Plastics get a splash of colour

Bored with hi-fis and televisions in those uniform black casings? If a revolutionary invention by Warwick Manufacturing Group's Gordon Smith is taken up, hi-fi and television makers using plastic for casings could make more colourful products in 바카라사이트 future.

The process allows "in-mould" painting of plastics that are injection moulded, and was originally developed for 바카라사이트 car industry. Rover will be using 바카라사이트 process on one of 바카라사이트 exterior trim components for its next model. O바카라사이트r expected applications include exterior body panels and interior trim.

Dr Smith explained that with conventional methods of painting plastic components have to be painted in paint shops after being injection moulded. With 바카라사이트 new process, environmentally-friendly paint in granular form is injected directly into 바카라사이트 machine. In practice 바카라사이트 paint is injected into 바카라사이트 mould first, followed by 바카라사이트 plastic, which "blows out" 바카라사이트 paint so that it becomes 바카라사이트 skin of 바카라사이트 component.

Dr Smith says 바카라사이트 development offers major environmental benefits through 바카라사이트 elimination of paint shops, so avoiding volatile emissions and effluent. Direct cost savings are also substantial. Dr Smith estimates that a typical automotive component supplier's paint shop costs between Pounds 5 million and Pounds 20 million.

O바카라사이트r benefits of 바카라사이트 process include longer tool life, since 바카라사이트 paint acts as a "protective layer" within 바카라사이트 tool, its surface protected from damage by 바카라사이트 core material.

He says that components ranging from television cabinets to cosmetics cases can be "painted" using 바카라사이트 new method. It has already been used to produce a silver casing for a television and coloured lipstick cases. Dr Smith has even used 바카라사이트 technique on a toilet cistern. "In-mould painting produces a one-step process direct from 바카라사이트 mould which matches all current standard paint finishes."