MOWIFLEX™

Water soluble material
for lost core
injection molding
MOWIFLEX™
The design of injection molded parts is typicallylimited by their demolding ability. Frequently,
multiple expensive retractable and/or collapsingcores are required to manufacture complex
plastic parts with undercuts or hollow sections. In
some cases the only possibility is to mold multipleparts, which are welded together afterwards. This
limitation can be overcome by using MOWIFLEX™
in lost core injection molding technology.

hollow bypass tube
filled with MOWIFLEX™

By using MOWIFLEX™ as a water soluble core,undercuts or internal geometries can be realized
in injection molded plastic parts. Especially forthe production of an intermediate number ofhighly complex plastic parts MOWIFLEX™ cancontribute to enable their manufacturing byinjection molding in one piece. After dissolving
the soluble core in water the solution canbe easily disposed to conventional waste
water treatment plants, due to the inherent
biodegradability of MOWIFLEX™.
MOWIFLEX™ C 17 / 3D 2000 is inherently
biodegradable in water according to ISO 14851(biodegradation >90 % vs. cellulose
within 56 days).

MOWIFLEX™ is a thermoplastic
polyvinyl alcohol compound, which
can be injection molded to watersoluble objects. Its high stiffness andwater solubility render it the perfectmaterial for use as a temporary core.
In a first step, the water soluble coreis molded by using conventional
injection molding equipment. This issubsequently transferred to a second
mold, where the main material ismolded around the MOWIFLEX™
core. As a last step the soluble coreis removed by dissolving in water
to obtain the final part. No harmful
chemicals are involved in thisprocess.

water soluble
MOWIFLEX™ core

Scuba diving air regulator housing(by courtesy of Mares S.p.A.) withcomplex bypass tube geometry
molded from glass fiber reinforced
polyamide by using a water soluble
MOWIFLEX™ core.

molding ofMOWIFLEX™ coretransfer tosecond moldmolding of
second plasticwaterAdding value toyour products – worldwide
KURARAY POVAL™, EXCEVAL™, ELVANOL™, and MOWIFLEX™ are the trademarks for polyvinyl alcohols (PVOH) madeby Kuraray. Their key characteristics — outstanding film-forming properties and high binding strength — add real value
to your products. Our polymers are water-soluble, highly reactive, crosslinkable and foamable. They have high pigment
binding capacity, protective colloid characteristics and thickening effects. The physical and chemical properties ofKURARAY POVAL™ make it ideal for a wide variety of applications, ranging from adhesives through paper and ceramics topackaging films. Many of our polymers are food contact-approved and thus suitable for food applications.
Kuraray produces its wide range of KURARAY POVAL™ grades in Japan, Singapore, Germany and the USA. Kuraray’s global
production and service network make us your partner of choice for innovative high-quality PVOH resins.

PLEASE CONTACT US

kuraray-poval.com

HEADQUARTERS
Kuraray Co., Ltd.
Tokiwabashi Tower
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Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo, Japan 100-0004
Kuraray America, Inc.
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Suite 680 Houston, TX77058
United States of America

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250 North Bridge Road
#10-01/02 Raffles City Tower
Singapore 179101

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Philipp-Reis-Str. 465795 Hattersheim am Main,
Germany

Kuraray China Co., Ltd.
Unit 2207, 2 Grand Gateway
3 Hongqiao Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai
200030, China
08_2024