02/11/2011
Breco, based in Porta Westfalica, Germany, produces polyurethane belt systems, pulleys and associated accessories for a wide range of industrial applications including timing belts and drive components for the automotive industry; conveyor belts for food, pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies; and baggage carousels for the transportation sector. When the company needed to create a conveyor belt for a customer in the ceramics industry, it turned to Chemie-Plast to help identify a polyurethane with a profile that could withstand exceptionally high temperatures. The solution had to be able to carry semi-finished products through industrial kiln ovens operating at temperatures up to 130°C, without any signs of melting or delamination. Chemie-Plast recommended Irogran A 95 K 6977, a polycaprolactone, ether-based TPU. Capable of withstanding temperatures ranging from -40 °C to 130°C, the material has a good compression set and offers very good wear and hydrolysis resistance. It is also impervious to oils and grease. Dr. Thomas Steinert, Managing Director at Breco, said: "Our polyurethane belts are used in a variety of industrial applications ranging from factories and warehouses to coal mines. These diverse operating environments present a spectrum of performance challenges, typically relating to temperature. We design timing and conveyor belts for hot and cold environments. It's a science and we need a range of thermoplastic products at our disposal, which we know can perform regardless of temperature. For the last 25 years we have relied on Chemie-Plast to make recommendations on raw materials and we have never been disappointed by their suggestions. Before this project, Irogran A 95 K 6977 was a new product to Breco but we are impressed with the way it has performed and expect to use it in other high temperature applications in the future.” Kirsten Müller-Mohme, Managing Director at Chemie-Plast, said: "…Recommending Irogran A 95 K 6977 to the team at Breco was an easy decision. There aren't many TPUs available that can perform so well at such temperature extremes. It's a popular solution in many different markets.” Helmut Witt, Account & Business Development Manager Thermoplastics at Huntsman Polyurethanes, said: "Irogran A 95 K 6977 was originally developed as a raw material for hydraulic seals. In recent years it has found new applications, most specifically in automotive components such as bumpers and shock absorbers. The use of the product in conveyor belts for ceramics manufacture takes this particular grade in a completely new direction. We are delighted it has performed so well for Breco under such harsh operating conditions.”
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