Infusion - Flexibilizers, impact modifiers - Imerys Performance Minerals

Plastics Technology, 2004-06-30, Composites: Getting Faster and More Automated
...esigned for "instant" heating and faster cooling, numerous innovations for RTM and vacuum infusion, plus a host of new reinforcements.

Kunststoffe international, Maintaining Clarity Long-Term
...d in healthcare, this poses great risks for patients. When disinfectants are unable to penetrate cracks or grooves in the component this increases the risk of bacteria accumulating in these areas, so favoring the occurrence of infections. Embrittled infusion lines can lead to uncontrolled leakage of drugs [5]. Material failures are costly. They should be prevented by selecting suitable materials during product development and maintaining healthcare products as recommended.Test Methods for Chemic...

Kunststoffe international, Sustainable Growth
...energy systems is a key global criterion for using such resins in rotor blades. Exchange of Epoxy Resin for PU in Wind Energy Systems PU resins are processed in vacuum infusion processes, and significantly reduce infusion due to their low initial viscosity in comparison to commonly used epoxy resins. In addition, PU resins pre-cure and harden more quickly, both of which result in more efficient production. Covestro and Windnovation, Berlin, Germany, evaluated the advantages PU has for rotor bla...

Kunststoffe international, The One that Shears, Splits, and Folds Material
...s a deciding role with fluoropolymers, silicone rubbers, and others. Applications in medical technology include the production of compounds for handling liquids (such as blood bags or infusion agents), sterile packaging for medicines, as well as antibacterial and antiviral-equipped compounds for various applications, and glues required for bandages. Thanks to moderate shear rates together with good mixing properties, the co-kneader enables potentially migrating additives to be included in very s...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Industry Revives Business: Thermosets
...radomes and in bridge-building. The construction of major chemical plants and power stations and continuing sewer rehabilitation are responsible for increased sales of tanks and pipes. The stagnation in closed mould processing – RTM and vacuum infusion methods – is due to the fact that replacement of hand lay-up processes, which continue to predominate, is now virtually completed. Manufacturers are finding it hard to cope with spiralling raw material prices. There is a particular shortage of th...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bonding of Plastics
... they have to be mixed first. Many medical articles are also made by bonding diverse plastics together. Cyanoacrylate adhesives and UV curing acrylate adhesives are employed for instance in the production of disposable articles, such as catheters, infusion systems, disposable syringes and of sterile multi-use articles, such as operating instruments and endoscopes. Correspondingly high demands are imposed the toxicological safety and sterilisation resistance of such adhesives. Another interesting...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Composite Constructions: Industrial Production of Structural Components Made from Fibre/Plastic Composites
...of the fibre structure are also being taken into account. Impregnation For impregnating small numbers of large spherical fibre-reinforced plastic composite components required to have high-quality laminate properties, the resin infusion process with a distribution medium has often proved to be the only economic process [3]. One of the best known infusion processes is SCRIMP [4, 5]. Impregnation of the fibre preform with the matrix is carried out from a distribution medium placed on the preform ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cost Explosion: Glass Fibre-reinforced Plastics (GRP)
...n. Changes brought about by tougher environmental legislation have resulted in a move away from open mould to closed mould techniques – which is the most significant trend observed over recent years. More automated closed mould processes like infusion /injection moulding, RTM and SMC/BMC will continue to replace manual processes with an annual growth, in terms of value, of around 7%. Within this environment where margins are under pressure, market growth is stagnating and there is an imminent t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cutting Costs, Increasing Benefits: Multi-Component Injection Moulding as Innovation Driver
...The specified design effect can be additionally enhanced by downstream coating processes involving special-effect paints.Production occurs both in moulds featuring machine rotary platform and by the turning stack technology. Pharma Filter for Infusions The Minisart filter (Fig.3) produced for Sartorius removes air from infusion solutions. The filter attaches to the infusion tube. When the infusion bag has been pierced, the liquid flows as far as the filter, where a hydrophobic membrane holds i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Development Trends: Composites for Aircraft
... Only New Technologies Permit Savings The anticipated savings can no longer be attained through optimisation of conventional technologies. Completely new approaches are required, such as the technologies based on ”dry” fibre mats and resin infusion techniques. Compared to prepreg technology, textile technologies such as braiding, tailored fibre placement, warp knitting and stitching offer the possibility to arrange fibres automatically and in the correct load direction in two or three dimension...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Epoxy Resins (EP)
...cations that demand good performance properties. One of the largest growth areas for epoxy-based composites has been in the construction of large and small wind energy blades. Certain grades of epoxy resins are ideal for use in vacuum-assisted resin infusion moulding (VARTM) applications, and provide an unparalleled combination of properties, including a short demoulding period, ultra-low viscosity, good mechanical and thermal properties and good corrosion resistance. Parts can be designed that ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fibre Composite Parts: Automated Preform-RTM Production
...sector of industry could also be applied to the cost-efficient production of fibre composite parts with the appropriate further development. When employed in combination with closed, automatable liquid resin impregnation methods, such as RI (Resin Infusion) or RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding), these solutions will permit an efficient, all-in manufacturing chain to be achieved for fibre composites. The technical and economic benefits can be so great as to make applications that have so far been inac...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flame Retardants: Flame-retardant Epoxy Resins
... the other hand the starting material and the final composite part must be appropriate for the subsequent mechanical requirements. The difficulty in producing flame-retardant fibre composites with the wet-resin technology that are widely used (resin infusion and resin transfer moulding) lies in the fact that the resin systems require a low viscosity (

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flame-retardant Curing
...5 (cone calorimeter) showed that a test laminate containing this reactive additive still does not meet the flame retardancy requirements for aerospace applications. To modify combination resins for state-of-the-art processing methods, such as resin infusion (RI) or resin transfer moulding (RTM), it is necessary to optimise the rheological properties of the resin base. CFRP laminates can be produced by RI technology and differential pressure RTM. Recycling and Toxicology A study by the BIfA (Ba...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Functionality is the Key Factor
...dical Care Deutschland GmbH [11] (Photo: Victrex) Fig. 5. LightCycler from Roche Diagnostics with a capillary carousel of PEEK [12] (Photo: Ensinger) Fig. 6. Multi-function trolley of polyurethane integral skin foam [13] (Photo: Bayer) Fig. 7. Infusion stopper produced by economical injection moulding [25] (Photo: Klöckner Desma)

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Hot-Runner Technology: High-Tech Manufacture for Infusion Solutions
Tooling High-Tech Manufacture for Infusion Solutions Hot-Runner Technology. B. Braun Melsungen AG, one of the Europe’s largest manufacturers, has brought a new high-tech production facility for infusion solutions on stream. Needle valve technology played an important role in the implementation of the project. Jörg Essinger Under the name L.I.F.E (Leading Infusion Factory Europe), B. Braun planned three new production lines for the manufacture and filling of infusion solutions and brought them ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovations Today and Tomorrow: Polypropylene for Flexible Packaging
Packaging Polypropylene for Flexible Packaging Innovations Today and Tomorrow. The continuous improvement of flexible plastic packaging – driven primarily by the wishes of the consumer – is being helped along by the constant further development of polypropylene. With both flexible and rigid films – and especially with transparent cast film – enormous progress has been made in the last ten years. An important new impetus has also been provided by the development of new easy-to-open, easy-to-han...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Materials: Housings and Catheters
...is licensed to USP, Class VI, which is the highest rating for the United States Pharmacopoeia. It is suitable for the production of parts that come into direct contact with active ingredients or body fluids. These include housing parts as well as infusion and transfusion components like connector pieces, adapters and multi-way taps, such as the three-way taps made by B. Braun Medical AG of Switzerland (see photo). Special Vestodur formulations are similarly licensed for direct contact with activ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PBT Oligomers: Always in Good Form
...use of this versatility in the choice of processing parameters, CBT resin is suitable for all thermoplastic and thermoset processing techniques. Suitable thermoset processes for this are, for example, RTM, RFI (resin film infusion), pultrusion, compression moulding or prepreg. Thermoplastic processes that can be used include injection moulding and subsequent thermoforming. In principle, any of the processing techniques currently available for thermoplastics and/or thermosets can be used. The the...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polycarbonate (PC)
...is applied. A typical characteristic of PC eyewear is its high wear comfort. Medical: The main applications for PC in the medical segment are dialysers, blood oxygenators (Fig.8) and tubes and other elements for carrying blood and infusion solutions. The main reasons for choosing polycarbonate for these applications is its sterilisability in steam and hot air, its good compatibility with body fluids and its transparency, temperature resistance and toughness. Worldwide PC consumption in the medi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polypropylene Films: Versatile Packaging Solutions
...ty of applications from textile and flower wrapping films to twist-wrap and label films. Their advantages are seen in mechanical and barrier properties and also in printability (Fig.4). For flexible films used in the medical sector – e.g. for infusion bags (title picture) – PP is become established as an important alternative to plasticised PVC (PVC-P). A good example is Borsoft SD233CF, which is used primarily for cast films and, if required, can also be used in special compounds with external ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality Management: The Use of CAQ in Medical Technology
...e run on the optical measuring machine Fig. 3. Examples of the product range at Spang & Brands: connecting elements and connectors for blood bag systems of flexible PVC (left), connectors for bag systems (middle) and euro caps for infusion bottles (right) Fig. 4 The evaluation in QS-1-2-3-4 shows the measurements from all cavities at a glance Fig. 5 CAQ workplace in production for documenting the production testing In Profile: Spang & Brands GmbH, Friedrichsdorf, has been involved in inj...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Reinforced Plastics: Caught Up Again
... a new development was displayed in the form of an in-situ polymerising system. Cyclics presented Cyclics CBT – a matrix system based on commercial PBT which could take on particular importance for liquid impregnation processes, and resin infusion or resin injection processes. The particular attraction of this system is its low reaction temperature. With polymerisation being activated at a temperature clearly below the polymer's melting point, CBT combines short impregnation times with rapid...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Special Injection Moulding Applications
... required, and this is only possible with an automated sequence. Malfunctions Mean Rejects A large number of composite parts are encountered in medical engineering too. For many years, a system known as BottlePack was used to seal blow-moulded infusion bottles with a ring against misuse following the application of a needle holder and a closure to confirm that the bottle was in its original state. Today, media lines with injected-on bayonet couplings and catheter switches (Fig.5) incorporating...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Strong Upturn: Polycarbonate (PC)
...ng as possible, highly rigid and impact-modified PVC variants are being used for the mechanical functional elements. A new application for the co-PC Apec 1745 is so-called Luer lock adapters, which are threaded devices for coupling infusion tubes systems to intravenous access elements. This material was chosen because, among other things, it withstands steam sterilisation at 135°C and complies with the relevant requirements for use in the medical sector. Dynamic Growth in the Film Market The g...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Thermosets
...astics, which can no longer withstand the constantly increasing heat stresses [11]. Processing Further development in the GRP processing sector has two aims: to reduce styrene emissions and to make manual and injection or infusion processes for short to medium runs more reproducible and reliable. The use of heated RTM moulds is increasing, as is the use of vacuum, particularly in the production of large parts. For the spray-up process, new equipment is on the market that prevents atomisation o...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Which Way is the Wind Blowing for GRP?
...sulting blanks are then laminated in the mould and sealed with a vacuum bag. The vacuum compresses the impregnated bonded fabric layers again to produce a virtually defect-free moulded material. One alternative to this method of processing are infusion methods in which dry reinforcing materials placed in an open mould are covered with an absolutely tight vacuum bag and, after applying the vacuum, are impregnated with resin via runners (Fig.4). The term VARI (Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion) is us...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-31, Multiple Stopcocks: Permanently Lipid-resistant
...d stress cracking resistance and transparency in contact with various aggressive chemical media, and it is permanently lipid-resistant. Dirk Heinrich Multiple stopcocks (Title picture) and catheter connectors are indispensable components of complex infusion equipment and play a special role in drug delivery. Advanced therapy concepts involve highly concentrated active ingredients, which must be accurately dosed. Drugs such as anaesthetics, cytostatics, antibiotics, anti-narcoleptic agents and i...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-02-22, Carbon-fibre-reinforced Plastics (CRP): The Black Gold of Lightweight Building
...ment. However, thanks to their production advantages, including that of mass production, they can look forward to a positive future (Fig. 1). Trials are currently underway on the use of thermoplastics derived from low-molecular raw materials for infusion processes. Costs in Check. Capacity bottlenecks caused essentially by the aviation sector have induced many raw materials manufacturers to form mergers and to expand capacity. Suppliers and customers alike are seeking to contain the long-standi...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-18, Colouring In-line: Non-Stop
...ine of closures injected outside and inside, Mauer makes customised products. The firm specialises in the production of hinge-joint closures (flip-top caps; Fig. 1) made of polypropylene. With the innovative patented colouring system Polytrend Color Infusion Plus by Degussa Colortrend, the company was able to employ new strategies (Fig. 2). The fully integrated, microprocessor-controlled system – consisting of liquid base colours and precise, high-performance metering unit and blending unit – ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-10-30, Cleanroom Production: Tools for Routine Clinical Work
... a single use, and which is designed for inoculations in the third world and to prevent AIDS infection through multiple use of disposable syringes, - diverse multilumen catheter variants (with several feed lines), - a device for cooling and heating infusion solutions, and - injection moulding of thin-walled pipes attest to the company’s innovative focus. Greive produces hose connectors for a major manufacturer of dialysis systems. They have various 8-fold and 12-fold hot-runner moulds with in...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-02-13, Automation Concepts for Cleanrooms
...d robot integrated in a standard injection moulding machine (Fig. 3a/b). The space between the machine and the protective door on the machine’s non-operator side is sufficient for the articulated arm robot. Here, it removes sealing caps for infusion bags in a very tight space, and transfers them to an optical quality check after a safety ring has been moulded on. There is a simple reason why preference is usually given to articulated arm robots over linear robots for technical medical applicatio...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-07-18, Artificial Nutrition from Beverage Bottles
...erature, PET containers can only be sterilized by means of gamma radiation in the run-up to the tests (dose = 26 kGy). The chemical test is performed in accordance with DIN EN ISO 15747 on an empty container, or on film material if infusion bags are on the test stand. A distinction is drawn here between tests on the plastic itself (ignition residue, metals in the plastic) and the analysis of a test fluid or an extract fluid. This is designed to simulate diffusion in the plastic and the desorpti...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, A Design Tailored to Requirements
...o be shown at K is equipped with an energy display module, available as an option, which indicates the current electricity consumption on the machine display. A further medical-technology application – the production of catheters for infusion bottles on a Boy 22 A – provides an example of a clean-room solution where the advantages of the freely projecting, two-platen clamping unit come into play. Air ionization, sprue removal, packaging, sealing and inscription are integrated in a space-saving m...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Energy Efficiency Taking on Increasing Importance
...l technology applications can be produced in a cost efficient manner by the outsert technique. This involves the different components being injected onto a pre-shaped metal substrate. For two central components of its infusion pump system (Infusomat and Perfusor), B. Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany, uses products from Ticona’s medical grade range – Hostaform MT (POM) and Celanex MT (PBT) (Fig. 8). This makes it possible to add moving functional elements, such as levers or toothed wheels, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, Short Process for Hybrid Structures
... So far, different manufacturing processes for the production of fiber composite materials have established themselves. In essence, these are injection molding, extrusion, and the low-pressure techniques such as resin transfer molding (RTM), resin infusion (RI), and autoclaving. The difference between these processes may be gauged by whether they lend themselves to mass production and which mechanical properties can be attained thereby. While economic production relies not only on the material c...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-04-14, Sterilization in the Fast Lane
...on of plastics. The energy of the rays reliably kills microorganisms; under an environmental aspect, it is therefore the best alternative to disinfectants such as ethylene oxide, which are often toxic. Whether implants, prostheses, blood tube or infusion systems, surgical drapes, instruments, gloves or bandaging materials – irradiation sterilization is the method to safely sterilize almost any type of medical product most used today. Fig. 0. The electron accelerator is the plant’s core unit. I...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-09-23, Growing Up while Remaining Small
...id of a camera system, placed them into two containers, sorted by cavity. Control Functions with Productivity Reserves Boy demonstrated its clean room concept on a model 22A that was producing coupling components (PC) for catheters used with infusion bottles. Thanks to the compact arrangement of the equipment, the system needed less than 2 m2 – the air ionizing unit is above the clamping unit, the sprue picker completely within the safety enclosure while the unit for sterile packa...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-09-23, Metal Needs Plastic
...om product design, via stamping die and injection mold construction, through to manufacturing and assembly. As an exhibitor at hybridica, the company is presenting various elements for the automotive and electronics industry, and medical technology. Infusion Technology The Perfusors (Fig. 1) and Infusomats (Fig. 2) of B. Braun Melsungen AG, Melsungen, Germany, represent the latest developments in infusion equipment. While the Perfusor permits precisely dosed administration of the...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Low-Density Polyethylene (PE-LD, PE-LLD)
...#x2013; due to the high purity of PE-LD – are the preferred form of packaging for medical and pharmaceutical products and are also used for body care and household products. The range extends from small ampoules with screw closures through to infusion bottles that hold two liters (Fig. 7). The Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) process is of particular importance in the pharmaceutical industry. Here, the blow molding of the container, and the filling and sealing operations take place in...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Styrene Copolymers (ABS, ASA, SAN, MABS)
...toughness/stiffness ratio, with high transparency, good chemical resistance and outstanding surface quality and brilliance. This copolymer is also sterilizable, which opens up applications in medical technology (e.g. canulas, inhalation systems, infusion stopcocks and filters) [1]. For medical products, the material requires maximum product purity and must meet numerous criteria relevant to processing and approval. A product grade specially developed for this application sector – ...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Thermosets
... in the cured products. On the materials side, low-viscosity epoxy resins are increasingly playing a role by covering a wide range of pot lives and curing times in modularly constructed resin systems. A trailblazing production process is resin infusion. What is on offer today is a German Lloyd-certified resin portfolio specially tailored to the wind power sector; some of these have specially developed curing systems [www.baxxodur.com; www.dowairstone.com]. Fast curing resins for wind installatio...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-07-16, Hardeners “with a Switch” Improve Rotor Production
...ility. Latent Hardener Systems Raise Productivity There are four principle techniques for impregnating the fibers. In laminating the dry mats are impregnated manually one after the other using rollers dipped in the epoxy resin systems. Infusion technology uses a vacuum to suck the epoxy resin systems into the dry mats laid up in the mold (Figs. 1 and 2). The third possibility is to soak the mats outside the mold and let them pre-cure before laying them in semi-rigid form in the mold for final cu...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Batch Size Is Everything
...technologies, as can also be seen in the combination of injection molding with foaming. Two Worlds Within the plastics industry, clear differences can be observed in relation to automation. In the medical sector, many different products (pipettes, infusion closures etc.) are removed from the mold by gravity or automation. In the case of fully automated removal, an industrial robot is preferred to a linear robot because of its enclosed and compact design. Some machinery suppliers have already dev...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, A Delicate Balance
... displays a high viscosity, a relatively coarse cell structure is normally required. This facilitates the penetration of resin into the outer surface pores and allows a form-fitting and integral connection between the foam and fiber composite. If an infusion process is used, in which the viscosity of the matrix is usually much lower, a smaller cell size is sufficient for reliable filling of the cells cut at the foam’s surface. In this case, by choosing a properly matched foam type, the amount of...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Melt Flow in a Circular Distributor
...esigned in such a way that, by rotating one platen, it is possible to switch the allocation of the extruders for the inside and outside layer. In addition to being used in the small-dimension range for catheter applications and infusion hoses and the like, circular distributor dies are also in use for bigger hose dimensions – from single-layer plasticized PVC hoses through to five-layer special products for a large number of applications in medical and pharmaceutical technology. Barrier Films St...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-02-21, Biocompatible Thanks to the Process
...German Engineers (Verein Deutscher Ingenieure; VDI) more than half of all medical products are made from plastic. The versatility of this class of materials makes it almost universally useful. Plastics are found in the form of containers that hold infusion solutions, components in the medical devices, syringes, bandages, catheters, tubing and implants. Behind the scenes, adhesives play a key role. Recent developments and advances in medical technology will be demonstrated by the exhibitors at Me...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-02-21, Securing Care for Patients
...ch the manufacturing and packaging processes of such products guarantee. This has made disposable plastic products an indispensable component in complex regimes of modern medical care by a wide variety of therapeutic disciplines (emergency medicine, infusion therapy, clinical nutrition, oncology, pediatrics and neonatology as well as anesthetics). Plastics products here are generally made from transparent plastics, thus enabling product flow to be visually monitored and easily adjusted. Compatib...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-05-12, Lofty Heights in the Black Forest
... process and plant technology is. For instance, visitors could see how an electric ejector axis drops closure caps from the mold almost vertically (packaging), that, during the production of LSR tubes for one-way use with infusion pumps, machine as well as dosing unit are driven servo-electrically, thus meeting the highest demands of precision, purity and cleanliness (medical and cleanroom technology), how ionized air prevents dust particles from adhering, while fixture frames (3.4 mg) for heari...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-09-23, Trouble-Free Sterilization
...are minor and without significance for the application. However, caution must be exercised with regard to silicone valves that have to guarantee the precise dosing of medication and other liquids, such as valves used in insulin pumps and needle-free infusion systems, or for enteral or parenteral nutrition. In this case, there is a risk that the valve slits will partially or completely heal up during radiation sterilization, increasing the opening pressure of the valve. This can impair dosing pre...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-09-23, With Networked Competence to High-Performance Parts
...esion between matrix and fibers. This is important since the optimum mechanical properties of such a part can only be achieved with complete adhesion between the matrix and the reinforcing fibers. A further variation ultimately is the vacuum infusion process, or resin infusion process. The basic principle remains the same, but the process operates with just one lower mold and a vacuum film placed over the preform. Common to the processes mentioned is that mixing of the reaction components genera...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Indispensable Software Operations
...n, as well as portable cleanrooms according to the ISO 5 standard, where no more than 3,520 particles of 0.5 µm may exist in one cubic meter. PCI offers a wide variety of products ranging from respiratory care equipment via oxygen concentrators and infusion pumps, to drug delivery systems. “PCI considers strong relationships with OEMs as a crucial issue. We virtually work with them throughout every stage of the process. This begins with upfront design, developing and testing the prototype, and e...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polypropylene (PP)
...m thickness. The development of highpurity, yet softer grades allows polypropylene to play a very important role in health care. Bormed SC820CF, a soft heterophasic copolymer with random EP matrix, has been developed specifically for medical infusion bags and packaging for medical instruments (Fig. 4). Although it does not quite match the extreme softness of LyondellBasell Adflex grades, the focus is on striking the right balance of flexibility, transparency and ease of sterilization. Generally,...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Resins and Reactive Systems
...s potential in infrastructure projects. In this respect bridge building is literally leading the way. Since they are corrosionproof and light, bridges made from fiber-reinforced plastic composites, for instance as sandwich constructions made using infusion technology or pultruded components, offer advantages over steel-reinforced concrete (Title photo). For high end glass fiber-reinforced applications in construction requiring improved flame retardancy there is also a suitable vinyl ester resin ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-02-24, IV Bags Filled In-Line
Kiefel GmbH in Freilassing, Germany, has introduced its IV-Express, a new plant designed for the production and filling of infusion bags at cleanroom conditions. Kiefel is a specialist in welding technology and producer of thermoforming plants and, according to company information, this new development is perfectly tailored to meet the requirements of the market. The compact machine is made of stainless steel and can achieve extraordinarily high output rates at minimum footprint. The plant moreo...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, CRP Components with Class A Surfaces
...the process combines the benefits of conventional liquid composite molding processes such as the resin injection molding process (option of automation, high surface qualities on all sides, narrow production tolerances) to those included in the resin infusion process (fast planar distribution of the resin, impregnation of the preform in through-thickness orientation), thus significantly reducing process cycle times. Figure 1 presents the prototype plant at the technical center of the IKV. Employi...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-07-23, System Options for Wafer-Thin Protection
... of producing polyolefin films with comparable or even better properties than corresponding PVC films. An interesting example of the substitution potential are packaging systems for liquid medical and pharmaceutical products, such as infusion and dialysis bags (Title photo). These medical applications require a high-quality flexible film with very good optical and mechanical properties and perfect sealability. Without the use of plasticizers, the water-quenched polyolefin films represent a fully...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-09-17, Efficiency Meets Process Integration
...e removed and placed by means of a handling robot from Sepro Robotique GmbH. A Zhafir Venus II (Fig. 18), also with 1,000 kN clamping force, produces infusion cannulas from PC with a shot weight of 12 g in a cycle time of 8 s. Compared with its predecessors, the “Venus II” offers some performance improvements. The optimized injection unit is claimed to achieve 20 % greater acceleration, and thereby significantly shorter cycles; according to the manufacturer, the modified toggle promises improved...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-09-17, Semi-Finished Fabrics to Order
...production optimization. Carbon, glass and aramid fibers are among the materials that are processed to manufacture such semi-finished textiles. Preforms Many semi-finished textiles find application in combination with thermosetting resins, in vacuum infusion, e.g., in the well-known VAP process (Vacuum Assisted Process), in RTM (Resin Transfer Molding), or together with epoxy films in the autoclave process. Thermoplastic applications remain the exception. However they are currently involved in s...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Lighter in the Air, in the Wind and on the Road
...out 1,850 wind turbines over the next few years. A typical turbine in the countryside is 80 wt.-% steel. For the rotor blades, though, lightweight construction throughout is required. The blades employed in wind turbines are made predominantly by an infusion process. This consists in placing the dry reinforcing textiles in an open mold, which serves as the negative of a blade half-shell, covering it with a film structure, and infiltrating it with the matrix system, under vacuum, at 40 to 50°...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-02-22, Greater Transparency
...le-butadiene-styrene) with outstanding transparency and surface quality. The good flowability of the material simplifies the design of multi-cavity molds for thin-walled injection moldings, dimensionally stable housings, inhalers and infusion sets of Novodur HD ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (Title photo, Fig. 4) with high gloss, a pleasant feel and good chemical resistance. The material is available in several standard colors, can be beta, gamma and ETO-sterilized and is suitable for las...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-04-14, Trend Report (Part 2): Fiber Composite Systems for Lightweight Construction
...e liquid composite molding (LCM) processes are based on a similar principle. Dry textiles are draped in a mold and the mold is sealed using a solid countermold (RTM – Resin Transfer Molding) or flexible film (VARI – Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion). The dry textile is impregnated with a low-viscosity resin and cured in the geometrically defined form at elevated temperatures. The different process variants are illustrated in simplified form in Figure 2. Common to all process variants is that the s...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-05-07, Extrusion: New Packaging Solutions Thanks to Rapid Cooling
... of as many as 11 layers can be produced with up to 1,600 mm working width and ranging in thickness from 30 to 300 μm. This innovative cooling concept achieves high production outputs in conjunction with low overall height of the entire line. Infusion Bags A typical application for water-cooled blown film are pouches to fill medicinal infusion solutions with, often referred to as infusion bags (Fig. 2). This type of packaging fulfills very high optical and mechanical requirements. The preferred ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-05-07, Injection Molding: Manufacture Hollow Bodies with Inlays in a Single Step
Modern medicine would not be the same without infusion and transfusion therapy. Drip chambers have long ago become standard products for these applications, and can be produced economically despite meeting highest requirements for manufacturing safety and hygiene. In a flagship project, it was possible, for the very first time, to manufacture multi-component hollow bodies with inserted filters on an injection molding machine in just a single work step. Drip chambers are a core element of infusio...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-05-07, Mold-Making: Reliable and Efficient Processing of COC and COP
...d syringes, currently experiencing strong market growth due to the significant advantages that they offer, often contain so-called parenteral preparations, which are defined in the pharmacopoeia as “sterile preparations intended for injection or infusion into the human or animal body�?. High Technical Requirements during Processing One of the key advantages of pre-filled syringes is patient safety. Such syringes always ensure that the right medication is administered in the correct dosage and co...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-06-17, Innovations in Lightweight Construction
...ng prepreg. Thanks to the innovative manufacturing method – which permits a surface weight that is up to ten times lower – prepreg strength can be increased by up to 40 %. The new material is intended primarily as a replacement for vacuum infusion technology in the aerospace industry, but also for shipbuilding. Also Gurit Holding AG in Wattwil, Switzerland, presented various prepreg systems with improved properties regarding temperature resistance, fire resistance and better processing propertie...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)
... technology. With Cyrolite Protect 2, a new PMMA-based microbe resistant compound has now been approved for the European market and can be used for a variety of applications such as disposable medical instruments or infusion accessories. Furthermore, the material may be sterilized, is resistant to fats and alcohol and remains permanently microbe resistant even after repeated cleaning. This helps Cyrolite Protect 2 prevent infections caused by hospital microorganisms that are increasingly becomin...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polypropylene (PP)
...olded test specimen, this product still achieved a flexural modulus of 300 MPa. This grade was specially developed for the production of cast film and water-cooled blown film, such as is used for the production of infusion bags or packaging film for medical devices. Bormed SC876CF complies with the requirements of the European and US pharmacopeias and, even after steam sterilization, is characterized by high transparency and excellent toughness. This property profile enables film producers to re...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polyurethanes (PU)
...lication. PU composites also open up new opportunities in production of rotor blades for wind turbines. New, solvent-free PU casting resins from the Baydur product family represent one example. They are optimized for the vacuum infusion process typically used for such wind turbine rotors. One material variant has already been used in China (Fig. 8). Until now, epoxy resins have been used for rotor blades for the most part and, less frequently, unsaturated polyester resins. In comparison, the new...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Resins and Reactive Systems
...improve fire protection. The usual mineral additives such as aluminum trihydroxide or magnesium hydroxide increase the viscosities of polyester and vinyl ester resins so significantly that processing by resin transfer molding (RTM) or vacuum infusion, for example, is usually impossible. In addition, highly rigid textile nonwoven fabrics can hardly be soaked. A new concept of Büfa Composite Systems GmbH & Co. KG, Rastede, Germany, thus comprises several stages of flame protection, without severel...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-11-26, Mold Makers Are Raising their Game
...cavity mold, achieves accelerations up to 17 G, and sorts out defective parts identified by camera monitoring.Another example of a highly integrated process is offered by the production of 3-component drip chambers with filters for infusion sets (Fig. 4). It eliminates subsequent operations such as assembly of inlays or bonding of hollow articles. The design of the associated 4-cavity mold, developed by Hack Formenbau GmbH, Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany, allows the two parts of the chambers to b...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-04-20, Feeding Blow Molding Production
Producing medical products, absolute cleanliness is a matter of course. As a result, materials, plants and environments have to meet the highest requirements when manufacturing and filling infusion containers designed for parenteral feeding. Motan-colortronic equipped the production facility of B. Braun in Rubí, Spain, with material handling as well as visualization units. Water is the source of all life – in Europe alone, water is used more than 600 million times a year, as a life-saving infu...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-09-18, Mass Reduction for Mass Production
...re the resin is applied to the fabric outside the mold. Then the pre-impregnated fabric is transported into the hot mold. During mold closure, the resin is further dispersed into and through the fabric and so all the fibers are wetted. Infusion is mainly in the thickness direction. There are no long flow paths as in the RTM process. This keeps wetting paths shorter. That allows the use of higher mold temperatures and therefore shorter curing times. During curing, the next layup fabric is already...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-10-12, High Tech in Thin Layers
...Sankt Augustin, Germany, are equipped with a closed vacuum chamber in which a relatively large amount of cooling water is available compared to other systems. Films requiring this particularly high cooling performance are those for, e. g., infusion and dialysis bags, which, at 200 µm, are very thick but nevertheless must be highly transparent and must have high puncture resistance for reasons of safety. This high transparency is also desirable for vacuum-formable food-packaging films of a PE-PA ...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-11-23, Mass Production in Medical Technology Demands Top Precision in Tiny Details
The full range of expertise for processing plastics under clean-room conditions and for the market-oriented packaging of disposables for infusion is represented in the Escholzmatt plant of the globally active medical equipment company, B. Braun. Here the need often arises for a sophisticated mold design – and for a partner with expertise in the technical inner workings of a mold. Medical technology is a booming business. That is one thing. The other is: success in this sector requires great know...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-11-23, Tailor-Made for Special Cases
...at require a balance of rigidity and toughness or behavior that may vary from very high flexibility to rubber-elastic [1, 2].Tough and Rigid to Soft and ElasticThe trend toward replacing plasticized PVC by styrene-butadiene block copolymers (SBC) in infusion sets, tubing, drip chambers and other medical products is still intact and is driving numerous new developments in the market for SBC-based plastics and blends [1]. The chief beneficiaries of this replacement are the soft, thermoplastic elas...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-10-17, Polypropylene (PP)
...ter, this applies particularly to the replacement of flexible PVC in film and bag applications. Soft PP products such as Bormed SC876CF now offer a combination of flexibility, toughness and transparency, for example for sterilizable infusion bags. The combination of a modulus of elasticity of 330 MPa (even only 180 MPa on the 50 µm film) with a melting point of 149 °C, which is unproblematic for superheated steam sterilization, and very good optical properties even after sterilization, is achiev...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-10-17, Polyurethane (PU)
...ydur PU resin) were jointly developed by Covestro, Saertex GmbH & Co. KG, Saerbeck, and Hübers Verfahrenstechnik Maschinenbau GmbH, Bocholt, both Germany. The rotor blade shells are manufactured by means of vacuum infusion with core materials, glass fiber roving, and PU resin. Compared with the epoxy resins that are normally used to produce rotor blades, the new process offers several advantages in terms of production speed, long-term dynamic strength, plus less reaction heat and shrinkage. The ...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-10-17, Reactive Systems and Fiber-Reinforced Composites
...glass transition temperature, undergo less shrinkage and generate less heat than the traditional epoxy systems used in wind energy [17]. Thus, extremely light and highly stable PU spar caps can be manufactured by means of vacuum infusion, thanks to customized glass scrim and an optimized impregnation rate (Fig. 5) [19]. The 45 m spar cap implemented here can be lengthened a great deal further with carbon fibers. Continuous pultrusion can serve as an alternative to traditional processing methods ...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-10-17, Styrene Copolymers
...es and tubing. In terms of haptics, hardness and functionality, they are comparable to plasticized PVC and exhibit advantages regarding resorption of medications. At the moment, these material grades are finding great interest among manufacturers of infusion sets. Demanding and Crucial Applications for MBSPlastics for toys must not only be safe physiologically, but also tough and unbreakable. Highly transparent materials such as MBS polymers, for example, meet this requirement profile and are us...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-07-19, Side Gating Solutions for Medical Applications
...at can reliably meet the required high quality with no compromises. Companies such as Schöttli have specialized in precisely this field. Medical technology, like other industries, requires many components, such as syringe barrels, syringe plungers, infusion equipment, connection adapters or parts for insulin pens, in ever greater quantities. In the multi-cavity injection molds used for this purpose, only side gating comes into consideration because of the necessary gate quality and the compactne...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-09-20, Solving the Mystery of Kinking
The flexibility of infusion lines is a key product feature for their application. However, adverse pressure may cause kinking that can interfere with treatment safety. New test methods characterize the kinking behavior of hoses, and are able to predict the behavior over several days within hours. Flexible plastic hoses used as transfer systems for infusion therapy are bulk goods in the medical technology sector. B. Braun Melsungen AG in Melsungen, Germany, alone produces several hundred million ...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-10-13, Reactive Systems and FRP
...European GDP (Fig. 1). According to the market report by the reinforced plastics industry association AVK, the 1.069 million t of GFRP quoted for 2015 includes 140 t of thermoplastics based products, while approx. 300 to 400 t of parts produced by infusion are not included in the market survey. According to this, glass fiber composites with a thermoset matrix actually makes up almost 1.3 million t. Since transport and construction are the main consumers of GFRP parts, their manufacture, in the l...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-11-29, Light and Well-Made by Sand
...g 1870 g each were produced in a single cavity shot mold and subsequently sealed with Ioseal, partly to give them sufficient strength for the preform process. Depending on the subsequent processing method – HP-RTM, VARI (vacuum assisted resin infusion) or SMC-pressing (sheet molding compound) – various material configurations can be selected that differ mainly in terms of temperature resistance and cost. For the R.A.C.E. project, the core was set to 330 °C temperature resistance and 500 bar pres...

Kunststoffe international, 2018-05-15, Recycling of Long Carbon Fibers
...to handle and can be fed to the subsequent process steps. Impregnation with the polymer matrix is performed in a liquid composite molding (LCM) process. For this, two processes were tested: resin transfer molding (RTM) und vacuum assisted resin infusion (VARI). The most important difference for this process chain (besides the different injection pressures) concerns the cavity height. In RTM, the upper and lower molds determine the thickness of the produced part, resulting in a smooth surface. Wh...

Kunststoffe international, 2018-12-19, Luminous Fibers as Design Elements in Plastics Parts
...dent textile process that enables both flexible fitting and fixing of electrical conductors in complex patterns. This is an important precondition for using OWG to design future luminescent plastics parts to customer specifications.The eligible infusion and pultrusion methods fundamentally offer no suitable way to secure and/or fixate the luminous fibers in the desired contour (e. g. wavy) during the process. That is why the luminous fibers were knitted to the desired contour on a carrier fleece...

Kunststoffe international, 2020-04-08, Plastics Processors Are Suddenly Systemically Important
...e becoming painfully aware of on what a fragile foundation our existence rests. For our sector, there remains one realization: plastics processors are suddenly systemically important. Since, without a constant supply of respiratory masks, infusion sets, diagnostics equipment and other plastics products for emergency medical use – including protective clothing, of course – patient care faces collapse. Let us hope that it does not come to that!Dr. Clemens Doriatclemens.doriat@hanser.de

eMagazine "Journal of Plastics Technology", 2011-01-18, Vacuum Infusion Processing of Self-Healing Composites with Reinforcement Bound Microcapsules
...ass fiber/epoxy composites. These microcapsules are designed to fracture when the composite structure is damaged in service, releasing a liquid healing agent and repairing the damaged region during cure. For this, the microcapsules have to stand the infusion process and may fracture yet when the epoxy matrix is being damaged. A binding agent which is soluble in the epoxy resin serves to anchor the microcapsules in place during resin infusion before being dissolved in the epoxy matrix, resulting ...

eMagazine "Journal of Plastics Technology", 2011-11-02, Modelling the Resin Infusion Process, Part I: Flow Modelling and Numerical Investigation for Constant Geometries
An important class of production processes for fibre reinforced plastics are flow processes (e.g. RTM, VARI). The simulation of flow processes with textiles deforming during the process is a big challenge. Therefore it is difficult to embed conventional approaches in industrial environments. This two parted paper shows a new approach for modelling of these processes with deformable geometries: analogies to thermomechanical relations are applied to achieve this aim. In this first paper the approa...

eMagazine "Journal of Plastics Technology", 2012-02-29, Modelling the Resin Infusion Process. Part II: Accounting for Deformation of Textiles by Analogy to Thermomechanical Models
An important class of production processes for fibre reinforced plastics are flow processes (e.g. RTM, VARI). The simulation of flow processes with textiles deforming during the process is a big challenge. Therefore it is difficult to embed conventional numerical approaches in industrial environments. This two parted paper shows a new approach for modelling of these processes with deformable geometries: analogies to thermomechanical relations are applied to achieve this aim. The approach present...