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The Effect of Special Effects on Durability
So the product you're designing just demands a metallic sheen. But how will adding that special effect affect durability, weight and overall cost?
In a recent Appliance Design Magazine article, "Pondering the Palette," we examine this topic with John Skabardonis, Bayer MaterialScience polycarbonates marketing manager for N. America.
While the full article focuses on adding color to applications, Skabardonis details best practices for enhancing products specifically through metallic pigments—sharing ways designers can get the innovative look they want, while still achieving the durability customers demand.
Did you know...?
- Special effects work best on accent pieces, in the form of appliqués, or parts surrounding the main component.
- Extensive testing on a part molded with special effects can help determine durability and potential stress factors before mass production.
- Special effects pigments can act like stress concentrators, reducing a plastic's impact resistance.
- Designers can compensate for durability loss by specifying stronger base materials, increasing the thickness of parts at specific areas, or adding ribs to the design.
- Metallic pigments with a large particle size used at a lower concentration can reduce the flow and weld lines you sometimes see in products made with smaller particles.
- The conductive properties of metallic pigments offer extra EMI shielding. You don't necessarily need to apply conductive materials after fabrication.
- Metallic pigments can also help products with thermal management issues—and this can impact your design.
By understanding the best ways to leverage special effects on your applications, you can create products as strong as they are stunning. Let Bayer MaterialScience and our Design Center experts help you to tap into the vast array of colorants and additives on the market today.
Bayer MaterialScience LLC \ 100 Bayer Road \ Pittsburgh, PA 15205-9741 USA
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We'd love to hear from you. Post your question in the "Hot Topics" section of Bayerfantasia.com and see the replies from our color experts.
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