Luvocom-News

The LEHVOSS Group at K 2022. „Sustainable High-Performance Materials by Tradition”

K 2022 - The World's No. 1 Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber - is taking place under the banner of the trade fair's 70th anniversary. The top themes of the trade fair include the circular economy, digitalization and climate protection. The LEHVOSS Group will be represented by a total of five business units.

With its five business units Customized Polymer Materials (CPM), Masterbatches & Additives, Composite Materials, LUVOMAXX as well as Magnesia, the LEHVOSS Group will present the sustainability and performance of its high-performance materials at K 2022 as part of a wide-ranging exhibition program. In detail, this includes the following topics:

  • Sustainable materials from the LUVOTECH eco product line based on LEHVOSS ecX technology
  • High-performance plastics as a metal alternative for the entire value chain in the field of bicycle components
  • Expansion of the Long Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics portfolio in the LUVOCOM LFT product line
  • New high-performance masterbatches from the LUVOBATCH product line
  • SMC/BMC special products from the Composite Material Business Unit
  • Chemical and mineral specialties from the LUVOMAXX business unit

The LEHVOSS Group and its subsidiary WMK Plastics present sustainable materials from the LUVOTECH eco product line based on LEHVOSS ecX technology

The materials in the LUVOTECH eco product line are based on raw materials from mechanical recycling and - as a further contribution to sustainability - are manufactured using 100 percent green electricity from a certified energy supplier.

The ecX technology (eco compounding eXperience) stands for know-how in the production of ecologically sustainable materials of the highest quality. This makes it possible to produce materials - from PC/ABS to PEEK-relevant applications - that have a significantly improved CO2 balance sheet and a reduced overall environmental impact.

Characteristic of the consistently high quality of this recyclate product line are:

  • the careful analyses of the different starting materials,
  • the extensive knowledge related to adjustments in formulation,
  • gentle and material-compatible compounding,
  • the decades of experience in recycled materials of the LEHVOSS Group and its subsidiary WMK Plastics, as well as
  • long-term contracts with established suppliers.

As a result, all materials in the LUVOTECH® eco product line comply with the strict LEHVOSS quality guidelines - which are laid down in the relevant specifications - and also have proven carbon footprints based on the internationally applicable standards (DIN EN ISO 14040, DIN EN ISO 14044 and DIN EN ISO 14067) and the determination using GaBI Professional software.

eco materials can be used across processing technologies

The LEHVOSS Group is meeting the growing demand for sustainable materials in 3D printing with the LUVOCOM 3F eco PET product line. The material consists of 90 percent recycled PET - the highest recycling rate currently known on the market.

LUVOCOM 3F eco PET can be used in both the FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) and FGF (Fused Granulate Fabrication) processes. Like all products from the LUVOCOM 3F product line, this material also impresses with its excellent processability and equally excellent product properties. The areas of application include the production of functional prototypes and series parts in numerous industries. In addition to mechanical and automotive engineering, these also include medical technology.

Numerous other compounds are currently under development and will round off the product range in the short term.

Photo 1 Additive manufactured fixture made of LUVOCOM 3F eco PET - © LEHVOSS Group

The LEHVOSS Group presents a range of high-performance plastics as a metal alternative for the entire value chain in the field of bicycle components.

These plastics include:

  • high-strength materials with glass fiber and carbon fiber reinforcement for structural and add-on parts,
  • ultralight construction materials and high-performance materials for consistent lightweight construction with maximum strength,
  • tribologically optimized materials for minimizing wear and friction or for dry running, and
  • technical recyclates to further reduce the environmental footprint.

All materials offer a metal alternative in terms of technical performance, component appearance and design freedom, as well as in terms of total cost and carbon footprint. They enable designers to exploit potentials - in terms of optimized component development, strength and weight - that were previously undiscovered or technologically unfeasible.

This is made possible by technical and high-performance plastic compounds:

  • which, in terms of resistance and strength level, are equivalent to metals or - especially in comparison with light metal alloys - in some cases significantly superior, and
  • which are manufactured at various regional LEHVOSS production sites in Europe, the USA and Asia and thus support or ensure parts production in the respective sales country through short distances.

 

Photo 2 Dion Mauersberger from the LEHVOSS business unit CPM performing in racing - © LEHVOSS Group

A series of end products will make the material advantages tangible - literally - at the LEHVOSS K 2022 trade show booth:

The FESCHD smartphone holder based on a plastic recyclate

As part of a production demonstration at the trade show booth, the LEHVOSS Group and FESCHD, a manufacturer of cell phone holders for bicycles from Gießen, Germany, will present the production of a smartphone holder. The special feature of the holder, which is manufactured on the basis of the LEHVOSS recycled material LUVOTECH eco PA666-GF50-HS-BK, is not only its high functionality but also its sustainability, its production location and the social commitment "behind" it:

  • The recycled material has a significantly lower CO2 equivalent compared to virgin material.
  • All parts can be exchanged or replaced and returned to a technical/natural cycle.
  • Production, assembly and shipping take place in Germany.
  • With the proceeds from every 50 smartphone holders sold, FESCHD finances 1 bicycle for people in developing countries.

 

Photo 3: Smartphone fixture made of LUVOTECH eco PA666-GF50-HS-BK - © FESCHD

A bicycle pedal crank manufactured based on the 3D skeleton wrapping technique (3DSW).

As part of the research project "Extreme Lightweight Design through Holistic Engineering of 3D Skeleton Wrapping Technology" (ELeGanz-3D), conducted jointly with the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology (ICT), the LEHVOSS Group is presenting a pedal crank for bicycles whose additively manufactured core consists of LUVOCOM 3F PAHT CF 9742 BK. The pedal crank demonstrator illustrates the potential of 3DSW in the context of lightweight applications requiring complex interactions of tensile, compressive and torsional loads.

The Klickfix bicycle accessories - sustainably produced locally.

The bicycle accessories of the Solingen-based manufacturer Rixen&Kaul impress with a consistent sustainability concept: This is based on the one hand on the use of LUVOTECH eco materials - technical LEHVOSS recycling materials with optimized CO2 balance - and on the other hand on the sourcing of materials from the LEHVOSS production site, which is also located in Solingen.

The Blobber bike saddle with air cushioning

The completely in Austria produced, up to 1.2 bar inflatable bicycle saddle with air damping has a printed core made of LUVOSINT TPU. The saddle is manufactured on the basis of two production processes: In the first step, the insert, which acts as a damping element, is sintered; in the second, polyurethane molding technology is used

 

Photo 4: BLOBBER saddle with components made from LUVOSINT and LUVOTECH eco - © BLOBBER GmbH

The LEHVOSS Group presents its significantly expanded portfolio in the long-fiber-reinforced thermoplastics segment in the product line LUVOCOM LFT

The strong expansion of the LUVOCOM LFT product portfolio once again raises the bar in terms of plastics performance. Both in structural components and in the area of metal replacement, the new LFT compounds are thus pushing forward into areas that were previously technologically unfeasible. The modifications presented at the trade show impress with their further optimized performance parameters, such as impact strength, colorability and surface properties. The trade show exhibits include:

The Elaflex aircraft refueling nozzle with optimized handle

The handle made of the mechanically highly stressable, impact-resistant material LUVOCOM LFT PA66-GF30 is based on a long-fiber-reinforced polyamide. In addition to its high impact strength, even at extremely low temperatures, the material is also characterized by its very good colorability, which makes a significant contribution to differentiation.

 

Photo 5: Handle made from LUVOCOM LFT  for refueling system from ELAFLEX - © ELAFLEX

The Masterbatches & Additives division presents new high-performance additive masterbatches.

The development of lightweight yet resistant plastics is an important topic for the future. After all, less weight means savings in energy, materials and transport costs. To achieve this goal, LUVOBATCH has developed physiologically safe, endothermic (azodicarbonamide (ADC)-free) blowing agent masterbatches for use in injection molding and extrusion. These masterbatches can also be used in food applications and achieve significant results in reducing weight and sink marks and optimizing processing parameters even at a low dosage - from 0.1 percent. In the automotive sector, for example, a weight reduction of 24 percent was achieved with a one percent masterbatch addition.

In addition, there are product innovations in the area of flame retardants, which feature more environmentally friendly halogen-free masterbatches based on nitrogen, phosphorus, mineral additives or intumescent systems. These are produced on various polymer carriers for the best possible compatibility with the customer's material. Possible applications range from film structures to cables and components with higher wall thicknesses. Another product innovation is Inovia's pure additive for halogen-free flame-retardant finishing of PMMA and PC, without the previously prevailing losses in transparency.

The Composite Materials business unit presents its wide range of specialty products in the field of SMC/BMC, pultrusion and vacuum infusion technology

As a specialist for the controlled production of thermoset molding compounds the Composite Materials team will present a wide-ranging product portfolio at K 2022. These include:

  • LUVATOL magnesium oxide thickening pastes for individual and precise control of the SMC/BMC/CIPP liner production process.
  • TRENNFILM and LINER-TUBE carrier films for SMC and relining applications.
  • Halogen-free LUVOGARD flame retardant additives for reactive resins.
  • LUVOGARD Flame retardant additives for PVC plastisols and textile coatings
  • LUVATINE Dispersing aid for highly filled resin dispersions.
  • LUVOTRENT release agent for a wide range of applications.
  • PEEL PLY peel ply for optimal surfaces.
  • COMBIMESH flow aid compound for combining several operations in one product.
  • VACUUM FILM in the form of a coextruded polyamide film.

The LUVOMAXX business unit will present new collaborations and products from its rubber portfolio at K2022

Cooperation with Alpha Calcit, Germany - Aluminum Trihydrate (ATH) ALFRIMAL
ALFRIMAL is an environmentally friendly, versatile halogen-free flame-retardant. The chemically pure ATH is suitable for wires and cables as well as rubber products in mining or public transport - wherever "Safety First" requires reliable fire protection.

Cooperation with Brisil, India - "Precipitated" silica from rice husks
The silica filler is "precipitated silica", which Brisil extracts from rice husk ash using a residue-optimized chemical process. The process has been developed by Brisil and has already been patented. There is currently a production plant in the Indian state of Gujarat with a capacity of 7,400 tons per year. Further production plants in Asia are in the planning stage.

Cooperation with Magris, USA/Canada - Functional minerals for rubber

MistronVapor, the well-known range of pure talc fillers with high functionality, offers various technical and commercial solutions such as barrier properties, better extrusion performance or also dimensional stability for rubber articles.

Cooperation with Oxitec, Brazil - Biobased compositions to reduce or eliminate zinc oxide.
Oxitec converts by-products from pulp processing into a replacement raw material for zinc oxide. This replacement feedstock is capable of replacing zinc oxide as an activator in rubber compounds.

Cooperation with UPM, Finland - Renewable functional fillers from the UPM BioMotion product range.

UPM BioMotion is made from biomass and offers the possibility of replacing CO2-intensive fillers - such as industrial carbon black or silica - in rubber and TPE compounds. The biomass is obtained from 100 percent sustainably managed forests.

Cooperation with the German Rubber Industry Association (WDK) and the German Institute for Rubber Technology (DIK)

Lehmann&Voss&Co supports the research project "Biobased Antioxidants" of the German Rubber Industry Association (WDK) and the German Institute for Rubber Technology (DIK).