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U-Van - Bonding agents - Mitsui Chemicals
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Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Airbus to Fly with PPS
Airbus to Fly with PPS Plastic Composites replacing Aluminium in the Wings Henning Küll, Frankfurt am Main/Germany Glass-fibre reinforced laminates with polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) as the matrix material are being used to substitute aluminium in the wing section of the Airbus A340-500 and A340-600 - a development that is set to continue in the light of the cost and weight savings. Around 40 % of the components for the Super-Airbus A380 scheduled for 2004 will probably be made of fibre-rei...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Attractive New World of Packaging
Attractive New World of Packaging Husky Builds on its Strengths in the PET Market PET bottles are the fastest growing market in the packaging segment. Husky, a major globally operating manufacturer of injection moulding machines and tools for the production of preforms for PET containers, is intent on participating in this growth. A report from the company’s European headquarters in Dudelange/Luxembourg. Reliable forecasts for the coming decade predict an annual growth for PET bottles of o...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bonding of Plastics
Bonding of Plastics An Overview Werner Gruber, Korschenbroich/Germany Bonding technology is growing particularly in importance for lightweight designs. The use of two-pack adhesives will continue to increase in the future. Elastic PU adhesives and PU hotmelts are forecast to grow at the fastest rates. To date, the use and growth of plastics has been and still is linked to the demands on the part of the processors to be able to join these materials during processing by suitable techniques...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cosmetics Packaging: Optical and Haptic Aesthetics
Packaging Optical and Haptic Aesthetics Cosmetics Packaging. The ionomer Surlyn combines the luxurious appearance and transparency of glass with the creative potential and performance advantages of high-quality plastics. Thanks to this combination of properties, the material is increasingly the preferred material for containers for cosmetics and body-care products. The unique combination of optical and haptic aesthetics made possible by Surlyn, along with the service benefits of the material,...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Driving the Automotive Industry: Engineering Elastomers
Trend Report Crosslinking Plastics Engineering Elastomers Driving the Automotive Industry. Within the elastomer-manufacturing industry, there is increasing concentration and focus on product groups. Regardless of this, the trend towards relocating production of standard products within the expanded European Union continues to advance. In the future, China and India will also increasingly emerge both as markets and production locations for engineering elastomer products. Werner P. Lauhus The Eu...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Ecological Beneficial Composites
Ecological Beneficial Composites Reinforcing PMMA Thermosetting Resins with Flax Fibres Gunter Hieber, Schorndorf, Robert Kohler and Rainer Alex, Reutlingen/Germany Especially high quality materials can be produced using domestic natural fibres. Therefore existing procedures and formulations are being adapted to the requirements of natural fibres. It has thereby been possible to achieve the characteristics profile of glass fibre reinforced plastics and sometimes to even exceed it. Especi...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Economical in Long Series
Economical in Long Series Centrifuged FRP Pipes with Thermoplastic Matrix Max Ehleben, Wolfsburg/Germany, und Helmut Schürmann, Darmstadt/Germany A newly developed procedure based on centrifugation technology makes it possible to manufacture continuous fibre-reinforced precision pipes with thermoplastic matrices. The centrifuged pipes are almost free of eccentricity and have outstanding internal and external surfaces. They are therefore particularly suitable as drive shafts, bearings or hyd...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expansion Injection Moulding: Amazingly Thin
Injection Moulding Amazingly Thin Expansion Injection Moulding. According to the state of the art, thin-wall injection moulding requires the injection unit to be supported by a hydraulic accumulator. But without a hydraulic accumulator greater precision is achieved in the process technology, energy consumption is lower and amazingly thin walls can be produced. The new state of the art is called "X-Melt", the expansion injection moulding process developed by Engel. It is all made possibl...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-temperature Thermoplastic Films: Flexible Printed Circuits
Special: Electronics Flexible Printed Circuits High-temperature Thermoplastic Films. Flexible printed circuits (FPC) are growing in popularity. These FPCs are based on polymer films. In addition to the already established materials, the spotlight is increasingly falling on heat-resistant thermoplastic polymer films for this application. Christian Seidel Larissa Zirkel Helmut Münstedt The advantages of flexible printed circuits (FPCs) over rigid circuit board solutions are plain. The relative...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovation with Polyurethane
Innovation with Polyurethane FSK Innovation Awards for Mouldings of Polyurethane Foam For the second time, the "Fachverband Schaumkunststoffe" (Technical Association of Plastic Foams) has awarded innovation prizes for new product, design and process ideas relating to marketable mouldings of polyurethane foam. The competition is targeted at young designers and engineers, who were called on to find new and unconventional designs for polyurethane foams. The latest competition, entitle...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, IP Support: Lightweight Automotive Instrument Panel Carriers
IP Support: Lightweight Automotive Instrument Panel Carriers They are lightweight and cost-efficient and yet meet the high requirements of the automotive industry. With the development of a new generation of glass-fibre-reinforced PC+ABS blends, the manufacturer has succeeded in adding good PU foam adhesion to the typical properties of these blends, such as good toughness, rigidity and flowability. Uwe Koch-Reuss, Tom Schenkels, Dagmar van Heur Increasingly high demands are being made on t...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Location Decision: Centralisation and/or Relocation?
Market and Management Centralisation and/or Relocation? Location Decision. Structural changes in the end user industry branches for injection moulded articles and relocation of production capacity toward the East require internationalisation strategies from many injection moulding enterprises. Decisions about relocation of production or the structure of additional manufacturing plants also have consequences for manufacturers of technical production equipment. An analysis from the point of view ...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Material Handling under Clean Room Conditions
Material Handling under Clean Room Conditions Stringent Demands on Reliability Dieter Kemmler, Ludwigsburg/Germany For insulation with medium and high-voltage cables, use is made of polyethylene compounds (PE-X). The very highest demands are made on the level of purity for such applications because even the tiniest amount of contamination in the ppm range in the insulating mixture can lead to electrical breakdowns and cause major damage with high subsequent costs. This requires special tec...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Microsystems Technology: In-mould Assembly via Microinjection Moulding
Special In-mould Assembly via Microinjection Moulding – An Alternative Joining Process Microsystems Technology. Everyday life is increasingly influenced by microsystems technology of all kinds. Expanding use of polymeric materials in this area presents interesting alternatives not only for manufacturing, but also for joining and connecting of microsystems. Walter Michaeli Dirk Opfermann In addition to the continual advances in miniaturisation, the Nexus study identifies the increasing use of ...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Modified Polyphenylene Ethers (PPE)
Modified Polyphenylene Ethers (PPE) Jos van Gisbergen and Wim Minderhout, Bergen op Zoom/Netherlands Modified PPE materials have been on the market for more than 35 years and are well established among engineering plastics. PPE polymer is well known for its high heat resistance, high dimensional stability, low water absorption and good hydrolytic stability. For these reasons, PPE is an important blending partner for other polymers. Polyphenylene ether - also known as polyphenylene oxide (P...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, New Service Forms
New Service Forms Hybrid Drive System and "Pay-as-You-Use" Scheme for Injection Moulding Machines In 1999, Demag Ergotech GmbH, Schwaig/Germany, managed to maintain its market position in the declining European customer markets. All in all, the company booked orders last year for 2,000 machines. The consolidated sales of Demag Ergotech Group amounted to DM 477 million in the last financial year. Overall, the Demag Ergotech Group was able to consolidate its market position during la...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Panorama Roof for the Opel Zafira: Promising Technology
Materials Promising Technology Panorama Roof for the Opel Zafira. Complex roof modules can be produced with a Class A surface via in-mould lamination (backmoulding) with polyurethane foam. These satisfy new and increasingly diverse customer requirements. Detlev Mies Reiner Paul Dirk Wegener A substrate of glass fibre-reinforced polyurethane (PUR) can impart such outstanding mechanical properties to a high-gloss thermoplastic film that it can be used as the exterior skin in automotive applica...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plant Construction: The World's Biggest PBT Polymer Plant Goes into Production
Plant Construction The World's Biggest PBT Polymer Plant Goes into Production Plant Construction. A new technology for manufacturing the polyesters PET, PBT, PTT, PEN and their copolymers can utilise raw materials such as DMT, PTA or NDA. The new Espree tower reactor carries out esterification and pre-polycondensation reactions simultaneously. The required PBT qualities are produced in the melt phase in the Discage finishing reactor. Eike van Endert In the middle of February 2004 the turn...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyurethanes Every Step of the Way
Polyurethanes Every Step of the Way Polyurethane integral foams are finding increasing use for shoe soles - in ever more applications. Bayer AG recently introduced a new brand concept that will supply shoe manufacturers with targeted information about products and technologies for their particular applications. Statistically, almost two pairs of shoes are produced for every person on earth each year. In 1999, the figure was 11.5 billion shoes overall [1]. As regards the quality of the materi...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Printing Plastic Surfaces Precisely and Economically
Printing Plastic Surfaces Precisely and Economically Max Dominik, Eschwege/Germany Following the manufacture of a plastic product, it is often necessary to treat its surface by painting, embossing, polishing or printing for the purposes of decoration or identification, in order to make it saleable or useful in the application. Though there are unlikely to be any surprising innovations in these technologies, ongoing improvements, rationalisation and automation of the processes and systems can...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Process Comparison: Profitable Injection Moulding with Nitrogen or Water?
Injection Moulding Profitable Injection Moulding with Nitrogen or Water? Process Comparison. Water-assisted injection moulding (WIM) is a relatively young fluid-injection moulding technology that is available on the market alongside gas-assisted injection moulding. A technical and economic comparison of the two injection moulding variants, which in many ways are ideal complements to one another, illustrates their respective ranges of applications. New insights into WIM expand its range of appli...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Process Technology: Polyurethane Processing Systems
PUR Technology Polyurethane Processing Systems Process Technology. In contrast to production of complete moulded parts or semi-finished goods by physical means, the primary step in production of polyurethane parts involves a chemical reaction that occurs at the processor. Reliable production equipment for this process is available to manufacture the greatest variety of parts. Starting from low-pressure and high-pressure machine technology, the present article briefly discusses the necessary m...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality Assurance: First-aid Instructions
Injection Moulding First-aid Instructions Quality Assurance. If moulded-part quality in injection moulding goes off course, rapid action is required. A systematic analysis of the relationships between machine settings and component quality makes it possible to identify for whole component families the optimum measures that need to be taken to return quickly and efficiently to a stable operating range. The stable operating range in the production of a high-quality injection moulding is sometimes ...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality of SMC Surfaces: Paintability Enhanced
Exterior Parts Paintability Enhanced Quality of SMC Surfaces. Body panels that have been produced with a new, tough SMC material exhibit fewer hair-line cracks under load. The formation of paint pops in coated parts is avoided as a result. Michael J. Siwajek Body panels manufactured from Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) provide many advantages over steel and other materials; high strength-to-weight ratio, lower tooling cost, and design flexibility to name a few. The OEMs have recognised these advan...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Retrospective: The Development of Injection Moulding
Special The Development of Injection Moulding Friedrich Johannaber Retrospective. For many years, the development of injection moulding has paralleled the development of polymers. The basic technology for today’s highly complex and fully automatic production machines traces its origin back to 1872. Bock divides the history of injection moulding into five eras [1]. This division is retained here with some additions, so that the attentive observer of this branch of industry can follow very eas...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Sealing Through Contamination
Sealing Through Contamination The Performance of Metallocene Plastomers as Sealing Polymers Norbert Rohse, Philippe Mesnil, Machelen/Belgium, and Jan Arnauts, Geleen/Netherlands Metallocene plastomers show an excellent sealing-through-contamination performance compared with other sealing polymers. In many cases, therefore, higher packaging speeds and better package integrity can be achieved. The flexible packaging industry continues to challenge film producers to provide cost effective i...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Stabilization - Doping for Recyclates
Stabilization - Doping for Recyclates Artificial Heat Ageing and Accelerated Weathering of Mixed PP Recyclates from Van Components Since the introduction in Germany of legislation on scrap cars (Altautoverordnung), car manufacturers have been forced to deal more intensively with the problems of recycling and disposing of vehicles that have reached the end of their useful life. Plastics play a particularly important role. This project examines a recycling concept for the Mercedes Benz Sprinte...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Structural Change: Styrene Copolymers (ABS, ASA, SAN and their Relatives)
Special: World Market Styrene Copolymers (ABS, ASA, SAN and their Relatives) Structural Change. Worldwide ABS consumption is still characterised by above average growth rates. Nevertheless, the European ABS market is undergoing profound structural changes. The pressure from Asian producers is causing increasing separation into two fields of styrene copolymers: Constant-quality commodities that have to compete against one another on a price-driven market, and specialties that obey different law...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Styrene Copolymers (ABS, ASA, SAN)
Styrene Copolymers (ABS, ASA, SAN) Harald Läsche and Rainier van Roessel, Leverkusen/Germany Styrene copolymer consumption has risen modestly but steadily in recent years. No end to the trend is in sight. Various interesting product innovations, especially from the field of styrene copolymer blends might provide substitutes for other polymers in future. "Oldies but goldies" is how one could describe styrene copolymers. In the over 40 years they have been on the market, they have pr...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Surface Treatment Technology: Colour, Gloss and Protective Coatings
Trade Fair Report Colour, Gloss and Protective Coatings Surface Treatment Technology. Today, an attractive appearance counts just as much as the intrinsic value of a product. How practical that there is such a variety of surface treatments available. The outline of a visit to the trade fair summarises the innovations that were on display. Expectations at the K2004 were high on both sides: exhibitors hoped to energise the market by offering new machines and processes; visitors sought ideas to d...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Tip Decides
The Tip Decides Avoiding Wear in Non-Return Valves Christian Gornik, Harald Bleier and Wolfgang Roth, Kottingbrunn/Austria Non-Return valves play a critical role in the success or failure of processes. Fundamental studies of wear make it possible to find remedies and to increase the service life through selective parts modification. Non-Return valves are extremely critical parts in injection moulding processes. They prevent the melt from flowing backwards during injection into the mould....
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends in Flat Film Extrusion
Trends in Flat Film Extrusion New Developments in Control Technology and Special Applications Frank van Lück, Aachen/Germany Strong growth in the plastics industry is also profiting manufacturers of flat-film extrusion lines, as evidenced by their increased R&D activities. Besides eye-catching developments such as "modular systems" and "increased output", other trends include improvements in control technology and adaptation of flat-film lines to special applications, and t...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, “Competition Despite Cooperation“
“Competition Despite Cooperation“ Pepyn R. Dinandt talks about formulas to weather the crisis, the multi-brand strategy, and perspectives for the injection moulding machine business At a time of global structural changes in the plastics machinery manufacturing industry, and a change of ownership, Pepyn R. Dinandt has held the post of chairman of the managing board of the mpm Group for just over a year. Time to take stock. The interviewer was Kunststoffe plast europe editor Clemens Doriat. ...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-04-04, Trend Report: Success through Design and Technology
Packaging Success through Design and Technology Trend Report. New fields of application for PET packaging arise from market demand and through innovations that indicate new routes, new solutions and advantages for specific markets. A stroll through the rows of goods in the supermarket makes one thing clear: PET is in vogue. Otto Appel Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has many technological possibilities and sufficient freedom of design to allow the appropriate packaging to be developed for an...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-04-25, Adhesion and Ageing: Copper Coatings on High-temperature Thermoplastics
High Performance Plastics Copper Coatings on High-temperature Thermoplastics Adhesion and Ageing. It is known that the adhesive strength of coatings on plastics can be increased by surface activation. However, the mechanisms involved in this increase and in ageing of the adhesive bond are frequently unclear. These mechanisms are examined with reference to copper coatings on high-temperature thermoplastics. Christian Seidel Jörn Friedrich Helmut Münstedt The context in which the mechanisms descr...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-06-27, Light Sources: OLED – Light of the Future
Special: OLED – Light of the Future. Olaf Rüdiger Hild. Light Sources. Organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) are lightweight, small and can be integrated into almost every object. In addition, they consume little energy. If it becomes possible to reduce their costs further, they will displace conventional light sources in the near future. The first incandescent light bulbs, which still used a carbon filament, were produced in 1854 by Heinrich Göbel. In the year 1879 Thomas Alva Edison was th...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-06-29, PVDF Foams: High Purity Plus Outstanding Resistance
Elastomers. High Purity Plus Outstanding Resistance. PVDF Foams. High-performance foams based on polyvinylidene fluoride are manufactured in a specific physical foaming process. The resultant foams combine low weight and insulating characteristics with the resistance to elevated temperatures, corrosive chemicals, fire and ionising radiation that is typical of PVDF. This property profile opens up numerous applications in the aviation, chemical and construction industries, and also in architecture...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, Labelling with Laser Beams: Writing with Light
Surface Technology. Writing with Light. Claudia Dietel, Hans-Joachim Krauß. Labelling with Laser Beams. The development of new laser-sensitive additives, the refinement of laser sources, and the invention of new technologies are constantly opening up new ranges of application or improving upon available methods. Labelling with laser beams – laser marking –has substantial advantages over conventional labelling methods. Since the method’s working principle is contact-free, there is neither to...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-11-24, Direct Addition: Calcium Carbonate – Joker When Extruding PVC
Extrusion. Calcium Carbonate – Joker When Extruding PVC. Holger Müller. Direct Addition. Usually, PVC and additives are processed in a hot/cool mixer to yield a dry blend that is then conveyed pneumatically to silos for intermediate storage. In the course of this operation, the PVC and calcium carbonate can separate when the loading is high. With the Direct Addition approach, the calcium carbonate is added to the PVC-U dry blend by a cold mixer immediately prior to entry into the extruder. T...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, Car Bodies from Natural Fibres and Vegetable Oils
Car Bodies from Natural Fibres and Vegetable Oils Renewable Resources It might be possible to develop a material system based on hemp fibre and vegetable oil resin that could be processed using common SMC moulding techniques. The first exterior auto body components have been produced and tested in order to demonstrate the technical possibilities of this material group. Jörg Müssig, Uwe Schönfeld, Hans-Bernhard von Buttlar, Meike Schmehl Since the mid-1990s, natural fibres have found a plac...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, Complex and Stable
Complex and Stable Seat Backs The new Audi TT Coupé is the first car to feature seat backs made of blow moulded (PC+ABS) blend. The specially developed construction complies with the design set by Audi. At the same time it withstands increased forces in the case of luggage impact as well as a metal construction. Pádraig Naughton, Gerhard Slik, Jeroen Van Poucke The combination of the right plastic, the right process and innovative design has resulted in the development of a new generation ...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-05-14, Precise and Flexible - Layer for Layer
Precise and Flexible - Layer for Layer Complete Cast Film Lines The demand for high-quality cast films requires smart line concepts for a wide range of applications. They include barrier films, metallisable films, laminating films and stretch films. A new generation of production lines manufactures CPP films at a rate of more than 300m/min and PE films at up to 550m/min. Michael Beckhoff Helmut Meyer The newly designed coextrusion cast film lines can produce composite films of up to nine...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-07-18, Resorbable Implant Containing Medication
Resorbable Implant Containing Medication Research An overactive bladder is a common ailment and occurs in all age groups. In addition to administering medication, intravesical instillation represents another method of treatment. To alleviate the numerous side effects of the treatment, an attempt is being made to develop a resorbable plastic implant as the carrier of the active ingredient. Walter Michaeli, Erich Wintermantel, Ina Michaelis, Joachim Grosse, Matthias von Walter, Nina Laar Overa...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, New Start after Transitional Period
New Start after Transitional Period Streamlining Demag Plastics Group will consolidate its present worldwide range of twelve injection molder platforms to just three. Following the shut-down of the Cleveland manufacturing site, DPG will shift production of the large two-platen Titan machine from the USA to Asia, where the company has just moved into an own new facility in China, which offers increased production capacity. Demag in transition" – during a press conference on 5 July, Dr.-...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Surface Finishing in the Cockpit
Surface Finishing in the Cockpit In-mold Coating in Demand Surfaces in the interior of automobiles can be upgraded as required by means of custom-made polyurethane soft coatings. At the same time the visual and tactile impression of the interior as a whole can also be fine tuned at comparatively low cost. Here in-mold coating extends the diversity of possibilities on account of the independent control of color and surface texture. Martin van den Berg Uwe Siebgens Bernhard Klein Polyuret...
Kunststoffe international, 2008-01-15, Make-up for Plastics Surfaces
Make-up for Plastics Surfaces Printing and Decorating (Trade Fair Report K 2007) Whether for purposes of decoration or in order to apply information – the surface refinement processes for plastics and plastic webs are many and varied. Pad printing is a mature process and one which has become correspondingly established. The situation regarding processes for decorating tubes, bottles and beakers, however, is quite different, with development potential still available to be tapped here. And the...
Kunststoffe international, 2008-04-14, Using Plastic to Counteract Urinary Urgency
Using Plastic to Counteract Urinary Urgency Polymer-Active Agent System An interdisciplinary project is working on a low side-effect therapeutic solution to the problem of an overactive urinary bladder. The objective is to develop a drug release system comprising a degradable plastic. Nina Laar, Joachim Grosse, Ina Michaelis, Matthias von Walter, Walter Michaeli, Erich Wintermantel Millions of people daily suffer a massive impairment of their quality of life due to the symptoms of overacti...
Kunststoffe international, 2008-07-15, Artificial Weather for Textile Roofs
The weathering resistance of polymer coated textiles is of great importance in their use as construction fabrics. In case of doubt architects demand accelerated weathering tests in order to be able to better predict this. However, the artificial weathering has to be specially optimized for construction fabrics. The foundations for this were laid down many years ago in experiments conducted in the Institute for Construction Materials at the University of Stuttgart, Germany. The results of these t...
Kunststoffe international, 2008-08-14, Consolidated Strategies
In 2007, Sabic Innovative Plastics (Sabic IP), with its more than 10,500 employees, achieved turnover of more than USD 7 billion (this is approx. EUR 4.4 billion, at present). Its range of thermoplastics and compounds, coatings, films and sheets the company sells to major sectors of industry, such as transport and communication, including automotive and aircraft industry, E&E and construction, as well as medical industry. The company recently introduced to the public its future s...
Kunststoffe international, 2010-03-17, Lighter than Steel
Hybrid technology combines the strengths of plastic and metals such as steel and aluminum. The metals contribute a high elastic modulus, high strength and ductile behavior. The main plastics used are polyamide 6 grades (PA 6) because they are dynamically very strong and have good impact resistance at high and low temperatures. A hybrid component is produced in one operation. First of all, as a rule, several thin-walled, deep-drawn metal profiles are placed overlapping in the injection mold and t...
Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Grow Strategically
During the pre-K event in Amsterdam in late May 2010, four materials manufacturers informed visitors about their orientation in the recent past and their strategies for the near future. Since the world economic crisis began in mid-2008, these companies have repositioned themselves and come to concentrate on their core competencies. They have restructured their portfolios and directed further development mainly toward plastics for specific applications. Since the automotive industry has been espe...
Kunststoffe international, 2011-05-12, Metering Mineral Fillers
Mineral fillers do not alter the physical properties of a polymer resin; they can lower cost, increase or decrease density, add texture, and modify the resin’s mechanical properties. The most common fillers used for plastics compounding are calcium carbonate, talc, mica, silica, kaolin and clays, titanium dioxide, wollastonite, aluminum and magnesium hydroxides, dolomites, silicates, glass and carbon fibers. Flow Behavior and Interactions The filler’s flow behavior (when considered as a bulk sol...
Kunststoffe international, 2012-04-20, Plug-In Connectors for Household Appliances
With an estimated size of USD 160 billion in 2010, the global household appliance industry, also referred to as “white goods”, is a large market, which not only affects our functional home but it is also being impacted by the social structure of an average household. Global demand for appliances is set to rise by a low single digit percent annually through to 2015. This will be mainly driven by expansion in market penetration in developing countries, innovative electronics technologies and envir...
Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, Virtual Demolding Forces
The task of a demolding system is to push the plastic part out of the mold against the resistance of friction forces. In order to overcome retention forces resulting from shrinkage, warpage or undercuts, forces are exerted that can cause local damage to the part, which may still be in a plastic state. In the worst case, some areas may be punctured or torn off. In addition, ejector pins may permanently deform the part. So far, the demolding forces that occur have largely been estimated on the bas...
Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, Simulating Weld Lines in Short-Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Parts
As a result of endeavors to extract maximum efficiency from component materials, the stresses which occur in service are pushing materials closer and closer to their limits. This makes it necessary to factor additional aspects that affect part strength into simulations. At the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV), Aachen, Germany, an integrative simulation based on the finite elements method (FEM) has been developed which factors the weld lines into the virtual design of chopped-strand-reinfor...
Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, Steady Rise
The thriving composites business continues on an upward trend with a sharpening focus on key technologies for large-scale production. This includes plant and process technology, software for process and component development, and innovative fiber and resin materials. Efficiency, sustainability, occupational health & safety, and environmental protection are becoming increasingly important themes here. Efficient Planning: Key to Success With ever shorter times to market, the success or failure...
Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Reinforcing with Steel Cord
NV Bekaert SA, Kortrijk, Belgium, Voestalpine Plastics Solutions BV, Roosendaal and Putte, The Netherlands, and BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany, have jointly developed a technology with which novel polymer components for structural applications can be manufactured. In contrast to conventional types of component reinforcement like continuous fiber reinforced laminate parts or other textile carbon or glass fiber structures, steel cord inserts in particular provide for the retention of component fun...
Kunststoffe international, 2013-01-28, A New Way to a Compromise
Polyamides are characterized by a wide range of properties: They are strong, stiff, resistant to polar solvents and are easily processed. That is why they form the group of the most important engineering plastics. Below the glass transition temperature (around 53°C), however, the strength characteristics decline significantly and limit their field of application. An innovative way of increasing the impact strength of polyamide (PA) is to form a PA6 block copolymer during the synthesis of the pol...
Kunststoffe international, 2013-02-22, Absorbable Spinal Implants
There is hardly anybody who does not at some stage in their life suffer from pain resulting from degenerative changes in their intervertebral discs. Studies have shown that around 36 % of all intervertebral conditions affect the neck vertebrae. Most people with back or neck pain can be successfully treated conservatively, that is without the need for surgical procedures. In spite of this, surgical treatment plays a significant role in the treatment of conditions not amenable to conservative ther...
Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Playing with WPC
The Institute for Natural Materials Technology (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, IFA Tulln, Austria) was founded 18 years ago with the development of the patents “Fasal” for injection molding applications and “Fasalex” for profile extrusion. These two thermoplastic molding compounds originally consisted entirely of renewable raw materials such as natural resins, corn and wood flour. Due to increased product requir...
Kunststoffe international, 2013-06-19, Innovative, Cost-Efficient, Eco-Friendly
The continuing upward trend in the use of fiber-reinforced plastics is clearly reflected in the diverse areas of activity in the composites market. Besides new process technologies for large-scale production, there is increasing focus on machinery developments, innovative fiber and resin materials, and intelligently combined material systems. Sustainability concepts, such as recyclability, and research and development innovations are also showing the enormous potential of fiber-reinforced plasti...
Kunststoffe international, 2015-05-21, A Question of Balance
Ever since its beginnings, injection molding technology has seen great advances and countless innovations, with the result that the choice and efficiency of processing methods, materials, and available control equipment has increased continuously. Nonetheless, many of the problems already faced by plastics processing pioneers have not yet been solved. Nowadays, ensuring constant component quality that meets the highest demands – also taking economic aspects into account – is the credo of modern ...
Kunststoffe international, 2016-05-18, Laser Technology for Lightweight Industrial Applications
The implementation of innovative lightweight construction concepts in new, more efficient products requires fast and reliable joining and cutting processes which can process a plethora of different lightweight materials. Laser radiation stands out as a tool for processing materials mainly because it does not involve any contact and energy input is wear-free. Conservation of raw materials and energy, during both manufacture and use of products, continues to grow in importance. This is especially ...
Kunststoffe international, 2017-03-27, The Dynamic Die
Exact wall thickness distribution is the primary goal in the fabrication of extrusion blow molded hollow articles – regardless of whether the same wall thickness is needed everywhere, or different wall thicknesses are required in certain areas. This means that flexibly changing the wall thickness of the parison has to be possible in both the axial direction and circumference direction during the discharge from the die. Changing the wall thickness of the parison in the axial direction during disc...
Kunststoffe international, 2018-03-09, "You Have to Have Gasoline in Your Veins"
This March, far more than a thousand plastics processors, suppliers, and car makers will meet once again in Mannheim, Germany. Next to motor show, exhibitions, and lecture program, networking is tops at the PIAE conference. In this interview, new PIAE conference leader Thomas Drescher explains why this traditional meeting has been renamed, reveals this year’s highlights, and reports on group research at the Volkswagen AG. Some motorists simply call it the "plastic conference". For most of the ot...
Kunststoffe international, 2018-07-17, Imaginative Performances
Colors are emotional. Therefore, the color forecasts for the next seasons are primarily presented tempting. In the forthcoming Color Preview, Grafe reviews a decade of artistic campaigns and celebrates the Bauhaus Centenary. Admiring creativity, delighting in memories, experiencing inspiration – on the 10th anniversary of its trend color predictions, the Grafe Color Preview, the Grafe Group’s Design Center in Blankenhein, Germany, has created a tour through its previous campaigns. Next year’s pr...
Kunststoffe international, 2018-08-14, The Appropriate Frame
The assembly by injection molding is not limited to plastic components among each other, also non-plastic components, such as wood, metal or glass can be assembled with plastic by injection molding to a finished component. The latter is increasingly used for mounting gaskets on automobile windows. The efficiency of this assembly process is largely determined by the efficiency of the glass pane manipulation. LWB Steinl has more than 20 years of experience and presents the options. The serial asse...
Kunststoffe international, 2019-04-25, Direction-Dependent Characteristics
The anisotropic properties of short fiber-reinforced materials make it difficult to construct a reliable theoretical material description and so complicate component design. An optimized injection molding tool now enables highly oriented test specimens to be produced. In this way, the necessary fiber orientation-dependent parameters for a reliable material description can be determined. By reinforcing thermoplastics with fibers, the physical properties of the material are modified: tensile stre...
Kunststoffe international, 2019-12-18, Electromobility and a Concept Vehicle
At the first glance, this year’s K was clearly focused on recycling and the circular economy. However, apart from these topics, many novelties were also exhibited in the classical plastics fields such as automotive. And many materials producers showed exciting new developments for electromobility in particular. Sustainability dominated the K 2019 – not only with themes such as recycling or circular economies. Also in the automotive field, various companies had obviously put their mark on showing...
Kunststoffe international, 2020-08-11, What Will Be the Color of 2021?
Plastics processors have a wide range of colors at their disposal to color their products. Choosing the right color can ultimately be the key to success. But colors are just as subject to trends as materials and designs. Kunststoffe asked manufacturers of pigments, masterbatches, and colorants which colors would be particularly popular in the coming year. We were also able to learn what impact the corona crisis was having on color selection and how the demand for increased recycling and greater ...
Airbus to Fly with PPS Plastic Composites replacing Aluminium in the Wings Henning Küll, Frankfurt am Main/Germany Glass-fibre reinforced laminates with polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) as the matrix material are being used to substitute aluminium in the wing section of the Airbus A340-500 and A340-600 - a development that is set to continue in the light of the cost and weight savings. Around 40 % of the components for the Super-Airbus A380 scheduled for 2004 will probably be made of fibre-rei...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Attractive New World of Packaging
Attractive New World of Packaging Husky Builds on its Strengths in the PET Market PET bottles are the fastest growing market in the packaging segment. Husky, a major globally operating manufacturer of injection moulding machines and tools for the production of preforms for PET containers, is intent on participating in this growth. A report from the company’s European headquarters in Dudelange/Luxembourg. Reliable forecasts for the coming decade predict an annual growth for PET bottles of o...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bonding of Plastics
Bonding of Plastics An Overview Werner Gruber, Korschenbroich/Germany Bonding technology is growing particularly in importance for lightweight designs. The use of two-pack adhesives will continue to increase in the future. Elastic PU adhesives and PU hotmelts are forecast to grow at the fastest rates. To date, the use and growth of plastics has been and still is linked to the demands on the part of the processors to be able to join these materials during processing by suitable techniques...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cosmetics Packaging: Optical and Haptic Aesthetics
Packaging Optical and Haptic Aesthetics Cosmetics Packaging. The ionomer Surlyn combines the luxurious appearance and transparency of glass with the creative potential and performance advantages of high-quality plastics. Thanks to this combination of properties, the material is increasingly the preferred material for containers for cosmetics and body-care products. The unique combination of optical and haptic aesthetics made possible by Surlyn, along with the service benefits of the material,...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Driving the Automotive Industry: Engineering Elastomers
Trend Report Crosslinking Plastics Engineering Elastomers Driving the Automotive Industry. Within the elastomer-manufacturing industry, there is increasing concentration and focus on product groups. Regardless of this, the trend towards relocating production of standard products within the expanded European Union continues to advance. In the future, China and India will also increasingly emerge both as markets and production locations for engineering elastomer products. Werner P. Lauhus The Eu...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Ecological Beneficial Composites
Ecological Beneficial Composites Reinforcing PMMA Thermosetting Resins with Flax Fibres Gunter Hieber, Schorndorf, Robert Kohler and Rainer Alex, Reutlingen/Germany Especially high quality materials can be produced using domestic natural fibres. Therefore existing procedures and formulations are being adapted to the requirements of natural fibres. It has thereby been possible to achieve the characteristics profile of glass fibre reinforced plastics and sometimes to even exceed it. Especi...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Economical in Long Series
Economical in Long Series Centrifuged FRP Pipes with Thermoplastic Matrix Max Ehleben, Wolfsburg/Germany, und Helmut Schürmann, Darmstadt/Germany A newly developed procedure based on centrifugation technology makes it possible to manufacture continuous fibre-reinforced precision pipes with thermoplastic matrices. The centrifuged pipes are almost free of eccentricity and have outstanding internal and external surfaces. They are therefore particularly suitable as drive shafts, bearings or hyd...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expansion Injection Moulding: Amazingly Thin
Injection Moulding Amazingly Thin Expansion Injection Moulding. According to the state of the art, thin-wall injection moulding requires the injection unit to be supported by a hydraulic accumulator. But without a hydraulic accumulator greater precision is achieved in the process technology, energy consumption is lower and amazingly thin walls can be produced. The new state of the art is called "X-Melt", the expansion injection moulding process developed by Engel. It is all made possibl...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-temperature Thermoplastic Films: Flexible Printed Circuits
Special: Electronics Flexible Printed Circuits High-temperature Thermoplastic Films. Flexible printed circuits (FPC) are growing in popularity. These FPCs are based on polymer films. In addition to the already established materials, the spotlight is increasingly falling on heat-resistant thermoplastic polymer films for this application. Christian Seidel Larissa Zirkel Helmut Münstedt The advantages of flexible printed circuits (FPCs) over rigid circuit board solutions are plain. The relative...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovation with Polyurethane
Innovation with Polyurethane FSK Innovation Awards for Mouldings of Polyurethane Foam For the second time, the "Fachverband Schaumkunststoffe" (Technical Association of Plastic Foams) has awarded innovation prizes for new product, design and process ideas relating to marketable mouldings of polyurethane foam. The competition is targeted at young designers and engineers, who were called on to find new and unconventional designs for polyurethane foams. The latest competition, entitle...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, IP Support: Lightweight Automotive Instrument Panel Carriers
IP Support: Lightweight Automotive Instrument Panel Carriers They are lightweight and cost-efficient and yet meet the high requirements of the automotive industry. With the development of a new generation of glass-fibre-reinforced PC+ABS blends, the manufacturer has succeeded in adding good PU foam adhesion to the typical properties of these blends, such as good toughness, rigidity and flowability. Uwe Koch-Reuss, Tom Schenkels, Dagmar van Heur Increasingly high demands are being made on t...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Location Decision: Centralisation and/or Relocation?
Market and Management Centralisation and/or Relocation? Location Decision. Structural changes in the end user industry branches for injection moulded articles and relocation of production capacity toward the East require internationalisation strategies from many injection moulding enterprises. Decisions about relocation of production or the structure of additional manufacturing plants also have consequences for manufacturers of technical production equipment. An analysis from the point of view ...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Material Handling under Clean Room Conditions
Material Handling under Clean Room Conditions Stringent Demands on Reliability Dieter Kemmler, Ludwigsburg/Germany For insulation with medium and high-voltage cables, use is made of polyethylene compounds (PE-X). The very highest demands are made on the level of purity for such applications because even the tiniest amount of contamination in the ppm range in the insulating mixture can lead to electrical breakdowns and cause major damage with high subsequent costs. This requires special tec...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Microsystems Technology: In-mould Assembly via Microinjection Moulding
Special In-mould Assembly via Microinjection Moulding – An Alternative Joining Process Microsystems Technology. Everyday life is increasingly influenced by microsystems technology of all kinds. Expanding use of polymeric materials in this area presents interesting alternatives not only for manufacturing, but also for joining and connecting of microsystems. Walter Michaeli Dirk Opfermann In addition to the continual advances in miniaturisation, the Nexus study identifies the increasing use of ...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Modified Polyphenylene Ethers (PPE)
Modified Polyphenylene Ethers (PPE) Jos van Gisbergen and Wim Minderhout, Bergen op Zoom/Netherlands Modified PPE materials have been on the market for more than 35 years and are well established among engineering plastics. PPE polymer is well known for its high heat resistance, high dimensional stability, low water absorption and good hydrolytic stability. For these reasons, PPE is an important blending partner for other polymers. Polyphenylene ether - also known as polyphenylene oxide (P...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, New Service Forms
New Service Forms Hybrid Drive System and "Pay-as-You-Use" Scheme for Injection Moulding Machines In 1999, Demag Ergotech GmbH, Schwaig/Germany, managed to maintain its market position in the declining European customer markets. All in all, the company booked orders last year for 2,000 machines. The consolidated sales of Demag Ergotech Group amounted to DM 477 million in the last financial year. Overall, the Demag Ergotech Group was able to consolidate its market position during la...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Panorama Roof for the Opel Zafira: Promising Technology
Materials Promising Technology Panorama Roof for the Opel Zafira. Complex roof modules can be produced with a Class A surface via in-mould lamination (backmoulding) with polyurethane foam. These satisfy new and increasingly diverse customer requirements. Detlev Mies Reiner Paul Dirk Wegener A substrate of glass fibre-reinforced polyurethane (PUR) can impart such outstanding mechanical properties to a high-gloss thermoplastic film that it can be used as the exterior skin in automotive applica...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plant Construction: The World's Biggest PBT Polymer Plant Goes into Production
Plant Construction The World's Biggest PBT Polymer Plant Goes into Production Plant Construction. A new technology for manufacturing the polyesters PET, PBT, PTT, PEN and their copolymers can utilise raw materials such as DMT, PTA or NDA. The new Espree tower reactor carries out esterification and pre-polycondensation reactions simultaneously. The required PBT qualities are produced in the melt phase in the Discage finishing reactor. Eike van Endert In the middle of February 2004 the turn...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyurethanes Every Step of the Way
Polyurethanes Every Step of the Way Polyurethane integral foams are finding increasing use for shoe soles - in ever more applications. Bayer AG recently introduced a new brand concept that will supply shoe manufacturers with targeted information about products and technologies for their particular applications. Statistically, almost two pairs of shoes are produced for every person on earth each year. In 1999, the figure was 11.5 billion shoes overall [1]. As regards the quality of the materi...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Printing Plastic Surfaces Precisely and Economically
Printing Plastic Surfaces Precisely and Economically Max Dominik, Eschwege/Germany Following the manufacture of a plastic product, it is often necessary to treat its surface by painting, embossing, polishing or printing for the purposes of decoration or identification, in order to make it saleable or useful in the application. Though there are unlikely to be any surprising innovations in these technologies, ongoing improvements, rationalisation and automation of the processes and systems can...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Process Comparison: Profitable Injection Moulding with Nitrogen or Water?
Injection Moulding Profitable Injection Moulding with Nitrogen or Water? Process Comparison. Water-assisted injection moulding (WIM) is a relatively young fluid-injection moulding technology that is available on the market alongside gas-assisted injection moulding. A technical and economic comparison of the two injection moulding variants, which in many ways are ideal complements to one another, illustrates their respective ranges of applications. New insights into WIM expand its range of appli...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Process Technology: Polyurethane Processing Systems
PUR Technology Polyurethane Processing Systems Process Technology. In contrast to production of complete moulded parts or semi-finished goods by physical means, the primary step in production of polyurethane parts involves a chemical reaction that occurs at the processor. Reliable production equipment for this process is available to manufacture the greatest variety of parts. Starting from low-pressure and high-pressure machine technology, the present article briefly discusses the necessary m...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality Assurance: First-aid Instructions
Injection Moulding First-aid Instructions Quality Assurance. If moulded-part quality in injection moulding goes off course, rapid action is required. A systematic analysis of the relationships between machine settings and component quality makes it possible to identify for whole component families the optimum measures that need to be taken to return quickly and efficiently to a stable operating range. The stable operating range in the production of a high-quality injection moulding is sometimes ...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality of SMC Surfaces: Paintability Enhanced
Exterior Parts Paintability Enhanced Quality of SMC Surfaces. Body panels that have been produced with a new, tough SMC material exhibit fewer hair-line cracks under load. The formation of paint pops in coated parts is avoided as a result. Michael J. Siwajek Body panels manufactured from Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) provide many advantages over steel and other materials; high strength-to-weight ratio, lower tooling cost, and design flexibility to name a few. The OEMs have recognised these advan...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Retrospective: The Development of Injection Moulding
Special The Development of Injection Moulding Friedrich Johannaber Retrospective. For many years, the development of injection moulding has paralleled the development of polymers. The basic technology for today’s highly complex and fully automatic production machines traces its origin back to 1872. Bock divides the history of injection moulding into five eras [1]. This division is retained here with some additions, so that the attentive observer of this branch of industry can follow very eas...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Sealing Through Contamination
Sealing Through Contamination The Performance of Metallocene Plastomers as Sealing Polymers Norbert Rohse, Philippe Mesnil, Machelen/Belgium, and Jan Arnauts, Geleen/Netherlands Metallocene plastomers show an excellent sealing-through-contamination performance compared with other sealing polymers. In many cases, therefore, higher packaging speeds and better package integrity can be achieved. The flexible packaging industry continues to challenge film producers to provide cost effective i...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Stabilization - Doping for Recyclates
Stabilization - Doping for Recyclates Artificial Heat Ageing and Accelerated Weathering of Mixed PP Recyclates from Van Components Since the introduction in Germany of legislation on scrap cars (Altautoverordnung), car manufacturers have been forced to deal more intensively with the problems of recycling and disposing of vehicles that have reached the end of their useful life. Plastics play a particularly important role. This project examines a recycling concept for the Mercedes Benz Sprinte...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Structural Change: Styrene Copolymers (ABS, ASA, SAN and their Relatives)
Special: World Market Styrene Copolymers (ABS, ASA, SAN and their Relatives) Structural Change. Worldwide ABS consumption is still characterised by above average growth rates. Nevertheless, the European ABS market is undergoing profound structural changes. The pressure from Asian producers is causing increasing separation into two fields of styrene copolymers: Constant-quality commodities that have to compete against one another on a price-driven market, and specialties that obey different law...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Styrene Copolymers (ABS, ASA, SAN)
Styrene Copolymers (ABS, ASA, SAN) Harald Läsche and Rainier van Roessel, Leverkusen/Germany Styrene copolymer consumption has risen modestly but steadily in recent years. No end to the trend is in sight. Various interesting product innovations, especially from the field of styrene copolymer blends might provide substitutes for other polymers in future. "Oldies but goldies" is how one could describe styrene copolymers. In the over 40 years they have been on the market, they have pr...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Surface Treatment Technology: Colour, Gloss and Protective Coatings
Trade Fair Report Colour, Gloss and Protective Coatings Surface Treatment Technology. Today, an attractive appearance counts just as much as the intrinsic value of a product. How practical that there is such a variety of surface treatments available. The outline of a visit to the trade fair summarises the innovations that were on display. Expectations at the K2004 were high on both sides: exhibitors hoped to energise the market by offering new machines and processes; visitors sought ideas to d...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Tip Decides
The Tip Decides Avoiding Wear in Non-Return Valves Christian Gornik, Harald Bleier and Wolfgang Roth, Kottingbrunn/Austria Non-Return valves play a critical role in the success or failure of processes. Fundamental studies of wear make it possible to find remedies and to increase the service life through selective parts modification. Non-Return valves are extremely critical parts in injection moulding processes. They prevent the melt from flowing backwards during injection into the mould....
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends in Flat Film Extrusion
Trends in Flat Film Extrusion New Developments in Control Technology and Special Applications Frank van Lück, Aachen/Germany Strong growth in the plastics industry is also profiting manufacturers of flat-film extrusion lines, as evidenced by their increased R&D activities. Besides eye-catching developments such as "modular systems" and "increased output", other trends include improvements in control technology and adaptation of flat-film lines to special applications, and t...
Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, “Competition Despite Cooperation“
“Competition Despite Cooperation“ Pepyn R. Dinandt talks about formulas to weather the crisis, the multi-brand strategy, and perspectives for the injection moulding machine business At a time of global structural changes in the plastics machinery manufacturing industry, and a change of ownership, Pepyn R. Dinandt has held the post of chairman of the managing board of the mpm Group for just over a year. Time to take stock. The interviewer was Kunststoffe plast europe editor Clemens Doriat. ...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-04-04, Trend Report: Success through Design and Technology
Packaging Success through Design and Technology Trend Report. New fields of application for PET packaging arise from market demand and through innovations that indicate new routes, new solutions and advantages for specific markets. A stroll through the rows of goods in the supermarket makes one thing clear: PET is in vogue. Otto Appel Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has many technological possibilities and sufficient freedom of design to allow the appropriate packaging to be developed for an...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-04-25, Adhesion and Ageing: Copper Coatings on High-temperature Thermoplastics
High Performance Plastics Copper Coatings on High-temperature Thermoplastics Adhesion and Ageing. It is known that the adhesive strength of coatings on plastics can be increased by surface activation. However, the mechanisms involved in this increase and in ageing of the adhesive bond are frequently unclear. These mechanisms are examined with reference to copper coatings on high-temperature thermoplastics. Christian Seidel Jörn Friedrich Helmut Münstedt The context in which the mechanisms descr...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-06-27, Light Sources: OLED – Light of the Future
Special: OLED – Light of the Future. Olaf Rüdiger Hild. Light Sources. Organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) are lightweight, small and can be integrated into almost every object. In addition, they consume little energy. If it becomes possible to reduce their costs further, they will displace conventional light sources in the near future. The first incandescent light bulbs, which still used a carbon filament, were produced in 1854 by Heinrich Göbel. In the year 1879 Thomas Alva Edison was th...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-06-29, PVDF Foams: High Purity Plus Outstanding Resistance
Elastomers. High Purity Plus Outstanding Resistance. PVDF Foams. High-performance foams based on polyvinylidene fluoride are manufactured in a specific physical foaming process. The resultant foams combine low weight and insulating characteristics with the resistance to elevated temperatures, corrosive chemicals, fire and ionising radiation that is typical of PVDF. This property profile opens up numerous applications in the aviation, chemical and construction industries, and also in architecture...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, Labelling with Laser Beams: Writing with Light
Surface Technology. Writing with Light. Claudia Dietel, Hans-Joachim Krauß. Labelling with Laser Beams. The development of new laser-sensitive additives, the refinement of laser sources, and the invention of new technologies are constantly opening up new ranges of application or improving upon available methods. Labelling with laser beams – laser marking –has substantial advantages over conventional labelling methods. Since the method’s working principle is contact-free, there is neither to...
Kunststoffe international, 2006-11-24, Direct Addition: Calcium Carbonate – Joker When Extruding PVC
Extrusion. Calcium Carbonate – Joker When Extruding PVC. Holger Müller. Direct Addition. Usually, PVC and additives are processed in a hot/cool mixer to yield a dry blend that is then conveyed pneumatically to silos for intermediate storage. In the course of this operation, the PVC and calcium carbonate can separate when the loading is high. With the Direct Addition approach, the calcium carbonate is added to the PVC-U dry blend by a cold mixer immediately prior to entry into the extruder. T...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, Car Bodies from Natural Fibres and Vegetable Oils
Car Bodies from Natural Fibres and Vegetable Oils Renewable Resources It might be possible to develop a material system based on hemp fibre and vegetable oil resin that could be processed using common SMC moulding techniques. The first exterior auto body components have been produced and tested in order to demonstrate the technical possibilities of this material group. Jörg Müssig, Uwe Schönfeld, Hans-Bernhard von Buttlar, Meike Schmehl Since the mid-1990s, natural fibres have found a plac...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, Complex and Stable
Complex and Stable Seat Backs The new Audi TT Coupé is the first car to feature seat backs made of blow moulded (PC+ABS) blend. The specially developed construction complies with the design set by Audi. At the same time it withstands increased forces in the case of luggage impact as well as a metal construction. Pádraig Naughton, Gerhard Slik, Jeroen Van Poucke The combination of the right plastic, the right process and innovative design has resulted in the development of a new generation ...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-05-14, Precise and Flexible - Layer for Layer
Precise and Flexible - Layer for Layer Complete Cast Film Lines The demand for high-quality cast films requires smart line concepts for a wide range of applications. They include barrier films, metallisable films, laminating films and stretch films. A new generation of production lines manufactures CPP films at a rate of more than 300m/min and PE films at up to 550m/min. Michael Beckhoff Helmut Meyer The newly designed coextrusion cast film lines can produce composite films of up to nine...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-07-18, Resorbable Implant Containing Medication
Resorbable Implant Containing Medication Research An overactive bladder is a common ailment and occurs in all age groups. In addition to administering medication, intravesical instillation represents another method of treatment. To alleviate the numerous side effects of the treatment, an attempt is being made to develop a resorbable plastic implant as the carrier of the active ingredient. Walter Michaeli, Erich Wintermantel, Ina Michaelis, Joachim Grosse, Matthias von Walter, Nina Laar Overa...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, New Start after Transitional Period
New Start after Transitional Period Streamlining Demag Plastics Group will consolidate its present worldwide range of twelve injection molder platforms to just three. Following the shut-down of the Cleveland manufacturing site, DPG will shift production of the large two-platen Titan machine from the USA to Asia, where the company has just moved into an own new facility in China, which offers increased production capacity. Demag in transition" – during a press conference on 5 July, Dr.-...
Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Surface Finishing in the Cockpit
Surface Finishing in the Cockpit In-mold Coating in Demand Surfaces in the interior of automobiles can be upgraded as required by means of custom-made polyurethane soft coatings. At the same time the visual and tactile impression of the interior as a whole can also be fine tuned at comparatively low cost. Here in-mold coating extends the diversity of possibilities on account of the independent control of color and surface texture. Martin van den Berg Uwe Siebgens Bernhard Klein Polyuret...
Kunststoffe international, 2008-01-15, Make-up for Plastics Surfaces
Make-up for Plastics Surfaces Printing and Decorating (Trade Fair Report K 2007) Whether for purposes of decoration or in order to apply information – the surface refinement processes for plastics and plastic webs are many and varied. Pad printing is a mature process and one which has become correspondingly established. The situation regarding processes for decorating tubes, bottles and beakers, however, is quite different, with development potential still available to be tapped here. And the...
Kunststoffe international, 2008-04-14, Using Plastic to Counteract Urinary Urgency
Using Plastic to Counteract Urinary Urgency Polymer-Active Agent System An interdisciplinary project is working on a low side-effect therapeutic solution to the problem of an overactive urinary bladder. The objective is to develop a drug release system comprising a degradable plastic. Nina Laar, Joachim Grosse, Ina Michaelis, Matthias von Walter, Walter Michaeli, Erich Wintermantel Millions of people daily suffer a massive impairment of their quality of life due to the symptoms of overacti...
Kunststoffe international, 2008-07-15, Artificial Weather for Textile Roofs
The weathering resistance of polymer coated textiles is of great importance in their use as construction fabrics. In case of doubt architects demand accelerated weathering tests in order to be able to better predict this. However, the artificial weathering has to be specially optimized for construction fabrics. The foundations for this were laid down many years ago in experiments conducted in the Institute for Construction Materials at the University of Stuttgart, Germany. The results of these t...
Kunststoffe international, 2008-08-14, Consolidated Strategies
In 2007, Sabic Innovative Plastics (Sabic IP), with its more than 10,500 employees, achieved turnover of more than USD 7 billion (this is approx. EUR 4.4 billion, at present). Its range of thermoplastics and compounds, coatings, films and sheets the company sells to major sectors of industry, such as transport and communication, including automotive and aircraft industry, E&E and construction, as well as medical industry. The company recently introduced to the public its future s...
Kunststoffe international, 2010-03-17, Lighter than Steel
Hybrid technology combines the strengths of plastic and metals such as steel and aluminum. The metals contribute a high elastic modulus, high strength and ductile behavior. The main plastics used are polyamide 6 grades (PA 6) because they are dynamically very strong and have good impact resistance at high and low temperatures. A hybrid component is produced in one operation. First of all, as a rule, several thin-walled, deep-drawn metal profiles are placed overlapping in the injection mold and t...
Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Grow Strategically
During the pre-K event in Amsterdam in late May 2010, four materials manufacturers informed visitors about their orientation in the recent past and their strategies for the near future. Since the world economic crisis began in mid-2008, these companies have repositioned themselves and come to concentrate on their core competencies. They have restructured their portfolios and directed further development mainly toward plastics for specific applications. Since the automotive industry has been espe...
Kunststoffe international, 2011-05-12, Metering Mineral Fillers
Mineral fillers do not alter the physical properties of a polymer resin; they can lower cost, increase or decrease density, add texture, and modify the resin’s mechanical properties. The most common fillers used for plastics compounding are calcium carbonate, talc, mica, silica, kaolin and clays, titanium dioxide, wollastonite, aluminum and magnesium hydroxides, dolomites, silicates, glass and carbon fibers. Flow Behavior and Interactions The filler’s flow behavior (when considered as a bulk sol...
Kunststoffe international, 2012-04-20, Plug-In Connectors for Household Appliances
With an estimated size of USD 160 billion in 2010, the global household appliance industry, also referred to as “white goods”, is a large market, which not only affects our functional home but it is also being impacted by the social structure of an average household. Global demand for appliances is set to rise by a low single digit percent annually through to 2015. This will be mainly driven by expansion in market penetration in developing countries, innovative electronics technologies and envir...
Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, Virtual Demolding Forces
The task of a demolding system is to push the plastic part out of the mold against the resistance of friction forces. In order to overcome retention forces resulting from shrinkage, warpage or undercuts, forces are exerted that can cause local damage to the part, which may still be in a plastic state. In the worst case, some areas may be punctured or torn off. In addition, ejector pins may permanently deform the part. So far, the demolding forces that occur have largely been estimated on the bas...
Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, Simulating Weld Lines in Short-Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Parts
As a result of endeavors to extract maximum efficiency from component materials, the stresses which occur in service are pushing materials closer and closer to their limits. This makes it necessary to factor additional aspects that affect part strength into simulations. At the Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV), Aachen, Germany, an integrative simulation based on the finite elements method (FEM) has been developed which factors the weld lines into the virtual design of chopped-strand-reinfor...
Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, Steady Rise
The thriving composites business continues on an upward trend with a sharpening focus on key technologies for large-scale production. This includes plant and process technology, software for process and component development, and innovative fiber and resin materials. Efficiency, sustainability, occupational health & safety, and environmental protection are becoming increasingly important themes here. Efficient Planning: Key to Success With ever shorter times to market, the success or failure...
Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Reinforcing with Steel Cord
NV Bekaert SA, Kortrijk, Belgium, Voestalpine Plastics Solutions BV, Roosendaal and Putte, The Netherlands, and BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany, have jointly developed a technology with which novel polymer components for structural applications can be manufactured. In contrast to conventional types of component reinforcement like continuous fiber reinforced laminate parts or other textile carbon or glass fiber structures, steel cord inserts in particular provide for the retention of component fun...
Kunststoffe international, 2013-01-28, A New Way to a Compromise
Polyamides are characterized by a wide range of properties: They are strong, stiff, resistant to polar solvents and are easily processed. That is why they form the group of the most important engineering plastics. Below the glass transition temperature (around 53°C), however, the strength characteristics decline significantly and limit their field of application. An innovative way of increasing the impact strength of polyamide (PA) is to form a PA6 block copolymer during the synthesis of the pol...
Kunststoffe international, 2013-02-22, Absorbable Spinal Implants
There is hardly anybody who does not at some stage in their life suffer from pain resulting from degenerative changes in their intervertebral discs. Studies have shown that around 36 % of all intervertebral conditions affect the neck vertebrae. Most people with back or neck pain can be successfully treated conservatively, that is without the need for surgical procedures. In spite of this, surgical treatment plays a significant role in the treatment of conditions not amenable to conservative ther...
Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Playing with WPC
The Institute for Natural Materials Technology (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, IFA Tulln, Austria) was founded 18 years ago with the development of the patents “Fasal” for injection molding applications and “Fasalex” for profile extrusion. These two thermoplastic molding compounds originally consisted entirely of renewable raw materials such as natural resins, corn and wood flour. Due to increased product requir...
Kunststoffe international, 2013-06-19, Innovative, Cost-Efficient, Eco-Friendly
The continuing upward trend in the use of fiber-reinforced plastics is clearly reflected in the diverse areas of activity in the composites market. Besides new process technologies for large-scale production, there is increasing focus on machinery developments, innovative fiber and resin materials, and intelligently combined material systems. Sustainability concepts, such as recyclability, and research and development innovations are also showing the enormous potential of fiber-reinforced plasti...
Kunststoffe international, 2015-05-21, A Question of Balance
Ever since its beginnings, injection molding technology has seen great advances and countless innovations, with the result that the choice and efficiency of processing methods, materials, and available control equipment has increased continuously. Nonetheless, many of the problems already faced by plastics processing pioneers have not yet been solved. Nowadays, ensuring constant component quality that meets the highest demands – also taking economic aspects into account – is the credo of modern ...
Kunststoffe international, 2016-05-18, Laser Technology for Lightweight Industrial Applications
The implementation of innovative lightweight construction concepts in new, more efficient products requires fast and reliable joining and cutting processes which can process a plethora of different lightweight materials. Laser radiation stands out as a tool for processing materials mainly because it does not involve any contact and energy input is wear-free. Conservation of raw materials and energy, during both manufacture and use of products, continues to grow in importance. This is especially ...
Kunststoffe international, 2017-03-27, The Dynamic Die
Exact wall thickness distribution is the primary goal in the fabrication of extrusion blow molded hollow articles – regardless of whether the same wall thickness is needed everywhere, or different wall thicknesses are required in certain areas. This means that flexibly changing the wall thickness of the parison has to be possible in both the axial direction and circumference direction during the discharge from the die. Changing the wall thickness of the parison in the axial direction during disc...
Kunststoffe international, 2018-03-09, "You Have to Have Gasoline in Your Veins"
This March, far more than a thousand plastics processors, suppliers, and car makers will meet once again in Mannheim, Germany. Next to motor show, exhibitions, and lecture program, networking is tops at the PIAE conference. In this interview, new PIAE conference leader Thomas Drescher explains why this traditional meeting has been renamed, reveals this year’s highlights, and reports on group research at the Volkswagen AG. Some motorists simply call it the "plastic conference". For most of the ot...
Kunststoffe international, 2018-07-17, Imaginative Performances
Colors are emotional. Therefore, the color forecasts for the next seasons are primarily presented tempting. In the forthcoming Color Preview, Grafe reviews a decade of artistic campaigns and celebrates the Bauhaus Centenary. Admiring creativity, delighting in memories, experiencing inspiration – on the 10th anniversary of its trend color predictions, the Grafe Color Preview, the Grafe Group’s Design Center in Blankenhein, Germany, has created a tour through its previous campaigns. Next year’s pr...
Kunststoffe international, 2018-08-14, The Appropriate Frame
The assembly by injection molding is not limited to plastic components among each other, also non-plastic components, such as wood, metal or glass can be assembled with plastic by injection molding to a finished component. The latter is increasingly used for mounting gaskets on automobile windows. The efficiency of this assembly process is largely determined by the efficiency of the glass pane manipulation. LWB Steinl has more than 20 years of experience and presents the options. The serial asse...
Kunststoffe international, 2019-04-25, Direction-Dependent Characteristics
The anisotropic properties of short fiber-reinforced materials make it difficult to construct a reliable theoretical material description and so complicate component design. An optimized injection molding tool now enables highly oriented test specimens to be produced. In this way, the necessary fiber orientation-dependent parameters for a reliable material description can be determined. By reinforcing thermoplastics with fibers, the physical properties of the material are modified: tensile stre...
Kunststoffe international, 2019-12-18, Electromobility and a Concept Vehicle
At the first glance, this year’s K was clearly focused on recycling and the circular economy. However, apart from these topics, many novelties were also exhibited in the classical plastics fields such as automotive. And many materials producers showed exciting new developments for electromobility in particular. Sustainability dominated the K 2019 – not only with themes such as recycling or circular economies. Also in the automotive field, various companies had obviously put their mark on showing...
Kunststoffe international, 2020-08-11, What Will Be the Color of 2021?
Plastics processors have a wide range of colors at their disposal to color their products. Choosing the right color can ultimately be the key to success. But colors are just as subject to trends as materials and designs. Kunststoffe asked manufacturers of pigments, masterbatches, and colorants which colors would be particularly popular in the coming year. We were also able to learn what impact the corona crisis was having on color selection and how the demand for increased recycling and greater ...
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