| An injection molded thermoplastic engineering resin is used to manufacture a proprietary industrial component. In order to achieve more attractive economics, the customer mandated the use of regrind. A series of thermoplastic candidates was evaluated for specified functional behavior and processing ease. The optimum material candidate was a toughened >PA66+25GF< molding compound (MC). Customer specified physical properties were evaluated for the neat virgin compound and blends of virgin and recycled material (75 + 25 w/o %).;Acceptable functional behavior of the blends was based on 90% of the neat MC properties. Test data indicated that inherent variations in the neat MC as well as variations in the recycled MC did affect functional performance. However, monitored processibility did not indicate any problems.;Dynamic Mechanical Rheological Properties (DMRP in torsion,) indicated very similar mechanical behavior over a broad temperature range. Random selection of the blend constituents, mandated and controlled by the customer, precluded a more exhaustive, logical and DOE-valid analysis. |
