BP&R Sept 2015 by BP&R Magazine

British Plastics

and Rubber

bp&r

THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR BRITAIN’S POLYMER PROCESSORS

sept 2015

Defining Polymer Distribution

USING ADHESIVES TO ASSIST IN LIGHTWEIGHTING

PUTTING THE ‘THERMO’ IN THERMOFORMING

3D PRINTING FOR PLASTICS: NOT WHY, BUT HOW

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comment

bp&r BRITISH PLASTICS &RUBBER

www.britishplastics.co.uk EDITORIAL

group Editor: Leanne Taylor T: +44(0)1244 680222 E: leanne@rapidnews.com

SALES

Group Advertising Manager: Lisa Montgomery T: +44(0)1244 680222 E: lisa@rapidnews.com

ART SAM HAMLYN T: +44(0)1244 680222 E: sam@rapidnews.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

T: +44(0)1244 680222 E: subscriptions@rapidnews.com

PUBLISHER

duncan wood T: +44(0)1244 680222 E: duncan@rapidnews.com British Plastics & Rubber is available on free subscription to readers qualifying under the publisher’s terms of control. Those outside the criteria may subscribe at the following annual rates: UK: £80 Europe and rest of the world: £115 British Plastics & Rubber is published monthly (8 times/year) by Rapid Plastics Media Ltd, Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, CH4 9QE T: +44 (0) 1244 680222 F: +44 (01244) 671074 © 2015 Rapid Plastics Media Ltd While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained within this publication is accurate the publisher accepts no liability for information published in error, or for views expressed. All rights for British Plastics & Rubber are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. ISSN 0307-6164 Incorporating Polymer Age and Rubber and Plastics Age.

THE LINK BETWEEN PLASTICS AND PROSPERITY

he recent announcement of a new National Plastics Processing Centre (NPPC) to be based at the University of Warwick has come as welcome news for the future of both the UK plastics industry and the wider economy. The centre, which will focus on manufacturing processes and processing of advanced functional plastic, has received endorsement from OEMs including Jaguar LandRover, whose Head of Research and Advanced System Engineering, Tony Harper, said new developments in advanced plastics have “great potential” to produce materials for premium cars that achieve a combination of lightweight and multifunctionality properties, as well as high class aesthetics. According to the latest reports, the positive story of the UK’s automotive sector is set to continue, with news that the total amount of investment already announced this year (2015) has now surpassed £2 billion, with more than 4,500 new jobs created. Nissan’s recent £100million investment in its Sunderland manufacturing facility is just one such example of commitment and underlines the necessity for institutes such as the new centre at Warwick to keep Britain leading the pack when it comes to automotive manufacturing. Indeed, as I write, the Frankfurt Motor Show, one of the World’s premier events for the automotive industry, is unfolding,

with an abundance of vehicles from the broad spectrum of Britain’s automotive industry on display. From volumeproduced family hatchbacks to high-end luxury and sports models, each is the result of significant investment in the UK’s R&D capability and production facilities, which has supported UK economic growth. The fact that it is being recognised that plastics have such an important role to play in both the current and future success of this sector is highly encouraging for companies throughout the supply chain.

The fact that it is being recognised that plastics have such an important role to play in the future development of this sector is highly encouraging for companies throughout the supply chain.

Enjoy the issue. Leanne Taylor, Editor

bp&r

THE BIG STORY Insight

Responsiveness

Accountability

Based on feedback from an independent customer survey in 2014, Plastribution say that their ‘points of difference’ define polymer Products distribution:

Deﬁning polymer distribution

longside a continually evolving product portfolio, plastics raw materials distributor, Plastribution, is providing extensive valueadded services for its customers that takes polymer sourcing and distribution to a level that is simply “unmatched”. The company says that with their forwardthinking business approach, customers benefit from cost-effective solutions that improve efficiency, productivity and quality, enabling them in turn to maximise their return on investment. “We’re are the industry’s go-to resource for limitless material solutions,” explained Plastribution’s Managing Director, Mike Boswell. “And with teams that are fully accountable for achieving the best possible levels of customer service, our technical knowledge, dedication, flexibility and responsiveness are hard to beat.”

More Flexibility

• Large inventory of materials in stock (c. 3500 tonnes), ready to be delivered on a next day More flexibility service • Custom compounds available Measurement: 90% of their customers were satisfied with the level of product availability

More Insight

• Extensive technical know-how support and designfor-manufacture guidance Insight • Valuable content insight including Price Know-how - a monthly polymer market outlook report Measurement: 96% were satisfied with Plastribution’s Insight technical know-how Responsiveness

More Responsiveness

• Insight Comprehensive network of regional sales teams • Continuous Improvement… by Everybody! Responsiveness Everyday! Everywhere! Insight Measurement: “Absolutely exceptional service. Accountability Honest, reliable; always resolving issues and providing quick responses” Responsiveness

Accountability

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•Responsiveness Commitment to personal relationships and an Products in-depth understanding of customers’ businesses and products Accountability Measurement: 100% of their customers were satisfied Products that Plastribution personnel were knowledgeable Accountability about products, services and processes More flexibility

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contents

PLASTICS &RUBBER

september 2015

on the cover DEFINING POLYMER DISTRIBUTION Alongside a continually evolving product portfolio, plastics raw materials distributor, Plastribution, is providing extensive value added services for its customers that takes polymer sourcing and distribution to a level that it says is simply “unmatched.” SEE PAGE 4

EDITOR’S LETTER

The link between plastics and prosperity

22 FEATURE

PUTTING THE ‘THERMO’ IN THERMOFORMING

Earlier this year, Ceramicx Ltd and trinity college Dublin (TCD) signed a technology licensing agreement to build and market a test instrument to map the previously invisible IR heat spectrum, a development that can be utilised for increased accuracy in the design of plastic thermoforming systems.

27 FEATURE

GROWING DEMAND FOR TPES WILL SEE MARKET INCREASE THROUGH TO 2022

The market for thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) is predicted to grow globally through to 2022, according to a market research study. 6

29 FEATURE

Fakuma Preview

BP&R takes a look at the latest launches and developments to be exhibited at the upcoming international trade show, Fakuma, held in Friedrichshafen.

42 FEATURE

REGULARS INDUSTRY NEWS

Reclamation and Recycling

MATERIALS

BUYERS’ GUIDE

SOFTWARE

NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE

Bonding to Low Surface Energy Plastics – Using Adhesives to Assist in Light-Weighting Lightweighting is a mega-trend across many industries. Here, 3M’s Antonio Pagliuca looks at the effect this has on the selection of adhesives, bonding and fasteners

45 FEATURE

Injection Moulding

Trend for larger mouldings sees tex plastics invest in biggest machine to date

51 FEATURE

3D Printing for Plastics: Not why, but how The uptake in 3D printing technologies in the plastics industry is not a new thing. The question for many plastics SMEs is no longer “should” and more “how” to use the technology.

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INDUSTRY | NEWS

MOTAN CALLS FOR AWARD ENTRIES TO “SHAPE THE FUTURE” OF MATERIALS MANAGEMENT Motan Colortronic has called for entries for an award that recognises innovation and aims to bring new ideas to light. The ‘Mia’ Award, is calling for entrants to identify areas within plastics processing that could be improved upon. Motan says its goal is to “enhance raw materials handling in plastics production and processing, and change the face of materials management.” This includes ideas that solve customer challenges, those that integrate new technologies into existing applications, uncover new fields of application for Motan products, as well as ideas to preserve resources or make processes more user-friendly. The winning idea will be awarded prize money of €20,000 Euros, with an award ceremony and presentations held at the K Show in October 2016. The deadline for applications is 31 December 2015, with further details about the eligibility criteria and judging process, as well as how to enter, available by visiting: WWW.MOTAN-COLORTRONIC.COM /INNOVATION/INNOVATION-AWARD.HTML

NICKERSON EUROPE AND PMS EXPAND PORTFOLIO WITH NEW PRODUCT RANGE Suppliers of ancillary products and equipment to the plastics industry, Nickerson Europe and Plastic Moulding Supplies (PMS), have added a new range of hot runner controllers to their product portfolio. The Corby-based businesses, which combine two brands in one location, are now supplying the ‘Moldtec’ range of hot runner controllers and ancillaries. The new products are configured with combi T/C and power cables and range from a standalone single zone unit up to a 12-zone mainframe to include individual zone cards and combi-power as well as thermocouple cables.

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

“The Moldtec cards are compatible with our current GPMS version and other leading brands. With a card price of £92.50 they are the most economical in the market,” explained Hugh Elliott, Manager at Nickerson Europe and PMS. Dave Irving, an experienced hot runner and ancillaries engineer, has recently joined the company in order to help meet growing customer demand for bespoke projects. “Together with ever increasing stock levels and our brand new PDI department that runs and tests all equipment prior to despatch, we are fully committed to offering our customers excellent value for money, off the shelf product and total customer service back up,” Elliott added. WWW.PMSEUROPE.COM/ ANCILLARIES

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AB SYSTEMS BRINGS BUDGETFRIENDLY ‘PLUG AND PLAY’ CHILLERS TO UK MARKET

‘SOURCE A MOULDER’ HELPS TO PROMOTE THE EXCELLENCE OF UK PLASTICS INDUSTRY PlastikCity, an online facility for the provision of purchasing and supplier information for the plastics industry, has launched a new initiative to help the best UK moulders secure more work. ‘Source a Moulder’ is designed to both promote the capabilities and competences of the UK’s plastics manufacturers, as well as to help individuals or companies source the right supplier for a job. The search facility presents information on a company’s specialities, as well as machine tonnages and location, enabling potential purchasers to get a quote for work from the most relevant providers. In order to ensure that work is kept within the UK plastics manufacturing industry, PlastikCity has most recently set up a ‘Moulder’s Circle’, designed to instigate conversation between suppliers so that leads may be passed on if a designated company cannot facilitate a request. “Some 90 percent of our partners have joined this group, which is designed for the exchange of leads between the partners who are unable to satisfy the enquiry themselves. Many companies receive enquiries where they don’t have for example, spare capacity, machines large enough, special applications, volumes too low etc.,” explained Carl Futcher, PlastikCity’s Managing Director. The ‘Source A Moulder’ facility is the latest addition to PlastikCity, which already covers UK suppliers in several areas, as well as having an industry jobs and used and surplus equipment/material facilities.

AB Systems has introduced a new range of base level ‘plug and play’ chillers to the UK market. The AFC Series chillers, manufactured by Italian OEM, Nova Frigo, are a general purpose range available in seven models, with cooling capacities from 6 to 60kW. Each compact unit is packaged with a pump and tank, so requires minimal technical expertise to set up and operate - users need simply connect the hoses, fill the chiller with water and switch the unit on for instant cooling. AB Systems says the AFC chillers are “exceptionally cost-effective to run” thanks to a number of advanced energy saving features, such as a high efficiency scroll compressor and

NISSAN ANNOUNCES FURTHER £100M INVESTMENT IN SUNDERLAND PLANT Carmaker Nissan has announced investment of a further £100 million in its Sunderland car making facility, sending a positive message to the UK’s supply chain. The investment will see the production of the next phase of its ‘Juke’ model and will secure thousands of jobs both at the plant and in the wider economy. Commenting, Chancellor George Osborne said Nissan’s announcement was

WWW.PLASTIKCITY.CO.UK/ SOURCE-A-MOULDER 10

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

large area condenser coil. Combined with high airflow fan technology, these features are said to allow AFC chillers to work with low noise levels, even in high ambient temperatures, and offer Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) values of up to 5.9. WWW.AB-LTD.CO.UK

The new ‘plug and play’ chillers

“fantastic news” and an “important sign of Britain being chosen as a global leader in car production.” Nissan employs nearly 8,000 people in its UK design, engineering and manufacturing operations, supporting an additional 27,000 jobs in the UK supply chain. WWW.NISSAN-EUROPE.COM the ent will see The investm xt phase ne e th of production ‘Juke’ model of Nissan’s n) sa is (Image: N

SILVERGATE INCREASES CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE “ONGOING AND INCREASING” DEMAND Masterbatch manufacturer, Silvergate Plastics, says it is increasing capacity and staff numbers at its manufacturing facility in order to accommodate demand for its newest range of products and services. The Wrexham, North Walesbased company says that it hopes the investment will enable it to increase its annual turnover from £10million to £18million by the end of 2015. The success of its two most recent product ranges, SimplyWhite and Optiblo, is the key driver for the increase in demand, according to Silvergate’s Managing Director, Tony Bestall. “Due to the success of these ranges, we have had to increase our line capacity to accommodate the needs of our existing client base and that of recently acquired accounts. Despite the

ONEPLASTICS GROUP INVESTS SEVEN-FIGURE SUM ‘STRAIGHT’ INTO UK SUBSIDIARY The OnePlastics Group has made a “seven-figure” investment in two new injection moulding machines at its subsidiary, Straight PLC, a Hull-based manufacturer of recycling boxes and wheeled bins. The move comes as the company acts on its commitment to “shape the next generation of innovative waste management and recycling products” by investing in the latest machinery and technology. The Group says the new 1000 tonne and 800 tonne duo injection moulding machines from Engel, which will be located at Straight’s Hull factory, will allow the company to increase production and develop “innovative” recycling products. “OnePlastics Group is committed to innovation and leading the market with products that will revolutionise the recycling and waste management industry,” said Karl Stillman, OnePlastics Group Sales Director. “Straight has made a substantial

The manufacturing facility in Wrexham, North Wales

challenges the plastics industry has faced over the last quarter, I am delighted we are able to inject more capital into our production facility due to ongoing – and increasing – demand.” The reconfiguration of Silvergate’s manufacturing facility will result in a 10 percent increase in headcount, which equates to at least six new processing positions. The company is looking to fill the vacancies in the final quarter of 2015. WWW.SILVERGATE.CO.UK

investment in new product innovations over the years, such as new, faster cycling tooling for its kerbside box, the 3Box Stack and food waste caddy ranges and this investment will help continue this drive.” One51plc, based in Ireland, created OnePlastics Group last year, which saw six manufacturing businesses and one design office in the US come together under one brand umbrella. WWW.ONEPLASTICS.COM

The 3Box stack manufactured by Straight PLC

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

DAVIS-STANDARD ACQUIRES GLOUCESTER ENGINEERING AS IT EXPANDS BLOWN FILM OFFERING

Covestro is now an independent company

BAYER MATERIALSCIENCE MAKES TRANSFORMATION TO COVESTRO Bayer MaterialScience has become a legally and economically independent company and is now operating under the new name ‘Covestro’. With effect from 1 September, the global polymer materials supplier remains a 100 percent subsidiary of Bayer AG and will be floated on the stock market by mid-2016 as Bayer concentrates on its Life Sciences division. “Independence will enable us to bring our strengths to bear in global competition more quickly, effectively and flexibly,” said Covestro CEO, Patrick Thomas. Core products produced by Covestro include raw materials for premium polyurethane foam, polycarbonates and specialty chemicals, including raw materials for coatings, adhesives and films.

US-based designer of extrusion and converting technology, DavisStandard, has acquired Gloucester Engineering. The purchase, says DavisStandard, will strengthen the company’s blown film offering by adding experienced design and process engineering capabilities, a large installed base and greater worldwide aftermarket capabilities. Carl Johnson, Vice President of Sales, Gloucester Engineering, commented: “The alignment of our

EUROPEAN PLASTICS MARKET EXPERIENCING CONTINUING GROWTH, SAYS REPORT The European plastics market is expected to experience continual growth over the next eight years, according to a recent report. According to the latest market research by Ceresana, the market for plastics in Europe reached a volume of over 53 million tonnes in 2014, with revenues over the next eight years expected to rise further at an average rate of 2.9 percent per annum, reaching €104 billion by 2022. The most important application areas for plastics in 2014 were flexible packaging, rigid packaging

WWW.COVESTRO.COM

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

companies leverages our sizeable base of installed equipment with the the industry’s best resources for sales, engineering and service. “Both companies have a reputation for strong people and strong brands. This is going to be a game changer in the global blown film market.” Ernie Plasse, Davis-Standard’s Executive Vice President, will lead Gloucester’s integration into DavisStandard. WWW.DAVIS-STANDARD.COM WWW.GLOUCESTERENGINEERING. COM

and the construction industry, with these areas currently representing about 70 percent of the total demand for plastics in Europe. Other sales markets, however, are recording the highest growth rates of more than two percent per annum. These are transportation and the electrics and electronics industry. It also highlights the rise in the use of PVC in the construction industry, with 2014 seeing the highest recorded demand for its use at 5.5 million tonnes. HDPE was in second place, followed by polystyrene and EPS. WWW.CERESANA.COM

ELASTO UK tel +44 161 914 7341 dex@elasto.co.uk www.hexpolTPE.com

13 - 17.10.2015

stand B1 - 1217

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Polymer distribution across the UK & Ireland www.biesterfeld-petroplas.com 14

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New dedicated plastics hub in Warwick to focus on innovation and industry

he Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) based at education to the sector,” said Professor Tony McNally, the town’s University has established a new National NPPC Director. Plastics Processing Centre (NPPC). “Our new Centre’s research will be built upon four The new Centre is designed to provide principles for materials processing: a national hub for innovation and innovating the manufacturing process, research in plastics processing and is added functionality to material and said to bring a fully integrated approach component, full integration into to plastics design, manufacturing and structure, and sustainability and There isn’t an disposal, encompassing multifunctional environmental design, including industry which is not holistic design and low environmental impact. end of life.” underpinned in some “The manufacture and processing of Since it opened, WMG has an plastic and rubber materials is a multiestablished track record of innovation manner by plastics billion pound industry central to the and technology transfer in plastics materials, from future prosperity of the UK,” commented processing. It has developed extensive WMG’s Chair, Professor Lord Kumar telecommunications, capabilities and facilities across a wide Bhattacharyya. range of processes and working with energy, transport and both large global companies and SMEs “There isn’t an industry which is not underpinned in some manner by plastics defence to healthcare. across a variety of sectors to develop materials, from telecommunications, plastics processing. The centre will have andTheembed energy, transport and defence to capabilities offered by WMG capability in every healthcare. The centre will have are those most widely used within capability in every polymer process the plastics industry’s processes, polymer process with pilot scale equipment and larger, including extrusion/compounding, with pilot scale extensive testing and characterisation injection moulding, thermoforming, blow facilities.” equipment and larger, moulding and rotational moulding. WMG already has an extensive Tony Harper, Head of Research and extensive testing range of plastic design, manufacture Advanced System Engineering at Jaguar and characterisation LandRover (JLR), commented: “Materials and research technologies across its facilities, which will now work together facilities, - Professor for premium cars in the future need to in the new Centre. It will have its own combine both light weight and multiLord Kumar bespoke building by 2017, with facilities functionality with world class aesthetics. for training, research and development, “New developments in advanced Bhattacharyya and will also house a fully equipped plastics have great potential to satisfy all elastomer technology laboratory. of these requirements but the challenge “The research focus of the Centre will is not to make a few prototypes but to be in innovation in the manufacturing make parts in hundreds of thousands at processes and processing of advanced functional plastic high quality and sustainable cost. This unique new Centre and elastomer materials. We will work collaboratively will provide the UK with the capability it needs to exploit with industry to deliver significant added value, engage this potential.” in technology transfer and provide training and further WWW2.WARWICK.AC.UK/FAC/SCI/WMG/

Professor Tony McNally, NPPC Director WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

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THERMOFORMING | NEWS GN THERMORFORMING ENTERS “HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE” FORM/CUT/STACK MARKET GN Thermoforming Equipment has entered the market for form/cut/stack machines with the introduction of the GN800, its first model that offers movable top and bottom platens. The launch marks GN’s entrance into this market and expands the company’s plug-assist machine offering. The first unit has been sold to a European processor for production of PET sealed containers. The GN800 was developed in partnership with Agripak s.r.l., based in Milan, Italy, which manufactured and sold form/cut/stack thermoforming machines until 2003. Based on a market analysis, GN says it confirmed the growing use of form/cut/stack technology by packaging manufacturers and concluded that a partnership offered the fastest entrance into the market. “We saw the changes in the marketplace so we wanted to move swiftly to counter the competition,” said Jerome Romkey, GN Marketing Manager. “Our strategy was to adapt and enhance Agripak’s proven technology to meet the requirements of today’s processors and gain a strong foothold in this highly attractive market.” GN bought the rights to Agripak’s original machine design and has added new features and technologies to make it a “GN machine,” according to Romkey. “We used their proven design, and combined it with GN’s own proven technologies,” he added. The enhancements offered in this new thermoformer came in response to input from customers and toolmakers to ensure GN’s new machine would meet today’s changing market conditions.

The GN800 has a forming area of 800 mm x 570 mm and is capable of forming 150 mm above and below the sheet line. The cutting force of the forming and cutting stations is 75 tonnes. The GN800 also has additional space between the forming and cutting stations, providing extra cooling time when running heavier gauge materials or PP. The GN800 features a standard oven, which is four times the index length of the forming area. The machine incorporates high-efficiency Solar heaters and is equipped with cut-in-place capabilities as a standard feature. The unit also features independent top and bottom servo-plug drives for better material distribution. The GN800 handles sheet widths up to 880 mm and can run sheet thicknesses ranging from 0.25 mm to 1.5 mm. The company says it is currently targeting the food, medical, and industrial packaging industries. WWW.GNCANADA.COM

0 The new GN80

CUMBERLAND LAUNCHES NEW THERMOFORMING GRANULATOR FOR IMPROVED UPTIME Cumberland, a manufacturer of auxiliary equipment for the plastics industry and part of the ACS Group, has introduced a granulator feed conveyor designed to ensure a “seamless startup” in thermoforming applications for improved uptime. The new U Series Feedroll system has a broad opening (up to 56 inches across), which Cumberland says helps eliminate jamming or misfeeds when feeding bulky scrap during

startup. Users can also adjust the size of the opening to more efficiently process lower-volume skeletal scrap. Building on best practices from current feed roll system designs, Cumberland says the enhanced U Series Feedroll incorporates additional upgraded features to improve overall performance. These include an interchangeable feed roll design that is cost-effective while maintaining strength and balance; six adjustable and interchangeable strippers to aid sheet removal and help prevent material from wrapping

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

the feed roll; a drive system that includes a 3hp C-Frame motor drive for a top speed of 75 fpm for faster scrap processing; as well as adjustable air cylinders that allow users to set the minimum roll gap to keep the two feed rolls from running into contact with each other. The U Series Feedroll is offered as an option on new Cumberland thermoforming granulators, and can also be retrofitted to existing compatible Cumberland units. WWW.ACSCORPORATE.COM

THERMOFORMING EXPERTS HELP STUDENTS SINK TO NEW DEPTHS A West-Midlands based thermoforming company has helped a team of students sink to new depths by manufacturing the nose cone for a competition-worthy submarine. Big Bear Plastic Products, based in Droitwich, manufactured the piece for ‘Warwick Sub’, a team of eight Masters-level students who took on the challenge of designing and building a human powered submarine to compete in the 2015 International Submarine Race (ISR). Big Bear moulded the piece on one of its rotary vacuum-forming machines using clear polycarbonate sheet. Commenting, Warwick Sub Project Leader, Richard Freeman, said

the team was “extremely happy” with the end result of the nose cone, “especially the transparency of the polycarbonate.” WWW.BIGBEARPLASTICS.COM

e cone was The polycarbonate nos r Bea produced by Big

ILLIG REVEALS MACHINES WITH LARGER FORMING AREA AND IML-T SYSTEM At an open house event earlier this year, supplier of production lines and moulds for thermoforming, ILLIG, revealed its two latest technologies to the public for the first time. The company demonstrated its new, large IC-RDM 76K automatic pressure forming machine, as well as an ICRDM 70K, interlinked with a newly developed RDML 70b IML-T unit to around 200 delegates. event, ILLIG At the open house hnologies to tec new revealed its rst time the public for the ﬁ

The IC-RDM 76K was used to produce polypropylene (PP) cups with sealed rims using a 60-up mould. The cups had a diameter of 75 mm and height of 100 mm – with an hourly output of about 126,000 cups. ILLIG says the high productivity of the IC-RDM 76K is down to its large 760 mm x 530 mm forming area, an increase in size compared to company’s existing largesize machine, the IC-RDM 75K (700 mm x 450 mm). The machine has a new, lower and lightweight table design that accommodates the higher movement speeds. Further performance features, such as the calculation of basic settings for heater and machine parameters, process monitoring to detect possible material tears and visualisation of process data for analysis and optimisation of the thermoforming process, allow the IC-RDM 76K to provide high levels of productivity, process reliability and product quality, says ILLIG. On its IC-RDM 70K machine, which has a forming area of 680mm x 300mm, the company showed the production of decorated rectangular polypropylene (PP) tubs. Using an 18-up mould, the tubs were made at 16 cycles/minute at an hourly output of 17,280. The tubs were decorated on all four side walls and the bottom directly during forming. An RDML 70b IML-T unit was used to remove the labels from a magazine and place them into the mould’s cavities in the forming station of the thermoformer, before moulding and bonding to the part’s walls. The label can add to increased pack rigidity – subject to geometry and quality. As a result, the material thickness can be reduced (saving of material costs) and the pack’s top load is still maintained. ILLIG says an additional benefit of the new system is the ability to place an individually printed label in every cavity in a mould, allowing product changes to be performed quickly. WWW.ILLIG.CO.UK

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CASE STUDY: RESEARCH SHOWS PERFORMANCE BENEFITS OF SYNTACTIC PLUG ASSISTS FOR THERMOFORMING OF TRANSPARENT PP PARTS Syntactic foam plug assists deliver greater performance benefits than solid polymer plug assists for thermoforming of transparent polypropylene (PP) parts, according to the findings of a study published by supplier of plug-assist materials for the thermoforming industry, CMT Materials, Inc. While measuring the influence of different plug-assist materials, CMT scientists found “statistically significant improvements” in haze, material distribution and crush strength for thermoformed PP parts which utilised syntactic foam plug assists. Plug surface quality, which was affected by machining and polishing techniques, was also identified as a critical factor. “Many thermoformers are responding to the increased use of PP for high-clarity applications, primarily in the food and beverage sectors,” explained Conor Carlin, Sales Manager at CMT. “Because PP has a narrow thermoforming window compared to PET or PS, it is critical that the interface between the heated sheet and the plug-assist material is well understood.” Thermoforming trials with 1.39 mm-thick PP sheet, clarified with Milliken Millad NX 8000, were run to determine if CMT Materials’ HYTAC-C1R copolymer syntactic

TREOFAN DEVELOPS FILM TO ENABLE “COMPLETELY INTEGRATED” IML IN THERMOFORMING Treofan has developed a new biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film that it says enables the complete integration of in-mould labelling (IML) in thermoforming processes. The company says its new Treofan EPT solution delivers a “look and feel” comparable with that of injection moulded containers decorated using IML. The film features an innovative surface that enables stable fusing of thermoforming and label film at

foam could provide all the benefits of syntactic foam without any loss in optical properties compared to solid polymers such as polyetherimide (PEI) and acetal. The formed part was an 89 mmtall cup with a rim inner diameter of 66 mm and a bottom diameter of 51 mm, resulting in a draw ratio of 3.4. HYTAC-C1R resulted in cups with 20 percent lower haze compared to PEI. Forming cups with C1R instead of PEI also resulted in a 10 percent increase in cup weight. In addition, cups formed with C1R weighed three percent more than those formed with acetal. “HYTAC-C1R has a high-friction copolymer base which maximizes the ability to pull sheet material into the tool compared to other plug materials,” said Kathleen Boivin, Materials Engineer at CMT, who led the study. “Forming with the HYTACC1R increased the minimum sidewall thickness by 28 percent compared to PEI and 20 percent compared to acetal. For thermoformers, part thickness is related to crush resistance.” Boivin explained that the container must survive its intended use without any signs of failure. “For example, a clear drink cup needs to be rigid enough to avoid buckling and spillage when the lid is applied, and a berry basket needs to be strong enough to survive stacking of the filled containers to prevent damaging the fragile contents,” she said. The increased cup weight and

comparatively low temperatures and pressures, which Treofan says allows the benefits of deep drawing to be harnessed without compromising quality. The company says it has developed the new label film as a result of deep drawing – or thermoforming – becoming an increasingly popular alternative to injection moulding for certain product groups, not least due to potential economies of scale. Until now, however, attaching BOPP labels to thermoformed products has required a separate process step; as temperatures and pressures used in thermoforming are much lower than

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The increased cup weight and minimum sidewall thickness obtained with HYTAC-C1R resulted in 31 percent higher cup crush strength compared to plugs made from PEI.

minimum sidewall thickness obtained with HYTAC-C1R resulted in 31 percent higher cup crush strength compared to plugs made from PEI. Ultimately, HYTAC-C1R resulted in equivalent or improved optical properties compared to PEI and acetal, while improving material distribution and leading to stronger cups. WWW.CMTMATERIALS.COM

those in injection moulding, direct fusion is not possible. By developing a special surface that attaches perfectly to deep-drawn films under the conditions typically used for thermoforming, Treofan says the resulting join between container and label is visually and functionally “near-indistinguishable” from the complete fusion achieved by injection moulding. Following a comprehensive series of tests the new label film is now being rolled out on the market on a large scale under the name Treofan EPT. WWW.TREOFAN.COM

technology spotlight

Putting the ‘thermo’ in thermoforming

The heart of The Herschel is a Schmidt-Boelter radiant heat ﬂux sensor. This specialised sensor uses IR transparent glass, specialised material and temperature sensor systems to measure the IR heat impinging upon a target that is less than one millimetre in size.

mmediately after signing the agreement, the instrument was branded ‘The Herschel’, a scientific tool for characterising the infrared heat flux spatial distribution in three-dimensional spaces. To date, it is said to be the only machine of EARLIER THIS YEAR, CERAMICX its kind in the world LTD AND TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN to offer this service. Earlier this year, (TCD) SIGNED A TECHNOLOGY the technology was LICENSING AGREEMENT TO BUILD debuted by Ceramicx’s AND MARKET A TEST INSTRUMENT US distributor, Weco, TO MAP THE PREVIOUSLY at the triennial NPE INVISIBLE IR HEAT SPECTRUM, trade show for plastics A DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN processors in Orlando, Florida, primarily due BE UTILISED FOR INCREASED to the benefits it offers ACCURACY IN THE DESIGN OF plastics thermoforming PLASTIC THERMOFORMING machinery SYSTEMS. IN THE FOLLOWING manufacturers. Large US-based ARTICLE, BRITISH PLASTICS inline thermoforming AND RUBBER LOOKS AT THE customers and OEM TECHNOLOGY IN MORE DETAIL. manufacturers have been shown how the Herschel creates 3D maps of the infrared heat radiation. US thermoforming machinery builders, such as Modern Machine, were shown how the Herschel can dispense with the ‘black art’ of thermal estimation and instead introduce pinpoint accuracy in machine design, based upon the true and actual heat needs of any plastics thermoforming system. The Herschel utilises a robotic arm, linear stages, control and acquisition software and infrared heat flux sensors, as well as other instruments, to map the IR heat flux distribution in a system. Sensors, robotics, thermocouples, data acquisition and mathematical

analysis software all work together in providing figures that give the thermoformer – along with the designer of any industrial system – the ability to optimise the energy demands within it. These figures can reportedly be tweaked further, taking into account the precise nature of the effect of IR heat radiation on a variety of target bodies – including all varieties of polymer sheet. All of these have different properties and performance characteristics when subjected to different kinds of IR heat radiation; short, medium and long wavelength. “The new Herschel system takes the thermo out of thermoforming and puts it under the microscope,” explained Ceramicx Founder and Director, Frank Wilson. “It analyses the heat work component in any system, so that all outputs and manufacturing decisions may be appropriately measured, predicted and supported. The practical result of this work is that thermoforming companies may design and lower their energy needs with confidence, thereby cutting the carbon footprint of all products made.” In addition, Wilson says Ceramicx is able to use the Herschel to design and create “ever more bespoke” IR heating systems for the needs of different thermoforming companies. It is also reportedly able to use the Herschel to measure and compare the performance of competitor heating systems.

At the heart of the system

The heart of The Herschel is a Schmidt-Boelter radiant heat flux sensor. This specialised sensor uses IR transparent glass, specialised material and temperature sensor systems to measure the IR heat impinging upon a target that is less than one millimetre in size. According to Wilson, combining this sensing technology with state-of-the-art robotics is the true innovation for

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The sample plastic sheet is typically placed on the grid for test work under an IR heat source.

The practical result of this work is that thermoforming companies may design and lower their energy needs with confidence, thereby cutting the carbon footprint of all products made, – Wilson

this instrument: A specialised grip was manufactured that fixes the heat flux sensor to the wrist of a 6-axis robot. Software programmes were then written to position the heat flux sensor anywhere and in any position in front of heaters and heater assemblies. The small size of the sensor and the accurate positioning of the robot are said to allow excellent resolution when it comes to heat flux mapping of industrial scale equipment and facilitate the measurement of everything from the energy efficiency of heaters to the amount of energy that would reach a target in a real application. Wilson added that empirical IR heat measurement is key to progress in thermoforming. “In the past, for example, there was no reliable way of knowing the IR heat distribution from arrays of heaters for thermoforming, since you could not ‘see’ the heat. Now, we can use the Herschel to see the IR heat and how it spreads in 3D space. This has opened up a whole new world in terms of our understanding of IR heating systems and how to properly design them for specific targets.” He went on to explain that there are actually no limits to these targets. “All manner of polymer-based

products, from vending cups to sports shoes; composites; glass; automobile brake discs; printing; textiles; food – the Herschel can be deployed anywhere where predictive IR heat measurement and heat design is needed.”

The uptake in the manufacturing sector

The revived North American manufacturing sector is currently leading the uptake for many of these scenarios – not only in thermoforming platen design and build, but also in terms of heat analysis and test work for OEM and blue chip brand manufacturers. “We have quickly found that some of the savviest OEMs – in [sectors including] automotive, packaging, sports goods – are very interested indeed in getting IR heat testing into their processes and in looking at the heat performance of various kinds of thermoformed polymer sheet,” continued Wilson. “Depending on the application and need, some thermoforming polymer sheets are a better fit-for-purpose than others. Others still may offer more cost-effective use when matched with the right heat sources. The Herschel is able to empirically test and rate the alternatives one against each other – providing thermoforming manufacturers with a scientific rationale for decision making.” Wilson concluded by adding that the applied science of IR heating is still in a relative infancy. “IR-based heating is very often misunderstood and often misapplied in manufacturing. Comparing temperature with radiation, for example, is a very common mistake. The new Herschel can help remedy many of these situations, can reduce cost and can also dispel many IR heating myths.” WWW.CERAMICX.COM The Herschel software programmes have been written to generate 3D images having facilitated the positioning of the heat ﬂux sensor anywhere and in any position in front of heaters and heater assemblies.

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TPES | NEWS POLYONE INTRODUCES NEW TPE FOR NYLON GRIPS TO IMPROVE OIL AND ABRASION RESISTANCE PolyOne has introduced a new material to its existing thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) portfolio that it says will significantly help products with nylon grips deliver superior resistance to oil and abrasion. New GLS Versaflex OM TPE is said to bond tightly to nylon substrates to deliver a soft, yet resilient grip for safety, ergonomics and comfort. PolyOne says material testing shows that it surpasses other TPEs on the market in resisting the oil and

EXPANDED MEDICAL TPE RANGE OFFERS NEW SOLUTIONS FOR SINGLE-USE SYRINGES A new range of medical thermoplastic elastomers has been developed for use as plunger seals in single-use syringes. The new TPEs are an extension of the ‘Mediprene’ range from Elasto, part of the Hexpol TPE group, and have been formulated due to a rise in demand for such products. “Over recent years there has been a rise in demand for singleuse syringes and a clear move from rubber to TPE for plunger seals. To support this growing market, we have expanded our range of Mediprene TPEs specifically designed for syringe plunger seal applications,” explained Niklas Ottosson, Medical Technical Manager for Elasto. The company says the TPE, which is mounted on the end of the plunger,

abrasion often encountered with demanding usage. “Many products, from industrial tools to suitcases, use nylon grips that benefit greatly from the tactile qualities of overmoulded TPEs,” said Charles Page, Director of Global Marketing, PolyOne GLS Thermoplastic Elastomers. “Our new technology helps these grips to perform well under tough usage conditions over the life of the product.” Testing under ASTM D3389 reportedly proved that the new material delivers 40 percent better abrasion resistance than a leading

needs to provide a leakproof seal with the syringe barrel. The new Mediprene TPE grades offer low compression set, which helps to maintain seal integrity. Available in a range of hardnesses from 43 to 73 Shore A, the grades are sterilisable with gamma, EtO and steam. Representative grades have passed cytotoxicity tests according to ISO 10993-5 and biocompatibility tests according to USP Class VI. The Mediprene materials are latex free, which reduces the risk of allergic reactions and they also offer resistance to many fluids used in the healthcare environment. The new grades are offered as translucent or coloured compounds, made from medical grade raw materials. Elasto says alongside their material advantages, because of the cost and speed at which they can be manufactured, Mediprene TPEs are being specified as an alternative to thermoset rubber. They require no vulcanisation and are 100 percent recyclable. Consistent shrinkage also allows for tight dimensional tolerances with fewer process steps and without the need for additional operations such as trimming. The new grades will be among the materials showcased at the Fakuma exhibition taking place in Friedrichshafen, 13-17 October Hall B1, stand 1217. WWW.HEXPOLTPE.COM The HEXPOL TPE group has expanded its range of Mediprene TPE compounds for plunger seals in single-use syringes WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

PolyOne says products from tool grips to suitcase handles can beneﬁt from superior oil and abrasion resistance with Versaﬂex OM TPE for nylon.

competitor’s product, as well as incumbent GLS nylon overmoulding grades. Versaflex OM also allows for lower processing temperatures to achieve superior bond strength. Using twoshot or insert moulding, the material bonds tightly without adhesives to most standard nylons, as well as heat-stabilised, lubricated, glassfilled and impact-modified versions. WWW.POLYONE.COM

KRAIBURG DEVELOPS NEW TPE RANGES WITH A FOCUS ON CONSUMER AND AUTOMOTIVE Kraiburg TPE has developed new compounds that have been specifically developed for the automotive and consumer markets. The new TPE series is the result of a cooperative partnership between Kraiburg TPE and the component manufacturers themselves, who have reportedly “contributed significantly” to their development, through specifying requirements. These include the new drinking water compliant DW/H series, which can be used as hoses in showers, dishwashers or similar as an effective substitute material for PVC. For consumer applications, the company has developed a new compound series that features improved adhesion to engineering thermoplasts such as PC and ABS, at an “attractive price.” It has also developed its materials for ‘slit valves’ – valves made of foodcompliant TPE – which have FDA and EC 10/2011 food certifications. In addition, the newest Thermolast V compound series, for seals in demanding applications such as under the hood, has been developed. The new series reportedly features high temperature resistance, an improved compression set and good adhesion to polyamides. The new grades will be premiered at Fakuma in October. WWW.KRAIBURG-TPE.COM 25

prene INThe new Mon ock s styrenic bl 23000 Serie fer of ds mpoun copolymer co ing ild bu r fo a new option says ufacturers, product man Teknor Apex

TEKNOR APEX TO INTRODUCE NEW TPES TO EUROPEAN MARKET Teknor Apex is using its upcoming presence at a major trade fair to introduce its latest range of TPEs to the European market. The company will launch a new series of styrenic block copolymer (SBC) thermoplastic elastomers at Fakuma that are said to exhibit performance comparable to that of the thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) widely used in window gaskets, while offering new options for building product manufacturers. Unlike most TPVs used for weatherproof seals in metal, wood, or PVC window frames, Teknor Apex says new Monprene IN-23000 Series styrenic block copolymer compounds are available in small lots and pre-coloured grades and require no pre-drying.

“Some grades in the new Monprene IN-23000 series can be processed with the same tooling used for PVC profiles at similar throughput rates and die pressures,” said Gert Joly, European R&D manager for the TPE Division of Teknor Apex. “We have adjusted the viscosity and melt strength of Monprene IN-23000 Series TPEs to increase throughput while reducing or eliminating the common problem of die drool,” he added. Joly explained that in the coextruded structures widely used for window gaskets, all of the new compounds exhibit “excellent adhesion” to the polypropylene or high-modulus TPE substrate that serves as the rigid supporting component. “They provide sufficient stiffness to facilitate window assembly and, unlike most TPVs,

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resist staining from paints,” he said. Like TPVs, Monprene IN-23000 Series TPEs are said to exhibit the end-use properties essential for airand moisture-proof window gaskets, including rubberlike seal recovery, low-temperature toughness and UV resistance. “In offering styrenic TPEs alongside TPVs, Teknor Apex has taken a ‘polymer-neutral’ approach to the market for window profiles, expanding the range of options for building product manufacturers so that they can select precisely the best compound for their requirements,” said Stef Hordijk, Senior Market Manager. In addition to the new SBCs, Teknor Apex will introduce Monprene CP for consumer products, including grip, handle, cushion, anti-skid, anti-vibration, knob and button applications in such products as writing instruments, sporting goods, appliances, tools, personal care items such as toothbrushes and razors and flexible or soft items like toys In Europe, the sales office in Geleen, The Netherlands, continues to be the hub of support for Teknor Apex’s TPE business in the region. The company manufactures compounds at a facility in Genk, Belgium and stocks supplies of products in Europe from plants around the world. “We anticipate continued steady growth of our TPE business in Europe and will add appropriate compounding capability in the region with further increases in demand,” said Suresh Swaminathan, the company’s Senior Vice President. Having participated at every Fakuma since 2008, Teknor Apex says this year’s outing will see it present its “broadest range of TPE compounds that it has ever offered to the European market.” WWW.TEKNORAPEX.COM

MARKET REPORT: Growing demand for TPEs will see market increase through to 2022

he market for thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) is predicted to grow globally through to 2022, according to a market research study. Industry analyst, Ceresana, says TPEs generated revenues that amounted to US$16.7 billion (approx. £10.7bn) in 2014. It forecasts annual revenues generated with TPEs to increase by 4.7 percent per annum until 2022. This, it says, is due to the material’s many options and uses in replacing standard plastics and conventional elastomers, particularly in the automotive industry, where 40 percent of TPE products are consumed. Therefore, the development of the automotive and transport industries, as well as their suppliers, is an important indicator for forecasts of future TPE demand. Owing to the numerous types of TPE, which have highly diverse properties, applications in the automotive industry are widespread and cover segments from fabric coating to sealing components and bumpers. But the construction industry and other industrial branches, for example machine construction or medical technology, are also utilising increasing amounts of TPEs, says Ceresana. Demand for TPE in these sectors will rise by more than four percent per year. Other important application areas are shoes (especially soles) and sporting goods, as well as other consumer goods, such as toys and household items. Demand for TPE is strongly focused on the largest economic powers: China, the USA, Japan and Germany are the four largest consumers, finds the study. Combined, they accounted for about 63 percent of global TPE demand in 2014.

The highest growth rates are predicted for South America and Asia-Pacific, especially China, India and Brazil, however, consumption in established markets in North America and Western Europe are expected to increase by at least two percent p.a. in the future as well. The continuous growth of the market for TPEs in recent years – in Asia in particular – has seen several new producers enter the market. China alone increased its TPE production by more than 600,000 tonnes in the past eight years and was able to slightly reduce its net imports, despite the strong increase in demand. The market shares of individual types of TPE in part varies widely among individual countries, which is mainly due to the different sizes of respective sales branches and the variation of quality standards and price levels. By far the most commonly used type of TPE on the global market is the group of styrene block copolymers (SBC). Its applications range from adhesive admixtures to asphalt modification in road construction. Asian countries, China and India in particular, report a very high share of the SBC market. The second largest TPE market comprises thermoplastic polyolefins (TPO), which are mainly used in the automotive industry. Another important class of TPE is thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU). Ceresena forecasts, however, that the highest growth rates in the TPE industry through to 2022 will be for thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV), used for products such as hoses and sealings.

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METRO G COMBINING THE BEST OF TWO WORLDS

www.motan-colortronic.co.uk

think materials management

“Time is money, and short timeto-market promises an advantage and thus more business success, for which reason the manufacturers and distributors will present a host of world’s firsts and innovative processes at Fakuma 2015,” – Schall

FAKUMA 2015: THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY’S LATEST LAUNCHPAD

hanks to its growing internationalism and increasing popularity, the Fakuma trade fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany, is becoming increasingly favoured for the launch of new and innovative products from some of the plastics industry’s most notable companies. This year, the sold-out 24th edition of the fair will see new unveilings, latest additions and extended ranges showcased to the public, across the spectrum of injection moulding, extrusion and thermoforming technologies and from exhibitors from a total of 35 countries. Organisers, P.E. Schall GmbH, explained that the fair’s main theme would be a “user-oriented focus on the processing of plastics”, with efficiency and fast time-tomarket favoured topics for exhibitors. Within this context, additive manufacturing and 3D printing applications will make a prominent appearance at the fair, says Schall, with the technology’s involvement in plastics manufacturing evolving from its use in the production of samples and prototypes to more accelerated processing applications. “Time is money, and short time-to-market promises an advantage and thus more business success, for which reason the manufacturers and distributors will present a host of world’s firsts and innovative processes at Fakuma 2015,” Schall explained. So, whether you are visiting the fair, exhibiting or are simply watching from afar, we have picked the best of the news to keep you abreast of the latest developments in

the industry, including new product launches, European debuts, system and technology updates and more.

Event: Fakuma 2015 Where: Friedrichshafen Exhibition Centre, Lake Constance, Germany When: 13 – 17 October 2015 Expected Visitors: 46,000 Organiser: P.E. Schall GmbH and Co. Website: www.fakuma-messe.de Going? Tweet us @BritishPlastics using #fakuma2015

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UK EXHIBITOR Aerogen to demonstrate flame treatment machinery for first time Aerogen is looking forward to “more new business activity in Europe” as it returns to Fakuma with machinery for the first time in 2015. The company, which specialises in surface adhesion improvement technology for plastics, will display its FT Auto FRC flame treatment combustion generator device along with a variety of flame treating burner tools. The FT Auto FRC (Flame Treater Automotive Flow Ratio Control) is typically utilised throughout the automotive industry, providing the burner tool with a fuel mixture for surface adhesion improvement. Applications for the equipment include flaming of car bumpers prior to painting, flaming of premium car instrument panels prior to laminating with leather, and flaming of car interior components prior to flocking.

HALL A6 - STAND 6508 MATERIALS TRENDS

ALBIS to focus on future trends at “European industry event of the year” ALBIS is showcasing a range of applications from the four core industries of automotive, electrical and electronics, healthcare and packaging at what it says is the “European industry event of the year.” In addition, it is showing its recently re-branded ALTECH own brand product series. Now produced with recycled raw materials, products are now known as ALTECH ECO. The company will take advantage of Fakuma to determine trends in the individual core industries, launch collective projects and discuss cooperative efforts in its target markets together with its customers and partners.

HALL A3 - STAND 3105 INDUSTRY 4.0

Arburg goes “beyond machines” as complete systems supplier Arburg is to present itself beyond just machine technology as a “production system supplier for plastic part production”. It will display eight allrounder injection moulding machines, three freeformers, its host computer system, ALS, as well as integrated automation. One highlight, it says, will be the customisation of mass-production parts by combining injection moulding and additive manufacturing, including integration with Industry 30

4.0 technologies. Applications for innovative lightweight construction processes, multicomponent injection moulding, LSR processing, practical examples for medical and packaging technology and a micro production system will also be demontsrated.

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Beck to show flexible new IML automation system Beck will demonstrate its latest innovation, the Beck-Flex, a side-entry automated IML system designed for maximum flexibility. Developed for a diverse audience, the Beck-Flex system specifically targets short re-tooling times, a wide label, product or mould range and small to medium size production batches. The system is able to decorate products that are either inside or outside gated, as well as handling moulds with differing numbers of cavities. At Fakuma, the Beck-Flex will be presented as a four-cavity solution with cavity spacing of 235mm. The application will be a cylindrical container made of PP, with MFI 70 and 155ml volume, with a wall thickness of 0.4 mm. An Engel emotion 440/160 injection moulding machine will be used at the show.

in-mould assembly technology due to its high transparency, functional integration, isothermal qualities and toughness. Billion says its exhibit will highlight energy savings (energy consumption 0.89 kWh/kg), as well as machine precision, repeatability and a good example of welding through overmoulding to produce a tight seal.

HALL B3 - STAND 3104 3D PRINTING

BOY steps into 3D with additive-printed moulds BOY is embracing the trend for 3D printed technology, with a demonstration of injection moulding using additive manufactured mould inserts. The inserts will be produced on a 3D printer live on the BOY stand, before being installed in a mould holder on a BOY XS injection moulding machine for the production of karabiner hooks (a coupling link with a safety closure) made of diverse materials. The company will also show hot and cold temperature control and multi-component technology in the same moulding application, with the production of crosstip screwdrivers.

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Four cavity mould for IML decoration (picture source: Otto Hofstetter)

IN-MOULD ASSEMBLY Billion presents multiinjection for multiple innovations Billion will present a twin-shot SELECT 200 tonne all-electric machine demonstrating inmould assembly technology. The machine will show the oneshot production of a complete and finished hollow part. The demonstrator to be produced at Fakuma is a twin-wall glass, made of one core container inside another container forming the shell. The part will be produced using a co-polyester, which is said to be ideal for use with the

Additive-made mould inserts will be used for production on Boy’s stand

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Cannon to present processing technologies for polyurethanes and composites The Cannon Group will present the latest developments in processing technologies for polyurethanes and composites, including machines and turnkey solutions. These include high-pressure mixing heads for general purpose foams through to specialised applications, its polyurethane and epoxy resin formulations dedicated to the automotive and transportation industries, thermoforming equipment and technology for the wind-power industry. Within its vacuum-based

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forming technology it will show its new kit for the conversion of existing polymerisation presses for discontinuous foaming of sandwich panels.

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NEW EUROPEAN DIVISION Colloids announces further restructuring and new products Colloids will exhibit at the show with its newly-formed European division, designed to continue to develop its business strategy, which is focussed on its expertise in engineering polymer application, as well as the pressure pipe, film extrusion, and sheet extrusion sectors of the industry. It will show two new technical developments, firstly, Colloids Cool2Touch, a range of specially formulated masterbatches designed to reflect solar energy, and, secondly, Colloids PyroBlack, which incorporates carbon black made from tyre pyrolysis, which it says is considered to be one of the best environmentally friendly ways of disposing of waste tyres.

HALL B4 - STAND 4402 MATERIALS DESIGN

DuPont to discuss design process from “art to part” Taking a walk down memory lane, DuPont’s exhibit at Fakuma will demonstrate the company’s progress since it invented nylon in 1935 and modified it to become an engineering-grade polymer several years later. The DuPont booth will reflect how this material, coupled with the company’s materials portfolio and application development support in the form of Computer Aided Engineering (CAE), can continue through process simulation to create new growth opportunities in a wide range of industries, including automotive, electrical and electronics, food and healthcare.

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DuPont will discuss the entire deisgn process from “art to part”

display system, which has a touchscreen operation, increased number of channel inputs and digitial outputs, as well as a ‘dashboard’ giving an overview of all process data in a given moulding process.

MACHINE PREMIERE ENGEL presents “more than a machine” with smart factory set-up ENGEL says to achieve optimal results, you need to “do more than just deploy the best injection moulding equipment” and to this end it will present how to leverage the potential of its machines. It will introduce ‘inject 4.0’ at the show, designing its stand as a smart factory, with self-optimising production based on three core elements of smart machines, smart production and smart services. It will showcase five applications designed for the automotive, technical moulding, teletronics, packaging and medical industries. Its medical exhibition space will premiere its all-electric and tie-bar-less ENGEL e-motion TL machine in the new 80-tonne variant producing needle holders.

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ENGEL will premiere its latest medical moulding machine to produce needle holders. (Image: ENGEL)

NEW PRODUCT EREMA to present new regrind recycling technology and upcycling service EREMA will present its RegrindPro plant system designed for processing regrind from thick-walled materials, such as packaging, as well as electronics (WEEE) and the automotive industry. It is able to handle mixed fractions with varying compositions, high bulk density and moisture, as well as a range of contaminants. Due to its gentle processing and efficient filtration, the new system is said to enable the recycling of regrind into application-oriented secondary raw materials, with high recyclate content and good surface quality. Also at the show the company will introduce its latest service offering in upcycling, after the successful launch of the COREMA product line three years ago.

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Erema will show its RegrindPro system for the processing of regrind into high quality pellets for use in end products.

NEW PRODUCT Feddem extends its extruders product range Feddem, manufacturer of co-rotating twin-screw extruders, has extended its range of MTS machines to include a new size, with 82mm screw diameter. The FED 82 MTS frame size has a new, powerful gearbox with a torque density of over 16 Nm/cm³ and drive power of 800 kW. Feddem says the new compounder is ideally suited to the manufacture of larger production batches of engineering plastics and, depending on the product formulation, a throughput of two to four tonnes/hour is possible. Designed according to the same principle as all other machines in the product family, the FED 82 MTS also has screws without kneadingblocks, ensuring gentle processing of engineering plastics, and offers the same operational versatility.

HALL A6 - STAND 6217 EUROPEAN DEBUT

Haitian International Germany makes debut The German subsidiary of Haitian International will make its first appearance at the show under its new corporate identity. It will exhibit a Haitian Mars MAII900 servo-hydraulic injection-moulding machine, manufacturing a salad cup made of PP extracted from a Sepro Linear robot. The lid for the cup, also made of PP, will be produced by a fully-electric 1500 kN Zhafir Venus II Series in four seconds. It will also show a Jupiter II Series 4500 plus machine, which has been recently optimised to meet specific customer demands from the European automotive industry.

HALL A1 - STAND 1101-1103 LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Herbold Meckesheim to demonstrate cost savings for plastics recycling Herbold Meckesheim will

showcase its latest developments for reducing energy and operations costs in plastics recycling. The company will show its Plastcompactor, which focuses on compacting, along with its newly developed SB series granulators. The company will also showcase its SMS Series granulators, which have recently had a redesign in order to better equip them to deal with demanding, heavy-duty applications. Additionally, its new Oscillating Shredder will be on display at the show, which has been developed to process large plastic pipes up to a diameter of 3 metres.

HALL A6 - STAND 6502 EUROPEAN DEBUT

HRSflow to show developments in hot runners for precision moulding HRSflow will focus on highperformance hot runner systems both for the cascade injection moulding of large-format parts and for multi-cavity applications. The company will demonstrate its further developed FLEXflow technology, a servodriven, finely regulated valve gate system, which is proving popular in applications for the injection moulding of complex automotive components. The latest development, which is being presented in public for the first time at Fakuma, is the integration of FLEXflow into Moldflow simulation software. The HRSflow line, Multitech – which is now independent – will showcase the use of the very latest technologies to shorten the cooling time in multi-cavity moulds.

HALL A2 - STAND 2217

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH Kistler to unveil new process monitoring system for injection moulding Kistler will launch its latest process monitoring system, the ComoNeo, at Fakuma. The system, which allows quality testing integrated into the injection moulding process, excludes faulty parts from the production process before they cause unnecessary costs. The ComoNeo is said to “break new ground” in the development of hardware as well as integrated monitoring software. This includes intuitive design of the

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HALL A3 - STAND 3104

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH Kraiburg TPE to launch new series for automotive and consumer Kraiburg TPE is launching several new compounds for consumer applications, including the DW/H Series for use as hoses in showers, dishwashers or similar applications as a substitute material for PVC. The company will also introduce a new, cost-effective TPE compound series for consumer applications that is said to feature improved adhesion to engineering thermoplastics such as PC and ABS. In addition, new, food compliant compounds will be introduced.

HALL B5 - STAND 5303 PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY

KraussMaffei focuses on productivity improvements in injection moulding KraussMaffei is focusing its exhibit around the theme of productivity within injection moulding manufacturing. It will display small and medium-sized machines demonstrating how intelligent plasticising, control and automation solutions can improve productivity. These include the optimised drive concept in its CX machine, which gives an intelligent memory management system requiring ten percent less power; a new APC (Adaptive Process Control) function, which allows the IMM to restart quickly; as well as the efficient HPS screw, which enables the use of up to 30 percent less colour masterbatch. In addition, the company will demonstrate the FibreForm process, which combines injection moulding with thermoforming of composite sheets for high strength parts and processing with LSR (liquid silicone rubber).

HALL A7 - STAND 7303

KraussMaffei will demonstrate its processing capabilities for parts made of liquid silicone rubber, shown here is nasal ventilators

NEW TECHNOLOGY

EUROPEAN PRODUCT LAUNCH Milacron exhibits latest machines and tech to EU market Milacron will exhibit its range of integrated plastics solutions all together on one exhibit, featuring various new processing technologies from its brands Ferromatik, MoldMasters, Uniloy, DME, Tirad and CIMCOOL. The company will launch its new Magna T injection moulding machine in the European market. The machine on display (a Magna Toggle 200) will be producing a storage container made out of PP. Alongside the Magna T, Milacron will launch its latest all-electric injection moulding machine, the Elektron Evolution. The machine is said to use 60 percent less energy and 90 percent less water than hydraulic injection moulding machines. Other highlights include the introduction of MoldMasters’ new, premium hot runner line, ‘Summit Series’, as well as the display of new, enhanced features in its Fusion G2 series hot runners for automotive and large-part production.

HALL B3 - STAND 3203 LATEST DEVLOPMENTS Moretto to exhibit latest drying and conveying technology Moretto will exhibit both inside and outside the show halls at Fakuma, with both a traditional exhibition stand along with a bright red ‘motorhome’ encompassing a mobile display of its materials handling technology. The company will focus on its Eureka Plus drying system and its One Wire 6 adaptive conveying 32

system. The drying system incorporates a thermal exchanger, modular dryer, air distributor and moisture meter to deliver benefits for the moulding process, including improved cycle time, higher performance, lower waiting times and better efficiency and profit. The company’s One Wire 6 system is claimed to be the only conveying system on the market that can automatically recognise, and adapt to, a plant’s status. It is this automation that Moretto says optimises the system’s performance to the fullest.

HALL B3 - STAND 3208 WORLD FIRST Netstal to present injection compression moulding on stack moulds Netstal will demonstrate a “world first” at Fakuma, with injection compression moulding using a stack mould. The company will produce a polypropylene (PP) margarine tub on an ELION 2800-2000 machine using a stack mould with 4+4 cavities. It will incorporate IML decoration and have a total weight of 10.7 grams. Netstal says the combination of the two processes “is a genuine innovative leap”, with the advantages including even results, narrow wall thicknesses and a lighter product resulting in lower unit costs. Furthermore, says the company, the end product (lids in particular) shows fewer signs of distortion and has a greater dimensional accuracy due to the lower stresses placed on the material, making the process attractive to packaging manufacturers.

HALL A7 STAND 7303/7304

Nordson Xaloy to introduce system for moulding optical grade PC Nordson Xaloy will introduce a plasticising system that combines special component designs and flow surfaces to help injection moulders of opticalgrade polycarbonate (PC), acrylic, and similar polymers to produce highclarity, enhanced-quality parts. The ‘PC Moulding System’ is said to address common challenges encountered in moulding optical-grade polymer by delivering a homogeneous melt with a minimum level of the shear that can cause yellowness or discoloration in PC; and by avoiding polymer sticking points or ‘dead’ spots where blemishes such as black specks can form. Nordson recommends the system for processing lens-grade or coloured PC for automotive lighting, eyeglasses, optical disks, and electrical and telecommunications components.

HALL A6 - STAND 6404

EUROPEAN PRODUCT LAUNCH SEPRO to introduce three new robotic lines Three new lines of SEPRO robots for plastics injection moulding machines with 800 to 5000 tonnes of clamping capacity will make their European debut at Fakuma. Sepro Group will demonstrate a model 7X55 five-axis robot from its new premium 7X Line and a Strong 50, which represents a general-purpose line of large robots. At the same time, it will introduce another 3-axis family of robots for large-tonnage moulding machines: the S7 Line. Also on display will be a 6X90 six-axis articulated arm robot, 5X25, which is a smaller 5-axis robot, and a Success 33 from the company’s universal range of 3-axis robots.

HALL A1 - STAND 1203

This Sepro 7X45 robot is one of three models in the 7X Line of 5-axis robots for IMMs from 800 to 5000 tonnes of clamp.

NEW PRODUCT Teknor Apex to launch new TPE ranges Teknor Apex will introduce a new family of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) for consumer products at Fakuma. The new Monprene CP Series compounds are said to provide vivid colour, tactile appeal and soft-grip ergonomics, as well as giving a broad range of physical properties and excellent mouldability. At the show the company will also launch a new series of styrenic block copolymer elastomers, which are said to exhibit performance comparable to that of the thermoplastic vulcanisates (TPVs) widely used in window gaskets. Teknor Apex says unlike most TPVs used for weatherproof seals in metal, wood, or PVC window frames, the new Monprene IN-23000 Series styrenic block copolymer compounds are readily available in small lots and pre-coloured grades and require no pre-drying.

HALL B5 - STAND 5315

NEW PRODUCT Wittmann Battenfeld to launch final machines in PowerSeries range Wittmann Battenfeld will complete its PowerSeries lineup of injection moulding machines with the introduction of the SmartPower 350. The PowerSeries comprises the EcoPower, MicroPower, MacroPower and SmartPower machines, with each developed around the themes of energy efficiency, precision, compactness and user-friendliness. After the SmartPower machine with up to 120 tonnes of clamping force was introduced at Fakuma 2014, this year’s show will see the addition of the the 180, 240 and 350 sizes. On the SmartPower 350/2250 being exhibited at the Wittmann Battenfeld stand, an ‘organic sheet’ component will be produced with a single-cavity mould. Also at the show, the company will demonstrate medical technology competence, with an EcoPower 110/350 equipped for clean room applications. It will also demonstrate micro moulding, multicomponent technology and integration via its ‘Wittmann 4.0’ platform.

HALL B1 - STAND

Wittmann Battenfeld will complete its PowerSeries lineup of injection moulding machines with the introduction of the SmartPower 350

Window frame cross-section with gaskets shown in blue

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When it comes to rubber and the like: ENGEL elast – is the right choice. No matter whether for solid or liquid silicones or thermoplastic elastomers – ENGEL has the right machine for you. And the automation to match. As an innovative system provider, we offer highly-efficient production cells that handle your elastomer applications in a stable process and ensure massive energy savings into the bargain. The flexible compact powerhouse for maximum output: The new ENGEL flexseal is suitable for all common rubber compounds. Using the servo-driven hydraulic machine, you can produce all kinds of o-rings and flat seals very efficiently in the smallest spaces.

more than a machine Visit ENGEL at Fakuma 2015 13 – 17 October | Hall A5 | Stand 5204

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RECLAMATION & RECYCLING | NEWS

SUMMIT MARKS 25 YEARS OF GRAVIMETRIC BLENDING IN THE UK

NEW COMBI-SHREDDER COMBINES TECHNOLOGY INTO A COMPACT FOOTPRINT

Summit Systems is celebrating 25 years of successfully selling gravemetric blending technology to the UK market. The Tamworth-based ancillaries supplier first introduced the Maguire range of blenders in 1990 and have since sold and serviced some 3000 units in the UK. A recent trial with a global automotive component manufacturer used a Maguire WSB220 blender designed to accurately test throughput and return on investment. The trial was carried out by manually loading the virgin and regrind TPE material into the appropriate material hopper of the blender. Material flow rate was then calculated and the components blended to determine the throughput, and establish if there would be any material issues in a production environment. A total of 22 batches of material were run to ensure accuracy of data. “When the regrind material level became low it had a tendency to bridge in the material hopper, but we were able to quickly resolve the issue by fitting a MVPR65 pneumatic vibrator on the regrind hopper,” Summit System’s Technical Engineer, Gareth Callow, explained. “The final throughput calculation on a 50/50 mix was confirmed at 425kgs/hr. At this level of throughput machine payback was made in 10 weeks.” At the K Show in 2013, Mike Jordan, Summit Systems’ Managing Director, was presented with “Special Parter” recognition by Maguire Europe, for his leadership in introducing the innovative auxiliary equipment technology to the UK marketplace. Summit Systems currently supplies over 120 different models of Gravimetric Blender, with 150 ex-stock units are currently available in the UK.

Cumberland, a division of the ACS Group, has launched a new product that integrates both shredder and granulator technology in one compact machine. The new Combi-Shredded is said to be ideal for recycling and handling of post-consumer waste, in a robust design that occupies a smaller footprint than a conventional set-up. Cumberland says it has incorporated several innovative features into the Combi-Shredder to ensure long life, such as an anti-torsion shaft design that reduces stress, helping to increase the life of the cutting blades, a reversal feature that prevents overloading and machine damage, as well as an auto shutoff should the machine get clogged with material. The machine also comes with the option of having a magnetic bar tray, which will remove metal fragments before they reach the granulators, extending cutter life. The Combi-Shredder range consists of three models starting with the 40/80S, which can handle material up to 40cm x 80cm wide and at an output of 400kg per hour. The largest model is 80/80s which will take material up to 80cm x 80cm wide and has an output of up to 700kg per hour.

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UK plastics recycler, Jayplas, has announced plans for a £2.5 million investment in new extrusion, print and conversion equipment for its packaging division, which will be installed in January 2016.

JAYPLAS INVESTS FURTHER IN CLOSED-LOOP PLASTIC RECYCLING AHEAD OF BAG TAX UK plastics recycler, Jayplas, has announced plans for a £2.5 million investment in new extrusion, print and conversion equipment for its packaging division, which will be installed in January 2016. This, says the company, will enable it to increase production capacity by upwards of 7,500 tonnes per annum as part of an initiative to allow retailers to provide printed bags-for-life from their own plastic waste. Jayplas says with the imminent arrival of the single-use bag tax, this will allow retailers to demonstrate their sustainability credentials to customers, as well as contributing to the UK’s circular economy. “Sustainable plastics recycling is a big issue and recycling their own plastic waste helps our customers provide the

sustainability credentials their consumers are demanding”, explained Michael Maxwell, Operations Director at Jayplas. “Our new investment is a direct response to the retail industry’s need for larger levels of sustainability within their own supply chain and it shows that Jayplas continues to lead the development of the UK’s recycling infrastructure to meet the high demand for quality recycled plastics and packaging.” This is the second major investment by Jayplas in the last eighteen months, following the creation of its new packaging division, which saw a multimillion pound investment in a new extrusion and printing plant in Worksop. The company says it now needs to increase production capacity to meet a rise in demand from current customers and growing opportunities for new business.

WWW.RENMARLTD.COM The new Combi-Shredded is available in the UK and Ireland from Renmar

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Axion has invested in extrusion capacity and improved melt ﬁltration technology

AXION LAUNCHES NEW RECYCLED POLYMER GRADES FOLLOWING INVESTMENT Axion Polymers has launched three new grades of polymer made from recycled end-of-life automotive and WEEE resources. The new grades of ABS, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), have been introduced following investment in its UK-based plastics refinery plant to increase extrusion capacity and improve melt filtration technology. The Salford-based recycling specialist is one of a few companies in the UK to offer post-consumer recycled ABS engineering polymer and claims its Axpoly ABS52 1000 offers significant carbon savings of 70 percent when compared to virgin plastics. Axpoly ABS52 1000 is a tough plastic said to be suitable for moulding parts that require durability, longevity, strong puncture strength and good dimensional stability, such as automotive trim components like car wing mirrors and car bumpers. With good electrical insulation properties, it is suitable for use in enclosures for domestic products like vacuum cleaners and kitchen appliances. Axion also offers variations on the standard grade’s physical properties to suit customers’ specific requirements, such as flame retardant versions. This polymer is currently being used in the development of new applications for customers “who value these tough material properties” and are seeking an “economic solution with high environmental benefits”, according to Steve Bell, Axion Polymers Commercial Operations Manager. In addition, offering carbon savings of 53 percent versus virgin grades, Axpoly PE51 1090 is a new grade of polyethylene with properties similar to HDPE. Axion says it is suitable for products such as pallets, boxes and Axion has launched three new grades of polymer made from recycled end-of-life automotive and WEEE resources.

shipping containers or other general purpose moulded items where durability and good water resistance is required. Finally, the recently developed, high flexural modulus polypropylene, Axpoly PP51 1093, reportedly has excellent strength to withstand an applied top load without flexing. It is ideal for construction and civil engineering applications, such as internal support structures for rainwater drainage tanks. Bell continued: “As a new engineering polymer, Axpoly PP51 1093 is an innovative example of a customer-driven variant of Axion’s standard PP grade - Axpoly PP51 1000 and demonstrates how we can tailor-make compounds to meet challenges from our customer base.” Axpoly PP51 1000 standard grade is already widely used in a range of versatile applications, including automotive components, packaging, pipes, drainage goods, flowerpots and general-purpose items from loudspeakers to hinges. WWW.AXION-POLYMERS.COM

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SUPPLIERS OF HIGH PERFORMANCE ADHESIVES,

ADHESIVES & BONDING | NEWS CASE STUDY: INTERTRONICS’ UV ADHESIVES SYSTEM CURES TIME PROBLEM FOR BRANDON MEDICAL UK-based manufacturers of medical and hospital lighting products, Brandon Medical, says it has saved a “considerable amount” of time in the production process of a theatre lamp thanks to the use of a UV adhesive system. Brandon Medical was experiencing problems bonding three polycarbonate lenses together to make the large front lens of its ‘Quasar eLite’ operating theatre lamp, where extended curing times for adhesives were creating a bottleneck in the production process and interrupting workflow. “The two-part epoxy we were using had an extended fixture time, so we were looking for an adhesive which allowed us to handle and position the parts easily with an unlimited open time, and then to cure quickly using UV light,” explained Brandon Medical’s Technical Director, Nigel Davill. “The problem with this approach was that, although the parts to be bonded are visually clear, the material has UV absorbing properties - so getting the right amount of light curing energy to the joint appeared to be tricky.” Adhesives systems specialists, Intertronics, provided a solution in the form of its Dymax 3225-T-SC adhesive to bond the lenses. “Our Dymax 3225-T-SC is highly suited to this application – it is a single part UV/visible light

PERSTORP AND CORBION ANNOUNCE A BREAKTHROUGH INNOVATION FOR ADHESIVES Perstorp and Corbion have developed a new lactide caprolactone copolymer that they say delivers “major benefits” in hot melt adhesive applications. The product is part of Perstorp’s ‘Capa’-branded Lactide offering and has come as a result of the partnership formed between the two companies in 2011. 38

Brandon Medical used the UV adhesive system for the manufacture of its theatre-operating lamp.

curing adhesive which bonds to polycarbonate and many other plastics,” explained Intertronics’ Matt Baseley. The adhesive is readily dispensed – in the case of Brandon Medical by using a benchtop robot – and typically cures in a few seconds. The adhesive used also incorporates a colour change feature, known as Dymax SeeCure (SC), where the product goes from blue to clear when fully cured, so that dispensing and cure can be checked visually. Baseley continued: “Brandon Medical can have reassurance of the correct adhesive amount in the bondline and adequate cure. We supplied a small LED UV curing lamp

The new product has a renewable content exceeding 80 percent and is fully compostable, which the companies say provides adhesives manufacturers with a new technology to improve food safety aspects of packaging and at the same time meet the growing demand for more sustainable products. Equally importantly, they say, the new material delivers no compromise on performance and allows formulators to remain

with a 50x20mm emitting window, allowing it to be mounted on the robot, which dispensed the adhesive. Its 395nm high intensity output overcame the UV absorbance of the polycarbonate, providing enough light curing energy to give Brandon Medical fast cure, with less heat introduced into the polycarbonate modules compared with broad spectrum lamps.” Concluding, Davill says that the use of the UV adhesive system “very successfully resolved things” and saved Brandon Medical a “considerable amount of time in the production process.” WWW.INTERTRONICS.CO.UK/ DYMAX-ADHESIVE

competitive. Corbion’s Senior Vice President Biochemicals, Marco Bootz, said: “This new material...will create a strong technology platform for the development of polymers that provide a genuine alternative to traditional materials like EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) and mPE (metallocene-catalyzed polyethylene) for the adhesive industry.” Håkan Björnberg, Vice President, Innovation, at

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Perstorp, added: “Through this partnership we provide adhesives manufacturers with a competitive advantage through safe innovative materials that deliver high performance with a reduced environmental footprint.” The new Capa product is expected to be commercially available in the final quarter of 2015 and will be brought to market by Corbion. WWW.CORBION.COM

ADHESIVE TAPES & DISPENSING MACHINERY

SCOTT BADER LAUNCHES NEW STRUCTURAL ADHESIVE GRADES FOR ENGINEERING PLASTICS AND COMPOSITES Scott Bader is introducing two new grades of methacrylate primer-less structural adhesives specially developed for bonding pigmented ABS and carbon fibre composite components. The two new black coloured M7 grades added to the 1:1 ratio Crestabond range are

said to now offer manufacturers a colour choice of either off-white or black to meet any aesthetic requirements in an application, in addition to bond performance. Both new black coloured grades are variants of the existing Crestabond M7 off-white grades in the range, providing the same attributes, handling and bond performance properties, said to include excellent fatigue and impact resistance; good gap filling capabilities up to 5mm; and

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WWW.SCOTTBADER.COM/ADHESIVES

High performance packaging solutions -

H.B. FULLER OPENS ADHESIVES ACADEMY WITH R&D FOCUS Global adhesives provider, H.B. Fuller, has opened a new ‘Adhesives Academy’ with a focus on “R&D excellence.” The facility will reportedly combine state-of-the-art equipment with the collective knowledge of experts from across H.B. Fuller’s global network with the intention to help customers respond more quickly and effectively to market trends, industry challenges and opportunities. “Our new adhesive academy is a perfect example of what we mean by ‘connecting what matters.’ It brings together everything necessary to connect customers to innovative adhesive solutions that will give them a competitive edge,” explained H.B. Fuller’s President and CEO, Jim Owens. “From the academy, we will strengthen our commercial partnerships, solve some of the world’s toughest adhesion challenges and develop market-ready solutions to help drive customer and industry performance.” Nick Lehman, R&D Director, added: “By bringing together adhesive specialists from different sectors to share expertise, transfer technologies between markets and stimulate ideas, we are confident we can accelerate adhesive innovation.” Covering 2,300 square metres, the Adhesive Academy in Lüneburg, Germany, includes dedicated areas for packaging and converting, hygiene and durable assembly adhesive technologies. It is purpose-designed for related functions, such as conducting experiments, running demonstrations and training customers.

minimal surface preparation required prior to bonding. As with the rest of the range, Scott Bader says both black grades are also suitable for structurally bonding a wide range of popular engineering materials such as: FRP, ABS, Acrylic and Polycarbonate.

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SUPPLIERS OF HIGH PERFORMANCE ADHESIVES, ADHESIVE TAPES & DISPENSING MACHINERY

DOW CORNING HOT MELT ADHESIVE AIMED AT SIMPLER MANUFACTURING OF SMART DEVICES

The Loopwheels use adhesives to bond the components together

ARALDITE ADHESIVES HELP TO REINVENT THE WHEEL A carbon fibre wheel designed for wheelchairs has used Huntsman’s Araldite adhesives to bond the composite components together. ‘Loopwheels’ is a shock-absorbing wheel with a unique, integral suspension system. Designed to move easier over uneven surfaces, grass and gravel paths with less effort, the carbon springs in Loopwheels give users the extra power needed to get up or down kerbs. Furthermore, Loopwheels are extremely strong, durable and are said to be more comfortable than standard wheels, as they absorb vibration, bumps and shocks. “We’ve had great feedback from people who use wheelchairs, they tell me the wheels are more comfortable and give them greater independence because getting about requires less effort,” said Sam Pearce, Loopwheels’ Director and Designer. In selecting Araldite, Huntsman says the manufacturers of Loopwheels benefitted from ease and speed of application during production, ensuring a resilient bond, outstanding toughness, low shrinkage, and exceptional resistance to impact and shear. The specific Araldite epoxy adhesives chosen for Loopwheels are said to not only offer general-purpose, superior structural stability and flexibility but also thermal stability and fatigue resistance. “Huntsman Advanced Materials Division supplies us with the high quality epoxy Araldite adhesives that we use to bond each Loopwheel together. Working with Huntsman, we were quickly able to identify the correct adhesive which provides an incredibly strong bond and has enabled us to reduce the number of mechanical fixings and, therefore, the weight of our wheels,” Pearce added.

Dow Corning has added an additional product to its range of hot melt adhesives to enable the improved and simplified assembly of smart devices. New EA-4600 Hot Melt RoomTemperature Vulcanisation (RTV) Black Adhesive is aimed at bonding numerous, complex parts found in increasingly slimmer and sleeker products, supporting both innovative design and accelerating production cycles. EA-4600 Hot Melt Adhesive is formulated to dispense easily and achieve instant green strength, which allows electronic assemblies to be handled immediately after its application. “As demand for next-generation smart devices continues to accelerate and new design trends increasingly favour narrow bezels and other innovative designs, Dow Corning customers are seeking new and innovative adhesives that can help them meet their design and manufacturing goals,” said Leo Ryu, Global Segment Leader for Communication and Consumer at Dow Corning. “Our new, easily dispensed EA4600 Hot Melt Adhesive targets this emerging landscape. Able to deliver instant green strength after it’s dispensed, this advanced material can help speed assembly operations.

t melt The new ho en e said to op ar s ve adhesi for es ti ili ib ss up new po rs of smart manufacture e: Dow ag m (I devices. g) in rn Co

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The strong bonds it forms after full cure also support the cost-effective, water-resistant narrow bezels that many designers are incorporating into their next-generation concepts for smart phones, tablets and wearable technologies.” EA-4600 Hot Melt Adhesive is a reactive material that can be applied neatly as a liquid melt in very thin, <0.5-mm-wide, bonding lines. It cools quickly and cures at room temperature to become a viscoelastic polymer that provides strong, flexible, primerless adhesion to common plastic and metal substrates. The material offers extended service temperatures from -40°C to 150°C. It will soften when exposed to high temperatures, says Dow Corning, but revert to its typical properties after cooling. Unlike conventional polyurethane-based hot melt solutions, EA-4600 Silicone Hot Melt Adhesive incorporates ultraviolet (UV) markers to support automated UV inspection of finished parts. It can also reportedly be easily reworked within 24 hours of application. Once fully cured, EA-4600 Hot Melt Adhesive is said to deliver “outstanding, durable protection against chemicals, water and dust to enhance the reliability and performance of high-value electronics assemblies.” WWW.DOWCORNING.COM

Photo credit: IStock - ©.shock

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Bonding to Low Surface Energy Plastics – Using Adhesives to Assist in Light-Weighting BY DR. ANTONIO PAGLIUCA, ADVANCED TECHNICAL SPECIALIST AT 3M™ INDUSTRIAL ADHESIVES AND TAPES, UK

ightweighting is a mega-trend across many industries. Reducing component weight has great benefits, ranging from improved product design/performance and a decreased end-user cost through to less environmental impact. Given this, bonding and fastener suppliers are being challenged to introduce new, cost effective, lightweight material solutions which meet the same durability, quality and reparability standards the industry demands. Lightweighting will often involve a change in design and a change in the substrate materials with an increasing number of lighter-weight options available, including various Polyolefins, such as both filled and un-filled Polyethylene and Polypropylene, Nylons and composites. These lighter-weight materials are better suited to fabrication and assembly by adhesive bonding rather than traditional mechanical fixings, both from a weight saving and mechanical performance perspective. In the past Low Surface Energy (LSE) plastics, such as Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO), Polypropylene (PP), and Polyethylene (e.g. HDPE) had to be mechanically attached or heat welded, since true adhesive bonding did not work well with these materials. Mechanical attachments (such as clips, screws, etc) can be used with virtually any surface, but they require additional steps to mould or create features for the attachment. This can lead to stress concentrations, which may result in plastic cracking and premature failures, reduced strength in composites due to matrix discontinuities caused by drilling of holes, increased weight and often poorer aesthetic finish. Heat welding has the disadvantage of relying on the use of large amounts of heat and can only bond the same materials. This makes adhesive bonding by far the best option to bond the next generation of engineering composites and plastics. New adhesives and bonding tapes have been formulated that allow robust bonding of many of these low surface energy plastics. This allows manufacturers to take advantage of the benefits of using adhesives and bonding tapes, including design flexibility, stress distribution, bonding dissimilar materials, using lighter/thinner materials as well as clean final bond appearance.

Bonding Fundamentals—why LSE Surfaces are Hard to Bond

Adhesive bonding of metals, paints and general plastics has been common for many years with a wide variety of adhesive technologies available, including structural adhesives (epoxy, acrylic, and urethane), non-structural adhesives (hot melt, contact adhesives) and pressure sensitive adhesives (peel and stick bonding tapes). Until recently, however, these adhesives were not used on tougher to bond thermoplastic materials including TPO, Polypropylene and Polyethylene because of their surface characteristics. For an adhesive to be useful it must achieve adhesion to the substrate surface. Adhesion depends largely upon surface interactions —the adhesive must flow out on, and appropriately interact with, the surface of the parts to be joined. The adhesive must be able to make intimate contact with the surface of the substrate. Such intimate contact is called “wetting out” the surface, and refers to the adhesives ability to spread over the surface. While adhesives use different mechanisms to flow and achieve contact – structural adhesives are low viscosity liquids before curing, hot melt adhesives are heated to a flowable viscosity at application, and pressure sensitive adhesives make use of their unique viscoelastic nature to flow – in all cases the ability of the adhesive to wet the surface is important. In addition to the chemical make-up of the surface, the surface texture, porosity, and any contamination or barriers that coat the surface of the substrate (such as mould release agents, process additives that bloom to the surface, or contaminants from handling) can affect the adhesives ability to flow and achieve intimate contact. Even if cleaned of such barriers and contaminants, some surfaces such as TPO, PP and PE may resist being wetted by an adhesive. This is because of a phenomenon referred to as surface energy. Surface energy is the excess energy that exists at the surface (as opposed to the bulk) of a solid; this excess energy exists because molecules at the surface cannot interact with as many like neighbours as molecules in the bulk are able to do; therefore, they have excess interaction energy. The surface energy of a solid varies with its chemical make-up as

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shown in the table below. Note that metals and glass have a high surface energy and are easier to bond; whereas plastics have a lower surface energy and are harder to bond. Hardest of all are the low surface energy plastics in the first several rows in Table 1 below:

Table 1: Surface energies of common substances

A related concept is the surface energy (or surface tension) of a liquid, which is the amount of “free” energy at the surface of the liquid. Surface tension exists because molecules in the bulk liquid are in a lower energy state than at the surface. When a liquid is placed on a solid surface what happens depends on the relative surface energy of the liquid compared to the surface energy of the solid. If the liquid has a higher surface energy than the attractive forces between the liquid and the solid surface, the liquid will prefer to maintain its spherical form. Raindrops bead up on a freshly waxed car because the surface energy of the water is higher than that of the wax. When this phenomenon happens between an adhesive and a substrate the adhesive will not spread and make intimate contact with the surface to be bonded; rather, the liquid molecules will tend to remain associated with themselves rather than the surface. The result is lower bond strengths. In contrast if the surface energy of the adhesive is less than that of the substrate the adhesive will spread out and wet the substrate thus making the intimate contact necessary for good bonding. Therefore, high surface energy (HSE) materials such as metals and glasses can be readily bonded with a variety of adhesives, which will be strongly attracted to the solid. Medium surface energy (MSE) materials such as Polyester and PVC can be bonded with many adhesives, but low surface energy (LSE) materials are very difficult to bond. Wet out becomes a challenge unless the surface is modified, since the unmodified surface has such a low surface energy. The surface energy of the liquid adhesive is likely to be higher than the surface energy of the solid. While some adhesives are available to bond LSE materials, another strategy is to use surface modification techniques, which can change the chemical composition of the surface to increase the surface energy and allow a broader number of adhesives to be considered. These techniques include flame, corona or plasma treatment, acid etching or use of solvent based adhesion promoters that contain higher surface energy resins which entangle with the low surface energy substrate when the solvent swells the surface. Once the surface is modified it is easier for the adhesive to flow out on or wet the treated surface and make a suitable bond. While surface modification might be needed in some cases, typically it will add cost, complexity and may present environmental or safety issues.

New Methods for Bonding LSE Plastics

Technology has advanced to the point where adhesives are available that are capable of high performance bonding to LSE substrates such as TPO, PP and PE without surface treatment. Easy to use adhesion promoters are also available as a companion to some adhesive product types to increase the strength and broaden the selection.

Example - Structural Adhesives

3M Scotch-Weld Structural Plastic Adhesive DP8005 and 3M ScotchWeld Structural Plastic Adhesive DP8010 are uniquely formulated to bond to LSE plastics (as well as high surface energy plastics and metals) – often without the need for any surface pre-treatment. These are two-part, solvent-free, room temperature curing adhesives that come in convenient duo-pack format or, for large applications, in bulk. They resist many chemicals, water, humidity and corrosion. Generally, surface preparation is limited to cleaning (to remove surface contaminants). Sometimes, light abrasion or a matte finish on the bonded surfaces can increase bond strengths but is often not required. (These adhesives can even provide up to 2MPa of overlap shear strength on PTFE) Adhesion strength of structural adhesives, such as DP8005 and DP8010, is usually characterised using an overlap shear test. Substrates are bonded together with a controlled overlap and the adhesive is allowed to cure. After cure, the adhesive bond is pulled in the shear mode at a constant rate and the peak force to break is measured. By convention, an adhesive is considered structural if it is capable of achieving greater than 1000 psi break strength in the overlap shear test. To achieve this level of break strength the adhesive must have high adhesion strength to the substrates. DP8005 and DP8010 create structural (greater than 1000 psi overlap shear) bonds to low surface energy plastics without pretreatment. Including in figures 1 and 2 below are some representative overlap shear bond strength data for DP8005 and DP8010 on common plastic substrates including LSE plastics. Note that with several substrates tested the substrate itself was not strong enough to support the 1000 psi load and the substrate failed before the adhesive to substrate bond did. Fig 1: Bonding Strength of DP8005 on HDPE after different exposure to different durability regimes

Fig 2: Bonding Strength of DP8005 and DP8010 on HDPE after various environmental challenge conditions

3M’s DP8005 and DP8010 have met with great success in bonding low surface energy plastics in a variety of different applications due to the attainment of high bond strengths to untreated Polyolefin based plastics, ease of use (in Duo-Pak cartridges with static mixing nozzles) and excellent long term durability. Typical applications are varied but include the bonding of moulded / thermoformed parts for automotive applications, liquid containers, decorative panels, appliance and sporting goods, protective equipment, electronic components including wire potting and housings. WWW.3M.CO.UK

(The results quoted in this paper are representative but 3M would always advise potential customers to assess the suitability of any products for their particular applications as substrates and test conditions can vary.) *3M Scotch-Weld™ Structural Plastic Adhesive DP8005 and 3M Scotch-Weld™ Structural Plastic Adhesive DP8010 are registered trademarks of 3M

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INJECTION MOULDING | NEWS NEW PARTNERSHIP SEES EASTERN PLASTICS MACHINERY LAUNCH LATEST JSW IMMS IN UK Eastern Plastics Machinery has announced a new partnership that will see it distribute injection moulding products and machinery from Japan-based manufacturer, JSW, in the UK and Ireland. As a result of the deal, Essexbased Eastern has recently launched the new J-ADS range of all-electric JSW injection moulding machines to the European market for the first time. “We’re delighted to be able to offer the new J-ADS machine range,” Chris Siddall, Managing Director of Eastern Plastics, told BP&R. “We believe its unique, touch screen, android-type interface is a world first, as it offers a completely new level of operator interface that’s simple, intuitive and very fast. Having been in the industry for almost 40 years, it’s the best I’ve seen yet.” Siddall said the 15-inch display utilises energy saving LED technology for improved visibility with a larger setting screen, combined with a multi-touch operation. It also incorporates an on-screen operator instruction manual. Other advanced features of the controller also include both predictive and preventative maintenance, and

HAITIAN HALF-YEAR RESULTS SHOW HOLD DESPITE CHINESE SLOWDOWN Haitian International recorded revenues of $603.2 million (approx. £390 million GBP) for the six months ending 30 June 2015, representing one percent growth compared to the first half of 2014. The company said despite the slowdown in China’s growth momentum, its change of focus to all-electric for smaller machines and two-platen designs for larger tonnages was a positive move. “Benefitting from well market acceptance of our all-electric and two-platen machines, we achieved a growth of domestic sales compared to first half of 2014 by 3.1 percent to $408.2 million (approx. £265

an operator support system that takes the user through the step-bystep setup procedures, including how to set initial moulding parameters, as well as offering moulding troubleshooting with interactive corrective support. “The machine clamping unit is lightweight but with high rigidity, offering new levels of parallelism. This reduces vibration, which in turn leads to faster opening and closing speeds, as well as longer mould life and reduction in mould maintenance,” Siddall continued.

Wide ranges of injection units are available with a newly designed energy saving barrel. Eastern Plastics Machinery has a long history of importing moulding machinery from Japan to Europe, starting originally with the Meiki moulding machine range in 1978. “Meiki and JSW joined forces when the companies merged in January 2010. We are now proud to be part of the team,” Siddall added. WWW.EASTERNPLASTICS.CO.UK

The new J-ADS Series injection moulding machine

million GBP) and further reinforced our leading market position in China,” commented Zhang Jianming, Executive Director and CEO of Haitian International. “We respond to the current tough business environment by continuous enhancement of competitive edges in technology innovation, brand reputation, product quality and service standards.” In the first half of 2015, the sales of the company’s all-electric Zhafir Venus Series (400-6,500 kN) increased by 25.9 percent and the servo-hydraulic two-platen Haitian Jupiter Series (4,500-66,000 kN) increased to 64.2 percent compared to the same period in 2014. Its servo-hydraulic Haitian Mars Series reached sales of 130,000 units since WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

its launch in 2007. The company’s export sales figures dipped by 3.2 percent compared to the same period in 2014, however, at $182.7 million (approx. £118 million GBP) still represent the second highest level of export sales in its history. “Looking ahead, we will continue to tackle the challenges amidst uncertain economic environments through our long term committed to increase [a] mix of sales in [both] all-electric and two-platen solutions. We will speed up product innovation to address customers’ needs, further improving product quality and enhancing our pre-sales and aftersales services,’ Jianming concluded. WWW.HAITIAN.COM 45

Engineering Passion

MILACRON SEES SALES OF MULTI-COMPONENT MACHINES ‘REV UP’ IN US AUTO MARKET Milacron says sales of its multicomponent line of injection moulding machines have been “significant” in the first half of 2015, fuelled by the booming US automotive industry. The company says its Maxima and Maxima G Series of large tonnage, servo, multi-component machines have become increasingly popular with moulders producing multicolour automotive lenses or large automotive parts. “The excitement and response we’ve seen from our key customers in the automotive market in connection with our lineup of the Maxima Series machines has been impressive,” said Ron Krisanda, Chief Operating Officer – Advanced Plastic Processing Technologies. “Key customers are buying fleets of machines for their production lines

TREND FOR LARGER MOULDINGS SEES TEX PLASTICS INVEST IN BIGGEST MACHINE TO DATE Tex Plastics Ltd has invested in its largest injection moulding machine to date after noticing a growing trend for larger mouldings and tools. The company, which comprises two UK production facilities, has taken delivery of a new Negri Bossi V130017000 WP Vector series machine and robot at its manufacturing plant in Derby, East Midlands. “We have noted the trend for larger mouldings and tools within the plastic sector, so decided to invest for the future and buy bigger than we need for our current production

and looking to Milacron to develop and integrate these systems.” The Milacron automotive team recently completed the sale of a multi-machine order, including Maxima Series 3 and 4 Component machines for complex automotive parts. The company worked with the customer to custom design the machine, the work cell - including supplying and integrating all of the auxiliary equipment — and assisting in the layout of the facility.

The Maxima Series is reportedly one of Milacron’s most energy efficient machines, providing up to 60 percent energy savings over similar machines. The machine combines a two-platen centre tonnage mechanism with advanced controls. The Maxima is available in tonnages from 310 - 950, and the Maxima G Series, with tonnages from 1100 to 6600. WWW.MILACRON.COM Milacron’s Maxima 950 machine

portfolio,” explained Tex Plastics’ New Business Development Director, Lee Barker. The machine, the third Vector series installed at the site in recent years, replaces an older, less efficient and lower tonnage machine and will cater for both larger component requirements from white goods manufacturers as well as larger mould tools, such as those associated with the automotive sector. The machine is the new, wide platen variant, which includes a generous 1600 mm between the top bars. The injection unit was also specified to provide the most flexible solution, offering up to 7750 cubic

centimetres shot capacity, coupled with a maximum injection pressure of nearly 2100 bar. “Our technicians find the low level design and ease-of-use of the control system of these machines a real plus, and we believe it is important to listen to the opinions of our key staff,” commented Tex Plastics’ Director and General Manager, Guy Sentance. “We also have a proven track record with Negri Bossi, in terms of both the reliability of their equipment and the levels of service they provide.” WWW.NEGRIBOSSI.CO.UK

COOLING FLUIDS for Extrusion & Moulding Processes www.hydratech.co.uk info@hydratech.co.uk tel: 01792 586800

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www.kraussmaffei.com T illion AVEN Over 50 m oduced at pr e ar s soother ery year lk plant ev the Suffo

PHILIPS AVENT GOES GAGA FOR ALL-ELECTRIC MACHINES Manufacturer of health and wellness products, Philips AVENT, has installed three 100 tonne all-electric injection moulding machines at its UK production facility in Suffolk. The three Sumitomo (SHI) Demag systems, which were acquired solely for the production of protective caps and gumshields for AVENT baby soothers, are the company’s first allelectric machines. The company undertook an early stage tool trial at a facility in Telford before purchasing the machines to test the capabilities of the technology. “Naturally, with any manufacturing of baby products, precision and quality is paramount and every component we produce here is thoroughly trialed and tested,” explained Matt Panton, Senior Process Technician at Philips AVENT. Using an 8-impression shield mould tool, the Philips AVENT team ran a like-for-like production scenario on a Sumitomo Demag IntElect machine during the trial, which showed an instant 62 percent energy saving. “I knew that all-electric technology has come on leaps and bounds in Philips AVENT took delivery of three 100 tonne IntElect machines equipped with activeFlowBalance in March 2015

recent years, but I never imagined that the technology was this efficient,” Panton continued. “As well as reducing the cycle time by 3.45 seconds, the energy saving climbed to 65 percent when during the trial we ramped the IntElect up to its full speed. With an average cycle time reduction of 30 percent across the component variance that we mould we have increased our capacity, even though we are using the same tooling technology.” The three new IntElect’s went into full production in March 2015, alongside over 100 injection moulding machines in Philips AVENT’s Suffolk plant, including a large number of hydraulics. Two of the new machines produce dummy caps, and the other protective mouth shields, often 24/7. This limits the number of tool changes, according to Panton. “Here in Suffolk we produce over 50 million soothers a year. It’s big volumes and therefore we need our machines to run quickly and consistently.” The AVENT soother caps are produced on 16-impression moulds at an average cycle time of 10 seconds, and 8-cavity moulds are used for the soother shield with a cycle time averaging 15 seconds in

the new machines. “In fact, because these new machines run so quickly, the technicians are forever switching the colour dosing units to cater for the 20 different cap colour variants,” Panton added. All three IntElect machines are equipped with Sumitomo Demag’s activeFlowBalance, which is designed to ensure a more even filling of the mould. “For the soother shield especially, activeFlowBalance delivers a much more balanced shot across the tool. Before this we would have achieved a similar balance by adjusting the temperature. Now there are less manual adjustments and tweaks for our technicians to perform,” Panton said. In addition to the IMMs, Philips AVENT’s is due to take delivery of three robotic sprue pickers to remove any waste material and parts from the mould. It is also utilising the machinery’s control panel and interface to optimise functionality and speed. According to Philips AVENT, the switch to all-electric machines has overall achieved significant energy savings and improved production efficiency. UK.SUMITOMO-SHI-DEMAG.EU

Expert technical advice and factory direct pricing, since 1998 Specialist Fluid Solutions

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3D PRINTING | NEWS ARBURG “DELIGHTED” WITH POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM FREEFORMER Arburg has revealed it is “delighted” with the positive feedback it has received from customers that were the first to trial its freeformer additive manufacturing technology. The company says it is using the feedback to continually develop the system, in order to exploit further potential from additive manufacturing in future. “We are delighted to report that feedback is thoroughly positive. Also very pleasing is the fact that we were able to very quickly acquire expert status in what is still a new sector for us,” commented Renate Keinath, Arburg Managing Partner. Companies that have used the technology thus far have reported

3D PRINTED PROSTHETIC HAND WINS JAMES DYSON AWARD A 3D printed prosthetic hand made from thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) has won this year’s National James Dyson Award. Bristol-born Joel Gibbard, a graduate in robotics from Plymouth University, says the printed hand allows prosthetics for amputees to be produced more quickly and affordably than conventional robotic products. By using rapid prototyping techniques, Gibbard says he can 3D scan an amputee and produce a lightweight, bespoke socket and hand in less than two days, knocking weeks or months off the normal waiting times for such items. Gibbard and his company, Open Bionics, started the project via a crowd-funding project and have undergone 10 design revisions, with the number of separate plastic parts radically reduced. “The design utilises ‘soft robotics’ to take advantage of an extremely lightweight and lowcost manufacturing process and completely disrupt the prosthetics industry,” he explained. “The hand is 3D printed in a flexible material, which means an entire hand can be created with just four manufactured parts. This reduces assembly time without compromising on design,

The freeformer has received positive feedback since its launch, says Arburg

advantages including in-house production of design and functional samples for product development, as well as process reliability and an easy-to-use control system. Areas for development, according to users, include material qualification, faster construction times and further optimisation of software processing. WWW.ARBURG.COM

since the hand can have a fluid and natural external appearance and be printed in any colour.” Open Bionics is now looking to combine multiple materials to replicate bones, ligaments and skin within the hand. This, says Gibbard, will reduce the weight further and will help to maintain a low weight and structural stability in children’s hands. The company is in the running for the international stage of the James Dyson Award, where it will compete against other national winners from around the world. It is also continuing to develop the product, which it hopes to start selling from 2016.

The award-winning hand (Credit: Open Bionics)

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Cost saving with Renmar A significant problem that can occur with moulding machines is when the tool overheats. When this happens, the only options are to increase the cycle times or stop production altogether. Neither option is in anyway desirable but there is a simple and relatively economic, answer; install an AEC TCU or VCU mould heater. The high flow rates delivered by the TCU and VCU range of mould heaters mean that as the water is delivered through the tool, turbulence occurs which increases the efficiency of the unit and gives better heat transfer. Because the water is delivered at a higher rate and at a potential higher temperature, the tool is heated more

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quickly and reaches the desired operating temperature in a much shorter time. This not only reduces the cycle times but does so using less energy than many competitive heaters. Both the TCU and VCU ranges are more than capable of handling mould tools with complex cavity designs. We have a number of customers who have successfully reduced the number of older competitors heaters - in one instance where 6 x 6kW conventional units were replaced by 3 x AEC TCU300-9kW units, essentially halving their running costs. For more information contact Renmar on 0844 6933225 or go to www.renmarltd.com

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3D Printing for Plastics: Not why, but how WORDS | LEANNE TAYLOR

he uptake in 3D printing technologies in the plastics industry is not a new thing. Despite the media hype, companies have been utilising the fundamentals of the technology, in several guises, since its conception over 30 years ago. The question for many plastics SMEs is no longer “should” and more “how” to use the technology. With the advancements in both the machinery and materials available for 3D printing and additive manufacturing applications, we take a look at how companies across the plastics space are using the technology to benefit their businesses, improve production processes and open new doors for customer and clients, be it through inhouse use of the technology or via one of the many service bureaux.

Prototyping in the packaging industry

SIPA Sp.A, the Italian manufacturer of a range of bottle manufacturing platforms including linear and rotary blow moulding and injection machines, designed a 3D printed bottle in the shape of an elephant, created to highlight the potential that rapid prototyping processes could have in the design and production of plastics packaging. The elephant design was chosen as something that incorporated both fashion-led and technically difficult aspects. After several trials using different 3D printers and a range of opaque and transparent materials,

The ‘elephant bottle’ produced by SIPA has made appearances at several trade shows and was designed to show the potential 3D printing offers the packaging industry. Image: drupa.com

SIPA chose an entry-level machine and polylactic acid (PLA) polymer filament to print three slightly different designs, each taking around six hours to produce. From this SIPA chose the most suitable design before producing and developing a mould used in a blow-moulding machine to produce 200 bottles for display at the Brau Beviale trade fair, as well as at other industry events including the National Plastics Exposition (NPE) in Orlando, Florida, in March this year. According to Dino Zanette, Manager of the Bottle and Preform Design Group at SIPA, commenting on the potential of 3D printing in the packaging industry, the biggest opportunity offered currently is in the prototyping of new bottle designs, where the process helps to analyse features during the development stage. Going forward, however, he foresees a much wider use of the process within packaging, particularly for new designs, label orientation and other parameters.

3D printed jigs and fixtures

Away from prototyping of new designs, one UK-based plastics company is using 3D printing to save money in its in-house manufacturing operations. Custom injection moulder, Rutland Plastics, is using the process to produce the jigs and fixtures to position and hold each individual project’s components in place during manufacturing operations like assembly, gluing, drilling, and measuring. Rutland traditionally made approximately 100 new jigs and fixtures annually from aluminum on its CNC

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Protolabs’ rapid injection moulding services helped C3 bring its latest Bluetooth headset to market quickly. Image: Protolabs

milling machines. This process cost around £985 per piece or £98,500 per year. In addition, each new jig and fixture also took three days to create. This meant that the company was precluded from using at least one of its machines to generate revenue for 300 business days. After purchasing a PolyJet 3D printer from Stratasys to produce rapid prototypes, the company changed the way it used the technology, deciding to produce jigs and fixtures on the machine. In doing so, Rutland says it managed to produce jigs and fixtures with exceptional surface finish and intricate detail, benefits that were unattainable via conventional milling machines. The multi-material capabilities of the 3D printer also allowed the company to produce rubber-like surfaces to cushion and protect production parts that came in direct contact with the fixtures, as well as reclaiming its CNC machines exclusively for revenue generating processes. In total, the switch reduced Rutland’s per-fixture cost from around £985 to £591 or from £98,500 annually to £59,100 — around a £39,400 saving. It also allowed Rutland to add 300 production days for one CNC machine back into its annual operations plan, as well as gaining a 66 percent time saving in the production of the parts compared to CNC milling. Carl Martin, Technical Manager for Rutland Plastics, said: “We can now produce jigs and fixtures in a fraction of the time and cost on our Objet 3D Printer without tying up production machinery.”

Rapid Injection Moulding

When West Sussexbased Clement Clarke Communications (C3), a designer and manufacturer of telecommunications headsets, wanted to enter the high-volume consumer sector, it used Protomold rapid injection moulding to get its new plastic Bluetooth headset product to market. Rapid injection moulding offers companies the ability to make fully functioning prototypes with highquality materials. Designers can create inexpensive first-run parts suitable for testing and product evaluation. The process also gives manufacturers the flexibility to create parts that can be used for marketing studies or for low-volume production needs. C3 worked with Telford-based Protolabs for its rapid injection moulding requirements. In doing so, it received finished parts in the production-intent resin one week after submitting designs for its Bluetooth headset. The company used the parts to build three fully functioning prototype headsets for testing and evaluation, during which modifications were made to the original design. When testing was complete, Protomold redesigned and re-machined the tooling and set about moulding a batch of the revised parts. In this instance, the mould for the Bluetooth headset was made from CNC machined aluminium, which acts as bridge tooling before moving to large-scale manufacturing. The mould tools are designed to produce the same geometry as subsequent steel production tooling, so designers can easily replicate the intended shape and functionality of the finished product. C3 says it saved around 4-6 weeks on conventional time frames for receipt of a 3D CAD model to shipment of parts.

We can now produce jigs and fixtures in a fraction of the time and cost on our Objet 3D Printer without tying up production machinery,”— Carl Martin, Technical Manager for Rutland Plastics

This jig is used to hold an electronics enclosure for the post-moulding ﬁtting of threaded inserts.

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Beccaria - Vertical mixers Efficient mixing of large batch sizes Mild Steel (painted) or Stainless steel Capacities from 500 - 100,000 litres Wide range of filling & discharge options Telephone: 01260 252156 E-Mail: sales@ktechplastics.co.uk Website: www.ktechplastics.co.uk 54

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Q: WHAT IS RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY? A: RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY ARE WAYS TO MEASURE THE MOISTURE CONTENT OF AIR

hen we read about drying plastics, certain terms come up again and again: relative and absolute humidity, dew point, and vapour pressure deficit. We need a clear definition of these concepts if we are to understand them in context. Water vapour is always present in atmospheric air. The hotter the air, the more water it can hold. At first this might seem like a contradiction, but it’s actually easy to observe. Think of humid summer days or cold winter weather. The raindrops that fall in tropical storms are larger and contain more water. In winter, people with glasses often find that their lenses fog up when they come indoors. Relative humidity is a unit of measurement for the moisture content of air. It describes the volume of water vapour per m3 of air as a percentage of its maximum moisture-holding capacity at a given temperature and pressure. Or to put it simply, relative humidity indicates the actual water content of air as a percentage of the maximum amount it could possibly hold.

The term absolute humidity is less common: it describes the actual amount of water vapour in the air in g/m3. This also depends on the temperature of the air. Air at 25°C, for example, with a relative humidity of 100 percent, would have an absolute humidity of 23g/m3 (A). From there, it follows that if the relative humidity of air at 25°C were to drop to 50 percent, absolute humidity would be 11.5g/m3 – or half as much (B). If the air were cooled to 14°C, its maximum moistureholding capacity would decrease. The absolute humidity of 11.5g/m3 would then equate to 100 percent relative humidity, and the air would be saturated (C). 100 per cent relative humidity in cold air represents a significantly lower absolute humidity than, for example, 25 per cent relative humidity in warm air. If the air at 14°C is cooled even further, its moisture-holding capacity will decrease – resulting in supersaturated air (D). This can be observed in water vapour condensing – or when it starts to rain. In the November/December issue of British Plastics and Rubber, mo’s corner will address what the most important parameters for drying plastics are. ASKMO@MOSCORNER.DE

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MATERIALS | NEWS

In association with Hardie Polymers – www.hardiepolymers.com

// Materials Technical //

Blog EXTRUDED POLYSTYRENE HELPS PROVIDE A WARM ROAD TO RECOVERY AT POLICE TREATMENT CENTRE Sundolitt’s XPS, an extreme strength, extruded polystyrene, is helping provide high insulation levels, strength and rigidity to a new swimming pool which is being used in the rehabilitation of injured and sick police officers from Northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The pool installation, at Castlebrae Police Treatment Centre in Auchterarder, Perthshire, is part of a £2.5 million redevelopment to improve and extend facilities to accommodate the needs of some 1,650 serving and retired police officers who use the centre each year. The XPS has been supplied in varying dimensions to accommodate the sloping design of the pool and is an important sub-structure prior to the pouring of the concrete base and tile finish. The use of Sundolitt XPS in this application is helping keep water temperature up and the running costs down as well as providing rigid support and protection against differential heave for the pool.

“XPS is now a preferred solution for a wide range of applications where extreme strength is needed combined with high insulation properties. This includes solid flooring and foundations, inverted roofing and for insulating railway lines, airports and roads wherever heavy loads and high moisture levels are encountered,” explained Bryan Mawer, Sundolitt’s Sales Manager for Construction Products and XPS Specialist. Sundolitt XPS is manufactured in a wide range of thicknesses and sheet sizes - the primary range has a thermal conductivity of 0.033 – 0.037 W/mK (EN 13164). According to the type of use, it achieves outstanding compression resistance from 200 – 700 kPa (EN826) and offers exceptionally low moisture absorption through its closed-pore system - making it an ideal thermal insulator for a wide range of commercial and domestic construction applications. WWW.SUNDOLITT.CO.UK The XPS is being used in a swimming pool for the rehabilitation of injured police ofﬁcers in the UK and Ireland

This month, polymer expert and technical blog author, Dr Charlie Geddes, looks at the differences and uses of SBS and SEBS

UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SBS AND SEBS THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMERS Over half a century ago, as I watched a fellow research student produce fascinating colours in his reaction vessel, as he prepared block copolymers using anionic polymerisation, little did I realise I was witnessing the dawn of a new class of materials —thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). Using this system it was possible to construct precise polymer chains, with a sequence of styrene repeat units, tagged onto a sequence of butadiene repeat units and finished off with another block of styrene units, to give styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS). It was soon discovered that, at ambient temperatures (below the glass transition temperature of polystyrene) the styrene block tails aggregate in clusters (domains) to act as rigid physical crosslinks, which maximise the high elastic properties of the butadiene block. At elevated temperatures the styrene domains disentangle and the polymer becomes a thermoplastic melt, suitable for extrusion and injection moulding. The elastic extension and recovery properties of SBS match those of conventional vulcanised elastomers but the advantage is that there is no ‘cure’ stage and process time and energy consumption are greatly reduced. Also SBS can be processed from solution. The soft touch characteristics of SBS were soon exploited by designers, particularly in hand tools. Applications now stretch to toys, automotive trim, tubing, wire and cable, footwear and to adhesives, sealants and even bitumen additives. However SBS has degradation issues at high temperatures and the butadiene content makes it prone to oxidation and weathering, without appropriate antioxidants. By converting the butadiene block to ethylene-butylene repeat units, SEBS thermoplastic elastomers have better thermal stability and better weathering resistance, without sacrificing too much in mechanical performance. SEBS is also steam sterilisable.

Got a view on the above?

Blog posts will also be published on the BP&R website at www.britishplastics.co.uk - feel free to leave your comments 57

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BMW CHOOSES NEWLY DEVELOPED ABS FOR EFFICIENT GLOVE BOX PRODUCTION The BMW Group is producing injection-moulded glove box compartments from a newly developed ABS blend that is both eliminating processing problems and reducing cycle times. The ABS/PC blend, from Elix Polymers, a specialist in ABS high performance materials, is being used to produce the compartments at the BMW Group plant at Landshut and used for a range of BMW car models, including the BMW 1 series, 3 series, 5 series and 5 Gran Turismo. The tailor-made ELIX Ultra 4105 LNS308 was specifically developed to meet the application’s challenging technical requirements. The material has to be compatible with secondary processes, including flocking, foaming and welding and was developed to address processing problems experienced previously, as well as reduce overall cycle times. Elix Polymers says the newly developed ABS/PC blend offers better processability, which has resulted in a significantly lower scrap-rate of injected parts. Moreover, flowability has been increased resulting in reduced cycle times, so that more parts per hour can be produced. Fabian Herter of Elix Polymers said the customised solution delivered “measurable cost savings and productivity gains.” “This collaboration with BMW Group is an excellent

ENSINGER ACHIEVES MATERIALS QUALITY ACCREDITATION FOR DEMANDING ENVIRONMENTS Manufacturer of high performance and engineering plastics, Ensinger, has quality assured its offering to the oil and gas industry, after achieving stringent health, safety, environmental, and value accreditations. The company’s engineering thermoplastic range, TECAPEEK, used in petroleum and gas production, is now compliant to ISO 23926-1:2009 and NORSOK M-710, Edition three. “As the technology used to exploit natural resources develops, the products and materials need to evolve to ensure reliability and value for money in difficult operating conditions,” commented Paul David, Director of Ensinger Ltd. “Ensinger’s continued investment in the advanced manufacturing of these materials is part of our commitment to remain a flagship company in the offshore

Intensive cooperation ﬁnds new solution for BMW glove box application (Photo: BMW Group)

example of how we work closely with OEMs and Tiers,” he continued. “Working with the industry, Elix Polymers has been able to develop a new High Heat ABS Portfolio with very low emissions and high flow. These new products meet the stringent requirements of the automotive industry and are suitable for interior and exterior applications.” WWW.ELIX-POLYMERS.COM

exploration and production industry.” In tests, the TECAPEEK range of stock shapes (virgin and glass filled) were found to be resistant to chemical ageing in sour service conditions containing an elevated level of H2S at temperatures up to 240°C for finite periods. EN ISO 23936-1:2009 relates to the resistance of thermoplastics to deterioration caused by physical or chemical interaction with oil and gas-field media, production and chemical treatment. NORSOK standard M-710 Edition 3, developed by the Norwegian petroleum industry, assesses the safety, value adding and cost effectiveness of elastomers and thermoplastics used for offshore oil and gas production. WWW.ENSINGER.CO.UK

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NEC BIRMINGHAM, UK | 26-28 SEPTEMBER 2017

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Comment: Why you need to be aware of Cyber security After a spate of cyber security attacks, namely computer hackers exploiting systems to access a company’s data, the Government is urging us to put systems into place to protect our valuable information. Here, RAPRA’s Wendi Beamson explains more.

ith the onslaught of digital technologies, including cloud-based and integrated systems, we are getting more and more used to uploading and accessing data and information to and from a virtual world. This brings with it a great many benefits, with many thought leaders believing the future success of manufacturing relies on the adoption of ‘Industry 4.0’, namely the connections between people, information and objects, and the rapid advances in technology it will bring for process and product improvement. In addition, the UK has positively adopted cyberspace as a means of doing business, with card transactions and WiFi and Internet access on the up. However, despite the obvious advantages of computerbased technology, there are downfalls in using systems that are open to hackers, i.e. those individuals who use computers to gain unauthorised access to data, and both the Government and other organisations are urging companies to be proactive when it comes to cyber security. Stephen Wright, General Manager of the National Cyber Skills Centre, said the term “cyber security” is much misunderstood. “It implies complexity and suggests it is an issue with just technical solutions, for example, an IT issue.” However, he insists that for most organisations, protecting important information needn’t be unnecessarily complex, but needs to be understood. “The basics will go a long way to providing a good level of protection for most organisations – the complexity on top of that depends on who you are and what you have that someone would want,” he explained. Very briefly, attackers are after identities, customer lists, supplier lists, banking details, ways into other systems through yours, intellectual property, payroll data, and use of your computers to attack others. Once details of how to get into your systems are sold on, multiple attackers might use them for different purposes. Simplistically speaking, there are targeted attacks and opportunistic attacks. The opportunistic attackers often use clusters of computers with information harvested from many sources and using complex algorithms to try to gain access, targeting long lists of companies. Information from a successful breach is then often bundled and sold on the thriving black market. The good news is that if a system’s defence foils the attack, the hackers unemotionally move on to the next

one on the list. The bad news is that hackers across the world are putting increasingly sophisticated tools into play to work through the lists time and time again. You can monitor these attacks, but most people don’t, in fact it is quite common for an organisation not to even know that it has been breached by a successful attack for many months. Interestingly though, it is often through exploiting the mistakes made by the individuals using the systems, than a fault with the actual technology, which allows hackers to gain access. In light of this, the UK Government has stepped up with an initiative known as “Cyber Essentials” which is five key things that should be put in place to give basic protection. It’s mainly a relatively simple configuration of a company’s systems. On top of that, it suggests making yourself and your employees aware of how attacks happen, as well as how to avoid them, to significantly reduce risk. Stephen Wright will be presenting at RAPRA’s breakfast event on Wednesday 7th October in Melksham, Wiltshire, to help companies understand more about the importance of cyber security. VISIT WWW.RAPRA.ORG TO FIND OUT MORE AND TO BOOK YOUR PLACE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, VISIT THE RESOURCES SECTION OF THE NATIONAL CYBER SKILLS CENTRE: HTTP://WWW.CYBERSKILLSCENTRE.COM/RESOUR-

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COVESTRO INVITES QUESTIONS ABOUT BISPHENOL A At the upcoming Fakuma tradeshow, Covestro is inviting questions and discussion about the much maligned chemical substance, Bisphenol A (BPA). Bisphenol A is one of the most thoroughly studied chemical substances and for decades has been used for the production of the high-performance plastic polycarbonate, among other things. Nevertheless, public opinion regarding its use as a raw material remains divided. Covestro, formerly Bayer MaterialScience, says it “welcomes this debate” and is inviting Fakuma 2015 visitors to its stand for discussions. “We would like to provide customers and visitors the desired information about BPA and to answer their questions,” said Dr. Sven Gestermann, Global Product Steward Polycarbonates at Covestro and Chairman of the Polycarbonate-BPA Product Group at PlasticsEurope, the association of plastics manufacturers in Europe. “One of our aims in this is to help make the discussion more objective.” He and Markus Krieter, Marketing Manager for Polycarbonate in the regions Europe, Middle East and Africa and Latin America, will be available at the Covestro stand. WWW.COVESTRO.COM

The team at Glyndŵr University are looking to use waste prawn shells to produce personal and home care products

POLYMER MADE FROM PRAWN SHELLS COULD BE USED TO MAKE ‘GREENER’ SHAMPOO A polymer derived from waste prawn shells could be used in the production of environmentally friendly shampoos and laundry detergents, according to a team of scientists. Chemistry researchers at Glyndŵr University in North Wales believe a polymer, derived from chitin, found naturally in the seafood shells, can be extracted and used instead of synthetic polymers to make personal and home care products. The University team is currently concluding a £1m research project, which received financial support from the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, and Innovation Norway, in collaboration with industrial partners including Croda, Almac Group and Seagarden. As part of this research, scientists in laboratories at the University’s Centre for Water Soluble Polymers in Wrexham have modified polymer extracted from waste prawn shells provided by Seagarden, a natural seafood ingredients manufacturer in Norway. It is hoped that the newly created polymer will perform the same function as existing polymers in personal and home care products. A

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team from Croda, based in Widnes, UK, is looking at scaling up industrial production of the polymer. They are involved in the project along with Craigavon-based Almac Group. “Chitosan is one of the most abundant of all natural polymers and it has attracted great interest,” said Pete Williams, Professor of Polymer and Colloid Chemistry at Glyndwr University. “This is a two year project which started in June 2013 and we’ve now reached the stage where we’ve developed a new polymer, which is now being tested in personal and home care formulations. “Chitosan has been around for a long time but we have developed a method of modifying it to give it enhanced properties. “The prawn shells would normally be disposed of as waste so, ultimately, the aim of the project is to make the production of personal and home care products greener.” The Centre at Glyndŵr University works with industry to develop novel solutions to problems using its expertise in water-soluble polymers. Previously, it has helped to recycle leftovers from apples produced as a by-product of the cider industry by reformulating them into slug pellets. WWW.GLYNDWR.AC.UK

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NEWS FROM THE FRONTLINE

bp&r BRITISH PLASTICS &RUBBER 66

hollow vessels. But it was the United States in the 1940s that it was first applied to plastics, for the moulding of dolls heads. The UK re-entered the scene in 1953, when Rosebud Dolls of Raunds, a leading doll manufacturer in the UK – indeed based not so far from Nottingham – decided to use the technology and encouraged John Orme Ltd of Rushde, located nearby in Northamptonshire, to make rotational moulding machinery. From these small beginnings the number of applications broadened and the materials used widened considerably from the PVC almost exclusively used in the early days. The BPF’s Rotational Moulders Group has represented the sector since 1978 and today has some 33 member firms under the Chairmanship of Karen Drinkwater of JSC Rotational Ltd. It was originally founded by three far-sighted pioneers; Earl Duffin of Flextank, Dickie Knowles of Rotational Mouldings and Noel Ward of Orme Polymer Engineering, to develop a Code of Practice for the Safeguarding of Rotational Moulding Machines, alongside the HSE. Today, however, the Group is engaged in a wide spectrum of activity, in particular the promotion of the process into University schools of design. Along the way it organised the ARMO Conference in 2008 in Belfast. Not surprisingly, as the versatile properties of rotationally moulded plastics have become much better understood its products have captured many coveted design awards on both sides of the Atlantic. Bristol Maid’s ‘Easy Clean’ Bedside Cabinet was a distinguished winner of the Horners Award here in the UK in 2010. I wish the rotational moulding industry brilliant success. As you can see from this track record, it is yet another area in which the UK’s plastics industry excels! Switching to the subject of skills and training, BPF is currently trying to harness industry views on skills needs. Our Education and Skills Committee has launched a survey to secure more detail on where precisely the shortfalls are and to give better definition to the scale of the problem. You would help BPF enormously if you would give of your expertise and complete the Survey, which is accessible online, at: WWW.BPF.CO.UK

ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS

You could say that rotational moulding has come home. The fact that the international Affiliation of Rotational Moulding Organisation (ARMO) chose Nottingham for its annual conference this month IN HIS EXCLUSIVE COLUMN illustrates two things. One is that THIS MONTH, PHILIP LAW, the UK is increasingly viewed as a DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF global hub for expertise in plastics technology and the other is that THE BRITISH PLASTICS within the global rotational moulding FEDERATION, HIGHLIGHTS industry the UK plays a special THE UK’S SPECIAL ROLE role. Indeed in the UK, I am told, we IN THE INTERNATIONAL have more rotational moulding firms ROTATIONAL MOULDING than any other European country. I am sure I am opening myself INDUSTRY AND up to challenge when I say that UNDERLINES THE rotational moulding COUNTRY’S LONG was actually invented in the STANDING RELATIONSHIP UK. The original WITH THE PROCESS. rotational process was first devised as long ago as 1855 by one R. Peters, but was used in the manufacture of metal artillery shells and a variety of

WWW.BRITISHPLASTICS.CO.UK

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