According to Owens Corning, Performax® SE4849 roving is specially designed and engineered for long fibre reinforced thermoplastic polypropylene (LFT-PP), providing performance and productivity benefits.
Initially considered a commodity, polypropylene (PP) is now considered one of the most versatile resins in the marketplace, providing a compelling alternative to engineered plastics and traditional materials such as steel and aluminum in a variety of automotive applications. Among the key attributes of polypropylene are weight reduction and cost savings.
"The new Performax® SE4849 roving has been designed for hot-melt compounding, pultrusion, and direct compounding (DLFT)," said Corey Melvin, Owens Corning Product Manager, Long Fiber Thermoplastics. "Performax® SE4849 is also developed for pultrusion processes to manufacture unidirectional continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic (CFRT) tapes. As a result, it provides additional opportunities to replace traditional metals in complex and often challenging structural and semi-structural automotive components."
Key product features include resistance to fuzz generation and outstanding wet-out and dispersion. "These benefits enable compounders to run their lines up to 40-percent faster, reducing manufacturing costs and thereby providing increased capacity without adding capital," Melvin added. "These same features also allow for higher glass loadings, opening the door to new applications for Tier 1 and OEMs."
The new roving also features an optimised formulation for adhesion to polypropylene, which enables it to meet stringent mechanical performance requirements. Consequently, in addition to its applicability to the automotive market, Performax® SE4849 is also well-suited for a broad range of consumer goods applications, such as appliances and power tools.
Performax® SE4849 roving is manufactured with Owens Corning's patented boron-free Advantex® glass fibre, which combines the electrical and mechanical properties of traditional E-glass with the corrosion resistance and durability of E-CR glass.