(openPR) - Singapore, 17 April 2009 - LANXESS expands customer service for part testing

Specialty chemicals group LANXESS AG established a new shaker technical service lab at its Dormagen site, which is designed primarily for vibration testing of vehicle applications. By this the Semi-Crystalline Products (SCP) business unit can offer a broader range of testing facilities. With its Durethan and Pocan resins SCP is one of the world’s largest suppliers of polyamide 6 and 66 and polybutylene terephthalate. The business unit supports its customers with a comprehensive portfolio of services along the entire development chain for molded parts.

At the heart of the lab is the V875LS vibration testing system with slip table from Ismaning-based LDS Test and Measurement GmbH. A special feature of this high-tech facility is the high displacement (pk-pk) of three inches (76.2 mm), which enables vibration testing with extremely high part loading. Further highlights include the large clamping area for mounting parts and a large-volume climatic chamber that can be placed on the testing system. “We are therefore able to perform all standard vibration tests on the largest commercially available air intake manifolds – including, if desired, in combination with climate tests,” explains Dr. Marcel Brandt, project manager for the setup of the new technical service lab.

The new shaker system is designed for all standard fatigue strength tests. For instance, sinusoidal and random tests (force vector 35.6 kN / 32.5 kN) can be performed, as can shock tests, where forces 30 times that of gravity act on a part within milliseconds. The facility is also ideal for analyzing part resonance. “For example, it is also equipped to carry out resonance search, track and dwell (RSTD) tests, which are among the strictest fatigue strength tests,” says Brandt.

The climatic chamber from Hechingen-based CTS GmbH has a volume of 1,100 liters and can be used to cover a temperature range from -70 °C to 200 °C. “This is a response to the trend toward higher temperatures under the engine hood,” adds Brandt. The high temperature change speeds are a further strength of the chamber. This means that, even with a payload of 50 kilograms, cooling and heating rates of 10 °C per minute are supported over a temperature range from -40 °C to 150 °C, thus enabling fast climatic change tests.

The new shaker facility adds to the vibration test system already in place at LANXESS, which has a much lower force vector. “We wish to continue using the existing facility and utilize it to expand our service for combined loads. For example, we can harness it to perform vibration tests on smaller parts such as filter housings at varying temperatures and with simultaneous loading through internal pressure pulsation,” explains Brandt.

As well as vibration testing, SCP offers numerous other tests to customers from all sectors. These include climate testing of even very large parts, media aging tests, stone impact tests, pressure pulsation tests on parts from the vehicle cooling circuit and pressure pulsation as well as backfire tests on air intake manifolds. Other services include static mechanical tests such as tensile and torsion tests, for example on frontend carriers and insert pull-out tests on air intake manifolds. “We also devise tailor-made test configurations for customers on request, provided our technical equipment allows for this,” concludes Brandt.

Further information on SCP’s part testing service can be found at www.durethan.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by LANXESS AG management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

LANXESS is a leading specialty chemicals company with sales of EUR 6.58 billion in 2008 and currently around 14,800 employees in 21 countries. The company is represented at 44 production sites worldwide. The core business of LANXESS is the development, manufacturing and marketing of plastics, rubber, intermediates and specialty chemicals. More information at www.lanxessgoesasia.com

Maggie Tan
Corporate Communications
LANXESS Pte Ltd
9 Benoi Sector, Singapore 629844
Tel       (65) 6725 5888
Direct   (65) 6725 5821
Fax      (65) 6264 5329
Email   maggie.tan@lanxess.com
Web: www.lanxess.com/ , www.lanxessgoesasia.com/