Houston, TX - November 14, 2005
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| FR EVA 100 NT EXP1 works with a variety of peroxide crosslinkable polymer compounds used commercially in this application. Demonstrated on full-scale commercial manufacturing lines, FR EVA 100 NT EXP1 can deliver up to 55 percent rate increase in various automotive cable extrusion applications. Cables shown here were made with FR EVA 100 NT EXP1 pellets courtesy of Therm-o-link, Inc. of Garrettsville, Ohio. Standard colors can be readily obtained using the yellow-colored pellets without any additional transition penalty. |
FR EVA 100 NT EXP1 is used in conjunction with an existing automotive compound to enable manufacturers of under-the-hood automotive cables to increase their output. Typically, the product would be added into the automotive compound at 4-8 wt% to achieve maximum benefit. In full-scale automotive cable manufacturing demonstrations this year, Dow customers using FR EVA 100 NT EXP1 to enhance flame retardant Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) copolymer insulation improved cable processing speeds on existing equipment by up to 55 percent.
Cable made with the addition of FR EVA 100 NT EXP1 to their existing compounds has been demonstrated to maintain conformance with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) specification SAE J1128 and shows heat resistance for under-the-hood applications to 125 C. "Dow is very excited about the technology being showcased in FR EVA NT 100 EXP1," said Mark Burtch, North America Market Manager, Dow Wire & Cable. "We have seen some automotive cable manufacturers demonstrate significant gains in operational efficiency by being able to boost the line speed of their current equipment. And this is just the beginning - we will soon commercialize the technology as INSTEP™ Polymer Enhancer and start to roll out next generation products for cable manufacturers focused on other applications and industries."
To enable automotive cable manufacturers to optimize the performance of FR EVA 100 NT EXP1, Dow Wire & Cable has developed a highly accurate predictive modeling capability. Dow can provide cable manufacturers with predictions of line rate improvements possible with FR EVA 100 NT EXP1, accurately estimating how it will perform in actual operating conditions.
FR EVA 100 NT EXP1 Key Features:
- Cures peroxide crosslinkable polymer compounds at faster rates, running up to a 55 percent faster line rate without scorch.
- Enables processing of peroxide crosslinkable polymer compounds at higher melt temperatures of up to 20 C without scorch.
- Works with a variety of commercially available peroxide crosslinkable polymer compounds which comply with the SAE J1128 specification.
- Use of the Polymer Enhancer can be intermittent based on demand, thereby allowing more flexible manufacturing capacity in wire extrusion.
- Enables in-line feeding through existing color additive systems.
- No impact on color-matching with existing color concentrates.
About Dow Wire & Cable
As a world-leading provider of technology-driven solutions for the wire and cable industry, Dow Wire & Cable brings more than 60 years of experience to power, telecommunications and specialty cable applications. Dow Wire & Cable, a market-facing global business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) and its subsidiaries, provides plastics-enhanced materials used as insulation, semi-conductive, flame retardant and jacketing materials, providing a unique combination of mechanical strength, flexibility, electrical properties, aging stability and processability. In addition, Dow Wire & Cable creates value for global customers by supplying material and compounding solutions that are backed by solid research, product development, engineering and market validation expertise. For more information, please visit www.dowwireandcable.com.
About The Dow Chemical Company
Dow is a leader in science and technology, providing innovative chemical, plastic and agricultural products and services to many essential consumer markets. With annual sales of $40 billion, Dow serves customers in 175 countries and a wide range of markets that are vital to human progress: food, transportation, health and medicine, personal and home care, and building and construction, among others. Committed to the principles of sustainable development, Dow and its 43,000 employees seek to balance economic, environmental and social responsibilities. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted.
For Editorial Information:
Deb Toledo
The Dow Chemical Company
(713) 978-2189
Simon Dibb
Porter Novelli
(978) 475-3004
