Jun 4 2007
Anyone traveling through Switzerland by rail will probably come across a practical application of Bayer MaterialScience's Makrofol® DE 4-4 polycarbonate film on one of the platforms. The leaves of the flip-digit displays that tell travelers the departure time, stops, destination and train number of each train entering the station are made of this product. “Our film can be printed very accurately and in high contrast, which enables the information to be read easily at any angle. It is also very dimensionally stable and heat-resistant, so that the flip mechanism of the displays functions reliably in both extreme heat and icy cold, and needs virtually no maintenance,” explains Dirk W. Pophusen, Technical Manager for polycarbonate films in the Business Development section of Bayer MaterialScience. The systems are manufactured by Passenger Electronics AG (PEL), a producer of passenger information systems based in Biel, Switzerland. The project developer and supplier of the 350-micrometer thick film is Coloprint tech-films from Frankenthal, Germany, a partner of Bayer MaterialScience that cuts and prepares the films for PEL.
Makrofol® DE 4-4 is a translucent extrusion film for graphic applications which is based on high-tech Makrolon® polycarbonate. Its range of application extends from instrument panels and displays to control elements, nameplates and dials. Roughness and gloss are the same on both sides of the film and the surfaces are very homogenous. For this reason, the individual leaves, which are printed on both sides by the screen-printing method, are uniform in appearance. In comparison with large LCD and LED displays, characters, symbols and logos can be more easily created in different colors. Another advantage compared with these opto-electronic information systems is that flip-digit displays consume less electricity and operate reliably for a period of around 20 years.
Another reason why PEL decided in favor of Makrofol® DE 4-4 was that Bayer MaterialScience colors the film in a special lightfast blue shade in line with the customer's specifications. “We regard the customized coloring of our films as an important service aspect for our customers,” says Pophusen.