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The International Society for Plastics Technology once again presented its coveted awards for the most innovative plastics applications in the automotive industry at the 21st SPE Award Night on October 17, 2022 in Düsseldorf/Neuss. Three applications made from EMS materials were honored with the prestigious awards.

EMS-GRIVORY celebrates success with the Mountain Slope snowboard boot at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Crucial to this resounding success is the unique EMS plastic. Five out of six medal winners in the snowboard parallel slalom wore the boot made by the company from Val Müstair.

At the 20th SPE Award Night on August 5, 2021 in Dusseldorf/Neuss (Germany), the Society of Plastics Engineers again presented their coveted awards for the most innovative polymer applications in the automotive industry. Four applications using EMS materials received one of these highly prestigious awards.

Less than two years ago, a new production line for the manufacture of high-performance polymers started operations at the Domat/Ems (CH) production site, following a construction period of only eight months. This was just the start of a large-scale investment plan.

The latest products to have been developed by EMS for metal replacement applications, are Grivory G5V and Grivory HT6. Both products expand the application opportunities for polyamides into higher temperature ranges and enable the cost-efficient production of lightweight components, which until recently could only be achieved with metallic materials. The improved creep resistance of both products allows lower wall thicknesses to be used, allowing cost and weight savings to be achieved - even compared to other metal replacement solutions.

Polymers can be used in a myriad of different ways. Due to their low weight and ease of processing, for example, they not only make work easier in general, but also are also incredibly safe when used by patients and medical personnel due to being absolutely resistant to breakage. Used for disposable products such as syringes, containers, catheters, and respiratory masks, they are indispensable given the high hygiene requirements in hospitals. But nowadays, medical instruments for use during surgery and even prostheses are made of polymers. In addition, polymers can be manufactured in almost any colour, which makes it easier to distinguish between similar-looking products and prevents confusion. Specialty polymers, all of which are adapted to their specific purpose, have found their way into healthcare technology.

Insulating high-voltage (HV) components for electric automobile drive systems is no mean feat, due to new challenges during processing and increasing stipulations regarding the materials used. What’s more, car manufacturers are only too aware that electrical vehicles which are more powerful, lightweight and compact in their design are also more popular with customers. Accordingly, this makes a well-designed electronic power system and thin-walled components that can be used safely at high voltages indispensable. The new high-performance polymer, Grilamid TR XE 10991, combines excellent insulation behaviour under extreme external conditions with straightforward processing for the manufacture of HV components. Flame retardancy requirements for flat conductor sheathing for e-mobility applications are also fulfilled.

Grivory HT6 is preferably used in automotive engineering, where cost-effectively produced lightweight components can be used as metal replacement. This allows cost savings to be achieved, for example through lower wall thicknesses, while the high-performance polymer remains resistant even at extremely high temperatures. It is this maintained resistance which makes it possible to use the material in metal replacement applications and allows cost savings to be achieved.

Available since 2020, the glass fibre-reinforced Grivory G7V from EMS-GRIVORY combines properties such as increased stiffness and strength, even after moisture absorption, with the chemical resistance of a Grivory GV and the high-quality finish of a low or non-reinforced polyamide. In addition, the new Grivory G7V products exhibit better UV stability than other semi-aromatic polyamides. Grivory G7V was developed for metal replacement applications requiring an exceptional surface finish. The material is a new aliphatic high-performance polyamide with well-balanced properties, which enable cost-efficient production of lightweight components without any additional painting.

Developed by Jaguar Land Rover, the one-piece headlamp brackets made of Grivory GVL-4H reduces the weight of the assembly by 45% and replaces the previously used brackets made of aluminum and pressed steel sheet in various Jaguar models such as the all-electric I-PACE.

The COVID-19 pandemic called for protective measures for medical staff, doctors, nurses, laboratory workers, the list is endless. In this article we share an insight to a very worthy project in the form of quality protective glasses.