The manufacturer began working with Avient to find a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) solution to meet its dual requirements. Currently, the company is producing 800,000 housings annually using the specialty TPE material. Adding to the overall value of the solution, the TPE yields significantly less scrap than the previously used AES material.

The manufacturer began working with Avient to find a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) solution to meet its dual requirements. Currently, the company is producing 800,000 housings annually using the specialty TPE material. Adding to the overall value of the solution, the TPE yields significantly less scrap than the previously used AES material.

Caption: Avient announces reSound™ Ultra Low Carbon Footprint TPE series with industry-first grades offering a negative or neutral product carbon footprint. These TPE formulations offer an industry-first cradle-to-gate PCF range between negative 0.46 and 0.0 CO₂ equivalent kg/kg product while delivering comparable performance to traditional TPEs. reSound Ultra-Low Carbon Footprint TPEs are manufactured globally, and each material’s PCF is location-specific.    

Finally, the new TPE grades also boasted lower extractables because they required no crosslinking, unlike thermoset silicones. Reduced freight costs: The lower specific gravity of TPEs versus thermoset silicone rubber cut the overall part weight by 20 percent. Reduced scrap costs: The easy processability of  the two TPE materials resulted in major scrap rate reductions totaling more than $70,000 a year.

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Avient Corporation 3 Simplified Drop Test • 65g steel ball • Dropped from 305mm • Onto 3.175mm thickness flat samples Materials Tested • Standard TPE 30 Shore A • TPU alloy 60 Shore A • Damping TPE 32 Shore A VDT reduces bounce Avient Corporation 4 SIMULATION & CALIBRATION E N 1 6 2 1 - 1 L E V E L 2 Image courtesy of Airobag TV https://www.youtube.com/c/AirobagTV/videos Simulation of Impact A weight dropped onto protective element in contact with rigid substrate https://www.youtube.com/c/AirobagTV/videos Avient Corporation 5 SIMULATION & CALIBRATION E N 1 6 2 1 - 1 L E V E L 2 REFINING THE DESIGN D E S I G N A N D M A T E R I A L C O M B I N A T I O N Avient Corporation 6 • A number of different shapes and designs are created and simulated to determine which one works best • Refining to meet EN standard • VDT TPEs can help reach compliance with EN1621-1 level 2 and EN1621-2 level 1 • Optimum protection can be achieved by combining industrial design and engineering Avient Corporation 7 VALIDATION P R O T O T Y P I N G W I T H 3 D P R I N T I N G 3D Printing Validation -15% -10% -5% 0% 5% 10% Density Tensile Strength // Tear resistance // Rebound resilience 2mm 3D Printed VDT vs Injection Molded VDT can be 3D printed for concept evaluation early in the design process SUMMARY Avient Corporation 8 • Enabled a new, compact design with a customized VDT TPE formulation • Improved user comfort and functionality • Fulfilled EN standards • Reduced number of prototyping tools required • Reduced time spent in product development by 40 percent, enabling faster commercialization of product

Avient Expands Fatty-Food-Contact Materials Portfolio with Versaflex™ FFC TPEs Avient Expands Fatty-Food-Contact Materials Portfolio with Versaflex™ FFC TPEs. Avient Launches Additional reSound™ Bio-Based TPEs Formulated with Renewable, Plant-Derived Content

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