German company VS Vereinigte Spezialmöbelfabriken says the long glass fibre reinforced polypropylene (PP) thermoplastic from Ticona is a lighter and less expensive alternative to metal, polyamide (PA) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) plastics.
The supporting frame made of Celstran long fibre reinforced thermoplastic (LFT) makes the school desk strong, stiff and tough.
Unlike other materials typically used in such applications – steel, PA or PBT – the long fibre thermoplastic weighs less, making it easier to handle and store. Using the Ticona thermoplastic is also said to reduce costs relative to conventional solutions.
Celstran LFT can also be coloured easily.
According to Ticona, glass fibre reinforced PP is particularly suited to series production. The structural components of the desk are manufactured using an injection moulding process, which ensures high reproducibility, even for parts designed with complex geometries.
Ticona adds that Celstran LFT is an ideal replacement for lightweight metal alloys and plastics such as PBT and PA. Long fibre reinforced thermoplastics have been used in the automotive industry in structural parts for a long time – in gearshift levers or battery carriers, for example. The fibres can be glass, carbon, aramid or stainless steel.
