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Subject: 
Re: LEGO Inside Tour (New theory on color change: stock dyes)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.color
Date: 
Wed, 25 Aug 2004 01:45:41 GMT
Viewed: 
848 times
  
Jake says Lego is not using “just in time” coloring in response to the rumor, and Scott says it doesn’t make sense.. however, the technology is real:

“Chroma Injecta Color Systems Inc of Chicago Heights, Illinois, have developed what is claimed to be a highly effective liquid colorant system for PET and its derivatives. PET liquid colorants have been specially formulated to protect the resin’s intrinsic viscosity and support the unique characteristics that have contributed to its success as a packaging material. Among the advantages of the new colorants the manufacturer points to the cost savings generated by superior colour dispersion and lower let down ratios, the elimination of the need to buy and stock pre-coloured resins and the increased productivity offered by more efficient colour changes. Chroma’s colour concentrates have no prior heat history, which assures maximum physical integrity of the moulded product.”

Normally, to color ABS or other thermoplastics you melt clear resin, mix in colorants and other additives (like UV blocker), then extrude the product through a chilling bath and into a chopping machine which pelletizes it. Then the molding machine does frightening things to the pellets to get them into the mold. This is the aforementioned “heat history”. There is some quality advantage to be achieved by eliminating processing steps which degrade the plastic each time.



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: LEGO Inside Tour (New theory on color change: stock dyes)
 
(...) The technology may be real, but I don't believe TLC uses any PET derived plastics for any brick parts, though they do use them for packaging (clear BIONICLE pods are PETE, and opaque ones are straight PET). Since the pods are really just (...) (20 years ago, 25-Aug-04, to lugnet.color, FTX)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: LEGO Inside Tour (New theory on color change: stock dyes)
 
(...) I have to second Jake on this--I've worked in plastics production before (I've personally mixed color combinations before), and that's not how you injection mold plastic--you can't "inject" color into pellets when making molded parts that are (...) (20 years ago, 24-Aug-04, to lugnet.color, FTX)

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