News | August 26, 2009

Solvay Advanced Polymers Names China Array Plastics First Certified Molder Of TORLON Polyamide-Imide In China

Pittsfield, MA – China Array Plastics, a full-service injection molder of high performance thermoplastics, headquartered here, has become the first molder in China certified to mold TORLON polyamide-imide (PAI) resin. China Array began molding TORLON PAI resin at its state-of-the-art injection molding facility in Wuhan, China in the second quarter of 2009. Certification – which is granted by Solvay Advanced Polymers to a limited number of molders worldwide that exhibit exceptional molding capabilities – further positions China Array as a market leader and innovator in the injection molding of high-performance thermoplastic materials in Asia.

China Array's certification to process TORLON resin allows the company to offer its customers a broadening portfolio of unique high performance polymers for a wide range of applications. With TORLON resin, China Array can further expand its capabilities into a range of industries such as aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, and semiconductors, all of which are key growth sectors in China.

"Working with Solvay's engineers in Alpharetta, Ga. and Shanghai we were able to install the necessary screw and barrel sets, driers, ovens, and other equipment to mold TORLON resin, and get excellent training both in the United States and China," commented Russell Johnson, president of China Array Plastics. "Solvay is a highly professional organization that makes absolutely sure that its molders fully understand how to process TORLON resin, so the end user gets all the benefits of this unique high-end material."

Solvay Advanced Polymers' TORLON resin has the highest strength and stiffness of any thermoplastic up to 275°C (525°F). Processing the material requires specialized equipment and exacting protocols for both molding and curing, which China Array can provide. With outstanding resistance to wear, creep, and chemicals – including strong acids and most organics – TORLON resin is ideally suited for severe service environments. The key TORLON resin properties include:

  • Exceptional long-term strength and stiffness up to 275°C
  • Outstanding wear resistance
  • Superior toughness from cryogenic up to 275°C
  • Resistant to strong acids and most organics
  • Inherent flame resistance
  • Low coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE)

    • "We are very pleased that China Array will mold products made of TORLON in one of the fastest-growing regions in the world," said Brian Stern, Solvay Advanced Polymers' senior global market manager for ultra polymers. "In today's global economy, manufacturing continues to relocate to this region and our goal is to further penetrate the growing Chinese domestic market and global exports."

    China Array is expected to mold thrust washers and seal rings for automotive and heavy-duty transmissions and torque converters; tappets, poppets, and control valves for braking systems; and bushings and bearings for various industrial applications.

    SOURCE: China Array Plastics