Further demonstrating its support for nurturing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) talent among students, Bayer MaterialScience LLC has donated more than 3,100 pounds of its Desmopan DP 6065A thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) resin for a global robotics competition. Bayer’s TPU resin is being used to mold experimental, light-duty tires that are included in parts kits used by high school students participating in the 2007 FIRST Robotics Competition.
Founded by Segway Human Transporter inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) aims to make “science, math, engineering, and technology as cool for kids as sports are today.” The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges high school students, supported by their teachers, local companies, and volunteers to design, assemble, and test a robot that can perform a specified task in competition with other teams. Some 1,300 teams from across the United States and around the world are competing in this year’s “Rack ‘N’ Roll” competition, beginning in March, with 37 regional contests, followed by the global FIRST Championship April 12-14, 2007, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Upon entering the competition, each team receives a parts kit from which their robot must be built. The kit includes the experimental tires molded from Bayer’s Desmopan DP 6065A TPU, The parts kits also include motors, gears/drive trains for transmissions, electronic controllers, and other necessary components. Teams are required to build their robots in just six weeks using only the components in the kit along with materials they may fabricate on their own, such as body panels.
Bayer MaterialScience became involved with the FIRST Robotics Competition through its customer Nypro Inc., which has been a sponsor since the contest’s inception in 1995. Nypro sponsored the winning team that inaugural year from a field of 29 teams. In support of the 1,300 teams competing in 2007, FIRST recruited AndyMark, Inc., of Kokomo, Ind., to design a wheel to be included in the 2007 FIRST robotics parts kit. AndyMark recruited B&D Manufacturing, also of Kokomo, Ind., to design and build the required mold, then mold the robot wheels and over-mold them with Desmopan TPU to form an integrated wheel/tire component. Desmopan, favored by design engineers for its versatility and reliability in a variety of demanding industrial applications, is also used by manufacturers of cable connectors for its chemical resistance, and by makers of sports and leisure equipment for its soft touch feel and long-term UV light stability. This adaptable durability also made it well-suited for the robot tires.
For more information on the FIRST Robotics Competition, visit www.usfirst.org.
For more information on Nypro Inc., visit www.nypro.com.
For more information on B&D Manufacturing, visit http://bdmfgmolds.com.
For more information on AndyMark, Inc., visit www.andymark.biz.
For more information about Bayer MaterialScience in the NAFTA region, call 800-662-2927 or visit www.BayerMaterialScienceNAFTA.com.
Making Science Make Sense is Bayer’s company-wide initiative which advances science literacy across the United States through hands-on, inquiry-based learning, employee volunteerism and public education.
For more information, visit www.BayerUS.com/MSMS.
About Bayer MaterialScience
Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of polymers and high-performance plastics in North America and is part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with nearly 19,000 employees at 40 sites around the world and 2005 sales of 10.7 billion euros. Our innovative developments in coating, adhesive and sealant raw materials, polycarbonates, polyurethanes and thermoplastic urethane elastomers enhance the design and functionality of products in a wide variety of markets, including the automotive, construction, electrical and electronics, household and medical industries, and the sports and leisure fields. Our inorganic basic chemicals unit produces chlorine and related essential products for the chemicals industry.
About Bayer Corp.
Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is a subsidiary of Bayer AG, an international health care, nutrition and innovative materials group based in Leverkusen, Germany. Bayer’s three subgroups, Bayer HealthCare, Bayer CropScience and Bayer MaterialScience, improve people’s lives through a broad range of essential products that help diagnose, prevent and treat diseases; protect crops and enhance yields; and advance automobile safety and durability.
Filed Under: Automotive, Materials • advanced, MECHANICAL POWER TRANSMISSION