Resins Help In-Line Skaters Grind It Out

Short of the direct application of a blow torch, it’s hard to imagine subjecting in-line skates to tougher conditions than occur during “grinding” — a technique whereby extreme skaters slide along the edge of a rail or step.

To handle such an aggressive style, Rollerblade — the Italian manufacturer that invented in-line skating — selected DuPont’s Delrin acetal resin and Zytel nylon for the frames of two of their new advanced-level models.

The company’s high-end Point 8 in-line skate incorporates low-friction surface Delrin, reinforced with DuPont Kelvar aramid for strength and abrasion-resistance, in the frame.

The mid-range DT4, meanwhile, has a frame that is injection molded from Zytel 70G33GRA, a nylon 66 reinforced with 33 per cent glass fibre to boost tensile strength, stiffness and abrasion-resistance.

“In both new models, the use of these recently developed DuPont resins allows faster, smoother grinding, yet ensures a longer service life,” Ippolito Sanfratello, Rollerblade’s product manger, said.

E.I. du Pont Canada Company (Mississauga, Ont.);

www.plastics.dupont.com; 1-800-387-2122