Aim - PS - The Dow Chemical Company

Plastics Technology, 2004-12-01, D-LFT Composites Aim for Auto Body Panels
Direct long-fiber thermoplastic (D-LFT) compounding and molding is getting ready to expand beyond non-appearance structural automotive parts to exterior body panels.

Kunststoffe international, Attention to Detail
...vidual applications continues. Additives should as far as possible be multifunctional. Discussions around the circular economy have, however, led to a change. The use of additives should not limit reprocessing and recycling. On the contrary, the aim is to try and facilitate recycling processes by the targeted use of additives.

Kunststoffe international, Avoiding Shutdowns
...x technique was initially used to restore shutdown cavities. It was also used on demand. Its use as a preventive measure for maintenance of the mold cooling system meant that problems subsequently became ever less frequent. The aim is to optimize the use of the pulsed flushing process such that shutdowns due to disruptions or failure no longer occur at all. According to the plant operator the purchasing costs for the Comprex unit paid back in a short time. The flushing technology allows the cool...

Kunststoffe international, Data Management at the Tool
...ety and safeguard health ‧according to the product safety law (ProdSG). Legally, it should be pointed out here that faulty, incomplete or incomprehensible instructions for use represent a material defect, and can thus lead to a claim for rectification, withdrawal from the purchase contract or reduction of the purchase price. Within the scope of product liability, faulty instructions for use can, in the event of damage or injury, become a considerable financial liability risk for placing the prod...

Kunststoffe international, Easier to Reach the Destination
...nder-the-bonnet applications. Currently, it is being used in the front-end module (Fig. 2). Carbon Fiber-Reinforced PP: When Stiffness Matters Most If the highest possible stiffness is the aim, then carbon fiber-reinforced PP can deliver (Fig. 3). With a stability nearly as high as glass fiber-reinforced PP, this material class is characterized by very low density, good processability, and very low thermal expansion and warpage. Borealis offers materials that are up to 40 % carbon fiber-reinfor...

Kunststoffe international, Easily Legible and Durable Inscriptions
...nt weight (Fig. 4). In the second example, the Laserwrite technology was used to mark a yellow component with a black inscription. Because of the requirements placed on the component’s wall thickness in this case, the aim was to reduce the structural changes to a minimum. The cross-section shows clearly that the onset of carbonization is only very slight on the outer surface (Fig. 5). Foam formation in the material has been suppressed almost completely. As a result, the component’s wall thicknes...

Kunststoffe international, Excellent Resistance at Reduced Weight
...cesses Are Suitable? Despite this potential, a transfer of FIM to thermoset processing has not yet been implemented in industrial practice and has been barely investigated from a scientific point of view. For this reason, the aim of this research is to qualify and analyze suitable processes for the foaming of thermoset molding compounds. Physical foaming of plastics is based on mass transport processes of the blowing agent in the plastic. These are stimulated by concentration or partial pressur...

Kunststoffe international, Exhibitors See Green
...roduction. Irrespective of whether it concerns manufacturers’ proprietary system environments or supplier-independent networking: communication internally between equipment and systems and with production control systems is being improved. This aim is driven not least by a uniform definition of interfaces such as Euromap or the wide-ranging use of OPC architecture for data exchange. The entire work flow, from the product idea via the part design and realistic prototype production through to robu...

Kunststoffe international, Fine Adjustment of the Melt Flows in the Hot Runner by Means of Melt Rotation
...ity of the molded parts – why therefore use melt rotation? The term "fine adjustment" can also be used here by way of clarification. A fine adjustment is always applied wherever a certain level has been attained with the aim of achieving a higher level and exploiting further possibilities, which were not previously possible or apparent. Where High Precision in Large Quantities is RequiredThe areas of application for hot runner systems with integrated melt rotation, of course, fall to areas where...

Kunststoffe international, Flexible Guiding Systems for Cooling Air
... a significant reduction of the flow gap with existing “rigid” AGS is limited. Development of a Flexible Air Guiding System For this reason, IKV has developed a flexible air guiding system for blown film extrusion with the aim of increasing the cooling capacity and thus the productivity of an existing blown film extrusion line. This publication deals with the question of how the developed air guiding system influences the mass throughput as well as the film properties such as film thickness va...

Kunststoffe international, Foam Beads in Gliding Flight
...with an internal release agent. Lacquers (type: Puroclear in piano black and red-pigmented clear coat) as well as a semi-rigid foam (type: Puroskin) from Rühl were processed. The aim was to demonstrate that particle foams with optically attractive surfaces, including a 3D depth effect, can also be enhanced. With the example of a flow-coated printed ‧circuit, the functionalization of particle-foam components was also investigated (Figs. 6 and 7). Process Monitoring Requires Complex Sensor Technol...

Kunststoffe international, Foamed and Still Extruded in One Step
...titution of thermal energy, and thereby also produced a reduction in the primary energy demand and greenhouse potential. The aim of the research project was to develop a process technology for manufacturing highly thermally insulating PVC façade elements with a PS foam core in a single process step. The plant used can obtain a foam density of up to 0.06 g/cm³. The achieved thermal conductivity of the foam of 0.0215 W/mK represented a good thermal insulation class. Despite these positive results,...

Kunststoffe international, Food Safe Post Consumer Recyclate
...While there is pressure to use recycled plastics in packaging in order to combat plastic waste, certain conditions must be met before food packaging can be considered safe. The criteria for what is commonly referred to as “food safe” essentially aim to ensure that substances are not be transferred from the packaging to the food in quantities that could endanger consumer health. The composition of the food must remain unchanged and its quality in terms of taste and aroma must not be impaired. Bec...

Kunststoffe international, From Fishing Net to Particle Foam
... therefore become global megatrends. The governments of various countries and international organizations such as the EU and the United Nations are addressing the waste problem, for example, through political and organizational commitments aimed at greater climate protection and responsible consumption of raw materials. Both have been incorporated into the United Nations’ goals for sustainable development [3]. In the maritime industry, the aim is to extend the useful life of plastics through re...

Kunststoffe international, From the Sea to Electronics
...P compounds the plastic carbon footprint can also be significantly reduced. The Process The project initially started in 2016, with the goal to create a positive environmental and social impact in Haiti. The aim was to improve the working conditions of Haitians collecting bottles and to provide a path out of poverty for the people who work in the landfill. The collection process begins when bottles are recovered from canals, roadsides, and the ocean shores. A new opportunity for 6000 to 8000 in...

Kunststoffe international, Metal Substitution with Improved PA
...ntly. Ultramid B3WG10 XP can therefore also offer advantages in the overall cost consideration of a part compared to PA6-GF60 and PA66-GF50. As product development continued, XP technology was extended to PA66, with the aim of transferring the improved production properties. Ultramid A3WG10 XP BK23346 represents an alternative to the already available PA66-GF50 and PA66-GF60. Compared to a PA66-GF50, it offers increased mechanical properties in all areas and, compared to a PA66-GF60, better we...

Kunststoffe international, Molded Part Quality Prediction Using Machine Learning
The general aim of quality prediction is to derive statements about the resulting molded part quality based on process data. For injection molded parts, a high level of informative value is generally attributed to the cavity pressure curve. The question arises whether the quality prediction yields more precise results if, in addition to the process data from the machine’s internal sensors, the data from the mold sensor(s) are also included. All plastics processing companies are facing the perma...

Kunststoffe international, No Chance for Dust and Contaminations
...m Weber GmbH & Co. KG together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM) have started a state-supported ZIM project (“Central Innovation Programme for small and medium-sized enterprises“). Aim: develop and implement a chemical-free surface modification (registered under the OpSiLight trademark). For almost 15 years Wilhelm Weber is pioneering in the field of optical LSR applications. Remarkable, recent products are the complex LSR-Optics which are u...

Kunststoffe international, No More Weight Problems
...avel of the injection plunger (the stroke). On the basis of a reference shot, both the changeover point and the holding pressure level are corrected to fit the injection work of the current shot. HiQ Flow has been developed with the aim of providing maximum possible user-friendliness. The reference values of the injection work are retrieved by a single click on a button. For experienced operators, there is also the option of entering the reference value for the injection work manually. All the o...

Kunststoffe international, Nozzles Regulate Thickness
...tment was made at the critical nozzle (with the largest positive deviation from the mean volume flow) for each process point by reducing its diameter in cross-section in three steps (2.5 %, 5.0 % and 10 % of the initial nozzle diameter). The aim of these simulations was not yet a complete optimization of the entire volume flow distribution, but rather the determination of the maximum diameter reduction required for this and an initial recording of the system behavior as a reaction to the changes...

Kunststoffe international, Paying Attention to Layers in-between
...is protected on all four sides to prevent any spillage of the material. EVOH layer width and homogeneity can be modified by acting on mechanical parameters in the co-extrusion head (i. e. the above-mentioned levers). Again, the aim is to control distribution of the multilayer melt to ensure correct layer distribution in the molded object. The multilayer melt exits the extrusion nozzle at a constant flow rate; that rate is regulated by volumetric pumps downstream from each individual extruder. Th...

Kunststoffe international, Plastic in the Service of Medicine
...or sales and marketing of drugs in all EU countries. Existing quality standards for production are thereby guaranteed. Celon Pharma launched the PIKCel project in 2014 as part of the EU funding program “European Regional Development Fund”. The aim of the project is to use a PI3K inhibitor, which is used to treat various types of cancer, also for the treatment of lung diseases such as asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The method of administering this medicine is inhalation. ...

Kunststoffe international, Polypropylene Beats Aluminum
... ballistic-impact-resistant battery tray system. It had to weigh no more than an aluminum component and incur no significant extra costs through the use of expensive materials such as aramid fibers or titanium. In the interest of sustainability, the aim was to achieve the greatest possible recyclability of the materials used and the finished battery tray. The battery trays in electric vehicles are primarily underbody systems designed to protect the batteries from impact stresses arising from the...

Kunststoffe international, Protective Coat for Electronics and Body
...zation of electronic components requires less-bulky encapsulations with simultaneous necessary media sealability. In order to meet these demands, a wide selection of coating materials is found in the electronics processing industry.The aim of the study was die scientific investigation of cost-effective coating materials with different base polymers regarding their suitability for protecting electronics in contact with biological fluids. Material selection was based on conventional thin-film and ...

Kunststoffe international, Recycling that Gets under the Skin
... products is to be increased from its current 4 to 5 million t to 10 million t [1–4]. In addition, the Commission is reinforcing its intention to introduce an obligatory recycled content for specific plastics product groups. Achieving this aim requires not only a voluntary commitment by the market players and a higher capacity for reprocessing separately collected plastic wastes, but also new processing technologies to allow recycled plastics to be used for a wider spectrum of products and in gr...

Kunststoffe international, Roadmap to the Plastics Industry for 110 Years
...istory, this edition is looking to the future. For example, in the round-table discussion about the industry’s current predicament, and ways out of the twofold crisis (p. 10). Since, even in difficult economic times, it is still the aim of Kunststoffe and the English-language edition, ‧Kunststoffe international, to give you a roadmap for plotting a course in which plastics can fulfill their destination as “irreplaceable materials for everyday articles,” as Erich Escales noted in July 1946 in his...

Kunststoffe international, Superficial, Yet Demanding
... to keep up with individualization, the ever-rising demand for flexibility and a desire to respond rapidly to customer needs. A further emerging major trend is the possibility of integrating or networking machinery into existing processes. The aim of interconnecting various plant parts with each other is to boost productivity and efficiency within the context of Industry 4.0. Aside from modifications in the form of printing plastic parts, plasma activation or corona treatment, further processes ...

Kunststoffe international, The Potential of Redesign and Part Consolidation
... manufactured here is a spacer (Fig. 2) of a high temperature resistant, glass fiber-reinforced “triple-six polyamide” (PA6T/66, type: Grivory HT2V-3H, manufacturer: Ems-Chemie AG, Domat/Ems, Switzerland). The aim of the project performed with this material is to examine what advantages can be achieved with AM parts, and how much influence additive manufacturing has on the cycle time, and therefore on the costs of the injection-molded part. And also to show that hybrid manufacturing is suitable ...

Kunststoffe international, The Switchover Problem and its Consequences
The switchover process from the injection phase to the holding pressure phase is frequently the cause of ‧reduced part quality in injection molding. An alternative process control concept aims to remedy this by completely eliminating the switchover process. For this purpose, the cavity pressure curve is predetermined and controlled for the entire filling process. The application of the speed-controlled injection phase and the pressure-controlled holding pressure phase has already reached a high ...

Kunststoffe international, Turning Old into New
... Maulburg, Germany), the gaseous reaction products are removed from the extruder and liquefied in a condenser. Impurities and incompletely degraded polystyrene are discharged from the DSE by the self-cleaning of the screws. The aim of the depolymerization of polystyrene in the DSE is to process plastic waste with high contamination. After separation and cleaning of the waste according to type, impurities are still present in the plastic stream to be recycled. In addition to foreign matter, these...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, 3-Dimensional Moulded Circuit Carriers
... It involves using the surface of virtually any thermoplastic moulding to carry electronic circuits and constructional elements. Injection mouldings also offer the possibility of integrating mechanical functional elements and assembly elements. The aim of such development work is, however, not to eliminate circuit boards generally, but to simplify conventional solutions through the MID technology and make them more economical [1]. For the electrical industry, the use of heat-resistant thermoplas...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Commonsense Quota System
...ineering and the use of plastics, especially of composites and sustainable materials, are not being restricted. Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on End-of-Life Vehicles [1] has been in force since 21.10.2000. Its aim is to lay down uniform minimum standards for environmentally sound treatment of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) throughout Europe. The reuse of components and material recycling are understood to be the core characteristics in terms of environmental s...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Comparison of Drive Technologies
A Comparison of Drive Technologies A Practical Comparison of Injection Moulding Machines with Different Types of Drive Johannes Wortberg, Thomas Kamps and Reinhard Schiffers, Duisburg/ Germany A wide-ranging survey was conducted with the aim of providing an objective basis for the debate on electrical and hydraulic drive technologies in injection moulding machines. This investigation is based on measurements on electrical, hydraulic and hybrid drives for injection moulding machines. The ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Comparison of Hybrid Machines
...talled energy of comparable hydraulic machines. Energy Savings of 50 % The use of screw drives on otherwise fully hydraulic injection moulding machines usually means a reduction in energy consumption of 5 to 20 %, depending on the application. The aim with the development of the Ergotech EL-EXIS S, however, was to reach the level of fully electric machines. The Ergotech EL-EXIS S, with about 50 % of the energy consumption of hydraulic machines, is currently equal to fully electric machines. Th...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Comparison of Temperature Control Systems: Optimum Thermal Design of Injection Moulds
...s or corners – a small amount of mould material has to cool a large amount of plastic. Various Cooling Concepts in Competition For the thermal design of an injection mould, various technical con-cepts have been available for years with the aim of uniform heat re-moval from the cavity. Table1 shows a survey of the cooling systems available on the market. These systems in turn can be combined with different types of cooling equipment and heat-exchange media. Here are various schemes for continuo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Keep-fit Programme for Machines
...to be organised and carried out much more efficiently. Maintenance includes ensuring the required availability of machines and plant at optimum maintenance costs in order to provide highly reliable production plant with a long useful lifetime. The aim is to reduce downtime and the resulting costs and to minimise material and labour costs for maintaining the value and profitability of the machines. The overheads for maintenance are investments in production capacity [1]. Prompt servicing, inspe...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Systematic Approach to Micro-Injection Moulding
...imate the step involved from functioning laboratory sample parts to a series process. The process window, which is already very limited for small parts, should not be restricted even further, for example. Even with micro-injection moulded parts, the aim should be to achieve a quality level of 6sigma or cpk2, i.e. a maximum of 4 non-complying parts in a million. It goes without saying that this can only be attained if the series process is absolutely robust and operates in a stable manner. 3D-MI...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Additives
...re used per year, 70% of which being employed for PVC. Thus, stabilisers for PVC are examined below. A survey of the whole market of stabilisers and the developments in this area is given in [1]. Since there are restrictive provisions aimed at curtailing the use of stabilisers that contain heavy metals, the trend is currently towards organic compounds. The aim is to supply these as multifunctional additives, in conjunction with co-stabilisers and/or synergists. Products of this type include proc...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Ageing Test: Assessing Ageing Quantitatively
...cesses occurring in a material over the course of time [2]. If the ambient conditions (e.g. elevated temperatures, mechanical stresses or contact chemicals) are known, it may be meaningful for testing purposes to exaggerate these conditions with the aim of speeding up the time. So far, however, very few models have been able to establish a reliable relationship between changes in the material under real conditions and changes under artificial accelerated conditions. In the case of relatively sim...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Application and Recovery: Plastics in Electric and Electronic Appliances
...ce life, electric and electronic equipment needs to be recovered or disposed of. There are three main ways of plastics waste recovery: - Mechanical recycling describes the mechanical treatment of used plastics to produce processable regrind or reclaimed material. The chemical structure of the reclaimed material remains widely intact. The used parts are crushed, cleaned and separated according to grades. Mechanical recycling is useful in cases where the end-of-life products are clean and of pure...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automated Injection Moulding and Welding of Bumpers
...andling tasks. Its wide operating area and high positional accuracy have made it possible to integrate into the automation system a welding operation that was originally separate. In preparing for serial production of the rear bumper for the new DaimlerChrysler E-class at their Pappenheim site, Dynamit Nobel Kunststoff GmbH was faced with the task of automating the injection moulding process and downstream operations in as comprehensive and space-saving a way as possible. The 1850 mm wide, 300...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bank Rating: Corporate Financing in the Shadow of Basel II
...h Basel II, the Capital Accord that is planned to come into force in 2007 (cf. the second consultative paper of the “Basel Committee on Banking Supervision”), the capital requirement will be oriented to the creditworthiness of the borrower. Its aim is to achieve just consideration of credit risks, in other words a poor credit standing will lead to poorer credit conditions and vice versa. There is, in fact, already a tendency for credit institutions to adopt a more restrictive lending policy, var...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Beer Bottles - A New Market for Polyester
...s an attractive alternative to a large-scale plant. At the same time, polymer production requires constant innovation in the field of polymer catalysts, stabilisers and co-monomers, in other words, over the entire chain of a polymer formulation. The aim is to attain a high product quality and be capable of producing PET for special applications, such as hot-fillable, re-fillable and aseptic vessels. Beer in PET Bottles The bottling of beer in PET bottles represents a new market segment. At pre...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Better-Quality Rubber Products
...te quality-related influences in the mixing room and the final articles. One subject here was whether it is possible to develop a comprehensive production-control model that covers all influences, which could affect quality in the mixing room. The aim was to try to derive a new quality assurance plan for the mixing room that takes account of the most important influences on the quality of products. Analysis of the Extrusion Process Core task of the Prodesc project (Better Process Description f...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Biodegradable Film: For the Sake of the Environment
... EN 13432. The desired property profile of the new tape is governed by that of conventional self-adhesive tapes in terms of the mechanical properties, initial adhesive strength, internal strength, shelf life and printability, and the aim was to match these properties without making any compromises. It turned out to be a major development challenge, which inevitably resulted in a conflict between compostability and the specified properties during the tape's service life. To examine the qualit...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Blown Film Extrusion Today
...g elements and the CTM mixing element from Rapra Technology Ltd of Shrewsbury/UK, there are also new developments such as the CRD mixer (Fig. 2) from The Madison Group, Madison/USA and the Fluxion mixer from Robert Barr Inc., Virginia/USA. These claim to supply a uniformly mixed, thermally homogeneous melt, even at high plasticizing rates, and to keep melt temperature under good control. Like the mixing elements, screw designs, too, are being continually improved. Examples of this are the "E...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Boost for the Economy: Becoming More Competitive through Co-operation
... method is based on an information platform, which brings transparency to the industry and above all fosters personal contacts (Step 1). In Step 2 there is an intensive process of know-how presentation at events and workshops, aimed at initiating co-operation projects. The Kunststoff-Cluster therefore regularly organises specific, predominantly technology-oriented specialist conferences for its partners, bringing in the latest knowledge from international plastics experts to the companies of thi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Campus - The World Standard for Plastics
...ore than 30. Globalisation/Version 3.0 (1994-1996) [6, 7, 8, 9] At the end of the first globalisation stage came the development of Version 3.0, which made use of the latest window techniques but was still based on DOS. In order to emphasise its claim of being an international database, this version was presented to the public for the first time in 1994 in the context of the NPE in Chicago. Under the umbrella of the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), the International Technical Advisory Com...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Case Study (4): Hot-Runner Solution for a Spectacle Case
...artners, to systematically analyse the production of design surfaces. The partners have developed a mould concept for a spectacle case (Fig.1), and put it into practice in a short time. Practically Oriented Project Work Delivers Useful Results The aim of the project is to obtain realistic results in the new surface technology application centre of the Lüdenscheid Plastics Institute that can be transferred to the industrial operations of the project partners. The project with the title “producin...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Combined Process: Foamed Parts with Excellent Surface Quality
Combined Process: Foamed Parts with Excellent Surface Quality The aim of applications engineering must be to combine two special processes in such a way that the combined process can be technically mastered under practical conditions, that the advantages of both processes are exploited and that the user, in an ideal case, gains an added benefit. An impressive example is the combination of Monosandwich and MuCell processes. Jörg Dassow In injection moulding, many special processes often com...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Composite Constructions: Industrial Production of Structural Components Made from Fibre/Plastic Composites
...esses. The interaction between design and modelling, novel preform production and the impregnation method used are also crucially important for the achievable component quality. The present studies will be continued with the aim of increasing the complexity of the components and further improving their quality and reproducibility. Acknowledgement This publication contains results from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) Project RE 1243/2-2, GR 1311/1-3, SCHM 682/27-...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounding: Maximising Use of Machine Potential
...se do not fully replace laboratory trials, they are a very suitable way of considerably reducing the number of trials that need to be carried out and so help to accelerate the development of new compounds. With highly filled polymer compounds, a key aim is to optimise machine utilisation. Here, the maximum achievable output is limited by the maximum available extruder torque. For a good description of the process, it is necessary not only to precalculate pressure/filling degree behaviour, heat d...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounding: Throughput-determining
... twin-screw compounders appraised K2004 in Düsseldorf/Germany as a complete success. This year’s trade fair was replete with terms such as Do/Di ratio, increase of torque, of rotational speed, of screw volume and of cooling capacity. All with the aim of maximising throughput. This development aim is also shared by Leistritz Extrusionstechnik GmbH, which kept its new Double-X model compounds top secret in advance of the trade show. The new ZSE-Maxx models will gradually supersede the former HP s...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounds and Masterbatches
... at about 25 % in the case of organic pigments and up to 70 % in the case of inorganic pigments. The maximum dosing rate should not exceed 2 % to avoid feeding problems with the liquid carrier material in the feeding zone of the extruder. Metacol claims that the effect of the liquid carrier enables additional savings in applications, in which lubricants are used anyway. The good distribution of the liquid colour already in the hopper and in the feeding zone of the extruder is illustrated in Fig....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Conduits for Fibre-optic Cables
...teraction of the control system with all line components. Automation concepts are becoming increasingly flexible. Different market requirements necessitate various automation solutions. Automation of modern plants for cable conduit production should aim to simplify plant operation, document quality and reduce material costs, while ensuring that the required capital investment remains within acceptable limits. The automation system must also permit central display of information and documentation...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Consumer Protection: Migration Models for the Assessment of Plastic Products
... the data from (4), a mean value of AP’ = 7.7 + 1577/343 = 12.3. Following the procedure set out above, it is possible to determine corresponding values for the diffusion-determining parameter AP for each plastic matrix. The aim of current and future activities in this field is to establish precise AP’ and τ values for all typical plastics produced in accordance with good manufacturing practice. Fields of Application for the Migration Model The first example that can be given of the practi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Continuous Growth: Polyarylether Ketone (PAEK)
...gy centre is also being built in Shanghai/China, to cope with rapidly increasing customer demand. In view of the increased global alignment of Victrex, a worldwide marketing organisation was established at the end of 2004 already, with the primary aim of optimally positioning the product portfolio on the market. At the same time, further teams were formed in a bid to more efficiently evaluate market and product development in special fields worldwide. These include PEEK films, which offer specia...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Continuous-strand-reinforced composites: Multilayer Knitted Fabrics for Rail Vehicles
...s to these industries, though, requires economically viable and environmentally friendly solutions for mass production of high-quality, flat-to- doubly-bent parts based on innovative reinforcing prepregs and modern parts-manufacturing processes. The aim of the AiF project [1], jointly conducted and recently completed by the ITB (Institute for Textile and Clothing Technology of the Dresden University of Technology) and the IMA Material Research and Application Technology Ltd., was to develop comp...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cooling Time Reduction by Foam Injection Moulding: It Can Be Done Faster
Cooling Time Reduction by Foam Injection Moulding: It Can Be Done Faster Production time influences unit costs directly. A reduction in the production cycle time represents a cash saving. Processors can achieve this aim in principle by using foam injection moulding. This article presents the potentials of the process and the reasons for its improved efficiency over conventional non-foam injection moulding. Walter Michaeli, Sasan Habibi-Naini, Erhard Krampe If appropriately employed, the ch...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cost-effectiveness: In-mould Decoration on Modified Standard Machines
...requires less capital investment than other overmoulding methods. This process enables sophisticated interior fittings for small cars to be produced more economically than has hitherto been possible. In future development projects, the aim will be to produce such back-moulded parts completely from one plastic. Textile layer, foam and barrier nonwoven will be produced from PP, just like the backing layer, to ensure economic, straightforward recycling of the part after use. The Decoform stamping m...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cost-efficient Extruder Degassing
Cost-efficient Extruder Degassing Dry-running, Contact-free Vacuum Systems Mark Redmann, Maulburg/Germany Screw and rotary piston pumps are increasingly being used for extruder degassing. These dry-running, contact-free vacuum pumps cut the operating costs of the whole plant. In the past, vacuum systems with liquid ring vacuum pumps or oil-sealed, rotary slide vane vacuum pumps were used for extruder degassing. Liquid ring vacuum pumps have been preferred to the rotary slide vane types b...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Decentralised Production: Demag Plastics Group – Globally Based
...moulding machines produced worldwide were sold in China. “We are assuming that the positive growth in China will continue for the foreseeable future”, says Prof. Helmar Franz, chairman of the managing board of the Demag Plastics Group. “Our aim is to serve new customers in Asia as well as our longstanding traditional customers in Europe, North America and the established export markets.” To serve North Chinese customers, Demag has opened a new office in Tianjin, near Beijing. With this, the en...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Definition of Terms: From the Plant to the Natural Fibre-reinforced Part
...res and textiles is oriented to the Handbuch der Faser (Fibres Handbook) [12]. Self-contained and non-contradictory data structures must be based on unambiguous and, in particular, systematic terminology. The aim of the discussions presented here and the definitions derived from them is to indicate the problems of ambiguity and present an unambiguous terminology that is implemented in the database structure for N-FibreBase.net References 1 Drozd, L.; Seibicke, W.: Deutsche Fach- und Wissens...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Design for Innovative Materials
...udents, young designers and upcoming engineers were invited to submit aesthetically sophisticated but nevertheless inexpensive product designs based on engineering plastics. The designs also had to be practicable and suitable for everyday use. The aim of the "Imagineering" design competition is to encourage the combination of creativity and technology and to improve the level of know-how of the special and highly varied properties of engineering plastics and their possible applications...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Design of Single-screw Extruders
...cturers have specific know-how in certain areas of application when it comes to selecting the screw geometry. This well guarded knowledge is part of a company's capital and is developed further through the search for new designing methods. The aim in screw design is to define a suitable screw geometry, the speed needed for a given throughput, and the required heating capacity. A particular design is generally only valid for a specific combination of extruder, die and material. Apart from t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Determining Wear Mechanisms
...es for applications in which high erosive wear is expected (turbine blades, rotor blades) is prevented by erosive wear mechanisms that are not yet fully understood but appear to depend on matrix and fibre properties and fibre orientation [1, 2]. The aim of the ongoing studies is firstly to survey the various wear mechanisms of selected polymers and composites and secondly to determine the material properties and characteristics associated with these in order to permit or improve the use of these...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Developing Customised Compounds
...bilisers and other function enhancers. In this context, Albis' technical service department has more the function of an ideas factory, supporting and partnering plastics processors and users in their parts development. "In precise terms, our aim is to hit on exactly the right material choice, avoiding overengineering and ensuring a healthy cost-benefit", says Gisela Birnbaum, the marketing manager responsible for Alcom, who sees a wide potential for these special compounds. Material...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Development Strategy and Environmental Protection: DuPont - Growing with Engineering Plastics
...15% for projects that we judge to be particularly challenging but also particularly promising." Sales growth of some 2 billion USD from projects with the greatest chances of commercial success is planned for the year, according to Dr. Rao. The aim is to generate 3% sales growth per annum from R&D projects. Dr. Rao explained: "At present we achieve 29% of our sales with products that have come onto the market in the last five years and we will have increased this share to 33% by 2005."...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Double Belt Plants: Flexible Production of Various Insulation Panels
...st-efficient Production If such a complex and expensive system is to be operated in a cost-efficient manner, it is essential to keep the stoppage time required for production switchovers as short as possible. To achieve this aim, the control system (which networks the sequence controls for the different parts of the plant) has a higher-ranking process control level above it (Fig.5). This takes charge of raw material management, including administration of the coil store, which has been implement...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Double the Output
...ocking mechanism on the machine for an additional parting line. Apart from this, tandem machines have a complicated melt passage via a hot runner system through a second, additionally moving platen (Fig.1). Tandem Moulds on Standard Machines The aim of a recent development at the Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, Germany, was to integrate the tandem technique in a mould and thus make it available for normal injection moulding machines [3]. To do this, the following basic conditions had...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Drive and Applications Technology: All-Electric Broadside
...ctronics. Mechanical components are also following the trend towards miniaturisation in many sectors, not least in technically challenging industries such as medical technology. With the Elektra evolution 30 (Fig.6), Ferromatik’s aim is to demonstrate that suitably equipped all-electric machines can also open up applications hitherto regarded as exotic. Despite its small size and the fact that the geometry is adapted to small shot weights, the smallest injection unit, a 14-mm screw, can process ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Driving the Automotive Industry: Engineering Elastomers
...s places Sinopec in seventh position (compared with 10th in 2002) in the global ranking list of synthetic rubber producers after Lanxess (formerly Bayer), Polimeri Europa (formerly: EniChem), JSR, Exxon, Goodyear and Zeon [1, 6]. China’s aim in the medium term will be for Sinopec and Petro China to increase self-sufficiency, in tyre rubbers first of all, but then in the longer term to be in a position also to export based on the know-how gained from joint ventures, mainly with Japanese producers...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Editorial: Concentration
...n, making it possible to dimension parts and exploit their full load-bearing capacity right from an early stage of development. A further article deals with the design of multilayer composite plastic systems from the vibro-acoustic angle, with the aim of finding fibre/matrix combinations that offer more favourable damping properties and reduce noise levels. And the joint benefits of all the different simulation methods: reduced development times and lower development costs. It’s no coincidence ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Editorial: Experience as Added Value
...uture, as a result of changes in society and expanding new markets". He feels that the route to success lies in "technology leadership, strict cost management and, above all, attractive cars at competitive prices“. In a bid to achieve this aim, car manufacturers are increasingly calling upon their suppliers to act as development partners. System suppliers, in particular, are expected to prefinance development work and to tailor it to new models and variants as they are introduced. The Fr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Efficient Project Development
...lane approach is not precise enough for filling studies with mouldings that have large wall thickness variations. The 3D software is more suitable for predicting filling behaviour as it better takes into account the "hesitation effect". The aim of the analysis was to check and optimise the weld line positions, gate design and volumetric shrinkage distribution. Geometry and filling study: The housing is fastened to the handlebar with a screw (Fig. 6). In the initial mounting operation, t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Efficient Warehousing and Shipping Solutions
...s are each served by one company in the Utz Group. “We can no longer talk of frontiers and regional markets if our customers are globalising. For example, we thus supply to China for Bosch and Daimler.” That is not least in the interest of our customers, who can work worldwide with products of a quality they know and trust. “Large planning companies, such as Swisslog or Siemens Dematic have come to appreciate that their production runs reliably with our products.” Customers Streamline their Log...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Efficiently Packaged Mineral Water
...subject of intense political debate: "Which types of beverage packaging are more attractive than others overall?" Any answer to this question must be based on information from different markets for different types of goods and packaging. The aim of the study under consideration here was to gather ecological and economics data about the life-cycle of mineral-water packaging. The BASF eco-efficiency tool is ideal for studies of this kind, as it yields results that are concise and to the po...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Elastomers
...resented new Sunfrost grades, also for window profiles. DutralTS9720 from EniChem/Polimeri Europa presented a new oil-extended EPDM with a well-balanced microstructure, which is claimed to permit high heating rates and excellent extrudability, even for extremely difficult profiles. The Nordel IP grades unveiled by DuPont Dow Elastomers (DDE) at K’98 were complemented at K’01 with Nordel MG metallocene gas-phase grades, which are produced by the process originally presented by Union Carbide [3] i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electrical - But Safe!
...asic information. The European Safety Concept With the Single European Act (EEA) in 1987, the EEC Treaty from 1957 was changed, and the introduction of the Single European Market was legally fixed for December 31, 1992. To achieve this political aim, the legal and administration regulations have been gradually harmonised in the various sectors of economic life. The goal is to remove all the technical trade barriers that exist in the member states due to differing technical and safety specifica...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electrical Engineering: Plastics Go Electric
...ave so far found no market. The high-performance plastics polysulfone and polyethersulfone have LOI values between 30 and 38. They are non-flammable in a normal atmosphere and can generally be used without additional fire protection. The aim of flame-retardant modification is to interfere with or delay the individual steps in the combustion process with the aid of flame-retardant additives and to reduce thermal feedback. There are several possible ways of doing this. However, only additives tha...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Energy Contracting: Reduced Costs through Energy Efficiency
...hone +49 (0) 30/536397-0 Fax. +49 (0) 30/536397-90 mail@oekotec.de www.oekotec.de Contracting Contracting is a service concept which can be used to increase the efficiency of energy-conversion and energy-generation plant. The fundamental aim of this concept is to provide a given form of energy service at an optimum cost. The term contracting covers different forms of financing investments in energy-engineering plant and contains different models for the creation, or renovation, and the managem...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Engineering Plastics as a Growth Market
...astics - over the next few years", says Mays, looking at the quantitative corporate goals. "Any investment for additional growth must be financed by the individual divisions themselves." In order to meet these requirements, the divisions aim to concentrate on attractive market segments and to permanently improve existing products and applications in co-operation with the customers. "Even things we have been doing successfully for a long time can be done better and more effectivel...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expandable Thermoplastic Polyurethanes: On Light Soles
Thermoplastic Elastomers On Light Soles Expandable Thermoplastic Polyurethanes. A thermoplastic polyurethane mixed with blowing agent masterbatch can be used to manufacture particularly lightweight, high-grade soles. These can be produced on a cost-efficient basis by injection moulding. Marcus Leberfinger Over the past few years, thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) have experienced a pronounced upswing in the footwear market, especially for outer soles, but also in decorative elements for sport...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expectations and Performance: The Importance of Numerical Simulation
...aluation of the specific application situation to be made. With the aid of selected examples, we set out to show what stage simulation has already reached at the different modelling levels. Material Properties For the polymer sector in general, the aim of modelling and simulation at the molecular level lies in predicting the basic material properties that will result immediately after the polymer manufacturing process (e.g. flow properties, thermal properties, etc.). These can be derived theore...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Extremely Fast
...ing on silo roofs (Photo: VersaFlex Inc.) Figure 2. Polyurea spray systems impart a high-quality surface to concrete floors (Photo: VersaFlex Inc.) Polyurea Development Association (PDA) The PDA is a new international association formed with the aim of developing polyurea applications and promoting their acceptance. It currently has about 120 members representing the raw material industry, system producers and polyurea users. At the first international PDA conference in New Orleans in early ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Extrusion Technology of the Future
...overcome through the invention of new, revolutionary technologies. Such practical cooling technologies are now just as inconceivable as microwave heating technology was a hundred years ago. Inventors must free themselves of existing limitations. The aim is to reduce energy input to the bare minimum. Recovery and reuse of the energy used for melting are central problems. Optimizing Standard Plastics in the Application More economical raw materials and mixtures with a few additives and an increa...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fast Product Development
... tooling, make it difficult to achieve a comprehensive overview and to select the right process for the application in question. Since these problems are also being encountered in other EU countries, the "Club RP" project was set up with the aim of establishing an EU-wide RP and RT network. Partners from Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain are working out means of spreading existing processes into areas which would benefit from them. Information on standard processes and future developmen...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, FE Method: Design Concept for Stacked-type Spiral Dies
...distribution of the extrudate. Fig.3 shows the relative deviation of the volume flow across the circumferential coordinates for various geometries. The characteristic profile is periodic fluctuation corresponding to the number of spirals. The main aim of the design process is to minimise these fluctuations. Furthermore, a smooth transition from spiral flow to radial annular gap flow is important for good homogenisation of the partial melt flows and to avoid continuous weld seams in the extrudate...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fibre Orientation in the Simulation: Improved Dimensioning of Engineering Plastic Parts
... important to reduce core displacement. The core can be displaced as a result of the melt pressure during injection moulding. If core displacement is significant, it may result in deviations in wall thickness outside the tolerances for the part. The aim of good mould design is thus to largely reduce core displacement. The influencing parameters here, in addition to the engineering design of the core, are the positions and number of gates and the injection moulding process parameters. Ideally, i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fibre-reinforced Plastics: Lightweight and Corrosion-resistant
...elective reinforcement of the part, which is then suitably tailored to the load. The use of sewing threads allows multiaxial nonwovens to be reinforced in the third dimension as well, which can then be processed by the RTM process, for example. The aim of the investigations conducted by the German Federal Armed Forces’ Research Institute for Materials, Explosives and Lubricants (Wehrwissenschaftliches Institut für Werk-, Explosiv- und Betriebsstoffe = WIWEB) was to establish the behaviour of mul...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fibre-reinforced Plastics: Naturally Better
...sticity and 10 to 30kJ/m2 for impact strength (Fig.4). As has been demonstrated, natural fibre solutions are already found in areas that were formerly occupied by glass fibre-reinforced parts. However, it can also be seen that the aim of weight saving of 15% has not yet been fully achieved so far in the development phase. It should be noted that, with sisal, the most efficient fibres have not yet been used. In addition, the fibre length, at 10mm in most experiments, is apparently too short. As w...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Film extrusion: Predicting the Properties of Blown Film
...ationship between the “cooling air volume” parameter and the resultant film properties to another machine as it would to apply any other relationships between machine settings and resultant film properties. Dimensionless Process Values The aim was therefore to describe the bubble expansion zone with the aid of suitable parameters. These process parameters then serve as the input values for the calculation model. To make it easier to work with the model, the process parameters are converted int...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flex-ring Dies: Improved Wall-thickness Distribution of the Preform during Blow Moulding
... is restricted as regards the geometry that can be implemented and the wall-thickness differences in the preform that can be achieved with it. It is also a very technically sophisticated solution that is very expensive. Technical Requirements The aim in developing flex-ring technology was to provide a solution that is simpler but can be used for all the die diameters that normally occur in blow moulding and that permit a more sensitive control of the wall-thickness distribution of the preform....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Focus on Injection Moulding Technology
...lion in the last financial year 1999/2000, the Engel Group took yet another step along the road to success. The driving force behind the company's progress was the continuing development of the injection moulding technology. Engel's declared aim is to safeguard the company's future by increasing its market share particularly in North America and Korea. Engel, as an individual brand, is the world's biggest manufacturer of injection moulding machines. In seven production plants i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, For All Eventualities
...ge terms. The family of engineering thermoplastics takes in polyamides (1 %), polyester (3.5 %), styrene copolymers (3 %) plus other materials [1]. Each of these plastics with its specific properties has its own particular fields of application. The aim is now to improve these special properties, such as transparency, heat resistance or very good mechanical characteristic values by optimizing the polymers. At the same time, their processability is to be enhanced still further by modifying the fo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Friction Behaviour of Thermoplastics
...mer materials and metal surfaces is reported [3, 7, 8]. There is constant reference to the importance of determining friction and the difficulties associated with this, particularly in [9]. Basic Principle of the Newly Developed Test Apparatus The aim of the test method that has been developed [10] is to simulate the described interactions and reproduction of the metal surface structure [11, 12]. To achieve this, the plastic must be heated so that it can flow sufficiently to wet the metal surf...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Full House: Innovative Systems Prove an Attraction
Market Innovative Systems Prove an Attraction Full House. A high-powered programme, an attractive setting and a clear upwards trend in the number of participants – the VDI’s annual Injection Moulding conference is on the way to achieving its aim of becoming an institution. Wolfgang Kircher The number of participants at the annual injection moulders' conference in Baden-Baden each Spring is generally a good barometer of the economic climate. If a large number of injection moulding experts m...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Functional Filler: Precipitated Calcium Carbonate in PVC
...rength increased by only 6% and was accompanied by a reduction in surface gloss of up to 43%. Compared with PVC containing GCC (ground calcium carbonate), the notched impact strength in test formulations with PCC was as much as 20% higher. The aim of this study was to establish how a precipitated calcium carbonate with and without a stearic acid coating affects the main application properties of the impact-modified PVC window profiles with lead-based and alternative (Ca/Zn) stabiliser systems. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Functionality is the Key Factor
...e cost and time-saving development of such complex application systems. The relevant suitable raw materials, e. g. POM and PBT or ABS, are processed for this purpose in clean rooms of various categories through to sterile room production, with the aim being to achieve a high degree of automation. Another possibility for producing medical plastic components under clean room conditions is shown by the concept of the C models from Krauss-Maffei Kunststofftechnik GmbH, Munich/Germany. The extension ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Gas-assisted Injection Moulding: The Cross-section is Crucial
...assisted injection moulding, it must therefore be clear how process parameters affect the developing cavity. Part 3 and end of the series. Helmut Potente, Hans-Peter Heim, Helmut Ridder Two preceding articles on gas-assisted injection moulding (GAIM) described the geometrical influences of the part and the process for choosing the melt and gas injection points [1, 2]. Here we explain with reference to experimental findings how process parameters influence the growth of the gas-bubble. In par...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, GIT, Sandwich and Two-component Moulding in Practice and Research: Correct Application of Multicomponent Processes
..., such as economical production of parts with integrated functions in one operation. The machine, mould and handling technologies are so far advanced that extremely complex part geometries can in principle be reproduced (Fig.5). The declared aim of further development work is, e.g., to improve the quality of the part surfaces and the bond strength of already used material combinations, or to make it possible to use other material combinations for two-component injection moulding with sufficient ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, GITBlow: Inflating Functional Channels in the Injection Mould
...epends on the geometry of the gas channel. Gas-assisted injection moulding is therefore limited in its applications, for example in cases where functional elements require cavities with a large volume or cross-section. For cost reasons, the two main aims of a plastics processor are: - smallest possible wall thicknesses to reduce cooling time and material consumption, - shortening the process chain for the production of a part or family of parts. These goals can be seen in many applications, an...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Glazing: Coating Ensures Clear View
...n between and if possible also the thin resistance wires to heat the rear windshield. UV Protection in the PMMA Layer KRD Coatings GmbH was set up specially to solve this problem and embarked on initial trials in this area some three years ago. The aim was to develop an multi-layer system with integrated IR protection and a very high level of UV protection in the PMMA top layer. The problem was solved not by applying the UV absorber as a coating on the substrate but by incorporating it in the a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Good Growth Prospects: Ticona Sets its Stakes on Engineering Plastics
... such as the oil price – is the wrong approach. It is much better to keep informed about the markets and, above all, about future trends, so as to be able to look ahead to the future and develop innovative applications and products. Ticona's aim is to further expand its key role in the main products and to acquire cost leadership. And Hensel is convinced that this will involve keeping a firm eye on the costs if the company is to be successful in the market over the long term. One key cost-re...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Good is Not Enough: From Initial Idea to Successful Product
...ve indeed resulted in chemical innovations. One major customer for chemical products is the automotive industry, whose needs provide a major stimulus for the development of chemical innovations. Reducing vehicle weight is a declared aim of the automotive industry in order to lower fuel consumption and thus reduce emissions. However, this cannot be done without the use of new materials. BASF's Ultratect foam (based on polyether sulphone), produced as a sandwich structure (Fig. 3), has now re...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growing Profitably: BASF: "Offering Customers Clear Advantages"
...Growing Profitably. By clearly focusing on the business model of the future, reducing fixed costs and concentrating on profitable segments in partnership with customers, BASF plans to achieve continued successful growth in its plastics business. The aim is to earn a premium on the cost of capital. BASF intends to push ahead with the strategic development of its plastics business. This was made clear by Dr. John Feldmann, the BASF AG board member responsible for plastics, oil and gas, at the com...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High Barrier: Nanoscalar Particles Enlarge Potential Applications
...om a compound that had just been produced on a co-rotating twin-screw extruder from masterbatch and PE-HD (variant1) and - blow moulding of containers from a mixture of masterbatch and PE-HD granules produced directly on the machine (variant2). The aim of the experiments was to test and assess these technologies for their industrial usefulness. Molar Mass is Crucial In variant1, the masterbatch was compounded with various PE-HD grades of different molar mass and viscosity. Figure2 shows the in...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High Fitting Accuracy
...ng structural prepregs on the elastomeric-faced positive model and allowing autoclave pressure to be efficiently distributed over the whole area of the component part during curing opens the way to a fast, cost-effective manufacturing process. The aim of this project is to further develop manufacturing and production technologies so that the component can be cured not necessarily in an autoclave but in an air-circulating oven by applying pressure to the inside of the supporting positive model. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High Output or Flexibility?
...lity and output have led to the development of high-output extruders and various special designs. In development, cost efficiency, easy maintenance and processing flexibility combined with straightforward, robust design are the main priorities. The aim of increasing speed while improving product quality at the same time has been achieved. The outputs of twin-screw extruders have been almost doubled in the last ten years, with the same distances between the screw axes. In the development of die...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-output Compounding
...s exhibited for the first time at K2001, is another milestone in this ongoing development. The quantec (Fig.1) is specially designed for compounding shear- and temperature-sensitive products such as rigid and plasticised PVC and powder coatings. The aim in developing quantec was to significantly increase the profitability of the plant operation by at least doubling specific output and cutting installation costs at site. In developing the quantec, it was important to fully retain the acknowledged...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-performance Polymers: Metal Substitution and Miniaturisation
...arket, planned expansion of production capacities and the increased readiness to abandon the old ways in order to capture new areas of application. New Markets for PEEK The company creed to “enter niches” was the driving force behind the R&D aim of the Victrex subsidiary Invibio to develop a new polyetheretherketone (PEEK) for the medical market. In contrast to conventional implant materials, PEEK Classix represents an inexpensive alternative for intracorporal products that are in contact with...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-perspective Location
High-perspective Location BASF Schwarzheide Attracts Investors Through investments of around DM 2 billion, BASF Schwarzheide GmbH has gradually become a highly competitive site within the BASF Group. The company is aiming to achieve a turnover of DM 1 billion in the coming year. Through attractive investment promotion schemes, it is hoped that in particular plastic converters will re-locate to the site during the next few years. The Schwarzheide site in the southern part of the German Sta...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Highlighting the Appeal
...ce to cover the forecast demand. Each graduate has an average of seven vacancies to choose between at the IKV Institute of Plastics Processing alone. What is Required? Industry has already implemented a number of measures aimed both at strengthening society’s interest in science and technology and at encouraging (potential) new recruits. The present situation is the result of industry not having intervened on time at the start of the Nineties when a large number of highly-qualified staff were...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Highly Filled, Well Dispersed
...on and related difficulties can be prevented without major investment. Conclusion Micronised waxes are exceptionally suitable as dispersing agents for pigment concentrates. They go a long way in achieving the pigment concentrate manufacturer's aim of maximum dispersion quality at maximum pigment concentration. This also applies to classes of pigment which, up till now, could only be processed with great difficulty or, because of their poor dispersability or sensitivity to shear, were wholl...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Hot-Runner Technology: High-Tech Manufacture for Infusion Solutions
... cap on the bottle neck, the cavities must be uniformly filled with melt. Otherwise there is the risk of overfilling of individual cavities, with the consequence that the (already filled) bottles in question would raise the reject quota. With the aim of achieving uniform cavity filling at low injection pressure, the manufacture placed strict requirements on the quality of the gating point and on the process stability. To overcome this obstacle, the project managers at B. Braun formed a team comp...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Hybrid Technology with Braided Preforms: Ski Poles by Multilayer Technology
... large market share for repurchasing when the poles break, for example during an accident. FRP poles made by conventional methods present a considerable risk of injury as a result of sharp fibre ends in the fracture surface. An important development aim is therefore to reduce the risk of injury by choosing the basic materials and their arrangement in the laminate. It must also be possible to print the surface without secondary operations. The first development stage with thermoset matrix materia...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Improved Efficiency and Quality
...e in the region of the screw tip agrees with the temperature profile of the rest of the screw channel. Various measurements carried out in the pilot plant have given detailed information important for the design of screw tips and the core bore. The aim is to achieve a melt temperature profile that is as homogeneous as possible and therefore the same for all extruder types (Fig. 7). This allows increased flexibility for using dies on different extruders. Apart from the melt-temperature homogeneit...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Improved Injection Moulding Simulation
...lation programs independently of thermal history or deformation history. The crystallisation of polymers is affected by both the thermal conditions and the mechanical deformations to which the melt is subject during crystallisation in the mould. The aim was therefore to investigate how the crystallisation and - associated with this - the viscous and elastic properties of undercooled melts depend on parameters such as temperature, undercooling (the difference between the equilibrium melt temperat...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Improved Part Properties: Process Control in Injection Moulding
... boxes and programmable open-loop controls units are increasingly becoming established. The first closed-loop controls are emerging, often as external add-on units. At the IKV, work is beginning on analysing the injection moulding process with the aim of improving part quality [e.g. 3]. The knowledge that the quality of the products depends primarily on the temperatures and pressures prevailing in the process, and their time dependence, makes it necessary to acquire these parameters, particularl...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Improving the Rubber Mixing Process: Focus on Elastomer Processing
...iversities will be reporting on their experience in around 20 papers. Andreas Limper Increasing cost pressure, coupled with rising quality requirements, is prompting the rubber sector to take a renewed look at traditional production processes. The aim is to pinpoint savings potential and implement process and raw materials innovations as a means of enhancing quality. Satpro EU Project Studying Reactive and Continuous Mixing The Satpro project (System Analysis for the Production of Technical...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, In-line Plasma Treatment for 3D Plastics Parts
... in tool production. Plasma exists in a variety of forms. The different, or even conflicting effects that come about when treating plastics are often due to the fact that there are so many types of plasma. Under technical and economic aspects, the aim is to obtain a plasma with good homogeneity and with as high a process gas pressure as possible. This enables the treatment speed to be increased, the process reliability to be enhanced and, at the same time, the complexity of the facility to be ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, In-Mould Pressing: Large Automotive Windows Made from Plastic
...module can become a reality for the first time. IMPmore is a new special injection-compression moulding technology that permits economical, stress-free manufacturing of PC windows up to 1m2 with low clamping forces. To achieve this aim, the machinery manufacturer, Battenfeld, with years of experience in advanced injection moulding processes, the mould-making specialist, Summerer Technologies, and the coatings expert, Exatec, have developed innovative concepts at every stage in the production pro...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Increasing Substitution: Low-density Polyethylene (PE-LD/LLD)
...ranches permits the cost-efficient production of materials with a narrow molecular mass distribution which combine toughness, durability in use and stiffness with the good optical and sealing properties of first-generation LLD products [1, 2]. The aim is not only to achieve products that can be processed like PE-LD but ones which have comparable mechanical and optical properties at the same time and thus further broaden the range of applications open to PE-LLD [1]. Producers are similarly workin...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Induction Welding of Carbon-fibre-reinforced Plastics
... to fusion temperature (Fig. 1). A contact roller then applies the welding pressure and at the same time removes heat from the welded component, so that the matrix polymer solidifies again. The laminate temperature is monitored with a pyrometer. The aim of process modelling is to predict suitable process parameters. The input quantities used are the thermodynamic boundary conditions of the welding environment/welding unit, measured values from preliminary trials and the anisotropic laminate cons...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Injection Moulding Machine Control Technology
... teach-in functions, the machine control should also be self-teaching, i. e. should be capable of improving processes independently. Criterion Response Speed A decisive criterion for assessing the capability of a control is its response speed. The aim is real-time response of the control, i. e. the immediate response of the control to an event, with no time lag. Where response times are too long and incoming events are processed in rigid succession by the microprocessor, the result is scatter ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Injection Moulding of Long-Fibre-Reinforced Thermoplastics
...e critical length the fibres break under the same load. An Ic value of 3.1 mm is given in the literature for a network of PP and glass. According to this source a chemically modified PP has a critical fibre length of 0.9 mm. In a compound one should aim for the smallest possible characteristic Ic value so that inevitable fibre breakage during processing cannot produce shorter fibres. The usual fibre length for short fibre compounds (from 0.2 to 0.6 mm) implies failure mainly in the boundary laye...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Injection Moulding Technology for the Packaging Industry (2): Systems Approach
...at use is the best product if it comes onto the market three months too late. Conversely, it is true to say that excessively high operating costs can quickly cancel out the advantage of rapid market entry. Against this background, injection moulders aiming to increase their product quality, improve their productivity and secure their competitiveness all come to the same conclusion – automate! Fully Automated Injection Moulding Cell Integrated in Three Weeks To avoid being held up and wasting va...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovation through New Processes
...ng output. Since cooling time takes up the largest part of the production cycle, it also offers the greatest savings potential. At IKV, studies are being carried out with increased blowing pressures on an extrusion blow moulding machine with the aim of reducing cooling time by faster heat dissipation through the blow mould. A blowing pressure of up to 50 bar reduces the cooling time by 10 % up to 35 %, which considerably increases machine output rates while maintaining product quality. The great...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovation with Polyurethane
...f design, machine construction and process engineering at technical and design colleges, as well as staff at professional design studios. They were called on to come up with new ideas for marketable mouldings of polyurethane foam. These competitions aim to provide young designers and engineers with an incentive to think up imaginative new product designs. The jury set the following assessment scale as the criteria for judging the designs: 50 % for the content of creativity and genuine innovation...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovations in Extrusion
... the low number of new lines being installed, the risk of a new technology not giving the desired results after all and the high costs of the tests required on production line. Despite this, new ideas and solutions are repeatedly emerging which are aimed at both reducing the production costs of extruded products and improving product quality. Despite the increasingly accurate calculation methods that are available for simulating complex melt flows, establishing the correct flow channel geometr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Integrated and Global
... the focus of Dow's e-business strategy. In order to constantly enhance these relations, Dow has its own teams of experts who are forging ahead with the global integration of information technologies, processes and resources. Dow is pursuing the aim of responding more effectively to customer interests through new technologies and of fine-tuning its own service offerings to fit in with this. Prior to the implementation of new e-business initiatives, Dow conducts pilot programmes in order to t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Interview with Dr. K. Bourdon: “We Need to Strengthen our Corporate Identity”
...n development work? Bourdon: Nowadays, all new developments are joint developments, since, in recent times, our Indian colleagues have always been included in these processes. We want to extend our platform strategy further. Our aim must be to have a uniform product portfolio globally. Of course, there are features of specific markets that must be taken into account so that machines can be successfully sold in particular regions. We are talking about different stages of expansion of a basic conc...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Interview: "Innovations are Required to Make our Vehicles Attractive!"
...olymer glazing in the vehicle structure has been satisfactorily solved. Not until these development problems have been overcome can we say anything specific about their potential use in our BMW models. Futuristic studies and concepts aim to stimulate ideas, but they do not necessarily have to be realised one-to-one. Kunststoffe: What is BMW's strategy with regard to automotive glazing made of polycarbonate? Stauber: I would rather not talk here about BMW's strategies or about future vehi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Interview: "Success Through Global Technological Expertise"
...an learn from it. Kunststoffe: For example? Ackermann: In China, plastics components are coated during the injection moulding process. This is one of the latest developments to have been tested and implemented by our engineers. Our aim is to expand our technology and cost leadership worldwide. Generally speaking, we have to examine whether the deployment of a certain technology is worthwhile under cost aspects and whether the customer is willing to pay for it. Kunststoffe: Germany, as a countr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Interview: “Ensuring Sustainable Development”
...systems house in Thailand, and we intend to systematically pursue this expansion for the good of our customers. Kunststoffe: Is BASF going to keep expanding its pilot plants and test laboratories for the plastics sector with the aim of providing more assistance for its customers? Feldmann: Our primary aim is to further expand customer support and collaboration. This might involve the founding or acquisition of systems houses – like those described earlier. But it can also mean that – as we anno...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Isolator Zone Concept: Stable Injection Moulding in the ISO5/GMP-A Cleanroom
...ased on comprehensive flow simulation and visualisation (Figures 3 and 4). Isolator Concept acc. to GMP An injection moulding line for producing sterile plastic parts acc. to GMP-A requires a so-called "zone concept". The aim of aseptic production here is that subsequent sterilisation is no longer required. This presupposes of course that the injection moulding machine and mould are modified and built so as to be cleanroom-compatible. In this context, “zone concept” means analysing the ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Large Investment Plans: Polyurethanes (PU)
...egion will account for one-third of global demand. In all probability, China will even exceed these outstanding figures. Here the experts are predicting growth of around 10% per annum in the longer term – despite the carefully aimed package of measures by the Chinese government to prevent this market overheating. By 2015, this “Middle Kingdom” will be the world’s largest market. It is not surprising that this region is attracting investment. As part of a large polyurethane project by BASF and H...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Large-scale Production: Challenges in Ceramic Injection Moulding
...a complex, wear-resistant ceramic grinder for a well-known manufacturer of food mills. The article describes the difficulties that had to be overcome in producing the tools and implementing the plant technology. Andreas Bonsen, Ralf Beenders The aim of the development, design and industrial scale-up of a grinder for salt and pepper mills for Zassenhaus GmbH & Co.KG in Schwelm/Germany was to provide a uniform ceramic grinder for the existing steel pepper grinders and plastic salt grinders (Fi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Large-sized Vehicle Parts
... team has to compete for production contracts within the group in the same way as external suppliers. As Dr. Ralph Sundermeier, who has been head of the Plastics Technology Division since the start of the year, explains: “it is not our strategic aim to produce all plastic parts ourselves. We tend to make the more complex parts that require new process technologies. As soon as these techniques become standard on the market, it becomes increasingly difficult for us to produce on a cost-efficient b...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Laser or Camera?
...ic considerations have shown that the new 2f1 camera technology pays for itself after just two years and additionally opens up new applications in new markets. Outlook We are still a long way from reaching the boundaries of surface inspection. The aim must be in future more to regulate the production process than to document it - as we do at present. Initial approaches already exist. With the 2f1 technology, it is possible to establish open communication systems, to carry out cut optimization,...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Latest Materials and Production Processes: 3D-MID Technology
...s are the processing and service temperatures, flame retardance, mechanical and electrical properties, mouldability and metallising/plating properties, and, of course, costs. Table 1 lists the most common substrate materials, but does not make any claim to completeness. Moulded interconnect devices can be provided with the surface finishes normally used in printed circuit technology, e.g. tin/lead, gold (plated or chemical) or nickel. In addition to the materials listed, syndiotactic polystyren...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Less Water
...tion at break. Figure 6 also shows what development spectra exist in this system. It is also possible, apart from varying the concentrations of thermoset material, to add different thermoset systems and to vary the resin/hardener ratio, all with the aim of producing polyamides with defined properties. Trends What potential applications exist for such products? Components for domestic appliances and wet room equipment can be produced from polyamides with a lower water absorption. The good frict...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Machines and Robot Handling Systems from a Single Source
...r Giesen, Lossburg/Germany The requirements for injection mouldings and consequently for mould, machine and robot handling technology are becoming ever more complex. This makes better coordination between the above mentioned sectors essential. The aim is to achieve the highest possible quality standard in mass production, an optimum production process and an adequate price/performance ratio. Companies interested in these technically sophisticated solutions do not seek out their suppliers ind...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Maintenance of Plastics-Processing Equipment
...of maintenance is still too little quantified. This can be done by determination and analysis of data on the machine and plant availability over relatively long periods, but also by a monetary audit of wear and tear on production plant. Maintenance Aims and Consequences From a technical point of view, the aims of maintenance are - ensuring the required availability, - reducing plant downtime and consequential damage, - reducing maintenance costs, - optimizing the intervals between maintenance,...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Making Intelligent Use of Synergies
...rial quality. This evidence is supplied on a continuous basis through the process-engineering formulation control which is conducted as part of the process monitoring for the system as a whole (injection moulding, extrusion, metering, weighing). The aim of this monitoring is to capture the current process data, check it in the framework of quality surveillance and document it from one cycle to the next. Batches which are outside the tolerance trigger elimination of the material from the system v...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Material Data Determination: Crash Simulation
...alues. A subprogram then generates a material data card for the explicit FEA program, and starts the latter for simulation of a tensile test. The resulting force-displacement curves are read off and compared with the test results. The aim of the optimisation is to minimise the deviation occurring between the curves. From a comparison of the simulation and the test, the optimisation program varies the function parameters underlying the true stress/strain curves. These new parameters are then used...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Materials Recycling
...in the use of supporting materials, - do not use POM in a composite with other rigid supporting materials, - do not use PP together with ABS, and - be consistent in the use of skin materials. To enhance recyclability of the skin from composites, the aim should be to avoid a combination of different materials. Recycling aspects should be taken into account at the design stage. Thermoplastic skins such as PVC can be very easily separated and can, under optimum circumstances, be reused to produce a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Measuring the Optical Quality of Films
...Quality Jens Spirgatis and Johannes Wortberg, Duisburg/Germany Online quality measurement is an important tool for continuous production and documentation of high-quality products. It also offers the potential for technical developments with the aim of fully automated systems. However, it is not so much technical problems that militate against the widespread use of such systems, but the very high investment costs. High-quality plastic webs, such as film, nonwovens or costs are usually used...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Micro-Injection Moulding: Microfluidic Systems with Integrated Semiconductor Chips
...ion systems and possibly an actuator to be combined in an integrated system. Investigations with systems for medical technology have shown that, while solutions are possible, in many cases they are not suitable for large-scale production [10]. The aim of new investigations at the Technical University of Berlin, Department of Electrical and Precision Engineering, and the microsystems technology centre of Bessy GmbH, Berlin/Germany, was to find a solution for the integration of a microfluidic syst...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Microinjection Moulding: Plastification Units for Minimum Shot Weights
...n precision and melt compounding. The following sections will illustrate how the plastification and injection units can be adapted to suit microinjection moulding processes. The Limits of Screw Plastification Injection moulding processes with the aim of operating with a minimum shot weight require the high-precision injection of minimum amounts of polymer material into the mould cavity during the injection phase. In order to achieve this, the screw diameter is reduced in proportion to the shot ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Modelling of Part Properties: Physical Foaming for Cost-effective Injection Moulding
...ercial success of a new technology, namely reliable understanding of the physical properties of the parts produced by this process. It is necessary to provide designers with data that permit them to design parts according to specifications. The aim here is to achieve reliable theoretical prediction of physical properties. Ticona is working intensively on answering this question. The present article summarises the main results of these investigations with reference to examples. Experimental data ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Moderate Growth: Polystyrene (PS)
...induced the leading market players to adopt a new strategic alignment for their polystyrene business. Only facilities having an annual capacity in the order of 250000t and above are nowadays regarded as still internationally competitive. The aim is now to build plants with a nominal capacity of up to 400000t/a. It is therefore to be expected that more smaller facilities will be closed down in future. Of the 100 or so polystyrene producers worldwide listed in [2], most will find it very difficult...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Modular Drive Systems in the Spotlight
...ime at K 2001. If needed, it can be expanded into a fully electric version. Also showcased was the most recent Allrounder model, the 720S with a clamping force of 3,200kN, the last intermediate stage before the self-declared aim of developing a 4,000kN machine. Its key data are as follows: 1,300g PS maximum shot capacity, 2,100-type injection unit and a tie bar distance of 720mm. Other items on display were the modular Multilift robot system with horizontal and vertical variants, various custome...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Modular Systems for Hydraulic Drives: Tailor-made “off the Peg”
...ed with the manual input of control parameters. On the other hand, a more stable process and therefore uniformly high part precision is achieved. Control parameters adapted to the process ensure that a further important aim in injection moulding is achieved: minimisation of cycle time. Large Bandwidth With this large bandwidth of hydraulic drives from the modular toolbox, the tiebarless Engel Victory offers tailored machine and drive solutions for current requirements in plastics injection mou...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Morphology and Mechanical Properties: Blends of Polyamide 66 and Syndiotactic Polystyrene
...action between the two materials when producing blends on a twin-screw extruder. In the present case an sPS-g-MSA (grade: Scona TPSPS 8012 PA, manufacturer: Kometra GmbH, Schkopau/Germany) with a functionality of 1.5% MSA is used as a modifier. The aim of the experiments described below was to investigate the morphology/property correlations for (PA 66+sPS) and (PA 66+sPS-g-MSA+sPS) blends. Factors Influencing the Morphology In order to establish the possible ways in which the modifier can infl...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Mould-making 2000
... units, for the production of multi-component screw driver handles, for instance, with automatic blade insertion. With each individual project, the customer-specified requirements determine the overall design solution, as well as the cycle time. The aim is, to integrate into the injection moulding process itself any assembly sequence, which hitherto had been carried out subsequently, so that a saving is made. In line with all the other mould makers, Engel also has raised the technical standard o...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Moulds: Strategic Partnership
...nner TechnologyAG, Hochheim/Germany, and MHS Mold Hotrunner Solutions Inc., Georgetown/Canada, have set up a strategic partnership. It concerns MHT’s high performance injection moulds for PET preforms and MHS’s innovative hot runner systems. The aim of the partnership is to round out the companies’ mutual product ranges and to exploit market and sector knowledge in the two key economic regions, namely Europe and America. From now on, MHS will provide service and sales support in the USA and Cana...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, MuCell Process: Microcellular Parts from the Injection Moulding Machine
...the MuCell process also has some limitations: - The foam structure is replicated on a smooth surface. - The part’s mechanical properties are changed. - If multicavity moulds are not carefully balanced, the blowing agent foams irregularly. The aim of this paper is to supplement the data sheets [5] already published by examining the mechanical properties and distribution of the foam structure in greater detail. The sampling of the multipurpose test specimens type1A according to ENISO527-2 was carr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Multi-component Moulds: More Colour and More Functions
...ver the past few years have more or less made it essential to come up with innovations in the multi-component technique. Bernhard Rief Initial ideas and patents on processing two plastics at one and the same time date back to the 1940s, when the aim was to produce marbled moulded parts. Multi-colour injection moulding has been used for the production of typewriter keys and multi-colour tail lights for road vehicles for many decades. Up to five different colours are now state-of-the-art in au...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Multi-material Technology: Always One Step Ahead Thanks to Active R&D
...engineering. Magnesium proved suitable as a replacement for PPO for the centre part of the Audi A6. In 1998, the Mould Services division of HTP AG started a research project promoted by the Austrian Industrial Research Promotion Fund (FFF), with the aim of developing multi-material technologies for overmoulding die-cast and injection moulded parts. The research partners were - the Institute of Plastics Technology of Montan University in Leoben/Austria (MUL), - the Centre for Electron Microscopy...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Natural Fibre Reinforced Polypropylene
...e cases they are very long) needs to be improved. The results shown here are the initial results from the application of a new process engineering and do not yet represent the attainable potential of natural long fibre reinforcement. The aim is, through optimisation of the process and the materials, to reduce the differences between the data for compression moulded NMT composites and direct-plasticised natural long fibre composites, and to establish the process engineering under practical condit...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Natural Fibres in Plastic: Compression Moulding of Natural-fibre-reinforced Thermoset Prepregs
... polymer has been between 30 and 75% by weight. This high plastic content makes the decision to incinerate the moulded component at the end of its lifecycle difficult, since some synthetic polymers can release problematic combustion products. The aim of our studies was to develop a new natural-fibre-reinforced prepreg with a matrix content not exceeding a value of 20% by weight. The properties of the component produced from this prepreg should match the properties of other established natural-f...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, News
... and greater market proximity. Bayer MaterialScience/Teijin Chemicals Supply of Polycarbonate Bayer MaterialScience and Teijin Chemicals have signed a letter of intent covering the reciprocal regional supply of special polycarbonate grades. The aim for both companies is to improve efficiency, raise productivity and increase the availability of polycarbonate on the global market. Financial details of the agreement were not revealed. Teijin Chemicals produces the polycarbonate Panlite in Japan an...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, News
... has now assumed the top managemerial position in Demag Haitian. Stephan Greif, managing director of the distributing company Demag Ergotech China, located in Shanghai, will now also co-ordinate marketing activities for Demag Haitian. These measures aim to merge the previously independent sales networks of Demag Ergotech China and the Chinese joint venture under the auspices of the Demag Plastics Group. Demag owns 60% of the Demag Haitian Plastics Machinery Ltd. shares, whereas Ningbo Haitian ho...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, News
Degussa Know-How in PEEK With the aim of reinforcing its expertise in the field of high-temperature polymers, Degussa AG, Düsseldorf/Germany, is acquiring all the know-how and patents relating to polyaryletherketones from Ticona GmbH, Kelsterbach/Germany. The know-how and patents for the manufacture and use of these polymers originated from the Technical Polymers Division of Hoechst AG in the 1990s and were transferred to Ticona when Hoechst spun off its non-pharma activities in 1999. With the a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, No Crash Helmets Needed in Cars
...The first applications are therefore for impact protection in automotive engineering, especially for overhead impact protection. In this application, a high degree of protection is required without bulky padding. This property allowed, for example, DaimlerChrysler [2] to meet all requirements for the roof lining of the latest "Dodge Neon" model or in the "Chrysler Intrepid" without reducing space in the passenger compartment. Several projects in Europe using this material are set...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Non-elongating Corrugated Pipe: Flexural Elasticity plus Longitudinal Rigidity
... a rod and make it increasingly flexible by adding more and more individual joints, both the moment curve in the rod and its stiffness change with every new joint. The incorporation of only three joints is enough to produce a rod gear mechanism. The aim of Moax corrugated profiles is therefore to make the pipe flexible only in local areas and thus achieve the required overall mobility of the pipe. This saves space and also results in the lowest flow resistances overall. A corrugated pipe with a ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Optimised in 60 Seconds
...r As part of a joint research project involving 17 industrial companies that has been running over the last six years, a program is being developed at the University of Paderborn for simulating processes on co-rotating twin-screw extruders [5]. The aim of the development is to obtain a fast, unambiguous assessment of how the machine will behave so as to allow accurate optimisation of the barrel and screw configuration and of the process parameters. This goal is being achieved through the use of...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Packaging: Injection Moulded Design
... modern packaging injection moulding machine must be able to cater for simple packaging applications as well as complex solutions involving multi-component technology and/or IML (Title picture) without major changeover effort. In achieving this aim, the replication accuracy and processing consistency of the machine and wear resistance of the moulds are very important. Systems with high-quality components are the most cost-effective basis for manufacturing high-quality products. With a multi-func...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Pedestrian Safety
...ese processes. Exact analyses of deformation and energy distribution are only possible at all by means of computer simulations. Such processes based on finite element methods are currently being developed by Bayer. The aim was first to allow improved analysis of the effects in the vehicle interior. But the method also has huge potential for the exterior. A process that only lasts milliseconds in real time, will — in purely visual terms — provide only limited information about the physical proces...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Permeation Measurement: Plastic Bottles and Closures
...esults if the same closures are used on different bottles (or vice versa) and the combination is tested as a complete system. Further errors can occur if permeation through the closure is deducted from permeation through the complete bottle with the aim of determining only the influence of the individual components. Consequently, to select suitable bottles and closures in packaging and product development, the closure and bottle must be considered separately at first. In the course of our work...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Personal Expertise: Trends and Visions in Injection Moulding
...a the process and not via the machine construction. To conclude this particular topic, let us take another look at PET preform manufacture. Regardless of whether we are talking about the manufacture of standard or wide-neck containers, the aim is basically to use the most economical method to produce a given number of preforms of sufficiently high quality in a defined space of time. We all know the answer to this one: Under machine construction aspects, the Index machine is the most economical s...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PET Boom: PET Recycling and Direct Processing
...substances may migrate into a foodstuff, and secondly, derived from this, the contamination concentration in the wall of the bottle may not exceed 215 ppb, although this will depend on the nature of the contamination [4]. The aim with the approval process is to obtain a so-called “no objection letter (NOL)”. Since 1990, the FDA has issued 80 NOLs for plastic recycling processes that use recycled products (so-called ‘post-consumer recycled’ (PCR) plastics) in the food segment. 53 of these NOLs re...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PET in Packaging
...ty of the recycled material and ensure consumer protection. Germany has assumed a pioneering role in Europe with this guide. Optimising the PET bottle and the bottle-to-bottle recycling method from an ecological and economic point of view is the aim of a current research project being carried out at the Fraunhofer IVV. The project, which is being sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), is being implemented in cooperation with the PET bottle manufacturers, Tetra Pak a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PET Packaging: Growth Market with a Future
..., but also to expand through activities in the neighbouring links of the value chain (Fig. 4). With every step a company takes towards conquering additional parts of the value chain, it moves away from its core competency with the aim of expanding it, exploiting synergies, simplifying business processes and improving the earnings situation. As far as production is concerned, the bottling companies are pushing heavily into the domain of the converters. More and more bottling companies are produc...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PET Recycling: Melt Filtration at Constant Pressure
...e imposed pressure boundary requirement is reflected in the amplitudes of the pressure charts shown. Of particular interest in this regard is the blue pressure curve, which represents the inlet pressure of the spinning pump. In the trial, the aim was to keep this process pressure at 65bar ±5bar and at the same time to minimise the time needed for flushing all four screens. Pressure fluctuations of ±3 bar occurred in normal production on account of fluctuations in the bulk density of the PET flak...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Pipe and Profile Extrusion Dies
...xample, the RD 2, designed for a maximum output of about 900 kg/h, can be used to produce pipes in the range from 63 mm to 280 mm. Pipe Dies for Polyolefins For polyolefin processing, various designs of spider die have been developed. All have the aim of eliminating the flow marks caused by the spiders. The simplest solution was to locate a breaker plate downstream of the spider, which generates very many substreams in the melt and thus, so to speak, "smears" away the spider marks. Thi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Pipe Design: Optimised Static Design – Fast Cycles
...njection moulding process. In such regions, there is also the risk of void formation and sink marks. From Circular to Oval In the application development department of Ems-Grivory, an alternative design was developed for pipe inlets with the aim of reducing stress in the mostly highly stressed areas described above. In this solution, the circular cross section of the pipe-connecting stub in the direction of the pipe inlet is transformed into a corresponding oval cross section whose longer axis...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Pipe Extrusion: The Calculation of Spiral Mandrel Dies
...urves shows that a small initial gap height leads to a more favourable distribution of the melt in the spiral mandrel die (Table1), thereby better satisfying the design criterion of a uniform exiting velocity. On the other hand, however, the aim is also to keep the pressure requirement as low as possible. With the dies studied here, an increase in the pressure requirement from 97.0bar (model 15) to 107.3bar (model 14) and 118.4bar (model 13) was calculated with declining initial gap height. Sum...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastic Extrusion Dies
...is polymer is mostly used for film and sheet production. Extrusion was carried out at 220°C. Two different metals (stainless steel and brass) and two polymers (polyetheretherketone and polytetrafluoroethylene) were used as die materials. The aim was to choose metal die materials with high surface energy and polymeric die materials with low surface energies to influence the flow behaviour of the polymer melt at the interface to the die wall. The velocities of flow for the different die materials ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastic Goes Online
...ns had been immersed for several days in a water bath, they were then exposed to a temperature of approximately 200°C for one hour in an oven. The material successfully passed this extremely tough test without incident. Process Simulation The aim in developing a PU system for car wings is to create a balanced ratio between heat resistance, impact strength and dimensional stability. The latter properties also depend on the moulding process, the gating points and filler orientation during mo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastic, the All-purpose Material: Function in Form
... made entirely of plastic. It had been created by the sculptress Hildegard Tolkmitt from Düsseldorf/Germany [1]. Many plastics manufacturers, through their sponsorship, drew attention to the creative possibilities of plastics. Their aim is that this material should be exploited by students at design schools. Incentives include cash prizes and practical training, or even technical support for commercial realisation. For example, in the “Design Innovation in Plastic” competition sponsored by Bayer...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastics Recycling: High Market Potential
...tioned a total of 498 decision-makers from the plastics industry and 1400 private households. The study, entitled "Understanding loops – closing loops", was commissioned by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kunststoff-Recycling mbH (DKR). Its aim was to analyse why recyclate had not managed to achieve greater penetration of the plastics market and what possibilities existed for exploiting the market potential. High Level of Acceptance among Consumers The level of acceptance of plastics recy...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastics Remain a Growth Industry
... electrical and electronic equipment. The plastics industry entirely agrees with the objectives of this legislation, i. e. to dump as little as possible of this waste in landfill sites and to reuse or recycle as much of it as possible. However, this aim must be pursued with due consideration for free-market conditions to prevent squandering economic resources without gaining any additional environmental benefits. That is why the legislators should set the target, e. g. the various recycling quot...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyethylene Tanks: Contaminated Plastics in a Closed Material Loop
... the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, a consortium of a total of eight companies and four research institutes has conducted a detailed study into the decontamination of PE-HD blow mouldings that have been in contact with fuel. The aim was to reuse the material in the same area of application. A cleaning process for contaminated polymer products was developed on a model basis in the framework of this project and tried out on a pilot scale. Alongside the cleaning of the polymer, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polymer Electronics: From Polymer Transistor to Printed Electronics
...it is possible with this structure to depict semi-conductor layers fairly easily, it will be necessary for practical application to find concepts that allow the simple, very fast production of integrated circuits on flexible substrates. The aim must therefore be to find material systems that – irrespective of the substrate – can be processed out of solution. Fast roll-to-roll processes such as those used in printing are especially suitable for this purpose. This calls for organic conductors wit...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyoxymethylene (POM)
...h is achieved not through the addition of chemical additives but through chemical modification of the polyacetal chain. Compared with conventional POM copolymer types, the static creep strength is increased by a factor of 10. The aim is to speed up the substitution of metal by POM in components such as car window levers and cogwheels. Mitsubishi Gas Chem has announced that it will be using a production plant in Japan to produce specialties with higher viscosity. The new grades will be used among...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polypropylene - An Alternative?
...nt price-to-performance ratio rank amongst the key properties of PP. Starting with the rapid growth of PP (Figs. 1 and 2) in automotive engineering, telecommunications and energy transmission, as well as in plastic pipes, Borealis has set itself the aim of offering technically and economically competitive solutions for window profiles based on PP too. Specially-tailored PP materials have been developed, together with a technology for window profile extrusion (title photo). Alternative Window Ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polypropylene Films: Versatile Packaging Solutions
...ghtly lower initial seal temperatures. Thermoformed Cups – Transparent and Tough The combination of transparency and low-temperature toughness is an important target requirement for many applications today. These apparently conflicting aims can only be achieved through special phase design with copolymers in which the special advantages of the Borstar process are used once again [5]. The result is rigid and transparent like a nucleated homopolymer, yet tough like an impact copolymer – even at...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyurethanes (PUR)
...s filled materials for reinforcing thermoplastics with low wall thicknesses in sanitary applications. Now, they have been developed into versatile design materials, with the aim of competing for market share with glass fibre-reinforced polymers. Solvent-free spray systems (Baytec RT) can now be used for the production of solid, filler-free polyurethane coatings, which cover the hardness range from 75ShoreA to 70ShoreD. Just a few millimetres-thick rigid-soft-rigid multilayer structures, applied ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyurethanes Every Step of the Way
...nge of requirements - as an example of the aforementioned versatility - is also manifested in the ever wider and more confusing product range. Faster Access to Tailored Solutions In launching the new Bayflex Footwear brand strategy, the company is aiming to support customers with an applications oriented and self-explanatory product nomenclature. However, the concept comprises much more than just product information. The aim is to target the manufacturer's know-how more selectively so as t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
...jority holding in EVC. With the purchase of Vestolit and Vinnolit/Vintron by the investor group Harris/Candover and Advent, and the takeover of the film manufacturer Klöckner Pentaplast by Cinven, financial investors came on the scene, with the aim of actively influencing the necessary restructuring of the European PVC industry. At the production plant level, a range of capacity adjustments took place. Shutdown of the plants in Brindidsi, Antwerp, Brignoud etc. contrasted with debottlenecking me...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Practical Comparison of Simulation Techniques: 2.5D or 3D?
...ies were part of a joint project between industry and higher education institutes. The joint research project “Systematic Material Qualification for Water-Conducting Parts Made from Plastics” was initiated by Wilo AG, Dortmund/Germany, with the aim of developing a universal solution for numerical computation and dimensioning of plastics parts for use in pumps. Model Study: Pump Lid The part studied is a prototype pump lid that is currently in the development stage. The cavity is filled centrica...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Process combinations: Intelligent Machine Technology for Flat, Lightweight Components
...njection moulding press for the first time combines the processing options of a pressing machine, melt-strand deposition-unit and injection units for multi-component and MuCell technology. The many different possibilities offered by this machine are aimed particularly at efficient production of functionally integrated, flat, lightweight components by low-flow film or textile in-mould lamination, microcellular foaming technology and hybrid technology. Plastics are being increasingly used in the...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Process Variant for Thin-wall Injection Moulding: Injection Moulding with Precompression
...and the quicker the increase in viscosity of the solidifying melt. As a direct result of this, the pressure rises until the higher viscosity prevents any further injection of material into the cavity. Particularly in thin-wall applications, the aim must therefore be to fill the cavities as fast as possible, i.e. under virtually isothermal conditions. A positive side-effect is the additional supply of heat through higher dissipation. High injection speeds can be achieved above all by using machin...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Production Methods: Coping with Product Diversity
...ossible. At the same time, the capacity to deliver on time can be improved. Case Study SCM (Supply Chain Management) software for planning and control was installed at an extrusion company at considerable expense over a period of nine months. The aim of the project was to visualise and optimise the production process, which was characterised by many product variants. The company hoped that the increased transparency would enhance the ability to forecast future developments and, based on this, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Project Management: Challenge Rewarded
...mpanies, the orders were managed by experienced engineers. These key players, in addition to their technical management roles, also acted as coordinators for all other aspects: scheduling with customers and suppliers, costs, changeorder and claims management, invoicing, shipment, documentation etc. Their responsibility ended with the delivery, and was transferred to site management. As order volumes have increased, delivery times become shorter and the requirements for contractual collateral ser...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PU Seat Foams from End of Live Vehicles
...nd of Live Vehicles (ELV) was tested to provide an indication of whether they can be economically recycled. A point of interest is whether there are differences between different countries of the European Union. German legislation on car recycling aims for high rates of recovery of materials from ELV. The question is therefore what materials from ELV can be recovered by mechanical recycling. One possibility is to recycle PU seat foams (Fig. 1). However, little is known about the quality of the...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Qualified Cleanliness
... equipment required for the machine and peripheral units. The crucial factors that decide the actual cleanliness class required are customer specifications and product-specific criteria. Freedom from Microbial Contamination Is Required The overall aim of cleanroom technology is to avoid contamination in production and to protect the product from contamination. Depending on the application-specific cleanliness requirements, a distinction has to be made between freedom from particulate contaminati...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality and Process Optimisation: Taking Stock of SMC Technology
...is not possible or economic in the long term to try and make up for defective product quality with expert knowledge. The emphasis should be on continual plant improvement and not constant correction of processing defects. In taking stock of SMC, the aim should be to establish what the present state-of-the art is. What material properties and applications have been achieved but also what quality improvement measures are necessary to supply SMC processors with a high-quality product? The key produ...