Sabic (Riyadh / Saudi Arabia; www.sabic.com) launched its “Sabic” PP compounds that deliver a soft feel combined with “excellent” scratch performance in unpainted, low-gloss automotive interior components, such as glove boxes and door panels. The company says the compounds provide an attractive matte surface with good impact performance and low shrinkage, as well as good sound damping capability.

The portfolio is available globally, and includes several grades of short glass fibre-reinforced PP for a choice of stiffness level and material density. The compounds are also UV-stabilised to prevent fading and colour shift. The injection moulding materials can help automotive OEMs cut up to 50% of costs by avoiding secondary operations such as applying soft paint, fabric, foam or other surface coverings, says Sabic.

The company also launched three filaments for fused deposition modelling (FDM), the third expansion of its additive manufacturing materials offering within 12 months – see Plasteurope.com of 28.11.2017. The first filament, “Ultem AM1010F”, provides high heat resistance and high mechanical strength. It can be used in short-cycle injection moulding tools, carbon fibre layup tools and automotive components. The filament is compliant with the UL94 V-0 flammability standard at 1.5 mm and UL94 5VA compliant at 3.0 mm.

“Ultem AMHU1010F” filament is a polyetherimide (PEI) product and is unpigmented. It is biocompatible (ISO 10993 or USP Class VI), and printed parts can be sterilised using gamma irradiation, ethylene oxide (EtO) processing or steam autoclaving. “Lexan AMHC620F” polycarbonate filament is also biocompatible and can be sterilised with gamma irradiation or EtO methods. This filament meets the UL94 HB flammability rating at 1.5 mm. Both filaments are suitable for a wide variety of medical devices.