BASF says its analysis tool delivers 90 percent to 95 percent accuracy when predicting the performance of parts molded using BASF materials, helping companies lightweight products while minimizing design and development costs.A common misconception regarding fiber-reinforced plastics is that the material’s performance cannot be predicted like steel or aluminum.
BASF says its Ultrasim performance prediction technology, which uses sophisticated material characterization methods and analysis techniques, allows designers and engineers to account for the influence of the injection molding process of a thermoplastic and study the following:
BASF recently used Ultrasim technology in collaboration with Bemis Manufacturing, a global plastic products manufacturer, to develop a first-of-its-kind shopping cart design. The all-plastic design delivers strength and durability two times that of traditional steel models with less frequent wheel repairs and maintenance, BASF says. The shopping cart is also 100 percent recyclable reducing landfill waste.
Last week BASF announced it has developed a flexible polyurethane integral foam that can be used to produce lightweight engine coverings with one material in one process step.
