SIGNIFICANT SYSTEM COST REDUCTIONS IN RUBBER REPLACEMENT

In a recent clean air duct application where Arnitel® PB 582-H from DSM Engineering Plastics replaced rubber, the move yielded for a a weight reduction of 50% and cycle time reduction of 50% compared to rubber, which resulted in 0.6 Euro/part processing saving and a 0.8 Euro/part fuel saving (a total annual saving of 70.000 Euro for 50.000 parts).

Many automotive applications are currently designed in - high end - rubbers. Typically these applications are a combination of metal and rubber, making them expensive to produce. Every application has to be designed specifically for every engine/platform combination to optimize the dynamic response and account for the load bearing requirements. This design typically involves fine-tuning the rubber formulation to every specific application.

Arnitel is ideally suited for these applications, giving its excellent load bearing capabilities, its relatively constant mechanical behavior over the operating temperature range of automotive and its flexibility in design and mechanical properties. Significant redesign will be key to this application to fully make use of the added performance of Arnitel.

High Performance Materials of DSM Engineering Plastics such as Stanyl® and Arnitel do lead in specific cases such as gears and airducts to lower system costs even in comparison to standard materials as PA66 or rubber. The added value for the customer is generated by these materials in those cases through faster production cycles leading to lower processing costs per part, lower after-treatment costs, greater freedom of design leading to lower material and/or processing costs per part and better part performance compared to competitive high heat resins.

The use of Stanyl PA46 as alternative to metal can lead next to that to possibilities for weight reduction, noise reduction and again system cost reduction.

Reader enquiries

DSM Engineering Materials
30 Pasir Panjang Road #13-31
Mapletree Business City
Singapore 117440
Singapore

Notes for editors

DSM Engineering Plastics

DSM Engineering Plastics is a Business Group in the performance materials cluster of DSM, with sales in 2006 of EUR 1005 million (which number includes the sales of DSM Dyneema) and approximately 1300 employees worldwide. It is one of the world's leading suppliers of engineering thermoplastics offering a broad portfolio of high performance products including Stanyl® PA 46 and Akulon® 6 and 66 polyamides, Arnitel® TPE-E, Arnite® PBT and PET polyesters, Xantar® polycarbonate, Yparex® extrudable adhesive resins. These materials are used in technical components for electrical appliances, electronic equipment and cars, in barrier packaging films as well as in many mechanical and extrusion applications. With Stanyl®, it is the global market leader in high heat polyamides.

About DSM

DSM is active worldwide in nutritional and pharma ingredients, performance materials and industrial chemicals. The company develops, produces and sells innovative products and services that help improve the quality of life. DSM’s products are used in a wide range of end-markets and applications, such as human and animal nutrition and health, personal care, pharmaceuticals, automotive and transport, coatings and paint, housing and electrics & electronics (E&E). DSM’s strategy, named Vision 2010 – Building on Strengths, focuses on accelerating profitable and innovative growth of the company’s specialties portfolio. The key drivers of this strategy are market-driven growth and innovation plus an increased presence in emerging economies. The group has annual sales of over €8 billion and employs some 22,000 people worldwide. DSM ranks among the global leaders in many of its fields. The company is headquartered in the Netherlands, with locations in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas.

More information about DSM can be found at www.dsm.com .

Akulon®, Arnite®, Arnitel®, Stanyl®, Xantar® and Yparex® are registered trademarks of Royal DSM