Whether they are the soft covering on your pen or on the dashboard of your car, medical tubing and IV bags, building products, sportswear, appliances or used in 3-D printing, a broad class of materials known as Thermoplastic Elastomers or TPEs have found numerous applications in everyday life. Projections are that their use will continue to grow.
The term “Thermoplastic Elastomers” applies to a large family of plastic materials that behave like conventional vulcanized rubber compounds yet can be processed like thermoplastics by means of melt processes such as extrusion, injection molding or blow molding.
The Akron Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers, along with the TPE Technical Interest Group of the SPE, will be hosting a conference this fall that highlights these unique polymeric materials. A full day primer on TPE basics, taught by industry experts, will take place as a prequel to the main conference.
This conference will focus on linking the needs of today with the technology of the future. Focused segments on TPE include: Current trends in Markets and Technology; Material innovation and New Application Development; Process innovation (Compounding, Extrusion, Molding, 3D Printing); Healthcare and Medical; Automotive and Transportation; Sustainability
There will be two exciting keynote addresses. Dr. Robert Savinell, distinguished professor and internationally recognized scholar from Case Western, will be sharing his experience in the highly relevant area of energy storage and Dr. Krishna Venkataswamy, a long-time industry professional who is currently the President and CEO of Innovation Development Insights, will share his insights on the history and future of TPEs.
There will be exhibitor booths and two evening networking socials.