Resins & compounds: High-flow grades added to Valox range

Sabic Innovative Plastics, a supplier of engineering thermoplastics, has added Valox SHF (super high flow) grades to its established Valox range, with these new materials said to offer twice the flow length of standard glass-filled polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). The supplier reckons molders of thin wall parts such as connectors will be interested in the material. Faster flow, of course, means that injection molders may be able to reduce cycle time by up to 25% due to faster injection rate and reduced cooling time, leading to more parts per minute.

Flame retardant and non-flame retardant grades are available, with glass fiber levels ranging from 15-40%. The company expects its new grades not only to replace some traditional glass-filled PBT resins, but also possibly replace liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) in applications where higher heat is not needed. Sabic has stand 10.2 / F41 at Chinaplas 2009. —[email protected]