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Bayer MaterialScience’s Bayflex® XGT-140 polyurethane system makes roadside assistance box nearly indestructible
When motorists on certain California highways need emergency assistance, they can count on the rugged digital roadside call box by Integrated Technologies Consulting, Inc. (ITC) to keep help just a call away. The call boxes provide motorists with direct access to roadside assistance via a digital wireless system designed by ITC and supported by a wireless network. The box has been designed to stand up to the everyday abuse of the roadside environment thanks to its resilient housing constructed of Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) LLC’s Bayflex® XGT-140 elastomeric polyurethane system.
“After meeting with ITC and discussing the application and material requirements, we agreed that BMS’ Bayflex system was the material of choice,” said Nino Mastrolonardo, engineering manager, Thieme Corporation of St. Charles, Ill., which molds the call boxes.
The extended gel time of the Bayflex XGT-140 system gives equipment designers the flexibility to create large, complex parts that can be molded on existing injection machinery. The resin’s excellent surface quality and high impact resistance make it a candidate for a number of demanding applications, including agricultural equipment, heavy-duty trucks and specialty transportation.
According to Mastrolonardo, the Bayflex XGT-140 system was selected for its excellent durability and toughness. “Also, because the Bayflex XGT system family has a longer reaction time between the polyol and isocyanate, it allows us to fill complex geometries and intricate details such as the many ribs, bosses, and deep draw areas found on the bezel, which is a very difficult part to mold,” Mastrolonardo explained.
Five separate pieces are molded to create the enclosure for the call box. Molding the pieces from Bayer’s Bayflex XGT-140 system through the Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) process allows the molder to integrate features directly into the molded parts, thereby reducing the labor and assembly required to produce the finished call box.
The Bayflex XGT-140 system also provides the combination of strength and durability required to stand up to abuse from vandals and collisions. Because call boxes get knocked down, it was imperative that the material be able to withstand a high-speed impact without shattering and turning the internal components, such as the battery, into missiles, according to Allen Kurtz, president, ITC.
“We recently had a knockdown during testing and I am happy to say that the Bayflex XGT-140 material did not shatter or break. The back shell withstood an impact that knocked over the 10-foot high by 5-_- inch diameter mounting pole without breaking, and both the door and the back shell remained attached to the pole and completely intact,” explained Kurtz. “I am absolutely convinced that the Bayflex XGT-140 material was directly responsible for absorbing the shock without shattering and prevented damage to the critical electronics mounted to the backside of the bezel. This is really great material and I plan to use it on several other products currently under development,” he continued.
Thieme Corporation is producing approximately 150 boxes per week to meet ITC’s production and assembly schedule. The boxes are shipped directly to a painter in Los Angeles where they are prepped and coated with two top coats and a final UV protective coating.
“Molding the ITC call box presents a number of challenges due to the complex parts and unique, intricate details of the bezel,” said Craig Snyder, senior technical marketing representative for BMS. “We are pleased that our Bayflex XGT-140 system is a perfect fit for the call box, and are thrilled that ITC is happy with the results.”
“After meeting with ITC and discussing the application and material requirements, we agreed that BMS’ Bayflex system was the material of choice,” said Nino Mastrolonardo, engineering manager, Thieme Corporation of St. Charles, Ill., which molds the call boxes.
The extended gel time of the Bayflex XGT-140 system gives equipment designers the flexibility to create large, complex parts that can be molded on existing injection machinery. The resin’s excellent surface quality and high impact resistance make it a candidate for a number of demanding applications, including agricultural equipment, heavy-duty trucks and specialty transportation.
According to Mastrolonardo, the Bayflex XGT-140 system was selected for its excellent durability and toughness. “Also, because the Bayflex XGT system family has a longer reaction time between the polyol and isocyanate, it allows us to fill complex geometries and intricate details such as the many ribs, bosses, and deep draw areas found on the bezel, which is a very difficult part to mold,” Mastrolonardo explained.
Five separate pieces are molded to create the enclosure for the call box. Molding the pieces from Bayer’s Bayflex XGT-140 system through the Reaction Injection Molding (RIM) process allows the molder to integrate features directly into the molded parts, thereby reducing the labor and assembly required to produce the finished call box.
The Bayflex XGT-140 system also provides the combination of strength and durability required to stand up to abuse from vandals and collisions. Because call boxes get knocked down, it was imperative that the material be able to withstand a high-speed impact without shattering and turning the internal components, such as the battery, into missiles, according to Allen Kurtz, president, ITC.
“We recently had a knockdown during testing and I am happy to say that the Bayflex XGT-140 material did not shatter or break. The back shell withstood an impact that knocked over the 10-foot high by 5-_- inch diameter mounting pole without breaking, and both the door and the back shell remained attached to the pole and completely intact,” explained Kurtz. “I am absolutely convinced that the Bayflex XGT-140 material was directly responsible for absorbing the shock without shattering and prevented damage to the critical electronics mounted to the backside of the bezel. This is really great material and I plan to use it on several other products currently under development,” he continued.
Thieme Corporation is producing approximately 150 boxes per week to meet ITC’s production and assembly schedule. The boxes are shipped directly to a painter in Los Angeles where they are prepped and coated with two top coats and a final UV protective coating.
“Molding the ITC call box presents a number of challenges due to the complex parts and unique, intricate details of the bezel,” said Craig Snyder, senior technical marketing representative for BMS. “We are pleased that our Bayflex XGT-140 system is a perfect fit for the call box, and are thrilled that ITC is happy with the results.”
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| Integrated Technologies Consulting, Inc.’s roadside assistance call box needs to be able to withstand the abuse that comes from vandals and car collisions in its highway environment. | |
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| Bayer MaterialScience’s Bayflex® XGT-140 elastomeric polyurethane system was found to be a perfect fit for the application due to its combination of moldability, durability and high impact resistance. | |
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| Spring, TX |
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