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TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
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Polymer research has its US open day.
Antec, the annual technical conference of the Society of Plastics Engineers in the US, pitches camp in a new city every year and presents more than 700 technical papers. Many are pure research but hidden within this mass of information are a few gold nuggets. Lou Reade sought them out.
PIPE & PROFILE
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C-M plans European extruder production.
Cincinnati Milacron is gearing up to start building extruders in Europe as part of its aggressive return to the worldwide extrusion market. It has taken space at Uniloy's blow moulding machine complex in Magenta in Northern Italy to stock spares for European sales and expects to build twin screw extruders there within three years.
Battenfeld buys into another extruder company.
Battenfeld has invested in another extrusion equipment manufacturer in an emerging economy. As we reported last month the company bought out its Chinese partner in Battenfeld Chen Extrusion Systems. Now it has bought a stake in its Indian extruder licensee.
Brown PVC profiles get a reprieve.
Building profile manufacturer Celuform of Kent has been able to continue its popular Expresso Brown coloured roofline and cladding profiles through an exclusive deal with DuPont, which is now making the brown PVF heat-reflective surfacing film exclusively for Celuform.
COMPOUNDING
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Standardising colour dispersion using filter pressure as an assessment tool.
With increasing demands imposed on quality control in the dispersion of colorants in plastics there has grown a need for a standardised testing method. Dr Volker Königstein of BASF, Hans-Peter Meyer of Ciba Specialty Chemicals and Dr-Ing Günter Müllerferli of Dr Collin describe how measurement of the pressure across a melt filter is forming a common basis for communication between users and producers of masterbatch.
Modifiers focus on specific polymer improvements.
A new series of modifiers that can impart specific properties to a variety of polymers has been introduced by DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers. The first materials are Entira AS, which imparts antistatic properties, high frequency weldability and high moisture permeability, and Entira Strong, that helps improve the performance and processability of tapes, filaments and films made out of oriented polypropylene and polyester.
Modular plants are tested and operators trained before delivery.
Customised modular plants from material supply to pelletising are now being supplied by Coperion Werner & Pfleiderer. Systems are supplied fully tested for immediate start-up.
One screw good, two screws better, 12 screws...
The degassing capabilities and gentle plasticising action of the 12-screw RingExtruder from Extricom are being exploited to reclaim PET from the flakes from the returns systems allied to the bottled drinks sector. Several PET reclaim operations are in action repelletising with downstream solid state polycondensation, extruding sheet directly from reclaim, making compounds and extruding fibres and non-wovens.
Flexibility in small chemical weighing systems to meet all demands.
Small chemical weighing systems have been developed by Chronos Richardson for the dust-free weighing of micro-batches of powders, prills, pastilles, pellets and granules.
New model follows sale of Conair's pelletiser business.
Conair has sold its US pelletiser business to Reduction Engineering, which has built pelletisers for Conair since 2002. The company already has a new model in production.
Rubber straining unit is faster to clean.
Improvements have been made to the equipment made by Uth of Germany for the fine mesh straining of rubber compounds to suit applications such as coloured compounds where frequent clean-down is needed.
Demanding future for PVC compounds.
PVC is one of the world's most widely used polymers because of its versatility, excellent inherent properties and cost effectiveness, and yet its sensitivity to the processes used to convert it into end products makes it a challenge for any compounder. Bob Goulding, technical manager of Dugdale, explains why and discusses what is involved in developing new grades and alloys of PVC to meet challenging applications.
Screw optimisation gives volume without risking FR properties.
A range of halogen-free PP UL94 V0 flame retardant compounds has been developed by JGP Perrite in collaboration with a major domestic appliance manufacturer. They offer a 20 per cent weight saving over halogenated PP flame retardant compounds.
Quality Additives expands with Foscolor takeover.
Quality Additives has bought the Foscolor masterbatch business.
RECLAMATION & RECYCLING
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More funding for tyre recycling projects.
Further assistance in finding methods of disposing of scrap tyres is promised by the Waste & Resources Action Programme WRAP with a new capital support programme which provides financial support towards the costs of plant, equipment and infrastructure for projects to increase recycling of used tyres into value added markets.
Competition from landfill hits PVC recycling - but not hard enough to stunt its growth.
Recycling of PVC in Europe is being hampered by competition from landfill sites, still open because of the slow implementation of the European Landfill Directive. Despite this, recycling of PVC in Europe more than doubled from 2004 to 2005, reaching 38,800 tonnes from 18,400 tonnes in the previous year.
Plastic bottle collection rate rises.
The rate of collecting plastics bottles for recycling from British households has almost doubled in the past two years according to new figures produced by Recoup (RECycling Of Used Plastics).
PACKAGING
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Plastics packaging really is better for the environment.
A study published earlier this year by the Environmental and Plastics Industry Council in Canada shows how switching from plastics to other forms of packaging would increase energy consumption and greenhouse gas production in Western Europe.
European food contact approval for film process aids.
Viton FreeFlow Z200 fluoroelastomer process aids from DuPont Performance Elastomers have been declared compliant with food contact regulations in Europe for use in finished film-type food packaging materials.
How REACH will affect packaging.
The effects of the European Community's REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) regulation on packaging will be explored at a conference in Madrid, Spain, on July 5 - 6.
In-line thermoforming of PLA 'competitive with PET or PS'.
A pellets-to-packaging line for PLA thermoformed trays has been developed by Brückner Formtec, producing trays at prices competitive with trays made of PET or PS.
PLA packaging raises the ecological perception of organic produce.
Rigid trays and an overwrap film all made from PLA are being used by Austrian retail chain SPAR to package organic fruit. The biodegradable NatureWorks packing adds to the ecological perception of the organic produce, and also extends shelf life.
Handling guide for PLA packaging.
To take the mystique out of PLA packaging, major producer NatureWorks has started a support service to promote best practice in handling goods packed in PLA.
World's first biodegradable barrier film?
A biodegradable barrier film - believed to be the world's first - will be introduced by Alcan Packaging at a conference in Germany in October. The technology combines a layer of silicone oxide for the barrier and polylactic acid for biodegradability.
PHA packaging makes lipstick fully biodegradable.
A fully biodegradable lipstick has gone into production at RPC Cresstale, following the moulding of a powder compact using the same polymer. The pack was produced using PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), like the more familiar PLA made from polymerised fermented sugars, but more heat stable, and with a smaller moulding window.
PLA bottles for the smaller producer.
A series of small-scale machines for blowing bottles from PLA introduced by American manufacturer Norland International is described as the first small-bottle - up to 1·5 litres - blow moulders capable of producing bottles from corn-based plastics for use by small to medium-sized bottled water operations.
Loadhog bites into pallet shrink wrap business.
Use of the Loadhog pallet lidding system is making savings in pallet wrap, time to apply it, and other negative aspects of shrink wrapping pallets such as losses from spillage and damage.
PP film grade has high optical performance.
A new polypropylene film grade from Borealis offers the packaging industry a combination of good low temperature resistance, high stiffness, high heat resistance and excellent optical properties.
Cost cutting with cut-on-demand in-mould labelling...
An in-mould labelling add-on that is said to make labelling cheaper with less risk of failures has been developed by Inmould Label Technologies. The CAP (cut and present) system replaces the pre-cut label canister with a device to cut single labels from a roll of pre-printed film and then presents them in exactly the same pick up position for an existing IML robot to collect.
...and induction heated jar sealing
A 'cold head' induction sealing system has gone into production at Yves Rocher Manufacturing in Cork, Ireland, bringing energy savings and other economies. The machine, designed and built by Relco UK, uses the company's patented 'capless' induction foil cutting and sealing system which heat-seals the foil by the application of an electromagnetic energy field rather than with conventional direct conduction heating.
High volume blow moulder makes multi-layer milk bottles for extended shelf life.
A machine for extended shelf life milk bottles for where refrigeration is limited has been developed by Uniloy Milacron, which says it is the first multi-layer reciprocating blow moulding machine. It makes HDPE milk bottles 10 - 20 per cent faster than shuttle or wheel machines, with 10 - 25 per cent less energy consumption.
Nitrogen dosing made apple-shaped bottle possible.
Liquid nitrogen is being used to fill the head space of a hot fill PET bottle and counteract the normal volume reduction during cooling by an American apple juice bottler. Although using nitrogen is a common practice in water bottling, it has never been done at these temperatures before, said bottle producer Graham Packaging.
Foamable SMA copolymers for food packaging.
Nova Chemicals Corporation has introduced foamable Dylark FG materials, a new family of styrene maleic anhydride copolymers for microwaveable packaging.
Transparent 5-layer gas barrier films.
A collaboration between Distrupol customer support and French packaging specialist Imprisac has resulted in a new line of 5-layer gas barrier films.
INJECTION MOULDING
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Chinese injection machine giant to build electric machines in Germany - for sale in Asia.
Chinese injection moulding machine manufacturer Ningbo Haitian Group is behind a new German company which has started developing a series of all-electric machines to be built in Germany and sold in Asia. While this sounds a bizarre coals-to-Newcastle concept, it is based on some deep thinking about the culture difference between East and West.
More flexibility for insert moulding.
Cincinnati Milacron is now building its Magna V insert moulding machines in systems tailored to the application. The machines have vertical C frame clamping units and vertical injection units and can be configured with moulds, bowl feeders, in-line conveyors and automation for insert placement, part removal, inspection and packaging.
New all-electric series has advanced control.
Toshiba's new ECNII all-electric machines use the advanced Injectivisor V30 controller and have high speed mould closing, opening and ejection and better mould protection. A low inertia injection mechanism has been produced together with a low inertia, high torque motor.
Adaptable automation for small parts.
Boy, Stäubli Robotics and Schleicher have combined to develop a fully automated standard injection moulding cell to make small parts. The modular design of the system permits modification according to product within a short time. The mould and, if necessary, the automation module can be exchanged and an 'unlimited' number of combinations achieved.
UPG to open more low cost economy plants.
United Plastics Group, the US-based international moulding company with a subsidiary in Wales, has opened its second moulding plant in China and announced plans to open its third Mexican manufacturing location by the fourth quarter of this year. The move is part of its strategic objective to expand capacity in low cost countries.
MuCell injection adds soft skin to car dashboards.
A new slant on car interior soft-touch components has been taken by a European consortium in the Dolphin process, demonstrated at Engel's St Valentin plant in Austria last month, which adds a surface skin of a copolyester foamed by injecting carbon dioxide in a supercritical state - the MuCell process.
Trexel shows there's more than one way to get a smooth MuCell surface.
Trexel has got together with nylon supplier Rhodia in a smooth surface technology with an extra incentive - if you use Rhodia material in your MuCell process you can get an average 25 - 30 per cent reduction in the purchase price of the MuCell system.
Injection machine majors hold out against the downward trend.
Both Krauss-Maffei and Engel have reported encouraging sales of injection moulding machines against a falling trend. Both companies credited sales of larger sized machines for much of their business.
Ferromatik Milacron to cut staffing and revamp its way of working.
Milacron has committed to the future of its Ferromatik Milacron plant at Malterdingen in Germany, but with a new way of working and fewer staff.
MIR names Dassett as UK agent.
Italian plastics and rubber injection machine manufacturer MIR has closed its British office in Reading and appointed Dassett Process Engineering as its UK agent.
BIOPOLYMERS
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Japanese companies expand the potential of plants.
Further strides have been made by major users of plastics in Japan to switch to bio-sourced materials for ecological reasons.
ENGINEERING MATERIALS
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Performance Plastics to sell thermally conductive plastics.
Thermally conductive plastics have been added to the Performance Plastics range of engineering materials with an agreement for the company to represent Cool Polymers of Rhode Island, USA.
Exxon/Mitsubishi go their own ways in automotive PP...
The ExxonMobil and Mitsubishi joint venture in automotive grade polypropylenes, Mytex, has been dissolved. The shares held by ExxonMobil in the USA and in Asia have been transferred to Mitsubishi companies in the USA and in Singapore. At the same time ExxonMobil has introduced its own line of PP compounds for the automotive sector.
...while Mitsui plans expansion...
Mitsui Chemicals and its majority share joint venture with Idemitsu Kosan, Prime Polymer, are to expand worldwide production of polypropylene compounds for automotive use.
...and Resin Express adds Borealis materials.
Resin Express has joined Ashland as a distributor of Borealis polypropylenes for the automotive sector.
PEEK enhanced with tougher grades and coating series.
Victrex has extended the application potential for its PEEK polyaryletherketone by alloying it with polybenzimidazole, and the introduction of a new series of coating grades.
Resin Express takes on Dow's Nordel.
The elastomer materials sold by the Resin Express group are to be augmented with Dow Chemical's Nordel EPDM.
TPE producer changes agency.
Turkish thermoplastic elastomer producer and engineering plastics compounder Enplast has switched UK representation from Polymers Direct to Ultrapolymers for its Enflex and Ensoft TPEs.
FILM & SHEET CONVERSION
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Sound absorbing foam is lighter weight for aircraft use.
New BASF Basotect UL melamine sound-absorbing and heat-insulating foam is said to be particularly suitable for aircraft cabins. Weighing 6 g/litre, it is 30 per cent lighter than conventional Basotect and complies with fire protection standards stipulated by aviation authorities.
Films associations to merge.
Two trade associations in the plastics film business, the Flexible Packaging Association and the Packaging and Industrial Films Association are to merge.
Forming area increased by 30 per cent.
TFT has replaced its FCS 870 form-cut-stack thermoforming machine with the FC 1000 E, which has 30 per cent larger forming area.
GE improves PEI films for bar code labels.
A new white grade of Ultem PEI film, WH217, has been developed by GE-Plastics for bar code labels. It has high opacity and is intended to ensure that labels can be read correctly. Print contrast ratio is 98 per cent and manufacturers of labels need not apply an opaque topcoat.
Hand welding kit keeps all the bits together.
Welwyn Tool Group has packaged a Leister hand welding kit in a metal case to enable roofers to have all their tools and equipment within easy reach while working on site.
FINISHING
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Dye diffusion process for 3D decorating.
A 3D dye diffusion decorating process suitable for a variety of substrates has been introduced by ICI Imagedata.
Battery-powered gun dispenses twin pack adhesives.
For repetitive application of adhesives or sealants from twin pack cartridges where the adhesive has to be taken to the work piece Intertronics has introduced the EZ-mix HI battery powered dispenser.
UV flood lamp cures large assemblies.
A UV curing flood lamp has been introduced by Intertronics for curing large workpieces.
Automatic foiling on irregular shapes.
The new Quadrax B2/2M2 hot foiling machine from CER is now available from PBE Marking Systems. The machine can mark oval and irregular shapes thanks to its shape reading laser.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
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Chinese chillers put performance before price.
Tricool has formed a partnership with HL Cooling, a UK-based company which has its own purpose-built manufacturing facility in the Guang Dong province of China, to offer a range of high specification but competitively priced chillers.
Three ways to cut the cost of cooling.
Aqua Cooling Solutions is now offering three energy saving options across its entire range of 1 - 1,500 kW chillers. These are free cooling, partial heat recovery and total heat recovery.
Improving productivity in high thermal environments.
As temperatures soar, productivity can plummet. Steve Kirkwood, whose company Seely International (Europe) sells Breezair evaporative air cooling systems, explains why.
SOFTWARE
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Not so much a program, more a way of life.
Simulation and predictive software tell you what should happen in injection moulding. But to get a job running at its optimum you need to build in some practical feedback. Clive Maier looks at a spreadsheet-based moulding optimiser that guides you step by step to setting the machine to its most efficient.
OTHER DOWNLOADABLE SECTIONS AND REGULAR FEATURES
Materials Marketplace, Update (366 KB)
Company Report, Buyers' Guide (2,306 KB)
FACTFINDER CONTACTS FOR THIS MONTH'S ISSUE
103 Engel UK Ltd
Apollo Way,
Tachbrook Park,
Warwick
CV34 6RW
01926 335000
E-mail: euk@engel.at
Web site: www.engelglobal.com/uk104 Resin Express Ltd
11 The Valley Centre,
High Wycombe,
Bucks
HP13 6EQ
01494 459881
E-mail: info@resinexpress.com
Web site: www.resinexpress.com105 Victrex plc
Victrex Technology Centre,
Hillhouse International,
Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire
FY5 4QD
01253 897700
E-mail: victrexplc@victrex.com
Web site: www.victrex.com106 Ultrapolymers Ltd
Spencer House, 97 Dewhurst Road,
Birchwood,
Warrington
WA3 7PG
01925 282300
E-mail: up@ultrapolymers.co.uk
Web site: www.ultrapolymers.co.uk107 Performance Plastics Ltd
3 Brock House,
Grigg Lane,
Brockenhurst, Hampshire
SO42 7RE
01590 622666
E-mail: info@performance-plastics.co.uk
Web site: www.performance-plastics.co.uk111 Resin Express Ltd
11 The Valley Centre,
High Wycombe,
Bucks
HP13 6EQ
01494 459881
E-mail: info@resinexpress.com
Web site: www.resinexpress.com112 ICI Imagedata
Brantham,
Manningtree,
Essex
CO11 1NL
01206 716279
E-mail: pictaflex@ici-imagedata.com
Web site: www.ici-imagedata.com115 Chronos Richardson Ltd
Arnside Road,
Bestwood,
Nottingham
NG5 5HD
0115 935 1351
E-mail: info@chronosrichardson.com
Web site: www.chronosrichardson.com116 Coperion Ltd
Andrew House,
26 Mellor Road,
Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire
SK8 5AU
0161 482 6600
Web site: www.coperion.com117 DuPont (UK) Ltd
Maylands Avenue,
Hemel Hempstead,
Herts
HP2 7DP
01442 218500
E-mail: Trevor.Prince-2@gbr.dupont.com
Web site: plastics.dupont.com119 PBE Marking Systems Ltd
717 Banbury Avenue,
Slough,
Berks
SL1 4LR
01753 536536
E-mail: sales@pbemarking.com
Web site: www.pbemarking.com121 Extricom
1 The Barn House,
Shepley,
Huddersfield
HD8 8AZ
E-mail: RUPW@aol.com
Web site: www.extricom.de122 Inmould Label Technologies Ltd
14 Willett Avenue,
Chasetown,
Burntwood, Staffordshire
WS7 3FJ
01543 677084
E-mail: tony@imltech.co.uk123 Relco UK Ltd
Imperial Way,
Watford,
Herts
WD24 4JP
01923 241231
E-mail: sales@relco.co.uk
Web site: www.relco.co.uk124 Aqua Cooling Solutions Ltd
Link House, Tower Lane,
Tower Industrial Estate,
Eastleigh, Hampshire
SO50 6NZ
023 8064 1800
E-mail: simon@aquacooling.co.uk
Web site: www.aquacooling.co.uk125 Seeley International (Europe) Ltd
Blythe Valley Innovation Centre,
Central Boulevard,
Blythe Valley Park, Solihull
B90 8AJ
0845 868 2017
E-mail: eurosales@seeleyinternational.com
Web site: www.breezair-europe.com129 Tricool Engineering Ltd
14 Barnes Wallis Road,
Segensworth East,
Fareham, Hants
PO15 5TT
01489 584006
E-mail: sales@tricool.com
Web site: www.tricool.com130 Ferromatik Milacron Ltd
Carrwood Road,
Chesterfield Trading Estate,
Chesterfield, Derbys
S41 9QB
01246 260666
Web site: www.ferromatik.com132 MCP Tooling Technologies Ltd
Whitebridge Park,
Whitebridge Way,
Stone, Staffs
ST15 8LQ
01785 815651
E-mail: bbennett@mcp-group.co.uk
Web site: www.mcp-group.com#
133 Intertronics
17 Station Field Industrial Estate,
Banbury Road, Kidlington,
Oxfordshire
OX5 1JD
01865 842842
E-mail: sales@intertronics.co.uk
Web site: www.intertronics.co.uk134 Intertronics
17 Station Field Industrial Estate,
Banbury Road, Kidlington,
Oxfordshire
OX5 1JD
01865 842842
E-mail: sales@intertronics.co.uk
Web site: www.intertronics.co.uk135 BASF UK Ltd
PO Box 4, Earl Road,
Cheadle Hulme,
Cheshire
SK8 6QG
0161 485 6222
Web site: www.basf.com/136 Henry Lenox Industrial Ltd
9 Hanworth Road,
Hampton,
Middlesex
TW12 3DH
020 8941 9274
E-mail: sales@henrylenox.co.uk137 Welwyn Tool Group
9 Blenheim Court, Brownfields,
Welwyn Garden City,
Hertfordshire
AL7 1AD
01707 331111
E-mail: info@welwyntoolgroup.co.uk
Web site: www.welwyntoolgroup.co.uk144 G & A Moulding Technology Ltd
26 Tresham Road,
Orton Southgate,
Peterborough
PE2 6SG
01733 232211
E-mail: mail@gandamoulding.co.uk
Web site: www.gandamoulding.co.uk145 Dassett Process Engineering
8A Daimletr Close,
Daventry,
Northamptonshire
NN11 8QJ
01327 261863
E-mail: info@dassett.com
Web site: www.dassett.com
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