Huntsman helps RÄDER-VOGEL develop new generation of anti-static wheels
Huntsman has been working closely with RÄDER-VOGEL to develop a new generation of polyurethane-based, anti-static PEVOTEC wheels. The wheels use Huntsman’s TECNOTHANE hot cast elastomers and are have been designed for use in industrial applications where the use of trolleys, carts, pulleys and automatically guided vehicles (AGVs) is vital to the smooth running of operations.
The build-up of static wheels can prove problematic in busy manufacturing or production environments.
- The accumulation of static charge on wheels can result in uncomfortable and sometimes painful shocks to personnel handling equipment or moving carts.
- It can damage the electrical components of a vehicle.
- Static on wheels can also attract and hold dust and particles. This can cause a contamination issue in specialist fields including semiconductor manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.
- Dust build-up can also lead to less traction and cause automated equipment to malfunction – leading to costly downtime.
Using Huntsman’s TECNOTHANE materials, RÄDER-VOGEL has developed a range of PEVOTEC anti-static wheels that can help reduce these issues, with options ranging from 55 to 97 shore A hardness. The materials also give RÄDER-VOGEL the flexibility to tailor-make customised solutions for customers to meet specific needs.
Initially, RÄDER-VOGEL will be targeting the new range of wheels at four application areas including:
- Warehousing and logistics for automated guided vehicles that move thousands of products
- Space-saving automated car park systems in cities where vehicles are parked using lifts
- Clean rooms where wheels are used in trolleys and overhead pulleys
- Mining for lift shafts that must function with no risk of sparks that could ignite coal dust
Martin Schäfer, Sales Director Export – Material Handling & Special Applications at RÄDER-VOGEL, said: “As ever, we are grateful to the team at Huntsman for their willingness and enthusiasm to innovate in conjunction with our team. Working side by side, we’ve developed a novel range of anti-static wheels that are set to offer huge benefits across a range of industries.”
Commenting, Nicolaas Weyns, Sales Development Manager Elastomers Europe at Huntsman, said: “It’s always great to work alongside the team at RÄDER-VOGEL. Their high standards and commitment to quality have made them one of the world’s leading manufacturers of pallet rollers, press-on tyres and swivel and fixed castors.”
Huntsman’s TECNOTHANE range is an advanced portfolio of polyurethane-based, hot-cast, engineering elastomers, which includes a full range of polyols and chain extenders. Over the years Huntsman has blended these raw materials together in different combinations, creating a suite of tried and tested elastomer formulations for a range of different applications.