GE Plastics Debuts Low-Smoke Noryl* Resin for Increased Safety and Performance in Demanding Aircraft Interior Applications

BERGEN OP ZOOM, THE NETHERLANDS — April 26, 2007 — GE Plastics today launched its new Noryl* LS6010 resin offering aircraft OEMs and suppliers an advanced, high-tech solution to the challenges of compliance with toughening global flame, smoke, and toxicity requirements. In addition, Noryl LS6010 resin has a specific gravity of 1.1, which is one of the lowest available for thermoplastics used in aerospace. Its light weight characteristic, combined with extremely low smoke performance, exceptional durability, and non-halogenated flame retardance (FR), make this innovative new material a superior choice vs. many competitive materials for interior aircraft applications, such as rub strips and seat track covers, where low smoke propagation is mandated. It is available from GE Plastics in custom colors.

Jim Widhalm, vice president of Sales for Filtrona Extrusion, one of the largest extruders of custom thermoplastic profiles and sheet in the United States, said, "Our aerospace customers are interested in using Noryl LS6010 resin to provide rub strips and other profiles with excellent weight-out and better colorability than nylon. This new product expands material options for interior aircraft parts that do not require compliance to OSU 65/65 but need to pass requirements for vertical burn, smoke density, and toxicity.”

GE’s Noryl LS6010 resin can provide up to 20 percent weight savings vs. competitive resins in the aerospace market. According to The International Air Transport Association for every kilogram of weight that is removed from a single aisle plane, approximately US$372/year is saved in fuel costs; the average life expectancy for this type of aircraft is approximately 20 years¹. In 2005, 10,580 single-aisle airplanes were required worldwide to service the airline industry, and this number is expected to reach 21,470 by 2025. Likewise, the combined number of regional jets, and single-aisle, twin aisle, and large airplanes is expected to double by the year 2025².

“Thermoplastic resins are highly desirable materials for aircraft interiors due to their light weight and design flexibility,” said Tom Hartle, global product manager, Noryl Resins at GE Plastics. “Noryl resins have been used in applications requiring thin wall flame performance for decades; however, they have seen limited use in transportation markets due to their unacceptable levels of smoke emitted when burned. GE Plastics has changed the game with its new Noryl LS6010 resin. This new material combines best-in-class flame retardance and very low smoke propagation with low specific gravity for weight-out that can lower fuel consumption. Now, suppliers and OEMs can simultaneously improve safety compliance, weight reduction, and design freedom – with one unique resin.”

GE’s new Noryl LS6010 resin also eliminates the need for secondary painting. Earlier grades of Noryl resin were only available in black, while new Noryl LS6010 resin is custom-colorable using GE’s ColorXpress color-matching services (www.gecolorxpress.com).Replacing the secondary painting operation with a material such as Noryl LS6010 resin can not only lower per-part system costs, but may also help to reduce harmful emissions from solvents and spraying. Additional savings may be realized through reduction of capital costs for emission-control equipment.

Noryl LS6010 resin is a blend of modified polyphenylene ether (MPPE) and polystyrene. It has been shown to provide better flame/smoke performance than standard polycarbonate (PC), PC/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS), polyamide (PA), and standard MPPE resins. In addition to its low smoke density and robust flame retardance, new Noryl LS6010 resin satisfies many low toxicity specifications for carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide.

By enhancing the rapid formation of char – which acts as a thermal insulation layer to help protect the underlying polymer material and as a barrier to the passage of gases from degraded material – Noryl LS6010 resin can help reduce smoke and further combustion. Also, this new material has enhanced resistance to melting and dripping as compared to many other materials when exposed to elevated temperatures. Noryl LS6010 resin meets the requirements of FAR 25.853.

Because it can be extruded as well as injection molded, Noryl LS6010 resin provides a new option for interior applications such as rub strips, seat track covers, switch panels, cable guides, conduit, wall/ceiling mounted electronics, and parts machined from slab stock.

This new material is available globally and is also well suited for rail interiors and other interior applications for the transportation industry.

For more information on GE’s materials for the aircraft industry, please visit the GE Plastics’ website at www.geplastics.com or contact Benny David, industry manager, Transportation for the Americas at +1 413-448-5175 (benny.david@ge.com); John Darlington, industry manager, Transportation for Europe +31-164-29-2227 (john.darlington@ge.com); or Matt Stoelton, industry manager, Transportation for the Pacific at +81-3-3568-1540 (mathew.stoelton@ge.com).

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