VICOTE coatings enable Du Wei’s new EVA shoe mold tools to significantly outperform traditional molds

Citation

(2009), "VICOTE coatings enable Du Wei’s new EVA shoe mold tools to significantly outperform traditional molds", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 56 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2009.12856eab.001

VICOTE coatings enable Du Wei’s new EVA shoe mold tools to significantly outperform traditional molds

Article Type: Methods From: Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Volume 56, Issue 5

Victrex Polymer Solutions’ VICOTE^® coatings have been selected by Du Wei Enterprise Co. Ltd for deployment in its two-color ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) shoe mold tools (Figure 1).

Figure 1 EVA foam footwear mold with VICOTE coating

Du Wei, headquartered in Taiwan, is an international shoe mold manufacturer focused on designing innovative EVA foam footwear products and sporting equipment, furniture and industrial products. Victrex Polymer Solutions, a division of Victrex plc, is a leading provider of high-performance polyketones including VICTREX^® PEEK™ polymer, APTIV™ films, and VICTREX^® ST™.

The EVA shoe molding process operates in extremely high temperatures and aggressive environments placing demands on mold tools and materials. The unique combination of properties and performance benefits of VICOTE coatings, based on VICTREX PEEK polymer, make them an excellent fit for this highly demanding application.

VICOTE coatings are designed to perform in the harshest conditions, can resist high temperatures and have a continuous use temperature of 260°C. The coatings are highly resistant to wear and abrasion and have excellent durability and high-compressive strength. Molds deploying VICOTE coatings have been proven to have a lifespan of up to six weeks (about 5,000 cycles) which is up to 30 times longer than molds coated with PTFE. In addition to these benefits, VICOTE coatings are easy to clean, remove and recoat.

“When we were seeking innovative ways to achieve a technical breakthrough on our two-color EVA shoe mold tools we turned to Victrex. With its unique combination of properties, especially its high-temperature resistance, high-compressive strength and durability, VICOTE coatings significantly outperforms traditional mold release agents and other products of its kind, demonstrating why it holds a leading position in the industry,” said James Chui, Vice President of Du Wei. “In addition to the technical advantages, the other factor that drove our success on this project was the collaboration with Victrex’s strong technical team that is committed to excellence and was always ready to provide practical assistance with its can-do attitude.”

“VICOTE coating is a tough, resilient and high-wear resistant coating that provides good release properties when deployed with various types of lubricants. It is the material of choice for shoe mold manufacturers and in many other applications where improved performance and the reduction of system costs are important,” said Gary Li, Senior Market Development Manager of Victrex. “Victrex is committed to technological innovation with a mission to provide the highest quality products and solutions available and to help our customers sharpen their competitive edge. We believe this shoe mold project is just the start of our cooperation with Du Wei and we are eager to assist it with more cooperative projects in the near future.”

For further information, please visit the web site: www.victrex.com