Web Processing M/C Ltd. — a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of coating, laminating, flocking and prepregging machinery for the technical textiles, composites, paper and plastics industries, and a Cygnet Group company — reports that South Korea-based automotive interior textiles manufacturer Uniquelami has installed a PUR reactive polyurethane laminating machine to manufacture performance textiles for use in automotive seats and headliners. Uniquelami replaced its existing solvent-based laminating system with Web Processing's three-roll hot-melt lamination machine, which it is using to laminate textiles to nonwovens.

The PUR machine utilizes a discontinuous application technique to apply the adhesive in a series of fine lines, resulting in a strongly bonded, soft and flexible finished material that is suitable for molded parts. The PUR adhesive reacts with moisture in the air to become crosslinked, converting the material from a thermoplastic to a thermoset and giving it permanent strength without requiring high temperatures or drying time.

According to Web Processing, the PUR lamination machine not only provides a stronger bond than that created by conventional solvent-based laminating systems, but also is lighter-weight, weighing 8 to 10 grams per square meter, and has a smaller footprint, featuring a compact construction and 5-meter production line. In addition, the machine uses significantly less energy, produces virtually no emissions, and can run with short changeover times from roll to roll.

"Web Processing's machine allows us to produce high performance textiles that are not only heat-resistant by easy to mould and permanently set, and increase production speed and volume by up to 23 percent," said Mr. Kim, managing director, Uniquelami. "The machine is enabling us to break new ground in the car interiors sector with a product that surpasses anything else in the market in terms of performance, resilience and value."

August 21, 2012