Recently, we applied our material and design expertise to help a major appliance manufacturer reduce vibration on their latest top load washing machine model. Vibration in top load washing machines can cause the units to ‘walk,’ which prompts a large volume of costly service calls to the manufacturer. PHOTO CAPTION: Supported by PolyOne’s material and design expertise, a major manufacturer switched to Versaflex VDT and reduced the vibration of their top load washing machine by 80 percent.

Material and Machine Preparation  Machine Operation  Machine Shutdown Process 

Designs traditionally have required lead parts produced by machining or casting.  Injection molding also would allow the company to eliminate machining and increase productivity and design freedom for components. Finally, the material gave the OEM's designers greater geometric flexibility so that they could shield areas more effectively than with machined parts.

But as the newest generation of machines introduced higher operating speeds and increased mechanical loads, it became clear that the plastic used to make the bushings was no longer suitable under the punishing conditions. The new material combination also resulted in a 40% improvement in cycle time for production of the bushings – freeing machine time for other projects that might otherwise have required capital investment to increase capacity. Switching to LubriOne™ helped IŞILSAN improve wear resistance of these bushings so that customers can run machines longer without maintenance. 

All cleaning solvents used on the machine and in pre-press must be non-phthalate solvents and free of all ink. Ensure machine and pallets are free of ink and lint.

The team’s first move - optimizing the molding machine parameters to boost productivity – helped, but it was not enough. Improved operational efficiencies: Optimizing the molding machine parameters and adding OnCap CTR reduced cycle time by more than 24 percent.

However, the silicone was sticking to the mold and inner workings of the molding machine. This not only caused a high scrap rate, but also led to frequent interruptions in the automated process so that the mold and machine could be cleaned.

Move to a larger machine. Purge machine after shutdown. Move to a smaller machine.

Avient introduces new high-impact Gravi-Tech™ density-modified formulations, developed to replace die-cast or machined metals in premium weighted applications while offering superior design freedom, manufacturing efficiency, and sustainability. The innovative hybrid product technology is developed to replace die-cast or machined metals to deliver both the look and weighted feel of metal in premium brand high-impact applications.

Whether you’re designing an MRI machine or a handheld imaging device, Avient polymer materials will help you deliver equipment that’s functional, protective, and compliant. Whether you’re designing an MRI machine or a handheld imaging device, Avient polymer materials will help you deliver equipment that’s functional, protective, and compliant.