From the Himalayas to Death Valley, pro camera operators rely on Anton/Bauer® batteries and Bayer PC+ABS blend

PITTSBURGH, June 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- When a once-in-a-lifetime photo or video stretches majestically in front of your camera lens, battery failure is not an option.

That's why from the Himalayas to Death Valley, professional camera operators rely on batteries from Anton/Bauer^®, a brand of The Vitec Group, to power their history-making shots. Anton/Bauer^® batteries are attached to the cameras capturing scenes for many popular television shows and movies.

What material could meet the high performance and ruggedness expected of Anton/Bauer^® batteries, especially in the most extreme environments. Bayblend^® FR3010 polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC+ABS) blend from Bayer MaterialScience LLC.

Even before Anton/Bauer^® engineers had sketched the new Digital Battery Series, the company invited Bayer and other material suppliers to help determine the best material for the application. The material required a UL 94 V-2 flammability rating. Bayblend^® FR3010 PC+ABS blend resin from Bayer not only passed the company's rigorous technical testing, it also excelled in a harsher real-world test.

"We put the resin in a thermal chamber and lowered the temperature to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit," said Neal Laneville, product manager, Mobile Power, Vitec Videocom. "Then we took out the material and hit it with hammers, nails and anything else we could find. We couldn't get the plastic from Bayer to fail. That's when we knew we had found the right material. Needless to say, the Bayblend^® FR3010 PC+ABS blend grade won us over because of its flame retardance, impact resistance and other performance properties."

Anton/Bauer^® said its Digital Battery line is the first to be designed specifically to power digital production for the professional broadcast, film and pro-video sectors. It meets the power use profiles of 4K camera set-ups and other digital cameras in use today, as well as various lights, monitors and recorders, among other accessories. The company is shipping 90 Wh, 150 Wh and 190 Wh Digital Batteries, which feature balanced, high-quality cells that deliver a long cycle life.

"We worked closely with Anton/Bauer^® engineers to provide a material worthy of their rugged batteries and the demanding environments they are used in," said Anthony Leo, field market development, Polycarbonates – Northeast, Bayer MaterialScience LLC. "The Anton/Bauer^® engineering team also utilized our state-of-the-art Color & Design facility in Newark, Ohio. Our color experts were able to quickly and efficiently color match the Pantone color numbers Anton/Bauer^® provided."

Bayblend^® FR3010 PC+ABS blend is noted for its combination of high impact strength and good balance of high heat distortion and physical performance. It offers improved chemical, thermal stability and hydrolysis resistance. This resin is naturally opaque and is supplied in pellet form for a wide variety of injection molding applications.

"Batteries from Anton/Bauer^® are world-renown for their quality. Our Bayblend^® FR3010 PC+ABS plastic provides a durable, flame-retardant material grade that can withstand the stresses these batteries experience in the field," said Kevin Dunay, market segment manager – electrical, Polycarbonates – North America, Bayer MaterialScience LLC.  

About Bayer MaterialScience LLC:
With 2014 sales of EUR 11.7 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world's largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and sports and leisure industries. Bayer MaterialScience has 30 production sites around the globe and employed approximately 14,200 people at the end of 2014. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company. Sustainability is central to the company's business and is based around the key areas of innovation, product stewardship, social responsibility and respect for the environment.

About Anton/Bauer
With more than 40 years of proven experience, Anton/Bauer is recognized as the world's premier provider of multi-chemistry battery, charging, and monitoring technologies for the professional broadcast, pro-video, cinema and healthcare industries. Established in 1970, Anton/Bauer's product offerings feature several signature lines, including the leading Gold Mount^® system, the Digital Battery™ series, Performance Chargers, and the Academy Award^®-winning VCLX series. The company's industry-standard products are compatible with virtually every camera brand on the market today, while providing top-tier levels of safety, performance and reliability. The brand's main office is in Shelton, CT, with additional offices in South America, Europe, and Asia. Follow Anton/Bauer on Twitter (@Anton_Bauer), Facebook and YouTube.

Contact:
John Skabardonis, Phone: 412-777-5444
Email: [email protected]
General media inquiries can be directed to 412-777-5200.

For more information about Bayer MaterialScience LLC polycarbonate materials, call 1-800-662-2927, email [email protected] or visit www.plastics.bayer.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Editor's Note: Follow news from Bayer MaterialScience on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Bayer4materials 

SOURCE Bayer MaterialScience LLC

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