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The Power of G2 Color Concentrates for Large Plastic Molded Parts: A Game-Changer for Construction, Utilities, and Material Handling Markets

chromacolorstg on August 26, 2024

Chroma Color G2 for large construction products

In the world of construction, utilities, and material handling efficiency, durability, and cost-effectiveness are paramount. Chroma Color Corporation’s G2 color concentrates have emerged as a game-changer, providing a solution that not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of large -molded parts but also significantly reduces overall costs.

Unmatched Effectiveness

G2 color concentrates are designed to deliver superior performance in large-scale molding applications. Their advanced formulation ensures consistent and vibrant colors, enhancing the visual appeal of products ranging from construction equipment to safety gear and utility components. The high pigment load in G2 concentrates ensures excellent color strength and uniformity, even in the most demanding applications.

Chroma Color UV additives

In addition, Chroma Color’s G2 color concentrates can be enhanced with UV additives, providing superior protection against the harmful effects of UV rays from the sun. This added UV stability ensures that colors remain vibrant and do not degrade quickly, extending the lifespan and aesthetic appeal of large -molded parts used in outdoor environments.

Cost Efficiency

One of the standout features of G2 color concentrates is their ability to lower overall production costs. The concentrates are engineered for high dispersibility, meaning they blend seamlessly into various polymers, reducing the amount of colorant needed. This efficiency translates into cost savings on raw materials.

Additionally, G2 concentrates:

  • Minimizes the need for frequent color adjustments,
  • Reduces downtime
  • Enhances production efficiency.

Versatility Across Markets

Chroma Color G2 for Material handling products

Chroma Color’s G2 concentrates are versatile and adaptable, making them ideal for the diverse needs of the construction, safety, and utilities markets. In construction, they are used to mold durable and visually appealing components like pipes, fittings, and housing materials. The safety industry benefits from the high visibility and durability of G2-colored safety gear, ensuring compliance with safety standards while maintaining cost-effectiveness. In utilities, the concentrates contribute to the production of robust and reliable parts such as electrical enclosures and water management systems.

Environmental Benefits

Beyond cost and performance, G2 color concentrates align with sustainability goals. Chroma Color is committed to environmentally responsible manufacturing practices, and G2 concentrates are formulated to minimize waste and energy consumption during production. This eco-friendly approach not only benefits the environment but also appeals to companies striving to meet their sustainability targets.

Conclusion

Chroma Color Corporation’s G2 color concentrates are a testament to innovation in the field of large-scale molding. Their effectiveness, cost efficiency, versatility, and environmental benefits make them an invaluable asset in the construction, safety, and utilities markets. By choosing G2 concentrates, manufacturers can enhance their product offerings, streamline production processes, and contribute to a more sustainable future. Learn more at https://chromacolors.com/products/g-series/

Essential Guide to Color Concentrates

chromacolorstg on June 4, 2024

According to a report authored by Research Nester, the global color concentrate market will achieve a 7% CAGR during the 10 year-period of 2017-2027. This growth will lead to a projected market value of $6.5 Bn by 2027. The growing demand originates from various end-use industries including consumer goods, packaging, construction, and automotive. The packaging industry sub-segment continues to lead the growth demand for color concentrates.

https://www.researchnester.com/reports/color-concentrates-market/1149

What Are Color Concentrates?

Historically the most common form of Color Concentrates (a.k.a. masterbatches) are colored plastic pellets.  These concentrated colored pellets are typically built to contain 15-50% of specially selected pigments and additives.  The remainder of the recipe is a blend of carrier resin, process aids and binders to support consistency within the virgin base resin.

The initial consideration when designing a plastic component is ensuring the base resin AND the color concentrate are suitable for the selected forming process. Common process examples include injection mold, blow mold, injection stretch blow, compression mold and extrusion.

Why? 

Each process example will introduce different performance stresses.  For example, during the injection molding process the selected resins, pigments, dyes, and additives must withstand extreme thermal heat, along with increased shear heat generated as the molten material is injected into the mold.

The combined Resin/Color Concentrate blend must also be suitable for its environment. It might need additives to screen out ultra-violet rays, or antioxidants and other stabilizers to protect against polymer degradation, which can lead to discoloration and product failure.

 

Alternate Path… 100% Pre-Color Compound

Although not largely used, 100% Pre-Color Compound is considered the easiest path to achieve a colored plastic component.  Pre-Color Compound provides the desired end-use color already incorporated within the base resin. This eliminates the need for material blending on the production floor. Pre-Color is often used for very small-size molded components, as the 100% use rate eliminates potential part-to-part color variation.

However, this convenience comes at a very high overall cost and often requires keeping considerable inventory on-hand due to typical industry minimum order requirements. Even with good forecasting, there is a looming threat a program reaches the end of its sales cycle before the pre-color compound inventory is fully depleted.

Color Concentrate Technology Options

The two most widely available choices for Color Concentrates (masterbatches) are either Pellet or Liquid delivery systems.  The question for processors becomes, which is the better option?

Both technologies provide different advantages and challenges.  Below is a brief overview of both liquid and traditional pellet options, followed by the introduction of new pelletized color technology solutions.

Liquid vs Pellet

LIQUID Colorant for manufacturing plastic products: 

Advantages:

  • Effective at extremely low use rates, best suited for tints
  • Less heat history than pellet concentrates
  • Coloring costs can be lower than conventional pellet color 

Challenges:

  • Specialized pumps are required
  • Several pigment and additive limitations
  • Production interruptions caused by container changeover
  • Screw slippage at high use rates, particularly with opaque and pearl
  • Limited application with engineered polymers
  • Not suitable for extrusion blow molding of HDPE bottles
  • Increased housekeeping issues related to spill cleanup and special storage of dedicated hoses
  • Limited shelf life due to product separation, leading to increased costs and wasted color
  • Issues with sustainability due to wasted/residual product and packaging that often requires landfill disposal which is a hidden additional cost

Plastics Technology Article

 

PELLET Colorant for manufacturing plastic parts and products:

Advantages

  • Pellets are easy to handle and can be dosed accurately through readily available volumetric and gravimetric feeding systems
  • Excellent dispersion
  • Reduced housekeeping and maintenance

Challenges

  • Conventional pellet colorants are typically more costly than liquid colorant due to high let down ratios (LDR)

Ideally, a winning program requires a colorant format that provides all the Advantages… without any of the Challenges.

 

Chroma Color G Series

Introducing Chroma Color Corporation’s patented G-Series technologies.

Chroma’s G2®, UltraPETTM and G3® technologies provide vibrant, long-lasting colors essential to meet end-user demands within a convenient Pellet format at the price point in-line with Liquid.

Chroma Color G-Series

Key Attributes of G2® Color Include:

  • Patented carrier system technology
  • G2® provides substantial Cost-to-Color savings
  • Highest loadings of Organic and Pearlescent Pigments in the industry
  • Highest loadings of UV and AO custom colors in the industry
  • G2® can provide greater than 10% cycle-time reduction
  • Reduced environmental impact, resulting from a decrease in production energy, packaging materials, and CO2 emissions

Chroma Color Transparent

Chroma Color’s G Series for Packaging Applications

Key attributes of UltraPET®

Color Include:

  • Innovative proprietary carrier system
  • UltraPET® technology allows for component processing at much lower temperature than conventional PET pellet concentrates. Lower process temperatures enable molders to significantly reduce potential heat stress on the pigments and dyes
  • UltraPET® offers exceptionally high loadings of Pigments and Dyes, allowing processors significant economic benefits from low use rates
  • The extremely low use rates (LDR) provided by UltraPET™ can often eliminate the need for drying and recrystallization common in conventional PET pellet concentrates
  • UltraPET® concentrates are available in Mini-Beads for applications sensitive to color dispersion, particularly low-level Tints. Mini-Beads provide higher pellets/gram, increasing pellet distribution, promoting faster incorporation rates, leading to improved color dispersion
  • UltraPET® concentrates are resistant to alcohol and can be formulated in both non-FDA and FDA compliant packages
  • UltraPET® pellet concentrates reduce housekeeping costs compared to the difficulties associated with liquid color
  • NEW – Chroma Color innovation has developed a unique UltraPET® explicitly designed for use with recycled materials. UltraPET PCR allows brand owners to further increase the levels of PET PCR within their package, supporting increased Sustainability Goals.

 Key attributes of G3® Color Include:

  • Patented manufacturing process technology
  • G3® manufacturing process can be utilized across all major polymers AND carrier systems (standard, G2® or UltraPET™) providing processors the ultimate cost-to-color savings opportunity
  • G3® achieves a further 20% (or more) increased pigment loading levels in polyethylene and polypropylene – without compromising pigment dispersion
  • G3® offers formulations with 40-45% loading of dyes in HIPs, PET, Nylon, Crystal Styrene and Acrylic
  • G3® offers formulations with 50+% pearlescent pigment loadings, nearly doubling the historical industry standard of ~30%

Summary:

As your team reviews various color concentrate options or establishes new performance standards for your plastic products, turn to a trusted colorant supplier to guide you through the process. Chroma Color Corporation can support your successful product launch, with easy processing, and adherence to all environmental and regulatory requirements… using unique patented technologies that enhance aggressive cost conscience programs.

About Chroma Color:

Chroma Color Corporation is a technology-leading specialty color and additive masterbatch supplier delivering critical aesthetics, technical innovations, and sustainable solutions to plastics processors and brand owners. Chroma Color’s growth strategy includes robust organic and inorganic growth and having made six acquisitions over the last three years. Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise, coupled with its game-changing colorant and light management technologies, have delighted customers for over 50 years. https://chromacolors.com/

 

Understanding Color 101

chromacolorstg on June 19, 2022

What is Color?

Color is a phenomenon so rich and complex in scope that it touches all human activity.

It is the attribute of visual sensation or, by extension, an object or light that can be described by such terms as red, green, blue, yellow, white, black, etc.

Color is as common in our environment as the air we breathe, in fact, it is so prevalent that we are not always aware of just how much we depend on it.

The Color Challenge

Color is much more than something physical.  Color is what we see, the result of a physical modification of light by colorants as observed by the human eye and interpreted by the brain.  This is an enormously complicated train of events.

With a basic understanding of color in the broad sense, we can approach some commercial problems involving color.

These problems are concerned with answering such questions as:

  • Does the sample match the one we made last week?
  • Do these two colors match?
  • What pigments do I use to produce a match to the target?
  • What pigments will perform satisfactorily in this process?

Subjective or Objective

  • Traditionally, questions like these and others have only subjective answers, based upon the skills and knowledge of the trained color matcher. As everything evolves, so has the art and science of color technology.
  • Color computers and software are being perfected, and higher quality training is available. Some universities now offer polymer science courses with color matching and processing. In the past, these skills were learned on the job by trial and error.

Color vision in humans is based on the additive color theory. This theory states that all perceivable colors can be made by mixing different amounts of red, green, and blue light, the primary colors of the additive color system. … The three additive primaries are at the center.

Subtractive color mixing is the kind of mixing you get if you illuminate colored filters with white light from behind, as illustrated at above.

The commonly used subtractive primary colors are cyan, magenta, and yellow, and if you overlap all three in effectively equal mixture, all the light is subtracted giving black.

Color The Challenge:

  • It can be complex, elusive, powerful, fickle, and demanding.
  • Our Challenge is to control it, and to achieve consistent quality.
  • It stirs emotions, starts arguments, and sells products.
  • To respond to our customers quickly; producing products in an efficient manner that allows our customer to keep their product costs in line without sacrificing quality or consistency.

Light Source- Consistency is Critical

The color you see is also affected by the type of light source.

  • Artificial lighting comes in a variety of colors:
  • Illuminant A-tungsten, a red/yellow light source.
  • D-65 & Cool White Fluorescent, blue/green light, closest to noonday sun.
  • Normal Incandescent, a very yellow light.

These light sources were designed to bring consistency into color matching, and to accentuate the color of a product on display.

Metamerism – A Phenomenon

A term used in the color industry for the phenomenon exhibited by two surfaces/samples/targets that appear to be the same color under one light source (e.g. Daylight), but which do not match in color when viewed under a different light source (e.g. Incandescent).

Today’s color computer software provides the color matcher with tools to minimize metamerism and arrive at formulations that offer an acceptable match under a variety of lighting conditions.

Guide To Mixing Colors

 Additive Mixing occurs when colored lights are superimposed to achieve a different color.

If the three primary additive colors (red, green, blue) are mixed evenly, white light is achieved. There is no black or gray in additive mixing.  A color television screen is an example of additive mixing.

Subtractive Mixing is the most common type of color mixing.  This occurs when pigments and dyes are mixed to achieve an object color.

If the three primary subtractive colors (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow) are mixed evenly, all light is subtracted, producing black. Opaque objects are examples of subtractive mixing. The plastic industry works in this area.

Colorant Terminology

Because colors can evoke an emotional response, colors are often described in subjective terms such as “warm” or “bold” or “peachy”, which leads to confusion when people who work with color talk to each other.

Subjective Terms Often Used to Describe Color

“Make it Warmer”

“Make it Cooler/Colder”

“Try and make it Peachier”

“It Needs to be Bolder”

“Make it Have More Life”

“Needs to be Creamier”

“Add a Smidgen of Red”

The artist and art professor Albert H. Munsell recognized the need for objective, measurable terminology and published his Munsell Color Chart back in 1905.  In the Munsell system, color is described in terms of three-color coordinates, “Hue”, “Value”, and “Chroma”.

Colorant Terminology…or lack of.

Color is “Hue”

Lightness is “Value”

Saturation is “Chroma”

These three attributes give color its three-dimensional characteristics.

  • Or, to put it another way…

“Hue” is red, yellow, green, blue – the actual color you see.

Apples are red, lemons are yellow, the sky is blue – and that’s how we all perceive color in everyday language.

“Value” is the lightness or darkness of the color; it relates the color to a gray scale between black and white.

“Chroma” is vivid colors and dull colors and everything between.  Chroma can be described as the purity, intensity, or clarity of a color.  An example would be – a lemon has more chroma than a pear.

Color Measurement

The 3 color dimensions introduced by Munsell, can be visualized using an L*a*b* chart, as shown to the right.

Lightness/darkness or “Value” is shown on the L* axis, which varies from 0 (black) to 100 (white).

Color or “Hue” is measured in the plane determined by the a* and b* axes.  Positive values of a* indicate a red color, whereas negative values indicate a green color.  Similarly, positive values of b* indicate yellow, and negative values indicate blue.

Color purity or “Chroma” is measured by the magnitude of a* and b*.  “Candy Apple Red”, for example, has a very large positive a* value.

For more information on conducting a Color 101 training at your company contact: [email protected]

Download this full article as a pdf: Understanding Color 101

About Chroma Color Corporation

Chroma Color Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier that serves a diverse range of markets, including packaging, healthcare, pharmaceutical, wire, cable, consumer products, and others.

Chroma Color’s strategy includes robust organic growth as well as inorganic growth, that includes eight acquisitions over the past three years.  Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise, coupled with its game-changing colorant and light management technologies, have delighted customers for over 50 years.  Chroma Color Corporation is an Arsenal Capital Partners portfolio company. For more information, please visit: https://chromacolors.com/

 

 

Chroma Color’s patented G2 product line reduces overall cost for outdoor durable products

chromacolorstg on May 13, 2022

Chroma Color’s patented G2® product line reduces overall cost for outdoor durable products with lower let down ratios, higher loadings of additives and lower production costs due to ease of use when compared to other colorant options.

The outdoor plastics product business has grown dramatically in the past decade due to improved materials, processing and the ability to mold in color. With such growth, the market has become very competitive and thus molders are constantly on the look out for ways to reduce costs while delivering products that are both esthetically pleasing and meet performance expectations.

Many molders have found that using highly loaded colorant, be it in solid pellet or liquid form, can reduce cost. The fundamental idea is to add smaller quantities of more concentrated colorant to virgin resin in order to achieve the same end result as opposed to using larger amounts of conventional colorant. There are numerous benefits of doing so, not the least of which can be improved physical properties.

In 2008, Chroma Color patented a new product that has revolutionized the colorant industry. The G2® product line is able to load pigments and additives up to levels never considered, let alone achieved in a commercial product. The idea of highly loaded “super concentrate” has circulated in the industry for some time, but had fallen short of performance expectations on many levels. Not only has G2® brought new cost-saving possibilities when using concentrated color, but the pellets are exceptionally well dispersed and effectively distribute in both large and small parts. The following examples outline various ways in which outdoor product manufacturers have been able to benefit from G2® 

Plastic chair manufacturers reduce let down ratios and color handling cost:

In 2013, the lawn, garden and agricultural packaging demand reached $1.7 billion in the U.S alone. Plastic lawn chairs are one of the most popular outdoor consumer products in this growing market due to their convenience, ease of use, light weight and ability to outlast wood in harsh environments. With such popularity and wide spread use, many manufacturers are producing similar products. The only way to succeed in such a competitive marketplace is to reduce production costs, which has led manufacturers to make the switch to G2®.

With G2®, lawn chair manufacturers have been able to reduce let down ratios in some cases from 4% to 1%, while still adding sufficient UV/AO stabilizers to make a product that lasts and keeps consumers happy. Using traditional colorant options in high-volume manufacturing environments can add cost due to additional material handling requirements, and in the case of liquid color, increased housekeeping challenges.  Other hidden costs associated with liquid color are the unpredictable nature of hose kit & pump replacement.

Roll Out Cart (ROC) Molders Reduce Cost and Meet Warranty Claims With G2®

Roll out carts are a big business, especially considering that most households in the United States have at least two. At almost $60 per unit, the ROC market is worth hundreds of millions annually and justifiably requires significant investment by molders. For instance, a single cart mold can cost $500,000. As well, manufacturers offer a 10-year warranty to consumers and cities that purchase carts for waste disposal programs, so they need be able to add adequate UV/AO stabilizer while controlling cost.

Chroma Color’s G2® has helped roll out cart molders reduce cost through let down reductions from 3% to 1%, while still delivering enough UV/AO to support a 10-year warranty. And since G2® comes in solid pellet form, molders can bypass a large amount of cost creep found with liquid color in the form of replacing hose kits & pumps, added housekeeping and other costs related to consolidation and agitation. Using highly loaded G2® is also a space-saver given lower inventory requirements and thus fewer drums or gaylords.

Large part sheet extruders and thermoformers see reduced material needs, improved extruder efficiencies, more consistent sag rates, reduced scrap, improved cycle times along with Increasing UV Protection and Improving Gloss by Switching to G2® Product Line

As an example, Port-A-Potty customers are largely concerned with the bottom line price point, so manufacturers must be extremely cost conscious and look for ways to reduce production costs. In thermoforming Port-A Potty panels, for instance, manufacturers must focus on the sag across their entire color pallet in order to maximize cycle time efficiencies and minimize scrap generated when going from color to color.  They also need to ensure that parts will remain strong and will not become damaged due to UV degradation or other external thermal sources. While this can usually cause an increase in cost during manufacturing, G2® can achieve less sag than traditional color concentrate, without increasing cost.

Moving up the pipeline, sheet extruders that sell into the Port-A-Potty market report that they have been able to reduce production cost by switching to G2® for a number of reasons.  Quantifiable improvements in extruder efficiencies have led to improvements in extruder throughput.  Further, sheet made using G2® allows for panels with reduced warp, enabling the molder to produce parts quicker and of higher quality.

Chroma Color’s G2® product line has proven performance in diverse applications, including outdoor durables, packaging, industrial, non-automotive transportation, and much more. Convertors continue to be impressed by this game-changing technology.  Whether it is injection, extrusion or blow molding, G2 continues to hit the mark.

Chroma Color Corporation is a leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier serving a diverse range of markets, including packaging, healthcare, pharmaceutical, wire, cable, consumer products, and others.  Chroma Color’s growth strategy includes robust organic and inorganic growth and having made six acquisitions over the last three years. Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise, coupled with its game-changing colorant and light management technologies, have delighted customers for over 50 years.

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The Basics of Coloring Plastic Building and Construction Products

chromacolorstg on May 10, 2022

Increasing every year are the diversity and number of plastic products used in the building and construction industry. Plastic products in this market include cables/conduit, cladding, windows/doors, protective and decorative shutters, pipes/plumbing, gutters, architectural roof tiles, wall coverings, decking, siding, flooring, sinks/bathtubs, industrial fabrics, irrigation, drainage, heavy equipment components, power tool housings, hand tools, port-a-potties…the list goes on.

Why Plastic?

Plastic products are durable, corrosion resistant, lightweight, and offer an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. Plastic building products perform well in harsh environments, such as in salty coastal regions, extreme hot/cold climates, extreme wet/dry climates, high UV (ultraviolet) exposure, and more.

Typical plastic resins types that are used in construction include: polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, TPO, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylic, ASA, ABS, acetal, nylon, polyurethane, and a variety of composites.

Although these products perform as promised, adding color delivers the aesthetics desired by the brand or consumer, identifies them for specific usage (color-coding), and in many cases defines the application.

You may be familiar with the fact that plastic pipe and conduit are color coded by their end use application, such as:

Blue = Potable Water
White = Irrigation and Water
Green = Sewer
Purple (Lavender) = Reclaimed Water,
Gray = Electrical Conduit

Orange = Telecommunication, conduit

Yellow = Natural Gas (methane or propane) oil

Red = Electric Power Lines, Lighting Cable

Coloring Plastic Building Products:

One of the biggest challenges related to coloring plastic building products is accurately matching the desired color in the specific resin to be used. To ensure the specific color can be achieved and the performance attributes are met, it is critical to establish a partnership with your color & additives supplier early in the development process. The colorant supplier will consider the unique resin, color and performance requirements as they formulate for the application. Each resin is unique (viscosity, melt processing temperatures, natural resin color, etc.) and your color supplier will be able to assist with critical application decisions from the onset regarding the carrier resin, pigment systems, stabilizers and other additives.

After the resin has been clearly established, your conversation may move to color selection. Typically, your supplier will have color sample chips or Pantone color charts to pinpoint the desired color for each plastic product or part.

During this selection process, colors may look different depending on gloss, grain, filler, resin type, light sources, and other factors. For example, in high UV environments, colors such as red, orange, and yellow typically fade faster than darker colors such as blue or green. Knowing this in advance allows the color supplier to choose high performance pigments that are more-light stable than typical workhorse pigments.

As you are developing unique aesthetics, custom colors, or establish new performance standards for your products, You can count on color concentrate suppliers such as Chroma Color Corporation to help you choose the best options for your application and to help separate you from your competitors.

Contact us today: https://chromacolors.com/contact-us/

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Overview of Coloring Plastic Pipe

chromacolorstg on May 10, 2022

The pipe market is very competitive. Pipe manufacturers are continually looking for ways to reduce cost while delivering products that meet performance expectations set by customers, codes and standards (ASTM, NSF, NEMA, etc.). Chroma Color Corporation develops pigments/colors through internal and industry partners related to research, education, technical expertise and trade associations like the Plastic Pipe Institute (PPI) https://plasticpipe.org/index.html allows Chroma Color to deliver superior and environmental (SUSTAINABILITY HMF) product to the pipe industry.

There are five major markets for a plastic pipe; each has its own unique needs and regulations. These five markets include:

-Building & Construction

-Drainage Pipe

-Energy Piping Systems

-Municipal & Industrial

-Power & Communications

 

Plastic pipe and conduit color-coded by their end-use application, such as:

-Blue = Potable Water

-White = Irrigation and Water

-Green = Sewer

-Purple (Lavender) = Reclaimed Water

-Gray = Electrical Conduit

-Orange = Telecommunication, conduit

-Yellow = Natural Gas (methane or propane) oil

-Red = Electric Power Lines, Lighting Cable

 Plastic Pipe Resins:

One of the biggest challenges related to coloring a plastic pipe product is accurately matching the desired color in the specific resin. It is critical to establish a partnership with your color & additives supplier early in the development process to meet specific color and the performance attributes.

The colorant supplier must consider the unique resin, color, and performance requirements as they formulate for the application. Each resin is unique (viscosity, melt processing temperatures, natural resin color, and more). Your color supplier can assist with critical application decisions from the onset regarding the carrier resin, pigment systems, stabilizers, and other additives.

The resins primarily used for pipe include:

HDPE: High-Density Polyethylene

MDPE: Medium Density Polyethylene

PEX: Crosslinked Polyethylene

PE-RT: Polyethylene of Raised Temperature

PP-R and PP-RCT: Random Copolymerized Polypropylene

PEX-AL-PEX: Multilayer or Composite PEX Tubing

In general, the features and benefits of the high-performance high-temperature plastic-piping systems include:

  • Ease of installation (Coil Pipe)
  • Corrosion resistance
  • Safety of potable Water
  • Reliable fitting and joining options
  • Lightweight, ease of transportation and handling
  • Proof of long-term reliability with over decades of use around the world (100 year life expectation) with proper manufacturing and installation.

Types of Pipe and Resins

Municipal and Industrial Water Applications

For municipal and industrial applications, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe is recommended. HDPE’s heat-fused joints create a leak-free pipe structure. HDPE pipe is chemical, abrasion, fatigue, seismic, and corrosion-resistant.

Conduit

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) resin is also used for the conduit to protect electrical power and telecommunications cables. It is available in long coil lengths to reduce joints and installation time. HDPE conduit is also available in a variety of sizes, colors, dimensions, and lengths. Typical applications include:

–Telecommunications

-CATV

-Highway lighting

-Underground utilities.

–Premise (Riser and Plenum) conduit has specific characteristics and flame retardant ratings for use as nonmetallic raceways in buildings.

Color Selection:

After establishing the resin, your conversation moves to color selection. Typically, your supplier has color sample chips or Pantone color charts to pinpoint the desired color for each plastic product or part.

During this selection process, colors may differ depending on gloss, grain, filler, resin type, light sources, and other factors. Knowing this in advance allows the color supplier to choose high-performance pigments that are more light stable than typical workhorse pigments.

There is also much pressure to eliminate the use of heavy metals (HM) pigments in favor of more environmentally friendly options. You need to ask your color concentrate supplier if the pellets include Heavy Metal Free (HMF)* or Heavy Metal (HM) pigments.

*Chroma Color Corporation meets ASTM F2160 − 22 requirements that requires the use of HMF pigments and eliminates the selection of HM.

In addition, heavy metal-based heat stabilizers have traditionally been used with HDPE and/or polyethylene pipe. These include Lead and Cadmium Salts. Such environmentally unfriendly chemicals are rapidly being replaced with non-heavy metal stabilizers, such as calcium stearate.

A pipe that uses HMF (Heavy-Metal Free) stabilizers provides the end-user with the confidence of zero toxicity from heavy metals.. These include Lead and Cadmium Salts. Such environmentally unfriendly chemicals are rapidly being replaced with non-heavy metal stabilizers, such as calcium stearate. A pipe that uses HMF (Heavy-Metal Free) stabilizers provides the end-user with the confidence of zero toxicity from heavy metals.

Pipe exposed to Ultra Violet Light needs protection from the damage caused over time. Chroma Color’s patented G series can have a stabilizer with UV resistant material to provide some protection from UV damage.

Chroma Color’s patent G2 and G3 also provides a cost-effective solution for solid wall pipe and vibrant co-extrusion skin colors.

BASICS of PATENTED G2, G3 COLOR TECHNOLOGY

Highly loaded concentrates have become a cost-effective alternative to standard color products because they require less concentrate to achieve the same results and blend with resin more efficiently.

The patented G2 formulation ingredients enable Chroma Color to boost loadings of pigments and additives up to twice what was considered feasible in traditional color and additive concentrates.

– Typically, a G2 formulation contains up to about 80% active ingredients, some as high as 85%. For some pipe applications, we can load up to 60% additives.

– A high concentration of color and additives is just one aspect of G2 technology. The technology also allows us to dial in melt flow to enable the processor to produce uniformly colored parts with color use rates as low as half a percent.

Patented G3 reduces cost and eliminates processing headaches. It achieves even more significant improvements through a total system approach. Key attributes and advantages include:

– Used with any resin system except PVC

– It delivers 20% or more increased pigment loading than G2 in Polyethylene & Polypropylene without compromising pigment dispersion and distribution

– G3 offers formulations with 40% of dyes in HIPS, PET, Nylon, Crystal Styrene, and Acrylic.

– It offers formulations with 50% or more pearlescent pigment, nearly doubling the former industry standard of 30%

-Heavy Metal Free

CHROMARK® is Chroma Color’s laser marking additives to help control marking behavior over a broad class of resins and pigment chemistries. The Chroma Color team can help you select the right colorant and additive package to ensure you obtain the ideal laser mark for your product at an economical cost-to-color.

With our in-house NIR Laser, we help you optimize the marking behavior and laser settings for various resins, including ABS, PE, PP, LDPE, HDPE, Co-Polyester, PBT, Polysulfone, GPPS, HDPE, Nylon, Acrylic, PVC, Polyacetal, and Polycarbonate. Besides, Chroma’s patented G3 technology can also provide highly loaded concentrates with a laser-marking additive.

Chroma Color Plastic Pipe Case Studies

Wire and Cable Application:

A manufacturer of electrical wire was looking for a better color concentrate option for their product line. Our wire and cable research team developed a highly loaded PVC concentrate that is producing the following results:

1- Reduction in Let Down Ratio (LDR) with an LDR of 0.5% reduced inventories and upfront cost

  1. The low LDR reduces the number of spark outs (if any) that reduces machine downtime and increases utilization
  2. Black 508/2006 PVC unique formula reduced shear heat to allow increased line speeds on thin gauge products
  3. The unique formula enhances the black appearance on a retail shelf by giving your coiled wire a shine instead of a typical stock black dull appearance.

 

 

Radiant Pipe Application:

– G2 used for a high-temperature pipe used for a radiant application.

– Co-Extruded outside skin polyethylene raised temperature PERT-PE skin colors to reduce the overall cost of pipe. 3,000-4,000 of an inch thick skin

– Lower Letdown Ratios of .75% Achieved

– Red, Blue and White Colors Available

– UV additives used to prevent fading

– Other applications for this technology include high-temperature for building construction, hot and cold water pipes, and business.

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Advances in Color For Medical Plastics for Today and Tomorrow

chromacolorstg on May 10, 2022

With an increasing demand in the medical plastics market globally, manufacturers are pioneering high-quality resins that raise the standards of excellence in health care. Advancements in plastics are curbing medical costs and enhancing patient safety.

Medical-grade plastics are designed to meet stringent regulatory requirements and may also be chemical-, corrosion- and temperature-resistant. Unlike the glass, ceramic and metal products of yesteryear, plastics create low-cost, lightweight and durable equipment and devices that are easier to use and more comfortable for patients. With the over-65 population in the United States expected to outnumber the under-18 age group by 2034, there’s never been a bigger need for advances in medical plastics.

With the increased demand, the medical plastics industry has been utilizing advancements that are improving product performance and design, including:

  • End-to-end traceability

Since 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required numeric or alphanumeric codes on specific medical devices to improve traceability. These unique device identifiers (UDI) help manufacturers track medical device adverse events and identify the need for recalls.

Beginning on Sept. 24, 2020, all Class I devices and unclassified devices must bear a UDI label or mark. Class I includes bandages and nonelectric wheelchairs and accounts for 47% of medical devices.

End-to-end traceability provides information about the lifecycle of the product, from its origins to usage. It also helps drive down counterfeiting, minimizes liability and provides healthcare workers and patients with peace of mind.

  • ISO certification

Medical plastics manufacturers seek International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification because it demonstrates excellence and a commitment to global standards. The ISO – an independent, non-governmental organization – establishes guidelines, specifications and requirements to ensure safety and quality in industries that include medical plastics. Two ISO standards have become synonymous with excellence in medical plastics:

  • ISO 9001

As the ISO’s flagship quality management standard, the ISO 9001 certification confirms a company’s abilities to provide consistent quality, meet customer needs and comply with regulatory requirements. The latest revision, ISO 9001:2015, is based on the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle, a four-step model for continuous improvement. After a company has integrated ISO 9001 standards, a third party to verify compliance regularly audits it.

  • ISO/IEC 17025

Used in a laboratory setting, ISO/IEC 17025 stipulates the technical competencies and management system requirements to deliver valid test results and calibrations consistently. Due to the universally accepted set of standards, ISO/IEC 17025 allows for collaboration among laboratories worldwide.

  • Quality materials

Today, manufacturers are less concerned with the price of materials than the quality to align with the needs of the market and changes in government regulations.

High-caliber medical thermoplastics – such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) – and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds made with FDA-compliant ingredients remain critical to the medical device design process. At the same time, the market for polycarbonates, ABS, polyamides and polyetheretherketones (PEEKs) is expanding.

  • Dynamic color and antimicrobial properties

Healthcare providers are continually seeking new approaches to influence patients. Color and antimicrobial properties, in different ways, help achieve results.

Color helps users recognize tools, remember instructions and identify instruments. In medical plastics, vibrant and long-lasting colors are essential to patient and user safety. Companies that include Chroma Color Corporation have been developing technology that makes the colorant less expensive without sacrificing quality. Chroma Color’s G2® and G3® pelletized colorant technology allow for superior color uniformity when compared to conventional pellets or liquid colorant and low let-down ratios, which also reduces production costs.

Antimicrobial additives inhibit mold, fungi, mildew and bacterial growth and when blended with plastic resins also help fight stains and odor. Chroma Color offers two types of antimicrobial additives: MicroBlok®S and MicroBlok®Z.

In addition, medical plastics manufacturers are exploring 3D printing and are increasingly utilizing extruders to create tubing, films and sheets. The Plastics Industry Association said plastics are vital for safe patient care today and in the future.

“Plastics are at the forefront of innovation in a wide range of medical specialties,” the association said in its Plastics Market Watch report. “But even before scientists and material engineers develop healthcare applications, the plastics value chain is making innovations in manufacturing and supplying plastics—from the simple to the complex that transform how patients are treated and live their lives.”

About Chroma Color Corporation

Chroma Color Corporation is a technology-leading specialty color and additive concentrate supplier in the plastics marketplace. Chroma’s extensive technical leadership and manufacturing expertise coupled with its game-changing colorant technologies have surprised and delighted customers for over 50 years. Chroma’s wide-ranging markets include packaging, wire and cable, building and construction, consumer products, medical, healthcare, lawn and garden, durables, sanitation, recreation and leisure, transportation and more.

Plastic Colorant Options 101: Pellet vs Liquid

chromacolorstg on May 10, 2022

Color is a critical feature in consumer packaging that enables brands to create differentiation and recognizable identity on shelf. Major brands and their packaging supply partners are rethinking their colorant strategy.

How do you find the right value-added color supplier? Most color suppliers have a fixed portfolio of either liquid colorants or traditional pellet colorants, thereby leaving processors confused about choosing the best colorant technology to accomplish their goals.

Both technologies have advantages and disadvantages. Below, is a quick overview of both liquid and traditional pellet options followed by two case studies in which color-processing challenges were overcome using a new pelletized color technology solution.

Liquid vs. Pellet:

 

Liquid Colorant for manufacturing plastic products:

Advantages:

  • Effective at extremely low use rates.
  • Good for tints
  • Good Color distribution
  • One less heat history than pellet concentrates
  • Coloring costs may be lower than conventional pellet color

Challenges:

  • Specialized pumps are required
  • Several pigment and additive limitations.
  • Screw slippage may occur at high use rates
  • Limited application with engineered polymers
  • Not suitable for extrusion blow molding of HDPE bottles
  • Production interruptions caused by container changeover.
  • Increased housekeeping issues related to spill cleanup and storage of dedicated hoses.
  • Limited shelf life due to product separation that ends up increasing costs and wasted color.
  • Issues with sustainability due to wasted/residual product and packaging which often requires landfill disposal.

Pellet Colorant for manufacturing plastic parts and products:

Advantages

  • Pellets are easy to handle
  • Application through readily available volumetric and gravimetric feeding systems
  • Excellent dispersion
  • Reduced housekeeping and maintenance

Challenges

  • Conventional pelletized colorants are more costly than liquid colorant due to high let down ratios.

Ideally, a winning program requires a colorant format that provides ALL the Benefits and without ALL the Challenges…

Attached are two case studies illustrating how the patented Chroma Color G-series pelletized colorant technology resolved challenges faced by major brand owners and their plastics processors with conventional pelletized colorants and liquid colorants.

CASE STUDY #1

Mock up empty container bottles for cosmetic cream, isolated on white background with clipping path.

Overcoming Processing Limitations of Pearlescent Liquid Colorant

Liquid color can be very complex and typically requires extra care during processing to ensure that specified color appearance is achieved.

A case in point is the use of pearlescent liquid colorants for a large commercial brand’s package. Although the liquid colorant initially met the basic aesthetics and manufacturing needs, continual processing challenges persisted with high scrap rates and inconsistencies.

Specifically, it was determined ingredient separation within the liquid masterbatch was the root cause of the visual inconsistencies. Additionally, the ingredient separation required liquid colorant agitation that frequently interrupted production scheduling. Overall production costs became substantially higher than anticipated (quoted) and production throughput was negatively impacted.

Even with the recent advancements in material handling and liquid feeding systems, liquid colorants remain messy to handle, which adds to both processing labor costs and changes to housekeeping practices. Due to these persistent obstacles, the packaging development team decided to seek an alternative product to achieve the desired pearl color.

The Solution: Chroma Color’s patented G3 pellet technology

The packaging team immediately benefited from the switch because:

  • G3 does not have any shelf life limitations
  • G3 reduced flow lines that frequently appeared on components produced using pearlescent liquid colorants
  • G3 enabled substantially faster and more cost-effective color changeovers with less purge and reduced downtime
  • G3 inventory was fully consumed, with no residual waste.

Chroma Color’s patented G3 colorant was ultimately selected to replace all the liquid colorants within the final package. Gravimetric pellet color feeders were integrated on the production line, resulting in significant overall cost reductions.

For more information about patented G2 and G3 pellet technology from

Chroma Color Corporation, visit:

https://chromacolors.com/g2-and-g3/

CASE STUDY #2

Eliminating Instability of Teal Colorant and Inefficient Let-Down Rates

Blank dispenser and bottles of cosmetic products with turquoise lids

The particular Teal color-space is critical for this brand’s identification, yet it faced multiple color related concerns such as inconsistencies amongst the individual components.

The part-to-part inconsistency forced the Processor to consume the current colorant at substantially higher use rates to achieve visual color uniformity. These higher use rates forced production inefficiencies, larger than desired colorant inventories and elevated levels of finished component inventory to ensure required lead times were maintained.

Consequently, the Brand Packaging team and Processor jointly began searching for an alternative colorant to resolve the multiple challenges of color stability, processing difficulties, excessive use rates and overall package cost. During their investigations, we introduced Chroma Color’s patented G-series colorant technologies. The G-series technology includes both G2 (recipe system) and G3 (manufacturing technology). Molding trials on both technologies were initiated, to identify the most appropriate and beneficial package.

The Solution: Chroma Color’s patented G2/G3 technology

  • G2/G3 system combination provided superior color dispersion eliminating color variation
  • G2/G3 combination reduced the use rate from 4% to 1.5% LDR, lowering the overall cost-to-color expense
  • G2/G3 system combination provided faster cycle times, more cost-effective color changeovers with less purge and reduced downtime.

Chroma Color’s patented G2/G3 colorant package was selected to achieve the desired Teal. The lower letdown ratios, along with the processing benefits of the G-series allowed the molder to meet required their production demands. Further, with the lower color requirements, coupled with the gained production efficiencies, provided desperately needed warehouse storage space.

The numerous benefits brought to the program via Chroma Color’s patented G2/G3 combined technologies eventually led to a complete switch on ALL colorants for this Brand’s needs.

For more information about patented G2 and G3 pellet technology from

Chroma Color Corporation, visit:

https://chromacolors.com/g2-and-g3/

To download this article: Liquid vs Pellet

Chroma Color Corporation is a technology-leading supplier of specialty colorants and additive concentrates. Chroma’s extensive technical and manufacturing expertise coupled with its game-changing colorant technologies have surprised and delighted customers for over 50 years in markets such as: packaging, consumer products, wire and cable, building & construction, medical & healthcare, lawn & garden, durable goods, sanitation, recreation & leisure, transportation and more.

References:

1-https://books.google.com/books?id=urctkFROYbkC&pg=PA439&lpg=PA439&dq=liquid+color+vs+pellet&source=bl&ots=luqZQ-mkoB&sig=-uRUrvG7pSfcmfFA12qs4YlfXZQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=S2Y1VZHHCrGOsQSOl4D4Ag&ved=0CDYQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=liquid%20color%20vs%20pellet&f=false

2- https://books.google.com/books?id=9IZSW9BVCyAC&pg=PA297&lpg=PA297&dq=liquid+color+vs+pellet&source=bl&ots=Q63Bdp6GLe&sig=FZA4FTDryATy0QapU6v9sLQzU1o&hl=en&sa=X&ei=S2Y1VZHHCrGOsQSOl4D4Ag&ved=0CDQQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=liquid%20color%20vs%20pellet&f=false