At HighLine we have developed some advanced Polycarbonate sheet to replace glass and acrylic as the spectator shielding above the boards. As a result of being in the ice hockey market, we became aware of the need for UHMW-PE synthetic ice.
The synthetic ice is a plastic product the replaces the ice. The product requires little to no maintenance and is easy to lay down. The main advantage over regular ice is that it does not require refrigeration.
This synthetic ice product is ideal for indoor hockey facilities or home practice areas. The material is easy to lay down and take up, so the area can be used for other activities. It is also possible to lay another surface over the top for quick area change overs.
Material properties
The development of synthetic ice has progressed over the years. The two key performance characteristics are that it should be highly scratch resistant to skate blades and that it should replicate the experience of skating on ice.
To prevent scratches, we use a specialty grade of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMW-PE). We formulated the product to provide a long life in skating applications and minimize and scratching.
The product has also optimized additives designed to improve the “glide” performance when skating. We believe that the product that we are now able to offer replicates the skating experience of ice more naturally than any competitive product on the market. We are currently setting up a test area in Canada for side by side comparison of this new product against competitive products.
Material thickness
The synthetic ice products offered in two thickness groups. The standard sheet thickness in Europe is 18-20mm (0.70 – 0.80″). This thickness requires very little substructure on which to lay the product. In the US and Canada we sell the material in 9-12mm (0.375-0.50″). The can advise on the amount of sub support needed to ensure a flat surface. HighLine is able to offer both products in the US and Canada.
We supply UHMW-PE Synthetic ice in an ice white color. It may be possible to offer custom colors for a specific project. We can offer either standard sheets or sheets with and interlocking mechanism. We also can fabricate either our standard interlocking mechanism or a customer designed mechanism.
Please contact HighLine if you have any questions about our new Synthetic ice product.