Office appliances

Technically the household, entertainment office appliance market appears heterogeneous, including a variety of functionalities, shapes, forms and properties. Table 2.34 proposes a classification method based on the lifetime and the main function but many other classifications are possible. 

Most household and entertainment appliances are mass-production goods that are sold by the million. Production of business or office appliances varies from small series (shredders, for example) to medium or high series (PCs and other computers). Prices are very varied from a few tens of euros up to thousands of euros and more. Table 2.35 provides an idea of the economic importance of some typical devices. 

The household, entertainment office appliance market consumes an estimated 3% up to 6% of the thermoplastics total, according to the region, making it the fifth outlet for these materials. 

The household, entertainment office appliance industry is subject to many constraints ... 

Business or office appliances PCs and other computers, printers, photocopiers, shredders.. . Aesthetics Mar and scratch resistance Heat resistance Electrical insulation Durability Ease of cleaning Cost... 

The household, entertainment office appliance market is subjected to some specific regulations for specific parts, notably large ones. Moreover, standards and regulations depend on the country. Among them a typical example is the UL requirements related to the longterm service temperature and the fire rating. 

To progress in the household, entertainment office appliance industry, thermoplastics must improve their performance characteristics, ease of processing, productivity and recycling, for example ... 

Thermoplastics are predominant among the plastics used for the household, entertainment office appliance industry with styrenics pre-eminent, including polystyrene, high-impact polystyrene, EPS, ABS, SAN, ASA. .. followed by PP. Several engineering thermoplastics such as PA, PC, PBT, PPO and POM are also used. 

Figure 2.34. Thermoplastic shares in the household, entertainment office appliance market...

The major use of polyblends is in transportation (50 to 60%) the rest is in domestic and office appliances, and electronics. The following provides a partial list of useful polyblends ... 

ABS, an elastomer modified thermoplastic used in electrical and electronic equipment, house and office appliances and in the automotive industry) and redispersable powders for construction materials. Natural rubber accounted for 6.5 million tonnes per year, including about 1 million tonnes that is commercialized as a waterborne dispersion. 

PBT/ABS blends were commerciahzed in 1989 under the trademark of Lumax and have been successfully used in manufacture of diverse parts for electricals/electronics, automobiles, office appliances, and sports goods. 

The largest apphcation of thick-film-based flexible circuits is in membrane switches, which need large circuit spaces but do not carry large currents. The majority of membrane switches are covered by silver paste thick-fihn flexible circuits. Major switching circuits of keyboard switches are also covered by the same constructions. Most of the key board circuits are covered by the silver paste base membrane switches. Most of the touch panel switches designed for micro waves, office appliances and medical equipment also use PET based membrane switches. Several examples are shown in Fig. 66.13. 

When tetramethylene glycol is used in place of ethylene glycol, poly (butylene tereph-thalate) (PBT), a material with a lower Tg and melting point (220-235 C), is obtained. Because PBT crystallizes more rapidly than unmodified PET, its mold cycle times are faster. It also has good strength and rigidity and has found use in precision parts for electronic devices, office appliances, and automobiles. Its material properties can be further modified with a variety of additives. The inclusion of glass fiber increases its modulus and its heat deflection temperature. 

Figure 6. Illustrations of office machinery were conventionally portrayed with a person as operator, most typically a young woman. This photograph, described as an illustration of a noncomputing bUlei is typical for the way it uses a female model but does not exphdfly comment on her presence, thereby eliding her with the machine she operates. Operators are posed as if playing a piano, in a way that underlines the gendering of a kind of physical nimbleness. Note the figure s dress, short hair, and stiff posture. From Leffingwell, Office Appliance Manual.

The Office Appliance Manual. Chicago National Association of Office... 

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