HellermanTyton
Two companies have engineered a new compound that allows laser marking and reportedly has increased tensile strength.
New Berlin Plastics worked with custom compounder RTP Company to custom create the compound, to be used as a cable tie tool.
"We've both worked with RTP Company most of our professional lives, and knew of their ability to create laser-markable plastics that would also meet the strength and other requirements that this application demanded," said Dave Sansone, New Berlin Business Development Manager.
After careful testing and evaluation, RTP Company furnished a custom glass fibre-reinforced RTP 600 Series ABS compound that provided the required tensile strength for the cable tie tool's tension knob. A matched RTP 6042 Series thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) was then overmoulded on the knob to provide an ergonomic gripping surface. The TPE compound was formulated to bond with the rigid ABS substrate for optimum product integrity.
RTP Company colourists added laser-marking additives and colourants chosen for their compatibility with the compound and the operational range of the laser being used. This allowed the laser to clearly "write" an indelible, high contrast white mark on the black plastic surface. "The laser-marked numbers are very durable and will hold up for the life of the product," said Director of Engineering, Mike Miller.
Commenting on the supplier/processor partnership that New Berlin enjoys with RTP Company, Sansone said: “They're not an 'off the shelf' commodity kind of supplier; RTP Company has excellent engineering capabilities. When we need to solve a customer challenge by using a custom-engineered compound, we go to RTP Company."