23 Apr 2008
China Array Plastics Exhibits New Camera Dome For Security Systems at Chinaplas 2008
New Camera Dome Highlights China Array Plastics’ Capabilities as Top Molder of Optical Quality Components for Industrial Lighting and Automotive Aftermarket
SHANGHAI, China – April 17, 2008 – China Array Plastics LLC, a full-service injection molder of high-performance thermoplastics, with headquarters in the United States in Pittsfield, Mass., is showcasing a new high-clarity and near-optical quality camera dome for surveillance cameras here at Chinaplas 2008. Molded of super-tough Lexan* 143R-111 resin from SABIC Innovative Plastics, the dome provides a weatherproof and distortion free enclosure to house a camera for remote viewing. The new camera domes are on display in booth W1F59 and are currently being molded at China Array Plastics’ state-of-the art molding facility in Wuhan, China.
Lexan 143R-111 resin was chosen for this application for its toughness, clarity, and resistance to yellowing, making it a natural choice to withstand the severe environmental conditions to which the camera domes are exposed on a daily basis. For added protection, the domes are treated with a protective coating of polysiloxane (silicone) hardcoating giving them a hard, glass-like surface. The hardcoating is also loaded with UV absorbers to further protect against haze and yellowing.
The optical quality of the camera domes was achieved using a mold of special alloy steel known for its uniform grain and stability during hardening. The hemispherical shape of the mold required careful cutting and polishing to achieve a low Ra surface smoothness, free of waviness that might cause optical distortion. SABIC Innovative Plastics’ Lexan 143R-111 resin, a water-white, UV resistant grade of polycarbonate (PC), provided the required high-performance properties: glass-clear transparency, high-gloss, and excellent optical clarity. Lexan 143R-111 resin is also highly resistant to direct sunlight, heat, rain, road dust, and extreme cold.
“Molding optical parts requires high temperature capabilities to ensure that the resin is completely dried and the parts can be molded with low stress,” said Carl Olson, vice president, Sales and Marketing, China Array Plastics. “That’s the key to minimizing birefringence – double refraction of light – that causes visual distortion. Using a proven, high-performance, optical quality material like Lexan resin further ensured that we would achieve positive results.”
The part design incorporates a unique mechanical interlock for mounting, and is sealed with a weatherproof gasket. Each unit is secured in place by a single screw.
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Notes for editors
About China Array
China Array U.S. was founded 28 years ago by Russell Johnson, who has been manufacturing industrial products to meet international standards continually during that time. Johnson has also served as an advisor to Harvard Business School's Asian Research Center on manufacturing in China. China Array Plastics is a full-service custom injection molder specializing in high-performance thermoplastics.
China Array Plastics selected Wuhan for its China headquarters due to the city’s historical position as the heartland of Chinese industry. Wuhan, which is home to several universities and technical institutions, offers skilled workers, a well developed infrastructure, and excellent distribution. The capital of Hubei Province, Wuhan straddles the Yangtze River at the nexus of main river, rail, and highway routes running north/south and east/west across China. Approximately equidistant from Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, it is perfectly situated for supplying customers within China or for reaching coastal ports for export.
China Array Plastics is a U.S. company. The new facility – whose Chinese name is Wuhan Array (China) – is known as a wholly owned foreign enterprise in China. This structure allows China Array Plastics to protect its customers’ intellectual property rights and gives them the confidence of dealing with a firm that operates under the laws and business practices of the United States.
For more information on China Array Plastics go to: www.chinaarrayplastics.com
* Trademark of SABIC Innovative Plastics IP BV.
China Array Plastics LLC, a full-service injection molder of high-performance thermoplastics, with headquarters in the United States in Pittsfield, Mass., is showcasing a new high-clarity and near-optical quality camera dome for surveillance cameras here at Chinaplas 2008. Molded of super-tough Lexan* 143R-111 resin from SABIC Innovative Plastics, the dome provides a weatherproof and distortion free enclosure to house a camera for remote viewing. The new camera domes are on display in booth W1F59 and are currently being molded at China Array Plastics’ state-of-the art molding facility in Wuhan, China.
