New Vicast® A830 casting resins lower costs
January, 2009 : Collierville, TN
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AOC introduces new Vicast® A830 casting resins for cultured marble manufacturers who want to lower material costs by 10 percent or more. Users save money because the technology is designed to work when more filler and less resin is used to produce finished marble composite product.
When tested to industry standards, the performance of products made with Vicast A830 technology is similar to products made the traditional, more expensive way. Vicast A830 can lower the cost of making a myriad of cultured marble applications, such as vanity sinks, tubs, shower pans, fireplace surrounds and flat panels.
“It may seem unusual for a resin supplier to introduce technology that lowers resin consumption per part,” said Fletcher Lindberg, Business Manager, Non-Reinforced Products. “However, this reinforces AOC’s commitment to help customers become more profitable and competitive. We succeed when our customers succeed.”
How Vicast A830 works
The secret to Vicast A830 polyester casting resins is their ability to allow significantly higher filler loadings at the same styrene monomer content as traditional cultured marble casting resins. The resin series is engineered for marble composite filled with marble-quality calcium carbonate or specific lightweight fillers.
“The viscosity of the new resins is typically in the 150 to 250 centipoise range,” Lindberg pointed out. “This low viscosity not only allows for — but actually requires — a 10 to 20 percent reduction in resin content. That translates into significant cost savings for cultured marble manufacturers.”
A new brochure introducing the new resin technology includes a Material Cost Reduction Calculator that allows cast polymer manufacturers to calculate how much money the switch to Vicast A830 will save for any given part.
Processing with Vicast A830
A830 marble casting resins are designed to work with all three typical casting methods: hand batch mixing, auto-dispensing, and continuous metering and dispensing (commonly referred to as autocasting).
Vicast A830 resins are non-thixotropic, low-shrink materials that incorporate dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) chemistry. Vicast A830 resins are pre-promoted for room temperature cure using methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) initiator. Products made with A830 resins exhibit excellent green strength and end-use physical properties. The resins have a shelf life of 90 days.
Reaping the generous rewards of Vicast A830 technology calls for a few key process variations that are covered in the Field Guide section of the new product literature. “Vicast A830 Series Marble Casting Resins For Manufacturers Who Want to Lower Costs” is available from AOC sales and technical service representatives. The brochure can also can downloaded from the Literature library at www.aoc-resins.com.
About AOC
AOC is a leading global supplier of resins, gel coats, colorants, additives and synergistic systems for composites and cast polymers. AOC resins are manufactured in ISO 9001:2000-certified facilities that use proprietary process control technology to ensure batch-to-batch consistency. AOC adheres to Six Sigma Lean principles for improved quality and efficiencies. Cast polymers are a priority at AOC. For more information, contact Fletcher Lindberg by e-mailing FLindberg@aoc-resins.com or phoning him at (901) 854-2800.