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𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐏𝐕 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐞

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The automotive industry's transition from traditional rubber to advanced thermoplastics reached a milestone as the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) named the 2002 Jeep Liberty's Santoprene TPV glass run channel application its 2026 Hall of Fame Winner, recognizing an innovation that fundamentally changed automotive manufacturing. The groundbreaking application marked the industry's first use of Santoprene thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) for glass run channels — the extruded profiles in which car windows slide up and down — replacing ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) thermoset rubber. The innovation delivered substantial weight reduction, manufacturing cost savings, improved performance, and material recyclability. Weight and performance benefits The TPV technology achieved weight savings of 30% to 50% compared to EPDM rubber, contributing to improved vehicle fuel efficiency. The reduction came through multiple design optimizations: TPV's lower density, thinner ...

𝐒𝐲𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐪𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞

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Syensqo, a leading global provider of high-performance materials, has worked with medical device innovator # ThoracicInnovations on its BlueBridge Modular Sternal Spacer, a device designed to support patients following complex heart and #chestsurgery .  Following complex #cardiothoracic procedures, surgeons may need to temporarily leave a patient’s chest open before it can be safely closed, making it essential to maintain appropriate spacing and stability during this period.    Thoracic Innovations developed BlueBridge as a standardized, purpose-designed solution to help healthcare teams manage the patients in intensive care with a modular, adjustable design that can be secured to the chest wall to maintain appropriate mediastinal space, protect the heart and provide stability until final chest closure can take place.    To meet the demanding requirements of the application, Thoracic Innovations selected Ixef® PARA GS-1022 BU01 , a 50% #glassfiberreinforcedpol...

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞: 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲

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KAIST's discovery of graphene oxide liquid crystals in 2011 laid the foundation for 15 years of research worldwide, leading to technologies for producing graphene fibers with high strength and thermal conductivity. The fundamental materials research that helped bring antibacterial toothbrushes and functional sportswear to market is now advancing into materials for thermal management. Professor Sang Ouk Kim's team in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has published a commentary in Nature Materials, examining recent advances in high-performance graphene fibers based on graphene oxide liquid crystals and their scientific significance. Graphene oxide consists of graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb structure, with oxygen functional groups attached. Graphene is strong and conducts heat and electricity well, but its poor dispersibility in water makes it difficult to process in liquid form. By contrast, the oxygen functional groups allow gr...

𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐚

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ENGEL, one of the world's leading manufacturers of injection moulding machines, is expanding its global production network. With the establishment of a manufacturing site in Kikinda, Serbia, the family-owned company strengthens its competitiveness and secures a high-performing value chain in Europe for the long term. Customers in European and American markets in particular will benefit from shorter lead times and greater supply reliability. The new site in Serbia is part of a targeted evolution of ENGEL's European manufacturing architecture. The focus is on relocating mechanical manufacturing operations to make better use of international location advantages and establish a resilient European supply chain. In the first phase, a 13,000 m² facility in Kikinda will be dedicated to produce machined components. Around 150 employees are planned to be recruited over the first three years. As a result, ENGEL's Austrian plants will gain capacity to focus on more demanding, customer-...

𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞

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Surventis celebrated the expansion of its aircraft sealant production capacity at its #Langelsheim site with a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony. The investment creates additional manufacturing and laboratory capacity and strengthens the company's position in the global aerospace market. “With this investment, we are creating the conditions to continue meeting the growing demand from our customers in the future. At the same time, we are strengthening our innovation and production capabilities,” emphasizes Frank Naber, Executive Vice President Surface Treatment at Surventis. “Our aim is to invest strategically worldwide in strong technologies and long-term competitive advantages. Langelsheim is Surventis' global center of excellence for Chemetall® brand #aircraftsealants and also a key production site for the company's aerospace and surface solutions. Sealants for the aircraft industry have been produced in Langelsheim since the 1990s. Due to positive business development, ...

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐅 𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐦𝐚 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐍𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞

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Geopolitical uncertainties, regulatory requirements, and increasing performance expectations are reshaping the plastics industry. At Fakuma 2026, BASF will demonstrate under the guiding theme #OurPlasticsJourney how the perceived trade-offs between sustainability, resilience, and performance can be overcome. At the heart of this approach is the conviction that modern plastics can only be future-ready if they deliver on all three dimensions simultaneously: outstanding technical performance, verifiable sustainability, and a resilient, reliable supply chain. Rather than accepting compromises, BASF is focusing on scalable solutions that help customers reduce risks, achieve emissions targets, and maintain the highest quality standards at the same time. “Today, the plastics industry needs more than good intentions; it needs credible proof points. With #OurPlasticsJourney , we demonstrate how performance, sustainability, and resilience come together in real-world applications to create measu...

𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 : 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬. 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫. 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬.

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  𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲'𝐬 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬. 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫. 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐄𝐌 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭. Gloss is measured in Gloss Units (GU), but the measurement angle matters: 🔹 20° — High-gloss surfaces 🔹 60° — Standard angle for most automotive trim 🔹 85° — Very low-gloss / matte surfaces The important part? Gloss must match across adjacent parts. Even with the same material, colour and grain, gloss can shift because of: ✓ Texture depth ✓ Colour ✓ Processing conditions That is why gloss specifications must be defined, measured and controlled—not judged by appearance alone. Two parts. Same colour. Same grain. Different gloss. The customer will see it. The OEM auditor will fail it. Have you ever faced a gloss mismatch between adjacent automotive parts? What was the root cause? source : IM Technologies #GlossControl #GlossUnits #...