Canadian Plastics January/February 2009

CanadianPlastics www.canplastics.com

INJECTION MOLDERS’ BENCHMARK SURVEY How did molders do in 2008?

What’s on line for 2009?

RECYCLING REPORT

State of the industry, and the newest granulators!

CONTROLS

Simplified

LEAN MANUFACTURING

What’s right for you

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009

CANADA POST PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40069240

CanadianPlastics JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009 VOLUME 67 NUMBER 1

LOOKING BACK

The January 1979 issue of Canadian Plastics reported that the Canadian moldmaking industry had another good year, and moldmakers were flush with orders thanks to a low Canadian dollar and the growing stature of the Canadian industry. One Ontario shop that specialized in plumbing components moldmaking said it had back ordered 30 molds that hadn’t hit the plant floor yet, with orders coming from as far away as Israel. About 90 per cent of the company’s orders were for export.

According to several moldmakers, in addition to U.S. customers, Canadian-made molds were also finding growing markets in Europe and South America. One moldmaking components supplier even noted, “any moldmaker who isn’t busy right now might as well shut up shop.”

page 22

Number of the month:

page 11

*62.5%

* Percentage of injection molders who reported an average machinery utilization rate of less than 50 per cent in 2008. (see pg. 11)

5

Editor’s View: • Doing more with the same

6

Ideas & Innovations • Canadian materials power new “green” toys

8

Executive’s Corner • Taking the risk out of training program investments

9

News: • CPIA board settles on restructuring plan • Highlights from CAMM trade show • News Briefs and People Progress

page 28

cover story

11 INJECTION MOLDERS’ BENCHMARK SURVEY How did Canadian injection molders fare in 2008? We find out with the results of our annual Injection Molders' Benchmark Survey. By all accounts, 2008 was a rough year for the Canadian manufacturing sector, and plastic manufacturers are no different. How did molders adjust their operations to match the downturn? What do they see on the horizon for 2009? And how has the current state of the economy influenced their plans for next year? We use the results of our survey to gaze into the near future of Canada’s molding industry.

features

16 CONTROLS: SMOOTHING OUT THE LEARNING CURVE In a turbulent economic climate, unnecessarily complex control systems should be the least of a business owner’s worries. We look at what several system suppliers are doing to streamline their control and software offerings, and how they are making control systems easier to use.

19 THE MANY ROADS TO A LEAN MANUFACTURING OPERATION With a recession on our heels, there is no better time than now to look “lean” initiatives for your operation. But operational effectiveness programs shouldn’t all be painted with the same brush. Canadian Plastics looks at Six Sigma, lean thinking, and the Theory of Constraints, and helps you pick the best road to lean for your operation type.

25 Technology Showcase 26 Advertising Index 26 Classifieds

22 RECYCLING REPORT: FROM SCRAP PLASTICS TO GRANULATORS! The sudden downturn in commodity prices in late-2008 may have offered some temporary relief for Canadian processors, but has significantly depressed profit margins for buyers and sellers of recycled scrap plastic. We take the recycled resin industry’s temperature in chilly economic times.

PLUS: We spotlight the latest granulators from the industry’s leading suppliers!

28 Design Ideas: • Automotive applications 30 View from the Floor: • Quick Changes

Visit us at www.canplastics.com 4 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

editor’s view

www.canplastics.com MANAGING EDITOR Mark Stephen 416-510-5110 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: mstephen@canplastics.com TECHNICAL EDITOR Jim Anderton 416-751-5749 E-mail: jimeditorial@yahoo.ca ASSISTANT EDITOR Umair Abdul 416-510-5112 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: uabdul@canplastics.com ART DIRECTOR Valerie Perrott PRODUCTION MANAGER Steve Hofmann 416-510-6757 E-mail: shofmann@bizinfogroup.ca PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER Phyllis Wright PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Judith Nancekivell 416-510-5116 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: jnancekivell@canplastics.com ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVE Brayden Ford 416-510-5124 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: bford@canplastics.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Diane Rakoff 416-510 5216 Fax: 416-510-6875 E-mail: drakoff@bizinfogroup.ca HEAD OFFICE 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto ON M3C 4J2. 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-5134 CANADIAN PLASTICS is published 10 times a year by the Business Information Group, a division of BIG Magazines LP., a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspapers and business-to-business information services.

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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Brian Read, president, Horizon Plastics Company Ltd. Tom Meisels, president, F.G.L. Precision Works Ltd. James Ellis, vice-chairman, CPI Plastics Group Ltd. Mark Lichtblau, vice-president, Haremar Plastic Manufacturing Ltd.

Doing more with the same

”S

ame equipment, new applications!”

“Retrofitting to serve you better!”

What’s that? Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just trying out business slogans for North America’s plastics processors.

I should probably explain.

Over the years, we’ve all no doubt encountered that cliched phrase “doing more with less,” in countless TV commercials, magazines, and every other advertising medium.

Well, I was meeting with some equipment suppliers the other day, talking about the likely direction of North America’s plastics industry in the years to come, and what they told me echoed what I’ve been hearing from other suppliers lately, as well as from a wide variety of processors: what most of the industry is aiming for in the short term isn’t doing more with less, but doing more with the same.

What I mean is, unless they’re actually going out of business, plastics processors aren’t in danger of losing either their equipment or their resin supply, and thus having to — all together now — “do more with less.”

At the same time, however, buying new machinery is something many shops want to avoid if possible — especially with a glut of relatively cheap pre-owned equipment from bankrupt companies available on the auction blocks. (The results of our most recent injection molders’ benchmark survey, beginning on pg. 11, seem to confirm this. For example, only 24.2 per cent of respondents say they intend to purchase new I/M machines in 2009.)

Instead, most processors are looking to use the equipment and technology they have in their plants right now to gain access to new manufacturing opportunities in new markets.

How exactly does a manufacturer do more with the same? It may be as simple as making the right contacts within growth industries. For example, the Canadian Association of Moldmakers trade show in Windsor, Ont. last November featured a seminar designed to teach moldmakers, as

well as plastics processors, how to drum up contracts in the aerospace industry, which is looking to incorporate lighter components into such crafts as airplanes and helicopters. As the guest speakers noted, the same machinery and procedures used to make auto parts are well-suited for manufacturing most aerospace components.

Another growth opportunity lies in molding medical parts for the legions of aging Baby Boomers entering their sunset years — in particular the microparts (components weighing one gram or less) used in invasive surgery. Entry into this market requires new molds and production protocols, and perhaps the installation of a cleanroom, but can usually be done without having to invest in new injection molding equipment.

This isn’t to say that new plastics processing machines shouldn’t be built, or that they’re not useful, or that no one’s ever going to buy them. New technology will always be key in advancing the plastics industry. It’s to acknowledge the simple fact that — with the economy in trouble, competition on the rise, and traditionally profitable sectors like the auto industry in decline — the realistic approach to remaining competitive for many of today’s processors is to find new ways of doing more with their existing equipment, or at most, retrofitting and upgrading that equipment to do more. (The corollary to this is that, for the time being at least, OEMs might be wise to see their role as one of helping processors to upgrade their current equipment, rather than recommending the newest machine model as the answer to every production challenge.)

Doing more with the same. The advertising gurus on Madison Ave. might not like the phrase, but it may prove a motto for success for a good many in our industry.

Mark Stephen, managing editor mstephen@canplastics.com www.canplastics.com January/February 2009 Canadian Plastics 5

ideas and innovations

Canadian materials power new “green” toys

I

n this age of toxic toy recalls, Colorado-based toy manufacturer Sprig Toys is a breath of fresh air.

At the company’s core is a strong environmental conscience that is predicated on doing no harm — both in terms of reduced toxicity and a lower carbon footprint — without compromising the product’s integrity.

The Sprig Adventure Series, a line of eco-friendly toys, were made available in toy stores throughout Canada and the U.S. just in time for the holiday season. And there is a strong Canadian element to the environmentally friendly, “kid-powered” electronic vehicles and accessories: they are manufactured using a thermoplastic biocomposite compound from a leading Canadian innovator.

Delta, B.C.-based JER Envirotech is a producer of thermoplastic biocomposite compounds and sheeting that has made a name for itself in markets such as building and construction, but the new Sprig series is the first injection molded toy application for the company.

JER spent nearly 12 months working with Sprig Toys to develop a custom compound called Sprigwood, which is made of recycled wood and reclaimed plastic, and is used to mold all vehicle and character bodies.

“The shape and the physical aspects of the product are very tough and durable,” noted JER president and CEO Edward Trueman. “At the same time, we have a very high level of recycled material both on the polymer side and the fiber side.”

JER’s wood-plastic composite (WPC) materials were developed with the help of researchers from the National Research Council Industrial Materials Institute (NRC-IMI) in the early 2000s. JER and NRC worked to develop advanced biocomposite compounds using organic fibre byproducts and recycled plastics, with the goal of achieving high recycled content and excellent physical properties.

“The JER/NRC approach was very unique, and it was really striking at the heart of one of the largest technical problems — the elimination of moisture,” explained Trueman.

“Moisture compromises the physical and mechanical properties, so the original premise was to develop a line of products that had good physical mechanical properties and was able to reduce moisture, which is an important consideration in injection molding.”

Using its patented technology, JER and Sprig Toys developed the Sprigwood formulation, which is made up of more than 60 per cent recycled materials.

6 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

By Umair Abdul, assistant editor

And despite its unique properties, Trueman says Sprigwood is injection molded without too many adjustments.

“Existing injection molding equipment and design are more than suitable for our product,” he added. “The specific gating and tool design is where we add our degree of expertise.”

Trueman does note, however, that the compound has a significantly lower temperature profile than a virgin material like polypropylene. But he adds that JER provides its clients with tooling expertise and design consultancy services, and the lower processing temperatures reduce energy consumption and limit wear on the tooling.

“We help our customers develop defect-free, process-enhanced products that meet the criteria of productivity, without modification of any of the original equipment,” he said.

The Sprig Adventure Series has received a lot of media attention, and the products were well-received in stores over the Christmas season. But the collaboration between JER and Sprig Toys is far from over. The green toy manufacturer will release a new line of toys this spring, all manufactured using JER’s Sprigwood compound.

JER Envirotech (Delta, B.C.); www.jerenvirotech.com; 604-940-9262 National Research Council Industrial Materials Institute (Boucherville, Que.); www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca; 450-641-5000

advertisEment

A new name to celebrate OUR

30 anniversary th

Lorenz & Son is excited to announce our new name to the marketplace:

LORENZ CONVEYING PRODUCTS

Lorenz Conveying Products now has a total of 60,000 sq.ft. of manufacturing space.

Our expansion last year enables us to continue to keep our promise to deliver on time, every time.

Lorenz Conveying Products is exactly what we do and we want everybody to know that.

Since 1979 Lorenz has been Canada’s leading manufacturer of couplings, tube and pipe bends, fittings, diverter valves, slide gates, cyclones and custom fabricated accessories for the conveying market.

“The fact is that we have grown so much in the past few years we thought it was appropriate that we grow our name as well,” said company president Peter Lorenz. “This name change definitely has had a positive impact on our employees and customers. It has given us the identity that we’ve needed to more accurately reflect what we do.”

Lorenz also noted that the company has had some major expansions and machinery acquisitions at the Cobourg location.

Last fall, Cobourg, Ont.-based Lorenz added a new 10,000 square foot building adjacent to its existing facilities. This increased the company’s manufacturing space to 60,000 square feet. “It was an important step because we needed the capacity,” explained Peter Lorenz. “[The new facility] enables us to serve the industry better, and to keep our two-week delivery schedule on time,” he said.

Quality, Service and Flexibility are the trademarks for Lorenz.

Lorenz Conveying Products P.O. Box 20, Cobourg, Ontario K9A 4K2 Tel: 905 372-2240 Ext 212; Fax: 905 372-4456 Toll Free: Canada 1-800-263-1942 Ext 212 Toll Free Fax: 1-877-372-4456 Email: sales@lorenz.ca; Web Site: www.lorenz.ca

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We’re looking forward to 2009, as we celebrate our 30 years in business, continuing to provide the quality and service our customers can count on!

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executive’s corner

Taking the risk out of training program investments

By John Colomba, Windsor Equipment Training Facility Ltd.

H

ow can an employer guarantee the return of the investment from training? Whether the employee stays for an extended period of time or leaves in two days, two weeks, two months or even two years, the employer can’t control their time of employment with the company.

If the employee leaves, all that training is in their pocket and they take it to the next employer. For this reason, most employers are hesitant to invest time and money in their existing employees and new hires. The employers obligation should be to complete the orientation of site, process, and hazardspecific training.

A NEW WAY The new approach on training, called “Employees Ready to Work” (ERW), takes the initial core of industry-specific health & safety and equipment training programs and places the respon-

sibility on the employee. He or she is now responsible to get the necessary training for their own skills enhancement. (However, this program doesn’t replace the necessary hazard-specific training under the Occupational Health and Safety Act — employers would still be responsible for that.)

For example, if the employee needs to investment $1,000 in training to meet the standards for a specific industry, they can sign a contract or form a verbal agreement that requires the training to be paid out to the employee over the next year.

For the next year, the employer will pay back 25 per cent of the training cost to the employee every quarter. If the employee stays with the company, he or she would get their money back. If, however, they leave, the contract will be terminated and an alternate solution will have to be worked out.

In this way, the person or organization that pays for the training can get all or part of their money back to replenish their training fund for new and young workers, and employers can write the cost of training off as they go. They will then also be able to invest their resources into keeping up with their responsibilities under the OHS Act’s health and safety standards.

GET WITH THE PROGRAM The Windsor Equipment Training Facility Ltd. has created an outline for the ERW program, and is currently in the process of improving and identifying how it can be implemented into companies’ programs.

Of course, the ERW approach would not be useful if a company doesn’t meet the basic standards of health and safety training. Employers that would like to be a part of our program must meet or exceed the standards, and pass an evaluation of health and safety under the OHS Act’s Safe Work Conditions.

The employer will benefit with well-trained employees coming to them, ready to work and understand their work environment.

The “Employee Ready to Work” will be a safer and more confident worker who will know their rights and responsibilities under the legislation of the OHS Act. We need to bring the right organizations together to bring this ERW program a reality for our generation.

John Colomba is the founder and president of Windsor Equipment Training Facility Ltd. (WETF) He has been involved in construction, industry and safety for more than 15 years. His interest in promoting employee health and safety goes back many years. WETF is Windsor’s first dedicated safety training facility, providing professional training in a wide range of programs related to occupational health, safety and safe equipment usage.

8 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

news

CPIA board settles on restructuring plan

T

he Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) has ratified a series of changes for the 2009-2011 budget cycle that will allow the association to restructure. The CPIA will now be split into two key, autonomous divisions, each with its own financial and staff structure.

“CPIA had a fairly complex structure that was increasingly trying to do too much with too little,” noted current CPIA president and CEO Serge Lavoie in an interview with Canadian Plastics. “The feeling was that we had to simplify the structure, and we landed on the two division structure because there are really two key things that we do.”

The Environment and Plastics Industry Council (EPIC) division, currently a standing unit within the CPIA, will con-

centrate on improving the image of plastics amongst key stakeholders. According to Lavoie, the impetus to turn EPIC into an autonomous entity came from resin suppliers.

While the membership dues from resin companies will be used to fund EPIC’s activities, all of the association’s other activities will be consolidated into a newly created processor division.

The processor division will include all of the CPIA’s activities and events such as the Plast-Ex and Expoplast trade shows, as well as the association’s four regional committees and its three processor-based councils — the Plastic Film Manufacturers Association of Canada, and the Composites and Vinyl Councils.

For industry watchers, the narrowing

CAMM SHOWS OFF IN WINDSOR

In the midst of tough economic times, hundreds of buyers and industry suppliers visited the Canadian Association of Moldmakers (CAMM) Trade Fair in Windsor, Ont. The show was staged on Nov. 18 and 19 at the new exhibition facility at Caesar’s Windsor.

Around 100 exhibiting companies drew attendees from inside and outside the local moldmaking community. Representatives from companies in the U.S., Mexico, South Africa, Israel, and Germany attended the show, according to CAMM. In addition, more than 50 one-on-one meetings between buyers and moldmakers were held, and a number of site visits and plant tours conducted, all aimed at matching buyers with suppliers.

The show also featured technical seminars, and dinners with Canadian hockey legend Paul Henderson and astronaut Roberta Bondar as keynote speakers.

CanPlastics TV has more on this story! Visit http://www.canplastics.com/video/episode15.asp

down of CPIA’s council activities comes as no surprise. Earlier this year, the association announced that it would retain the three councils with the greatest membership, and phase out all the others. The Mould Makers Council was one of the casualties of the upheaval.

Current vice president of environment and health Cathy Cirko will take on the position of executive director for EPIC, and the association will completely eliminate the role of president and CEO. The CPIA is hiring an executive director for the processor division, and the two executive directors will work with the current executive vice president of finance and administration. This three-person management group will report directly to the national board.

Secured lender to take over CPI Plastics

Profile and film extruder CPI Plastics Group Ltd.’s secured lender plans to take over the company’s assets, and CPI’s chief executive officer has stepped down.

The Mississauga, Ont.-based CPI announced on Jan. 7 that “it has been unable to withstand the ravages of the current economic crisis and has been unable to gain the support of its secured lender to restructure [its] financial affairs.”

The company also announced that Peter F. Clark resigned as CEO and as a director of CPI. In addition to Clark, all of CPI’s other directors have also resigned or indicated their intention to resign, according to the Jan. 7 statement.

Back in November, CPI announced plans for a financial restructuring, blaming a slowdown in the housing market, which was affecting sales of its hot tub components, railing and decking, for recent financial problems.

NEWS BRIEFS Atlanta-based Georgia Gulf Corporation will permanently close its Sarnia, Ont.-based PVC plant. The plant was part of the company’s acquisition of Royal www.canplastics.com January/February 2009 Canadian Plastics 9

news

Group Technologies Ltd. in 2006, and had a capacity of 450 million pounds, but had operated only periodically due to decreased demand in housing and construction markets.

Candiac, Que.-based David Lawrence custom molder Precimold Inc. has installed two Class 100,000 portable clean rooms for the production of components, and a 400 square foot Class 10,000 clean room for assembly, decorating and special packaging.

Cobourg, Ont.-based Lorenz & Son has changed its name to Lorenz Conveying Products. The company has also had some major expansions and machinery acquisitions at the Cobourg location.

Georgetown, Ont. hot runner supplier Mold-Masters Ltd. has completed the purchase of their French distribution agency. Taking over leadership of the region from the agency will be Fabrice Fairy, a former Mold-Master’s agent in France who spent the last several years at Mold-Masters headquarters, working in various technical management roles.

Toshiba Machine has appointed CNSmith Machinery Sales, Inc. as their manufacturers’ rep agency covering Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Maritimes (Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island). The firm will market Toshiba’s entire product line ranging from five-ton electric molding machines to 3850-ton hydraulic systems to customers.

Bradford, Ont.-based film converter and printer Vins Plastics Ltd. has installed a new 10-colour printing press. Manufactured by Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corporation, the press was installed in early Jan. 2009. Founded as a family owned company in 1976, Vins Plastics employs approximately 50 workers.

Automotive tool builder BTM Tooling Inc., of Maidstone, Ont., has closed, leav-

Nick Sandland

Gustavo Zecharies

Alan Campbell

ing its 50 employees out of work. The company is bankrupt and its receiver is KPMG International. Royal Bank of Canada is the major creditor, and it has instructed KPMG to liquidate BTM’s assets.

PEOPLE Ohio-based equipment supplier Milacron Inc. has appointed David Lawrence as its new president and CEO. Lawrence had been president of the company’s D-M-E global mold technologies business. In mid-December, Ross Anderson, formerly Milacron’s CFO, was named president of machinery technologies North America, the company’s largest operating segment. Anderson replaces David Bertke, a 35-year veteran of Milacron who is retiring at the end of the year. Additionally, the current treasurer, John Francy, is now vice president of finance and CFO; Robert McKee, currently president of the global industrial fluids business, also will head up D-M-E; and controller Danny Gamex was named a vice president with expanded responsibilities.

Pierre Fillion has been named as the director-general of Federation des Plastiques et Alliance Composites (FEPAC), a newly created association for the plastics industry in Quebec. He was first appointed as Director, Industry Competitiveness with the Canadian Plastics Industry Association in 2001.

Fillion later went on to become the head of the CPIA’s Quebec office, but resigned from his position in December 2007.

Jeffrey Lipton, the CEO of Calgary, Alta.-based materials manufacturer Nova Chemicals Corp., is retiring effective May 1, 2009. Lipton’s decision comes after nearly 15 years at the company, with more than ten years as the company’s CEO.

10 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

Robert Palajsa

Peter Chronis

Leonard Apps

The Thermoplastic Elastomer Division of Teknor Apex Company has appointed Nick Sandland to be senior market manager for industrial products. He will also be in charge of working with the division’s distributor in Canada and the U.S., Channel Prime Alliance.

Bolton, Ont.-based Husky Injection Molding Systems has named George Halatsis to the position of vice president, finance and CFO. Dickten Masch Plastics, has named Steven A. Dyer as the company’s new president and CEO. Headquartered in Nashotah, Wis., Dickten Masch provides advanced technical solutions in thermoplastic and thermoset molding, engineering, analytical lab, and tooling services.

Mick Thiel, the founder and president of Loveland, Ohio-based Mattec Corporation, retired from the company at the end of 2008. Thiel founded Mattec, a supplier of real-time production and process monitoring systems in the plastic’s industry, in 1983.

Omron Canada Inc., headquartered in Toronto, has named Alan Campbell to the position of Alberta, Mid-West regional sales manager. Gustavo Zecharies has been appointed to the Executive Team and as the technical services and support manager. Leonard (Len) Apps has been named senior manager, strategic sales. The company also appointed Peter Chronis to the position of strategic promotions and pricing, and Robert Palajsa to the position of machine guarding global account manager.

See more news at www.canplastics.com

injection molders’ benchmark survey

THE FUTURE? ANYTHING BUT PREDICTABLE

By Umair Abdul, assistant editor

A

s we move into 2009, although many Canadian injection molders still find themselves in a precarious position, the industry as a whole is dealing with a very different set of issues. At the end of 2007, most molders were focusing on the historic rise of the Canadian dollar and the threat of sky-high commodity prices.

At the beginning of 2009, the Canadian dollar has lost some ground to the greenback, and commodity prices leveled off late last year. But Canadian manufacturers are now having to cope with the aftershocks of the global economic crisis, and contend with recessionary downturns. This year’s injection molding benchmark survey offers a window into what molders did in 2008, and what they’re doing to survive what many think will be a dismal 2009.

A SNAPSHOT OF THE INDUSTRY Surprisingly, only about 26% of respondents to this year’s survey said they worked at a plant with 50 or more employees, compared to 44% last year. Although this may have to do with this year’s survey sample, it may also indicate the wave of downsizing and consolidation that has taken place in the industry off late.

This year, more than 34% of respondents worked in a facility with one to nine employees, compared to 21% in 2007 and 3% in 2006. Meanwhile, 40% worked at a mid-sized facility with 10 to 49 employees on the premises. No respondents worked at a www.canplastics.com January/February 2009 Canadian Plastics 11

injection molders’ benchmark survey

The Injection Molders’ Benchmark Survey was emailed to 378 people at injection molding facilities in Canada. We received 35 completed surveys, giving us a response rate of 9.25 per cent. Canadian Plastics refined its research methodology by limiting its survey sample to one respondent per manufacturing facility. As a result, this year’s survey has a smaller sample that is more representative of the industry.

Because not everyone answers each question, the percentage values in the charts and tables are given as a percentage of respondents to that question, with the number of respondents provided in parentheses, for example (n=35).

plant that had more than 250 people, compared to 12% last year and 28% in 2006.

Additionally, compared to previous surveys, respondents had fewer molding machines at their facilities. Only a handful (12%) said they had 16 or more machines at their plant, and the largest number of respondents (39.4%) said they had only one to five machines at their facility.

Although a majority of this year’s respondents were from Ontario (60.7%), we also heard from companies in Quebec (14.3%), B.C. (14.3%), Manitoba (3.6%) and Prince Edward Island (3.6%).

PUTTING THE BRAKES ON AUTOMOTIVE For the first time, only a handful of respondents indicated that they serve the automotive market. Consumer goods (28.1%) and electronics (21.9%) accounted for the largest number of respondents, with only 9.4% saying that they serve the embattled automotive sector.

Last year, nearly 32% of the respondents said they served the automotive market in some capacity, but 2008 has been a difficult year for companies that sell into

BY THE NUMBERS

30 average number of employees

$13.92 average hourly rate paid to machine operator, excluding benefits

$5,577,857.14 average total revenue in 2008

that sector.

Canadian molders also serve the packaging (9.4%) and construction (6.3%) markets, as well as industrial, agricultural and housewares markets. One molder also indicated that he worked in the oil industry.

Over the last few years, the number of exclusive captive molders has been shrinking gradually, with only 4.60% of last year’s respondents identifying themselves as captive molders. This year, although some (5.9%) are doing captive molding with some custom molding, none of the respondents are doing captive molding exclusively. A large number of the companies identified their operations as exclusively custom molding (47.1%), while 38.2% were performing custom molding with some proprietary molding and 8.8% were involved in exclusively proprietary molding at their plants.

Only about 28% of molders added production lines to their operation in 2008, compared to 50% in 2007. Of these, 88.9% added one to three lines, and 11.1% added four to 10 lines.

Nearly 60% of those surveyed indicated that they already are, or are in the process of having their plant certified to an ISO or QS9000 standard, and molders continued to offer value-added services to their customers in stressful economic times.

A steady number of molders (87%) offer assembly services, and many also offer inhouse mold manufacturing (67.7%) and welding/bonding (51.6%) services. Other value-added capabilities offered by Canadian molders include printing and decorating (45.2%), JIT production (35.5%), computer-assisted design (58.1%) and EDI or e-procurement (32.3%).

12 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

UTILIZATION RATES SPIRAL In 2006, a large majority of the respondents (70%) had an average machine utilization rate of 60 to 90 per cent, and only a small minority had utilization rates lower than 39%. Last year, in contrast, 26% of molders said their average utilization rates were at 39 per cent or less.

And in what may be a sign of the times, 34.4% of this year’s respondents are sitting below a 39 per cent utilization rate, while an additional 28.1% say their average machinery utilization rate is between 40 and 49 per cent. For the first time in many years, a majority of the molders surveyed were utilizing less than half their machinery capacity.

MAIN MARKET SERVED (%) Construction 6.3 Automotive 9.4 Packaging 9.4

Electronic 21.9

Consumer goods 28.1

Just over 30% had utilization rates in the mid ranges of 60 to 90 per cent, compared to 55% in 2007.

And faced with overcapacity, many molders also find it harder to bring new business into their facilities. Nearly 68% of the respondents said that only a handful of projects they quote on actually turn into business.

The lower rate of machine utilization also correlates with the dramatic decline in mold shop resin consumption and revenue.

Canadian molders used an average of 4.57 million lbs. of resin in 2008, compared to about 8 million in 2007. The average Canadian plant had a revenue of $5.57 million, compared to $21.8 million in the previous year.

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support for complex production cells, often in conjunction with our sophisticated multi-component

injection molders’ benchmark survey

AVERAGE MACHINERY UTILIZATION RATE (%) 35

35 34.4 34.4

30

30

25

28.1 28.1

100

100

80

80

20

15

15

73.5

10

10

5

5

73.5 63.6

6.3

9.4 6.3

9.4 9.4

12.5 12.5 9.4

0

0

60

40

40

0

PREDICTING THE UNPREDICTABLE Only about 15% of responding companies purchased new injection molding machinery in 2008, as opposed to 70% in 2007. At the end of last year, about a third of respondents said they would buy new machines, but many may have had to scale back their purchasing plans due to the worsening economy.

Barring any major economic changes, molders say they won’t be making any major investments next year. About 26% say they will buy new injection molding machines in the next year, and only a quarter of those will look at new machines. The remaining purchasers will be looking at preowned machines or some combination of preowned and new machines to meet their plant’s needs.

No

26.5

No 72.7

72.7

36.4 27.3

27.3

20 6.3

0

0

MAKING SMALLER INVESTMENTS Despite tough times, Canadian molders haven’t completely scaled back on their spending for research and development (R&D) and employee training. The number of respondents who spend nothing on their R&D remained unchanged in 2008.

Still, processors were spending less on their R&D activities overall: only about 28% were investing four or more per cent of their budgeted expenses on R&D, compared to 43% in 2007. This year, the vast majority were putting between one and two per cent of their expense budgets into research.

Similarly, the number of molders budgeting nothing for employee training did not change in 2008. However, molders did scale back on spending in this area as

NUMBER OF I/M MACHINES (%)

14 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

6.3

Auxiliary Linear LinearArticulated Articulated InjectionAuxiliary Injection equipment(3-axis)(3-axis) (6-axis)(6-axis) molding equipment molding machines robots robots robots robots machines

The picture is looking slightly rosier for the auxiliary equipment market. Half of the respondents said that they had bought new auxiliary equipment this year, and 63% say they have plans to buy auxiliary equipment in the next 12 months.

Looking at robots and automation, there seems to be an increased willingness amongst molders to look at automating their lines. The market for six-axis robots looks like it will be unchanged: 6.3% of molders bought six-axis robots in 2007, and the same number of molders will buy articulated robots in the new year.

The big moves, however, seem to be happening in the three-axis robot market.

While only 15% of respondents have purchased linear 3-axis robots in 2008, nearly 30% of molders say they will buy linear robots for their plants in 2009.

2008 (n=33) 12 21 27 39

93.8

63.6

36.4 26.5

Less 39%Less40-49% 40-49% 50-59% 50-59% 60-69% 60-69% 70-79% 70-79% 80-89%5 80-89%5 91-100% 91-100% than 39% than

Number of machines at plant 16+ 11-15 6-10 1-5

60

20

93.8

Yes Yes

25

20

0

PURCHASING PLANS FOR 2009 (%)

2007 (n=64) 31 19 27 23

2006 (n=88) 44 17 24 15

injection molders’ benchmark survey

RAW NUMBERS ON RAW MATERIALS The Injection Molders’ Benchmark Survey asked molders what kinds of polymers they currently process at their facility, and an increasing number are using biobased and biodegradable resins at their plant.

Commodity and engineering resins still make up the bulk of what is processed at Canadian plants — 87.5% and 71.9% respectively.

However, 56.3% of respondents are using specialty resins in their process, compared to only 39.50% last year. Furthermore, although none of the respondents to last year’s survey were using bio-based or biodegradable resin types such as PLA or PHA/PHB, nearly 10% of this year’s respondents are using “green” raw materials.

well, in what may be part of companywide belt-tightening efforts. Only about 3% of respondents said they had put four or more per cent of their budgeted expenses towards employee training in 2008.

THE INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Instead of exporting more of their product, Canadian molders continue to rely on domestic markets. This year, over 81%

of respondents shipped between zero and 50 per cent of their product outside of Canada, compared to 64% in 2007. Year over year, the percentage of processors who have exported less than half of their product has been rising steadily.

Canadian molders also have less of a presence abroad, with three-fourths of molders indicating that they have no presence outside the country. Nearly 18% have some presence in U.S., and some molders have a presence in countries such as the U.A.E. and Hungary. Surprisingly, none of the respondents to this year’s survey had any type of presence in China or India, a departure from last year’s survey.

Of the respondents who do have a presence outside Canada, 12.5% have a manufacturing facility and 4.2% have a sales office. Manufacturers are also reaching out to international markets through manufacturer’s representatives and distribution deals.

CPL

www.canplastics.com January/February 2009 Canadian Plastics 15

controls

CONTROLS “D No one wants to worry about complex controls and software programs in today’s business climate — or about buying new controls when retrofitting old equipment. Controls suppliers are heeding the message.

If you’re smart enough to use a bank

ying is easy, comedy is hard,” were supposedly the final words of a famous 19th century British comedian. Updated to reflect the concerns of today’s plastics processors, he might have said, “Times are hard, controls should be easy.”

With competition on the rise, and important markets in decline, manufacturers definitely don’t want difficult control systems adding to their troubles. Fortunately, suppliers continue to introduce more user-friendly control equipment — that can easily be retrofitted — as well as software with simplified and easy-tointegrate processes.

TEMPERATURE CONTROLLERS some of the newest controls and software. MADE SIMPLE machine, chances are you can operate

By Mark Stephen, managing editor

One way of simplifying controls is through greater integration with the Microsoft Data platform. “Customers want to be able to enter data into a spreadsheet and seamlessly download it into the control system,” said Steve Wyatt, an application specialist at Omron Canada Inc. “They also want to be able to upload data from the system and collect data for production, alarms, and quality control in a Microsoft environment, such as Excel or Access.”

Omron’s SPMA system (single point multiple access) allows for a single Ethernet or serial connection to the PLC/HMI/temperature control, providing access to all machine data, Wyatt continued.

The heart of the control system for plastics machinery is the temperature controller, and Omron has now made it simpler for workers to access all-important tem-

16 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

perature control data from a single information source. “With Omron’s DeviceNet or PLC I/O cards, the temperature data is now in the PLC without any programming,” Wyatt said. “The Omron CS/CJ PLC family has been improved to support more protocols for communication to their own and third party devices, bringing all machine variables into a single location.”

The traditional temperature controller is a DIN size panel mount unit that closes the loop containing the sensor input, PID chip, local display, and heater output with optional communications modules of special protocols. Omron’s E5ZN and EJ1 modular series temperature controllers are DIN rail mounts that go in the back of the panel, saving panel space, labour for wiring, and the cost of a display on every loop, or zone. Also, the temperature loop is closed locally in the units and the data is communicated via DeviceNet, allowing the temperature control loop to be independent of the communication and operate even when the PLC/HMI are in service or turned off. “The EJ1 benefits from a new output SSR stage called the G3ZA, which can adjust output power in milliseconds,” Wyatt said.

Another Omron development relates to the coupling of the temperature control onto DeviceNet. “We offer screwless flat cables that can be snapped in and connected in seconds, and which can be used with the DeviceNet cable network,” Wyatt said. “Not only does this save the installer thousands of dollars in retrofit costs, but they’re much simpler to use. Instead of having to purchase and maintain a series of components, there’s only one device necessary.”

controls

Additionally, most of Omron’s temperature controllers have access to the autotune temperature control program. “With the auto-tune system, an operator simply switches on a machine, presses a button, and all of the important parameters will be automatically set and maintained,” Wyatt explained.

EASY ACCESS TO INFORMATION Equally important to a processor’s control system is the HMI, a window into the PLC memory map, where all of the real-time machine variables exist. “The HMI has been chosen by the industry as the single point where information goes,” Wyatt explained.

“Omron wanted to make the HMI as userfriendly as a bank machine, which everyone understands how to use. It’s a simple point but it makes a big difference. The goal has been to adjust the controls to suit the operators, and not the other way around, because if the screen doesn’t look like something the operators are used to, they may reject it.” Omron’s NS series touchscreens can be programmed to look virtually any way the operator chooses. Wyatt said. Additionally, improved TFT screens and the company’s new Hi Brite adjustable backlights allow for easier visibility. “The NS touchscreen family also supports high-end features such as trend graphs, datalogging in CSV (comma separated variable for Excel), and recipes,” Wyatt said.

Omron controls are also simple to retrofit with older machinery, Wyatt continued.

“The DIN rail temperature controllers have a smaller footprint and can be installed quickly,” he said. “Also, the Omron PLC is very easy to interface with third party equipment because of its communications and I/O options.” The company also offers a PLC/HMI combo known as the Visual Hybrid Controller, Wyatt continued, which reduces footprint, as well as cost and installation time. “Many retrofitters installing this equipment have reported retrofitting the entire control system in as little as one day,” he said.

INTELLIGENT INTEGRATION Rockwell Automation recently expanded the platform capabilities of its FactoryTalk

Integrated Production and Performance Suite to support a new generation of industry-specific applications for the automotive, packaging, and pharmaceutical industries. According to the company, the platform now includes configuration tools and capabilities designed to help manufacturers reduce deployment costs and time.

The FactoryTalk platform is intended

to leverage a service-oriented architecture for cost-effective, flexible, plant-wide integration to legacy systems. According to Darren Riley, market development manager for Software and Applications, FactoryTalk’s object-oriented design makes it easier to build and modify applications, as well as roll them out across multiple sites in a consistent form, ultimately helping to

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controls

establish best practices for manufacturing operations and regulatory requirements in discrete, hybrid and process industries.

The industry-specific applications include a new workflow engine that allows a business process management approach to implementing operational improvements by introducing an agile and flexible capacity for managing change. “For example, a contract manufacturer can manage workflow changes associated with crossorganizational customer order procedures,” Riley said. “Reconfigured manual or automated execution processes are then reflected within the current instance of the application.”

In addition, the FactoryTalk industry applications incorporate a new user interface into the presentation layer to provide task-based, operator-workflow views, making it simpler to direct and shape what the operator is performing on the shop floor. “For many manufacturers, developing, implementing, and monitoring customized production execution software can be difficult to cost justify and maintain,” Riley explained. “Our platformbased applications leverage reusable vertical libraries of capabilities and activities to provide manufacturers with configurable, off-the-shelf software. Solutions based on industry best practices for operational and enterprise process workflow not only help reduce total cost of ownership and deployment times, they also support and enable strategic enterprise initiatives, such as lean manufacturing, real-time operations and asset performance management.”

Rockwell’s FactoryTalk Pharma Suite, the first of the series to be launched, comes as a pre-validated software package comprised of standardized weigh-and-dispense workflow. It includes a set of user interfaces, work order management, work-inprocess tracking, and inventory management. While it can be used as a stand-alone system, Riley said, FactoryTalk Pharma Suite is designed with predefined interface scenarios for simplified integration with enterprise resource planning and other business systems, such as laboratory information management systems.

In addition to weigh and dispense features, future versions of FactoryTalk Pharma Suite will include such activities

Omron’s EJ1 modular series temperature controller is a DIN rail mount that goes in the back of the panel, saving panel space, labour for wiring, and the cost of a display on every loop, or zone.

Photo Credit: Omron Canada Inc.

as electronic batch recording, corrective action/preventive action management, scheduling integration and comprehensive validation documentation, Riley continued. Future releases on the FactoryTalk platform also will include industry-specific applications for food, beverage and automotive manufacturers, as well as key production execution and performance management features for faster time-tovalue and mobilization across discrete, hybrid and process industries.

ENERGY SAVINGS MEETS USER FRIENDLINESS Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. recently introduced two new Simatic power management software solutions designed to combine energy savings with improved user-friendliness. Simatic WinCC Powerrate and Simatic PCS 7 Powerrate are additions to the Simatic WinCC visualization family and Simatic PCS 7 control family as premium add-ons.

According to Siemens, both Powerrate solutions provide a uniform power management solution that enable users to locate potential savings by examining the power behavior of different operating units and obtaining information on the plant status.

By consolidating energy usage data into a single software solution, users are said to get a comprehensive yet simplified view of information on energy consumption.

Additionally, the Powerrate solutions are said to help minimize training costs by providing operators with a familiar system environment for comprehensive data management and visualization. Indi-

18 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

vidual functions, such as measured value acquisition and processing, cost centre management, and load management are implemented via ready-made S7 modules, faceplates and Excel macros.

Siemens is also offering new faceplates for integration of the PAC 3200 power monitoring device into Simatic PCS 7 systems as a part of the device list, including maintenance view to maximize the pre-engineered solutions for power monitoring.

The company is also expanding its Tiastar Smart Motor Control Centre (MCC) product offering to provide simpler integration of this line into customer sites with competitive control systems. According to Siemens, the gateway solutions are factory installed and programmed in a 12-inch MCC bucket. Additionally, the company has developed a series of PLC card solutions, which enable easy integration of the Smart MCC to run Profibus-DP through Rockwell or Modicon PLCs. Both solutions have been tested on the full suite of Smart Components in the Tiastar Smart MCC. Tiastar Smart MCCs are intended to deliver detailed diagnostics and control by communicating with the starter units via PLC/DCS, enabling the overload relays of the starters, linked to the PLCs, to deliver detailed motor management data at improved speeds.

CPL RESOURCE LIST Omron Canada Inc. (Toronto); www.omron.ca; 416-286-6465 Rockwell Automation Inc. (Milwaukee, Wis.); www.rockwellautomation.com; 414-382-2000 Siemens (Alpharetta, Ga.); www.2.sea.siemens.com; 800-964-4114

lean manufacturing

TRIMMING WASTE?

A GUIDE TO Six Sigma, Lean, AND THE THEORY OF CONSTRAINTS

For plastics processors anxious to get lean, but unsure how to do it, differentiating between the various process improvement methodologies can be tough.

Canadian Plastics takes a look at Six Sigma, lean thinking, and the Theory of Constraints, and provides a framework to help choose what’s best for your organization.

By Mark Stephen, managing editor

I

n today’s business climate, “lean” ranks alongside “green” as one of the hottest business models around. Ask the management of virtually any plastics processing company and they’ll invariably tell you that their shop is now running leaner than ever before.

But what exactly does “lean” mean?

Champions of three process improvement methodologies are vying for attention, each describing his or her process as the solution to achieving a genuinely leaner manufacturing strategy.

A problem with Six Sigma, lean thinking, and the Theory of Constraints (TOC) methodologies, however, is they appear to conflict with each other, creating confusion about their similarities, differences, and effects.

With more and more manufacturers trying to decide which method will work best and fit best with their culture, a proper understanding can make all the difference in choosing the right approach.

SIX SIGMA Six Sigma derives its name from the ability of manufacturing processes to produce a very high proportion of output with specification. According to David Nave, a member of the American Society for Quality, the methodology is founded on

two main assumptions. First, people in an organization understand and appreciate the fact that numbers can represent features and characters of a process, and that a deeper understanding of data and data analysis can provide new and different perspectives of the process. Second, the overall performance of the organization will be improved through the reduction of variation of all the processes.

The cornerstone to Six Sigma is the belief that focusing on reduction of variation will solve process and business problems. By using a set of statistical tools to understand the fluctuation of a process, the theory argues, management can begin to predict the expected outcome of that process. If the outcome isn’t satisfactory, associated tools can be used to further understand the elements influencing that process. “Six Sigma represents a very black-and-white approach to manufacturing,” said Clifford J.G. Roebuck, CEO of Six Sigma Canada Inc. “The methodology looks at a statistical number to determine whether or not to make a change in a company’s manufacturing process.”

Six Sigma methodology includes five steps, said David Nave. First, practitioners begin by defining the process. “They ask who the customers are and what their problems are; identify the key character-

www.canplastics.com January/February 2009 Canadian Plastics 19

lean manufacturing

istics important to the customer, along with the processes that support those key characteristics; and then identify existing output conditions along with the process elements,” Nave explained. Next, the focus shifts to measuring the process. Key characteristics are categorized, measurement systems verified, and data collected.

Third, data is analyzed and converted into information that provides insights into the process, as well as the most important causes of problems. Fourth, improvements are developed to solve problems, and results of process changes are seen in measurements. “Finally, in the sustaining portion of the Six Sigma methodology, the process is put under control once performance reaches the desired, predictable level,” Nave said. “From this point on, the process is monitored to ensure no unexpected changes occur.”

When implementing the methodology, Clifford Roebuck said, it could help to have a Six Sigma expert — called a Black Belt — working inside a company, although such an arrangement is not absolutely necessary. “Most of our customers don’t have that resource when we begin,” he said.

For companies interested in training an employee to become a Black Belt, the investment is generally about $1,000 per week for each person trained, Roebuck continued. “The training program takes approximately four weeks, usually spread out over several months,” he said. “On average, the process takes between four and seven months for someone knowing nothing about Six Sigma.”

There’s never been a better time to learn Six Sigma, Roebuck said. “There used to be just one basic Six Sigma package available, but nowadays it’s become very customized. Our company alone has 20 different approaches available,” he said.

“Furthermore, the materials are now made available in step-by-step guides so that virtually anyone can learn it.”

LEAN THINKING Lean thinking, often called lean manufacturing, is a production process that considers the expenditure of resources for any goal other than the creation of value for the end customer to be wasteful, and

Program Theory Application Guidlelines

Focus

IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS Six Sigma Reduce variation 1. Define.

2. Measure.

3. Analyze.

4. Improve.

5. Control.

Problem focused

Lean thinking Remove waste 1. Identify value.

2. Identify value stream.

3. Flow.

4. Pull.

5. Performance.

Flow focused

Theory of Constraints Manage constraints 1. Identify constraint.

2. Exploit constraint.

3. Subordinate processes.

4. Elevate constraint.

5. Repeat cycle.

Systems constraints Source: David Nave

thus a target for elimination. Originating in the Japanese manufacturing industry, one common measure of lean is touch time — the amount of time the product is actually being worked on, or touched, by the worker.

According to David Nave, there are five essential steps in lean. “The first step identifies which features create value,” he said. “Value is expressed in terms of how the specific product meets the customer’s needs, at a specific price, at a specific time.

The value determination can be from the perspective of the ultimate customer or a subsequent process.” The second step is to identify the sequence of activities called the value stream. A determination is made as to whether activities that do or do not contribute value to the product are necessary. All non-value added activities are phased out of the production process. Third, improvement efforts are directed toward making the activities flow — “flow” being defined as the uninterrupted movement of product or service through the system to the customer. “Major inhibitors of flow are work in queue, batch processing, and transportation,” Nave said. “These buffers slow the time from product or service initiation to delivery, tie up money that can be used elsewhere, and cover up the effects of system restraints and other wasted activities.” Fourth, after waste is removed and flow established, efforts turn to letting the customer pull product for service through the process. The company must make the process responsive to providing the product or service only when the customer needs it, not before and not after. “The final step of the process is working toward perfection,” Nave said. “This effort is the repeated and constant attempt to remove non-value activity, improve flow, and sat-

20 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

isfy customer delivery needs.”

Lean providers stress that the process involves many people in the value stream, and that the transitioning can cause fundamental changes in how people perceive their roles in the organization, and their relationships to the product. Commitment to the process is therefore crucial. “Ultimately, almost very aspect of a plastics production plant has to change, and a company has to be willing to commit, from the senior management level on down,” said Don Kivell, president of Lean Manufacturing Solutions Inc. “A lean program can be started almost immediately in certain areas, but the cultural change can take years.”

One of Kivell’s clients, custom molder Melet Plastics Inc., saw measurable results in months after adopting the lean approach.

According to general manager Bill Fenton, the company set up a U-shaped cell that reduced the distance traveled in one particular manufacturing process by 77 per cent. Overall, the company was able to cut average machine times by 51 per cent, space consumption by 35 per cent, and changeover times from 60 minutes average to less than 10 minutes in some cases.

“The change to lean was not terribly difficult for us because our management supported it thoroughly,” Fenton said. “The ongoing challenge now is to not fall back into our old ways.”

THEORY OF CONSTRAINTS Less well-known than Six Sigma and lean thinking, TOC is an overall management philosophy based on the application of scientific principles of logic and reasoning to guide human-based organizations.

Applied to manufacturing, the guiding premises of TOC are that a production

lean manufacturing

rate is limited by at least one constraining process, and that only by increasing flow at the bottleneck process can overall throughput be increased. A good analogy for a system is a chain, according to David Nave: a group of interdependent links working together toward a defined goal, with the constraint as the weak link.

TOC zeroes in on the process slowing the speed of product through the system and preventing the organization from obtaining its goal.

TOC consists of five steps, Nave continued. First, the constraint is identified.

“The amount of work in queue is a classic indicator,” he said. “Another example is where products are processed in batches.”

Once the constraint has been identified, the second step involves exploiting the constraint: improving the process to achieve its utmost capacity without major expensive upgrades or changes. Third, after the constraining process is working at maxi-

mum capacity, the speeds of other subordinate processes are paced to the speed or capacity of the constraint. “Subordinate processes are usually found ahead of the constraint,” Nave said. “Processes after the constraint are not a major concern, as they are probably already producing under capacity because they have to wait on the constraint.” The fourth step occurs if the output of the overall system is still not satisfactory, and requires major changes to the constraint. “Changes can involve capital improvement, reorganization, or other major expenditures of time or money,” Nave said. “This is called elevating the constraint.” Finally, once the first constraint has been removed, another part of the system or process chain inevitably becomes the new constraint. “Now is the time to repeat the cycle of improvement,” Nave said. “The performance of the entire system is re-evaluated by searching for this new constraint, exploiting the process,

COMPARISON OF IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS

Program Theory Application Guidlelines

Focus Assumptions

Primary effect Secondary effects

Criticisms

Six Sigma Reduce variation 1. Define.

2. Measure.

3. Analyze.

4. Improve.

5. Control.

Problem focused A problem exists.

Figures and numbers are valued.

System output improves if variation in all processes is reduced.

Uniform process output Less waste.

Fast throughput.

Less inventory.

Fluctuation — performance measures for managers.

Improved quality.

System interaction not considered.

Process improved independently.

Lean thinking Remove waste 1. Identify value.

2. Identify value stream.

3. Flow.

4. Pull.

5. Performance.

Flow focused Waste removal will improve business performance.

Many small improvements are better than systems analysis.

Theory of Constraints Manage constraints 1. Identify constraint.

2. Exploit constraint.

3. Subordinate processes.

4. Elevate constraint.

5. Repeat cycle.

Systems constraints Emphasis on speed and volume.

Uses existing systems.

Process interdependence.

Reduced flow time

Fast throughput

Less variation.

Uniform output.

Less inventory.

New accounting system.

Flow — performance measure for managers Improved quality.

Statistical or system analysis not valued.

Less inventory/waste.

Throughput cost accounting.

Throughput — performance measurement system.

Improved quality.

Minimal worker input.

Data analysis not valued.

Source: David Nave

subordinating and elevating.”

Vinyl film supplier Canadian General-Tower Limited began implementing TOC in 2002, according to president and CEO Jan Chaplin, based on the management’s desire for a more logical business approach.

There was a hurdle at the outset, though. “We were concerned that TOC wasn’t very popular, and that it would be difficult to find anyone to support it,” Chaplin said. “We decided to go ahead with the implementation, though, because the theory behind it was inarguable: it’s pure math logic, and boils down to focusing on the one operation that you’re trying to improve.”

Introducing the methodology into the fifth generation family firm proved to be another hurdle. “TOC dictates response to actual demand, not forecasted demand, and this was counterintuitive to us, and went against the way we’d always done business,” she explained. “In the end, we had to let almost half our senior management go, including our plant manager, because they simply didn’t trust it.”

After applying TOC to virtually every aspect of the company’s operations, Chaplin has no doubt that the procedure was well worth the time and trouble. “Our ontime delivery has been reduced from five weeks to two weeks on select products,” she said. “We’ve also had an improvement in our capacity of 50 per cent per constraint, and we’ve been able to dramatically reduce our overall inventory.”

Chaplin doubts the company would still be in business today if not for the changes brought about by TOC. “Our company is very involved in the auto industry, and TOC has given us the ability to outlast our competitors, and actually pick up their business as they’ve fallen,” she said. CPL RESOURCE LIST: American Society for Quality (Milwaukee, Wis.); www.asq.org; 800-248-1946 Canadian General-Tower Limited (Cambridge, Ont.); www.cgtower.com; 519- 623-1630 Lean Manufacturing Solutions Inc. (Hamilton, Ont.); www.lmsi.ca; 905-902-2367 Melet Plastics Inc. (Winnipeg, Man.); www.meletplastics.com; 204-667-6635 Six Sigma Canada Inc. (Tecumseh, Ont.); www.sixsigmacanada.net; 519-735-1223

www.canplastics.com January/February 2009 Canadian Plastics 21

recycling report

Scrap dealers T

In this special recycling report, Canadian Plastics takes the pulse of the scrap plastic business in Canada, and profiles some of the latest innovations in size reduction equipment for processors.

By Umair Abdul, assistant editor

feel the squeeze

he struggles of companies in the current economy have been well-documented across the plastics value chain, but little attention is often paid to compounders that buy and resell scrap plastic.

Recyclers have also been hit hard by some of the market forces affecting businesses in the processing sector. For instance, downturns in key markets have affected business volumes in the recycling industry.

“The main problem we’re finding is the automotive industry, and some of the housing-related industry,” noted Gobi Saha, president of Brampton, Ont.-based Kal-Trading Inc. “They are not buying as much as they used to, and they’re not selling as much of their scrap as they used to.”

But the recent sharp decline in commodity prices — a shift that has at least brought some temporary relief to processor profit margins — has further exacerbated the recycling industry’s problems.

TOUGHER TIMES The recent devaluation in commodity prices had a sharp impact across the recycling value chain. Toronto’s general manager of solid waste, for instance, has announced that the department was working on contingency plans in light of the sudden drop in demand for products made from recycled materials and the drop in oil prices.

In British Columbia, the recycling industry at large is voicing concerns about reduced demand, particularly in countries like China.

“The issue here is that we export most of our recycled materials, and they get shipped to India and China,” explained Mairi Welman of the Recycling Council of B.C. “And the prices have just really come down over the last few months.

The high-grade plastics are still moving, but they are stockpiling a lot of the low-grade stuff.”

Scrap dealers are voicing many of the same concerns. Saha notes that Kal-Trading isn’t as badly affected because it serves diversified markets, but it will still feel the pinch.

“When the cycle goes up there is an incentive to buy recycled...there are people who are buying 22 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

our material, but there e other people who will go with the virgin material.”

“China is the biggest sufferer,” he continued.

“It’s not going to take our thunder because it’s not our biggest market, but it is going to make us struggle a little bit.”’

WORKING THROUGH IT Many plastics recycling firms are responding to the reduced demand and compressed profit margins by working harder on the sales front.

“We are making more calls,” said Cecil Green of Woodstock, Ont.-based Greenline Resins Inc. “The harder you work, the more time you spend, the better the results.”

Kal-Trading’s Saha also says that the company has increased its sales efforts, noting that there isn’t much fat left to pick off in terms of operational effectiveness.

Some companies on the post-consumer side, however, are looking at ways to improve feedstocks in order to reduce operational costs. Louis Metivier, president of Que.-based Recyc RPM Inc., one of Canada’s biggest plastic recyclers, notes that one of the big problems for the company is the quality of post-consumer plastic bales.

He says that materials from municipal recycling facilities are often not sorted well.

“We have at least a 15 to 25 per cent reject rate in it,” said Metivier. This in turn adds to the company’s operational and maintenance costs. In tougher times, good quality feedstocks are very important.

“We have to be very efficient in the plant with the machinery right now,” he said.

The Environment and Plastics Industry Council’s Cathy Cirko notes that although quality issues are an important consideration, recyclers should also look at several other areas. Namely, recyclers should work towards greater market diversification, increased vertical integration with end users, and long-term contracts.

“My feeling is, when you’ve got a really sharp drop in virgin, you’ve got to look at contracts,” noted Cirko. “It’s very much in the interest of plastic recyclers to forge ahead with longer-term CPL contracts.”

recycling report

SPOTLIGHT — SIZE REDUCTION EQUIPMENT

www.maguirecanada.com; 866-441-8409

LARGE HEAVY-DUTY SHEET GRANULATORS

Extruders of sheet products such as acrylic, PS, PP and PVC have the need for heavy duty rugged granulators, like the Heavy Duty Granulator model 60/140 CL, 150 HP. Polymer Systems has installed many of these systems in North America. The rugged granulator features the patented crossscissor cutting action, and rotor knives are pre-adjusted outside the machine for fast and easy replacement. The cutting chamber and screen cradle are electro hydraulically opened and closed for easy maintenance access.

The granulators are most often conveyor fed for the thick sheets, or fed by feed rolls for the continuous lengths of flexible or thinner materials. Regrind is

www.polysys.com; 860-828-0541

Plastic Machinery Inc. (Newmarket, Ont.); 905-895-5054

SCREENLESS GRANULATOR WITH REDUCED FOOTPRINT The new SJ2 Compact screenless granulator has a reduced footprint and a large cutting chamber for the granulation of bigger sprues and parts made of hard, filled plastics. Its reduced footprint of only 0.4 m2 (620 in2) makes the unit ideal for besidethe-press operation, while the cutting

MILAN, MARCH 24-28, 2009

According to Maguire, the Shuttle Granulator automatically processes bulky purgings while costing no more than 20 per cent as much as standard systems. The granulator’s two-stage system planes purgings into small chips, and then granulates the chips into uniform regrind that is ready for reprocessing.

In the “planing” stage, the purging is shuttled back and forth over a table surface that is split into two levels like a carpenter’s plane. A series of staggered rotor knives that turn at 1750 RPM at the point of disjunction reduce the purging to chips.

They are then propelled at a high speed into the hopper of a second-stage granulator beneath the table.

Maguire has made several enhancements, including a shock-absorbing drive mechanism to cushion the impact of particularly hard material; a lower cutting chamber to provide easier operator access; and more effective purging consumption.

Maguire Canada (Vaughan Ont.);

blower/cyclone evacuated, and Hosokawa manufactures customized de-dusting systems for the removal of dust, fines and angel hair for trouble free processing.

Hosokawa Polymer Systems Kensington, Conn.);

INTERNATIONAL PLASTICS AND RUBBER INDUSTRIESʼ EXHIBITION

GRANULATOR STREAMLINES REPROCESSING OF PURGINGS

Our international exhibition, from March 24 to 28, 2009, is even more appealing than in the past: PLASTʼ09 will be held concurrently not only with IPACK-IMA (www.ipack-ima.it), as in 2006, but also with two other trade shows: CONVERFLEX (www.converflex.it) and GRAFITALIA (www.grafitalia.biz).

More than 1,200 exhibitors from more than 40 countries are expecting your visit to the Milan fairgrounds

www.plast09.org

concurrent with

www.canplastics.com January/February 2009 Canadian Plastics 23

recycling report

chamber size of 240 mm x 346 mm offers a throughput of 20 kg/h.

The screenless granulator has two cutting rotors and an optional third shaft for improved feeding of the cutting chamber. The hardened, reversible knives provide double the life and reduced maintenance costs. The low 32 rpm rotor speed offers quiet operation with minimal fines.

The granulator can also be equipped with the optional Automatic Reversing System (ARS), which provides optimal processing for continuous operation and avoids jamming-related shutdowns.

Wittmann Canada Inc. (Richmond Hill, Ont.); www.wittmann-canada.com; 888-440-7170

Horizontal granulators from Vecoplan The VH-Series contains 14 different models, ranging from 40 HP to 200 HP, with deed widths from 18” to 50”. They come with a control panel and 16’ L vibration conveyor for horizontal feeding of lineal scrap such as profile extrusions, small diameter pipe and PVC siding.

Multiple feed rollers grip the material coming from the conveyor and advance the material into the cutting rotor. Feed rate is determined by the amperage load that the processing action places on the cutting rotor, which in turn sends a signal to both the conveyor and feed rollers to adjust the feed rate. Particle size is determined by a sizing screen.

Biggest open-hearted granulators Rapid has released the new 600-Series, the largest of Rapid’s open-hearted range of easy access granulators. They allow cleaning and maintenance time to be reduced by up to 50 per cent without compromising safety or regrind quality.

The 600-Series uses the same patented technology, with a concept that is modular and can be tailored to any application within the processing or recycling industry.

During a production change, the machine’s ergonomic (“open hearted”) design allows the operator to gain access to the rotor and cutter in just three steps, without the aid of any tools.

Centrally located or beside-the-press, the 600-Series is designed for high-volume granulation of injection molded, blow molded or extruded parts and waste, and can handle throughput of up to 2,500 kg/h.

The series, which has a rotor diameter of 500mm, is available in 900, 1200 and even 1500mm widths. In addition, the machine can be equipped with Rapid’s Super Tangential Cutter House to allow the granulation of parts bigger than the rotor diameter.

Rapid Granulator Inc. (Rockford, Ill.); www.rapidgranulator.com; 815-399-4605

Dier International Plastics Inc. (Richmond Hill, Ont.);

www.dierinternational.com; 905-474-9874

The V-Series offers a choice of cutting rotors. Fourteen models are available with a precision granulator rotor in 2-4-knife configurations with a moderately open design. The rotor turns at a mid-speed RPM and utilizes sharp knives similar to conventional granulator blades. A proprietary clamping system secures the knives in place and affords several sharpening intervals.

Vecoplan, LLC (High Point, N.C.); www.vecoplanllc.com; 877-738-3241

The E-Rotor shredder Weima has introduced the new “E-Rotor” WLK shredder, with a new rotor specifically for the recycling of film and fibrous materials. The design has also eliminated wrapping issues with thin gauge films and fibers, which sometimes occur with other rotor designs.

One of the benefits of the new design is that it generates a relatively high bulk density when processing film, helping maximize the efficiency of the repelletizing process. Also, with larger hoppers associated with shredders, processors have

24 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

the ability to load materials with easy.

With additional features such as a rotor cooling package, the E-Rotor also has the ability to handle low melt materials. The machine configuration can be adapted with wear plates for abrasive materials and carbide tipped knives for extended life.

Weima America Inc. (Fort Mill, S.C.); www.weimaamerica.com; 888-440-7170

Hand-fed granulator saves space The WO-1430 back feed granulator is ideal for in-plant recycling for long, light parts.

The new model has a feed throat opening 72 inches off the floor, enabling the hand feeding of parts up to eight feet long without the use of a platform or conveyor. This saves valuable floor space.

An innovative fly-back control within the hopper prevents scrap from flying back, and the 40HP motor-powered unit is completely soundproofed.

Rotogran also offers a new option for wear resistance on granulators, with systems where the wear in the granulator chamber are fitted with removable inserts.

Inserts can be replaced without disassembling the entire chamber, and the operation can be performed in less time than a typical blade change. Inserts are located at both sides of the rotor and at the wear points of the backplate leading into the bottom stationary blade area, an can be provided with our without a protective tungsten carbide coating.

Rotogran has also experienced great success with its constant torque drive variable speed drive granulators, which allows customers to produce quality regrind while reducing power consumption and noise levels when compared to conventional fixed spered granulators.

Rotogran International Inc. (Concord, Ont.); www.rotogran.com; 905-738-0101

technology showcase

AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT

Portable chillers based on eco-friendly refrigerants The EarthSmart line of portable chillers from Conair use environmentally-friendly R410A refrigerants, which do not damage the environment and present a low breathing risk to the people who work with it.

Engineered to accommodate the new refrigerants, and also to provide simpler, more powerful standard controls, the aircooled and water-cooled chillers are available in six sizes from 1.5- to 15-tons, with larger and smaller units to be added.

The EarthSmart units offer advanced diagnostics capabilities, including a built-in alarm history, which timestamps and saves up to 40 alarm records to aid in troubleshooting; temperature control point that is selectable as to-process, from-process or an average of the two; hot-gas bypass function that ensures precision temperature control even when the chiller is operating at as little as 25 per cent of rated capacity; and control-panel lights to indicate when the compressor, bypass valve or pump is activated.

Additionally, the chillers incorporate rugged non-ferrous components in all wetted areas. These include a welded stainlesssteel reservoir and stainless pump, brazedplate condenser, as well as other stainless, brass and copper valves and fittings.

The Conair Group (Pittsburgh, Pa.); www.conairnet.com; 800-654-6661 Hamilton Avtec Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.); 800-590-5546

ROBOTS & AUTOMATION

Connectors and wire ties for EOAT SAS Automation has unveiled a “twiston� cable saddle frame connector and wire tie system for better End-of-Arm Tool (EOAT) cable management. This system allows EOAT builders to easily attach air

hoses and or power cables to the tool.

The design of the cable saddle allows the hoses or cables to be removed and moved to other locations on the tool as needed during the build process. Twisting the cable saddle to lock into the profile provides a solid connection to the profile and the ability to move the cables or hoses without wasting the wire ties by having to cut them off.

The cable saddles are available in 15 mm and 25 mm sizes to accommodate various sizes of EOAT hoses and cables. An opening built into the base of the cable saddle allows for the wire ties to loop through, allowing for the cable saddle to be permanently attached to the cables or hoses.

SAS Automation, LLC (Xenia, Ohio); www.sas-automation.com; 888-727-36285255; Verick International (Brampton, Ont.); 905-458-7121

HOT RUNNERS

Electric valve gate with powerful closing force

Mold-Masters is introducing an electric valve gate (EVG) for the hot runner marketplace that offers closing force almost two times higher than some pneumatic actuators.

The design of the actuator allows for pin movement in less than 0.1 second and overall molding cycles below one second.

EVG is up to 90 per cent more energy efficient than traditional actuators for valve gates and is ideally suited to cleanroom applications, as it produces almost no particulate pollution.

In addition to the energy savings, plate costs are reduced on EVG systems because there is no requirement for gun-drilling

of air or hydraulic channels, plugging of the gun-drilled lines, or need for water/ hydraulic fittings.

The EVG system is standardized and modular in design so it can easily be removed and used on future molds.

The EVG touch screen controller allows the molder the ability to easily sequence the valve gates or shut-off a given cavity without altering tip heats.

EVG systems are available in 75 and 55 mm piston sizes to allow for tight pitch applications.

Mold-Masters Ltd. (Georgetown, Ont.); www.moldmasters.com; 905-877-0185

MOLD TECHNOLOGY

Friction pullers advance parting line control Progressive Components introduces its new Friction Puller for parting line control, designed to advances parting line control by improving mold life cycle and performance over other methods.

The unit offers internal venting, with no extra through holes and no additional machining in the back of the mold required.

Additionally, the Friction Puller is selflocating, allowing the resin assemblies to self locate, even if plates shift due to thermal expansion or machining variances.

They also come standard with indicator arrows to remove guesswork during installation and adjustment.

Four sizes of the Friction Puller are available, off-the-shelf.

Progressive Components Canada Ltd. (Toronto); www.procomps.com; 800-269-6653

Cost-effective cores for caps and closures

D-M-E Company has added five new standard sizes to its line of Collapsible Cores, designed to allow molders to achieve internal undercuts in a cost-effective manner.

Compared to non-traditional or custom designs, which are typically expensive to

www.canplastics.com January/February 2009 Canadian Plastics 25

technology showcase build and more difficult to maintain, D-M-E’s line of off-the-shelf Collapsible Cores are well suited for caps and closures, fluid transfer products, and other molded products requiring internal threads, undercuts, protrusions or cut-outs.

With the five new available sizes, the overall length (OAL) range of D-M-E’s standardized Collapsible Cores is 142.37 - 285.75 mm. Previously, the OAL range was 185.80 285.75 mm.

D-M-E of Canada Ltd. (Mississauga, Ont.); www.dme.net; 800-387-6600

from a single sample or compare historical data.

The VTM can measure long chain branching in just 10 to 12 minutes.

Also, when measuring very low viscosities, Enhanced Dynamic Range (EDR) improves the signal-to-noise ratio, to improve test sensitivity.

The family of VTM analyzers is CE marked for international compliance.

Dynisco (Franklin, Mass.); www.dynisco.com; 508-541-9400 Process Heaters Inc. (Toronto); 416-747-8250 Auxiplast Inc. (Ste. Julie, Que.); 450-922-0282

TESTING & MEASURING EQUIPMENT

plastics data file

Repeatable testing of polyolefins

WITTMANN INNOVATIONS

Innovations - Wittmann’s quarterly news letter - offers plastics processors detailed insight into ways to improve their businesses with news and application stories covering Robots and Automation, IML, Injection Molding Machinery, Material Conveying, Drying and Blending, Granulation and Temperature Control. It is available in print and on-line.

Wittmann Canada Inc., 35 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4C2; Tel. 1-888-466-8266; www.wittmann-canada.com.

A new addition to the family of Dynisco polymer lab analyzers, the VTM is a mechanical laboratory analyzer for polyolefins that uses advanced software to gather a wider range of rheological data easily and quickly.

The VTM series of analyzers measure properties in a pressurized sample chamber instead of a more conventional open cavity, reducing edge effects and potential contamination and improving repeatability.

The unit gathers standard data points such as dynamic viscosity, elastic modulus, viscous modulus and tangent delta. And, with the Enterprise software package, users can create their own testing protocol, selecting multiple data points to be gathered

advertising index Advertiser Arburg Arkema Canada Inc. Clariant Masterbatches Division Lorenz Conveying Products Kreator Plast’09 Rotogran International Inc. Vortex Valves Weima America Inc. Wittmann Canada Inc.

Page

Telephone

E-mail

Website

13 29 31 7 2,3 23 15 8 17 back cover

860-667-6500 800-567-5726 888-621-1282 800-263-1942 519-941-7876

usa@arburg.com polymers.canada@arkemagroup.com

905-738-0101 785-825-7177 803-802-7170 888-466-8266

info@rotogran.com rbarragree@vortexvalves.com info@weimaamerica.com info@wittmann-canada.com

www.arburg.com www.arkema.ca www.clariantmasterbatches.com www.lorenz.ca www.kreatorequipment.com www.plast09.org www.rotogran.com www.vortexcanada.com www.weimaamerica.com www.wittmann-canada.com

sales@lorenz.ca sales@kreatorequipment.com

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26 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

classified ads MATERIALS

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Comprehensive analysis, testing, R&D of plastics and polymers. Q.A./Q.C. - troubleshooting, customer returns; failure analysis; manufacturing process control, reverse engineering, case studies. RoHS, environmental, physical, chemical, mechanical testing. All major test procedures: glass transition, degree of curing, OIT, viscosity, surface/roughness analysis, microhardness, Vicat, etc.. DSC/TGA/TMA, SEM/ EDS, ICP, FTIR, XRF, UV-VIS,QUV, X-ray imaging analysis, Auger, optical interferometry (WYCO system), most ASTM standard tests, etc..

80 Esna Park Drive, #7-9, Markham, Ontario, L3R 2R7, Canada tel: (905) 415-2207; fax: (905) 415-3633; website: www.itlinc.com; e-mail: info@itlinc.com.

www.canplastics.com January/February 2009 Canadian Plastics 27

design ideas • automotive applications

Polyamide lightens truckloads Plastic film handles the pressures in seat motors

The answer to the question, “How many seat motor thrust washers are found in an average car?” would probably be another question: “What’s a seat motor thrust washer?”

A component in the motor controlling the reclining angles and positions of a car’s driver and front passenger seats, seat thrust washers are traditionally made of steel in order to withstand approximately 4,000 RPM and pressures of 2.05 lb. per square foot.

In this environment, not only do the washers wear out, but the surrounding parts also, resulting in the need for frequent replacements.

So when Korean auto parts supplier S&T Daewoo wanted a plastic film to replace the steel in the seat motor thrust washers for the company’s flagship automobiles, it chose Victrex APTIV film because of the product’s durability, wear resistance, and inherent lubricity.

“After testing a number of plastics materials including PA66 and POM, we selected APTIV film because it is essential for us to ensure both functionality and long service life of our products,” said Heo Suk, a senior researcher at S&T Daewoo.

Victrex USA Inc. (West Conshohocken, Pa.); www.victrex.com; 484-342-6001

The compressed-air reservoir on a truck trailer may not be the flashiest vehicle component in the world, but it has an important job, providing compressed-air control for numerous mechanical functions, especially for the brake and air-suspension systems.

Until now, compressed-air tanks have been made of metal. But in September 2008, the first compressed-air tank made of plastic was introduced at the International Motor Show for Commercial Vehicles, in Hanover, Germany.

Designed and manufactured by German-based processor Combat Composite Materials GmbH, the tank — which measures 1.2 meters in length, has a diameter of 32 cm, and holds 80 litres — is made from three Ultramid polyamides from BASF. The manufacturing process involved a highviscosity Ultramid extrusion type from BASF’s polyamide-6 range, extruded in a pipe and then cut to size. A process developed by Combat then impregnates continuous glass fibres with a heat-stabilized Untramid type, before winding them around the pipe. Finally, an injection molded cap made of a third BASF polyamide is affixed to the ends of the pipe and then welded into place.

According to Ralph Funck, CEO of Combat, the advantages of this plastic compressed-air reservoir in comparison to metal tanks include reduced weight and cost, and corrosion resistance. “This is a huge step in the direction of using more plastic in trucks,” he said.

BASF Canada (Mississauga, Ont.); www.basf.ca; 866-485-2273

Visually arresting police cars Odds are, most of us tend to think of the police as grim-faced upholders of law and order, far removed from the world of aesthetic design. The next time you see one of their cars in your rear view mirror, however, you may want to think again — in addition to slowing down.

American homeland security company Carbon Motors Corporation recently manufactured its E7 law enforcement vehicle, said to be the world’s first car with a 100 per cent paintfilm thermoplastic exterior.

The body panels for the E7 will be produced with combined technology from paintfilm technology supplier Soliant LLC, and chemical company BASF. Made with Soliant’s Flourex paintfilm line, the panels will include an enhanced UV-cured film technology with added scratch and mar resistance, allowing for the coating of a vehicle to be held to a minimum cost with less environmental impact. “The electrical power savings achieved using paintfilm instead of paint is 150,000 MW hours per year, which is the equivalent to the power consumption of 17,000 average U.S. homes,” said Alan Bratt, executive vice president of Carbon Motors.

Additionally, the paintfilm will not fade or peel over time, and is available in a wide range of colours, including two-tones, metallics, pearlescents, special effects and finishes including chrome and brushed chrome.

“Law enforcement officers deserve the best technologies,” Bratt said. “Including Flourex paintfilm brings added value to their vehicles, as well as streamlining production and enhancing environmental sustainability.”

Soliant LLC (Lancaster, S.C.); www.paintfilm.com; 803-285-9401

28 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

We help your great ideas be great products.

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1-800-567-5726

www.arkema.com www.arkema.ca

Explore the possibilities

The world is our inspiration

view from the floor

Quick Changes

By Jim Anderton, technical editor

I

t goes without saying that the injection molding community in Canada is going through difficult times.

Competitive pressures are terrific, and as more shops chase less business, it’s also likely that shorter production runs will become more common.

While everyone wants that 10-million part business, it is possible to optimize your press changeover procedures, even in a small shop, to win back productivity and make some of the smaller jobs profitable. How? There are two steps: Change the clamping technology, and optimize that technology for best speed. If the budget can stand it, magnetic clamping is a very fast, clean way to mount molds. Clamping pressures can easily exceed 100 pounds per square inch, which, multiplied by the surface area of the mold’s contact face, can produce truly large clamp forces. If the mold plan form is 18 by 24 inches, for example, the clamping force would be:

18 inches x 24 inches x 100 pounds/square inch = 43,200 pounds Chances are, 21 tons of clamping force will hold your mold securely. Remember, this is clamping the mold to the press, not the mold closing force, which is controlled by the machine.

Another benefit of magnetic clamping is that by nature, the forces are spread evenly over the tool’s surface area, minimizing distortion and eliminating the need for very high localized clamp forces with conventional edge clamping techniques. Need a three-minute tool change? Magnetics are for you, but bring your banker, because they’re expensive.

The second technique is hydraulic clamping, which is really a semi-automated conventional wedge clamping technology. Hydraulics are much faster than bolt-up, slower than magnetics, but are substantially cheaper.

Besides the speed benefit of hydraulics, clamp forces are uniform, helping alignment and reducing the possibility of distortion. Hydraulic clamping also eliminates the phenomenon of under clamping, where a hurried set-up tech deletes a few “extra” clamps or forgets to fully tighten one or more bolts. Don’t ask me how I know this!

Can’t afford either magnetic or hydraulic clamping?

There is still much you can do to cut precious minutes from your changeover time. Start with the floor configuration around the press. Are molds racked near the press?

Are you using a pneumatic or hydraulic lift table? Most 30 Canadian Plastics January/February 2009 www.canplastics.com

of my career, tables were hand-cranked, and by 3 PM on a busy day, I guarantee that a 40-something tech will be slowing down. A system I worked on 20 years ago halved changeover time at minimal cost with conventional manual clamping. See if it applies for your operation:

1. Use two lift tables.

Two tables allow flow-through changeovers. Bring the new mold to the press first, then push the old tool onto the second table, then pull it aside. Do not move the old tool right away, but concentrate on getting the press up and running. Saving $1,200 on a second lift means removing the old tool, moving it into storage or maintenance, and then fetching the new mold. The press can sit empty for twenty minutes waiting.

2. Use pneumatics tactically.

Impact guns are great for clamp removal. Air ratchets are similarly excellent for spinning up nuts and bolts prior to final torquing. Use both in that sequence, and you can safely use unskilled/marginal labour to remove and spin up clamps while the experienced tech follows, torquing to final spec. This makes it possible to pull non-maintenance personnel off another task to bolster your changeout team temporarily.

3. Don’t re-use clamps, bolts, or nuts.

I don’t mean throw them away, I mean bring a racked set of clamping accessories to the press with the new tool, and then zip off the old fasteners into a bucket or box.

Re-organize the removed bits later when dealing with the old tool. I’ve seen junior techs spend 15 minutes on their hands and knees looking for a lost nut. Forget it for now and move on with fresh parts.

4. Think about cooling.

Is the chiller in the way? Can longer lines be used to move it back? When the mold is in repair, is it possible to change the connection ports to move them out of the way? Your set-up tech won’t tell you, so you need to either watch the changeout process to see for yourself, or better yet, get a cheap video camera and tape the process for later study.

Either way, be aware that your presence will affect the team’s performance. Review the results with the team and assure them that you’re looking to make their jobs more convenient, not pressuring them for a speed-up.

There are more ideas, but I’m out of space, so more later.

CPL

™ Trademark of Clariant.

Are there enough pillows in the cabin?

Attention to every detail is the difference.

Every Clariant Masterbatches team member is driven to perfect your product. With the global resource expertise from our more than 55 sites worldwide, we offer knowledge and solutions using color, special effects and additive masterbatch technologies to differentiate and rejuvenate your brand, help you meet environmental goals and ease regulatory compliance. It’s just one facet of Clariant 360˚ Service™.

Clariant Masterbatches; Toronto, Ontario +800 265 3773, +416 847 7000; Lachine, Québec +514 420 0770; Delta, British Columbia +604 526 1717; www.clariant.masterbatches.com

What do you need?

Choose a Single Component or a Complete System!

From a single vacuum loader or injection molding machine to a fully integrated material conveying, drying and blending system or a complete work cell – the choice is yours!

BATTENFELD Injection Molding Machines and Technology

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FEEDMAX Loaders and Material Handling Equipment

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