Finding colors that comply with key fire-resistance standards is now easier than ever
More than 100 Clariant masterbatches certified in global materials database
Offering products which have been certified by UL, a leading global technical expert in plastics
Muttenz, May 21, 2014 - Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, is making its products available in UL's Materials Search Engine, Prospector® (ULProspector.com), so that it's easier for designers and engineers to find color masterbatches they need to make plastics products that comply with UL standards and those of other organizations.
To protect consumers around the world from forseeable risks associated with a product, such as fire and electric shock, manufacturers must comply with accepted local standards for flammability, including IEC 60695-2-11/12/13, known as the Glow-Wire (GW) test, and UL-94 vertical and horizontal flame tests. The UL94 norm was originally a national standard in the USA and is now globally established for classifying plastic products and how they burn.
To make a UL Certified product, developers often start by specifying a UL Recognized plastic resin. However, to gain manufacturing efficiency, manufacturers often use an uncolored or natural base resin plus a special concentrate or masterbatch to add color to the product. In this case, both the plastic resin and the masterbatch need to be certified by UL. Clariant has a huge portfolio of UL Certified masterbatches marketed under the REMAFIN® and RENOL® trademarks. There are over 120 different products in all, providing a potential solution for approximately 20% of the materials listed on the Prospector Search Engine. In addition to electrical and electronic applications, Clariant masterbatches are suitable for automotive, medical devices, small home appliances, power tools, construction materials like photovoltaic cells, and other consumer goods that are electrified. They can be manufactured at over 20 plants around the world.
Now that the Clariant portfolio is included in the UL Prospector's Search Engine, masterbatch selection just got even easier. UL Prospector's search engine is the largest and most widely used informational resource in the Plastics industry. Through a single intuitive interface, this tool enables users to efficiently search and filter a comprehensive database that already includes over 85,000 plastics and thousands of other materials too. Users can look up masterbatches by color and polymer compatibility and access "Yellow Card" information directly from Clariant's QMQS2 database. These certification documents provide details on flame class, minimum wall thickness, maximum letdown ratio and other critical information.
"High-impact colors and cutting-edge design are hugely important to the success of today's sleek, modern electrical and electronic products," notes Jeff Saeger, Global Head of Segment Consumer Goods. "At the same time, manufacturers also need to consider product safety and regulatory compliance. Clariant can help in both these critical areas. In addition, with UL Certified masterbatches included in the UL's Prospector Search Engine our customers can easily evaluate color options while also researching their resin requirements."
In order to have a masterbatch recognized by UL, the following conditions must be met:
The color-concentrate must be submitted and evaluated by UL
The polymer, generic or specific, shall be recognized as well
The recognition of the material combination (base resin + color-concentrate) shall be listed in the QMSQ2 product category of the concentrate producer.
The color concentrate shall be used within the conditions of acceptability established by UL
Clariant has its own test laboratories, which can carry out preliminary testing to minimize time and testing costs. However, as an independent testing institution, UL is solely responsible for deciding whether a material is certified.
UL Certified Masterbatches are an attractive alternative for manufacturers of plastic products that have to comply with specified flammability ratings.They also meet other global regulatory requirements like RoHS, WEEE, REACh and CE, and they contain only pigments that are free of heavy metals like cadmium and lead. This unique portfolio, now easily accessible through the Prospector database, allows for fast, cost-efficient project management combined with all the advantages of in-house coloration. The comprehensive service provided by Clariant meets customers' requirements thus globally improving safety for consumers of electrical and electronic devices and their components. |
