Tool & Hardware

Aurora Plastics offers a complete line of easy-to-process rigid and flexible polymers for tool and hardware manufacturing.

AuroraTec™

• AuroraTec PC/PBT (polycarbonate/polybutylene terephthalate) compounds are made from alloys of amorphous polycarbonate and the semi-crystalline polybutylene terephthalate resin. They offer excellent chemical resistance as well as high impact and heat resistance, outstanding aesthetic and processability characteristics. AuroraTec PC/PBT has Impact-modified grades that can provide a high level of impact strength at low temperatures. Impact-modified AuroraTec PC/PBT grades can provide a high level of impact strength at low temperature. There are also flame-retardant grades (both non-halogenated and brominated), glass filled grades, and UV (ultra-violet) stabilized grades. power tools and equipment used outside and that may be in areas that need better chemical resistance. They are ideals for tools that are used outside and for those requiring additional chemical resistance.
• AuroraTec TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) composites are thermoplastic elastomers consisting of linear segmented block copolymers composed of hard and soft segments. These TPU grades are fiberglass-reinforced at varying levels. The fiberglass reinforcement offers excellent stiffness and mechanical strength while maintaining excellent abrasion, chemical, and oil and grease resistance, with improved heat resistance over an unreinforced TPU.
• AuroraTec PC/PET (polycarbonate/polyethylene terephthalate) also offers excellent mechanical, thermal and chemical properties, making it suitable for a wide range of military applications. They are also known for their durability and resistance to chemical, weather and UV exposure, making them suitable for harsh and demanding military environments.
• AuroraTec TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) composites are thermoplastic elastomers consisting of linear segmented block copolymers composed of hard and soft segments. These TPU grades are fiberglass-reinforced at varying levels. The fiberglass reinforcement offers excellent stiffness and mechanical strength while maintaining excellent abrasion, chemical, and oil and grease resistance, with improved heat resistance over an unreinforced TPU.

AuroraGuard™ 

• AuroraGuard ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) combines the strength and rigidity of the acrylonitrile and styrene polymers with the toughness of the polybutadiene rubber. For tool and hardware manufacturing applications, these grades are both inexpensive and durable. Available in many color options, AuoraGuard ABS is often used to manufacture gardening tools such as miniature shovels, rakes, hoes, claws, and other hand tools.
• AuroraGuard PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) is a thermoplastic semi-crystalline polymer and a type of polyester that provides high performance in demanding applications. It provides excellent chemical resistance, minimal shrinkage during forming, mechanical strength, and heat-resistance up to 150°C (or 200°C with glass-fiber reinforcement). AuroraGuard PBT can also be treated with flame retardants to make it noncombustible. In the manufacturing of tools and hardware, it is often used in housings for chainsaws and power drills.
• AuroraGuard TPOs (thermoplastic polyolefins) are multiphase compositions in which one phase consists of a material that is hard at room temperature and fluid when heated, and the other phase consists of an elastomeric material that is soft and rubberlike at room temperature. They are used primarily as flame-retardant, polyethylene-based in the wire and cable market; flame-retardant, polypropylene for the battery market (UL 94 V0 & V2); and interior, exterior and paintable applications for the automotive market. Various fillers and additives are also incorporated to meet required specifications by material & design engineers. For example, all AuroraGuard™ TPOs can be color matched with UV additives to pass OEM accelerated weathering and two year outdoor weathering tests.
• AuroraGuard MABS (methacrylate-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), often known as clear ABS, can outperform polystyrene, SAN, and PMMA for impact resistance and has similar heat distortion properties. Polycarbonate can outperform clear ABS for both impact resistance and high-temperature properties as well. Clear ABS scores well for stress-crack resistance and processability, with good melt flow characteristics.
• AuroraGuard PC (polycarbonate) compounds are amorphous, thermoplastics that possess outstanding impact strength, excellent colorability, and superior heat resistance with good electrical and thermal properties, low- temperature toughness, and superior dimensional stability. They can be provided unfilled or filled with specialized fillers, mineral or fiberglass reinforcement. PC compounds are available in flame-retardant grades (both non-halogenated and brominated), a wide range of melt viscosities, and can be offered with recyclable PC content and ultraviolet (UV) stabilized grades for outdoor weatherable applications. The polycarbonate (PC) product family complies with FDA (Food and Drug Administration), REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals), NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) and UL listed (UL 94).
• AuroraGuard PC/ABS (polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) alloys are the result of alloying these two amorphous thermoplastics to take advantage of the polycarbonate’s toughness and the ease of processing ABS. PC/ABS can provide impact strength, heat resistance, colorability, very good aesthetics, and dimensional stability. They can be provided unfilled or filled with specialized fillers, mineral or fiberglass reinforcement. They are available in flame-retardant grades (both non-halogenated and brominated), a wide range of melt viscosities, recyclable PC/ABS content, and ultraviolet stabilized grades for outdoor weatherable applications.

Other compounds for the tool and hardware industry include:

• AuroraShield™ PC/ASA (polycarbonate/acrylonitrile styrene acrylic) compounds are the result of alloying these two amorphous thermoplastics to take advantage of the polycarbonate’s toughness and the UV and moisture resistance of the terpolymer ASA. These compounds offer impact strength, heat resistance, colorability, very good aesthetics, and excellent weatherability. They can be provided unfilled or filled with specialized fillers, mineral or fiberglass reinforcement. Because they provide good outdoor UV stability with better stiffness and impact, AuroraShield PC/ASA compounds are ideal for mirror housings.
• Unlike rigid PVC, AuroraFlex™ SBS and SEBS compounds utilize multiple TPE/TPR chemistries to impart high-performance properties for durability and easy processing. TPE options are available as low as 10A* up to 50D durometer hardness, including:
  • Phthalate and latex free (a great PVC alternative)
  • Improve processing speeds
  • Produce less scrap
  • Reduce material usage and provide more value per pound
  • Competitively priced
  • RoHS compliance

As a result, you’ll achieve improved product appearance, as well as higher product performance in soft touch feel, shock absorption, flexibility and durability.

Our experienced R&D team will work with you to develop a formulation that will meet your specific application needs. We are consistently recognized as best in class for our color development and production repeatability.

* NOTE: Durometer hardness is measured with a calibrated durometer using the Shore Type-A scale in a room of consistent temperature. The indenter is inserted for 15 seconds to determine if it passes the ASTM D2240-Durometer Hardness test for the desired durometer.