Quebec protective eyewear-maker ‘Envisions’ brighter future with TPEs
Canadian Plastics
Designing and manufacturing protective eyewear and masks that also have a sense of fashion was always a challenge for Boucherville, Que.-based Vision 2 until it discovered thermoplastic elastomers (TP...
Designing and manufacturing protective eyewear and masks that also have a sense of fashion was always a challenge for Boucherville, Que.-based Vision 2 until it discovered thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs)
“In particular, it was the soft-touch and ultra soft-touch grades,” said Raymond Cyr, director of research and development at Vision 2. “We selected grades for the nose pieces that have a tendency to be overmolded onto other materials during the molding process.”
Vision 2 uses GLS’ Dynaflex TPE for a line of products it makes for Hilco, a provider of optical solutions. Dynaflex not only adheres onto the base of the polycarbonate (PC) frames of the eyewear, but is also attractive, said Henry Wooding Vision 2’s injection molding director.
Depending on the application, Vision 2 uses either the Dynaflex G2706 or G6730 grades. Both have a soft touch, a rubbery and comfortable feel with enough grip to keep the product in place on the wearer, he added. And the products are easily coloured.
“For eyewear, where we need and ultra soft-touch feel, we use the G6730 grade of the GLS Dynaflex TPE compound. We find we can achieve the desired results with out pre-drying the materials,” he said.
GLS Corp. (McHenry, Ill.) www.glscorp.com; 800-457-8777
