Distrupol delivers DSM’s Sarlink® TPV resin for tough Audi under-bonnet application

As a leading European polymer distributor, technical service and solutions provider, Distrupol plays an active role in supporting moulders and OEMs through all stages of application development. A demonstration of this has been its successful partnering with UK automotive moulder, P&D Manufacturing in the development of an under- bonnet heat shield in thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) resin for the Audi A4 and Audi A6 models.

Driving this development undertaken for Audi Tier 1 supplier Avon Automotive, was the need to replace EPDM rubber, in which the application had previously been made, in order to achieve better production and cost effectiveness.

“The key starting point was to identify the material that would give the advantages being targeted and that would meet the high performance criteria demanded by the part,” explains P&D Manufacturing’s Andy Penton. “With their in-depth materials knowledge, Distrupol support us with that and made an invaluable contribution from the outset of the project.”

The material selected was DSMs Sarlink®, a family of TPVs based on dynamically vulcanized EPDM rubber and thermoplastic blends. Sarlink TPV combines the well-known benefits of thermoplastics such as low cost processing from convenient, easy-to-use granules and moulding versatility, as well as the ability to achieve a tight tolerance fit in the end product. Additionally it has the distinctive characteristics of rubber vulcanizate, which includes elasticity, flexibility, high friction coefficients and softness.

“Distrupol helped us determine the correct material grades to meet the requirements for both toughness and flexibility,” says Penton. “They also provided mouldflow analysis of the part and helped establish the necessary processing guidelines. Importantly for us, this degree of co-operation has a positive influence on shortening overall development time.”

In addition to satisfying all performance parameters, because of its outstanding high flow properties and fast cycling time, the injection moulded Sarlink TPV also delivered increased productivity and cost savings to the moulding of the Audi under-bonnet component heat shields.

Sarlink TPV, which can be injection moulded, blow moulded or extruded, finds applications in automotive, construction, electrical and electronic, leisure and general industrial applications. Moreover, specialised grades within the product family serve the needs of medical, pharmaceutical and food-contact end-uses. Distrupol is the sole distributor of DSM’s Sarlink range of TPVs throughout the UK, Ireland, the Nordic region, Benelux and France.