasers at the wall, one red and one blue. The blue one appeared to be further away, and Howard used this example to show how the mind plays a role in color. “Choosing the right color is part of the design of any composite part,” he said.

But light also plays a big part in the process. “The light source is the number one source of color variance,” says Howard. For example, daylight results in even levels of color, tungsten lamps feature decreased levels of blue, and fluorescent bulbs result in random spikes across the spectrum. How composites interact with the light depends on the geometric attributes of the product itself, which include surface smoothness. Because of this, Howard notes that composite products will not be able to look like another material. “Only metals look like metals,” he says.

Color matching is another important factor. “There are only a finite amount of available pigments, so they’re blended to reach the desired color and keep it under control,” says Howard. He went on to discuss some specific pigments and how they act as chemicals in color composition. Phthalocyanines and azos tend to accelerate the rate of cure in composites. Carbon blacks feature 100s of grades, and thus can accelerate or inhibit the cure depending on the grade. Ultramarines feature metal complexes, whose ions may react with composite components. Inorganic whites such as titanium dioxide and zinc sulfide are commonly used in composites, but not in outdoor applications because their intensity fades under those conditions.

Howard also detailed some appearance issues that pop up. A lack of pigment opacity can be resolved by using higher pigment dispersion concentrations. UV stability can be addressed by optimizing the full composite system to meet stability requirements, and also using additives to improve outdoor weathering performance. Glass fibers near the molded surface can result in color variation and degradation, and can be compensated for by using additional pigment dispersion. Regions of dry glass impact the structural properties of the composite. “Whatever appearance issue you have, realize it’s application-specific and must be addressed independently,” says Howard.

Composites firms can lift (well, prevent) the fogging issue by using advanced multifunctional processing additives, Delay told a packed room at COMPOSITES 2010, which runs today through Thursday in Las Vegas.

That’s just one example of how composites firms can optimize SMC/BMC formulations and improve the entire compounding/molding process. “Traditional mono-functional internal mold release agents are difficult to disperse, and they do not contribute anything positive to the compounding process and merely provide a release from the tool,” said Delay, closed mold market manager at BYK USA, a supplier of adhesives for plastics, coatings, inks, sealants and paper surfaces.

In standard formulations, zinc stearate works as internal release agent and is essential to remove the molded part from the form. Newer technology improves the appearance of the molded part and guaranteed the thorough release, Delay said. “New multifunctional liquid processing additives allow the user to eliminate typical sources of scrap, improve overall quality and eliminate a nuisance material.” Other benefits include decreased shrinkage, enhanced gloss, better color of finished parts and improved anti-separation properties of the compounds, he said.

Delay’s presentation underscored a key value of the educational sessions being held this year at COMPOSITES 2010: They’re filled with insight on new technologies that composites firms understand, so they can advance their firms.

In addition to its extensive product line, CCP Inc. also has a robust education program designed to help customers learn best manufacturing practices and improve their technical education. In addition to its formal training programs, CCP also employs a technical staff ready to answer questions at a moment’s notice. “Typically in this market, we’ve seen a decline in the number of people associated with technical service. CCP is still strong in that effort,” says Matt Swenson, director of product management and global accounts. “We have people throughout the country ready and available to help customers.

The technical staff comprises both in-house and regional-based employees, so that customers can call on the telephone and in the field. “[In addition], our sales force is technical in nature,” Swenson says. “Our salesmen that travel throughout the geographic region can help customers with their technical issues. If they’re unable to handle it, we may fly in a member of our technical services group.”

In Las Vegas, the company will highlight its technical expertise and its line gel coats for core markets, including marine, sanitary and transportation. It will also showcase its products’ applications in the infrastructure and power generation markets. The company recently added a a line of Vinyl Ester resin line, available for lay up and infusion processes.

CCP will also highlight its Norsodyne product line, which includes a flame-retardant resin that’s  non-halogenated, meaning that it doesn’t need ATH or fillers to achieve flame retardant properties, says Swenson.

CCP will exhibit in Booth #303

TR Industries doesn’t just sell mold release products. It sells compounds, releases, polishes and other products designed to produce the best finish possible, including surface care products.  “What we try to do as TR Industries is not offer customers just a release,” says Ray Luckich. “We want to offer them a system that they can take from start to finish, from a rough mold to polishing to sealing.”

At its booth in Las Vegas, the company will showcase its line of products, including its TR 210 and TR 216 past and liquid waxes for the cast polymer industry.

Experts will also be on hand to answer questions about mold maintenance and troubleshooting. “If they’ve got a particular application that they’re having difficulty with, we’d like to talk to them about it. We may not have the answer on the floor, but it’s something we would certainly look into,” says Luckich.

TR Industries will exhibit in Booth #928

PPG will showcase two new fiberglass rovings at Composites 2010. Its Hybon 2026 fiberglass roving is a high-performance fiberglass for use in wind energy and other markets that enables manufacturers to make larger wind turbine blades, according to a company press release. The TurRov 4575 fiberglass roving is designed for the automotive industry and other applications requiring a high-performance LFT product.

PPG representatives will also talk with attendees about its Mil-Tough ICB Blast & Ballistic Panels. The precast fiberglass-reinforced Inorganic Composite Binder (ICB) panels enhance blast and ballistic resistance in thinner, lighter forms than traditional steel reinforced concrete systems, according to a company press release.   The panels can be custom manufactured to a variety of sizes and shapes based on the threat level defined by the customer, and can be used in new or existing structures.

PPG Inc. will exhibit at Booth #739

By the time you get to Composites 2010, Alcan Baltek will have a new name. The company was recently sold to Schweiter Technologies and plans to have a new corporate identity in time for its appearance in Las Vegas. Some things won’t change, however. The supplier will still tout its expertise and products in the area of lightweight core materials.

“I think the use of composites and structural core materials are going to continue to be important and critical as we look towards green initiatives, light weight reduced field costs, and the support of alternative energy programs,” says Marc Anderson, director of sales and marketing. “From an environmentally conscious standpoint, core materials and light weight sandwich materials are critical.”

Among the products featured is Airex T-92, a PET foam that improves on the company’s T-92 product, according to Director of Sales and Marketing Marc Anderson. “We took T-91 and made major improvements by reducing the density slightly and increasing the shearing elongation,” he says. “From a standpoint of reducing the density, you get a slightly lighter weight product with the same mechanical properties. And shear elongation is critical in some applications. If you’re looking at applications in marine, it’s important.”

The company also is promoting its AcoustiBoard product line. This product is a subset of the Airex PX product line and is for use in applications where sound attenuation is important, including theaters, conference centers and studios.

Alcan Baltek will exhibit at Booth #853

A windmill assembly made for use in residential applications will be on display at Telene’s booth in Las Vegas. The resin supplier’s products are used in the manufacture of these compact wind turbines, as well as products in the automotive and construction markets. “We feel it’s a very interesting example of the capability that Telene has. It’s a market that has been dominated by FRP and SMC—rigid composites,” says Brian Stubbs, Telene market development manager. “There’s also a RIM-molding material that’s suited to this market and this product, and also has economies that are very attractive to the manufacturers.”

Specifically, reaction injection molding (RIM) allows manufacturers to produce more parts in a shorter time frame. “A complete set of three blades is produced from a single family mold. So there’s a three cavity mold,” says Stubbs. “Cycle time to finish three finished blades is on the order of five to six minutes, as opposed to—depending on the approach—five to six hours.”

For large and small manufacturers, RIM processing offers the opportunity to produce large parts at niche-level volumes. “We don’t pigeonhole or discriminate between the large and the small guys,” says Stubbs. “What’ we’ve seen in Europe is that the technical service we provide has helped some of the smaller guys become big players. They might be doing open mold layup. So RIM is the next logical step for them.”

Telene’s technical support ranges from preliminary design meetings with molders and end users, manufacturing feasibility advice and FEA, and prototype production. “The material we produce and distribute is really an engineered solution to our customers’ requirements,” says Stubbs. “We view it as a three-way relationship between our molder customer and our OEM customers.”

Zeon Chemicals and Telene will exhibit in Booth #1027

Dotson will give a presentation on how additives can reduce foaming titled An Innovation for Improved Quality with Vinyl Ester Compounds during Composites 2010