SEKISUI KYDEX, LLC
Rapid Prototyping KYDEX® Thermoplastics Seatback for Rail Interiors
This article first appeared in the Railway-News magazine, Issue 2 2023.
KYDEX® Thermoplastics offer ample design flexibility while meeting the most stringent fire, smoke, heat release and toxicity requirements.
As a lightweight and durable alternative to FRP, KYDEX® Thermoplastics are not only graffiti resistant, but offer unlimited design possibilities for shape, colour and embossed features, including texture.
As a globally recognised leader in high-performance speciality polymers for mass transit interiors, KYDEX® Thermoplastics provide long-term durability and weight savings over FRP, aluminium or steel, making them the sustainable choice for customers who expect rail cars to last 20 years or more. With the rolling stock industry growing worldwide, the rail industry is in a position to become more sustainable through its material selection process. As a replacement to FRP, thermoplastics can transform rail car interiors to improve the passenger experience.
The SEKISUI KYDEX mass transit interiors team set out to showcase how thermoplastics can provide better aesthetics, enhanced durability and improved sustainability for rolling stock interiors.
To do this, the designLab™, appLab™, business development teams and SEKISUI KYDEX summer interns from the Pennsylvania College of Technology’s plastics and polymer programme collaborated to create a pressure-formed sample using PVDF capped KYDEX® 2200LT rail material with Infused Imaging™ technology. The mass transit prototype project offered an opportunity to educate the interns on the rapid prototyping process while creating an educational tool for customers to illustrate different thermoforming processes within one part.
To kick off the project, a competition was held among the interns to design and present mass transit-inspired parts for consideration, with Elijah Peltz’s design for a mini seatback with the KYDEX® Thermoplastics logo being ultimately chosen.
