Basotect® reduces the noise in modern, high speed elevators

WYANDOTTE, Mich., Dec. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Basotect® melamine foam, which is widely known as a lightweight acoustic insulation material in automotive and interior construction applications, is expanding its application range into the acoustic treatment of elevators. In a recent project with ThyssenKrupp Elevator and National Elevator Cab and Door, the melamine foam was used to reduce the noise levels in elevator cabins of a high rise building in New York City. Despite the very high speed of the elevators (up to 23 miles/hour), the noise level inside the cabin is lower than 50dB, which is quieter than a conversation between two people.

"The requirements for modern elevator construction, especially for those in high rise buildings, are getting more and more ambitious. They need to be fast but also comfortable and quiet for the passengers," says Joseph Braman, Regional Vice President of ThyssenKrupp Elevator.

Prior to the actual construction of these super-fast high rise elevators, the material was thoroughly tested in a mock-up elevator constructed by National Elevator in cooperation with Soundcoat, a subsidiary of the Recticel Group and a leading supplier of thermo-acoustic solutions, and acoustic consultant Frank Kirschner.

Basotect®'s fine, open cell structure gives it high sound absorption capacity. Not only did Basotect® meet the acoustic absorption requirements, it also met other design criteria. The material meets Class A for flame spread and smoke density according to ASTM E84. In addition, it could not flake off fibers or particles when exposed to the high airflow as the cab was moving. In order to reduce the energy requirements for the total operation from start to stop, it was very important that the cab be as light as possible as well. Basotect®'s low density of 0.55 lb/ft3 contributes to the cab meeting the requirement.

"Basotect® is commonly used in other modes of transportation, such as trains and aircraft, due to its acoustic abilities, light weight and fire performance. Elevators are simply a means of vertical transportation, so it was a natural choice," stated acoustic consultant Frank Kirschner.

"Soundcoat was excited to be a part of this project," stated Chip Morrow, V.P. of Sales and Marketing at Soundcoat. "As a manufacturing company heavily focused on acoustic applications, the challenges faced by ThyssenKrupp Elevator and National Elevator were familiar to us. Having an acoustics lab and manufacturing capabilities in the same building allowed us to test and optimize designs very quickly, which was highly valued in this project."

"This was a true collaborative effort," said Jeff Friedman, Executive Vice President of National Elevator. "We relied heavily on Frank and Soundcoat to come up with a solution that helped National Elevator and ThyssenKrupp Elevator meet very stringent acoustic goals. Not only did Basotect® perform as needed, the foam's light weight, flexibility and durability were also highly desirable for the installers as the foam had to be fit in very restricted spaces."

About Basotect®

Basotect® foam has a unique range of properties. Its base material makes it flame-retardant and abrasive; it can be used at up to 240°C and retains its properties over a wide temperature range. Because of its open-cell foam structure, it is light, sound-absorbing, flexible even at low temperatures and thermally insulating.

Basotect® is a registered trademark of BASF SE.

www.basotect.com

About BASF's Performance Materials Division

BASF's Performance Materials division encompasses the entire materials know-how of BASF regarding innovative, customized plastics under one roof. Globally active in four major industry sectors - transportation, construction, industrial applications and consumer goods – the division has a strong portfolio of products and services combined with a deep understanding of application-oriented system solutions. Key drivers of profitability and growth are our close collaboration with customers and a clear focus on solutions. Strong capabilities in R&D provide the basis to develop innovative products and applications. In 2014, the Performance Materials division achieved global sales of € 6.5 bn.

More Information online: www.performance-materials.basf.com

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry – and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world's leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of over €74 billion in 2014 and around 113,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

About Recticel & Soundcoat

Recticel is a Belgian Group with 103 facilities in 28 countries and has been amongst the industry's leading foam suppliers for decades.

Through the Flexible Foams Business, Recticel offers value-added solutions meeting specific silencing, sealing, filtering, carrying, protecting, supporting and comforting needs.

Today we are a key provider of cellular foam and fibrous converted products that contribute to daily comfort. These include foam filling for seats and mattresses, acoustic isolation and sealing materials for the construction, transport and industrial markets and an extensive range of other industrial and domestic products.

Soundcoat, a wholly owned subsidiary of Recticel, and headquartered in Deer Park, New York, is a leading supplier of engineered thermo-acoustic solutions with specific expertise in the transport, aerospace, medical and industrial markets.

Recticel achieved sales of EUR 1.03 billion in 2013 (IFRS). Further information can be found at www.recticel.com and www.soundcoat.com

SOURCE BASF Corporation

Related Links

http://www.performance-materials.basf.com