Olympians and athletes the world over depend on the super-strong, smooth
and wear resistant properties of MelaminebyDSM™ for high velocity
snowboards, ice hockey sticks, skateboards and host of other applications.
Take a snowboard for example. Here melamine based glues bond together
the composite wood core for optimal torsional stiffness; while the high
pressure melamine laminated surface improves glide and resists water, low
temperatures and scratches. The melamine resins also have high elasticity,
which gives a tough finish that resists wear and abrasion. And, thanks to the
excellent UV stability of the resin, the brightly decorated prints beneath the
surface retain their brilliance despite the intensity of the sunlight.
The lanes of a bowling alley have a decorative laminate surface that
replicates traditional wood finishes such as maple. A high gloss, highly
durable surface finish is achieved by using melamine resins in the laminate
construction.
The multiple layers of melamine in the backboard of basketball goals
virtually eliminate the damaging vibration normally associated with other
fiber boards. The result? A tough and rigid high strength material, that will
give a long service life.
Lawn bowls used to be made exclusively of phenolic thermosets, but due
to the limited pigmentability of phenolic, bowls could only ever be produced
in black. To be able to also make coloured bowls, companies have started to
produce bowls made of a polyester and melamine composite, with the melamine
being used to give a harder surface and enhanced scratch resistance. Now that
the new colours have been sanctioned by the official bodies that control the
sport, bowls is set to become a much more colourful game.
Melamine is also to be found in table tennis tables, table football
tables, shuffleboards and slideboards, because of the smooth
gliding, high impact, maintenance- free quality of the material.
