Overmolding: TPE Selection

GLS Product Line

There are a variety of GLS soft touch TPEs designed to have excellent adhesion to a number of rigid plastic substrates. The table below summarizes the standard grades that are currently available and their corresponding substrates. You can use the Product Search Wizard to obtain a detailed list of all GLS standard TPEs that bond to a selected substrate.

If you do not see your substrate in this table, please contact GLS directly at 1-800-457-877 or send us an email; we can develop a custom TPE that is optimized to bond to your specific substrate.

Substrate	Typical Applications	GLS Recommended Compounds
Polyproplyene	Personal Care - Toothbrushes, Razors, Pens, Sports-Grips, Handles, Knobs, Flaps, Power & Hand Tool Handles, Grips, Caster Wheels	Dynaflex TPE Kraton TPE Versaflex CL Versalloy XL
ABS	Housewares, Toys, Portable Electronics, Grips, Handles, Knobs	Versaflex OM Versollan OM
Polycarbonate	Handheld Electronics, Business Equipment Housings, Sporting Goods, Healthcare Devices, Hand and Power Tools, Telecommunications and Business Machines	Versaflex OM Versollan OM
PC/ABS	Housewares, Toys, Portable Electronics, Grips, Handles, Knobs, Hand and Power Tools, Sports and Leisure Equipment, Telecommunications and Business Machines	Versaflex OM Versollan OM
Nylon 6 and 6/6	Hardware, Lawn and Garden Tools, Power Tools	Versaflex OM
Propionate	Toothbrush Handles, Eyewear, Cosmetic Packaging	Versaflex OM
Copolyester	Toothbrush Handles, Cosmetic Packaging	Versaflex OM

Material Flow Behavior

GLS overmolding compounds are shear responsive, thus their viscosity is reduced when they are processed at high shear rates. This allows for easy flow into thin-walled sections commonly encountered in over-molding applications. The figure below illustrates the effect of shear rate on the viscosity of GLS overmolding compounds. For the viscosity of a specific grade, refer to the individual Product Technical Datasheet.

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