ADTECH Customer
Support
Frequently Asked Questions
During the many years ADTECH has been in the plastic tooling and composites industry, several questions have been raised consistently by fabricators around the world. If you have a question which is not addressed here, please telephone or e-mail Jim Davy: JDavy@CASSpolymers.com.
ADTECH's technical staff has over 220 years of combined experience in plastic
tooling and composites. Our dedication to customer support is known throughout the
industry. Every ADTECH employee, from the top down, is committed to providing the
most up-to-date, technologically driven solutions to your most challenging problems.
Technical support is only a telephone call away. Please call 800-255-9934
or e-mail Jim Davy: JDavy@CASSpolymers.com
for prompt
and accurate information.
Reliability.
By adhering to the tough ISO-9001 standards we have established a repeatable model for
developing and manufacturing your plastic systems. Because we've removed the
guesswork from the system, you can be assured of consistent quality with each new
delivery.
ISO-9001 has become an internalized operating system at ADTECH... and we wouldn't have it
any other way.
Epoxies can out-perform polyester laminating systems in virtually all areas.
Epoxies have a higher strength to weight ratio, they have significantly lower shrinkage
(typically 0.0015in/in), epoxies are more dimensionally stable than polyesters with
greater impact strength and higher tensile modulus.
In addition to superior physical properties, epoxies have significantly lower VOC content.
ADTECH has developed a simple, easy-to-read chart to assist engineers and fabricators in determining required materials for the job. Please feel free to print this chart and post in a handy location.
Demold time varies from system to system. Please refer to the Technical Data Bulletin for the particular system you are using or contact Technical Support at 800-255-9934 or e-mail Jim Davy: JDavy@CASSpolymers.com. Some factors that may influence demold time include: part thickness, ambient temperature, time elapsed between mixing and pouring/laminating. In addition, the container in which the material was mixed could play a part in the time required to demold.
While this is a primary concern for tooling fabricators, it is perhaps the most difficult question to answer. There are so many things to consider that one would be foolish to try to pinpoint a number of parts to expect from a plastic tool. Method of tool construction, material to be molded, and tool care all play a significant role in the life cycle of a tool. However, there have been many, many fabricators who have made thousands, even tens of thousands of parts from a single tool. the common thread between these high-volume tools is the care and skill of the fabricator. Take care of your tools and they will take care of you.
For epoxy and urethane systems, it is wise to follow the "three-minute-mix"
rule.
Using a flat tool, such as a paint paddle, and a straight-walled mixing container (avoid
glass or foam containers), mix thoroughly for approximately 30-45 seconds.
Scrape
the bottom and sides of the container and repeat. Continue in this manner for 3
minutes. This procedure may be modified to accommodate today's faster curing
systems. Please refer to the Technical Data Bulletin for the particular system you
are using or contact Technical Support at 800-255-9934 or e-mail
Jim Davy: JDavy@CASSpolymers.com.