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| Polyurethanes open the door to improved strength and aesthetics  This summer, JELD-WEN will launch a new exterior door line – JELD-WEN Premium Fiberglass Doors with PUR-Fiber technology. The skins of these doors are molded from a customized formulation of polyurethane materials from Bayer MaterialScience LLC. Bayer MaterialScience worked closely with JELD-WEN, the manufacturer of windows and doors, to develop a formulation from Baytec® SPR spray polyurethane and Baydur® STR polyurethane specifically for this application. Use of these polyurethane materials gives the doors increased dimensional stability, better impact resistance and strength, along with the excellent aesthetics consumers demand.The skins of the doors are formed using long fiber technology, in which long glass fibers are injected along with polyurethane resin in a one-step process. To complete the door manufacturing process, JELD-WEN laminates the composite door skins to a polystyrene core and wood edge frame. In long fiber technology, a fiberglass chopper is attached to the polyurethane dispensing mixhead, which is attached to a robot. The robot is programmed to move over the open mold cavity while simultaneously dispensing both the long glass fibers and the polyurethane resin in an open-pour method. At the end of the pour, the mold is closed to form the part. Long fiber technology is helping to automate the polyurethane process for producing composite parts, making them more economical to produce via this method. The unique benefits of long fiber technology include: - Ability to utilize lower-cost fiberglass rovings rather than mats, which also reduces troublesome worker handling of the mats; - Ability to vary the amount of fiberglass reinforcement in the part to focus high strength where it is most needed; - Ability to use either a foamed or solid polyurethane formulation; and, - Ability to produce parts with polyurethane in-mold coating, thus eliminating secondary painting operations. When they hit the market this July, the JELD-WEN Premium Fiberglass Doors with PUR fiber technology will be available in 32 different designs and three graining patterns (oak, mahogany and alder). write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Construction News :: home page |