EPPM 19.5 by EPPM Magazine

October 2017 Volume 19 | Issue 05

OPEN 4.0: A PATH TO THE ‘FACTORY OF THE FUTURE’ Cover Story | Page 8

Make everything except compromise. HP Jet Fusion 3D Printing is up to 10x1 faster at half the cost2. hp.com/go/3Dprint

1 Based on internal testing and simulation, HP Jet Fusion 3D printing solution average printing time is up to 10x faster than average printing time of comparable FDM & SLS printer solutions from $100,000 USD to $300,000 USD on market as of April 2016. Testing variables: Part Quantity -1 full bucket of parts from HP Jet Fusion 3D at 20% of packing density vs same number of parts on above-mentioned competitive devices; Part size: 30g; Layer thickness: 0.1mm/0.004 inches. Fast Cooling is enabled by HP Jet Fusion 3D Processing Station with Fast Cooling, available in 2017. HP Jet Fusion 3D Processing Station with Fast Cooling accelerates parts cooling time vs recommended manufacturer time of SLS printer solutions from $100,000 USD to $300,000 USD, as tested in April 2016. FDM not applicable. 2 Based on internal testing and public data, HP Jet Fusion 3D printing solution average printing cost-per-part is half the average cost of comparable FDM & SLS printer solutions from $100,000 USD to $300,000 USD on market as of April 2016. Cost analysis based on: standard solution configuration price, supplies price, and maintenance costs recommended by manufacturer. Cost criteria: printing 1build chambers per day/ 5 days per week over 1 year of 30-gram parts at 10% packing density using HP 3D High Reusability PA 12 material, and the powder reusability ratio recommended by manufacturer.

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Volume 19 Issue 05

IN THIS ISSUE Pg 6

Pg 29

INDUSTRY NEWS

MASTERBATCH AND ADDITIVES

Brexit negotiations have begun in earnest but the VDMA has reservations, while Meusburger has finalised its merger deal with PSG China.

We home in on some of the biggest masterbatch and additives news that caught our eyes in recent weeks.

Pg 32

COVER STORY: SEPRO

MACHINERY NEWS Our roundup of the biggest machinery stories to hit the European plastics industry headlines.

Pg 34 MATERIALS NEWS

Pg 10 INJECTION MOULDING Injection moulding machinery is king at Fakuma, which is why our six-page feature on the plastics processing technology includes insights into what some of the big hitters will be bringing to Friedrichshafen.

We round up the biggest materials stories to jump off the screen at us recently, including technical insights from Dyne Technology and a peek at what the Solar Impulse 2 project is achieving a year after its round-the-world flight.

MATERIALS HANDLING We explore the latest in materials handling technology from major innovators, while we take a closer look at Moretto 4.0.

Pg 20 COLOUR The science and delivery of colour in plastics processing is a subtle and scientific thing. We share the top stories about bringing colour to plastics technology.

C.E.O. duncan wood

editorial editor rose brooke rose.brooke@rapidnews.com

production art & production robert wood

advertising group advertising manager lisa montgomery lisa@rapidnews.com senior sales executive neil bamford neil.bamford@rapidnews.com tel: +44 (0) 1244 680222

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EVENTS

Pg 16

Tel. +44 (0) 1244 680222 Fax. +44 (0) 1244 671074 Web: www.eppm.com

assistant editor john carlon john.carlon@rapidnews.com

Pg 8 Leader in robotic solutions for injection moulding, Sepro is our cover star once again. Just in time for Fakuma, where the latest in Industry 4.0 innovation will be presented, Sepro brings Open 4.0: A Path to the ‘Factory of the Future’.

head office Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, Chester, CH4 9QE.

Our Events spotlight is shining on Formnext Powered by TCT, where this magazine is also on-site. We reveal the full conference progamme and a little overview of what’s in store in Frankfurt this November.

outside qualifying criteria £249 please subscribe online at www.eppm.com Address changes should be emailed to subscriptions@rapidnews.com.

Pg 42 EUREKA SERIES We take a wee look at how the Mars One team is going to manufacture plastics in space.

European Plastic Product Manufacturer is published by Rapid Plastics Media Ltd. Each issue is distributed in print and digital format to 17,845 buyers and specifiers in the European plastic processing industry. © October 2017 While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained within European Plastic Product Manufacturer is accurate, the publisher accepts no liability for information published in error, or for views expressed. All rights for European Plastic Product Manufacturer are reserved, and reproduction in part or whole without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Pg 22 FAKUMA Our Fakuma preview begins with our centrefold hall planner of Messe Friedrichshafen, followed by some of our favourite previews from exhibitors.

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From The Editor

Planes, trains, automobiles... ... Not forgetting the catamarans and zeppelins. Yes, readers, we are returning to Friedrichshafen and the biggest European plastics processing event of 2017: Fakuma. One of the novelties of having a major industry event in a small town with a population of less than 60,000 is that most of your visitors and exhibitors have to use their imaginations when it comes down to where they stay and how they travel to the show. Thankfully, on the shores of Bodensee, there is plenty of choice, and Team EPPM likes to take the catamaran from Konstanz. However you are getting to Fakuma, I hope our Fakuma previews in this issue and in our September edition (both of which will be on-site at the show), help you plan your time at the event, be it from perusing our show floor centrefold, or from reading the exhibitor previews to find out who has the plastics processing technology you simply cannot miss. One booth that is always worth a visit is Sepro’s - and Sepro happens to be our cover star in this issue. Sepro’s robotic

One of the novelties of having a major industry event in a small town with a population of less than 60,000 is that most of your visitors and exhibitors have to use their imaginations

solutions for injection moulding will be in action in Hall A1 and you can learn more about its Open 4.0: A Path to the ‘Factory of the Future’ mission on pages eight and nine. We are really pleased to have Sepro on our October cover one more and we learned lots from Jean-Michel Renaudeau’s article. We are also featuring a fully-loaded injection moulding spotlight and materials handling section in this issue, where you can learn more about what the likes of Moretto, Arburg and KraussMaffei are bringing to Friedrichshafen. Perhaps we will get the chance to cross paths at Fakuma, but if not, the entire EPPM team wishes you a very successful show - and best of luck whichever mode of transportation you are using to get there every day. Rose Brooke, Editor

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INDUSTRY

VDMA voices Brexit negotiation concerns As Britain and the EU stand in Brexit negotiation deadlock, the VDMA is calling for a resolution that puts European industry in a better position, as the current outcome is set to be ‘lose-lose’. Words | Rose Brooke

he German mechanical engineering association the VDMA has raised its concerns for German industry in the face of the present state of the UK’s Brexit negotiations with the EU.

An essential characteristic of a democracy is that decisions can be reconsidered and reversed. Why should this not be possible for Brexit?

The VDMA has urged for talks to be more constructive in order to reach an accord by March 2019 to ensure the situation mechanical engineering in Europe is left with is not a lose-lose one. Describing the negotiations as ‘tricky’, the British government has begun its talks with the EU to strike a new deal with the major trading unit after its divorce from the bloc. If the UK fails to find a reasonable point of agreement, ‘significant trade restrictions’ between the remaining 27-member states and Britain will negatively impact industry on both sides of the Channel.

Agreement reached? Secretary of State for Exiting the EU David Davis said on the last day of the third round of EU negotiations on August 31st 2017 that the process has thus far been ‘high stress’, but progress is being made. “We have reached almost complete agreement on our approach to post-exit privileges and immunities which benefits both the UK and EU to maintain after we leave,” he stated. “Both sides, and this was very apparent this week, both teams aim to be constructive, aim to get an outcome which is to the benefit both of the European Union and of the UK.”

Unresolved issues “There is still no clear idea of how the British government envisions Brexit,” stated Holger Kunze, Head of the VDMA European Office. “It is a positive sign that the UK has now submitted the first papers. In terms of their content, however, the position papers leave many issues unresolved and do not address the topics that were discussed in the first phase of negotiations.” Thilo Brodtmann, VDMA Executive Director, added: “News on the Brexit negotiations shows how difficult the process of leaving the EU is proving to be for the UK. Worse still, after two years of negotiations between thousands of experts from both sides of the English Channel, everyone will come up on the losing side.

“All things considered, the result of the negotiation will be worse than the status quo – provided there will be a result by March 2019. An essential characteristic of a democracy is that decisions can be reconsidered and reversed. Why should this not be possible for Brexit? In line with a strong and prosperous Europe, we would therefore welcome a new, fundamental discussion on Brexit in the UK.”

In a detailed report on Brexit and its impact on manufacturing in Europe, the VDMA has compiled the unresolved questions of the mechanical engineering sector concerning the UK’s exit from the EU. For German mechanical engineering companies, the UK was the fourth largest export market in 2016 with an export volume of €7.4 billion (£6.7 billion). However, the VDMA has said the longterm preservation of the EU and the single market has a higher priority than short-term trade facilitation with the UK.

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bit.ly/VDMABrexit

INDUSTRY

Meusburger and PSG China merge

eusburger, the leading provider of standard parts, has announced its merger with PSG China, beginning a new chapter for the Austrian company as of September 1st 2017. The legal entity Meusburger Mould and Die (Wuxi), is based in the metropolis of Wuxi, also known as Little Shanghai. The city in Jiangsu is one of the economic hubs of Eastern China, which is why Meusburger has an established sales branch there, which it founded in 2010.

QUALITY LIGHTENS.

PSG has had a representation in the Middle Kingdom since 2015. Many customers are present in the Wuxi region and more than half of Chinese turnover is earned here. Meusburger and PSG jointly obtained new office spaces in summer and are now on-site with more than 40 employees. With the new office spaces and a warehouse of 250 m sq, Meusburger Mould and Die can operate under the Meusburger guiding principle of permanent availability. Already a big part of all deliveries come directly from the new warehouse and can be dispatched all over China within two working days. The merger of Meusburger and PSG benefit from enormous synergies: the majority of the customers are relevant for both and they can take advantage of an expanded portfolio, central service performance and a shared knowhow. www.meusburger.com

A NEW CHAPTER OF THE COOPERATION OF MEUSBURGER AND PSG IN CHINA BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2017.

Lightweight design is an important and deciding factor in future mobility. This means engineering plastics and composites will play a central role, because they meet many of the requirements for low-weight construction, including stability, durability, safety, and aesthetics. Our high-tech products Durethan ®, Pocan®, and the thermoplastic fiber composite material Tepex® are always opening up new lightweight design opportunities for our customers. In addition to high-tech materials, LANXESS offers extensive experience as well as advanced design and simulation techniques for the development of sophisticated lightweight design applications. LANXESS quality keeps lightweight mobility solutions moving forward. lightweight.lanxess.com

AS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE MEUSBURGER MOULD AND DIE (WUXI) CO. LTD IS LEGALLY AN ENTITY.

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COVER STORY

Open 4.0: A Path to the ‘Factory of the Future’ The factory of the future means automation and Sepro is championing robotics for injection moulding machinery with its Open 4.0 strategy, encompassing openness, partnership and innovation. Words | Jean-Michel Renaudeau, CEO, Sepro Group

or several years, we have been talking about robotic innovation in today’s plastics industry and how important openness and flexibility are to achieving success. Today, with so many companies talking about Industry 4.0 and how their products can help build 'the factory of the future', these factors are more important than ever. One thing that almost everyone can agree on is the fact that connectivity is the key. What is still somewhat uncertain is how we will get to that point of seamless connectivity. Euromap, the US Plastics Industry Association and other industry groups continue to work on communication protocols that make it easier to connect various proprietary systems. These protocols are essential, of course, but we believe connectivity must be based on something more. At Sepro, we coined the term 'Open 4.0' to describe this fundamental philosophy and it is clearly visible in our business practices.

Open 4.0 Robot Control The Sepro Visual control platform was developed long before people started talking about Industry 4.0. Our engineers knew that injection moulders wanted robot controls that were flexible and intuitive. They did not want a system that required a programming engineer to create a robot cycle, so the Visual controls included simple pick-and-place software that guided even inexperienced operators through programming steps tailored specifically to the plastics injection-moulding cycle. Moulders didn’t want to have to retrain operators to understand and use a different control for different robot technologies, so we used the same human/machine Interface for all our products and continue to do so today. Over the years, we developed Visual 2 and Visual 3 to deliver more advanced capabilities made possible by new technology and then required for the fast, precise all-servo robots

The Sepro Visual control platform was developed long before people started talking about Industry 4.0. Our engineers knew that injection moulders wanted robot controls that were flexible and intuitive

that began to emerge. But that basic philosophy of flexibility and ease-of-use was carried through in these newer controls. When Sepro began offering 6-axis, articulated-arm robots in addition to our Cartesian or linear products, the Visual platform was adapted to that new robot environment. Other 6-axis robots have controls developed for general industrial applications, and they can be difficult to program. With Visual controls and simple pick-and-place programming, injection moulders find Sepro 6-axis robots much easier to program and operate.

The Sepro partnership with Sumitomo Demag is typical of many such agreements that allow molders to buy Sepro-built robots as part of IMM/ robot packages.

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Open 4.0 Integration In recent years, as integration has been identified as the key to efficiency and productivity, Sepro engineers have been developing ways to integrate Visual robot controls with the controls that operate injection moulding machines. Working with partners, they created three different levels of integration. They include Level 1, which mirrors the robot control screen on the

IMM operator panel, Level 2, which makes it possible to link some frequently used robot functions to short-cut keys on the IMM, and Level 3, where robot control is fully embedded in the IMM control. Sepro Visual is open and transparent to the user, open to different robot technologies, and open to integration with injection moulding machines. But that is only the beginning. We are now working on the next generation of robot controls, featuring elements like open ergonomics, similar to tablets, the ability to learn by doing, 3D simulation to make programming easier, extensive customisation, and software plug-ins to actively assist operators with functions like optimisation of the robot cycle, routine maintenance and troubleshooting. New control features like these will be essential in the factory of the future.

Open 4.0 Partnerships The integration options developed for Sepro Visual controls have been aimed specifically at allowing more moulders to purchase a robot that is packaged together with any injection-moulding machine. Clearly there is a need in the market, particularly in Europe, for those kinds of packages, and Sepro wants to make them open to all. In the US, where packaged systems are less in demand, we may well see more interest as the number of suppliers participating expands. Today, Sepro has reached partnership agreements with 12 IMM suppliers. Sometimes the robots carry Sepro branding, sometimes they are private labeled, and others are cobranded. This is good both for moulders who now have more choice when it comes to IMM/robot packages, and for the manufacturers, because it gives them easy access to a market that previously may have been closed to them. By being open to partnerships like these, Sepro creates opportunities and provides more choices for the moulders we all serve.

Open 4.0 Innovation The Sepro partnerships have pushed us to expand our thinking. Manufacturing environments continue to change rapidly. Markets are more global and competition is stiffer than ever. As customers discover new opportunities around the world, they also find new competition in these emerging markets. Few companies can operate successfully if they remain isolated from the world around them. These changes put a strain on every aspect of their business. New technology offers some advantages, but it advances so rapidly, it is difficult for any company working on its own to keep up. Communication and collaboration are critical factors, and accordingly, we see that manufacturers are turning to select suppliers not only to purchase equipment but also for new ideas and innovative solutions to the complex issues they face. Sepro took this approach when it came to developing specialty robots for our in-mould labeling systems, which we developed with another French company, Machines Pagès, and for our 5-axis and 6-axis robots, which are made in partnership with Stäubli Robotics and Yaskawa Motoman. Sepro’s next-generation robot-control systems, which will be phased in over the next couple of years, are being developed in collaboration with the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Recognised around the world, the Robotics Institute is the oldest such institution in the US, and they have been helping us open our minds not only to what a robot control needs to be, but what such a control could be.

We are also working closely with PROXINNOV, an innovation platform for the Pays de la Loire region in western France, where Sepro is located. The group focuses on promoting the use of robotic automation in that region. And, since collaboration cannot be confined within one industry, Sepro is actively involved in developing i n n ova t i ve a n d Working with IMM partners, Sepro has created three different levels of agile management integration between robot and IMM controls, including one with robot control p ra c t i ce s w i t h is fully embedded in the IMM control. Audencia Business School in Nantes, one of the top business schools in Europe.

Open 4.0 Fakuma The plastics industry can get a good look at what Open 4.0 means to Sepro at Fakuma 2017. On Stand A1-1203, a special section is dedicated to the concept. Visitors can get a preview of two control plug-ins, which automate cycle optimisation and provide remote assistance in troubleshooting, and experience what it’s like to use the Sepro Visual control. Sepro is also featuring six of its smaller robots for moulding machines with under 500 tons of clamping force. Two units from an entirely new line of small universal 6-axis robots, offered in partnership with Yaskawa Motoman, will be displayed along with two of Sepro’s technological articulated-arm robots made in collaboration with Stäubli Robotics. Other small robots on display include the Success 5, a 3-axis-servo Cartesian robot for IMMs up to 80 tons, and the 3-axis S5 Picker, which will be demonstrated together manipulating iPhones. Two injection-moulding machines will be running in the booth: a 30-ton Milacron press will be serviced by a second S5 Picker, and a Sumitomo Demag 50-ton electric machine will be operating with another Success 5 robot. In addition, seven injection-moulding machine manufacturers will also feature Sepro robots in operation throughout the Fakuma fairgrounds.

Open 4.0 Nobody knows exactly what the injection-moulding factory of the future will look like, but we can be certain it will involve robots and other automation that operate with a minimum of human intervention. It will also need to be flexible and adaptable to changing markets and manufacturing demands. All this increases the importance of communication, integration and collaboration not just between machines or employees at a single company, or suppliers and their customers. Innovation requires openness. Openness with a purpose. Openness to new ideas, new alliances and new possibilities. At Sepro Group, innovation is about breaking down established boundaries and building new bridges that allow people, machines and companies to perform to their highest potential. That is how we intend to connect our customers to the future of robotics.

Some of the best ideas for improved robot controls have come from customers: the injection moulders who use our robots and who know better than anyone else what they need from them. One of new plug-ins for Sepro controls, which will automate how robot motions are optimised during the set-up process to reduce cycle time, was developed at the request of a global automotive Tier 1 supplier. They are helping to perfect the system and will be the first customer, but the technology will benefit anyone who wants to operate more efficiently.

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YOUR FUTURE IS

WIDE OPEN

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INJECTION MOULDING

KraussMaffei all-electric PX moulds flawless to high-gloss KraussMaffei brings new all-electric PX series to Fakuma, demonstrating the flexibility and high quality of the injection moulding technology. Words | John Carlon

raussMaffei will have Fakuma exhibits in clamping forces 500-to-2,000 kN, showing flexibility in its all-electric PX series.

At Fakuma, the PX 50180 SilcoSet will combine hydraulic nozzle contact force with an electric injection unit in an unparalleled way. The result is extremely high precision.

Through its new PX series, KraussMaffei combines the advantages of an allelectric injection moulding machine with maximum modularity. It has a new enhanced APC plus function (Adaptive Process Control), for maximum process reliability and with it a uniformly high component quality.

Hans Ulrich Golz, President of Injection Molding Machinery at KraussMaffei, said: "The success of the PX series introduced at K 2016 proves us right. Our customers appreciate the great variety and flexibility, not only in the configuration of the right machine - for example through a wide selection of clamping unit and injection unit combinationsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but also in production or retrofitting. "The demand is enormous, especially from customers located in Germany, but also from those in the USA and China." KraussMaffei wants to double the production capacity of the PX series in the coming year. On its PX 50-180 SilcoSet, manufacturing of transparent diffusion lenses, called Fresnel lenses, made from silicone material, is extremely challenging. Since silicone or LSR (liquid silicone rubber) is of extremely low viscosity, particularly highly transparent silicone, it requires an especially high precision during injection. Thanks to the superfine moulding accuracy, the facet profile is of such high resolution that no structures are visible on the lens. The lenses are virtually flawless. Jochen Mitzler, Head of Strategic Product Management at KraussMaffei, said: "In the case of this application, the modular concept of the new PX series from KraussMaffei particularly

distinguishes itself. At Fakuma, the PX 50-180 SilcoSet will combine hydraulic nozzle contact force with an electric injection unit in an unparalleled way. The result is extremely high precision. The machine-to-mould connection is tight, the production is leakage-free." Special screw seals on the shaft support this argument. Additionally, the spring-loaded return-flow lock of the screw guarantees secure closing behaviour during processing of low-viscosity material. The compact design of the PX 50 provides lots of space for demoulding and peripherals, as well as excellent accessibility. For example, an integrated industrial robot demoulds the lenses. In the next step, visual quality control is performed for quality of magnification and flashing before the finished lenses are stored in magazines. The APC plus function from KraussMaffei assumes a special task with this application. It compensates for the batch fluctuations commonly encountered in LSR processing. As the process progresses, APC plus monitors the viscosity of the material and corrects the filling volume even in the shot. Mitzler said: "The process as a whole is made even more precise, while the part weight remains constant. The APC plus is even able to reliably compensate for any potential preliminary cross-linking of the silicone." Thin-walled parts need power during injection. The PX 160-540, the machine on which flip-tops of the Fontane type are being manufactured during Fakuma, has a boosted injection speed of 270 mm/s, for a faster tempo with thin-walled snap-on enclosures. The polypropylene sealing caps have a 28 mm diameter and short thread 1881. Mitzler added: "The high output quantities in this area require especially short cycle times. Therefore, the PX 160 is equipped with speed options: faster injection, faster ejection, increased torque and faster nozzle movement."

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INJECTION MOULDING

PFF Packaging invests in Italian injection moulding technology

FF Packaging Group has invested £1.5 million (€1.6 million) in Italian injection moulding technology for its Tyne and Wear, UK, site to produce bespoke tubs and lids for dairy products. The financial commitment has been made to strengthen its position in the sector and extend its packaging offering. A brace of new BMB 500 tonne eKW hybrid volume machines with a 200,000-unit weekly capacity have been installed at the facility. The machines offer easy-to-program control units, precision, speed, low power consumption and robustness. In addition, the eKW Hybrid machines range from a 160 tonne to a 220 clamping force. Platen movement is controlled via satellite roller recirculation screws with direct in-line drives ensuring high load capacity and better performance. PFF's investment in additional injection moulding technology follows its decision to open a £1 million Innovation Centre on the North-East England site, forming a creative hub to foster packaging innovation that encompasses sustainability. Managing Director Andy Bairstow said: "Thin-wall injection moulding technology has developed enormously in recent years so it is much faster and more efficient than it used to be. "By developing our own injection moulding offering alongside our thermoforming solutions, our customers can now benefit from dealing with one single supplier for all their packaging requirements." www.bmb-spa.com

Boost your productivity! Boost your your productivity! productivity! Reducing downtime during mould change operations is a daily Reducing downtime during mould change operations is a daily challenge when trying to challenge when to remain reactive From the for Reducing downtime during mould change operations is acompetitive. daily to challenge when trying to remain reactive and trying competitive. From the simplest and application complete solutions remain reactive and competitive. From the simplest application to Mould complete solutions for simplest application to complete solutions for Quick Change, Quick Mould Change, Stäubli addresses these challenges with proven solutions for each Quick Mould Change, Stäubli thesewith challenges with proven solutions for each Stäubli addresses theseaddresses challenges proven solutions for each key key stage of the process. key stage of the process. Connecting mould clamping, mould transfer and process automation, stage of theenergy, process. Connecting energy, mould clamping, mould transfer and discover all Stäubli offers formould plastics processing onmould our boothtransfer 1217 process Hall and A1 at automation, Fakuma. Connecting energy, clamping, process discover all Stäubli offers for plastics processing on our booth 1217 Hall A1 at Fakuma. automation, discover all Stäubli offers for plastics processing on Reliability. Efficiency. Safety. Stäubli. our booth 1217 Hall A1 at Fakuma. Reliability. Efficiency. Safety. Stäubli. www.quick-mould-change.com Reliability. Efficiency. Safety. www.quick-mould-change.com

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17 - 21 October 2017 17 - 21 October 2017 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN 17 - 21 October 2017 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN EXHIBITION CENTRE FRIEDRICHSHAFEN EXHIBITION Booth 1217 CENTRE Hall A1 EXHIBITION CENTRE Booth 1217 Hall A1

Booth 1217 Hall A1

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INJECTION MOULDING

Trend teams up with Arburg for perfect shot When an Irish precision components manufacturer for medical required a highvolume but flexible injection moulding machine, it turned to the Arburg Allrounder. Words | John Carlon

rend Technologies Ireland, a manufacturer of precision components for the medical device and automotive sectors, has invested in an Arburg multi-component injection moulding machine in response to high demand for its products.

This model is the highest specification modular electric machine Arburg manufactures, and has been specified to produce critically demanding parts to extremely high tolerances

Trend employs 190 people at its site in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, where it has been operating for 36 years. The site is one of 10 Trend Technologies sites globally, and is the company’s centre of excellence for injection moulding.

The company invested €3 million (£2.7 million) over six months to expand its ISO Class 7 cleanroom manufacturing facilities in Ireland by 50 per cent in response to demand for high quality medical device components. The investment included the addition of electric injection moulding machines, including a new Arburg Allrounder Alldrive 570 A 2000 400/70 200-tonne modular electric multi-component machine and robot system. Colin Tirel, Managing Director of Arburg, said: "This model is the highest specification modular electric machine Arburg manufactures, and has been specified to produce critically demanding parts to extremely high tolerances." At Trend Technologies, the Arburg Allrounder Alldrive 570 A 2000 400/70 200-tonne multi-component injection moulding machine features two injection units in a horizontal and vertical configuration. Arburg has been producing multi-component machines since 1962, and it remains the most popular layout for the injection units.

Trend Technologies’ original brief was for the machine to be able to run at high volume, but have the flexibility to produce a number of other components if required. Also included in the specification was the requirement for the machine to be able to operate and monitor an existing electric rotary unit. The machine was completely configured at Arburg Lossburg to the customer’s specification, which included water manifolds mounted on the moving and fixed platens. Individual water flow zones are monitored for temperature and flow. This ensures that if there is a failure in any of the circuits within the mould, it will be sensed by the machine's control system, and the moulding process will cease. Dónal Lawlor, Trend Technologies Managing Director, said: "Trend has chosen an Arburg machine for this challenging moulding project and the machine is integrated with RJG’s eDart system and Sepro-controlled robot to provide a technically superior manufacturing solution." The Sepro robot system was installed to work with the Arburg machine during production. The RJG eDart pressure monitoring system within each of the 16 cavities eliminates the need for an expensive vision inspection system, says Trend Technologies. This monitoring system sends a good / bad part signal to the Sepro Robot for automatic segregation. The cell is now installed in a new cleanroom at Mullingar to manufacture parts for a medical assembly – a connector for negative pressure wound therapy products. The Trend Technologies investment programme also involved the construction of a new cleanroom for post-moulding operations, and the addition of the latest digital printing, laser welding and vision recording equipment to record individual serialised components.

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INJECTION MOULDING

Solvay and Husky team up on multilayer sustainable packaging technology

eading injection moulding technology provider Husky has joined forces with materials giant Solvay to develop an advanced, high-barrier polyester, opening doors to a new generation of sustainable packaging solutions. Together, they are launching Verian High Barrier Polyester (HBP), an innovative line of high-performance, recyclable plastics that pave the way for new sustainable PET packaging. Husky ran a HyPET HPP5 fully integrated preform manufacturing system at DrinkTec to demonstrate its ability to process Solvay’s Verian HBP for a 17gm carbonated

soft drink application. By combining the benefits of its high-performing HyPET HPP5 platform with an advanced melt delivery system and highly sophisticated controls, Husky’s Multi-Layer Technology delivers all-new capability that enables the most precise distribution of Verian HBP within a Multi-Layer preform. “Working together with Husky, the development of Verian HBP highlights our robust capability to design cutting-edge and game-changing products and technology that will play a major role in high performing sustainable packaging solutions of the future,” said Augusto Di Donfrancesco, President Solvay’s Specialty Polymers GBU.

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"We are excited about our partnership with Solvay and the potential that Verian HBP presents in minimising the impact PET packaging has on the environment," added John Galt, Husky President and CEO. "We believe this development will open new growth opportunities for the next generation of high performance engineered PET packages, while ensuring compatibility with existing recycling streams."

www.husky.co www.solvay.com

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INJECTION MOULDING

The PLASTINUM GIM package of technologies from Linde synergises our complementary expertise and innovative capabilities

An evolution in gas injection moulding Linde Gases takes us through the latest in gas injection moulding technology and cites the case studies where the system has brought technical and competitive gains. Words | Andreas Praller, Senior Expert Plastics Industry, Linde, Germany, and Paolo Kirchpfening, Global Marketing Manager Primary Industries, Linde, Germany

he demand for plastics is expanding across a diverse range of markets – from packaging and construction through to automotive and electronics and to white goods and healthcare. As this demand increases, so do global challenges on plastics manufacture as competitive pressures and globalisation call for faster cycle times, lower energy consumption and more economic use of raw materials.

Its various benefits mean that demand for gas injection-moulded plastic parts is rising, as are expectations surrounding the surface quality of moulded parts. Many manufacturers already rely on state-of-the-art GIM processes using nitrogen as pressure fluid to solve today’s product design challenges. GIM is typically used to manufacture handles for cars and white goods, automotive panels and similar parts with thicker cross-sections.

In this challenging environment, manufacturers are keen to explore optimisation potential across the entire process flow.

Over the past decade, water injection moulding (WIM) has also grown in popularity as an alternative to GIM, especially for fluid pipes, due to its cooling performance. However, despite its high heat removal capacity and good pressurising performance, water has various handling drawbacks, including the need for drying and the risk of water leakage which can result in production stoppages, high scrap rates and even mould surface damage. Furthermore WIM requires complex and expensive equipment.

Industrial gases play an indispensable role in a number of process steps in plastics manufacturing – particularly as a pressure medium for gas injection moulding (GIM). GIM is the process of injecting pressurised gas into the polymer melt. As gas flows through, it pushes molten resin against the wall of the mould cavity to create a hollow core.

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INJECTION MOULDING

und Spritzguss decided to introduce Linde's new technology for enhanced gas injection moulding based on CO2 for the production of high-quality refrigerator handles with an aim of a significantly shorter manufacturing timeframe. Engel began by using a CO2 compressor control module for a test period. This module offers an easy entry point for users who are gradually converting to the new CO2 technology, allowing operators to initially supply CO2 from gas cylinders before switching to a tank at a later date. The process conversion, including trials and optimisation, was completed in a short time period â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and through employing CO2, the same high quality product levels were achieved with CO2 as were with nitrogen, but with a 36 per cent reduction in cycle time.

Taking GIM to the next level As a forward-looking partner for the plastics industry, Linde not only supplies the atmospheric gases for GIM applications, but equally importantly, the gases technology - such as pressure boosters and pressure control systems - to enable those vital plastics processes. To further increase the technical and competitive gains offered by GIM, Linde has added its flagship PLASTINUM GIM C to its range. This technology takes efficiency to the next level by replacing gaseous nitrogen with high-performing liquid carbon dioxide (CO2). At a pressure higher than 150 bars, CO2 is much denser than nitrogen and has a higher specific heat capacity. In addition, the refrigeration effect of expanding CO2 at the end of the pressure cycle contributes significantly to cooling, with plastic components ready to release from the moulds much faster. And, the higher gas consumption which naturally results from the increase in pressure is more than compensated for by the advantages of this method. While the adaptation of CO2 requires modifications to the pressure boosting, pressure control and injector equipment, Linde and its partner, the German high pressure technology company Maximator, have jointly ensured optimisation of the CO2 gas injection moulding equipment to deliver significant advantages over nitrogen-based GIM and WIM. While CO2 matches the heat removal and pressure performance of WIM, it has significant benefits compared to water in relation to process complexity and stability and equipment costs, with the added advantage of mitigation of an additional drying step in the fluid injection cycle. The high efficiency of CO2 makes it attractive for new moulds as well as retrofitting existing moulds, leading to higher production rates and more consistent quality. Existing GIM moulds can often be converted with minor modifications to the gas injectors and no modifications of the tool geometry.

Engel has been working with the new system since summer 2015. In the intervening period, several injection moulding companies, including well-known automotive suppliers, have adopted this technology in series production. "The PLASTINUM GIM package of technologies from Linde synergises our complementary expertise and innovative capabilities," stated Dietmar Engel, Managing Director of Engel Formenbau und Spritzguss. "The resulting increase in quality, productivity and efficiency means we are even better equipped to meet our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; expectations."

Beyond GIM In addition to GIM technology, Linde has developed precisely engineered CO2 spot-cooling systems, including its PLASTINUM TEMP S that substantially reduce the cost of injection-moulded parts. Spot cooling helps achieve more uniform cooling across the part geometry, which is critical for quality and mould-release performance. CO2 spot cooling also targets specific areas that need cooling and can reach surfaces of the mould or areas that cannot be adequately cooled by water-based methods. The process has been shown in some cases to cut cycle times by up to 50 per cent. Finally, a solvent-free cleaning process is necessary for preparing parts prior to painting or coating, and can effectively clean and polish moulds following a GIM process. CO2 cleaning methods are eco-friendly and provide numerous advantages over solvent-based or water-based cleaning systems as they lower operating cost, reduce water waste and energy usage and require fewer process steps. Linde has adapted this technology with its CRYOCLEAN Snow system, a process that uses tiny dry-ice particles ejected at high pressure to scrub and polish surfaces clean of oils, working fluids or surface residues.

A PLASTINUM GIM success story: Cycle time reduction of high quality refrigerator handles

www.linde-gas.com

Based in Sinsheim, Germany, Engel Formenbau und Spritzguss specialises in the manufacture of high-quality gas injection moulded components for cars and household appliances, supplying many renowned brand names in both industries. Drawing on decades of experience in the development and manufacture of high-grade and complicated parts, the company has always been an early adopter of process and technology innovations. Engel Formenbau und Spritzguss and Linde have been working closely together for more than a decade in order to continuously improve the gas injection moulding technology based on nitrogen. In an effort to further enhance performance, Engel Formenbau

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MATERIALS HANDLING

Dual circuit compressed air dryers offer diverse energy saving possibilities The German Cogeneration Act has been designed to promote the use of selfgenerated energy. In resin drying, this potential often remains unused, because high energy investment is necessary during plastic processing. FarragTech talks us through why its Card R system breaks the mould. Words | Aaron Farrag, Marketing, FarragTech

o generate drying air with desiccant dryers, a desiccant is used and dehumidified again with heat which is then partly released into the environment, while the other part is used to heat up the drying air.

The CARD R system ... makes use of the fact that air compression always supplies heat as a by-product which is usually released into the environment

The potential for energy recovery in these systems can then be exploited.

Dual-circuit compressed air systems from FarragTech keep energy consumption and running costs down. Combined with a spatially elevated installation, good compressor utilisation, integrated heat exchange or an external energy recovery box, considerable additional savings can be made. And if the application requires a blow process, customers can achieve a zero-energy balance in the right circumstances. While additional energy recovery does not make sense with desiccant dryers, compressed air dryers offer a multitude of possible approaches.

As an example, the dual-circuit system from FarragTech with a 4-litre drying hopper capacity can save customers 1 kW of energy due to the lower compressed air consumption, making €1,176 in savings with an operation period of 5,600 hours on the basis that the system is drying polyamide at a maximum material throughput. With a 160 litre capacity hopper, this figure jumps to €5,410. The average saving potential is about 70 per cent, because the material is preheated in the upper part of the hopper using heated ambient air which costs next to nothing. When combined with heat exchangers, FarragTech devices operate even more efficiently by a further 40 per cent.

Integrated heat exchange means less additional heat output The CARD R system, a combination of drying hopper and air compressor with heat exchanger, makes use of the fact that air

compression always supplies heat as a by-product which is usually released into the environment. In order use the 80 to 90°C hot air, it is recovered via oil/air heat exchangers. The air is preheated in the process circuit with small dryers - CARD S and E - and in a secondary circuit with larger dryers - CARD M and L - requiring less additional heat output.

Further use of thermal energy is subsidised by the government In order to get subsidies through the German Cogeneration Act (KWKG), it must be possible to recover energy on the part of the customer. If this is the case, CARD dryers can be combined with an energy recovery box (ER-Box) also developed by FarragTech. ER-Box transfers the 80 to 90°C hot water or oil via pipes to a solenoid valve to the heat exchangers in order to heat process air using an external medium before that air is led to the hopper. Due to utilising already existing energy, additional heat output can be dispensed with completely. In case of drying temperatures that are higher than those recoverable using the ER-Box, the integrated temperature control of the CARD devices starts up. If the temperature is reduced, the solenoid valve shuts off the supply line for the heat recovery. The ER-Box is available in different sizes, depending on how the dryer is dimensioned, offering up to 3.5 kW savings. The box itself does not consume any extra energy. The advantage is that, with simultaneous provision of electricity and heat, the total fuel requirement is reduced, whereby emissions are significantly reduced. Furthermore, the technology is subsidised via the KWKG. It is also possible to place CARD systems in an elevated position so that the sucked up ambient air is already warmer - which means a further reduction of the heating requirement by up to 10 per cent to heat the drying air. The optimal application is the connection to a blow moulding process. During the process, the energy from the air compressor or other sources is reused and the very dry compressed air is used for the drying process, resulting in a zero-energy balance in ideal circumstances.

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www.farragtech.com

MATERIALS HANDLING

Atlas Copco launches efficient multiple dry claw vacuum pump

tlas Copco has launched a DZM multiple dry claw vacuum pump system, for energy efficiency in hot and dry industries.

Its DZM system suits a variety of dry pumping applications – from packaging lines, pneumatic conveyors and clamping systems for CNC machines, to moulding machines, drying processes or central vacuum supply systems. Dry claw vacuum pumps use two claw-shaped rotors running in opposite directions in isolation, ensuring energy efficiency. The system combines two and four DZS claw vacuum pumps, depending on the application, in a single compact housing. Atlas Copco’s sturdy, durable DZS pumps are single-stage oil-free machines with air cooling. They require very little maintenance, even in arduous conditions. One of the pumps in each DZM system has a variable speed drive, allowing the vacuum to be adapted precisely to the customer’s requirements. This dramatically improves efficiency by reducing the power required and total cost of ownership. The space-saving vacuum system is available in three sizes: DZM 600 VSD, DZM 900 VSD and DZM 1200 VSD, with an intake volume flow between 112 and 1230 cubic metres per hour. As with individual DZS claw pumps, the DZM system can create a vacuum level up to 140 mbar(a).

REDEFINING STANDARDS

Richard Oxley, Vacuum Product Manager for Atlas Copco, said: "Process gases flow continuously through vacuum pumps, which may result in premature failure of the pump. It is therefore very important to select suitable materials and coatings." "Our new DZM multiple pump system is based on the simple design principles of our compressors. We install our high-performance DZS pumps inside a noise reducing enclosure and offer our customers a solution that is both compact and intelligent. "Our multiple pump system is compact, easy to transport, spacesaving and less costly than alternative technologies which need to be assembled and installed at the customer’s plant." www.atlascopco.com

in Liquid Injection Molding

Meet us at Fakuma 2017 HALL A5 | Booth A5-5306

www.elmet.com

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MATERIALS HANDLING

Moretto presents Moretto 4.0 project at Fakuma Moretto is bringing Industry 4.0 to feeding, drying, dosing, storage, cooling and supervising at Fakuma.

oretto is bringing its full portfolio to Fakuma 2017, where it will be presenting its Moretto 4.0 project to the European plastics processing marketplace.

Over the course of the five-day show, Moretto (Hall B3, Booth 3208) will highlight its values of passion, reliability, responsibility and innovation in its technological offerings. The event will present the evolution of the Moretto 4.0 project, a smart factory concept that sees machines interconnected with ERP management software that can capture large masses of data from the production processes, and process and share them to achieve higher levels of efficiency.

The Moretto 4.0 factory floor can automatically adapt output to market needs, anticipate breaks or stop machines, and allow remote control in real time.

Introducing the MORETTO 4.0 project FEEDING 4.0

DRYING 4.0

ONE WIRE 6, DOLPHIN and KRUISEKONTROL transportation systems

X MAX dryer, FLOWMATIK and MOISTURE METER

From the arrival of material to the company, these products take care of the entire conveying process. KRUISEKONTROL is the Moretto-patented system for the automatic control of the speed in conveying system. It is able to optimise all the parameters involved, adapting them to the characteristics of every material. There are two critical points in the transport cycle. The first is at the beginning with an empty pipeline where the granule has a strong acceleration, and the second is in the cleaning phase of the pipe, due to the granule’s accelerated motion at the time of the opening of the valve for transport cleaning. KRUISEKONTROL completely eliminates these problems by controlling and maintaining granule speed. KRUISEKONTROL includes 40 profiles of standard materials with predefined transport characteristics. The user selects the type of material and the rest is automatic. The speed control is assured by an integrated suction unit that adjusts the granule’s speed inside the pipes. The collateral effects of a conventional conveying system, i.e. angel hair, dust, pipe wear and polymer stress, are overcome by KRUISEKONTROL, as the system manages transport phases and speed peaks assuring an optimal treatment of the materials and increasing the quality level of the moulded product. A touch view control with object oriented programming means the user chooses the material type and the machine to be fed, while KRUISEKONTROL manages the process automatically.

Together these products ensure that the polymer treatment is completely under control, a perfect closed loop that guarantees, thanks to Moisture Meter, a certifiable quality. X MAX is a flexible, multi-bed drying system which ensures high efficiency and constant performance. X MAX starts as a three-unit basic system that can be widened to 10 units maintaining a -65°C constant efficiency in Dew Point value and incomparable performance levels. Even the basic version operates without stop production as two units process while the other is on standby. Variable airflow is fundamental to adapt to save the polymer from thermic stress and viscosity variations. Most of the drying systems available use compressed air and water for cooling, accounting for up to 40 per cent of total energy spent at a typical factory. X MAX overcomes offers the customer a system that works without cooling water and without compressed air. The conversion valve assures the complete recovery of the regeneration heat bringing an energy saving up to 60 per cent compared to conventional systems. A local management unit with a touch display allows the operator to select the material type and throughput. The machine automatically manages the process and maximises the energy efficiency. The MOISTURE METER is an instrument dedicated to the in-line measurement of the residual moisture of the plastic granule during the drying process. The MOISTURE METER is calibrated in the factory. So the user just has to select the polymer to be treated and the system samples it every two seconds. The system includes 40 material profiles among the most common technical polymers such as ABS, PMMA, PA6, PA66, and PEEK, and the setting of new profiles is also possible.

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The installation of the CROWN device in the entrance of the drying hopper assures the control of the initial moisture of the granule and it compares it with the final moisture reading. The MOISTURE METER works on the dielectric characteristics of the granule, so the readout in PPM stays constant, even in case of a polymer produced by different suppliers.

DOSING 4.0

any particular programming, assuring an intuitive and immediate view; it assures the user a simple and intuitive management and system control activity and the immediate set-up of the working parameters of every single equipment reduces the possibility of errors. Communication with the system takes place through a protected local industrial connection; and the user can print the process data at any time, with the software allowing operators to extract and exchange controlled data at any time.

GRAVIX, GRAMIXO and loss in weight dosing systems

The whole Moretto team will be welcoming customers who visit at Fakuma to discuss products at the service of the smart factory.

These machines are designed not only to dose but to exchange data in a networked environment, manage machine parameters remotely, run production, consumption, and costs statistics.

Hall B3, Booth 3208

GRAMIXO is particularly suitable for the production of blownSprache: EN Format: 164x235+3mm Magazin: eppm film thanks to the weight-per-metre function. GRAMIXO includes the exclusive Vibration Immunity System technology. TEMPERATURE REGULATION COMPONENTS

www.moretto.com

Thema: Temperierlösungen

AS: 11.09.2017

STORAGE 4.0 SILCONTROL This storage management system for resin material ensures the integrity of the process by directing each material element to designated storage, such as external and internal silos, and storage containers. It continuously manages the data of each storage container.

COOLING 4.0 X COOLER The new modular and expandable Moretto range of refrigeration and temperature control systems are able to fully integrate into cooling management systems by collecting data directly from users. The X COOLER is tailor-made, with exclusive systems that aim to maximise energy efficiency.

SUPERVISING 4.0 MOWIS Integrated supervision software MOWIS represents the most comprehensive and secure SCADA system for the supervision of processes dedicated to the transformation of plastics. MOWIS offers real-time monitoring, and in-depth analysis of increasingly interactive and predictive data, and is an integrated software package able to give both input and output.

17.–21.10.2017

Hall A2, Stand 2313

TEMPERATURE REGULATION SOLUTIONS FOR MORE SAFETY

UP TO 200°C

E 2187 IsoTemp® high temperature hose Guarantees insulation and protection against burns through a directly applied silicone sheath.

Automatic safety hose coupler Automatic locking when coupling enables easy decoupling by one-handed operation.

In conventional machines, the sensors tell the operator what has already happened. MOWIS controls the entire factory in an integrated way and sends outputs to the system, controlling the production in real time for up to 1,200 clients.

Order now from our web shop! www.meusburger.com

MOWIS permits the user to create the exact layout of its department without

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COLOUR

European plastics processors team up to tackle coloured plastics recycling conundrum Coloured plastics - and carbon black plastics in particular - are hard to detect in plastics sorting systems, sending too much polymer to landfill. Luxus, Polykemi and One51 are working together on NIR-detectable alternatives to ensure no plastics are missed. Words | Rose Brooke

group of leading European plastics processors have teamed up to tackle one of the biggest issues facing plastics recycling: sorting coloured plastics.

UK-based Luxus, Swedish polymer processor Polykemi and global plastics manufacturer One51 secured £1.9 million (€1.5 million) of investment, co-funded by the European We have defined Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. a programme of

development, designed to identify formulations with optimal cost effectiveness in packaging recycling and to extend the technology across to WEEE and endof-life vehicle applications

The cash boost supports the commercialisation of a project that aims to replace carbon black and other pigments with a range of near-infrared (NIR) detectable alternatives for the European packaging, automotive and consumer durables sectors.

Carbon black and other pigments reflect very little radiation, meaning these plastics are invisible to sorting machines at recycling facilities. In the UK alone 3.5 million tonnes of polymer are landfilled when they could have a second life. Black plastics represent around five per cent of packaging (one million tonnes) and 30 per cent of WEEE (waste from consumer durables goods) and vehicle polymers (two million tonnes), none of which can be recycled. A further million tonnes of coloured waste containing carbon black is also lost to landfill or incineration in the UK each year. This two-year EU-funded project aims to resolve this issue. Polykemi will formulate, process and test materials, which will then be evaluated for use in packaging via Polykemi subsidiary Scanfill. One51 was selected for its expertise in injection moulding, while recycled plastics champion Luxus is leading the project.

"This pioneering project is based on the previous successful work to identify NIR detectable alternatives to carbon black from specialist additive and masterbatch supplier, Colour Tone which Luxus acquired earlier this year," said Dr Christel Croft, Technical Director, Luxus. "It aims to develop a range of colourants for polymers that will enable NIR sorting operations to segregate black and coloured plastics from waste streams to a level of purity that they are useable in highly engineered polymers. "We have defined a programme of development, designed to identify formulations with optimal cost effectiveness in packaging recycling and to extend the technology across to WEEE and end-of-life vehicle applications, each of which has its own specialist requirements." As the industry strives to achieve circularity in plastics, the pressure is on to improve the process of sorting plastics for better recycled materials as an end product, allowing them to be utilised by more manufacturers. According to the ERP regulations, 'obligated businesses including retailers, brand owners, packaging convertors and fillers, are responsible for obtaining evidence that plastics packaging recycling has taken place'. Food packaging is under the spotlight as on average the 'make-towaste' cycle for plastic products in this segment is 12 months, while waste from consumer durables goods has a mean lifespan of five years, while end-of-life vehicles have a 13-year lifespan. "Our market strategy is based therefore, on a continuous positive development cycle or a ‘circular economy’ approach," Dr Croft stated. "This is where the packaging industry will use virgin detectable polymer to make its packaging and this with its product life of under a year, is recycled into high quality engineered plastics for the manufacturer of automotive and consumer durables to use – without waiting for returns from their own ‘end-of-life’ materials." www.luxus.co.uk

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www.polykemi.se

www.one51.com

COLOUR

LanXess pigments trackside at Montréal electric car race LanXess technology brought colour to the racetrack for the third season of the FIA’s Formula E series in Canada. Words | John Carlon

lectric motor sports may be the latest technological twist on the racetrack, but the e-vehicle competition looks just as eyecatching as the high-octane equivalent in Formula 1.

The third season of the FIA’s Formula E series has finished in Montréal, Canada, and used city streets for the racecourse, to pull in the crowds and show off the potential of sustainable, pollution-free motor sport.

We were delighted about this exciting project, especially as sustainability is a great priority in Formula E

Whilst the latest electric vehicle technology was in the racecars, the surrounding crash barriers filled the course with colour from the latest developments in inorganic coatings, from speciality chemicals firm LanXess. The strong prefabricated concrete barriers were pigmented with LanXess’ Bayferrox coating series, on 5.5 km of barriers lining each side of the Montréal course.

The Inorganic Pigments business of LanXess supplied nearly 37 tonnes of charcoal shade Bayferrox 340 pigments to a pre-cast concrete producer, Beton Brune, based in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Québec, to make the custom barrier constructions for the HydroQuébec Montréal ePrix. The race in Montréal, at the end of July 2017, was the last of the FIA Formula E circuit’s third season, that started in Hong Kong and toured Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Paris, Berlin and New York. The barriers were specially designed and constructed for the event at twice the size of standard barriers, and were adorned with Montréal’s city logo to highlight some Quebecois pride in sustainability.

Lise Charron, Account Manager North America for LanXess IPG in Montréal, said: “We were delighted about this exciting project, especially as sustainability is a great priority in Formula E. The theme of sustainability that this whole project is about is a great fit, as it aligns with many of the values of our business. The Bayferrox pigments used in the project are SCS-certified. Scientific Certification Systems is one of the leading companies for independent certification and determines, for example, the proportion of recycled raw materials used in an industrial production process.” The barriers will also be re-used for several more seasons, as Montréal has signed a three-year contract to host the race. Isabella Bégin, Project Leader at concrete firm Beton Brunet, said: “Prior to this project, we had only worked with pigments on a small scale, so our experience in regards to usage and colour targets was limited. We were happy to partner with LanXess on this project and receive their support with colour selection and handling. The pigment experts were able to recommend a package size that could be directly dropped into our production process, eliminating dust, waste, extra handling steps and potential weighing errors.” The Montréal round ran over two races, providing a culmination to the tournament which had begun in Hong Kong in October 2016. The competition was won by Brazilian driver Lucas de Grassi, driving for German team ABT Schaeffer. The Quebec-Montreal street circuit hosts the E-Prix, and the LanXess course barriers, once again on July 28th and 29th 2018. LanXess, based in Germany, is a worldwide manufacturer of speciality chemical additives and pigments.

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www.lanxess.com

FAKUMA FLOOR PLAN

HALL A6 BOOTH 6113

HALL B5 BOOTH 5002

HALL B5 BOOTH 5303

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HALL A3 BOOTH 3110

HAL BOOT

LL A4 TH 4113

HALL A7 BOOTH 7203

HALL A6 BOOTH 6212

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HALL A6 BOOTH 6010

HALL A5 BOOTH 5108

FAKUMA PREVIEW

ALBIS

DSM

‘Close to the customer’ is ALBIS PLASTIC’s Fakuma motto, and the Hanseatic distributor and compounder will welcome many customers and partners to its stand at the show. “We will be showcasing our most recent product developments and industry-specific application examples to visitors and, on the other hand, we will be advising customers on current projects and seizing this ideal opportunity to initiate new projects,” said Philip O. Krahn, CEO. “An intensive exchange with customers and business partners really helps in the development and innovation of products, applications and technologies.”

At Fakuma 2017, DSM will present its extensive range of high performance materials for automotive, electronics and water management applications. In the spotlight this year will be the expanding ForTii portfolio and its core qualities (reflow, processing, superior mechanics) - as well as the latest products ForTii MX1, ForTii MX2, and ForTii MX3, which are respectively 30 per cent, 40 per cent and 50 per cent glass-filled PPAs designed to be used in a wide variety of applications that require high stiffness, as is the case in many metal-to-plastic conversions. DSM will be also showcasing Arnitel HT, which has set a new standard for high-temperature, flexible air ducts, with best-in-class thermal stability, good weldability, and the ability to integrate several parts into one moulded piece, therefore reducing processing steps and overall cost.

Hall A3, Booth 3105

Hall B4, Booth 4408

www.albis.com

www.dsm.com

BASF

ELIX Polymers

BASF will be presenting plastics solutions for construction, furniture industries, automotive and packaging. In addition, there will be a reunion with the ‘superhero for engineers’ Ultramid Advanced N, BASF’s new PPA for challenging applications. For automotive, BASF will present engineering plastics vehicle interiors, the chassis and the powertrain, debuting two unique special polyamides for car interiors. At the stand, a floor covering made from Elastollan TPU will be lain, demonstrating its flexibility and durability. Visitors will also be able to sit down on chairs made from Ultramid SI, which gives the furniture both a delicate appearance and strength.

ELIX Polymers will highlight its latest material innovations for a number of key markets. Among the products featured at Fakuma are: ABS grades with extralow emissions and odour, high-heat ABS for automotive applications, new generation metal platable ABS grades, and food-contact grades for applications requiring a high level of support and knowledge in regulation. Furthermore, ELIX will showcase special ABS grades optimised for 3D printing via FDMtechnology. Located in the largest chemical park in Tarragona, Spain, ELIX Polymers operates the third largest ABS production site in Europe, with five ABS compounding lines producing over 40 specialty grades with more than 300 colour options.

Hall B4, Booth 4306

Hall B5, Booth 5002

www.basf.com

www.elix-polymers.com

Covestro

Francesco Franceschetti

Covestro is exhibiting a broad cross-section of its developments at Fakuma. The Sample Bar gives visitors the chance to discover the fascinating characteristics offered by modern plastics. Among the offering will be lightweight polycarbonates such as Makrolon and light diffusing materials such as Bayfol. Covestro will also be showcasing its expertise in colour and automotive applications. “We will be presenting material solutions for customers from very different industries at Fakuma,” said Kristian Brandt, Covestro booth director. “We also offer a comprehensive service package, through which we advise them on colouring, surface design, processing and packaging, and also run simulations.”

Francesco Franceschetti Elastomeri will be exhibiting and presenting its comprehensive product portfolio at Fakuma. MARFRAN compounds for wine and spirits bottle closures have been newly added to the FFE portfolio and, with the preincorporated MASTERFRAN blowing agent, present an outstanding, ready-to-use and complete solution. MARFRAN compounds contain no phthalic acid esters, PAHs, PBB or PBDE. For wine closures and synthetic corks, the SBS compound MARFRAN B MG T is the recommended choice. To make T-corks for brandy, vodka, spirits and other alcoholic beverages, MARFRAN E MG T would be advised. Each compound requires a specific and customised amount of FFE’s MASTERFRAN blowing agent.

Hall B4, Booth 4206

Hall B5, Booth 5212

www.covestro.com

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www.f-franceschetti.it

Gneuss

Kistler

Since K 2016, demand for Gneuss processand pressureconstant Melt Filtration Systems has increased dramatically, not only from the recycling industry but also from sheet (including foam sheet) and film producers. Gneuss will be bringing its Rotary Filtration Systems to Fakuma, where it will showcase the advantages to be gained by plastic product manufacturers, including streamlined melt flow paths and process constant melt filtration. Gneuss has also seen a surge in interest for the RSFgenius screen changer, which permits filtration fineness of, for example 56, while maintaining constant running conditions.

Kistler will demonstrate the new functionalities of ComoNeo. Thanks to the latest software update, Kistler’s process monitoring and control system now has the ability to optimise multicomponent and RTM processes. ComoNeo’s intelligent functions meet the requirements for digitisation of the injection moulding process. Parameters captured by sensors integrated in the mould deliver transparent, reproducible results and integral process analysis. All the collected data is stored centrally in ComoDataCenter, where it is available for further analyses. The system also provides central storage of mould configurations which it can transmit to other plants.

Hall A6, Booth 6501

Hall A3, Booth 3104

www.gneuss.de

www.kistler.com

Herbold Meckesheim

KOCH-TECHNIK

Herbold Meckesheim will be showcasing its single machines and plants for the size reduction and agglomeration of clean plastic waste at Fakuma. Herbold’s scope of supply is also comprised of single machines and plants for size reducing, washing, separating, drying, and agglomerating contaminated, mixed postconsumer plastics. Special emphasis is on high-performance plants; extremely thin films that are particularly difficult to wash, separate and dry; extreme contaminations such as sand, stones and soil in agricultural film, or remaining acid in battery cases; and energysaving recycling of PET bottles for bottle-to-bottle applications.

KOCH-TECHNIK direct colouring machines have always provided plastics processors with a very costeffective solution for dosing masterbatch directly to the space from where the screw conveyor collects material. With their high precision, thousands of installed well-established KEM direct colouring machines ensure a constant colour tone of the final product. The colouring is fully automatic using volumetric chamber dosing during the whole operation of the screw conveyor, while the main component of the processed plastic material is added through a free input. KEM direct colouring machines are available for dosages ranging from 0.5 to 200 kg/h.

Hall A6, Booth 6511

Hall 3, Booth 3213

www.herbold.com

www.koch-technik.com

i-mold

LANXESS

i-mold is presenting new products for mould-makers that help to save both design space and time. Included in the company’s exhibits are smaller tunnel gate inserts for low shot weights, hot runner nozzles for closer cavity spacings, easyto-install ‘Fast Half’ hot runner systems, and low-height linear drives for linear slider and core-pulling operations. Furthermore, i-mold will be providing information about new controllers that combine ease of operation with high flexibility.

LANXESS will primarily focus on the sustainable in-vehicle applications of its thermoplastics at Fakuma. “We want to show that our high performance plastics contribute significantly to environmentally and climate-friendly mobility,” said Jan Bender, Head of Marketing EMEA High Performance Materials. “We are also presenting ourselves as a competent development partner for applications of plastics in new forms of mobility, such as electric mobility and self-driving vehicles, and are demonstrating possible solutions with our materials.” LANXESS will highlight the new XTS2 heat stabilisation system, which increases the continuous operating temperatures of certain Durethan polyamides to over 230°C.

Hall A2, Booth 2304

Hall B4, Booth 4209

www.i-mold.de

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www.lanxess.com

FAKUMA PREVIEW

LEHVOSS

Meusburger

LEHVOSS will present its new LUVOCOM CXR product line of thermoplastic compounds based on polyamide that can be cross-linked by irradiation. Products from this line are characterised by an elevated temperature resistance and continuous service temperature. In LUVOCOM 3F, LEHVOSS is also presenting a new product line for 3D printing. The materials are optimised for use in extrusion-based 3D printing processes. Support for the development of materials and customer components comes from the company’s own pilot plant for 3D printing.

Meusburger presents both tried and trusted products and numerous innovations at Fakuma. Precision cutting and grinding machinery, gear units for stack moulds, and high temperature hoses are just a few of the product highlights. Mould-makers can see the many innovations directly for themselves at the Meusburger trade fair stand and they can also take a look behind the scenes by taking the opportunity to visit Meusburger at its headquarters in Vorarlberg. Due to the proximity to the trade fair, the expert in standard components offers a daily company tour.

Hall B1, Booth 1109

Hall A2, Booth 2313

www.lehvoss.de

www.meusburger.com

Lindner-Recyclingtech

Milacron

With the shredder series Micromat HP, LindnerRecyclingtech has added extremely efficient machines to its range of universal shredders for processing plastics and other waste. While the machine sizes and technology are the same as in the tried-and-tested Micromat 2000 and 2500 systems, increases in output of up to 30 per cent are now a reality. The new Micromat HP series will be released at Fakuma where Lindner Recyclingtech will provide information about this and other product innovations.

Milacron is displaying its industry leading technologies including Milacron injection moulding machines, Mold-Masters hot runners and control systems, DME mould technology solutions including TIRAD high precision mould bases and Milacron Direct industrial supplies. “The Fakuma trade show has a rich history of displaying the plastics industry’s innovative, technical advancements,” said Tom Goeke, CEO of Milacron. “It’s this platform that allows us to present our customers our most recent technological advances, of which there are many. We always look forward to meeting long time customers and new prospects and show them how Milacron can assist them in their drive for continuous success.”

Hall A6, Booth 6108

Hall B3, Booth 3203

www.l-rt.com

www.milacron.com

Maag

Motan

The highlight of the Maag booth will be the PEARLO Underwater Pelletizer: designed to process spherical pellets for raw materials, compounds, masterbatches, engineering plastics, wood and nature filler-filled polymer composites, thermoplastics elastomers, hot-melt adhesives and gum bases at capacities that can reach 36,000 kg an hour. Other Maag products that will be on display at Fakuma 2017 include: the new x6 class Gear Pump, CSC Series Screen Changers, the WSG dry-cut strand pelletizing system with PRIMO E pelletizers, and the REX basixplus pulveriser. “All of the Maag brands are focused on delivering exceptional value to their customers through a blend of product leadership and customer service,” said Alaaddin Aydin, VP/GM Maag Germany.

Making good ideas fit for the future is Motan’s goal. A year ago, Motan presented its mia award at K 2016 and prototypes of two of the winning innovations are being displayed at Fakuma. While the 2016 innovations are being further developed for Fakuma 2017, the application period for the mia award 2018 is now running. Clever ideas can be submitted to motan until December 31st 2017. “Too many good ideas are never developed,” said Sandra Füllsack, Motan Managing Director. “As a result, the industry loses huge potential. We want to bring forth the treasures hidden away in drawers and people’s heads.”

Hall A6, Booth 6202

Hall B1, Booth 1111

www.maag.com

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www.motan-colortronic.com

Netstal

SORTCO

Netstal will be manufacturing three-layer coffee capsules using a precision co-injection process at Fakuma. An all-electric, twocomponent ELION injection moulding machine delivering 1,200 kN of clamping force will be used to carry out the process. The sandwich injection moulding process enables IML-decorated plastic capsules and many other packaging products to be efficiently manufactured with a reliable barrier effect. Netstal will be demonstrating the merits of the coinjection process within the scope of injection moulding thin-walled aroma protection packaging. For the very first time, the application will see an all-electric ELION 1200 produce the capsules on a VNCintegrated Plasdan additional injection unit equipped with a 4-cavity Fostag test mould.

SORTCO has been active as a professional service provider for the inspection, de-dusting, sorting and metalseparating of plastic pellets and pelletised raw materials since 2015. Thanks to the high level of demand, a further sorting machine has already been set in operation. “Our new sorting line is modular and mobile, which means that it can be configured and positioned according to the type of application,” said Sebastian Traue, Operations Manager at SORTCO. The system also includes an integrated metal detection facility.

Hall A7, Booth 7303

Hall A2, Booth 2101

www.netstal.com

www.sortco.de

Reifenhäuser

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag

Reifenhauser will be showcasing its EVOLUTION Ultra Flat system allowing the production of films with improved flatness and better printability and lamination capability. While in the past, flattening systems were arranged just in front of the winder, EVO Ultra Flat is installed exactly at the point where optimum processing conditions are available for flattening the web. EVOLUTION Ultra Flat is wellestablished in the market due to excellent web flatness properties in the production of lamination film. Reifenhäuser technology meanwhile is well established in the market to an extent that about 70 per cent of all relevant new Reifenhäuser lines are equipped with EVO Ultra Flat.

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery will use Fakuma 2017 to present a cross-section of its current portfolio of injection moulding machines. Three machines will be displayed on the company’s booth in Hall B1 and a further three can be found on partners’ stands. Highlights include the latest generation of the allelectric IntElect series, a high-speed El-Exis SP machine for injection compression moulding of decorated thin-walled packaging lids and a multi-component Systec Multi injection moulding machine with an Industry 4.0 application. In addition to the IntElect machine, the latest innovation on show is the servoelectric SDR 5P sprue picker.

Hall A6, Booth 6206

Hall B1, Booth 1105

www.reifenhauser.com

uk.sumitomo-shi-demag.eu

Senoplast

WINDSOR

Senoplast is presenting three new product innovations at Fakuma. An exciting innovation is the new product senotop VP CM62HC, a film for automotive applications with a hard coating giving particularly high scratch and chemical resistance. A further innovation is a co-extruded sheet senosan VP TPE made from thermoformable polyolefin with a TPE top layer, which is mainly used for car boot linings. The third innovative product is the stone grain emboss pattern senosan 3000X sheet for sanitary applications keeping up with the latest trends in bathroom design and appearance.

After the successful introduction of servo-hydraulic injection moulding machines with toggle clamping system, produced by FCS at K 2016, WINDSOR Kunststofftechnologie goes one step further. The renowned systems provider presents a servo-hydraulic two-platen IMM with 5000kN clamping force, automated by a CAMPETELLA robot, complementing its injection moulding offer by adding hydraulic and servo-hydraulic machines. For the first time, FCS and WINDSOR will present a new LM-500SV servo-hydraulic two-platen IMM with 500 tonnes (5000 kN) clamping force. This IMM offers the processor highly efficient and profitable moulding with low energy consumption for an almost unlimited range of applications.

Hall B2, Booth 2115

Hall A7, Booth 7207

www.senoplast.com

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www.windsor-gmbh.de

Workaholic with iQ The new e-mac 280 The all-electric e-mac delivers what is needed in series production: stable processes, consistent precision and round-the-clock efficiency. And thanks to an advanced machine concept, it does this with low maintenance costs and a long, reliable life span. Your advantage: intelligent assistance systems from our inject 4.0 programme reduce rejects or downtime to nearly negligible factors. With a self-regulating e-mac, you can rely on problem-free production â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for the lifetime of an ENGEL machine. Now available in the 280 ton size.

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e e th at c n e 80 eri Exp -mac 2 17 e 0 new kuma 2 Fa l A5 4 l a H 0 d 52 n a St

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Ampacet reduces scratches with innovative masterbatch

MASTERBATCH & ADDITIVES

lastic products are very sensitive to scratches. These scratches have a negative impact on the aesthetics and perceived quality of the product. Moreover, dust and dirt tend to inlay into the scratched surface making it less hygienic. Ampacet’s new Antiscratch 1000617-E masterbatch is designed to enhance the appearance of injected and blow moulded articles by significantly improving the scratch resistance of plastics. AntiScratch 1000617-E helps to avoid wear marks on polyethylene and polypropylene articles generated during manufacturing, transport and handling processes. By efficiently protecting the plastic surface against scratches, AntiScratch 1000617-E reduces incidences of rejects in production due to scratches that are generated, for example, during manufacturing, handling or transport processes. It also reduces the risk of partial or total refusal of the products by customers which implies extra charges to the manufacturer. AntiScratch 1000617-E performs well on clear as well as on dark colours where scratches are the most visible. It has no impact on the product’s colour, odour or gloss, and provides a long-term protection that lasts during the life cycle of the product. www.ampacet.com

Gabriel-Chemie increases Russian capacity to support masterbatch demand

ue to growth in demand for masterbatch in Russia and neighbouring Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Belarus, GabrielChemie Russia has adjusted its capacity to meet changing requirements. The Austrian group has been operating successfully with its own subsidiary in Russia since 2007 and a decade on, the company has signed an investment agreement to boost operations at a masterbatch plant in the Vorino industrial park in the Kaluga oblast.

by-step to 20,000 tonnes per year until after completion of all construction phases. The 2,000-hectare industrial park Vorsino is about 90 km southwest of the Moscow and attracts numerous Russian and international corporations. As many as 37 companies are already investing in the new location or are already present there. www.gabriel-chemie.com

Gabriel-Chemie CFO Andreas Berger and the Governor of the Kaluga oblast Anatoly Artamonov struck the deal on August 3rd 2017. "We have noticed an increasing interest in functional additives such as flame retardants, infrared absorbers and laser additives," said Berger. "Through our many years of experience in the development of functional additives, we have accumulated a wealth of expertise and, together with our range of colour and combination masterbatch, we are a capable and complete supplier for the individual equipment of plastics". A modern masterbatch production facility will be erected in four construction phases on the 27,000 m sq grounds in the Vorino industrial park. During the first stage, around 260 million roubles (€3.6 million, £3.4 million) will be invested in the new location and modern, environmentally-friendly production technology. Production capacity shall be increased step-

WWW.EPPM.COM

Farrag Tech GmbH is an Austrian company with its technical office in Wolfurt. All of our products are engineered in Austria, built in Slovenia and made from the best components sourcable in the European markets to deliver some of the best equipment in the industry. Farrag Tech is your competent partner for:

• Internal Air Cooling System

Increases productivity of blow moulding systems by at least 15% and and up to 100% and quality of the blow moulded products.

• Mould Area Protection

No more mould sweat with a chilled water temperature of 8°C all year, in any climate.

• Compressed Air Resin Dryers

Best energy efficiency and high potential for energy recovery from many sources along with virtually ZERO maintenance, high reliability and 3 years warranty on parts plus life long warranty on drying results to back up our claim are only some of the benefits of our top seller.

• Loaders

Loading and unloading of our dryers or other equipment in the same high quality our customers appreciate.

• Special solutions

If you have a problem, we can solve it! Adapting our equipment to your needs and creating new solutions is no problem for us.

adapt myself.

Sprue puller insert Z 530 /. . .

The new modified sprue puller insert Z 530 /. . . permits the customised configuration of the puller shape and undercut. Longer versions enable user-specific design and length requirements to be met.

PROCESS CONTROL GmbH Maschinen für die Kunststoffindustrie

– – – – – –

Undercut freely configurable Can be cut as required With an anti-rotation lock Prepared ready-to-mount Hardened to 56HRC,material 1.2826 Longer guide spigot for use with gate inserts with a curved tunnel

www.hasco.com

25. Fakuma – Internationale Fachmesse für Kunststoffverarbeitung

afe hsh dric 7 e i r D-F 201 ma, 7 - 21, 02 u k Fa ber 1 th 22 o o Oct A2, bo l l a H

17.-21. OKTOBER 2017 • FRIEDRICHSHAFEN

Visit us on Fakuma 2017 Hall A6 Booth A6-6401

WWW.EPPM.COM Anz_Z530_107x156_EN.indd 1

10.08.17 10:17

MASTERBATCH & ADDITIVES

Riverdale Global makes UV stabilisers liquid

iverdale Global has released a liquid series of its UV light stabilisers, improving product quality and reducing additive costs. The firm’s +Shield light stabilisers are available in seven standard grades for use in injection moulding, blow moulding and extrusion. Depending on grade, they are recommended for use with polyolefins, styrenics, PET, TPEs, and engineering thermoplastics. Four of the grades are FDA-approved, and two of these can also be used as UV absorbers in packaging applications. MTI_quarterpage_ad2017.pdf Advantages of +Shield light stabilisers1 over pellet masterbatch result from the

lower and more precise dosing made possible by liquid form and an improved rate of dispersion in the polymer. Available for use with +Shield light stabilisers is the Riverdale Gravimetric Stand (RGS), in which a liquid-containing drum is mounted on a self-calibrating loss-in-weight scale that continually reports the weight of the contents to the controller as a means of ensuring that the target let-down ratio is maintained. Charles B Irish, Head of Development, Riverdale Global’s gravimetric metering system provides

22/09/2017 said: "Use 15:22 of

an additional level of precision, allowing for controlled conditions over the entire production run." The +Shield stabilisers are available in pails or drums, in custom blends with liquid colors, or as one of Riverdale’s GlobalPlus range of additives. GlobalPlus products are single-additive liquid dispersions for processors running clear or natural resins, or those requiring a supplement for additive packages in pre-compounded or masterbatch materials. In the GlobalPlus system, each additive is

supplied in a drum with a built-in pump that stays sealed from the moment it arrives at the processor’s loading dock, through storage, handling, and metering into the process, and during return to Riverdale Global for replenishment. Riverdale is based in Aston, Pennsylvania, US, with international offices in the UK, Dubai, Singapore, and China. www.riverdaleglobal.com

MED-TECH INNOVATION | EXPO

EXHIBIT NOW 25 - 26 APRIL 2018 RICOH ARENA | COVENTRY | UK

CMY

MEDICAL ELECTRONICS MATERIALS STERILISATION TESTING & INSPECTION MEDICAL PLASTICS MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT SURFACE TECHNOLOGY CONTRACT SERVICES AUTOMATION COMPONENTS SENSORS DESIGN

www.med-techexpo.com contact colin.martin@rapidnews.com ADVANCING HEALTHCARE

Clariant teams up with Tiangang on high-end additives Clariant has announced the signing of a Joint Venture contract with Tiangang Auxiliary, a privately owned producer and leading supplier of UV light stabilisers in China.

China is one of the key markets for high-end process and light stabilisers, which include the state-of-the-art Nylostab S-EED chemistry, invented by Clariant.

The investment of Clariant's Performance Additives business and Tiangang will establish a world-class production facility in China to meet the growing local demand for process and light stabiliser additives for automotive, textiles and other applications.

To support the growing demand of customers in China, Clariant and Tiangang will jointly manufacture process and light stabilisers and plan to install a new production site in the Cangzhou National Coastal-Port Economy and Technology Development Zone, Hebei province. Production is scheduled to come on stream in the first half of 2019.

"The partnership with Tiangang is another successful step toward strengthening Clariant's position in China," said Christian Kohlpaintner, Clariant Executive Committee Member.

WWW.EPPM.COM

www.clariant.com

MACHINERY ROUNDUP

Bit by bit

Foshan trip

Reifenhäuser has founded Reifenhäuser Digital, a unit with a focus on digitalisation of its extrusion lines and services, managed by Benedikt Brenken, Head of Business Development and Thomas Fett, Head of Technical Development, Bernd Reifenhäuser, CEO, said: “Digitalisation offers us the greatest potential for innovation... founding our own business unit with its own resources and the possibility of establishing new ways of working was a logical next step for us. In Reifenhäuser Digital, we are currently focusing on generating customer benefits from opportunities such as smart data, machine learning and anomaly detection… Our goal is to develop intelligent production with our customers.”

battenfeld-cincinnati held an open house event in Foshan City, China, during Chinaplas 2017, where it presented its twin-screw extruder for PVC pipe for the first time. The leanEX 2-93R-28CL is a parallel twin screw extruder that covers outputs up to 580 kg/h and extends the successful turnkey leanEX system range for pipe extrusion. Pipe is an important commodity in the infrastructure sector and battenfeld-cincinnati provides China’s largest product segment. The current range of equipment for PO pipe extrusion covers not only standard mono-layer pipes, but also special multi-layer applications and large diameter pipes with diameters of 2,000 mm and above.

reifenhauser-digital.com

battenfeld-cincinnati.com/china

HP’s with Deloitte delight

Baldwin buys Ahlbrandt

HP has joined accountants Deloitte to combine Jet Fusion 3D Printing with Deloitte’s strengths in supply chain transformation for the world’s largest companies. Dion Weisler, HP President, said: “No sector of the global economy is undergoing more radical transformation than the $12 trillion manufacturing market. Companies investing in digital reinvention are poised to outpace their peers. Building on our disruptive 3D printing technology, together with Deloitte we are focused on helping customers transform and win in this new era.” Deloitte will show its clients how to use 3D printing technology in their supply chain networks.

Ba l d w i n , an American systems automation company, has bought Ahlbrandt Systems, based in the German state of Hesse. Baldwin plans to advance on Ahlbrandt’s expertise, with 87 staff, and technology to enhance solutions for the rapidly growing textile and film industries. Holger Bätz, Managing Director of Ahlbrandt, said: “I am very excited that Ahlbrandt is joining the Baldwin team - I am confident that Ahlbrandt’s talent and passion for innovation in surface finishing will rise to new levels within the Baldwin family.”

hp.com/us/en/printers/3d-printers

baldwintech.com

Flake it to make it

Gravure gain

SIPA and EREMA welcomed the drinks industry to an open house at SIPA’s headquarters in Vittorio Veneto, Italy, this month, showing live production on the world’s first PET Inline Preform system. The unique direct processing of washed PET flakes to make food contact grade preforms was demonstrated live on the world’s first PET Inline Preform system. Enrico Gribaudo, General Manager of SIPA, said: “We were keen to show the first PET Inline Preform System to interested Open House guests. This innovative technology makes real the dream of a circular sustainable economy with results exceeding our most optimistic expectations at the beginning of the project. The rPET preforms have quality properties and performances comparable to the injection moulded preforms made in virgin resin.”

SCEA, an Italian flexible packaging producer, has installed a 10-colour BOBST RS 4003MP gravure printing line. Configured for shaftless cylinders, the press accommodates a web width up to 1350 mm and to ensure versatility, it delivers rapid changeover ability with high production speed. Mauro Pattaro, owner of SCEA, said: “We pride ourselves on our ability to deliver outstanding performance, high quality production and trusted customer service to our clients. We have the capacity to provide a very wide range of capabilities across a broad spectrum of materials and application demands in gravure printing. We also appreciate the high production flexibility that derives from the fast job changeover times required for short runs.”

erema.com

scea.it

WWW.EPPM.COM

Purecycle: Image credit P&G

MACHINERY

Like a virgin P&G is proving itself to be a champion of the plastics circular economy by developing a system that can produce recycled PP to near-virgin levels allowing it to be brought back into the value chain for more applications. Words | Rose Brooke

esearchers at P&G have invented a system of recycling polypropylene to restore the plastic to 'virgin-like' quality - a technology that has the potential to revolutionise the recycled This technology, polymer market.

P&G made the production of higher quality recycled plastics a priority when it came to the conclusion that as a business, it could not utilise more recycled polymers in its products because the recycled materials available were not up to standard.

P&G and PureCycle Technologies held a ribboncutting ceremony in July 2017 for a plant in Ohio that will use the new recycling system, licenced to PureCycle - which belongs to the Innventure portfolio of companies.

P&G Senior Scientist Dr John Layman was tasked with developing the purification technology and collaborated with Innventure to realise his ideas.

which can remove virtually all contaminants and colours from used plastic, has the capacity to revolutionise the plastics recycling industry

"Our approach to innovation not only includes products and packaging, but technologies that allow us and others to have a positive impact on our environment," said Kathy Fish, P&G Chief Technology Officer. "This technology, which can remove virtually all contaminants and colours from used plastic, has the capacity to revolutionise the plastics recycling industry by enabling P&G and companies around the world to tap into sources of recycled plastics that deliver nearly identical performance and properties as virgin materials in a broad range of applications."

"P&G has been using recycled plastic for a very long time, and has been a leader in plastics recycling. However, we are limited in the amount of recycled content and the products that can use recycled plastic due to the inherently poor quality of recycled materials," said Layman.

While the PP-recycling system is a P&Gdeveloped technology, the recycled PP produced by PureCycle will be widely available for purchase across the entire plastics industry, making it possible for even more manufacturers and brand owners to close the plastics processing loop. "Presently, PureCycle is the only technology able to meet the demand for better recycled plastic," Layman stated. "From a company perspective, this is a win all around. "Today, consumers are increasingly expecting that the products they buy are environmentally responsible. This new technology delivers a win-win—advancing our innovative capabilities while also delivering an environmental benefit." us.pg.com

"Recycled plastics are typically grey in colour, have a malodour and have contaminants that present regulatory concerns. Due in large part to these issues, only about two per cent of all of P&G’s plastic is sourced from recycled material." With this new technology, P&G can now access recycled plastics that are as close to perfect as possible, allowing the company to increase its use of recycled plastics, enabling it to move closer to its sustainability goals.

WWW.EPPM.COM

P&G’s sustainability goals • To power all plants with 100 per cent renewable energy • Using 100 per cent renewable energy or recycled materials for all products and packaging • Zero consumer manufacturing waste to landfill • Better design to please consumers and maximise resource conservation.

Under pressure DSM has launched a material solution for high-pressure composite tanks for hydrogen storage.

PLASTICS TECHNOLOGY UNDER CONTROL La Plasturgie sous Contrôle

Hydrogen tanks are the next step in fuel storage. Hydrogen delivers three times more energy than conventional fuel, but its low ambient temperature density results in a low energy per unit volume. DSM is working to apply its materials expertise to make safe and lightweight hydrogen tanks. The two-part tank design features a proven, blow-moulded liner made of Akulon Fuel Lock, a PA 6-based engineering plastic with a very high barrier to hydrocarbons. The tank can then potentially be further reinforced by wrapping it in unidirectional (UD) continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic tapes made of EcoPaXX polyamide 410. This combination of commercially available materials has already proven to be very effective in CNG tanks, and DSM is now actively testing the concept in hydrogen tanks. www.dsm.com

HOT RUNNER CONTROLS RÉGULATION CANAUX CHAUDS

MOLD TEMPERATURE CONTROLS

PA day

THERMORÉGULATION PAR FLUIDE

Leaders in polymer science BASF and Solvay have signed an agreement for BASF to acquire Solvay's integrated polyamide business. The purchase price on a cash and debt-free basis is reported to be €1.6 billion (£1.4 billion) and the transaction is due to be completed in the third quarter of 2018. This acquisition complements BASF's engineering plastics portfolio and expands its position as a solutions provider for the transportation, industrial applications, consumer and construction sectors, enhancing BASF's PA 6.6 value chain through increased polymerisation capacities and the backward integration into ADN (adipodinitrile), a key raw material.

VALVE GATE CONTROLS INJECTION SÉQUENTIELLE

For the full year 2016, net sales of Solvay's PA business amounted to €1,315 million and EBITDA to around €200 million. Worldwide, it operates 12 production sites, four R&D locations and 10 technical support centres. The business would be integrated into BASF’s Performance Materials and Monomers divisions. www.BASF.com www.solvay.com

PRODUCTION & PROCESS MONITORING SUPERVISION PRODUCTION ET PROCESS

www.sise-plastics.com - e-mail: sise@sise-plastics.com Tel. +33 4 74 77 34 53 - Fax. +33 4 74 73 90 18

WWW.EPPM.COM

MATERIALS

The plasma treatment revolution Over the past decade, there has been a real shift towards Plasma Treatment as a method of improving adhesion to ‘non-stick’ plastics, Dyne Technology explains why. Words | Chris Lines, Managing Director, Dyne Technology

he landscape of manufacturing ultimately changed in 1957 with the start of large-scale production of polypropylene. Over the years, polypropylene has become one of the most popular plastics in the world and is well known for the headaches it causes engineers. These problems of adhesion are widely experienced today and affect almost anybody who needs to bond, seal, coat, paint or print to 'non-stick' plastics.

Over the past decade, there has been a real shift towards Plasma Treatment as a method of improving adhesion to ‘non-stick’ plastics due to the low running costs, low temperature and most importantly the flexibility provided.

and the lack of flexibility to treat complex geometry components and wide surface areas. Alongside the high running costs of gas and compressed air, there are often high insurance costs and associated health and safety concerns due to the naked flame in a production environment.

treated part. The relatively low temperature of the Plasma discharge does not mark, discolour or damage the component in any way, eliminating problems experienced with Flame Treatment, where the high temperature causes surface damage or shrink-back of composite materials exposing glass fibre reinforcing.

Dyne Technology was founded over a decade ago to discover better solutions to overcome surface treatment problems and to provide manufacturers with more options to broaden their access to new manufacturing materials. Over the past decade, there has been a real shift towards Plasma Treatment as a method of improving adhesion to 'non-stick' plastics due to the low running costs, low temperature and most importantly the flexibility provided.

During the Plasma Treatment process, a gas, usually air, is excited by a strong electrical field; this strong electrical field ionises the air or other gas creating a plasma. When exposing the material to Plasma for a pre-determined amount of time, the polarity of the material is increased as the free radicals and other active particles that exist within the highly active Plasma discharge attach to the material’s surface which forms additional polar groups. Polarity is key to adhesion as it enhances the chemical attraction to paints, adhesives, inks, etc., which therefore increases the strength of adhesion that can be achieved.

Just recently a thermoplastic hose and tube manufacturer approached us looking for an alternative to their current flame system. The customer was understandably concerned about the unreliable results as their printing process was safety critical.

Why is surface treatment necessary? As the use of these “non-stick” polymers took off in the 1980s, engineers faced the growing need for surface modification. Popular methods at that time included high temperature Flame Torch Treatment and environmentally damaging solvent based primers and pre-treatments. Around 35 years ago, I was working on an exciting project where a major luggage manufacturer needed to decorate polypropylene suitcases. We experienced problems bonding to the surface but at the time, the best solution was Flame Torch Treatment to improve adhesion qualities. Although Flame Treatment methods provide a fairly good option for treating surface areas with simple geometries, such as two-dimensional web materials, it is not so well suited for parts with more complex geometries, and materials easily damaged by the high temperature output of the flame torch. Manufacturers picked up on the shortfalls of Flame Treatment and harsh solvent based primers and pretreatments, such as the lack of consistency of results

Achieving any level of adhesion to low surface energy materials such as PP, PE, PEEK etc. is difficult at the best of times, but often impossible. The low surface energy of these materials effectively renders them non-stick; gaskets and seals won’t bond and adhesives, paints, inks and coatings will not adhere, no matter how much you attempt to abrade or clean the material’s surface. With the ever-increasing drive towards the use of UV curing or water-based adhesives, paints, inks and coatings, materials that have traditionally given acceptable adhesion results, such as ABS, nylon, glass filled nylon and composites etc. can also become difficult to bond to.

Plasma treatment explained During Plasma Surface Activation, the component undergoes an environmentally friendly process which does not alter the bulk properties of the

WWW.EPPM.COM

The shift in perception towards Plasma Treatment has meant that it is now widely accepted as the method of choice for the surface activation of 'nonstick' components throughout many manufacturing industries. Over the past decade, the capabilities of Plasma Treatment have advanced incredibly to fit within a variety of manufacturing processes. With Vacuum Plasma in a variety of sizes (with chambers up to 2,000 litres), to our smallest ever Atmospheric Plasma nozzle, Plasma Treatment’s capabilities don’t show any signs of slowing down. www.dynetechnology.co.uk

MATERIALS

Solar Impulse 2: What next? Solar Impulse 2 landed over a year ago, completing its round-the-world, 100 per cent fuel-less flight, and this accomplishment has continued to inspire with the World Alliance for Clean Technologies, supported by materials science champion Covestro.

Bertrand Picc ard

Words | Rose Brooke

year on from the Solar Impulse 2 making its historic landing in Abu Dhabi in September 2016, the expert team behind the world's first solar-powered, round-the-world flight have not stopped.

"Bertrand Piccard was asked 'so are we going to be flying around in an electric aeroplane in future?' And he said 'I'd be stupid to tell you we would and I'd be crazy to tell you we wouldn't'," Thomas remarked.

Piloted by AndrĂŠ Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard, the Si2 travelled 40,000 km over nearly 16 months without using a drop of fuel thanks to 17,000 solar cells, proving that in theory, an aeroplane can fly without fuel indefinitely.

Piccard's Solar Impulse Foundation's Alliance has inspired Thomas and the Covestro team, as the airman scours the planet for investors, materials development ideas, new business models and concepts that can make a significant change to the clean technology space.

In November of last year, the Solar Impulse Foundation launched its World Alliance for Clean Technologies as a legacy to this first flight.

Growing together

Its mission echoes the statement made by Bertrand Piccard upon the Si2's final landing: "If an airplane can fly around the world without a drop of fuel, clean technologies can undoubtedly be implemented on the ground to make a cleaner, more efficient and richer world." The Solar Impulse Foundation's Alliance is supported by its partner Covestro, among other companies and private donors. Covestro provided the materials science to help construct the lightweight aircraft and has remained a constant supporter of Si2 in its endeavours to push the envelope, reflecting the company's own motto of 'making the world a brighter place'.

Diversity for fostering innovation When it comes to innovation, sometimes the weight of years of experience can cloud perspectives, which is why a team benefits the most from being diverse. Patrick Thomas, CEO of Covestro, said: "When you look at the makeup of the people engaged in this type of innovation, it's not all about people who have been doing it for decades. It's about people who don't know what can't be done. "Look at Si2. When we wanted to build Solar Impulse, every aircraft company we went to said it was impossible. Then we went to a boat-building company that didn't know it was impossible and they helped make it happen." Thomas said balance and optimism are essential qualities for innovation, referencing Piccard as something of an inspiration.

Covestro is already invested thanks to the relationship that grew around the Si2 project and the strength of partnership between Covestro and Piccard is mutual. "Things would go wrong so you all grow together on a project like that. Bertrand almost became a brand ambassador for Covestro - he turned up at our launch party and our first birthday party," said Thomas. "So we're now working with him setting up the Solar Impulse Foundation and we've invested both money and people in this foundation to look at how do we find a thousand of the best ideas to prove we can make the world a brighter place." "How do we get so many brilliant ideas from start-ups? How do you enable them? How do you coach them? How do you go from one hero flying around the world with no fuel to a thousand people leveraging that inspiration and getting their clean technology ideas working?" Thomas stated. Until now, there has been no other alliance of its kind gathering clean technology stakeholders from around the world of every size to implement and support the use of clean technology. "Our contribution to the Solar Impulse project proved that we have the technology to make the world a brighter place," commented Covestro Chief Sustainability Officer Richard Northcote. "Through this alliance we intend to accelerate the implementation of these technologies to tackle the challenges society faces while generating business growth."

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EVENTS

Formnext returns to Frankfurt with new friends The leading European meeting place and conference programme for additive manufacturing Formnext Powered by TCT is making its return, bringing with it an expanded exhibition floor and a new partner. Words | Rose Brooke

ormnext Powered by TCT will once again be representing the global elite in additive manufacturing in Frankfurt this November, and this time the event returns with new friends.

The 3D printing and associated technologies show and conference has entered into a new partnership with German mechanical engineering federation the VDMA.

We’ll be working with New deal the leading global platform The Working Group Additive where the world leaders in Manufacturing from within the additive technologies and VDMA will serve as the exhibition's state-of-the-art production honorary sponsor. This partnership enables Formnext to further expand techniques come together its expertise in specific areas of the with international relevant process chains in additive decision-makers manufacturing and other cutting-edge industrial production technologies. "We've been in close contact with the Working Group Additive Manufacturing since 2015, and the in-depth discussions we’ve had have revealed a broad range of potential areas where we can collaborate," stated Sascha Wenzler, VicePresident Formnext at event organiser Mesago Messe Frankfurt. The new partners will be focusing on further efforts to promote the use of additive technologies in industrial production and develop new application areas. "In Formnext Powered by TCT, we’ll be working with the leading global platform where the world leaders in additive technologies and state-of-the-art production techniques come together with international decision-makers from a wide variety of user industries," noted Working Group Additive Manufacturing Director Dr Markus Heering.

International representation Formnext Powered by TCT has become the European meeting place for the international additive manufacturing sector and 2017 will see over 100 companies from more than 20 countries exhibiting their cutting-edge additive innovations on the expanded show floor. The best in 3D printing will be represented, with big names including 3D Systems, Arburg, Concept Laser, Dassault, Envisiontec, EOS, Formlabs, HP, Keyence, Materialise, Prodways, Renishaw, Sisma, Stratasys and Voxeljet all taking their place at the messe. Formnext will also be showcasing how the systems developed by these innovators are transforming industries, with BASF, Sandvik and Airbus subsidiary APWorks showcasing the most sophisticated applications to test 3D printing technology. The event will also be expanding its measurement, software and post-processing representation on the show floor, which will include the likes of Nikon, Faro, Werth, Dassault Systèmes and Sigma Labs.

Parallel conference stages Finally, one of the big draws of Formnext Powered by TCT is the expert-packed conference agenda and this year two stages will be bringing additive manufacturing knowledge in parallel, covering aerospace, healthcare, automotive, heavy industry and tool-making. "In an exciting and dynamic market, Formnext continues to grow apace and underscore its status as the leading international conference and exhibition for additive manufacturing and the next generation of intelligent production solutions," stated Wenzler. Formnext Powered by TCT will take place from November 14th-17th in Frankfurt am Main. www.mesago.de/en/formnext

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EVENTS

Formnext Powered by TCT: The 2017 conference programme Tuesday November 14th to Friday November 17th 2017 TUESDAY 14TH NOVEMBER

WEDNESDAY 15TH NOVEMBER

THURSDAY 16TH NOVEMBER

THURSDAY 17TH NOVEMBER

Keynote