Document a7ZVjR8Nb58qLeOoqmaygLz9
UC 14 9-2
INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE
CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS
HIVER ROAD, BOUND BROOK, NEW JERSEY 08805
Mr. W. C. Thurber
Metals
New York
38th Floor
DjIrt December 2, 1975 RECFIVED
Originating Dept. R & D
DEC 4 1975
Mr. R. E. Byrne - NF Mr. E. J. Kleber - NF Dr. M. S. Leung - BB Dr. J. W. Lynn - BB Dr. M. J. Michno - BB Mr. J. L. Myers - NF
Answering letter Pate
irmiect visit to General Electric Appliance Park, Louisville, Ky,-- November 13, 1975
Interviewed:
Marvin Wilson-Plastics R&D Ralph Hagan-Mgr., Plastics R&D M.F. Clay-Mgr., Ind. Hygiene
& Safety Ed Conners-Mgr., Environmental
Protection & Ind. Safety
Summary:
General Electric's Appliance Division (R&D and Manufacturing) is highly interested in RG-600/Polypropylene composites for several washer/dryer appliance parts. These compounds will replace present Glass/PP, Talc + Mica/PP and phenolic compounds. Subcontracted com pounding of a 30% concentrate in PP is planned. Initial RG-600 volume is estimated at about 3/4 MM lbs/year. GE's industrial hygiene and safety people are concerned about OSHA requirements relating to re grinding operations but are quite willing to seek a workable solution in cooperation with UCC.
Recommendations:
This inquiry should receive #1 priority. 1) All RG-600 sam ples and concentrates sent to GE should be carefully pre-checked. 2) UCC assistance in compounding should be provided to suitable custom compounders (e.g. Shulman, Adell). 3) Assistance in meeting OSHA re quirements should be provided to both GE and to the selected compound er (s) .
Discussion:
On November 13, 1975, Mr. John Myers and the writer presented a seminar on 'Calidria* asbestos at the General Electric Company, Ap pliance Park, Louisville, Ky. The presentations were given at the invitation of the GE Plastics Laboratory and were held at the Major Appliance Laboratory Center. About twenty people representing GE
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manufacturing, engineering, safety and R&D attended. The seminar was arranged by E. J. Kleber, Calidria Sales and Marvin Wilson, GE R&D.
John gave a general overview of asbestos products and dis cussed current OSHA regulations. I reviewed RG-600 as a plastic reinforcement as contrasted with untreated chrysotile, fiberglass and other fillers and discussed our general formulating principles for RG-600 composites. The audience was exceptionally receptive-- both the R&D and the production people were apparently very anxious to switch over to PP/RG-600 for several laundry appliance parts (see Table 2) where current compounds have caused performance problems. Evidently, early PP/RG-600 molding trials and part evaluations have been quite favorable and have confirmed the data and statements in our advertising literature. GE's immediate RG-600 requirements are about 3/4 MM lbs. They would purchase a 30 Wt% concentrate in PP to be let down as required during molding. They were also interested in our recommendations regarding compounders to supply the concen trate. Laboratory concentrates have been prepared satisfactorily at GE using a ZSK twin screw compounding extruder in their R&D labora tory.
GE's production and industrial hygiene/safety people are concerned about how to meet the OSHA requirements in their plant operations. All their molding machines have individual regrinding equipment and the question of possible asbestos dust generation dur ing regrinding was raised. If the asbestos is well compounded, little if any asbestos dust should be generated during regrinding--however, it is recognized that the present OSHA test which counts any fibrous air contaminant over 5y as asbestos may show some background count which makes the absence of airborne asbestos fibers difficult to prove. GE was not adverse to changing to a centralized regrinding operation but they were concerned about the possibility of continuous medical monitoring of the regrind operators. GE has a seniority sys tem for their unionized labor force which causes frequent job changes. Hence, through future years quite a number of people aould become in volved in the regrinding operation and if continuous medical monitor ing becomes necessary even after changes to other jobs this could become quite burdensome and expensive.
Since the future OSHA regulations and attitudes are obscure at this point, further official clarification may be needed. GE is willing and interested in cooperating with UCC on this and suggested that contacts yith, OSHA ^-possibly through SPI--might be beneficial. It was agreed that UCC and GE would cooperate on conducting prelimin ary air testing during regrinding trials at Louisville.
Mr. Hagan stated that GE is attempting systematically to sub stitute PP for impact polystyrene and ABS since they expect both price and availability increasingly to favor PP. Since RG-600 was developed specifically for PP and HDPE, this makes it a very interest ing reinforcement for GE. The various sections of GE's Appliance Division in Louisville is shovn in Table 1. The current work force is
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about 17,000 people. So far, only appliance parts for the home laun dry section are being evaluated but possibilities exist in the other sections as well. The appliance parts currently being evaluated with PP/RG-6O0 are listed in Table 2 together with some brief comments on the materials being displaced.
A favorable resolution regarding chrysotile asbestos use at GE may open other potential opportunities for'Calidria'' e.g. in thermosets. Hie room air conditioner section uses large quantities of glass reinforced polyester (u RG-244) and most of the sections mold phenolics. Sutstitutes for asbestos in phenolic molding materials have not been too successful. Also, as an aside, I asked Mr. Hagan what he thought of a screw injection moldable phenolic with a 1-2 Izod. He was quite interested and would be very willing to evaluate such a material (this relates to UCC*s 'fusible fiber* technology--I did not mention that, of course).
With the copies of this letter to Bill Thurber and Bob Byrne I have included some background information on A. Shulman, Akron and Adell Plastics, Baltimore. It would be timely to alert these com pounders to GE's interest in PP/RG-600 concentrates--as well as to the independent interest of structural foam customers in HDPE/RG-600 con centrates. Assistance should be offered to these--and possibly other-compounders in meeting OSHA requirements in handling 'Calidria * asbestos (NF) and in achieving acceptable dispersion at economical compounding rates (BB).
In view of the large volume potential at GE this prospect should receive first business priority and dedicated technical service follow -up.
FHA/cb Enclos ure
'ZZZet f/. CZu-cJctAS
F. H. Ancker
UCC 004050
TABLE 1
GE APPLIANCE DIVISION Appliance Park, Louisville, Ky
Appliance Section
Home Laundry Ranges Dishwashers, Garbage Disposers Refrigerator Components Refrigerators Room Air Conditioners Central Air Conditioners
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