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WHAT'S ON AT INTERPLAS
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This month's magazine is devoted to a preview of the Interplas exhibition. We highlight some of the events taking place at the show, and preview what many of the exhibitors will be showing.
Progress report expected on ultrasonic-assisted polymer flow.
The progress being made in the European Ultramelt project which is investigating the use of ultrasonic energy to improve melt flow will be reported by project co-ordinator the Polymer Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association.
Clinic to advise on business issues.
Assistance on a range of business issues such as energy procurement, insurance, credit management, quality assurance, waste management, recruitment and training will be on offer at a Processors Clinic being run by the British Plastics Federation.
Manufacturing shows run side by side.
Interplas has been paired at the NEC with five other exhibitions of more than passing interest to plastics processors - Time Compression Technologies which highlights rapid product development/manufacturing techniques, the Design Engineering Show, Computers in Manufacturing, Inspex and Tooling.
Make a case for Rapra to revamp your product.
New or existing products could be given a free makeover by Rapra Technology in a competition it is planning for Interplas. It is inviting companies with existing or new products that need producing more effectively and at less cost to make a case for Rapra to give it a free product and processing redesign analysis. The most deserving three will get the treatment.
Get touchy feely with the NPL.
The National Physical Laboratory will be inviting the public to test their feelings at Interplas - literally. It will be inviting the public to take part in live experiments to gauge their tactile response to different plastics. The project aims to generate qualitative analysis which will identify how people associate different perceptions of feel with adjectives to describe them. By doing so, it aims to provide industry with a more accurate way to predict how customers may respond to a product.
Training by wire.
The Interplas e-Learning Cafe will be managed by Polymer Training and will showcase the latest electronic-based distance learning in plastics, composites and rubber production.
End use emphasis through Market Zones and seminars.
One of the features at this year's Interplas will be its focus on key end user sectors through the establishment of special Market Zones focused on the use of plastics in the automotive, packaging and medical industries. Alongside the Market Zones will be a daily seminar programme with presentations organised by the Society of Plastics Engineers, the British Plastics Federation, and the London Metals Exchange.
MATERIALS & ADDITIVES
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Broader base for Performance Plastics.
A number of new materials have been added to the Performance Plastics stock list since the last Interplas while long-standing material ranges sold by the company have also been extended.
Mineral fillers for polyolefins.
Two new fillers will be introduced by Omya UK. The Omyalene 2000 range of granular filler concentrates is specifically designed for use in polyethylene film to enhance mechanical strength while Omyalene 102 is a highly filled calcium carbonate for sheet extrusion, pipe extrusion, blow moulding and injection moulding.
Silicones for tooling or potting.
Two addition-cure moulding rubbers have been introduced by ACC Silicones which are particularly suitable for mould making and making pads for tampon printing.
'New class' of antistat - you can look but not touch.
A novel type of antistatic agent based on trineoalkoxy zirconates which works independent of atmospheric moisture will be promoted by Kenrich Petrochemicals. But despite patented in Europe two years ago it has not yet been registered in the European List of Notified Chemical Substances because of the prohibitive cost of testing.
All that glisters could be from MPD.
Special effect pigments from several sources will be shown by Mono Pigment Developments.
Glass microspheres improve colour and whiteness.
Spheriwhite glass microspheres have been developed by Potters Europe to enhance the colour of a polymer in its final application. Spheriwhite controls the whiteness of a polymer where there is no pigment, and enhances the colour where pigment is present.
Nylons at low cost or high spec.
New low cost and high specification nylon compounds will be introduced by Frisetta Polymer. The low cost Frianayl ARX PA66 compound is made using a recently developed patented process in which a base material of textile grade nylon is compounded into an injection moulding grade. The high specification flame retardant nylon 66 grades are halogen and phosphorus free and can have up to 30 per cent glass fibre.
PE and PP sales without service.
Not what you buy but how you buy it will be the emphasis on Alastian's stand. Alastian is the internet-based PE and PP trading arm of Basell, and its claim is to be the world's first 'no-frills' polyolefins business.
MATERIAL SECURITY
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Make materials magnetic and they're easier to sort.
The main feature of the Eriez demonstration of metal detectors and separators will be the PolyMag plastics separation process for easy separation and handling of plastic process scrap or mixed re-grind material. This renders the polymer magnetic with an additive in a process similar to adding colour concentrate. A high intensity permanent magnetic separator is then applied to sort and recover various types and/or colours of plastics. Eriez will also be demonstrating its electronic metal separators.
Maag raises performance and lowers costs of screen changers.
Three screen changers from Maag Pump System Textron will be introduced by Suurmond UK, which last year took over the sales activities from Maag Pump Systems Textron UK.
Gneuss technology at a lower cost.
A lower cost rotary filtration system has been based by Gneuss on its established RSF Genius system. The SFXmagnus uses a new design of drive and does not have integral screen cleaning. The RSFgenius has itself been improved with detailed modifications.
Drawer magnets 'last for a lifetime'.
Drawer magnets with a lifetime guarantee for use on injection moulding machines will be shown by Bunting Magnetics Co of the USA. The new Neo drawer uses high-strength, temperature-compensated rare-earth (neodymium) magnets and is guaranteed not to permanently lose its magnetic strength when bolted to feed throats with temperatures in excess of 80 degC.
PROCESS CONTROL
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The latest in static control from Simco.
The latest static control system from Simco, the PerforMAX 3, will be shown by Advanced Dynamics.
Long range static elimination.
Fraser Anti-Static will be launching new versions of four products - the new 3850 Ionstorm bar using the 3700 controller, the 1250 short range static eliminator bar now available with a choice of power supplies, the lower cost 5500 Ionised Airknife, and the 4100E Ionised Airgun.
Keeping Intouch with production.
The Intouch Windows-based real time production monitoring, reporting and scheduling system provides instant visibility and status of any job taking place on the factory floor.
Plantmaster extended with tool planning, Kan-Ban and wireless operation.
The Plantmaster manufacturing execution system builds on Barco's earlier BarcoCIM product range, bringing in wireless technology for data collection together with support for the latest machine communication protocols such as Euromap 63 and OPC.
A cold extruder can't hang on to this transducer.
A tougher melt pressure transducer from Gneuss has a new design of diaphragm with a two-layer coating to extend service life and a heated diaphragm so it is possible to remove the transducer from an extrusion line which has been shut down and allowed to cool.
COLOUR MANAGEMENT
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It's not what you measure, but what you do with the measurements that counts for GretagMacbeth.
Gretagmacbeth builds spectrophotometers, but it is their application through sophisticated software that is making the running for developments at the company with a colour laboratory productivity suite and a similar system focused on textiles.
MATERIALS HANDLING
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Hoses beat the heat.
Masterflex makes polyurethane hoses and connecting systems for the transportation of powders, granules and other abrasive materials. Its neoprene and silicon hoses can be used for hot air applications such as granule drying and the company makes wear-resistant pipe and pipe bends for pneumatic conveying systems.
New handling and drying equipment from Colortronic.
Recently-introduced dosing, drying and blending equipment will be among the materials handling plant to be shown by Colortronic.
Motan moves materials by Metro.
A new generation of Metro loaders for conveying systems will be introduced by Motan.
Piovan debuts at Interplas in its own right.
Piovan will be at Interplas for the first time since setting up its own company in Britain, showing materials handling equipment, a granulator and a mould temperature controller.
Away with the dust.
The American-built Pelletron range of de-dusting equipment will be demonstrated by Advanced Dynamics.
Air separator removes dust on the machine.
The Moretto Roto Dust Separator to be shown by Summit Systems is installed directly on the machine throat, and removes dust from the material as it is dosed.
Across the range from Wittmann.
Wittmann UK will exhibit its full range of ancillary and automation equipment from remote control automation and materials handling, via Witt-Link and other solutions, to equipment for materials drying, materials handling, tool temperature control, granulation and automation.
INJECTION MOULDING
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Hot runner components and controllers from Fast Heat.
A representative selection of its hot runner components and controllers will be shown by Fast Heat.
Billion packaging machine now in series production.
The fast cycling Chronoma machine will be shown in production form for the first time in Western Europe.
Second generation Negri Bossi electric makes its debut.
Negri Bossi's second generation All-Electric series builds on experience from the previous Elma model that was introduced five years ago and shares components with the recently updated Canbio Hydraulic range.
Taiwanese toggles compete with European prices - but these are all-electric.
The focus from Victor Europe, the European arm of Victor Taichung Machinery of Taiwan, is on its range of all-electric machines from 50 - 200 tonnes.
Mould clamp needs less repositioning.
The latest mould clamp from Lenzkes Clamping Tools is said to give more height and reach than any other mechanical clamp available allowing a wider variety of mould tools to be used without the need to reposition clamps.
New nozzles and hot runners from Thermoplay.
New nozzle designs and special purpose hot runner systems will by shown by Thermoplay.
Triple shot from Sandretto.
Among the Sandretto machines expected will be one of the company's higher performance Nove HP models, alongside a production cell comprising a Multi machine equipped for triple shot moulding.
Variety in design from Arburg.
Machines will include Arburg's latest Allrounder 270U 350 100 with the Selogica Direct touch screen controller an Allrounder 420A 1000 400 electric drive machine and an Allrounder 820S 4000 3200/150 multi-component machine equipped with a Multilift H/V robot system.
Chinese moulder sets up British office.
Lucky Star (Holdings), an ISO 9001 and ISO14001 certified injection moulder from China, has opened a UK liaison office in Lancashire. Another Chinese moulder pitching for business at Interplas will be TK Mold.
Schöttli stretches the envelope.
Even higher mould densities can now be achieved using Schöttli hot runners which can feed 192 + 192 or even bigger stack moulds, based on new front and side feeding Cluster Hot Runner technology.
Steel mouldings open new doors.
Injection moulding with metal powders is an emerging technology, and Metal Injection Mouldings will show what the process can do.
AUTOMATION & ROBOTS
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Robots and software tools from ABB.
Two recent robot introductions from ABB are the IRB 1600 a backward-bending, steam-washable robot, with optional IP 67 classification, and the Shelf Robot (IRB 6650S) which can be mounted in elevated positions to maximise cell workspace. The company will also show its RobotWare Plastic - Mould software which has been developed specifically for programming robots used for injection moulding.
High performance, low price claims Wittmann.
Wittmann UK reckons the 7 generation robot, now being produced and exported to the UK from Hungary and China 'is clearly our best range of linear robots yet', with improvements, economies and better design in all areas.
Sepro stresses detail developments.
Two models will be added to the Axess full-servo robot range for pick and place duties but most of the innovation from Sepro will be in detail improvements to enhance productivity.
FOAM PROCESSING
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Nitrogen saturation produces very low densities.
A wide range of Plastazote polyolefin block foams in varying densities, stiffness and colours will be shown by Zotefoams along with a selection of finished items and components indicating potential uses.
Variable options for foam block splitting.
A block-splitting machine that can handle PE, latex or cellular rubber, Basotect, Baynat, PVC, compound foam or visco-elastic foam, will be demonstrated by Albrecht Bäumer of Germany.
PIPE & PROFILE
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Speed and accuracy improved on tube cutter.
Two new extrusion cutters will be introduced by Gillard. The Servo-Torq Ultra high performance rotary cutter can hold length accuracies to within ±0·06 mm at a CpK >1·67. The Servo-Torq Mini table-top rotary cutter is suitable for users looking for a high accuracy, off-line cutting system and can handle flexible tube and profile up to 30 mm diameter.
FILM & SHEET CONVERSION
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Packaging formers from Italy.
Earlier this year Advanced Dynamics signed a distribution deal for a new range of thermoforming machines designed and built by AL.MA Packing and Packaging Machinery of Italy and will display a selection of products demonstrating the machines' capabilities and applications.
The latest technology from Geiss.
Swanstone will be using its biggest-ever Interplas stand to show four Geiss machines - two thermoformers and two CNC trimming machines.
Illig optimises high speed forming.
A product handling unit which improves the utilisation of high speed thermoformers will be shown for the first time by Illig.
Single station formers.
ADTS is to introduce a range of cost competitive single station thermoforming machines which will be promoted by Thermoforming Solutions.
Folding, polishing and laser cutting.
Sheet fabrication equipment to be shown by Awltech will include a new PVC folding machine and a table top diamond edge polisher.
Packaging promise.
'New developments in flexible packaging machinery are promised by Tpack, which builds bespoke machines, revamps used machines, manufactures ancillary equipment, and carries out complete machine refurbishment.
PRODUCT HANDLING
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Conveyors in all sizes and configurations.
Virginio Nastri builds 240 standard conveyors and separators and a selection of the most popular models will be shown by Virginio UK, a division of STV.
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
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Temperature sensor plots processes on video.
The new Marathon MM Series from Raytek is a non-contact infrared temperature sensor with real-time video recording capabilities.
Thermal imaging system reads 256 points at once.
A low cost thermal imaging system capable of measuring simultaneously up to 256 temperature-points over an object or area in real time will be demonstrated by InfraRed Integrated Systems (Irisys).
Regloplas at Interplas.
Recent additions to the Regloplas budget-priced Smart range of temperature control units will be shown by Motan.
New chillers join Tricool temperature controllers.
The next generation of ADV process chillers will be introduced by Tricool alongside its established Viceroy and Sheik temperature controllers. Tricool will also be marking the launch of its Combi C6 range of thermoregulators with special Interplas discounts.
Cooling for all applications.
Cool Tech, which makes cooling systems for all plastics applications, is exhibiting with Thermoforming Solutions.
Tight tolerance temperature control.
The Speedy Therm temperature controller to be shown by Piovan is equipped with magnetic drive pump, brazed plate heat exchanger, solenoid valves for long life, and logic control with self-tuning PID.
FINISHING
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High speed pad printer and powerful laser from Kaye-Dee.
New pad printing, ink and laser systems will be demonstrated by Kaye-Dee Marking Solutions. Teca Print has produced a special pad printing system using UV curable ink for multi-colour printing with a flexible product transfer unit. To solve the problem of print consistency and adhesion on PET/PETG mouldings Ruco has developed its T40 ink. The new Tyrex laser marking equipment is described as 'the most compact and powerful laser in the world'.
Points to consider when choosing threaded inserts.
Tappex will be introducing a guide that examines 10 key points to consider when choosing a threaded insert and will be demonstrating its new Heat Inserter machine.
'Fastest' laser coder for extrusion.
Linx Printing Technologies will be introducing what it describes as 'the fastest steered beam laser coder on the market', which is pitched at high speed/volume production lines in the extrusion and cabling, food, beverage and brewing industries.
All-electric pad printers.
Tampographic Services is promising 'new generation pad printers, all-electric, with probably the highest speed and performance on the market'.
Ruthenium plating for plastics.
New surface effects for automotive interior components have been developed by Saxonia EuroCoin of Germany by plating nylon and ABS/PC with the precious metal ruthenium in a high volume series.
Polyolefin welding rod.
GTS-X will be showing a range of plastic welding rod in PP and HDPE.
RECLAMATION & RECYCLING
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Machines for heavy duty size reduction.
Shredders from Weima are built in formats intended for specific work loads in size reducing plastics, such as for use with production scrap, start-up chunks, thick-walled or bulky components, films and foils or for grinding plastic sheet or long plastic profiles.
Chinese granulators built to European standards.
Granulators built by Shini Plastics Technologies of Guangong in Southern China will be shown by the Shini UK division of STV.
Beside the press.
The RPS15/23 beside-the-press granulator to be shown by Piovan is a small low-speed granulator with a scissor cutting action.
Compact granulation for injection moulding.
The new Tria compact granulator series for injection moulding will make its UK debut on the Motan stand.
Driving down the volume of waste.
Systems 4 Recycling is the sole UK agent for Italian-made Ecomaster Bio-Tunnel Composting Systems which are said to offer impressive advantages over conventional composting systems by processing material in a closed, temperature controlled environment.
Show discount.
Adler Granulators will be showing a small granulator on the Thermoforming Solutions stand which will be offered for sale at a show discounted price.
Energy-saving option on shredders.
A patented energy saving drive system available on Vecoplan shredders is said to bring savings of up to 60 per cent on electricity costs while boosting hourly output significantly compared with the standard Vecoplan range.
Vehicle recyclers PRoVE the worth of reclaimed plastics.
The British Plastics Federation will be revealing the findings of DTI-funded research into the future for automotive plastics recycling. The PRoVE (Plastics Reprocessing Validation Exercise) project has developed industry-wide standards for engineering plastics and demonstrated that plastics sourced from old cars can meet required specifications.
TESTING
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Biggest exposure instrument on Atlas stand.
The weathering and light fastness testing instruments built by Atlas MTT will be augmented with the new Suntest XXL flatbed exposure system.
Vision stereo viewer range is expanded.
The original Vision Engineering Mantis stereo viewer has been developed into a new range to deliver the latest technologies in optics and LED illumination.
Tensile/compression tests take less space.
The new MTS Insight range of electromechanical testing systems to be shown by Nortest offers a full range of testing capabilities, with a smaller load frame footprint.
Mechanical and impact testing from Instron.
Two mechanical testing machines demonstrating different performance levels and different levels of sample deformation measurement will by shown by Instron.
OTHER PRODUCTS & SERVICES
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From bearings to rod ends.
Sister companies Ondrives and Rino Industries have teamed up to show their ranges of mechanical drive components.
Keeping the floor clean.
Equipment to maintain production area floors in a clean and safe condition will be demonstrated by Depureco.
Transmission is us.
More than 60,000 standard stock items are offered by HPC Gears, covering all manner of gears, pulleys, belts, worms, chains and wheels.
Made in Malaysia.
Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation - MATRADE, is Malaysia's national trade promotion agency and promotes the export of Malaysian manufactured and semi-manufactured products and services.
SOFTWARE
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From concept to completion with a single suite of software.
Delcam's Power Solution suite addresses all stages from the creation of a concept design through to the manufacture and inspection of prototypes, tooling and sample components.
SOFTWARE REVIEW
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Quicksight - quick estimate.
Clive Maier once again muses the tightrope-over-the-precipice of job quotations as he reviews an injection moulding costing estimator.
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