EPPM 20.5 by EPPM Magazine

October 2018 Volume 20 | Issue 05

Robots and the experience of full control

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Volume 20 Issue 05

IN THIS ISSUE Pg 6

Pg 40

INDUSTRY NEWS

COLOUR

We look at the big M&A news to hit the industry

Black is the new black in this issue, in which

and the financial headlines this month, and we

our annual Colour spotlight has come across

sit down with LyondellBasell to discuss

rather gothic.

Pg 48 MATERIALS HANDLING

Sepro champions automation for injection

we review some of the biggest materials

moulding and now the robotics expert is

handling stories of the past month.

champion of control technology.

Pg 53 CIRCULAR ECONOMY Circular economy is the topic on everybody’s lips. We review some of the latest developments

philosophy behind this evolving portfolio

that are helping to close the loop.

of technologies, and how it has become

Pg 20 MASTERBATCH AND ADDITIVES

art & production robert wood

advertising head of media sales lisa montgomery lisa@rapidnews.com senior sales executive david roberts david.roberts@rapidnews.com

ENGEL’s inject 4.0 expert reveals the

a real-world solution.

editorial editor rose brooke rose.brooke@rapidnews.com

production

The unsung hero of plastics processing,

INJECTION MOULDING

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

assistant editor grace nolan grace.nolan@rapidnews.com

COVER STORY: SEPRO

Pg 12

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

C.E.O. duncan wood

its acquisition of A. Schulman.

Pg 8

head office

Pg 58

tel: +44 (0) 1244 680222

subscriptions subscriptions@rapidnews.com qualifying readers europe - free, ROW - £249 outside qualifying criteria £249

EUREKA Additive technology is helping to give more plastics a second life, with one development enabling processors to splice PP and PE.

EPPM explores sustainability with Addivant,

please subscribe online at www.eppm.com Address changes should be emailed to subscriptions@rapidnews.com European Plastic Product Manufacturer is published by Rapid Plastics Media Ltd.

and how circularity is essential in order

Each issue is distributed in print and digital format to 17,845 buyers and specifiers in the European plastic processing industry.

to stay relevant in plastics processing today.

Pg 30

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.

FAKUMA PREVIEW Kicking off our Fakuma Preview we open with a comprehensive floor plan, 21 exhibitor previews and EPPM Editor Rose Brooke’s top Fakuma tips.

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From The Editor

Blackbird singin’ in the dead of night I look forward to the October edition every year, not just because of its Fakuma or K focus (depending on the year), but because we plunge into the world of masterbatch and colour. Plastics is a mechanical game for many of us, a world that is dominated by precision engineering, metalwork, machinery. But the October issue widens the gaze of our editorial content a little into the magic (and I do not use that word lightly) of creating beautiful colour in plastics. This is one of the wonders of plastics processing, the ability to hone specific hues that are more vibrant than anything you could replicate otherwise, thanks to the textures plastic additives can conjure up, giving plastic colour a dimension that is probably only close to being matched via high-quality computer render. But in this issue we dive into the murky depths of black, with three articles dedicated to the darkest end of the spectrum, its history in manufacture, and its perhaps unfair reputation as recycling’s dirty little secret. I hope it’s as enlightening for you as it was for me curating this edition of EPPM.

In this issue we dive into the murky depths of black, with three articles dedicated to the darkest end of the spectrum

Speaking of enlightenment, you may have noticed a rather smart insert slip from the pages of this issue. Please don’t ignore it, because it is a preview of things to come for EPPM, as we are having a renaissance. Yes, the insert you can find between these pages is a little taster of how your favourite plastics processing magazine will look in the new year and we are so excited to bring this new size and style to our community. Maybe we’ll get the chance to talk about it at Fakuma? As ever, keep in touch with us if you are at the show via Twitter and the website, and I hope all exhibitors and visitors to Friedrichshafen have a productive and enjoyable time. Rose Brooke, Editor

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INDUSTRY

Anchor shareholder SABIC has received the final outstanding regulatory approvals from the competition authorities for the purchase of a 24.99 per cent stake in Clariant. An unconditional closing of the purchase will take place in the next few days making SABIC Clariant’s largest strategic anchor shareholder and second anchor shareholder beside the group of former shareholders of Süd-Chemie. SABIC, a long-standing partner of Clariant in the Catalyst joint venture Scientific Design, entered into a purchase agreement regarding the acquisition of the stake in Clariant in January 2018. Hariolf Kottmann, CEO of Clariant, said: “With SABIC receiving all the regulatory approvals and the transaction set to be completed, we look forward to further developing the strategic relationship between both companies to generate value for all stakeholders.” Clariant and SABIC are also discussing possible future collaborations that will generate value for the stakeholders of both companies. www.clariant.com | www.sabic.com

CIRCULAR INVESTMENT

Excellent fit Dutch leading distributor of specialty chemicals IMCD has announced it will be acquiring 100 per cent of the outstanding shares of VELOX.

Borealis has reiterated its commitment to plastic recycling and developing recycling technologies with the completion of its acquisition of Ecoplast Kunststoffrecycling. Ecoplast processes some 35,000 tonnes of postconsumer plastic waste from households and industry annually, transforming these materials into high-quality LDPE and HDPE recyclates for the plastic film market and elsewhere. Borealis anticipates the market for plastic film manufactured from recycled plastics will increase by 2021, which is why it has acquired the company based in Wildon, Austria. “Borealis recognises the increasing need for plastic recycling and sees the Circular Economy as a business opportunity,” stated Borealis Chief Executive Alfred Stern. “Borealis already has a long-term collaboration

with Ecoplast and this acquisition is the next logical step in building our mechanical recycling capabilities.” This is the latest chapter in Borealis’ strategy for sustainable growth. In 2014, it began offering highend compound solutions to the automotive industry, consisting of 25 per cent and 50 per cent postconsumer recycled content. Borealis was also the first virgin PO producer to explore the possibilities of mechanical recycling, by acquiring one of Europe’s largest producers of post-consumer polyolefin recyclates - mtm plastics GmbH and mtm compact GmbH – in July 2016. Since then it has continued to invest into the development of technology and new products in the area of circular polyolefins. www.borealis.com

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Hamburg-based VELOX has a strong foothold in the plastics, composites and specialty chemicals markets of the world and is believed to be an “excellent fit with IMCD’s existing operations”. “This acquisition enables IMCD to further strengthen its position as distributor of speciality plastics and additives,” said Piet van der Slikke, CEO of IMCD. “Our portfolios very well complement each other, and we expect to be able to create more value for our suppliers and customers.” VELOX employs some 225 people in 18 countries and generated €155 million

BUSINESS DIVERSIFIED Brenntag a global chemical distributor, has completed the acquisition of the chemicals distribution business of Canada Colors and Chemicals. (CCC). The acquisition agreement was signed in July 2018. The company says CCC offers a full-line portfolio with operations in the main industrial areas across Canada, serving a diversified customer base in industries such as, life sciences, water treatment, coatings, construction, energy and mining. “With the acquisition of CCC, Brenntag strengthens its focus and specialties capabilities in both Life Science and Material Science,” said Steven Holland, CEO Brenntag Group. “CCC’s broad positioning and extensive product and service portfolio perfectly complement Brenntag’s offer to our customers and suppliers.”

Unification process On completion of the acquisition of Treofan Americas, CCL Industries announced it would immediately launch its Innovia Films rebrand. The purpose of the rebrand is to unify the new larger company which has a broader global footprint and to align the branding closer to the CCL corporate styling. The challenge was to find a logo that allowed Innovia Films to remain independent, while creating something that was modern, global and distinctive. “We are very happy with the new design,” said Günther Birkner, President, CCL Label Food and Beverage WW, HC Specialty WW and Innovia Films. “Working together with the agency they have managed to capture the essence of what Innovia Films does while transitioning the brand closer to CCL. This achieves the stated objectives and gives the larger films segment the opportunity to harmonise its global identity under a refreshed contemporary brand.” www.innoviafilms.com

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in 2017. Established in 1993, VELOX distributes composites, additives, rubbers, paint and coatings specialties. “Joining IMCD will provide VELOX with excellent opportunities to further develop and execute its strategy as a leading distributor to the plastics- and composite industries,” said François Minec, General Manager of VELOX. www.imcdgroup.com | www.velox.com

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INDUSTRY

‘Continuously innovating’ LyondellBasell acquires A. Schulman LyondellBasell talks partnership, Advanced Polymer Solutions and the circular economy with EPPM after announcing the completion of the A. Schulman acquisition. WORDS | Rose Brooke

yondellBasell’s completion of its acquisition of A. Schulman was one of the summer’s biggest plastics stories, making the global chemicals giant the world’s largest compounding company.

LyondellBasell purchased A. Schulman, headquartered in Ohio, for $2.25 billion (€1.94 billion, £1.73 billion) on August 21st 2018 - the organisation’s largest acquisition. With the deal, the company has created a new If you’re not innovating reporting segment christened Advanced then eventually you’ll find Polymer Solutions for all LyondellBasell yourself without much compounding as well as specialty products. At the helm of this new segment is business Executive Vice President Jim Guilfoyle, who will oversee LyondellBasell’s current polypropylene compounding, Catalloy thermoplastic resins, and Polybutene-1 businesses in combination with A. Schulman’s engineered composites, masterbatch, and specialty powders positions. As well as the clear market advantage to the acquisition, bringing greater value to shareholders, Guilfoyle explained that the A. Schulman deal was enhanced by the shared synergies between both companies, which will hopefully support greater growth in the years to come. Guilfoyle – who has spent the last three years running LyondellBasell’s downstream chemicals business – is returning to polymers and compounding and will be working to bind LyondellBasell and A. Schulman together, reporting on the Advanced Polymer Solutions segment separately to provide shareholders with the transparency LyondellBasell is proud to bring to all its stakeholders.

Breeding ground for innovation The new venture is a breeding ground for innovation and will be bringing new products to market using both companies’ resources and competencies. “In this business there’s always innovation,” said Guilfoyle. “If you’re not innovating then eventually you’ll find yourself without much business. Innovation is a critical component of our structure and we need to be continuously innovating new products for our customers.” The innovation process does not happen in isolation at LyondellBasell. Guilfoyle explained that new products are developed with customers to achieve the right properties. The biggest trends driving the company to develop polymers that can go further than the competition are not surprising – lightweighting to improve fuel efficiency and align with emissions tax, and innovation for electric vehicles. The A. Schulman acquisition opens up a great deal of opportunities for LyondellBasell’s current developments, such as the Hyperzone HDPE resins developed predominantly for plastic pipe and largepart moulding markets. Guilfoyle explained that thanks to A. Schulman, Hyperzone resins can be further customised using additive technology, opening up new grades of flexible or stiff HDPE polymers which can be utilised in multiple markets. A. Schulman boasts a comfortable position within a diverse set of markets including packaging and agriculture. While polyethylene, inclusive of Hyperzone, and polypropylene developments as commodities do not fall under the Advanced Polymer Solutions segment, innovation from one can be passed to the other as LyondellBasell works to

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bring lighter metal replacement products to automotive for fuel efficiency and electric vehicle technology. “It all comes around to the sustainability approach the industry is taking, and around the introduction of more electric vehicle technology,” Guilfoyle explained, adding that as a result, lightweight must be combined with stiffness for safety, which is where LyondellBasell’s research and development teams step in. “Finding the right stiffness and lightweight relative to other materials for a metal replacement polymer creates a really nice opportunity for us to support automotive and sustainability,” said Guilfoyle.

Being a responsible neighbour Sustainability is an important part of LyondellBasell’s pledge for corporate social responsibility – being “a responsible, good neighbour”. The company put its money where its mouth is in March by announcing its joint plastics recycling venture with worldwide recycling technology goliath SUEZ, Quality Circular Polymers (QCP). And with A. Schulman, LyondellBasell has another partner committed to the principals of circular economy. Guilfoyle explained that A. Schulman’s foundations were laid in 1928 when founder Alex Schulman made a business out of giving scrap rubber a second life. The business flourished as a result of the Second World War when demand for rubber increased, supplying recycled rubber to tyre-manufacturers and manufacturers of window seals and other products.

“A. Schulman today still carries on that legacy through their recycling of scrap plastic collected from customers and other producers, which they bring back into the process,” Guilfoyle stated. LyondellBasell’s venture with SUEZ and the A. Schulman acquisition positions the company nicely for a new era for plastics manufacture, where recyclability and efforts to close the loop are examined much more closely than they were before. The company has also entered into an agreement with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany to advance chemical recycling technologies for waste plastics and help close the loop for more plastic manufacturing streams. The partnership aims to develop new catalysts and process technology to break down waste plastics such as difficult-to-recycle multilayers and hybrid plastic packaging into monomers for reuse. “A. Schulman, our university partnership and the QCP venture are very much in-line with the goal of circular economy,” Guilfoyle stated. “Both of these support LyondellBasell’s move to really put sustainability at the forefront, and talking more openly about plastic waste management, which is critical for our industry.” LyondellBasell will mark this era of change with representation on the A. Schulman booth at Fakuma 2018.

www.lyondellbasell.com

A. Schulman today still carries on that legacy through their recycling of scrap plastic collected from customers and other producers, which they bring back into the process

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COVER STORY

Robots and the experience of full control Automation on the factory floor, coupled with technology that gives you full control, is the key to profitability and leadership in the marketplace. Champion of automation and robotics for injection moulding Sepro explains how. WORDS | Jean-Michel Renaudeau, CEO, Sepro Group

any people think of robots as labour-saving devices, but I find that to be a very limited view. Certainly robots can optimise employee utilisation, allowing personnel to be more productive and to enjoy more interesting and satisfying work, while robots handle the tedious, repetitive tasks involved in injection moulding. However, the fact Control means there is is, the biggest benefit that comes with robotic automation is control. no need to compromise With robots, plastics processors experience a much higher level of control over almost every aspect of their business. To understand how, let’s take a quick look back 25 or 30 years to a time before moulders used robots for part removal. Before robots were first used in injection moulding, parts either dropped from the mould onto a conveyor or into a bin, where they could be damaged physically or cosmetically. The only alternative was to use a human operator to manually open the IMM gate, reach into the machine and pull the part or parts out of the mould. This gave processors some control over the moulded part and prevented damage. However, the trade-off was that the operators, being human, performed inconsistently. They might be slow to remove a part, delaying the start of the next cycle and reducing the number of parts that could be produced in a given span of time. They might take breaks or need to go elsewhere in the plant for supplies. Meanwhile, the machine sat idle while the material in the barrel overheated and the mould surface cooled, which meant that when the next few parts were produced, their quality could be compromised. Robots, on the other hand, could do the same thing over and over again, tirelessly and flawlessly. That meant, for the first time, moulders knew their machines could run far more consistent cycle times and deliver higher quality and productivity. They knew that they could rely on consistent throughput for each robot-equipped press, hour to hour and shift to shift. With greater control over the part, the cycle, and other key production metrics, moulders found that they could schedule their presses more tightly, improve equipment utilisation rates and be more confident of maintaining

production levels and meeting deadlines. They took control of more variables of business success. When robots were paired with customised, multifunctional end-of-arm tooling, insert feeders, and inspection, assembly and packaging systems, moulders could deliver components to their customers in a more finished form. This moved secondary manufacturing operations out the customer’s plant (reducing their costs and increasing efficiency) and into the moulder’s plant. And it gave moulders another degree of control over the growth and profitability of their business.

Putting you in command At Sepro, we understand that our robots help you to control the injection-moulding cycle and many other aspects of your company. We know that your ability to control production processes is vitally important, so we give you as much of it as possible, starting with the amazing Visual control platform. Developed by Sepro specifically for injection moulding, it makes programming Cartesian robots easy, from the smallest and simplest pickand-place unit to the largest and most technically advanced. And, when we found that moulders using articulated-arm robots often had to use a different controller developed for general industrial applications – and frequently needed a programmer with advanced training – we adapted the Visual platform to make programming in six axes almost as easy as in three. This effort was so successful that it won a 2017 Silver Mechatronics Innovation Award as one of the best European innovations in technology combining electronics and mechanical engineering. To put you, and keep you, in command of your own success, Sepro will introduce an entirely new generation of robot controls at K 2019. They will include ergonomic features, similar to those found on tablets and smartphones, plus simulation and learning functionality to make programming even easier. Software plug-ins will actively assist operators with functions like optimisation of the robot cycle, routine maintenance and troubleshooting.

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Just as robots help you control much more than part removal, Sepro gives you control over much more than the robots. It starts with ‘choice.’ We have the largest and most diverse line of robotic solutions in the plastics industry – almost 50 models in all -including those designed and built entirely by Sepro and others developed with outside partners like Stäubli, Yaskawa Motoman and Machines Pagès. So, in this context, control means there is no need to compromise. You select the ideal combination of size, capabilities and economics to suit your application needs. Choice without compromise means that you also have the option to automate any brand of injection-moulding machine, new or existing, and you can buy the machine and robot separately or as part of an integrated package with most of the major IMM brands. Sepro has forged partnerships with more than a dozen moulding-machine manufacturers and, in most cases, the robot controls can be integrated into the IMM controls for simpler set up and operation. So, if you want an IMM/robot package, you are in control. Your choices are not limited to just a few suppliers.

At Fakuma 2018, the Sepro Group stand (A1-1203) will be all about control. We’ll have three operating injection moulding machines, each with robot control integrated into the IMM control. You’ll see a different approach to collaborative robotics that, in some 90 per cent of applications, eliminates the limitations associated with cobots. Our Opticycle app will be available for a test drive, and you’ll be able to explore the details of actual automated moulding cells developed via Solution by Sepro. And, of course, we’ll have a whole range of 3-, 5- and 6-axis robots performing tasks both simple and intricate. So, you see that you are in command. You are the driving force behind what we do. That is the experience of full control of your robots, of your process, of your company, of your future and ours. Exhilarating, isn’t it? www.sepro-group.com

This kind of open integration also extends to include turn-key automation systems. Many of the largest plastics processors in the world have come to Sepro for help in developing moulding cells that can involve multiple robots and specialised end-of-arm tooling (EOAT), plus a variety of feeders (bowl, drawer or manual), inspection devices, cavity separation, degating/trimming, box filling and other equipment – all customised to suit specific manufacturing objectives. Whether you want a fully engineered system, tested, delivered and installed by Sepro, or you only need some advice and a few key components, you are in the driver’s seat and can decide We believe that keeping what is right for your operation.

you in control will require a renaissance in openness, flexibility and collaboration. We call it ‘Collaboraissance’

Experience full control

At Sepro, control is a product we sell... the Visual control that our customers use not only to control their robots, but also their parts, their cycle, their productivity and their profitability. More than that, however, it is also a promise that has driven us to expand our portfolio of robots and related services; it is a commitment to do whatever we can to help you improve your operations and find successful solutions to process challenges. At Sepro, we believe that keeping you in control will require a renaissance in openness, flexibility and collaboration. We call it ‘Collaboraissance’ and it is built on a foundation of partnership. With other automation companies, with injection moulding OEMs, with educational institutions, business groups and, most of all, with you. Sepro works closely with our customers to innovate new real-world solutions like OptiCycle, a control plug-in we developed in partnership with a global automotive moulder to help them overcome a shortage of experienced robot programmers. Its logic makes it easy for employees of all ex p e r i e n ce l eve l s to eva l u a te and continuously improve robot and machine cycle times. Today, it is available to all Sepro customers.

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the next step

Experience progress live – at Fakuma 2018 At ENGEL we have set ourselves the goal of simplifying our customers‘ lives. For this reason, we make complexity manageable and ensure more process stability, productivity and availability with simple smart injection moulding solutions. Take the right steps to the smart factory with our inject 4.0 products and stay as flexible as possible plus sustainably successful. Convince yourself of our proven concepts – live at Fakuma!

s! u t i s Vi 5 A l l a H 4 0 2 5 Stand

www.engelglobal.com

INJECTION MOULDING

Fakuma firsts: We look at Milacron’s injection moulding debuts in detail Exciting offerings for the European market are afoot, as Milacron gives a detailed sneak peak of its Fakuma injection moulding debuts.

ilacron, one of the world’s most recognisable plastics processing names, has announced a number of injection moulding firsts to be on show at its historically gargantuan stand at Fakuma 2018 in Friedrichshafen. In addition to its M-Powered suite of connected services, aftermarket service and support, and DME technologies, the company will be presenting its injection moulding machines, Mold-Masters hot runner technology and control systems, and TIRAD high-precision mould bases.

M-Powered Suite of Connected Services

Fakuma 2018 will also mark the debut of iMFLUX. iMFLUX technology provides real-time adjustment for mould and material changes. Developed by P&G in 2013, the system now operates as a wholly-owned P&G subsidiary. The technology enables filing a mould at a lower melt-pressure profile, allowing a variable filling rate that adapts automatically to the part geometry. Using iMFLUX, moulders can increase productivity by up to 50 per cent on existing injection moulding machines. Milacron’s Elektron EVO 155 will have a 2 cavity iMFLUX mould producing a technical part at an estimated 15 second cycle time. The work cell will have a Mold-Masters Master-Series hot runner system and a TempMaster SeVG+ controller with integrated temperature controls.

Top of the billing is the European debut of the new Milacron M-Powered Suite of Connected Services, bringing the Internet of Things to moulding, giving operators a competitive advantage with access to analytical and support systems allowing them to improve their Fakuma is known as productivity, quality and efficiency.

a leading technical event for the plastic injection moulding industry. Milacron Europe has some expanded offerings we’re excited about.

M-Powered-enabled machines currently include remote service capability with OEE and downtime analytics and data collection with maintenance and parts recommendation intelligence. The Milacron M-Powered product offering will continue to evolve, and Milacron is currently scheduling releases later this year to include services such as the M-Powered Fingerprint.

Quantum 180 Toggle IMM Milacron’s newest and most advanced Toggle machine ever will make its European debut at Fakuma 2018. The Quantum Toggle injection moulding machine is designed to deliver higher productivity, reduced cost of ownership, enhanced performance and advanced technical specifications. Quantum comes equipped with Milacron’s Endura Touch control interface and is available from 125 to 610 tonnes. The Quantum features Milacron’s new generation toggle machine technology that will provide added benefits of reduced energy consumption, lower cycle time coupled with precision and reliability. Milacron’s Quantum 180 will be outfitted with a Mold-Masters E-Multi secondary injection unit, TempMaster M1 controller and an indexing rotary unit in combination with a 2K mould from Wilhelm Weber moulding a twocomponent squeegee at Fakuma 2018. The primary injection of a PC/ABS blend is processed via the Quantum machine followed by the Mold-Masters E-Multi injecting the TPE. The Wilhelm Weber tool with an index plate system has a hydraulically operated wiper that wipes the squeegee from the overmoulded core. Total part weight of 72 grams running a 50 second cycle time.

All-Electric Elektron EVO 155 with iMFLUX The Elektron EVO is the product of Milacron’s years of innovating allelectric injection moulding. The Elektron EVO uses 60 per cent less energy and 90 per cent less water than hydraulic injection moulding machines, reducing operating costs. The stroke precision of its servo-driven axes is significantly greater than top hydraulic systems, making it the best injection moulding machine for the reliable production of high-precision parts and clean room environments.

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“Fakuma is known as a leading technical event for the plastic injection moulding industry. Milacron Europe has some expanded offerings we’re excited about including our newest toggle machine the Quantum T and the European debut of Milacron M-Powered,” said Milacron CEO Tom Goeke. “I’m certain that all of our current and prospective customers will be impressed by the M-Powered IoT suite of products, our revamped injection portfolio and our unmatched Aftermarket service and support offerings.” www.milacron.com

INJECTION MOULDING

Metal and plastics better together? Metal and plastics are often pitted against each other as material rivals in a world where lightweighting and strength are pushed to their limits for automotive and aerospace, but what if they could be injection moulded together?

he plastics world is obsessed by lightweighting in metal replacement applications – especially for automotive and aerospace – but what if metal and plastics can be used together in a stronger, more lightweight solution, rather than choosing one material over the other? In the injection

moulding process we generate a plastic part on top of the metal part in a cavity of the machine

The American Institute of Physics has developed a new laser technology that binds aluminium with polymers in injection moulding applications, potentially transforming the notion of metal replacement. Manufacturing for automotive and aerospace requires strong materials, and joining different materials together sturdily. Binding plastic to metal in a way that is strong and resistant to weathering is expensive and complicated, but new laser technology offers a solution for metal-plastic hybrid materials.

Strong adhesion Engineers from Germany have developed a technique for binding plastic to aluminium by penetrating sheets of the nonmagnetic metal using infrared technology. Published in the Journal of Laser Applications, the researchers found that by roughening the surface of the aluminium with continuous laser beams enabled mechanical interlocking with thermoplastic polyamide, resulting in strong adhesion. “In other joining methods you have a plastic part you want to fit together with a metal part. In the injection moulding process we generate a plastic part on top of the metal part in a cavity of the machine. As a consequence, it is very difficult compared to thermal pressing or other joining technologies because of the specific thermal conditions,” explained Jana Gebauer, one of the paper’s authors.

Optimising the technology Gebauer and her team used both a continuous laser and one that pulsed for 20 picoseconds at a time to make the surface of aluminium sheets more adhesive for a polyamide layer to be moulded over it. The sheets were then placed in an injection mould and overmoulded with thermoplastic polyamide. After this, the researchers analysed the topography of the surface and mechanical tests were carried out to find out what led to such strong bonding. Their analysis found that the aluminium sheets treated with pulsed lasers enjoyed much smoother line patterns in the trenches on their surfaces than those pre-treated with continuous laser radiation. Aluminium sheets treated with infrared lasers also exhibited stronger bonding, but these properties diminished in tests with increasing levels of moisture. More work needs to be done to understand how this pre-treatment can be optimised further to make the process more economical for manufacturers, which is where Gebauer and her team will continue working, supported by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology, the Leibnitz Institute for Polymer Research and the Technical University of Dresden. “The thermal contraction leads to mechanical stresses and can separate both parts. The current challenge is to generate a structure that compensates for the stresses during shrinkage without softening the aluminium by the laser treatment. Now we want to produce a reliable bonding under usage of ultrashort pulsed laser to reduce thermal damage in the metal component,” said Gebauer.

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www.iws.fraunhofer.de

INDUSTRY

Husky gets ISO green light in Luxembourg The Husky Packaging Development Center Luxembourg QC-Laboratory is now ISO 17025 accredited, including best-in-class certification for preform inspection. Husky Injection Molding Systems has announced its Packaging Development Center (PDC) QC-Laboratory in Luxembourg has successfully received ISO 17025 accreditation for preform inspection.

Premium carbide solutions for the plastics industry

“Husky has always been dedicated to delivering the highest quality products and services to our customers around the world and this certification is another example of this commitment. We are delighted that our diligent work in developing this best-in-class laboratory has been recognised for having world leading standards,” said Benoît Muller, Husky PDC Global Manager. To ensure Husky’s Luxembourg PDC QCLaboratory maintains high certification standards, the Quality Management Systems are checked once per year internally by the Management Review and externally by the recurring annual audit of an official OLAS auditor. With this latest accreditation, Husky is now in the unique position to have best-in-class laboratories covering the Americas, Asia Pacific and EMEA, all working according to ISO 17025 standards. This global approach enables Husky to deliver the highest quality, most innovative solutions to customers all around the world, supported by the industry’s most knowledgeable inspection experts. CERATIZIT is a high-tech engineering group specialised in tooling and hard material technologies.

www.husky.co

Tooling the Future www.ceratizit.com

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INJECTION MOULDING

Inject 4.0 goes flat out ENGEL’s inject 4.0 is evolving, taking the smart factory concept horizontal, and opening it up as a tailored technology to suit operations of all sizes. WORDS | Rose Brooke

NGEL’s inject 4.0 is as much about technology as it is about philosophy. After the inject 4.0 conference in Linz, Austria, in June this year, we caught up with Paul Kapeller, Product Manager of Digital Solutions, about where next for the inject 4.0 mission and how much further the injection moulding giant believes it can be taken.

For ENGEL, inject 4.0 means opening up the possibilities of injection moulding for its customers to improve their production. This is achieved through applying technologies that enable integration with the entire factory floor, making a smart factory, utilising automation and control technologies to optimise systems and enable data gathering.

“On the basis of these indicators, the productivity and costeffectiveness of individual sites can be determined, which, for example, allows for planning relocations and more even distribution of capacity in worldwide machine pools, so as to, in the bottom line, reduce the risk of delivery delays. Furthermore, the master data of machines and moulds are essential to the optimal implementation of product introductions and changes,” Kapeller stated.

Constantly expanding

From overengineering to efficiency

The demands of the plastics industry changes over time, and so has the demands and benefits of inject 4.0. The system was originally developed to introduce smart machines, smart production and smart service to the factory floor, transforming it into a smart factory, but now the advantages are so much greater. The inject 4.0 concept now delivers a future-proof model that is constantly being expanded with new technologies, and its current evolution from a vertical to a horizontal platform offers interdisciplinary cooperation along the plastics processing supply chain – but what does this mean?

The foundations for inject 4.0 were laid much earlier than people think, with work on developing self-adjusting, networked injection moulding machines starting back in the 1980s. By the 1990s, Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) became less popular as it became associated with overengineering and adding complexity, as opposed to minimising it. The first seeds for industry 4.0 were nevertheless sewn, leading to today’s modular concepts which are developing rapidly to meet operator expectations for data gathering, productivity and connectivity.

“So far, the path to the smart factory has been focused on the function-related optimisation of individual value creation stages such as production and sales, and on indirect value creation areas within a company such as maintenance management and quality assurance,” explained Kapeller. “To this end, machine and process data are collected and analysed, and the shop floor is vertically linked to the operations management level on the basis of digital representations of the machines and systems. This works very well within a company and with machines or solutions from a single

Now, the Schwertberg-headquartered industry goliath is taking the concept of inject 4.0 even further, by making the system horizontal, so it applies to more than just the injection moulding machine, enabling cross-system communication to empower users to maximise the potential of their production.

How is ENGEL identifying the best, most effective ways to captialise on the industry 4.0 concept for injection moulding? Kapeller explained that economic performance indicators such as Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and managing the quality of the produced part are top of the inject 4.0 agenda.

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provider. The fact is, however, that processors are operating different systems from various providers. Even within an individual cell, different periphery manufacturers are connected. In the production line, machines from different manufacturers are linked together.” “The value of the product may also be distributed among multiple companies,” he continued. “Therefore, in the future, it will be more and more about processing data from systems of various providers and to correlate them with the data of other companies. This is where we come up against the limits of the classic proprietary IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) platforms. That is exactly why now the goal of digital transformation is the transition to horizontal platforms. On a horizontal platform, the know-how and offerings of various companies can be bundled, and processes can be cross-functionally optimised along the entire value chain.”

In the future, it will be more and more about processing data from systems of various providers and to correlate them with the data of other companies

Man vs machine

The concepts of inject 4.0 are simple, but their implications are far-reaching. ENGEL’s CEO Dr Stefan Engleder was proud to say at the inject 4.0 conference that now, the technology is no longer a theory but a working model in real-life factories, but is inject 4.0 the reserve of the big factories, rather than the smaller players? “In the beginning, the large companies and corporations were actually the first to explore the new possibilities for themselves, to work out a digitalisation strategy and to use the new opportunities to their benefit,” said Kapeller. “They were successful in this and brought other companies along. In the meantime, the smaller companies no longer need the big role models. With With our framework, we our framework, we have consistently have consistently pursued pursued a modular approach that makes it very easy, especially for a modular approach smaller companies, to enter into the that makes it very easy, topic of digitalisation and networking. especially for smaller Even individual solutions, such as the iQ assistance systems, provide a very companies, to enter into high benefit.” the topic of digitalisation

and networking

ENGEL’s inject 4.0 technology is not just about the machines, it is also about the role of humans in the smart factory. The skills shortage is a fact, and while Kapeller explained inject 4.0 can ensure productivity where lack of skilled persons is a temporary problem, it is not the beginning of the end for manned factories. Instead, Industry 4.0 means the roles in the factory will change, requiring more data analysts and data scientists, but many of these new roles are yet to emerge as production chains evolve.

Ultimately, inject 4.0 has become a flexible solution that can be tailored to the needs to the customer, expanding as they expand. This coupled with data protection, and a secure communications architecture, continues to reassure the industry that inject 4.0 is a concept it can have confidence in.

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www.engelglobal.com

INJECTION MOULDING

Image credit: Ran Zhang

Injection moulding made more accessible with interactive software tool New program allows novice users to create durable injection moulds.

any plastic objects we see are created using injection moulding, although designing such moulds can be a challenging task which usually requires expert knowledge.

Computer scientists from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), the University of Tokyo, and CONICET have now created an interactive design tool, CoreCavity, that allows nonexperts to create moulds for an object of their choice.

Hollow

Solutions-finder “The computer is able to find solutions that are very unintuitive,” said Bernd Bickel, Professor at IST Austria. “The two halves of the rabbit, for instance, have a curving, complicated connection. It would have been extremely difficult for a human to come up with that.”

The new interactive design tool allows users to quickly and easily design moulds for hollow, free-form objects.

Even after creating a hundred objects, the moulds were still working

When the user is satisfied, the software automatically produces the mould templates, which can then be 3D-printed and used for moulding.

Given a 3D-scan of an object, the software analyses the object and creates a hollow version of the object, where particularly small gaps are considered solidanother of the team’s innovations. The software then proposes a decomposition of the object into pieces, where each piece will be created by one mould, then joined together at the end.

Industry designers, as well as previous design programs, generally rely on straight cuts through the object. In practice, this often leads to a larger number of pieces, as well as “unnatural” divisions. The team has already tested some of their moulds at an injection mould factory near Linz. Auzinger, explained: “The factory employees were surprised at how easy it was to extract the finished objects, as well as how durable the 3D-printed moulds were. Even after creating a hundred objects, the moulds were still working.”

The program can suggest slight modifications to the original design, for example to eliminate tiny hooks that might complicate unmoulding, a feature previous tools were unable to suggest.

Further improvements are already being discussed by the team. One idea is the inclusion of connectors that snap together to ease the final assembly of the object.

By clicking and choosing to accept or reject any proposed modifications, the user can adjust the decomposition.

The software will be presented at this year’s SIGGRAPH conference, one of IST Austria’s five successful submissions. www.ist.ac.at

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MASTERBATCH & ADDITIVES

Additive appointment

BASF Plastic Additives Middle East (PAME), the state-of-the-art production facility for customer-specific antioxidant blends (CSB) in Bahrain, has named Michael Wille its new Managing Director. The appointment marks an important step in BASF’s support of the fastgrowing polymer industry in the Middle East. As the leading manufacturer and supplier of plastic additives in the region, BASF plans to continue to boost the local production of CSB – additive blends tailored to meet specific customer needs. CSB are an integral part of the portfolio the company offers to the plastics industry.

“Since it began operations in 2012, BASF PAME has been the first wholly owned production facility for BASF’s Plastic Additives business in the Middle East and one of the largest of its kind in the world,” said Alberto Giovanzana, Vice President, Plastic Additives, Europe Middle East and Africa, BASF. “We are proud to operate the site with the highest safety and environmental standards. Michael Wille will lead the competent team in Bahrain to maintain these standards and to ensure that we fulfil our commitment towards providing local production and services to the fast growing polymer market in the Middle East, especially to our key customers in the countries of the Gulf Corporation Council.”

LAB-TO-LARGE SCALE ROWA Masterbatch has further optimised its efficiency, quality stability and service by investing in a new laboratory machine ZSK 26. The twin-screw extruder can produce the same product as its big brother ZSK 45 - but to a lesser extent. Thanks to the reliable scale-up that is available, ROWA Masterbatch is now able to efficiently transfer formula developments from laboratory to production scale. With expertise and creativity, the company has demonstrated for over 40 years that there are individual solutions for almost all customer specifications and requirements. In addition to successful cooperation with the customer and, of course, the highest product quality and safety, the focus is also on responsible use of resources. A laboratory machine such as the new ZSK 26, which reliably tests the possibilities for small-scale production, is a helpful component. www.rowa-masterbatch.de

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A MATTE MATTER Additives, compounds and masterbatch leader Tosaf has launched a new matte material that delivers matte finishes without additional conversion. The newly-developed MT7636PE matte additive is suitable for thin (2-5 microns) skin layers that provides superb haze (~80 per cent) with extremely low gloss (<\10). Specific areas with matte effect can become transparent by applying lacquer coating or by gluing a clear stamp on top of the matte layer. Because the new Matte material MT7636PE is based on polymer mixture it has outstanding advantages such as full control of haze and gloss properties on demand, excellent processing and rheology, no fillers and suitability for PE and PP oriented films. MT7636PE achieves a luxurious look, excellent light transmission without transparencies and excellent printing substration, as well as the ability to print clear lacquer for complete transparency. www.tosaf.com

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MASTERBATCH & ADDITIVES

AIMPLAS announces new additives workshop Additives technology thought leadership is at the top of the agenda at a new event hosted by AIMPLAS in Brussels in November.

IMPLAS has organised the first edition of the workshop ‘How to formulate plastics: understanding additives, fillers and fibres’, which is to be held on 20th and 21st November 2018, in Brussels at Leopold Hotel. Luis Roca, Head of the Compounding Department of AIMPLAS, will be talking about additives, fillers and fibres and colouring plastics.

fillers and fibres used in plastics, to identify the properties of plastic additives to obtain the desired properties in the final product, to prevent and solve problems related to additives, to improve product quality and to process and incorporate additives into polymers.

Structured in three main topics, the workshop is aimed at R&D, quality control, and other technical positions and various suppliers who are interested in strengthening their knowledge in the field of polymer modification.

For more information about the workshop, for which EPPM is a media partner, go to the link below for access to a more detailed outline of the event and how to register.

The workshop has several objectives: to learn more about the types of additives,

www.plastics-training.aimplas.net

LANXESS to launch new production line for additive specialties The specialty chemicals company has commissioned a new production line at its Mannheim site for the synthesis of DMTD derivatives. LANXESS has commissioned a new production line at its Mannheim site for the synthesis of dimercaptothiadiazole (DMTD) derivatives. The production line, which started in May 2018, will see a single-digit-million-euro investment double the annual production capacity of these specialty additives. DMTD derivatives are multifunctional additives, initially used as corrosion protection for lubricants in contact with steel alloys containing nonferrous metals such as copper, nickel or cobalt. They prevent the leaching of nonferrous metal ions from the alloy, protect the metal surface from aggressive chemicals, and thus ensure the integrity and longevity of steel alloys. Due to its metal-surface bond, they also act as lubricants, even when under extreme conditions and high pressures metal surfaces start contacting each other.

These additives also interact with and absorb aggressive chemical breakdown products in the lubricant, which could otherwise cause material damage in the long term. “With this investment, we have responded to the increased customer demand for these specialties,” said Dr. Martin Säwe, Head of the Lubricant Additives business line in LANXESS’s Additives (ADD) business unit. “The new plant will enable us to meet their requirements for high-quality lubricant additives, but also helps us acquire new customers, and further develop our own package solutions for a rapidly growing market.” The main areas of application for these products are industrial oils, greases, and metalworking fluids. www.lanxess.com

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MASTERBATCH & ADDITIVES

Fencing in weather resistance

Plastic garden fencing is set to revolutionise the domestic and commercial fencing sector, a global market that will hit £5.5 billion (€6.1 billion) by 2024*. These products are strong, maintenance free, cost efficient and will last for years.

ust as UPVC transformed the windows industry in the 1970s, the same is set for fencing and gates in the 21st century. One manufacturer Colours featuring that is championing this trend is Hybrid Fencing.

infrared reflecting (IRR) pigment technology can offer up to 40 per cent reduction in temperature profiles compared to conventionally formulated colours

Established in 2006 by Tim White in Essex in the UK, it supplies a range of plastic fence and gate products to domestic and commercial customers. Its plastic fencing is produced using quality recycled materials engineered to offer high performance yet, sustainable products.

The plastic fencing is manufactured from recycled polystyrene which is used to provide the core of each fence panel which is then coated with a polypropylene skin, meaning 80 per cent of the product is made from recycled materials. White noticed the company’s coloured fence products - even light colours such as cream - were prone to warping when exposed to

sunlight without counteractive measures. Yet the same product in white did not absorb energy from sunlight, so it never warped as a result.

service temperatures to enhance a product’s durability and in this instance, prevent warping,” explained Tony Gaukroger, Director of Colour Tone.

The problem occurred as one side of the coloured fence panel expanded as it warmed up while the other side remained cool, causing it to contract into a banana like shape, compromising its performance.

“If for example, two objects are placed in direct sunlight whose colour appears identical in the visible spectra, they can be formulated to have completely different reflectance characteristics in the infrared range. The colour designed to reflect the IR radiation will remain significantly cooler than its IR absorbing equivalent under the same environmental conditions.”

White approached specialist additive and masterbatch manufacturer Colour Tone, the developer of Cool Plastics Vynacol infrared reflecting (IRR) masterbatches that are able to help reduce solar energy absorption and therefore, heat-build in PVCu products. Hybrid Fencing’s requirements for a new colour masterbatch were: repeatable colour; colourfast exterior pigments to prevent colour fading over time and most importantly, significantly reduced warping. “Colours featuring infrared reflecting (IRR) pigment technology can offer up to 40 per cent reduction in temperature profiles compared to conventionally formulated colours, resulting in lower

*Global Market Insights, 2018, Global Plastic Fencing Market share is set to surpass USD 6 billion by 2024.

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Following a successful trial of the IRR masterbatch, Hybrid Fencing has received Design Council accreditation for a new range of coloured fence products which will be launched this year. While designed originally for PVCu, this latest application proves this novel IRR masterbatch can be applied to other polymers in numerous markets for its ‘cool plastic’ benefits.

www.colourtone-masterbatch.co.uk

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Temperature control made simple Feeling the heat? Relax, we’ve got it covered. Flexible, reliable and ready-to-use, our Modular Process Control Platform makes process heating and cooling incredibly effortless. Based on your injection molding or extrusion requirements, we configure a solution that’s utterly reliable: temperature-resistant up to 200°C (392 °F), no moving parts, and a dynamic range of 1:200. Benefit from a complete control loop manufactured by fluid experts – it saves you valuable engineering and assembly time. Leave temperature control to us, and take it easy. Want to know more? Contact us: +49 (0)79 40 10-0

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MASTERBATCH & ADDITIVES

‘Everything we do comes back to sustainability’ The sustainability agenda is knocking on everybody’s door in plastics, but what are leaders in additive supply concentrating on to support the circular economy? We caught up with Addivant’s Dr Martin Pavlik, Global Director of Business Development, and Irfaan Foster, Global Commercial Manager, at NPE 2018. WORDS | Rose Brooke

learing the way for sustainability using innovative additives is a big driver for Addivant. We caught up with the leader in polymer additive supply at NPE 2018 to talk about growth in capacity and investment – but it did not take much for the conversation to veer back into the realms of the importance of limiting the impact of manufacturing plastic products on the environment There’s actually a need for the high use of stabilisers in and how Addivant is facilitating this by championing the chemistry that is the polymer to prolong the helping to balance the books when it comes to reducing waste. lifecycle of the polymer or

when compared to conventional solid phosphites, enhancing the architecture of the plastic product it is being deployed for. 705 protects the polymer both in processing plastic products from virgin materials, and from recycled materials.

Addivant has been undergoing aggressive capacity expansions in recent months, more than tripling its capacity for nonylephon-free antioxidant Weston 705 at its West Virginia manufacturing facility in 2017, while it has increased its pace of investment in assets by 40 per cent per year on average since 2015.

When you consider how commonplace LDPE and HDPE are in our cupboards at home, it is easier to get a sense of scale for how much this side of the packaging manufacturing industry is growing. Pouch technology is becoming ubiquitous in today’s shopping baskets. These products are often disposed of within a matter of hours after they are purchased, so demand for producing them in enough volumes to meet demand is under pressure.

to allow multiple cycles

Committed to safety and sustainability Weston 705 was one of the main products under the spotlight at NPE. The breakthrough nonylphenol-free stabiliser is growing in ubiquity within the rigid and flexible polyethylene food packaging sector in North America, Europe and Asia. “We get great messages about Weston 705 from our customers,” said Dr Martin Pavlik, Global Director of Business Development at Addivant. “It’s a product that demonstrates the industry’s commitment to providing safe products for consumers and more sustainable packaging.” Pavlik explained that the polyethylene packaging industry is undergoing massive growth, with the LDPE packaging market set to grow by 4.9 per cent to 2023, according to Research and Markets, and the HDPE packaging market is set to grow by 5.3 per cent to 2025.

“We believe because of the trend for enabling more plastics reuse and recycling, there’s not only a need for high quality, high performance stabilisers, but there’s actually a need for the high use of stabilisers in the polymer to prolong the lifecycle of the polymer or to allow multiple cycles of the polymer to enable recycling,” Pavlik stated.

Adding 705 to LDPE for film costs more than producing the film without, but if that 705 means the film can be processed multiple times as a recycled material then that’s a price that must be paid to support circularity. Pavlik contemplated who bears the greater responsibility for enabling circularity, the manufacturer or the consumer? Adding 705 to the LDPE that will become a pouch is a decision for manufacturers to make, but the responsible disposal of that pouch is up to the consumer. “We are all consumers,” he said, “we make consumer choices. It’s difficult to change the behaviour of the consumer and we need to respond to this.” He continued: “The chemistry in these products gets more sophisticated as consumer habits change. That doesn’t mean there is no solution – we just need to involve more sophistication in product design and that’s what we are doing.”

“There is a lot of excitement about the growth of the industry, but you also have to plan for the future,” he said. “So how do you enable this?”

Capturing the chemistry

Weston 705, Pavlik explained, provides superior safety as well as enhanced polymer performance and higher processing productivity

Pavlik argued that 75 per cent of the energy in a plastic product remains within that plastic, and can be exchanged as heat or

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If there’s no active system for capturing the material to bring it back into the loop then it won’t happen at all

electricity in a waste-to-energy plant, or that plastic could function for a further 40 years if the full use of its chemical potential is captured. Global Commercial Manager at Addivant Irfaan Foster agrees. “It’s something the whole supply chain needs to address. If there’s no active system for capturing the material’s chemistry to bring it back into the loop then it won’t happen at all. All actors need to align themselves and I think that can happen.” Addivant looks at a polyethylene molecule and how many different lives that molecule will lead. Today, that polyethylene might be a bottle cap, but it can then be reincarnated as a bottle, and then as a textile. Addivant additives are supporting this transformation.

The argument for biodegradable plastics does not wash with Pavlik or Foster. Returning to the 75 per cent energy to be harnessed in every plastic product, allowing that to be wasted in nature is futile and bad economics. Biodegradable plastics can coexist with recyclable plastics, but structurally, they cannot be a panacea to the problem of plastics in the natural world. “Everything we do comes back to sustainability,” said Pavlik. “That’s a reflection of the responsibility the industry is facing up to.” He noted that all leaders in the plastics industry must have a sustainability mindset, and when they do, a sustainable pipeline for all plastic products that works for the whole value chain will be laid down. www.addivant.com

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MASTERBATCH & ADDITIVES

ALOK squares up to European masterbatch competition One of India’s leading masterbatch innovators has set its sights on Europe for growth. The European masterbatch market is a highly competitive one, and ALOK Masterbatch is flexing its muscles as a big Asian player looking west for expansion. ALOK is one of India’s leading masterbatch provider, co-creating innovative, reliable and responsible applications for the plastic industry. Since its inception 25 years ago, ALOK has been putting innovation and sustainability at the core of its business to serve its customers better. The company is proud to command its own innovation lab in Delhi, the ALOK Technology Incubation Centre (ATIC), accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). ATIC offers a state-of-the-art facility with a wide array of testing equipment and has been set up with the sole purpose of offering solutions to companies. ALOK’s latest products developed at ATIC comprise of ChromaNox, a single pigment concentrate for colour masterbatch manufacturers offering a dust free colourant system with low filter value and high colour strengths; Matrix F1-G, which reduces cycle time by at least 20 per cent and has ‘drop-in’ properties that dispense more colour from concentrate to wrap the mould in minimal loading; and PermaPlus, a permanent antistatic for films that holds unique properties to mould the film and its parts by offering safety from any electrostatic discharge. www.alokmasterbatches.com

DowDuPont presents silicone masterbatch for agri film A new non-slip silicone masterbatch for agri-film has been presented by DowDupont with better CoF than organic alternatives. DowDuPont has brought a competitive new masterbatch into the increasingly technical arena of agri films. Speaking at the AMI Agricultural Film Conference in Madrid last month (September 18th 2018), Céline Chevallier, Ph.D., product development engineer for Multibase SA, DowDupont Specialty Products Division, presented test data on the dynamic and static coefficient of friction (CoF) and mechanical performance of blown film, the outer (skin) layer of which was treated with the new silicone masterbatch DOW CORNING MB 25-235 permanent slip additive. The new additive squares up to the challenge of developing long-lasting low CoF for seamless throughput, high productivity and consistent quality. DOW CORNING MB 25-235 does not migrate, does not transfer, is efficient at low dosage, can be used through conventional dosing equipment and is designed to be used together with antiblock.

When tested, DOW CORNING MB 25-235 demonstrated lower CoF than organic alternatives. Unlike organics, it only needs to be incorporated into the outer (skin) layer of multi-layer films, reducing the amount required. It is effective at low loadings of 2wt-4wt per cent in the desired film layer, which also minimises haze. The masterbatch did not impact the mechanical properties of the film, nor did it transfer against a non-siliconised layer by contact or migrate through layers with time and temperature. www.dow.com

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Riding on air at Fakuma Fakuma comes around again and the European plastics industry collectively looks forward to a week at one of the sector’s best-loved shows. EPPM Editor Rose Brooke looks at just why Friedrichshafen’s two-years-on-one-year-off event is so popular. WORDS | Rose Brooke

his year will mark my fourth Fakuma. Small fry by many fellow visitors’ standards, with plenty registered to attend clocking up a number of visits well into double digits. After this year’s Fakuma, like Glastonbury, we have to have a fallow year, during which time the industry decamps for K Show in Düsseldorf. They are two completely different animals, Fakuma and K, which is startling considering they might as well be brother and sister shows, but as an industry I think plastics likes how Fakuma is so unique, which is why so many of us have taken this event to our hearts.

Maybe you need reminding of how to get the best out of this little big show

First time at Fakuma? Or maybe you need reminding of how to get the best out of this little big show after a few years out of the game? Let me enlighten you as somebody who is genuinely looking forward to returning to Messe Friedrichshafen in October.

Traveling tales The best ice breaker at Fakuma is undoubtedly the question ‘so, what was your journey like this morning?’ You see, Fakuma in 2017 welcomed some 48,375 visitors. Now Friedrichshafen is a town of only 59,000 people – that’s a tenth the size of Düsseldorf and the population of the entire town only just eclipses the number of people who are welcomed into Messe Friedrichshafen over the course of the five-day event. There are only so many hotels and AirBnBs to snap up in such a small town before the show comes around, so visitors are forced to use their imaginations.

a hotel in Friedrichshafen proper. As you chat to your new contacts at Fakuma you will hear of hire cars back to Lindau or Bregenz, and the rammed autobahn back to Ravensburg. If you are staying in any of these towns as a Fakuma first-timer then do not be alarmed, as many other Fakuma visitors will undoubtedly be going in the same direction – you’re not out on a limb on your own.

Team EPPM takes an unusual but pleasantly uncongested route to Fakuma every day. We fly from Manchester into Zurich and get the train to the delightful town of Konstanz through fields that look like a Milka bar wrapper. We stay in a sweet little hotel near the harbour and every morning and evening of the show, we hop on the Katamaran and sail from Konstanz across Bodensee to Friedrichshafen. Even though it adds an hour onto the journey, the catamaran is comfy and there’s WiFi and a little café on board so it’s nicer than being stuck in traffic. The shuttle bus then takes you free of charge to the Messe. That is just one way of getting to the show – but there are plenty others to choose from unless you are one of the lucky few to snag

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The Fakuma pace We all know what it’s like rushing from a meeting at the back of Hall 6, and having fifteen minutes to peg it to the **se end of Hall 13 at Messe Düsseldorf. At Fakuma that never has to happen. Firstly, the layout of the Messe is so easy to navigate and the advantage of a large quad in the middle of the venue means that it does not take more than five minutes to march from one end of the show to the other, but at Fakuma there is a slower pace all round. Meetings are less formal and there is an atmosphere that encourages you to take your time and smell the coffee while you’re there. And if coffee tickles your fancy then there are plenty large stands equipped with kitchens willing to serve visitors with an espresso and a slice of something to cheer you during your comparatively unhectic work day. The Fakuma pace is something fellow Fakuma visitors will understand. Maybe it’s because the show takes place in a small town, with a beautiful landscape, that encourages a leisurely approach to a day at the event?

What to eat (and drink) My favourite subject: food. South Germany is truly a wonderful place to eat and to drink – and not just if you are a lover of Weissbier and bratwurst (both, of course, are exceptionally good). Try something with spätzle - thick and un-uniform noodles that are often served as a cheesy or creamy side to a schnitzel - and an ancient connection between Bavaria and Austria means the glorious Wiener schnitzel is easy to come by and never disappoints. The pork, beef and veal are especially tasty here and vegetarians can enjoy the flavourful options available made with lots of field mushrooms, paprika and cream. Messe Friedrichshafen has several cafés serving a big variety of tasty things to eat, from virtuous salads to full-blown steak and chips, but many of Team EPPM look forward to a goulash zuppe – a hearty soup of tomato, paprika and beef which for us is the flavour of Fakuma – or a spicy bratwurst with plenty ketchup and mustard at lunch. And to wash it all down? If you are more of a wine than a beer drinker, ask for a good Reisling Trocken for something dry, fruity and refreshing, while an Aperol spritz cocktail is readily available to wet your whistle. Beer is a food group in South Germany and it would be rude not to sample the local brews. And don’t be shocked to see visitors having a Pilsner at 10am on the show floor. EPPM will be at Fakuma so keep an eye out for us as we live tweet and take footage of the event. We’d love to say hello to you if you are a first-timer.

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booth at Fakuma.

during our live demonstrations

how

change

at Fakuma. Reliability. Efficiency. Safety. Stäubli.

Stäubli Booth 1217 - Hall A1.

www.quick-mould-change.com

Stäubli (UK) Ltd - Mail: connectors.uk@staubli.com - Phone: +44 1952 671918

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INNOVATION PARTNERSHIP CONFIDENCE

PIONEERS FOR FLUID INJECTION Since more than 15 years the core business at PME is the development, process support and production of components and installations for fluid assisted injection moulding using water or gas cavity pressure technology. Do you have an idea for a plastic component? - We implement it successfully with you! Get caught up in our passion. Be swept away by our fascination - Our focus is (on) you!

INNOVATIONS ARE OUR PASSION Already several times awarded with the SPE Award for the sucessful implementation of innovative components in the automotive area, we are always seeking after new ways for process developments. Renowned companies like Renault, Audi, BMW or Bosch and many more rely on our extensive know-how. Our maxime: Always looking to move forward and strive for the best. Simply trendsetting and one step ahead!

THE MOST POWERFUL ENERGY ON EARTH IS USED IN A FUTURE TECHNOLOGY

PME fluidtec GmbH Rudolf-Hell-Str. 12 77955 Ettenheim, Germany fon +49 7822 3006-0 fax +49 7822 3006-28 info@pme-fluidtec.de www.pme-fluidtec.de

FAKUMA PREVIEW

bielomatik

ESC

bielomatik technology will be available for Fakuma visitors to view in full action. The process has been enhanced over the last year and machines for series production are now available. The brand new 2-step laser welding process combines the advantages of infrared welding with quasi-simultaneous laser-based welding. Separate periods of heating and joining provide flexibility in the welding process. The mating surfaces are heated flexibly with high scanning speed lasers before they are joined under constant pressure. bielomatik provides consulting on all plastic welding and automation applications from beginning to end using more than 70 years of experience and a wide variety of technologies.

The interlinking of different production processes is a very important component when manufacturing plastic products. This is where ESC comes in. Single printing machines, as well as complex production systems with feeding and/or removing robots and corresponding dryers are in high demand and ESC has the solutions. COMEC and ESC will display at their joint booth various models of the KE, KP and KV series. For digital printing, the new series ESC-Jetrix LX UV-flat bed printing machine will be on show, offering a perfect combination of print quality, high efficiency and low operating costs.

Hall 4, Booth 4111

Hall A1, Booth 1403

www.bielomatik.com

www.esc-online.de

Coperion

Evonik

Coperion and Coperion K-Tron are presenting firstclass plastics processing solutions for the efficient feeding of bulk material into the compounding process. On display will be a Coperion ZS-B side feeder which is used to feed raw materials into numerous extrusion processes. The side feeder is equipped with the patented Feed Enhancement Technology (FET) that increases the material intake capacity in the processing of feed-limited products by up to three times. For the improved feeding accuracy of loss-in-weight feeders, Coperion K-Tron will be presenting the unique EPC electronic pressure compensation system.

Evonik brings its high-performance polymers to Fakuma, including its newly FDA-approved microcrystalline polyamide TROGAMID CX 7323 for food contact. Evonik has supplied TROGAMID CX as a proven, permanently transparent polyamide for the sports, leisure, automotive, cosmetics, medical technology and optics markets for many years. The recent approvals by the FDA and EFSA make the TROGAMID CX moulding compound a BPA-free material of choice for applications such as transparent parts in coffeemakers, blenders/mixers, containers, steamers etc. Thanks to its exceptional microcrystalline structure, TROGAMID CX7323 offers a perfect balance of high transparency and resistance to temperature and chemicals to prevent the formation of tension cracks.

Hall A6, Booth 6406

Hall A4, Booth 4117

www.coperion.com

www.evonik.com

Covestro

FarragTech

Covestro has many yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience in encapsulating lithium-ion batteries for laptops and other electronic devices. To achieve this, the company has developed various polycarbonate blends that meet these requirements and are also extremely impact-resistant over a wide temperature range â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially at sub-zero temperatures. At Fakuma 2018, Covestro will present various battery modules, cell holders, crash absorbers and other products at its stand. The crash absorber exhibited at Fakuma is made of PC-PBT KU-2 7912/4. The material has very high impact strength and particularly high ductility at low temperatures. The honeycomb structure contributes to the extreme impact resistance of the crash absorber.

When working to reduce cycle time, it pays to look at cooling first, but how do you speed up cooling without risking condensation on the mould surface? One possibility of preventing condensation is with the Mould Area Protector (MAP) from the FarragTech. The Austrian company has extended its portfolio by the size XS. As of 2019, this is equipped as standard with a revised version of the previous microprocessor control - the FIT Controller. It has numerous connectivity options which allow mobile access to the system. The new MAP XS is being presented for the first time at Fakuma.

Hall B8, Booth 4206

Hall A3, Booth 3205

www.covestro.com

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www.farragtech.com

QUALITY LIGHTENS.

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

FAKUMA PREVIEW

FEDDEM

IKV and AZL

Machine manufacturer FEDDEM will present its compact FED 26 MTS extruder and an overview of innovative accessories developed in-house. These accessories will provide considerable added value to customers. The FED 26 MTS extruder is particularly well suited for product developments and as a pilot plant in production. The 34 kW motor is water-cooled and has a torque limiting clutch and high-torque transmission that ensures top performance. With a base length of 42 L/D and a 10 L/D module to extend the processing length to 52 L/D, this extruder can also be used for products requiring a longer dwell time.

The AZL and IKV are developing scenarios with companies on how thermoplastic tapes can be used in the production of injection moulded parts. Medium-sized injection moulders, tape manufacturers, machine and tool builders, as well as OEMs and Tier 1s are actively involved in the development. The AZL and IKV invite interested companies to take part in the joint study and the kick-off event at Fakuma. Tape manufacturers and machine and tool builders will gain insight into the requirements and challenges of using thermoplastic tapes from the perspective of processors. OEMs and Tier 1s benefit from the direct exchange with suppliers.

Hall A6, Booth 6217

Hall B4, Booth 4404

feddem.com

www.aachen.polymeroptics.de

Getecha

LWB-Steinl

Getecha presents its customised system solutions for the granulation of production scraps from injection moulding and blow moulding technology. The plant engineering company from Aschaffenburg in Germany will present its clean room granulator GRS 180 and GRS 300 at the show. These slim beside-the-press and central granulators are designed for use in plastic technology production lines, which are subject to increased requirements of cleanliness and hygiene, granulating up to 35 kg (GRS 180) or 80 kg (GRS 300) of material per hour, and hardly releasing any particles (<1,0 µm) due to integrated extraction equipment and special technical sealing solutions.

Injection moulding and automation technology manufacturer LWBSteinl will be making its Fakuma debut, presenting its injection moulding machines for processing elastomer and thermoplastic materials. At the LWB stand, two examples from the vertical machine programme will be on show. Together with a 6-axis robot, they are part of a production plant for producing a rotationally symmetrical plastic/rubber composite parts. In 2017, LWB-Steinl expanded its range of automation technologies for elastomer and thermoplastic injection moulding applications by founding LWB Automation/Weinheim. The product range extends from demoulding aids and manipulation equipment through modular processing cells to the conception of fully automatic production plants.

Hall A3, Booth 3210

Hall 4, Booth 4123

ww.getecha.de

www.lwb-steinl.com

HAIDLMAIR

Maag

Since K 2016, HAIDLMAIR GmbH, the leading manufacturer of injection moulds for beverage crates, logistics containers, dustbins or plastic pallets, has not only invested in additional machining capacities, but has also built up injection moulding digitalisation knowhow through the acquisition of software developers Dataformers, based in Linz, Austria. Together they developed the Mould Monitoring 4.0 sensor system. Beyond this, the most important innovation is the investment in the industry’s largest computer tomography scanner for measuring sample parts. This has helped to close the last gap in the company’s full service portfolio, from the customer’s product idea through to the moulded part.

Maag, a global leader in the manufacture of gear pumps, pelletizing and filtration systems, will be exhibiting examples of its broad-ranging portfolio of extrusion-related systems. Maag will be sharing a stand with filter manufacturer Ettlinger, which joined the group in January. The range of products shown will extend from a gear pump for high pressures, through a dry-cut strand pelletizer and an underwater pelletizing system for the production of spherical pellets ending with a high-performance melt filter with an extra-fine filtration grade for bottle-to-bottle PET recycling.

Hall B2, Booth 2306

Hall A6, Booth 6202

ww.haidlmair.at

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www.maag.com

FAKUMA PREVIEW

MAS

Mimaki

At FAKUMA, MAS will give an overview of the latest versions of the product groups “Conical co-rotating twin screw extruders” and “Continuous disk melt filters” and “DRD dry cleaners for plastic films”, presenting itself as a plant manufacturer. Within the MAS product range the conical co-rotating twin-screw extruder takes up a central position. With its large feeding throat and high delivery rate, it offers great advantages compared with conventional single-screw extruders for all recycling extrusion tasks. Since the conical co-rotating twin-screw extruder is also characterised by a very stable melt pressure, usually no melt pump for pressure stabilisation or pressure build-up is required.

Leading manufacturer of wide- and small-format inkjet printers and cutting machines Mimaki will be showcasing creative solutions for printing on plastic at Fakuma. The company will present workflow solutions for UV-LED printing including the compact, state-of-the art UV-LED direct printing system UJF-7151plus; the UJF3042 MkII for high-performance small-format UV-LED printing; and innovative features of systems solution RasterLink 6. The highlight of the on-site demonstrations will be an automated workflow solution for the UJF-7151plus, developed jointly by Mimaki and Robominds. Using a robotic arm, the printer is loaded and unloaded automatically via an interface solution. This reduces machine make-ready times and will further increase efficiency levels of Mimaki’s systems.

Hall A6, Booth 6409

Hall A1, Booth 1410

www.mas-austria.com

ww.mimakieurope.com

Mesutronic

Moretto

The Plastron 05 K is a new metal separator from Mesutronic. It was developed for the examination of plastic granulates, ground material and powders for metallic foreign bodies. It is used in the injection moulding and extrusion areas for slow-flowing material columns. Both the detector and the ejection unit have been specially developed for this area of use. This results in top performance data for precision, operating reliability and ease of cleaning. Headquartered in Kirchberg im Wald. Mesutronic Gerätebau has been producing innovative metal detection technology for the plastics industry for over 25 years.

Moretto will present “Efficiency 4.0”, which means a plant made up of advanced machinery and solutions, connected and integrated with each other by a supervision system that guarantees total control of the process. Moretto offers a range of products that satisfy the entire preparation process of the plastic material, from its storage in silos to injection moulding. The range also includes technologies and machines, developed to guarantee adequate levels of dehumidification, granulation and dosage of the polymer. These are ideal conditions to allow processors to obtain a high quality final product.

Hall A6, Booth 6306

Hall B3, Booth 3208

www.mesutronic.de

www.moretto.com

Meusburger

Netstal

With the motto ‘everything from a single source’, Meusburger, PSG, WBI and the youngest group member, Segoni will present new and tried and trusted products and services in the field of mould and die making. Mould makers can see many innovations at the stand, such as the build-in cylinder for the smallest installation spaces or the smallest ready-to-use slide unit available on the market. Comprehensive additions to the range of stainless steel products - which are particularly suitable for applications in clean room technology - will also be presented. In the newly created presentation corner, short keynote speeches on exciting topics will be held.

Netstal will be introducing the Smart Operation control option. With its new operating philosophy, the new option for the aXos machine controller offers a sensible separation of the development of applications and the subsequent operation of the machine in the production environment. Its users benefit from a further increase of the effectiveness of their production plants. The aXos controller will continue to offer the usual high flexibility when it comes to programming a wide range of injection moulding applications. Smart Operation provides users with an innovative operating concept to be used in a production environment.

Hall A2, Booth 2313 and 2317

Hall A7, Booth 7304

www.meusburger.com

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www.netstal.com

SIGMA SIGMA Engineering will demonstrate the latest application of its SIGMASOFT Autonomous Optimization. As a consistent further development of the SIGMASOFT Virtual Molding technology, Autonomous Optimization not only offers users the opportunity to perform virtual design of experiments but the software also determines automatically the optimum process configurations to achieve the given target: e.g. short cycle time or balanced part filling with low pressure requirement, with the help of a fully automatic optimisation.

Hall A5, Booth 5105

PLASTICS TECHNOLOGY UNDER CONTROL

INTERNATIONAL SPECIALIST

www.sigmasoft.de

IN TEMPERATURE AND PROCESS CONTROL FOR PLASTICS AND COMPOSITES

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH has chosen the motto “Precision. Power. Productivity.” to showcase the company’s commitment to continuity and its high level of expertise in three core target markets. This year, the IntElect S will run a medical engineering application to demonstrate the new all-electric machine series for high-speed parts. An El-Exis SP 200 will run a high-speed IML application from the packaging segment and a versatile Systec Servo with advanced IMD technology, a new design and functional integration for the core segment of automotive applications.

Hall B1, Booth 1105

HOT RUNNER CONTROL

MOLD TEMPERATURE CONTROL

www.sumitomo-shi-demag.eu

VALVE GATE CONTROL

WINDSOR WINDSOR will demonstrate its entrepreneurial diversity with three exhibits. The SD300SV from FCS further expands the company’s offer of servohydraulic injection moulding machines (IMM), a fully electric J100ADS from JSW works with an actuator mould for medical device applications, and the PxP73 is an independent injection unit which virtually sets no limits to upgrading an IMM towards multi-component injection moulding. PxP 73 is a new version within the PlugXPress range - a self-contained injection unit comparable to an IMM without clamping system.

Hall A7, Booth 7207

PRODUCTION & PROCESS MONITORING

www.sise-plastics.com e-mail: sise@sise-plastics.com

www.windsor-gmbh.de

Tel. +33 4 74 77 34 53 of +32 475 69 11 29 WWW.EPPM.COM

COLOUR

Carbon black under the microscope From its ancient history in China and Egypt, to the importance of particle size, to its incredible conductive properties, we take a closer look at carbon black and how it’s helped shape civilisation. Words | Rose Brooke

e know the term well, but there is much more to carbon black than meets the eye, which is why we are taking the opportunity to look a little more closely at the darkest colour and its history.

In many ways, carbon black’s uses haven’t changed since it was adopted by the ancient Egyptians to record events on papyrus

To begin, carbon black is so-named because it is derived from naturallyoccurring fuel such as wood or petrochemicals and in plastics, it is produced through the incomplete combustion of a petroleum feedstock. It is, as DT Norman of the Witco Corporation in Houston puts in his white paper Rubber Grade Carbon Blacks, ‘an elemental carbon in the form of extremely fine particles having an amorphous structure’, with the features of the substance being controlled in production by partially combusting oil or gas.

Carbon black’s colourful history

This is a slightly more sophisticated system than the lampblack method, which has been used since ancient times, burning the raw material and piping its emissions in an ‘L’ shaped chamber which is cooled with water where the substance gathers like soot in a chimney.

Size is everything The particle size of carbon black affects its colour. The smaller the particle, the higher the level of light absorption. Dispersion then becomes difficult due to increased coagulation force. Structure too affects blackness and dispersion. An increased structure size, Mitsubishi Chemical explains, improves dispersibility but lowers blackness, while carbon black with a larger structure displays good conductivity. Particle size can vary from 14m to 90 m.

Carbon black has a varied and long history. The earliest incarnation of carbon black, soot, can be traced back as a pigment to the ancient Egyptian and Chinese civilisations where it was utilised as an ink. Carbon black as we know it today, became more widely produced for industry and the decorative arts in the 19th century, when in the 1860s a smoky natural gas flame was used in the combustion process, with the carbon black deposits being moved into cool revolving drums. The resulting powder absorbed the light due to its fineness and it proved a stable pigment that was not affected by exposure to the light or the atmosphere. At this point, the term carbon black stuck, when previously the pigment had been referred to as lampblack due to a chimney-like production process. This production system evolved in the mid-20th century when the oil furnace method was adopted.

The oil furnace method The oil furnace method has prevailed since 1947, utilising aromatic hydrocarbon oil as the raw material for incomplete combustion. Asahi Carbon reveals that its oil furnace method elevates the feedstock’s combustion temperature to 1,000 degrees, with the entire process taking two seconds at most. The raw material is held

in a separate chamber to the 1,300 degree furnace, and water is utilised to stop the reaction and control the temperature.

Applications Black has always looked good, so carbon black has a home in a many applications, but its structure and the ability to engineer it to display specific light dispersion or conductivity means it is an especially useful substance both as a pigment and a reinforcing agent. In many ways, carbon black’s uses haven’t changed since it was adopted by the ancient Egyptians to record events on papyrus, or by the ancient Chinese on their bamboo scrolls, as it is widely used in printing inks and toners today thanks to its particularly intense black colour. In plastics processing, carbon black has a great deal more to offer as a powder or a pellet masterbatch. It is utilised in antistatic films and fibres and in electronic application as an electric conductive agent because carbon black particles have a crystalline structure similar to graphite, making it an excellent conductor. Indeed, carbon black will change into graphite at temperatures exceeding 3,000 degrees. It is used in plastic paints, elastomers, adhesives, pastes and films for its antistatic properties. A good example of everyday carbon

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black usage as an antistatic filler is in automotive fuel caps, ensuring drivers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t shocked when they go to fill up at the petrol station. Carbon black provides stable thermal resistance for electronic equipment, so it is often found in magnetic recording equipment and in display technology. Its thermal stability and tinting strength makes it a good fit for heat-formed films, while just a small amount can absorb UV rays, providing good weather and light resistance for applications that have to last in more extreme conditions such as automotive tyres and bumpers.

Worldwide popularity Unsurprisingly, carbon black is pretty popular. It is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top 50 most-manufactured industrial chemicals based on annual tonnage, with 8.1 million tonnes of carbon black being produced Magazin: EPPM on Sprache: EN the planet each year. A staggering 90 per cent of carbon black produced ends up in rubber applications due to its overwhelming suitability for automotive tyre applications, while nine per cent of carbon black is utilised as a pigment and the remaining one per cent (which is still 81,000 tonnes) is used across many other applications for its various mechanical properties.

Format: 164x235+3mm

Thema: Maschinenbau Katalog

AS: 05.09.2018

JIGS AND FIXTURES

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BRAND NEW CATALOGUE MACHINE AND JIG CONSTRUCTION Plates with standardised dimensions and measurements according to customer specifications Bars in different variations and a number of dimensions Standard components especially for gauge and jig construction

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COLOUR

Milliken helps colour and protect PU foam products

www.milliken.com

Milliken additives will display its PU portfolio at Foam Expo Europe 2018. Milliken will display its portfolio of products for the polyurethane industry at the 2018 Foam Expo Europe, including its Reactint colourants, and its Milliguard and AlphaSan additives. The company will also highlight a new range of colourants that it says delivers brighter, stronger, more intense and effective shades to PU foam. Reactint colourants are reactive polymeric liquid colourants that consist of chromophores that chemically bind

to polyols and supporting foamers who offer Deep Colour Foam. The colourant reacts into the polyurethane polymer matrix, yielding deep, vibrant shades of foam.

suppliers, and other PU producers, it improves the quality and durability of final PU parts by preventing odourcausing degradation by products and discoloration caused by exposure to light, heat and NOx.

Milliken’s Milliguard AOX antioxidant protects polyurethane and other thermoset polymers from oxidation and degradation.

Milliken’s product line of Milliguard UVX UV absorbers protects PU from yellowing and degradation caused by exposure to UV light.

Specially designed to support polyurethane flexible foamers, polyol

Its liquid form allows for easy handling and metering, helping PU producers

and converters to deliver fresh, longlasting urethane products with lower VOC and FOG emissions. Reactive in nature, these UV absorbers are widely used in PU for furniture and bedding, building insulation and automotive applications. Encapsys slow release capsules provide the longer lasting benefit for ingredients such as essential oils and fragrance, antimicrobial, malodor control and insect repellents.

Pel Plastic inspired by Clariant’s ColorForward 2019 Clariant’s colour trend forecasting tool helps Pel Plastic complete product design experiment. Clariant has announced the completion of a collaborative project with Pel Plastic. Clariant’s colour trend forecasting tool, ColorForward, has inspired Pel Plastic to experiment with a different approach to product design. “We saw that ColorForward is based on research into social trends and how they could influence the way consumers respond to different colours in the near future,” explained Mirella Sala, Key Account Sales Manager for Pel Plastic. In collaboration with Clariant, the Pel Plastic team began by picking one colour from each of the four ColorForward 2019 themes.

working on the texture that would be applied to the moulded plastic, resulting in line with the trend theme, enigmatic, somewhat contradictory and distracting, but eventually resolving itself to bulls-eye focal point it says. The exterior surface of the prototype, a standard shape Pel Plastic uses to evaluate textures, is smooth, while the texture is created on the inside or backside of the part.

Selecting the Do Not Disturb trend theme and a transparent light green called “focus”, this trend theme is based on the idea that technology makes it easy for people to become distracted. For that reason, the company says the colour palette for Do Not Disturb is simple, serene, soft, and minimal. After settling on the colour, the Pel Plastic team began

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Clariant says this construction creates depth and an almost pearlescent appearance, even though there are no pearl pigments in the colour. www.clariant.com

COLOUR

Any colour as long as it’s NOT black Henry Ford may have had it right about how to make every car on the road look good, but when it comes to food packaging, black is becoming increasingly unfashionable. Here are what two major UK-based organisations are suggesting manufacturers do to combat the issue of black packaging being sent to landfill. Thinking outside of the paintbox could be the key to improving recycling rates in Europe. Black and dark-coloured plastics are not unrecyclable, but they are often overlooked by infrared sorting technology in the waste stream unless the plastic contains detectable black colourants, thus ending up in landfill where the technology ensuring the darker plastics are picked do not exist – which in the UK is more often than not. A report from the Local Government Association (LGA) revealed that 525,000 tonnes of plastic trays, pots and tubs are used by households in the UK annually but just 169,145 tonnes of this haul is recyclable. This is not just an issue for British recycling rates, as the issue of unpickable plastics translates across Europe and the wider world. Both the LGA and WRAP (the charitable organisation the Waste and Resources

Action Programme) are calling for more to be done to ensure plastic packaging has the best possible chance of being recycled, which means looking at colour.

recovery technology. The trays can then be recycled back into food grade trays, and if enough CPET is collected, the closed loop system can be financially viable, but currently not enough CPET is making it into the recycling stream.

NIR detectable colourants WRAP suggests a phased approach, beginning with utilising NIR detectable black colourants, which have been successfully deployed in APET, CPET and PP trays that have been detected for commercial recycling. Although costly, WRAP believes the cost of using detectable colourants will diminish as demand rises. Black CPET trays commonly used for ready meals packaging are not currently detected by optical sorters but WRAP has succeeded in its work with Marks and Spencer and Sainsbury’s that by using alternative black dye pigments this packaging can be detected by

Low-grade ban Until the sorting technology is invested in to collect difficult-to-detect darker plastics, the LGA is calling on the manufacturers to do what they can to ensure their products are sortable, naming and shaming spread and ice cream tubs, ready meal packaging, meat packaging, fruit and vegetable punnets, polystyrene trays and yoghurt pots as the biggest culprits. Spokesperson for environmental matters at LGA Judith Blake said: “We’ve been calling for producers of unrecyclable material to develop a plan to stop this from entering the

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environment for years. That needs to happen urgently, but the Government should now consider banning low-grade plastics, particularly those for single use, in order to increase recycling. “If manufacturers don’t want to get serious about producing material which can be recycled and protecting our environment, then they should at least contribute towards the cost that local taxpayers have to pay to clear it up.” Even just for CPET trays, the financial benefits of ensuring these materials are sortable by tweaking their colour chemistry are staggering. According to WRAP, if all black CPET trays in the UK were collected for recycling, this would amount to 30,000 tonnes of plastic being diverted from waste to energy plants or landfill, saving local authorities between £2.2 - £2.8 million (€2.4 - €3.1 million) annually in disposal costs. www.wrap.org.uk | www.local.gov.uk

C C M M Y Y CM CM MY MY CY CY CMY CMY

K K

COLOUR

Black magic OK, so it’s not magic – but NIR sorting technology is a real life dark art, allowing black plastics to be separated for recycling thanks to technology such as Ampacet’s black masterbatch solutions.

mpacet, a premier global provider of masterbatch and additive materials, services and solutions, has developed carbon black-free masterbatch solutions that can help to significantly reduce the carbon footprint by providing a second life for black plastic packaging.

These carbon black-free products are part of Ampacet’s sustainable development programme, which features new and innovative solutions that help to protect our environment.

Adding value These black masterbatch solutions are near-infrared (NIR) transparent to allow sorting with near-infrared optical sensors and recycling. This technology enables the reuse, repair and recycling of black packaging waste and allows recyclers to add value to this waste and support the circular economy. Europe has entered in the transition period from a linear to a circular economy and The European Commission adopted an ambitious Circular Economy Package with clear targets for reduction of waste and recycling. In a circular economy, reuse, repair and recycling become the norm and waste is a thing of the past. To recycle plastic packaging into useable resins, plastic waste is presorted by resin type at plastic recovery facilities. Presorting, an essential and challenging step, especially with the various characteristics of each resin type, results in a pure stream of resin. In most recovery facilities this is accomplished with automated sorting technologies using near-infrared optical sorters.

UV absorption The key limitation to near infrared optical sorting is its inability to identify and separate plastics that contain carbon black, the most commonly used black pigment. Carbon black absorbs a significant part of the ultraviolet and infrared spectrum, preventing the reflection of infrared light back to the sensor and consequently blocking the recognition of the resin’s fingerprint by a NIR scan. While most black packaging cannot be sorted by recycling companies and can only be disposed of in a landfill or used for energy recovery, packaging using Ampacet’s carbon black-free masterbatch products can be scanned by near-infrared technology for automated sorting at recovery facilities. www.ampacet.com

This tech no reuse, re logy enables the pair and recycling black pa of ckaging w aste and recyclers allo to add va lue to this ws waste

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FarragTech GmbH is proud to look back on over 25 years of experience in the field of plastics periphery. With our products come long term improvements in plastics manufacturing and equipment for which we grant a 5 year full warranty. We insist on quality - you should insist on FarragTech! • Plastics resin drying • Internal cooling for blow molders • Mold sweat protection • Special solutions

Visit us at www.farragtech.com

MATERIALS HANDLING

Grieve presents new 288°C shelf oven Complete with timer technology, Grieve is bringing a new high-temperature oven to the materials handling market for efficient powdered resin drying. Grieve is presenting the new No. 859 288°C shelf oven to the market for efficient on-site powdered resin drying.

wire heating elements, while a 1000 CFM, 1-HP recirculating blower provides horizontal airflow to the workload.

As compact as it is hard-working, the workspace dimensions of this oven measure 44” W x 30” D x 60” H. 12 KW are installed in Nichrome

This Grieve oven has 4” insulated walls, Type 430 stainless steel interior and four independent doors for access to workspace, each opening

20-1/2” wide x 28-1/2” high. Features include 32 trays 19” wide x 29” long x 2-1/2” deep, a weekly timer to start and stop oven and a digital timer for each compartment with button and pilot light to indicate end of cycle.

controller, manual reset excess temperature controller with separate contactors, recirculating blower air flow safety switch and a 10” diameter circular chart recorder.

Controls on the No. 859 include a digital indicating temperature

Conair presents railcar unloading touchscreen control Conair has introduced a new railcar unloading controller to the materials handling market this year, which can be operated via touchscreen. Introduced to the market earlier this year, Conair has launched a new materials handling system for FLX-128 Plus in its innovative Railcar Unloading (RCU) controller. The RCU controller is the first of its kind, allowing users to view and manage the entire process - railcar unloading, silo selection, material routing, and silo filling – on one touchscreen. “More and more processors are purchasing – or thinking about purchasing – resin in railcar quantities to reduce material and production costs,” said Doug Brewster, Conair’s Conveying Systems Manager. “The RCU controller offers them the ability to set up and manage bulk-resin handling securely and economically, with plenty of future expansion capacity. Because it shows and controls the entire process on one touchscreen, it saves a lot of time and labour.” The new controller is easy to configure. On the touchscreen, users follow a diagram to identify and enter all system elements – railcar unloaders, airlocks, pumps, directional valves, silo receivers and silo level sensors. Then, by configuring pumps, airlocks, and directional valves, users can create and test material pathways that route resin from any railcar unloader to any silo. In all, the RCU controller is powerful enough to manage up to five railcar unloading systems and airlocks, up to 12 multi-position valves for directing material flows through conveyor plumbing to the selected silo, and receiving, filling and level monitoring operations in up to 30 silos. www.conairgroup.com

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www.grievecorp.com.

An Excellent Measurement Experience •

Precision measurement for wall thickness, eccentricity and diameter

•

Quality at its highest level

•

A measurement to rely on

RAYEX S_EN_A5.indd 1

14.06.18 11:20

Whatever the material – Tinius Olsen has the solution The VEM Series of Video Extensometers Meet us and see the VEM at

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www.tiniusolsen.com sales@tiniusolsen.co.uk 01737 765001

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MATERIALS HANDLING

FANUC extends SCARA materials handling range Compact, speedy and easy to use, FANUC has extended its SCARA materials handling robot range with a new offering, which combines these benefits with double the payload capacity.

ANUC has added a model capable of processing parts of up to 6 kg in weight to its popular range of Selective Compliance Assembly (SCARA) robots for materials handling.

The SR-6iA is ideally suited for a variety of applications within a circular working envelope, including fast automated assembly, testing and inspection, packaging, and material handling. It is FANUC’s largest SCARA robot to date, with a horizontal reach of 650 mm and a vertical stroke of 210 mm; while its high inertia capacity allows it to handle larger workpieces up to 6 kg.

Ultra-compact

Previous models have boasted speed of operation and compact footprint, yet our newest offering combines these benefits with double the payload

Intelligence

As with other models in the range, the SR-6iA benefits from an ultra-compact footprint (180 x 258 mm) to avoid interference with peripheral devices. Its lightweight design – coupled with The robot is simple to integral air lines, 24VDC power and program via the intuitive I/O signal cables, as well as optional solenoid valves –enables easy system iRProgrammer, which can integration and continuous fast be accessed remotely operation.

via a PC or tablet

The robot is simple to program via the intuitive iRProgrammer, which can be accessed remotely via a PC or tablet and further space can be saved thanks to the streamline R-30iB Compact Plus controller. The SR-6iA is available with a bottom cable exit or wall-mounting equipment, depending on the application.

The SCARA range also offers the same intelligence and reliability available on all FANUC robots, including integrated iRVision, force sensing, conveyor tracking, fieldbus connectivity, integrated safety, and most other software options. “Previous models have boasted speed of operation and compact footprint, yet our newest offering combines these benefits with double the payload capacity, as well as extended reach. As such the SR-6iA can open up new market opportunities for industrial endusers by improving the capacity they can offer their own customers,” said Andrew Armstrong, Sales and Marketing Manager at FANUC UK. “As with all FANUC robots, ease of use is at the heart of the SR-6iA. Whether users are season factory automation experts, or completely new to the concept, the intuitive iRProgrammer can ensure that their new investment is up and running in no time at all. While the SR-6iA may be one of the most compact in the FANUC portfolio, it can still lead to tangible increases in productivity and, ultimately, profitability.” www.fanuc.eu

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MATERIALS HANDLING

Flexibility underwater N

iederberg-based Intelligent Pelletizing Solutions has extended its range of customised strand pelletising systems by underwater pelletising systems. The first two ipsUWG 75 S systems have now been put into operation at Delta Kunststoffe in Weeze on the Lower Rhine.

“The innovative approach of the ips underwater pelletising systems such as the pelletiser’s swivel system or the simple blade head replacement had us convinced,” said Manfred Fiedler, Operations Manager at Delta Kunststoffe.

Delta Kunststoffe AG specialises in colour master batches, electrically conductive plastics, additive batches and special compounds. As an experienced compound contract manufacturer, Delta also produces respective products in accordance with customer specifications. The independent compound manufacturer already uses several conventional strand pelletising systems from ips for its product range.

“The extremely clear layout and user-friendliness of the control design is a great boost for our machine operators. Another important aspect for us is that ips took the user-specific demands we make on the machine into consideration without restrictions and implemented these.” The ips-UWG 75 is suitable for the production of spherical pellets of

thermoplastic material in raw material production, the masterbatch and compounding industry and for recycling plants. ips supplies the system, comprising melt pump, screen changer, start-up valve, die plate with pelletising unit, process water system and pellet dryer.

www.pelletizing.de

Automation digitisation T

o help manufacturers on their digital journey, Rockwell Automation will host its second annual EMEA technical education and user conference from October 8th-11th in Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands, to show industry how to become a Connected Enterprise. “Every day we are working with our customers to help integrate production technology in the physical world into an interconnected, digital network,” said Blake Moret, CEO, Rockwell Automation. “We do this because digitising operations offers unprecedented opportunities for companies to boost production goals. By integrating real-time control and visualisation with information systems, we can help drive another order of magnitude of productivity.” The RockwellAutomation TechED EMEA event, which was a huge success last year, allows attendees to learn about the latest techniques and technologies to maximise their manufacturing and production operations, while earning professional development hours. “Our TechED event is designed to help our customers chart a path forward by hearing examples from real applications, discussing emerging trends and participating in training on our latest technologies and solutions,” added Moret. TechED EMEA is a three-day event and will offer visitors a choice of more than 150 sessions, training labs and discussions, covering a wide range of industry topics, including control, information & analytics, networks, process, safety and security system, market trends, growth strategy, and visualisation. www.rockwellautomation.com

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MED-TECH INNOVATION

EXPO

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LIVE AT THE NEC, BIRMINGHAM

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2019

MAY

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Green over green The power of green on the supermarket shelves is becoming increasingly important. We look at the drivers behind more eco-friendly packaging appearing in stores today, and the organisations responding to this trend.

limming down on packaging materials and using more recyclable materials will become a greater priority for consumers than price point over the coming decade.

62% of consumers will put sustainability before price

This is according to a report from ThoughtWorks, which found that 62 per cent of 2,000 respondents are concerned about the need to reduce their consumption of plastic packaging and how much of the packaging they bring

home is really recyclable. This is compared to the 57 per cent that said cost would be the most important factor when making their consumer choices over the coming ten years. The plastics industry is already working to make circularity in the plastics industry more transparent – with plastic packaging for consumer products high on the agenda. In July, key industry bodies Plastics Recyclers Europe and The Association of Plastic Recyclers made their joint announcement defining ‘recyclable’ once and for all. The organisations stipulate that in order for

Ecover Ocean washing-up liquid bottle In September, eco-cleaning product company Ecover launched its limited-edition Ocean washing-up liquid bottle in the UK, which is made using 50 per cent plastic waste collected from the sea and waterways of Rio de Janeiro, with the other 50 per cent coming from post-consumer plastic. Not only is the product using all recycled plastics, but it also uses less plastic altogether thanks to biomimicry technology, which replicates the skeletal structures of micro-organisms.

something to be deemed ‘recyclable’ it must be made with a plastic that is collected for recycling that has a market value or is supported by a legislatively mandated programme, the product must be sorted into defined streams for recycling, it must be processed using commercial recycling processes, and the resulting recycled plastic material must have an end market. Many new products are appearing on the market that tick these boxes, making it easier for consumers to use the power of the green euro/pound/kroner/etc.

In addition, the company has pledged to shrink its carbon footprint by 75 per cent by 2030 and is already reaching key carbon-reduction benchmarks including slashing waste per tonne of product by 32 per cent. Henkel has also partnered with Waste Free Oceans as it works to include more ocean plastics in its products.

PepsiCo for bio-based PET

Roberts’ PET window Bakery brand Roberts is leading the way for recyclable bread packaging, which means the baker’s packaging can be recycled at kerbside rather than having to go the way of plastic carrier bags and be taken on a special trip to a dedicated collection point.

Bio-based feedstocks are another option brands can take in pursuit of circularity and PepsiCo is designing PET bottles made using biobased materials. The group working on this new line of bottles is called the NaturALL Bottle Alliance and its mission is to launch the sustainable bottles to the whole food and drinks market.

Roberts has replaced the window on its bloomer packaging with PET, making the whole thing recyclable, as part of its move to make 100 per cent of its packaging either recyclable or compostable.

Henkel makes 100% pledge German brand-owner Henkel, which manages big-name brands such as Persil and Schwartzkopff has committed to making all of its packaging either recyclable, compostable or biodegradable by 2025 and is collaborating with various partners as it works to make its entire value chain greener and more circular.

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The alliance has already published a report claiming its partner consortium has successfully produced samples of 80 per cent bio-based PET at pilot scale.

www.ecover.com www.robertsbakery.co.uk www.henkel.com www.pepsico.com

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Trop cher? F

rance is introducing a penalty system next year that will raise the cost of goods packaged with non-recyclable plastics.

This is the latest part of the country’s promise to use solely recyclable plastics by 2025. The new plan could mean products packaged with recyclable plastics may cost up to ten per cent less, while those packaged with materials that are nonrecyclable could cost up to ten per cent more. France’s Secretary of State for Ecological Transition Brune Poirson was quoted by the Journal du Dimanche as saying: “Declaring war on plastic is not enough. We need to transform the French economy.” She added that if there is a choice between two products, one bottles in recycled plastic and the other

bottled in a plastic that is not currently recyclable, the first will be more economical for the consumer. This scheme will help consumers to make more environmentally-friendly choices without cost being a barrier. The French government has made a string of pledges to help tackle the amount of plastic ending up in the natural world. The administration plans to increase taxes on burying rubbish in landfill, while it has slashed taxes for recycling operations. France has,

like many of its European counterparts, banned free plastic bags in supermarkets and other stores, and many large French retailers and chains are outlawing plastic straws. At present, France recycles around a quarter of its plastic. Flore Berlingen of Zero Waste France was quoted by AFP as saying: “We're hoping that companies play the game so that clients aren't the ones penalised.” www.zerowastefrance.org

Ex-exporter

rompted by concerns over the quantity of plastic waste ending up in the world’s oceans, the Norwegian government has proposed that post-consumer plastic waste be included in the Annexes to the Basel Convention on hazardous waste. The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF) is now calling on other nations to get behind the move to ban plastic waste exports in the EU. If accepted, the Norwegian proposal will prevent EU nations from exporting their plastics to poor countries. “We believe the proposed changes will lead to less marine plastic litter, increased traceability, more control, and less illegal dumping of plastic waste,” the Norwegian government stated.

The GWPF recently highlighted how the EU’s current approach to consumer waste leaves a lot to be desired, as it does not help curb the flow of plastic entering the marine environment. The Forum welcomes the Norwegian government’s proposals. “There is no doubt in my mind that the ban would be a major step forward in reducing the marine plastic litter crisis,” said Dr Benny Peiser, Forum Director. I hope every EU member state will support the Norwegian proposal. I am calling on environmental organisations to support our call for a plastic waste export ban."

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www.thegwpf.com

International exhibition and conference on the next generation of manufacturing technologies Frankfurt, Germany, 13 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 16 November 2018 formnext.com

Discover the future of manufacturing at formnext! Is your head full of ingenious ideas? Are you looking for innovative partners to realize them using additive manufacturing and the latest manufacturing technologies? We provide the ideal platform.

Where ideas take shape.

Offical event hashtag #formnext

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Farming film

gricultural film is a huge challenge for plastics recyclers, as large quantities need to be collected for recycling but the process of decontaminating used agricultural films is expensive and resourceintensive. This is why many farms choose to burn their agricultural films rather than arrange for them to be recycled. However, as recycling technology has moved on, now the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is ending its exemptions for burning plastics from farms to reduce the environmental impact of farm waste after engaging with NFU Scotland and Zero Waste Scotland on the matter. A change in regulations in 2013 exempted Scottish farmers from a plastic burning ban, allowing them to incinerate silage wrap,

fertiliser bags and crop covers, but this latest review will be better for farms’ green credentials and provide more materials for the Scottish recycling industry.

lumber and furniture, refuse sacks used by Scottish NHS and at RPC bpi indupac, located in Ardeer, we manufacture heavy duty agricultural plastic films.”

RPC BPI Recycling is one of the partners SEPA, the NFU and Zero Waste Scotland has selected to ensure better agri-film recycling in Scotland.

media.sepa.org.uk

“By increasing collection rates of farm plastics there are huge benefits for the environment and the Scottish Circular Economy.” said Mike Baxter, External Affairs Director for RPC BPI Recycling. “We have recycled used farm plastic films at our Dumfries factory since 1996. The plastic pellets we produce from our recycling process are used to manufacture second life products - such as Plaswood plastic

Borealis supply PCR-based solutions for a specially-built Volvo XC60

orealis Daplen polypropylene (PP) compound grades composed of PCR and virgin content have been used in applications and parts for a specially-built Volvo XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid SUV. Borealis has supplied nearly 10 per cent of the 60 kg of PCR-material used for this demonstrator model, as the performance and cost efficiency of PCR grades can be equal to that of virgin materials. Usually made of conventional plastics the model has over 170 components which have been replaced with lightweight, recycled material equivalents. Two Borealis Daplen grades with PCR content are in use to produce five different parts including, a UTB application for outer fan belt covers and for interior and exterior applications such as belt covers and a lid warning triangle. The car highlights Volvo’s ambition to ensure that at least 25 per cent of the plastics in its newly launched cars will be made from sustainable material and it

was unveiled at the Volvo “Ocean Summit,” an event which focus’ on solutions to address polluted oceans. “We are eager to find new opportunities to put our expertise to use and collaborate with OEMs like Volvo Cars. We deliver high-end grades that make vehicles as safe and high-performance as ever, yet these grades are more environmentally sustainable because they contain PCR,” explained Maria Ciliberti, Borealis Vice President Marketing and New Business Development, Polyolefins. “It is gratifying to see that momentum is building throughout the industry towards a more circular economy. Borealis Daplen PCR grades are a prime example of how we are using value creation through innovation to make plastics more circular.”

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Borealis says it uses its expertise and experience to collaborate in the development of new applications for end-of-life plastics, as this recent venture with Volvo Cars demonstrates. www.borealis.com

EPPM Classifieds

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FAKUMA MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES If it’s the Fakuma audience you are targeting, let EPPM be your platform. We have a number of marketing devices you can take advantage of to accommodate any budget across print and online. For More Information Contact David Roberts david.roberts@rapidnews.com (+44) 1244 952 348

To advertise here, or place display adverts in print or online

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Contact: David Roberts Tel: + 44 (0) 1244 952 348 Email: david.roberts@rapidnews.com

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EUREKA SERIES

Compatibility between the sheets A new additive that helps meld incompatible plastics together and transform plastics recycling wins the 2017 AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize. WORDS | Grace Nolan

he development of a new additive that helps meld incompatible types of plastic sheet together, holding important implications for recycling, has won the 2017 Newcomb Cleveland Prize of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. James Eagan and his colleagues will receive the 2017 Newcomb Cleveland Prize for the research originally published by Science on February 24th, 2017. The research group has designed a multiblock polymer that can combine polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) into a single plastic composite. PE and PP make up a combined twothirds of the world’s plastics, making these materials the two most abundantlyproduced plastics worldwide. The two materials do not blend well together due to the differences in their chemical structures, which has prevented them from being recycled together. The additive that the researchers developed is a single polymer chain that contains multiple “blocks” of polyethylene and polypropylene. The

multiblock polymer chain anchors the two plastics together. To test the additive, the scientists welded a laminated sheet of PE and a sheet of PP together by adding their new material between the two sheets. As the new material is compatible with both PE and PP, the two plastic sheets linked up and stuck together.

Say we can make a milk jug where we use five per cent less polymer because the properties are better. Think of the world’s savings on all that plastic.

Because PE and PP cannot normally mix together, during the recycling process, the materials need to be carefully sorted and separated.

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Now this new, adhesive polymer can allow the plastics to blend together, potentially leading to more efficient plastic waste recycling. Geoffrey Coates, one of the paper’s corresponding authors, said: “Say we can make a milk jug where we use five per cent less polymer because the properties are better. Think of the world’s savings on all that plastic.” Coates believes the new material that the research group has created by blending PE and PP is both rigid and mechanically tough, which could lead to innovations in the way that plastic products are designed. The Association’s oldest prize, supported by The Fodor Family Trust, annually recognises the author(s) of an outstanding paper published in the Research Articles or Reports sections of the journal Science between June and the following May. Along with a medal and $25,000 (€21,500, £19,200) in prize money, the winners receive complimentary registration and reimbursed travel expenses to attend the AAAS Annual Meeting. www.aaas.org

recycling

textile packaging l consumer bags l recycling

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