Special effects resin helps make music more artful

A Sabic Innovative Plastics product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 11, 2006

The ultramodern Vivo2 line uses GE Plastics' Lexan Visualfx special effects resin for stunning visual impact combined with high performance.

Crystal blue, rich violet, and water-clear polycarbonate (PC) with a touch of diamond sparkle - these are not your traditional violins.

Crafted by Ted Brewer, an established UK designer of transparent violins, the ultramodern Vivo2 line uses GE Plastics' Lexan Visualfx special effects resin for stunning visual impact combined with high performance.

Ted, who originally hand-carved his instruments from acrylic block, turned to GE Plastics when increasing market demand prompted a move to injection moulding.

GE Plastics colour experts helped Brewer turn his vision for the Vivo2 into an eye-catching reality.

According to Brewer, GE Plastics provided both the material and expertise that he was looking for to help perfect his Vivo2 design.

"I tried some other suppliers, but nothing came close to GE's Lexan Visualfx special effects resin".

"The outstanding quality, finish, and visual effects of our Vivo2 violins are just superb", said Brewer.

"The GE team provided amazing support - they pulled out all the stops to find the exact colour effects I had in mind, and shipped the material as fast as humanly possible so we could get into production quickly".

GE delivered pellet samples to the company in a 96-hour turnaround.

The Vivo2 violin is manufactured with Lexan resin in three colours - blue, violet, and clear - and uses the Visualfx diamond effect.

The colour-matching service was provided by GE's Customer Innovation Centre (CIC) in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands.

The CIC, one of three global centres operated by the company, provides colour and special effects expertise and services to customers across the entire product line.

GE's Visualfx portfolio of special effects resins can be customised with a host of special effects and colour variations.

In the case of the Vivo2, GE specialists customised the Lexan Visualfx special effects resin to downplay the diamond effect and provide just a suggestion of sparkle.

Other GE experts worked with the moulder to optimise processing for an improved surface finish.

The use of transparent Lexan Visualfx special effects resin also allowed Ted Brewer Violins to incorporate a special illumination feature: the Vivo2 violin has a built-in sound-to-light capability using two vertical banks of super-bright white LEDs.

Light pulses along the length of the instrument to accentuate the music.

In addition to colour effects, the GE resin provides the high performance and design flexibility for which it is renowned.

Injection-moulding the violin body instead of carving it allowed Ted Brewer Violins to create unique designs that not only are visually compelling but also deliver exceptional audio quality.

The impact resistance and strength of Lexan resin provide a robust and stable violin frame.

The Vivo2 violin was recently reviewed by professional musician and freelance journalist David Etheridge in Music Mart, a music equipment magazine based in the UK.

Commenting that until now, few electric violins have taken a completely revolutionary approach, Etheridge praised the Vivo2 instrument's exceptionally strong construction featuring a monocoque frame made from advanced polymers that delivers "unbeatable lightness in use".

He added: "We've come a long way in a very short space of time with the high-tech approach to the violin".

"With Ted Brewer's instruments, you've got eye-catching good looks, a superb sound from a responsive instrument, easy controls and features, and your own personal light show".

"What more could a 21st century violinist require?".

"Ted Brewer's Vivo2 violins are a great example of the exceptional style and beauty that can be achieved with our Visualfx special effects resin portfolio", said John Cameron, GE Plastics' rEgional General Manager in the UK.

"These materials offer manufacturers new ways to differentiate their products and make an unforgettable impact on the market".

"We're pleased that GE expertise and technology helped create violins that combine modern materials with a classical sound".