Engineering Materials

Engineering materials is a discussion led by Design News Contributing Materials Editor Doug Smock on important new developments and applications that affect mechanical design. Metals covered include all types of steel and nonferrous metals, in all shapes. Resins covered include nylons, polycarbonates, polysulfides, polyimides, and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). Other materials covered include ceramics and rubber. Topics covered include materials enhancement, new applications, process technology, tooling, sustainability, and economic issues. Posts will include latest news from global events such as K 2007, the Alliance of Plastics Processors Annual Conference, the National Plastics Exposition, and the annual technical conference (ANTEC) of the Society of Plastics Engineers.

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Friday, April 20, 2007

Soy Polyester at John Deere: Lessons Learned

Considering a move to bioplastics? Consider the experience of John Deere, which is now in the eighth year of a program to use soybean and corn feedstocks that was not originally driven for green reasons. The biomaterials are used in combine panels, backhoe loader hoods, and tractor hoods. Greg McCunnn, who runs the project, says the materials must be cost competitive and must be a performance drop-in for petroleum-based plastics. Needless to say, significant supply chain work was involved, and included funding from the United Soybean Board. Ashland Specialty Chemicals developed polyester resins that include soy and corn feedstocks, while processors Ashley Industrial Molding and Budd (currently Continental Structural Plastics) worked on the molding side. There were also issues related to painting and mold release.

And it amounts to more than a hill of beans: each combine made with the compound uses 1.1 bushels of soybeans and 0.5 bushels of corn.

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