14 Nov 2006
GE Plastics to Display Innovative Materials and Applications for the Electronics Industry at electronica Munich
BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS — November 14, 2006 — At electronica 2006, GE Plastics is showcasing innovative materials and technologies for electronic devices that help address global needs for higher quality and performance, increased functionality, better aesthetics, and faster “art-to-part” cycles. GE Plastics’ latest engineering thermoplastics, films, and composites, on display in Hall B1, Stand B1.279, offer a major competitive advantage to electronics OEMs and suppliers, as well as helping them comply with specific environmental regulations. Among the featured materials are Ultem* 5000B and white Ultem WH217 polyetherimide film grades, Lexan* FR25A polycarbonate (PC) film, and Lexan DMX resin. Applications for these materials, including insulating tapes and high heat bar code label substrates manufactured by H-old; motor slot insulators by Dr. D. Müller GmbH; W.L. Gore & Associates’ snapSHOT™ EMI shielding; and flexible flat heaters made by RICA will also be displayed.
“Our customers in the global electronics industry face a number of challenges that can be effectively overcome using the right materials,” said Ed Martin, market director, Electronics, GE Plastics. “Shorter development cycles put OEMs under extra pressure to deliver new products. Consumers and vertical markets are demanding greater functionality, convenience, and aesthetics. And increasing miniaturization means devices must do more within smaller, thinner, tougher housings. GE Plastics provides a huge portfolio of high-performance materials that allow manufacturers to deliver more powerful and innovative electronics in smaller packages and in less time than ever before.”
One of GE’s new engineering plastics featured at electronica is Ultem 5000B film, which gives electrical/electronic (E/E) manufacturers a combination of high performance and cost-effectiveness. Ultem 5000B film solves the dilemma of over-specifying materials to achieve performance vs. compromising on properties to keep costs down. This material offers high temperature and flame resistance combined with low moisture absorption and excellent dielectric properties.
White Ultem WH217 film, another Ultem film grade here on display, was developed in response to customer requests for an opaque, high-performance plastic film that would eliminate the need for surface treatments to achieve satisfactory print contrast in bar code labels. The material is pigmented for high opacity to ensure bar code labels can be read correctly – the film provides a print contrast ratio of 98 percent out of 100. In addition to helping to save label manufacturers the expense and time required to apply an opaque topcoat, GE’s Ultem WH217 film provides flame retardance that is lacking in competitive PEN films, and offers higher temperature resistance and better dimensional stability than polyvinyl fluoride films.
GE’s Lexan FR25A film delivers excellent heat insulation, dielectric strength and ease of crease, making it a preferred choice for three-dimensional heat/dielectric insulation and EMI shielding, and as a replacement for flame retardant polypropylene (FRPP).
For keypads, housings, and other wear parts that receive constant handling, GE Plastics developed its family of transparent Lexan DMX resins to keep electronic devices looking great without the added costs and cycle time needed for hard coating. Lexan DMX resins provide superior abrasion resistance without a coating, resulting in five times higher pencil hardness than standard PC. Lexan DMX resins are available in a wide range of colors for design creativity.
In accordance with the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive 2002/96/EU,
flame-retardant Lexan PC resins can be called bromine-free. Ultem polyetherimide (PEI) resins/films are inherently flame-retardant. Further, to comply with RoHS (Restriction on Hazardous Substances) Directive 2002/95/EU, GE Plastics in Europe does not manufacture any materials containing polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), or heavy metals.
For more information on GE’s materials for the electrical/electronics industry, please go to www.geplastics.com.
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About GE Plastics
GE Plastics (www.geplastics.com) is a global supplier of plastic resins widely used in automotive, healthcare, consumer electronics, transportation, performance packaging, building & construction, telecommunications, and optical media applications. The company manufactures and compounds polycarbonate, ABS, SAN, ASA, PPE, PC/ABS, PBT and PEI resins, as well as the LNP* line of high-performance specialty compounds. GE Plastics, Specialty Film & Sheet manufactures high-performance Lexan sheet and film products used in thousands of demanding applications worldwide. In addition, GE Plastics’ dedicated Automotive organization is an experienced, world-wide competitor, offering leading plastics solutions for five key automotive segments: body panels and glazing; under the hood applications; component; structures and interiors; and lighting. As a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games, GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to a successful Games.
* Ultem, Lexan, and LNP are trademarks of General Electric Company.
™ snapSHOT is a trademark of W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
