24/09/2014 01:19 AST
SABIC's Lexan resin is helping an Indian rail coach manufacturer to produce seating for Mumbai's heavily-utilized railway system more efficiently, with the added benefits of enhanced passenger comfort, easier maintenance and end-of-life recyclability.
Integral Coach Factory (ICF) was selected to develop new modular seating for what is perhaps the most intensively used suburban rail system in the world. With support from SABIC,ICF was able to design a seating system using injection-molded polycarbonate and a fresh design to replace conventional single thermoformed seats for the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC), which is responsible for executing projects for the Mumbai Urban Transport Project under the sanction of the Indian Rail Ministry.
In addition to receiving rail ministry and passenger accolades for the seats' comfort, the new three-seat design is easy to maintain, resistant to weathering and vandalism, more sustainable and meets internationally-recognized rail car standards for flame resistance.
SABIC's Innovative Plastics business collaborated on a total solution, helping with each stage of the project, from concept, to material, to design and testing, all the way through to commercialization. This was especially important, given that this project involved a new injection-molded solution, rather than the traditional thermoset manufacturing approach. The teams carried out a trial and found that the seats performed exceptionally well under the intense crowds and heavy passenger loads during rush hours. In addition, the seats maintained their brilliant color and gloss despite exposure to strong sunlight, heat and chemicals.
In response to the challenge to introduce a more comfortable, high-performance seating alternative, Integral Coach Factory's design group worked closely with the Innovative Plastics business' Global Application Technology team to design the new seat system. SABIC and ICF's teams collaborated on the design and conducted computer-aided engineering analysis so that ICF could evaluate the design, including a unique mechanism to attach the seats to the frame.
ICF then selected SABIC's Lexan 923X resin as it offers excellent strength and scratch resistance, while also meeting important international rail regulations, such as flame retardance and smoke density regulation UIC 564-2, app 11, and toxicity regulation NCD 1409. Additionally, the resin, which exhibits high flow,enables the seating to be manufactured using injection molding, a process that is more efficient than traditional thermoforming, which can take days compared to hours. The injection-molded seat system can also be recycled at the end of its life, unlike thermoset materials which cannot be recycled.
"Beyond supplying the Lexan resin, SABIC was pleased to work collaboratively with ICF on a seating system that responds to rail industry trends toward greater sustainability and an increased focus on the passenger experience," Kim Choate, Director of Mass Transportation for SABIC's Innovative Plastics business, said. "The rail ministry and passenger responses to the new seats clearly signal a win," he added. "In addition, ICF now has a new solution to offer to its customers."
Saudi Gazette
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