The Problem

Commercial floor cleaning systems manufacturer Nilfisk Advance North America wanted to combine the design and manufacturing flexibility of plastics with the strength of metals in a new line of floor cleaning products. This particular application required a material that was ductile enough to withstand the impact of a fall from a work truck, yet strong enough to support multiple drive motors, an agitator brush, and the rest of the floor cleaner (total weight of the finished product is approximately 100 lb).

The Solution

Nilfisk selected CPI's Advantage™ DLFT (direct long-fiber thermoplastic) process for formulating a composite base. The Advantage™ process involves in-line compounding of polypropylene resin and long fiber glass reinforcement, coupled directly with transfer molding, to form the finished part in a continuous process. Additional material requirements such as color and property additives resulted in a finished part meeting customer requirements.

The Results

Based on customer input, CPI developed a material formulation of glass fiber-reinforced PP that could accept self-tapping fasteners (eliminating the need for molded-in inserts). Deep ribs provided a noise-silencing maze, and a smooth surface finish offered an improved visual appearance. The material met both UL flame retardant rating and impact resistance requirements (important in this application). CPI's flexibility to arrive at a material solution enabled Nilfisk to reduce the number of components, simplify assembly, reduce weight, and reduce overall cost of the machine.