Canadian Plastics June 2015 by Annex Business Media

Canadian Plastics www.canplastics.com

june 2015

RECYCLING

Why bioplastics are causing a headache

CPIA Leader of the Year Jim Ellies, Gracious Living Innovations

Preview

The lowdown on the show in TO

CPL Jun15 p01 Cover.indd 1

The latest

drying

technologies

truths How to avoid cooling system meltdown

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contents

Canadian Plastics June 2015 VOLUME 73 NUMBER 3

LOOKING BACK...

Number of the month:

65,810*

* Registered attendance for the recent NPE2015 trade show. (See pg. 6)

in every issue 4 Editor’s View: Manufacturing wins in 2015 federal budget 5 Ideas & Innovations: Wearable machine sensors head off equipment failure 6 News • NPE2015 was largest ever • Haremar, El-En Packaging bought by Inteplast • Canadian plastics pioneer Lorne Berggren passes away • Supplier News and People 32 Technology Showcase 36 Classified Ads 36 Advertising Index 37 Plastics Data File 38 Technical Tips: • Eliminating surface blemishes on a cosmetic part (part 3)

16 ©Cover: Pawel Worytko/Getty Images/Thinkstock

The January 1989 issue of Canadian Plastics reported on an extreme step taken by injection molder IPL Inc., of StDamien, Que. When a 2,700 ton Natco I/M machine needed to be remanufactured, the company was forced to knock a 20foot by 15-foot hole in its plant wall so the unit could be removed. The machine was then shipped to Freemont, Ohio, where it was remanufactured at the EPCO division of John Brown Plastics Machinery. The hole was boarded up in the interim, and then repaired weeks later once the rebuilt machine was back in place.

cover story 12 CHILLERS: Cold truths If you’re running a molding plant without quality cooling water you’re basically taking a bath with a toaster. Trouble is, watercooling systems are fairly complex and prone to a host of problems. Some are obvious and catastrophic while others are silent, creeping failures that slowly erode your plant’s productivity. Wanna avoid both kinds? Keep these tips in mind. features 16 CPIA LEADER OF THE YEAR: Jim Ellies A 35-year veteran of Canada’s plastics industry, Ellies is the president and COO of Mississauga, Ont.-based Gracious Living Innovations Inc. He once turned a struggling business into one of Canada’s 50 best managed companies — but he still figures his best days are ahead of him, training a new generation of plastics professionals. PLUS: We profile some of the industry’s most deserving, as chosen by the CPIA. 20 DRYERS: Dry hard Thanks to these new technologies, drying moisture-sensitive polymers just got a little less crazy. 25 PLAST-EX PREVIEW: What you need to know at a glance Your basic lowdown on the big show in TO. 28 RECYCLING: Why bioplastics are causing a headache They’ve been targeted as contaminating the recycling stream. Can bioplastics really be integrated into established recovery schemes?

Visit us at www.canplastics.com www.canplastics.com June 2015 Canadian Plastics

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editor’s view

Canadian Plastics magazine reports on and interprets developments in plastics markets and technologies worldwide for plastics processors, moldmakers and end-users based in Canada.

Manufacturing wins in 2015 federal budget

pinions are like navels — everybody has one. Take the Harper government’s recent 2015 federal budget. The government promised to eliminate the federal deficit by 2015 and it has, although — given the massive curveball that capitalism has thrown at them in the way of cratering crude oil prices — it took a bit of fiscal legerdemain. Some support the government’s balanced-budget approach, while others — and not just those surnamed Mulcair and Trudeau — think this is the wrong move. With interest rates at historic lows, critics suggest, borrowing money to run a modest deficit in order to invest in everything from infrastructure to early-childhood education would be a wiser approach. Maybe, maybe not. But even those who don’t like the budget should concede that, after years of highlighting the importance of Canada’s resources sector, the Conservatives have shifted the focus to the hard-hit manufacturing sector. Indeed, the budget puts manufacturing at the very top of the agenda, offering support for Canada’s struggling manufacturers, and quite a bit more for small business operators, including help for women entrepreneurs and young entrepreneurs. The new budget includes several programs designed to woo the manufacturing and exporting sectors, including the gradual reduction of the small business tax rate to nine per cent from 11 per cent on the first $500,000 of profit. The tax cut begins in 2016 and is phased-in over the next four years, culminating in the full two per cent cut by 2019. Also, $50 million has been budgeted over five years to share the cost of exploring new export opportunities with small and medium-sized enterprises. And the accelerated capital cost allowance (CCA) program will be 4

www.canplastics.com Editor Mark Stephen 416-510-5110 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: mstephen@canplastics.com art director Andrea M. Smith

extended until the end of 2025. Currently the CCA — which was set to expire at the end of this year — provides a 50 per cent “straight-line” depreciation rate, which allowed a company to claim 50 per cent the depreciation of capital equipment each year. In this program, a company could claim 100 per cent of the depreciated value of equipment over about three years. The government says the deferral of tax associated with this new accelerated CCA is expected to reduce federal taxes for manufacturers by a whopping $1.1 billion from 2016 to 2020. Women entrepreneurs will be on the receiving end of tax breaks, beginning with what finance minister Joe Oliver described as a program to help “connect women with the tools they need to succeed in business.” The budget suggests these tools could include mentoring and network initiatives, as well as access to $700 million over three years through the Business Development Bank of Canada. The program would also encourage trade missions for women-led companies to widen exposure to international markets. Young entrepreneurs also got a nod. The budget sets aside $14 million over two years in the alreadyestablished “Futurpreneur Canada” program, to help younger business people access financing and mentoring support, although funding is dependent on matching funds from non-federal sources. I suppose it’s easy to be cynical about this budget, which is, after all, an election year document. (It makes no material difference, for example, whether Ottawa posts a small deficit or a small surplus, but a surplus sounds better on the campaign trail.) But in my opinion — which is, of course, only one out of some 35 million others in Canada — it’s a good one for our plastics industry.

Production Manager Steve Hofmann 416-510-6757 E-mail: shofmann@annexnewcom.ca Print Production Manager Phyllis Wright publisher Greg Paliouras 416-510-5124 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: gpaliouras@canplastics.com Circulation Manager Anita Madden 416-442-5600, ext. 3596 Fax: 416-510-6875 E-mail: amadden@annexnewcom.ca Vice President annex business media east Tim Dimopolous 416-510-5100 tdimopoulos@canadianmanufacturing.com President & ceo Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto ON, M3B 2S9. 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-5134 Canadian Plastics is published 7 times a year by Annex Business Media Inc. 2015 SUBSCRIPTION RATES 6 issues Canadian Plastics, plus Dec. 2016 Buyer’s Guide: Canada: 1 Year $71.95 plus applicable taxes; 2 Years $117.95+ taxes; single copy $10.00+ taxes. USA: US$81.95/year Foreign: US$126.95/year Buyers’ Guide only: Canada: $103.00 plus applicable taxes and $5.00 shipping USA & Foreign: US$103.00 plus $5.00 shipping.

From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: phone 800-668-2374; fax 416-442-2191; e-mail: privacyofficer@businessinformationgroup.ca; mail: Privacy Officer, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto ON M3B 2S9. The contents of this magazine are protected by copyright and may be used only for your personal non-commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved and commercial use is prohibited. To make use of any of this material you must first obtain the permission of the owner of the copyright. For further information please contact Greg Paliouras, 416510-5124. For reprints call RSiCopyright, Michelle Hegland, msh@ rsicopyright.com PAP Registration No. 11035 CANADA POST – Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Dept. – Canadian Plastics, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto ON M3B 2S9. RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED Indexed by CBPI ISSN 0008-4778 (Print) ISSSN 1923-3671 (Online) MEMBER: Canadian Business Press, Canadian Plastics Industry Association. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Mark Stephen, editor

mstephen@canplastics.com

Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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ideas & innovations

Wearable machine sensors head off equipment failure

Photo credits: Novatec Inc.

s Bill Clinton could tell you, being tipped off to a problem before it happens can mean the difference between life and death. In 2004, docBy monitoring vibration data in real tors of the former U.S. presitime, a Prophecy app can track dent saved him from a looming abusive operation for preventive — and possibly fatal — heart maintenance. attack by performing pre-emptive surgery. form to bring the new era For plastics processors, of the ‘internet of things’ to machinery failure is a lot like a mid-sized manufacturers heart attack — but many con— which traditionally can’t tinue to push their luck, operafford expensive sensors and ating processing machinery sensor networks — for preuntil it drops dead. It’s called dicting machine failures and “run-to-fail” and it’s the norm getting the initial trend of a in umpteen factories — but if a fatigued machine to mobile start-up company specializing in apps,” said Dr. Biplab Pal, “smart” predictive maintenance Prophecy’s co-founder and Machine-mounted on a pump, a Prophecy sensor (yellow) gathers sensors and a cloud-connected temperature and vibration data from the blower on a real-time basis, chief technology officer. mobile app has its way, it might which can then be viewed with app-equipped smart devices. “Most machines indicate soon be as dead as disco. pending failure in the form Launched last year, Prophecy Sensorlytics is a Columbia, of rising or falling surface temperature, pressure, flow, Md.-based company that offers patented machine-mountvibration, sound, power factor, and so forth. Our machineable (using magnets or screws) sensors made out of a single ‘wearable’ sensors can be placed on old and new machines silicon chip, as well as a patented wireless sensor network, a to track their gradual failure so that a complete disruption cloud-based distributed data management system, and anaof production can be avoided by scheduled maintenance — lytics that monitor a variety of machine signals to help preknowing exactly where and when the machine is going to fail dict incipient failure and alert users to when maintenance is or cause trouble.” Unveiled at the recent NPE2015 trade show, the technolneeded or should be scheduled. ogy is available through a licensing arrangement. ProphIn the system developed by Prophecy, data from these ecy’s first licensee is Baltimore-based Novatec Inc., which machine-mounted devices is uploaded via a local wirehas exclusive rights to the technology on drying, conveying, less network created by radio frequency connected sensors. and downstream extrusion systems. Novatec systems will Using proprietary software, this data is then trended and include the predictive maintenance technology at no extra analyzed to indicate if preventive maintenance is needed. cost, but the technology has the potential to be used on The system will also send maintenance alarms to personvirtually any other type of equipment. On injection moldnel in the form of emails and text messages. The data is ing machines, for example, it could be applied not only to visualized graphically, and classified to identify a particular pumps, drives, and motors, but also to ensure platen parmaintenance problem so that personnel can quickly learn allelism; and with extruders, Prophecy technology can be about it; any data point shown in red, for example, warused on gearboxes to monitor oil pressure and vibration, rants immediate attention. By clicking on a red alarm, more as well as motor temperature. “We are also looking to use detailed analysis logs are available on possible causes of the vibration to measure changes in screw and barrel wear,” Pal problem so that maintenance personnel don’t have to waste said. “Other markets that we are working on in the future time figuring out what’s wrong. Moreover, any new failure include motors for auxiliary equipment such as chillers.” can be logged in as fresh data, which helps the system idenIf it does indeed send “run-to-fail” to the scrap heap of tify trends and patterns, to enable it to continuously “learn” history, the Prophecy technology will have changed everywhen a machine is properly functioning and when it isn’t. CPL thing. Bill Clinton would understand why. “We have developed a complete and cost-effective platwww.canplastics.com June 2015 Canadian Plastics

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news

More than 65,000 people attended the NPE2015 trade show in Orlando, Fla., in March. With more than 1,100,000-plus net square feet of exhibit space, the five-day show — which ran March 23-27 — was the largest in its 70-year history, according to the Society of the Plastics Industry Inc., the show organizer. In the build-up to the event, SPI had estimated that approximately 60,000 visitors would attend the show this year. “Registered attendance for NPE2015 was 65,810 — 19 per cent greater than three years ago,” SPI said. “These registrants came from 23,396 unique companies — 22 per cent more than the 19,198 companies at NPE2012.” International participation also set new NPE records, with nearly 44 per cent of exhibiting companies and 26 per cent of registrants coming from outside the U.S. “In descending order of number of exhibitors, the ten largest participating countries were China, Taiwan, Canada,

New plastics recycling plant opening in TO with industry veteran at helm After an absence of four years, Mark Badger has returned to the plastics industry by way of recycling. Material recycler Canada Fibers Ltd. is opening a new 160,000-square-foot plastics recycling operation in Toronto and Badger, the former president and CEO of the Canadian Plastics Industry Association, is heading the venture. Named Urban Polymers, the new company will focus on creating pure, homogeneous plastic materials from post-consumer and post-industrial waste, using stateof-the-art equipment and additive formulations sourced globally. “Our goal is to provide plastics processors with a sustainable complement to prime materials,” said Badger. “[Urban Polymers] has assembled an experienced technical team who are targeting industry segments not yet penetrated in North America.” During its initial phase of development, Urban Polymers will focus on production of PET flake material, as well as production of compounded PE and PP in pellet form. PET is the primary source of material for beverage bottles and single-serving food containers, with PE and PP utilized to produce packaging for other liquids including household detergents. The plant will be capable of processing 25 million pounds per year of PET and 11 million pounds per year of PP/PE during its initial phase — which Badger calls a “significant increase to the recycling infrastructure” in Canada. CPL 6

Photo Credits: Society of the Plastics Industry Inc.

NPE2015 was largest ever; show will return to Orlando in 2018, 2021

Italy, Germany, India, Turkey, France, Switzerland, and South Korea,” SPI said. SPI has also announced that it has signed contracts to keep NPE at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center for the next two editions of the triennial show — in 2018 and 2021 — and the association has also reserved dates for NPE 2024 in Orlando. Canadian exhibitors seemed pleased with the show. “NPE is obviously a huge industry event, and we’re happy to be exhibiting here,” Siva Krish, sales manager with Mississauga, Ont.based blow molding machine maker Proco Machinery Inc., told Canadian Plastics during the show. “The attendance is strong, and the Orange County Convention Center staff is very hospitable and helpful.” The next edition of the show is scheduled for May 7-11, 2018. CPL

Haremar, El-En Packaging bought by Inteplast Vaughan, Ont.-based PE blown film co-extruder Haremar Plastic Manufacturing Ltd. has been purchased by Inteplast Bags and Films Corporation, a division of Livingston, N.J.based Inteplast Group. Inteplast has also acquired El-En Packaging Co., a Vaughan-based sister company to Haremar that manufactures garbage bags. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Haremar makes film for specialty food packaging, shrink wrap, mail and security applications, industrial packaging and liquid packaging. In a statement, Haremar said that it will now be known as “Inteplast Bags and Films Corporation — Haremar Plastic Manufacturing Division.” “Haremar will still operate out of our location in Vaughan, and will retain the same customer service and administrative operations,” the statement said. “Inteplast will support Haremar with finances and manufacturing capabilities to enhance and expand the breadth of quality films we offer…[and we] will be able to reach more customers in new locations.” CPL

Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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news

Canadian plastics pioneer Lorne Berggren passes away Canadian plastics industry veteran Lorne Berggren passed away on April 27 in Toronto at age 83. Berggren founded Toronto-based plastics processing equipment supplier Mould-tek Industries Inc. in the early 1960s; he founded Mouldtek’s sister company, Berg Chilling Systems Inc., in Toronto in the early 1970s. Under his direction, these companies became national and worldwide leaders in plastics materials handling equipment and industrial process cooling systems. Along the way, Berggren shaped the careers of dozens of young Mould-tek and Berg employees, many of whom are prominent industry figures today. “I was hired at Mouldtek in 1982, and from the first day Lorne accepted me as part of his team and made sure I learned everything that I needed to know,” said Brian Davis, general manager of Maguire Canada in Concord, Ont. “He had genuine pas-

sion for his work, and wanted Mould-tek and Berg to be first-class operations, which he achieved. Lorne always carried himself with absolute honesty and integrity, and by watching the way he presented himself to his customers and employees, he became a mentor to me. And I know a lot of other people who feel the same way about him.” In 2007, Berggren sold Mould-tek’s bulk handling manufacturing division to Wittmann Canada. He retired from the industry that same year. Berg is now owned and operated by his son Don as president; Berggren had remained as chairman of that company. In recognition of his accomplishments, Berggren received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 from the Canadian Plastics Industry Association, as well as the Canada Export Award in 1998. He also contributed $100,000 in 2010 to establish a scholarship at his alma mater, the University of New Brunswick. Designed to support students in the mechanical engineering program who have an interest in entrepreneurship, the Lorne Berggren Scholarship provides $10,000 to campus students. CPL

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news

Canada’s Barry Shepherd is SPE Thermoformer of the Year

Canadian plastics industry veteran Barry Shepherd, founder of Toronto-based Shepherd Thermoforming & Packaging Inc., has been named Thermoformer of the Year by the Society of Plastics Engineers thermoforming division. Shepherd joined Kodak Canada in 1970 and began Plastics designing packaging for cameras, film, and Canadian related products. While at Kodak he was involved 1/2 pg 4c horizontal in the development of packaging for Kodachrome No Booth Number slides, an early, groundbreaking use of thin-wall injection molding. During the mid-1970s and early 1980s, Shepherd worked for several corrugated packaging companies in positions FEatUrES ranging from sales to president of a small box company. “He always stayed involved in his passion: design and development,” SPE said. “In 1984, [he] was introduced to the Alloyd Company, which specialized in thermoforming medical, consumer packaging, and sealing equipment, and he was intrigued by plastics and blister packaging.” Access The next year, Shepherd launched Shepherd Packaging, Easy access to shredding room •

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selling plastic blisters, trays, clamshells, sealing equipment, and other packaging materials. “Shepherd Packaging expanded its manufacturing business and in 1997 entered the heavy gauge thermoforming market by developing a custom thermoformed plastic pallet for Lear,” SPE said. “Under Shepherd’s leadership in 2006, Shepherd Packaging opened its 43,000-square-foot custom thermoforming facility near Toronto, where the company operates seven thermoforming and two CNC milling machines.” Now retired, Shepherd remains active on the Shepherd Packaging Board of Advisors. Shepherd’s involvement with the SPE stretches back to 1997, when he joined the SPE thermoforming division Board of Directors and also worked on several SPE committees, including the Executive Committee, before retiring in 2010. During his tenure, Shepherd also served as technical editor of the Thermoforming Division’s award-winning publication, SPE Thermoforming Quarterly magazine. The award will be presented to Shepherd in September, during the 24th SPE Thermoforming Conference in Atlanta, Ga. CPL

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CPL Jun15 p06-11 News.indd 8

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news

PEOPLE

David Braun

Joshua Claman

Dana Darley

— Pawtucket, R.I.-based Teknor Apex Company has appointed David Braun as the wire and cable industry manager for its vinyl division. — 3D printing and additive manufacturing technology supplier Stratasys Ltd., headquartered in Minneapolis and Rehovot, Israel, has named Joshua Claman as its chief business officer. — Size reduction equipment maker Vecoplan LLC, headquartered in Archdale, N.C., has named Dana Darley as the national sales manager of its plastics division, and Misty Turner as assistant service manager. — Calgary, Alta.-based Nova Chemicals Corporation has appointed Todd Karran as president and CEO. Karran has been the acting CEO, while maintaining his previous roles of senior vice president and CFO, since May 2014.

Misty Turner

Todd Karran

Rick Keller

Cy McGrath

— Extrusion equipment maker Davis-Standard LLC, of Pawcatuck, Conn., has appointed Rick Keller as vice president, extrusion coating and solution coating. — Toronto-based hot runner temperature controls systems manufacturer AceTronic Industrial Controls has appointed Cy Peter Sproule McGrath as general manager. — Spaltech International, a Georgetown, Ont.-based manufacturer of temperature control systems, has hired Peter Sproule as a technical sales representative. — Nordson Corporation, of Chippewa Falls, Wis., has named James Winning as regional James Winning sales manager of its Extrusion Dies Industries (EDI) brand of extrusion and coating dies for Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. — Cranberry Township, Pa.-based auxiliary equipment maker The Conair Group has appointed Matt Zelkovich as general manMatt Zelkovich ager, medical market.

supplier news — Montreal-based sales agency D Cube is the new Ontario representative for Erema Inc.’s plastics recycling equipment. D Cube is already the Erema rep for the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. — East Dundee, Ill.-based process cooling system supplier Frigel North America has named auxiliary equipment supplier Hamilton Plastic Systems, of Mississauga, Ont., as its exclusive sales representative in Canada. — Wika Instruments Ltd., of Edmonton, Alta., is the new Canadian sales representative for PR Electronics A/S, based in Roende, Denmark. PR Electronics provides signal conditioning products for the factory automation industry. — Mississauga, Ont.-based Andicor Specialty Chemicals is the new Canadian distributor for Orion Engineered Carbons’ specialty carbon blacks for coatings and polymer systems. Orion is headquartered in Luxembourg. 10

Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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15-05-12 9:33 AM

chillers

truths

f you’re running a molding plant without quality cooling water you’re basically taking a bath with a toaster. Trouble is, water-cooling systems are fairly complex and prone to a host of problems. Some are obvious and catastrophic while others are silent, creeping failures that slowly erode your plant’s productivity. Wanna avoid both kinds? Keep the following in mind.

PIPELINE TO CATASTROPHE Abrupt cooling failures are usually caused by issues relating to system design, equipment selection, or maintenance. A poor choice of system components during the planning stage can wreak havoc later on. “When designing a cooling system, the load needs to be tabulated to ascertain its cooling capacity limits,” said Al Fosco, global marketing manager with Frigel North America. “A load study can be performed to calculate the heat loads associated with each molding machine in the plant.” Planning can be made a bit easier by following a rule of thumb. “A water flow velocity should not exceed 10 feet per second,” said Mike Sinclair, regional sales manager with Berg Chilling Systems Inc. “If it does, it can create erosion at the elbows, and at valves and other 12

flow control devices, that can lead to failure. Also, everything eroded by the highvelocity water will move downstream and plug up your equipment.” One of the most catastrophic flow problems is a burst pipe — if a main header bursts, the system can empty quickly, inundating operators and equipment. It’s an outcome that can also be avoided by proper planning at the outset. “Most often, a burst pipe is caused by lack of proper support, such as a hanger failure,” said Al Fosco. “All piping must be supported to minimize stress. In addition, some pipe materials are more susceptible to failure than others.” Which is why picking the right material is so important. “PVC piping is a good option for an inexpensive, non-corrosive, non-reactive system — it doesn’t support bug growth and it doesn’t corrode — but it’s crucial to select Schedule 80 PVC rather than lighter-duty Schedule 40 PVC, which cracks and breaks easily,” said Mike Sinclair. “But with the decline in stainless steel prices, more and more plants are using Schedule 10 stainless steel in their large diameter piping, and this is probably the best all-round solution, as it’s extremely difficult to damage stainless steel.” The answer to the plastic or steel

Frigel North Photo Credit:

America

How to avoid cooling system meltdown By Mark Stephen, editor dilemma? Operate your system with procedures that prevent the pressure spikes known as “water hammer”. As a rule, prudent system design also includes provision for back-up pumping — preferably a pump scheme that permits automatic transfer to the back-up pump to keep the system operating when a failure occurs. One solution is a dualarm pump that incorporates two pumps in one casing. “It’s also important to have a comprehensive understanding of the cooling system design,” said Al Fosco. “Often, the system fails because a valve operates incorrectly — it either opens when it shouldn’t, or it may open too far, or not far enough. A valve may operate accidentally or even fail internally. Regardless, you’ll need to have a complete system drawing with valves and components identified and their locations noted for quick reference.”

WATERY GRAVE Once the cooling system has been designed, installed, and is up and running, a primary focus shifts to maintaining good water quality management. “Good water quality will ensure clean heat exchangers and corrosion-free piping, which will prolong the plant equipment’s

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chillers

life and maximize a plant’s productivity,” said Mike Sinclair. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. “Water carries impurities that you can see — such as suspended rust, air-borne matter, and product fines — but also microbiological matter that you can’t see,” Sinclair said. “If allowed to grow, microbiological matter can form slime and algae masses in any system, fouling heat exchangers and any small orifices and water passages in piping or in molds.” As a precaution, filters should be checked regularly or equipped with alarms to indicate cleanliness. “Strainers and filters can be used to reduce the suspended particle contamination in the water system and to prevent potential damage to other components, such as temperature controllers,” said Al Fosco. “For conventional cooling tower systems, draining off old water and feeding in fresh make-up water reduces the mineral composition of the circulating fluid. Closed-loop systems, however, require no regular make-up water because there’s no

intentional dumping to drain.” The prevention of microbiological growth in a cooling system in the first place is handled through biocides. “These products are to be shot-fed into a system for maximum impact, and fed on an alternating basis with the second dissimilar biocide,” Mike Sinclair said. “Handfeeding is commonly done directly in the tower reservoir; however, many plants now use timer biocide pump systems to prevent plant personnel from coming in direct contact with the chemicals.” Tests for scale and corrosion, chemical levels, conductivity, microbiological counts and daily records of makeup water readings will ensure good control over a cooling water treatment, Sinclair added.

CHILLING THOUGHTS For most types of plastics, the molds require cool water temperatures to minimize part cycle times and maximize productivity. Since the required tempera-

tures for these molds cannot be reliably maintained with cooling towers during warm weather — and since the mold passages are small and easily fouled — most plastics processors dedicate chillers to the molds and plastic processing sections of extruders. How do chillers go wrong? As with plant-wide cooling systems, a big problem is our old friend water quality. “Poor quality water can clog a water-cooled chiller’s condenser, which can cause reduced capacity if left unchecked,” said Ziggy Wiebe, owner of Chillers Inc. Glycol is commonly used with water in chillers to provide freeze protection. “The percentage of glycol depends on the coldest temperature that the glycol reaches during operation,” said Mike Sinclair. “In a chiller, this temperature is normally the saturated suction temperature in the evaporator, and normally this temperature is 10°F below the chiller setpoint temperature.” Some processors treat glycol like a

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chillers

miracle elixir for chillers, but it has its limitations. “Some glycol products contain a corrosion inhibitor, but glycol should never be used only for this purpose,” Sinclair said. “Glycol is also a heat retardant rather than being good at transferring heat, and its presence also adds viscosity to the cooling fluid, requiring higher horsepower pumps and higher flow rates to do the same as a pure water system.” Another chiller problem relates to the evaporator, which cools the process water during the refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger portion of the chilling cycle. “Evaporator failure is more common with the newer brazed plate evaporators, which are becoming very popular,” Ziggy Wiebe said. “They are less expensive than the physically larger and heavier shell-andtube evaporators, but also less tolerant of fluid contaminants. Running either inhibited propylene glycol or inhibited ethylene glycol can protect against scaling, corrosion, and freezing. Inhibited propyl-

ene glycol is more easily disposed of and therefore more commonly used.” Chiller failures can also be traced to the condenser. “If the chiller is air-condensed, condenser fan failure can cause the chiller to shut down, and with portable chillers the air intake may be blocked by the location of the chiller,” Wiebe said. “Water condensers can fail when there is corrosion or insufficient water flow to remove the heat from the refrigerant. The cause is often either scale buildup, a water supply problem — possibly by a malfunctioning valve — or condensing water that’s too warm.” Chiller compressor failure is rare but can be predicted by observing the system’s operation, and is usually preceded by frequent on/off cycling of the compressor. “A low load, or a chiller that’s too large for the application, can lead to premature compressor failure from frequent on/off cycling,” Wiebe said. “This failure is less common with new Copeland digital scroll compressors that can match the

load of the system.” In the end, if you want to avoid being knee-capped by either a catastrophic system failure or the slow degradation of a process performance, it’s a smart idea to be prepared with proper diagnostic tools before a cooling problem occurs. “It’s a good policy to have periodic cooling system reviews and consultations with a reputable equipment supplier,” said Al Fosco. Or you can skip it, and watch your goal of achieving maximum productivity and long equipment life spring a leak along with your piping. CPL RESOURCE LIST Advantage Engineering Inc. (Greenwood, Ind.); www.advantageengineering.com; 317-887-0729 Chillers Inc. (Newmarket, Ont.); www.chillersinc.com; 905-895-9667 Berg Chilling Systems Inc. (Toronto); www.berg-group.com; 416-755-2221 Frigel North America (East Dundee, Ill.); www.frigel.com; 847-540-0160 Dier International Inc. (Unionville, Ont.); www.dierinternational.com; 416-219-0509

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CPIA leader of the year

By Mark Stephen, editor

JIM ELLIES Jim Ellies with Gracious Living Innovations product samples.

ever underestimate the power of a good teacher. Socrates taught Plato, and that turned out all right. Twenty-five hundred-odd years later, the role of teacher is one that Jim Ellies is happy to take on. A 35-year veteran of Canada’s plastics industry Ellies, 60, is the president and COO of Mississauga, Ont.-based extrusion product maker Gracious Living Innovations Inc., and has now been chosen as the Canadian Plastics Industry Association’s Leader of the Year for 2015. And he still figures that some of his best days are ahead of him, teaching a new generation of plastics professionals. Truth is, if Ellies retired tomorrow, he’d already have had an excellent run. “Jim’s many years of industry experience and his knowledge of the industry are outstanding,” said business colleague Mario Causarano, managing director, private investment counsel with ScotiaBank. “He’s not only well-versed in all aspects of the plastics industry, but is also extremely knowledgeable about other businesses that impact the plastics industry. He’s played a large role in the success of Gracious Living Innovations.” But as Causarano also notes, Ellies is actually gearing up for what could be called the 2.0 phase of his career. “Jim is actively sharing his experience and knowledge with others to help them succeed as well,” Causarano said. And it might just turn out to be one of Ellies’ greatest contributions.

FROM BAY STREET TO WPC DECKS Like many industry veterans, Ellies’ first encounter with plas16

tics processing was from the outside looking in. As a venture capitalist and banker in the late-1970s, one of his first accounts was PGTI Plastics, an automotive parts injection molder in Whitby, Ont. “I was enamoured with the plastics industry right away, and joined PGTI,” Ellies said. “Through the owner, I was mentored in sales and marketing, and engineering and tooling.” The company was eventually acquired by new ownership, which is when Ellies headed for the door. “I didn’t want to stay on with the big conglomerate that had bought PGTI — a structure like that just wasn’t in my DNA,” Ellies said. Around that same time, Ellies learned that Canadian businessman Peter Clark — of Clark Shoes Canada — was interested in buying a financially weak company in Bolton, Ont. called Crila Plastics Industries Ltd. Crila Plastics had been founded in 1972 as a manufacturer of aftermarket products for the automotive industry. “When Peter Clark bought the company in 1989, I came on board, as our visions for success were aligned,” Ellies said. Crila Plastics soon moved to Mississauga, Ont., and quickly became a recognized international leader in thermoplastics profile design, engineering, processing, and value-added manufacturing. “Leading products included decorative components for the refrigeration industry, as well as wood-plastic composite decking and fascia, which we pioneered in the mid-1990s,” Ellies said. Along with CPI Plastics Group (Canada) Ltd., CPI Plastics Group Inc., and Crila Investments Inc., Crila Plastics became part of what was known as the CPI Group. And Ellies’ stock continued to rise. “During his tenure with CPI Plastics, Jim was instrumental in helping transform a financially troubled firm into a business that was recognized twice as one of Canada’s 50 best managed companies,” Mario Causarano said. And then, in 2008, the crash came. “Crila Plastics, then a publicly-traded company, got caught in the economic downturn and ceased to exist,” Ellies said. Shortly thereafter, the business was successfully reorganized, and in April 2009 was acquired by the principals of Gracious Living Corporation. “Their established position in the retail market proved to be a natural outlet for our outdoor living category,” Ellies said. “Innovation, which historically was our hallmark, was incorporated into our new name.” Fast-forward to today and Gracious Living Innovations is back

©michael koehl/Getty Images/Thinkstock

Gracious teaching at Gracious Living

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CPIA leader of the year

on top, running 24/7 with 47 extrusion lines and — depending on the season — between 165 to 250 employees. “We are without doubt the largest foam extruder in Canada, supplying a number of OEM manufacturers,” Ellies said. “We’ve developed new product categories for some industries, resulting in markets which we now dominate and have become world leaders in.” This success is due in no small part to Ellies’ guiding hand. “My background in the venture capital industry taught me the value of innovation — to find that one process, brand, widget, whatever — that has a competitive advantage, as this invariably leads to good earning power,” he said. “I’ve also learned to find the best people money can buy, because they initiate and sustain growth over the long term.”

TALENT SCOUT It’s in the area of finding — and helping to keep — the best people that Ellies believes his future career really lies. “It’s no secret that the plastics industry is struggling with a shortage of skilled young people — it’s hard to find them, hard to bring them in, and harder still to keep them,” he said. “Many of today’s graduates want to maximize their earning power right out of the gate, and turn to the financial industry to do so. Unless we can attract capable people to our industry, we’ll have a very hard time staying competitive.” Suiting the action to the word, Ellies has worked overtime to

lure a core group of capable staff — both management and floor workers — to Gracious Living Innovations. “More and more, my role now is to be a teacher; to help train the next generation to make sure the company — and the industry — is sustainable going forward,” Ellies said. “This often involves giving inexperienced people a chance to learn from their mistakes and prove themselves.” Ellies points to John Coscarella — the CFO of the Gracious Living Group of Companies and former director of finance at CPI Plastics — as the epitome of the next generation of plastics professionals. “John is, in my view, an excellent example of the future of the plastics industry,” he said. “I’ve managed many people during my career, and have finally found a young, dynamic individual who understands the business from the ground up. It’s now incumbent on me to help find and promote more people like him.” For all his experience, Ellies was caught totally unawares by his selection as CPIA’s Leader of the Year. “I’m very surprised and very flattered to receive the award,” he said. “Our industry can certainly be a difficult one to survive in, but it’s also extraordinarily rewarding, and I wouldn’t change a thing about my career. It sounds like a cliché, but I truly believe that Canadian manufacturers can make things faster and better than anyone else.” It’s a lesson well worth teaching. CPL

www.canplastics.com June 2015 Canadian Plastics

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CPIA awards

LIFETIME JUDITH NANCEKIVELL Judith began her career in the plastics industry in 1979, working for SPI Canada as division manager for the group’s Plastic Film Manufacturers Association and also as staff manager for the Commercial Bottle Division. In 1981, she joined Canadian Plastics magazine as associate editor, and was promoted to the position of publisher in 1987. Over the years, she helped introduce readers to some of the biggest developments in the industry, including WPCs, multi-component injection molding, 11-layer film, biopolymers, and new technologies for plastics recycling. She was responsible for starting the annual Canadian Plastics Resin Outlook Conference — now in its 19th year — and for the start-up in 1999 of Plastiques et moules, a French language magazine delivered to readers in Quebec. Judith also served on numerous Plast-Ex and Expoplast trade show advisory committees, on award selection committees for SPI Canada and the CPIA, and on the Board of Directors of the Ontario chapter of the Society of Plastics Engineers. She was awarded a CanPlast award by CPIA in 2009. Judith retired in February 2015.

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VIC DE ZEN One of Canada’s most energetic and prominent entrepreneurs, De Zen currently serves as CEO of Woodbridge, Ont.-based Vision Group of Companies, a multi-armed, vertically integrated group involved in manufacturing extruded PVC building products, industrial/ commercial land development and construction, leasing and property management, and transport and hospitality. Born in Italy and trained in Switzerland as a tool and die maker, De Zen arrived in Canada in 1962 with $20 in his pocket. In 1970, he helped establish Royal Plastics with one extruding machine in a two-storey building north of Toronto. Sales the first year totalled $270,000, and De Zen innovated constantly, taking out dozens of patents for extrusion techniques and die making. From that he built Royal Group Technologies Ltd., one of the largest plastic building products companies in North America, with 10,000 employees in over 40 countries in its heyday. In 1995, De Zen was named Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year, and he was SPI Canada’s Leader of the Year for 1998. In 2002, he received the Order of Canada.

CANPLAST AWARDS VESO SOBOT Sobot is the director of corporate affairs for Mississauga, Ont.-based Ipex Management Inc., a leading manufacturer of PVC and ABS infrastructure pipe. “A member of the CPIA’s Board of Directors and the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters national Board of Directors, Veso has long been a leader on important topics of the day, including pushing back against ‘Buy American’ protectionism,” CPIA said. “He’s also an ardent promoter and defender of PVC piping...and was instrumental in getting the City of Toronto council to vote to open up its material specifications to include alternative materials like PVC pipe for large diameter transmission water mains in 2012.”

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Wood is the president and CEO of Mt. Forest, Ont.-based Vintex Inc., a manufacturer and supplier of polymer coated textile products for healthcare, industrial, and commercial markets in North America, Europe, and Asia. An MBA graduate of the Ivey Business School at Western University and a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, Wood helped guide Vintex as it

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CPIA awards

branched out into a range of industrial and commercial product lines, including launderable barriers, mattresses and pillows, banners and signage, mine ducting, tents, and protective and miscellaneous fabrics. “Steven has also been an outstanding leader and contributor to the CPIA’s Vinyl Council of Canada over a number of years, providing strong judgement and guidance,” CPIA said.

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS ROB MILLER A 29-year plastics industry veteran and the president of Richmond Hill, Ont.-based processing and auxiliary equipment supplier Wittmann Canada Inc., Miller recently designed a new weight loading device for plastic powders used in the rotational molding industry. “The rotational molding process is still mostly manual and this new invention could dramatically change the overall operations of existing companies using it, by improving the quality of the product, lowering costs, and improving efficiency,” CPIA said. “This is the first time that a device of this type has been brought to the market.”

PROTOPLAST INC. Headquartered in Cobourg, Ont., and owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Andy and Cathy Rolph, Protoplast has invested an average of $530,000 per year for the past three years on research and development of injection blow mold technology. As one result, the company provided an automotive customer with a process that incorporated the accuracy of injection molding with the flexible variability of a blow molded part configuration — a prototype tool that incorporated a secondary station to expand or “blow” the part’s single offset bellow. Protoplast also recently introduced an injection transfer blow technology; soon to be patented, the process allows for the molding of injection blow ducts in higher temperature resins.

TERRY ROCHFORT The director of technical services with Burlington, Ont.based plastic closures maker Bericap North America, Rochfort has been a fixture in the plastics industry for over 40 years, with a heavy focus on delivering innovative plastic caps and closures to market. “Through his leadership and dedication, Terry has led the introduction of new sustainable closure designs, and played significant and meaningful leadership roles in the International Society of Beverage Technologists to design and standardize closure testing and design,” CPIA said. “His contributions have

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led to improvements in reducing waste and energy usage during processing, and performance end-result improvements that have reduced the spoilage of food and beverages on store shelves and in homes.”

sustainability AWARD CASCADES SPECIALTY PRODUCTS GROUP Launched in late 2014, the Ultratill mushroom container from Kingsey Falls, Que.-based Cascades is made of lowdensity PETE (LDPETE) that contains 80 per cent recycled post-consumer material. Lighter than comparable containers commonly found on the market, Ultratill is said to provide enhanced environmental performance, demonstrating a 62 per cent reduction in the CO2 emissions produced during its life cycle compared to traditional mushroom containers made of HIPS. PETE, designated by a recyclable “1”, is recyclable across Canada; also, Ultratill ‘s inferior weight can lead to lower costs with respect to the various stewardship programs for municipal solid waste recovery and processing services. Currently available in three sizes, Cascades plans to offer Ultratill in a variety of other formats over the next 12 months. CPL

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dryers

With these new technologies, drying moisture-sensitive polymers just got less crazy.

he goal of resin drying hasn’t changed since your grandfather’s day: remove moisture in sensitive polymers like nylon, polycarbonate, PBT, and PET before it damages the physical properties of your plastic parts. But dryer technology absolutely does change — and never more so, it seems, than in the lead-up to an international trade show. Take the recent NPE2015 event, where the heavy hitters of the drying game took advantage of the spotlight to drop their latest developments onto the marketplace. Here’s a look at some of what landed in Orlando.

Improved part quality and operational efficiency

The MDB series dryer from AEC achieves processing rates of between 50-450 lbs per hour (22-225 kgs per hour), and has a dual blower, desiccant bed system with electric bed switching valve technology to provide an easily operated platform that can expand and control up to three drying hoppers with a modular drying system platform. The MDB drying system has been designed around improved serviceability and increased energy efficiency — energy features include remote process heaters with temperature setback to minimize heat loss and improve system efficiency. The optional heat recovery system on the MDB dryer recovers waste heat to improve overall efficiency of the drying process. An optional variable speed blower VAV system is also available that will be able to control airflow and protect material in the process while conserving energy in the overall system. The MDB dryer can be sold as a stand-alone unit if the drying hopper is mounted directly on the machine, or as a cart system with or without conveying options to service several process machines. The conveying cart packages can be configured in closed-loop or purge-valve configurations. AEC Inc. (Schaumburg, Ill.); www.aecinternet.com; 847-273-7700 EquiPlas (Toronto); 416-407-5456 Auxiplast Inc. (Ste-Julie, Que.); www.auxiplast.com; 450-922-0282

Small desiccant wheel units suit machinemounting, low-throughput applications Quite possibly the smallest wheel dryers available, the new MicroWheel dryers from Conair are designed to deliver the

efficiency and precision of desiccant wheel drying in a compact configuration that can be mounted on the feedthroat of a molding machine or extruder. A good choice for medical processors and others running small quantities of expensive engineering resins, the new Conair dryers are offered in two basic models: the MW1 and the MW2. Because they use brushless blowers with speed control built in, the dryer can be programmed to deliver the right amount of process air flow to dry the different resin volumes. Each model is available with several different hopper capacities. The MW1 units can support hoppers of 0.2cu-ft (5.7-l), 0.5-cu-ft (14.2-l) and 1.0-cu-ft (28.5-l) capacity. Including the hopper, they range in height from only 19.5 inches (495 mm) to 27.7 inches (704 mm), and the largest weighs just 106 lbs (48 kg). The larger MW2 dryer is available with 1.0-cu-ft (28.5-l) and 1.5-cu-ft (42.5-l) hoppers. The heights of MW2 units are 27.7 inches (704 mm) and 38.5 inches (978 mm). The weight of the largest unit is 144 lbs (65 kg). Standard control features include a material protection management (MPM) system, which automatically reduces process air temperatures when return-air temperatures exceed set-point, saving energy and preventing over-drying; and realtime energy consumption monitoring, which tracks the dryer’s power consumption. The Conair Group (Cranberry Township, Pa.); www.conairgroup.com; 724-584-5500 D ier International Plastics (Unionville, Ont.); www.dierinternational.com; 416-219-0509 Industries Laferrière (Mascouche, Que.); www.industrieslaferriere.ca; 450-477-8880 Turner Group (Seattle, Wash.); www.turnergroup.net; 206-769-3707

Load cells increase drying accuracy, efficiency

Maguire Products Inc. has incorporated load cell technology into its VBD vacuum resin dryer, increasing its accuracy and reliability and providing plastics processors with new capabilities for controlling and documenting material usage. The VBD dryer now uses load cells for continuous control of the resin level in two of the three vessels in the system — the vacuum chamber and the retention hopper. The load cells operate on a loss-in-weight basis — providing real-time data on

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dryers

material throughput that’s unaffected by variations in bulk density — and achieve accuracy of +/- 0.5%. The load cells enable the microprocessor in the controller to monitor, display, and log throughput instantaneously. “As the first batch of material is conveyed away from the dryer to the processing machine, a throughput rate is calculated,” said Mike Gera, senior dryer product manager. “This rate is updated once per minute. Material usage documentation is available via USB port, making it possible to proactively monitor inventory. Load cells also enable the microprocessor to run a resettable flow totalizer, which is displayed on the screen and entered in the event log.” The load cells also allow the VBD to offer improved control over throughput rates, Gera added, making it possible to set the rate to precisely match that of the process, enhancing energy efficiency and avoiding an excess of dried material left over at the end of a run. Maguire Canada/Novatec Inc. (Vaughan, Ont.); www.maguirecanada.com; 905-879-1100 B arway Plastic Equipment Inc. (Vaudreuil-Dorian, Que.); www.barway.ca; 450-455-1396

High-volume PET drying system comes to North America

Moretto SpA is now bringing its Eureka high-volume PET drying system to North America. Eureka — which consists of the Flowmatik airflow management and distribution system, OTX drying hopper, and X Max dryer — offers throughputs of between 22,000-27,000 lbs per hour, and consumes up to 56% less energy than traditional drying systems. The core X Max dryer is based on Moretto’s patented X technology, and incorporates a multi-bed desiccant system with a constant dewpoint of -65°C to -85°C. Despite being twice the size of conventional beds, Moretto said, the dryer can run without cooling water or compressed air for the changeover valve, and it also offers complete energy recovery, reclaiming heat from cooling of the bed during desiccant regeneration. As many as 10 X Max dryers can be combined together, providing extremely large drying capacity, with up to 20,000 cubic meters per hour airflow rate when using 10 units. “Should full system drying capacity not be required, the

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dryers

Flowmatik system can stop one or more dryers and distribute the reduced load over the other dryers,” said company founder and CEO Renato Moretto. Moretto SpA/Advanced Blending Solutions LLC (Menominee, Mich.); www.adv-blend.com; 906-914-4180

Big performance in a compact size

Sterling’s new SDAA desiccant dryer offers an easy-to-use, offthe-shelf microprocessor controller that provides digital temperature control for temperatures up to 300°F. The SDAA Series features a dual bed, closed-process loop design, and an energyefficient, high-pressure regenerative blower that provides full-rated air flow to process at 15, 30, or 60 CFM. The cabinet style is designed for maximum safety, and the control system complies with NFPA79 and UL/CUL. The dryers can remove up to 1% of moisture content by weight, with -40Fº dewpoint in high-humidity environments. Floor-mounted and machine-mounted models are also available. The standard control system is a programmable, 1/16 DIN auto-tune PID controller which features digital temperature control. It’s equipped with a non-fused disconnect switch and

high-process temperature alarm light. Also available is the state-of-the-art AP1 controller, which features a touchscreen interface and provides clear information. An available high-temperature control package, up to 400°F, is an optional feature. Sterling Products Inc. (New Berlin, Wis.); www.sterlco.com; 262-641-8610 CN Smith Plastic Machinery Sales (Georgetown, Ont.); www.cnsmith.com; 416-917-3737

Extreme energy efficiency With advanced PCT technology — and using the proven PCT2 drying platform — the new PCT3 series dehumidifying dryer from Universal Dynamics is designed to be one of the most energy-efficient dryers available today. The PCT3 unit offers a closed-loop drying system with minimal footprint, low dewpoint, and a stable, steady performance throughout the entire drying cycle. In addition, the PCT3 features an adaptive energy optimizer, a regeneration heat recovery system, and an automatic cooling water control. Performance features include minimal moving parts, up to -100ºF dewpoint, self-adjusting drying, and steady set-point temperature throughout the drying cycle. The standard throughput range for the PCT series dryers is from 300 to 3,000 lbs per hour, with a temperature range from 120ºF to 375ºF. Universal Dynamics Inc. (Woodbridge, Va.); www.unadyn.com; 703-490-7000 Piovan Canada (Mississauga, Ont.); www.piovancanada.com; 905-629-8822

New design, new interface

Wittmann Battenfeld’s Aton plus segmented wheel dryer has a new design, and a new user interface that includes a touchscreen display that not only allows for easier operation via its graphical menu, but enables the operator to get an overview of all drying parameters, as well as to visualize and control the material loaders. There are also various features on the new dryer to save energy, including a weekly timer to control automatic start-up and shut-off, optimization of the regeneration phase through the 3-save process, and automatic selection of the drying method when in “EcoMode”. Energy savings have been measured at up to 48% over conventional wheel dryers in a direct comparison. Wittmann Canada Inc. (Richmond Hill, Ont.); www.wittmann-canada.com; 888-466-8266 22 Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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plast-ex preview

Tuesday, June 16, 2015 10:00 am-5:00 pm Registration opens at 8:00 am

Wednesday, June 17, 2015 10:00 am-5:00 pm

Where

When

What you need to know at a glance

Registration opens at 8:00 am

Thursday, June 18, 2015 10:00 am-4:00 pm Registration opens at 8:30 am

2015

Toronto Congress Centre, 650 Dixon Road, Toronto, Ontario

CO-LOCATED WITH: PackEx, Design & Manufacturing Canada, PBS Toronto, ATX Canada, and Quality Expo

Conferences

www.plastex.plasticstoday.com The comprehensive three-day conference program covers everything you need to know, no matter what your industry is, with sessions on 3D printing for manufacturing, cyber security and big data, integrated quality management, and troubleshooting in powder bulk solids. Get the latest information, with authoritative presentations, panel discussions, and case studies. You’ll hear from industry experts with a wide range of experience talking about overcoming challenges you face in the real world. Programs being offered include a one-day conference on troubleshooting in powder bulk solids, a one-day conference on the revolutionizing of the manufacturing process through 3D printing and additive manufacturing, a one-day conference on cyber security and the agility of the smart plant, and a two-day conference on integrated quality management.

See www.plastex.plasticstoday.com/ conferencesseminars for more. CPIA Plastics Industry Leadership Awards Dinner MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015 Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel & Conference Centre, 801 Dixon Road, Toronto. 5:00 pm reception, 6:15 pm dinner followed by awards and guest speaker Scott McGillivray, the award-winning TV host of “Income Property.” Sponsored by CPIA’s Vinyl Council of Canada, Scott will talk about the value of plastics in renovations. • Fee: $175 for CPIA members and $225 for non-members. Register at www.plastics.ca

Tuesday, June 16

REVOLUTIONIZING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS THROUGH 3D PRINTING 10:00 am – 11:45 am: Game on! The next generation of 3D printing and additive manufacturing 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: What’s really new in materials for 3D printing and additive manufacturing 2:45 pm – 4:00 pm: From concept to hybrid manufacturing: Discovering workable scale-up strategies

Wednesday, June 17

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION: THE FUTURE OF THE SMART FACTORY 10:00 am – 11:45 am: Cyber security and IoT 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Big data in distributed intelligence 2:45 pm – 4:00 pm: The agility of the smart plant (robotics, 3D printing as production, mass customization)

Thursday, June 18

PBS TORONTO: TROUBLESHOOTING IN POWDER & BULK SOLIDS 9:00 am – 10:00 am: Identifying combustible dust hazards and dust hazard mitigation 10:00 am – 11:45 am: Understanding the causes of and solutions for powder and bulk material handling problems 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Solving segregation challenges 2:45 pm – 4:00 pm: Workshop: Dust collection system maintenance and troubleshooting www.canplastics.com June 2015 Canadian Plastics

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plast-ex preview

(as of May 8, 2015)

EXHIBITORS Company Booth # 2D Electronics & Automation Inc. 2321 2125 Absolute Haitian 1931 AceTronic Industrial Controls Inc. Adescor Inc. 1951 Advanced Blending Solutions LLC 1926 2031 Advanced Plastic Injection Company Ltd. AFEX 2331 1923 Amsler Equipment Inc. ARI 2151 2051 ARMOLOY® of Western Pennsylvania Inc. 2142 Bekum America Corp. 2313 Berg Chilling Systems 2325 Bohler-Uddeholm Ltd. 2351 Brabender Technologie Inc. 2322 C.W. Brabender Instruments

Company Cambridge Global Payments Cambridge Materials Testing Ltd. Cancoppas Ltd. Cassco Machines Chase Plastic Services Inc. Chase Plastic Services Inc. Colourmate Inc. Comairco Equipment Ltd. Compuplast Canada Inc. Delta Engineering Drader Manufacturing Industries Ltd. EREMA North America Inc. FB Balzanelli Sri FedEx Trade Networks Felix Compounds

Booth # 2221 2318 1953 2156 2257 2257 2236 2249 2152 2052 2147 2225 1937 2320 2246

FEBRU A RY 1 – 3 | NE W ORLE ANS, LOUSIANA | HYAT T RE GE NCY

THE LONGEST-RUNNING AND LARGEST PLASTICS RECYCLING CONFERENCE IN NORTH AMERICA

WWW.PLASTICSRECYCLING.COM 26

Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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plast-ex preview

Company Booth # 1957 Firing Industries Ltd. 1913 Fultech – Lien Fa Injection Machinery 2341 Gamma Meccanica North America 2037 GP:50 New York Ltd. 2040 GUR-IS Makina San. Tic. Ltd. Sti. Hamilton Plastic Systems Ltd. 2231 1456 Heaters, Controls & Sensors Ltd. Heritage Plastics 2251 1939 ICS Laser Technologies Inc. 2039 Independent Electrical System Operator (IESO) 2025 Ingenia Polymers Corp. Instron 1941 Integrity Testing Laboratory Inc. (ITL) 2153 2124 Kal-Trading Inc. Kent Pad Printer Canada Inc. 2138 2141 Keyence Canada 2057 Kongskilde Industries Inc. 2256 Lab Integration Inc. 2041 Lenzkes Clamping Tools Inc. 2157 Lorenz Conveying Products 2213 Macchi S.P.A. 1819 Maguire Canada

Company Booth # 2036 Micro Interface Design 2241 Moretto USA LLC Nordson 2053 2219 OASIS Alignment Services 1947 PCS Co. Piovan Canada Ltd. 2013 2346 Plastics Protect Inc. Rechner Automation Inc. 2230 Regloplas 2337 2046 RJG Inc. 1919 Rotogran International Inc. 2131 Schmolz+Bickenbach Canada Serico Inc. 2347 2115 Staubli Corp. Sturdell Industries Inc. 2247 2240 Sushrut Polymers x100 UBM Canon Events 2038 Ultra Purge-Moulds Plus International USA 2021 Vecoplan LLC Vortex 2047 2135 Windmoeller & Hoelscher Corp. 2252 X-Rite Inc. / Manutrol Inc.

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recycling

Why bioplastics are

t’s a bad pun but it’s accurate: These are salad days for plant-based plastics. The market for bioplastics in North America is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of about 25 per cent through 2015, with production reaching 884,000 tons by 2020. And it’s no great mystery why. Spurred on by images of the vast collection of marine debris known as the Pacific trash vortex, plastics manufacturers are scrambling to market eco-friendly versions of their products. Set against images of plastic-choked oceans and landscapes, and considering the low recycling rates in North America — only about 30 per cent of PET bottles are collected for recycling in the U.S., 31 per cent in Canada — the rise of bioplastics is about as unexpected as a late-season collapse by the Toronto Maple Leafs. With municipalities across the continent banning standard, petroleum-based, single-use plastics and some mandating residential composting, more businesses and consumers are looking for plastic packaging that will disappear faster than cash at Christmas once its short, useful life is over. All of which make bioplastics — made with as much bio-based content as possible to ensure for maximum com28

They’ve been targeted as contaminating the recycling stream. Can bioplastics really be integrated into established recovery schemes? postability — the natural solution, right? Yes, but with an asterisk. For one thing, bioplastics vary widely in terms of both their base material and their ability (or inability) to biodegrade. For another, bioplastics are causing problems for both plastics recyclers and for commercial composting facilities because they are often wrongly sorted.

SEPARATION ANXIETY To be fair, recovering any type of postconsumer plastic can be a difficult job, in that each unique material must be considered separately. “The challenge of plastics recycling in general is that each individual plastic type represents a unique material which, unless it’s recovered individually from other plastic types, is typically of no economic value,” said

By Mark Stephen, editor

Steve Davies, director of public affairs and corporate communications for NatureWorks LLC, a biopolymers maker headquartered in Minnetonka, Minn. “Therefore, asking how ‘bioplastics’ behave in municipal recycling is akin to asking how ‘plastics’ behave in municipal recycling. The critical point is that a bioplastic such as polylactic acid — aka PLA — in a municipal system designed to separate out PET and HDPE will be processed and treated no differently than would any type of conventional petroleum-based plastic.” Notwithstanding that, some in the PET bottle recycling industry still entertain concerns — to put it charitably — about contamination of source materials from PLA. The problem is exemplified by the PlantBottle, a part-bioplastic/partPET product developed by Coca-Cola. The bottle is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing PET streams. But when it comes to recycling the product, consumers have to be careful not to mistake the PlantBottle symbol for one that indicates a biodegradable plastic like PLA, and put it in a municipal compost facility. As one industry report noted, “with a PlantBottle (20 per cent bioplastic) that is recyclable but not compostable, and a PLA bottle (100 per cent bio-

causing a headache

Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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recycling

plastic) that is compostable but not easily recyclable (at least with the infrastructure that’s currently in place), confusion is rampant.” A second concern about recycling post-consumer bioplastics springs from two considerations: cost and technology. While it’s possible for PLA to be mechanically separated from PET at recycling facilities using an infrared sensor, most recyclers don’t usually take the trouble to do such sorting. Why? As the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers noted in a recent study, it’s an expensive process and no one is going to pay the recyclers enough for that PLA to justify the expense. Hand-sorting bottles is the obvious alternative, but it’s not foolproof. “The PET bottle recycling industry grew up by taking advantage of the fact that clear drink bottles are largely made from PET,” Steve Davies said. “This created a

simplification in PET bottle recovery: PET bottles are usually recovered, at least in a first pass, simply by manually sorting any clear bottle from a mixed plastics stream. In such a visually-oriented scheme, a look-alike bottle with bio-based content can present an identification and separation challenge.”

RISKY BUSINESS The risk, of course, is that PLA bottles can end up in the PET stream in a recycling facility, where they don’t belong. At which point they can really throw a wrench into the works by contaminating established recycling processes. How badly? As noted in a 2013 study by Professor Hans-Josef Endres, University of Hannover, and biopolymer researcher Andrea Siebert-Raths, “even when this waste stream contains only a few PLA bottles, they cause a significant loss of

quality in the PET recyclate.” (True enough, the bioplastics suppliers say, but let’s not pick on PLA in this regard. “PS, PP, and HDPE are just as incompatible with PET as is PLA,” Steve Davies said.) And those recyclers who successfully sort out post-consumer bio-based materials still aren’t home free, since the process of recycling biopolymers encounters the same challenges as recycling of conventional synthetic thermoplastics. “This includes a downcycling effect and the preference for mono-material, unmingled waste streams,” Endres and Siebert-Raths explained. “The downcycling effect is a function of molecular degradation; thus it is more strongly pronounced in biopolymers because their thermo-mechanical and chemical resistance are generally lower. For instance, biopolymers, which often are polyesters, can depolymerize under repeated thermal load — in par-

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recycling

ticular in the presence of moisture — due to their sensitivity to hydrolysis, much like conventional polyesters.” And there’s an additional hurdle to clear. “Whether the bio-based equivalents of conventional polymers, such as Bio-PE, Bio-PA and Bio-PUR, can be included in the existing and established mechanical recycling schemes for conventional polymers still has to be investigated,” Endres and Siebert-Raths noted. “At this time, there is still very little information on how larger amounts of biopolymers will affect waste streams.”

GROWING PAINS Speaking of very little information, it helps to remember that these are, of course, still relatively early days for bioplastics. When bio-based materials are fully rolled out, how will they ultimately affect recycling of conventional plastics? How will consumers know to recycle or

compost products? Currently bioplastics carry the #7 (OTHER) chasing arrow symbol, but this has limited value in educating consumers. The British Plastics Federation Recycling Group, for one, knows where it stands. “Generally, it’s not possible to distinguish the degradable plastic from conventional by visual inspection...and depending on the degrading agent, mechanical/optical sorting may be possible but will never be 100 per cent effective,” the association said in a statement. “The recycling industry view is that it is for any degradable supplier to prove to the satisfaction of the recycling and potential user industries that their materials have no adverse effect. It should not be necessary for the recycling industry to carry out or fund such testing.” Some bioplastics suppliers have already got the message — and responded with a strategy. “NatureWorks has a

straightforward, three-pronged approach for introducing a new-to-the-world plastic,” said Steve Davies. “In a given geography, we limit the sale of our bio-based resin grades to consumer products where the potential for recycling stream contamination is minimal; we target markets for consumer products in which there isn’t much recycling yet occurring; and we work to develop scale in a safe manner. As an example of this third point, we target markets where there are already numerous clear, transparent post-consumer plastics that need to be independently sorted; in this stream, PLA is no different than PET, PP, or PS.” The bioplastics industry might be growing like a weed, then, but — faced with confusion at the recycling bins and the recovery plants — the perception among many is that biopolymer suppliers will have to tidy up the science if they want to win over the recyclers. CPL

Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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15-05-12 10:03 AM

1-866-308-7418

sales@tantuscorp.com

CPL Jun15 p28-31 RecyclingV2.indd 31

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technology showcase

AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT Expandable, servo-driven resin selector The new AutoResin Selector from Conair is a servo-driven system that makes a hard-tubing connection between up to 20 resin sources (silos, etc.) and 20 destinations (processing machines, dryers, etc.) and operates with the latest material handling system controls. Connection ports are located on two rotating tables, one connected to material sources and the other connected to destinations. When the material handling control system calls for material, servo motors index two rotary tables until the specified source is aligned with its destination port. Then a hard-tubing connection is made between the two and conveying can begin. Materialcontact surfaces are stainless steel; no flex hose is required; and it’s simpler and more reliable than comparable valve stations. The AutoResin Selector is also expandable.

Valve sections are stackable, horizontally or vertically, so that two or more can be ganged together to add capacity. The Conair Group (Cranberry Township, Pa.); www.conairgroup.com; 724-584-5500 D ier International Plastics (Unionville, Ont.); www.dierinternational.com; 416-219-0509 I ndustries Laferrière (Mascouche, Que.); www.industrieslaferriere.ca; 450-477-8880 Turner Group (Seattle, Wash.); www.turnergroup.net; 206-769-3707

Precise dosing of liquid color

Compared with standard volumetric pumps, the new PeriStep pump from Maguire Products Inc. is designed to provide 20 per cent greater accuracy in dosing liquid color directly into the main flow of natural resin, and it includes a selfadjusting automatic speed control that maintains dosing consistency. Setting the control for start-up involves a simple, intuitive threestep process. For color changes, the operator merely retracts the top cover of the pump and lays a new tube over the rollers inside, without need of working the tube into a compression zone. Instead of a standard motor, the drive system is a stepper motor whose shaft rotates in discrete, minute increments that make possible precision and repeatability of movement. This motor drives a central “sun” roller, whose motion transfers to the “planetary” rollers that provide the compression/relaxation cycle of a peristaltic pump. The sun roller drives the planetary rollers by means of friction contact, providing a 5-to-1 speed reduction without a gear box. The process for setting up a job in the controller of the PeriStep pump involves only three digital inputs: 1) shot weight (for injection molding) or extrusion rate; 2) liquid color percentage; and 3) density of the liquid color. The controller automatically calculates the desired weightto-volume dose, minimizing the opportunity for error. Maguire Canada/Novatec Inc. (Vaughan, Ont.); www.maguirecanada.com; 905-879-1100 Barway Plastic Equipment Inc. Visit us at Booth 2025 (Vaudreuil-Dorian, Que.); www.barway.ca; 450-455-1396

Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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technology showcase

steel enclosure. The laminar-flow box above the clamping unit ensures clean production conditions. The raised machine stand enables optimum cleaning. In a recent demonstration, the Allrounder 520 A produced 64 pipette tips The new FeedMax S3 net single conveying — each weighing just 0.35 grams — under cleanroom consystem from Wittmann Battenfeld features ditions using a high-performance mold in a cycle time of Advertiser: Haremar an innovation that allows it to be joined approximately 4.5 seconds. Publication: Canadian Plastics - June Issue to all the neighboring equipment on the Electric Allrounder A machines require up to 50 per cent Specs: Half Page - 4.5” 7.5” hydraulic machines. Servo motor same network. less Ad energy thanxstandard Lendt,recovery 416-598-7588 slendt@motumb2b.com Previously, it has beenContact: difficult Steve to energy during braking also contributes here. Short do simple things like stop the conveyer system or adjust conveyance because they had to be done manually, oftentimes with a ladder to even reach the system. Even remote controls only controlled individual units, not the whole system. By contrast, the FeedMax S3 net combines the advantages of single conveying units with those of a centralized control system. Using a CAN bus, several FeedMax S3 net conveyor units can be linked together and controlled from a single console. Wittmann Battenfeld provides a high-resolution 4.3inch TFT touchscreen for this purpose, which displays complete information about the status of each separate unit. The conveyor units also feature an LED status display standard, which allows operators to view the status of the unit quickly, easily, and from a distance. Wittmann Canada Inc. (Richmond Hill, Ont.); www.wittmann-canada.com; 888-466-8266

Innovative conveying system unites multiple lines

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Well-suited for medical part production With a clamping force of

FILM ALLURE By Haremar www.haremar.com/highend 1,500 kN and size 400 injection unit, the electric Allrounder 520 A I/M machine from Arburg Inc. is designed to satisfy the demanding quality requirements of medical part production. The clamping unit features a stainless

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CPL Jun15 p32-37 Tech Show.indd 33

HAREMAR

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technology showcase

cycle times are achieved thanks to simultaneous movements of the servo/electric main axes supplied as standard. Play-free, direct-acting spindle drives ensure maximum repeat accuracy and part quality. Low emissions thanks to liquid-cooled, encapsulated servo/electric drives are a further benefit. Arburg Inc. (Newington, Conn.); www.arburg.com; 860-667-6500 D Cube (Montreal); www.dcube.ca; 514-272-0500

The best of electric and hydraulic technology

In addition to integrated hydraulics for ejector, carriage, and core pull, the Zeres units offer a swiveling injection unit for easy screw and barrel change, a bi-metallic barrel and wear-resistant screw, and Sigmatek control with production monitoring. Absolute Haitian (Worcester, Mass.); www.absolutehaitian.com; 508-459-5372 S hadow Automation Inc. (Uxbridge, Ont.); 905-649-2652 L utek Plastic Equipment Inc. (Dorval, Que.); www.lutek.ca; 514-421-8963

EXTRUSION

New options cut time for job changeovers The Zhafir Zeres series all-electric I/M machine from Zhafir Plastics Machinery, available through Absolute Haitian, has integrated hydraulics to open up new possibilities for molders who prefer electric machines but need hydraulics to operate such functions as core pull. By eliminating the need for a separate hydraulic power pack next to the molding machine to perform hydraulic functions, the Zeres series reduces the machine cell’s footprint and improves productivity per square foot — and also makes it easier for processors to switch from hydraulic to electric machines. The new Zeres is available immediately in Canada and the U.S. in clamping forces of 45 to 259 U.S. tons, with larger model sizes to follow.

Available separately or as a package, American Kuhne’s new SingleMinute Exchange of Die (SMED) Quick-Change options are designed to reduce changeover downtime in tubing, profile, wire and cable, and other smalldie production lines by nearly half an hour when used in combination. The options are available with new American Kuhne extruders or can be retrofitted onto equipment from American Kuhne or other suppliers. The Quick Collet Screw Pusher (pictured) reduces set-up time for screw pulling from five minutes to less than one minute by use of a spring-mounted locking nut and a sliding collet to fasten the nut onto the threaded screw-pushing rod at the rear of the drive shaft. The Rotary Hopper reduces cleanout time to about one

Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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chillersinc_Innovation_Chillers:Layout chillersinc_Innovation_Chillers:Layout1 1

Innovation Innovation

technology showcase

minute through its capability of being pivoted away from the feedthroat for rapid dumping of excess material and easy access for vacuuming residual material and adding purge or new material. And the Dual-Head Arrangement reduces the time needed to change dies from twenty minutes to only two by having a pre-heated head with breaker plate ready for fast replacement of the one that has been in use. Both heads are mounted on pivoting support structures on either side of the die area and have separate electrical connections. To replace a head, the operator loosens the clamping nut, opens the clamp, pivots away the previously used head, removes the breaker plate, mounts the pre-heated head and breaker plate, and closes and tightens the clamp. American Kuhne (Ashaway, R.I.); www.americankuhne.com; 401-326-6200

the deflasher and retracts with the container in an upright orientation. The integrated system permits the use of only one set of tooling (unlike two sets required for the previous system) and also facilitates easy changeovers. The Robopik EX2 is not limited by shape or size; it can also handle tottletype containers with any number of mold cavities. Container heights can range from approximately three inches to 15 inches. Also, the integrated system has two servo drives, and moving parts are reduced for easier maintenance; and it features a more convenient conveyor height of 34 inches, making integration with other equipment easy to implement. Proco Machinery Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.); www.procomachinery.com; 905-670-9380

ROBOTS & AUTOMATION

Key benefits of the Robopik EX2 include a smaller footprint, fewer moving parts, easy operation, and upgraded controls — all at an attractive price. The Robopik EX2 takes the container and transfers it directly to the deflasher, where the tail and top flash is removed. After deflashing, a specially designed articulated vacuum conveyor extends into

CPL Jun15 p32-37 Tech Show.indd 35

Energyefficient efficientcapacity capacity • •Energy control controlsaves savesupuptoto20% 20% ofofcompressor compressor energy. energy.

Providesbetter better • •Provides temperature temperature control. control.

Operates • •Operates

Energyefficient efficientnon-ozone non-ozone • •Energy depleting depletingR410A R410A refrigerant refrigerant

The new 7X robot from Sepro America is based on the same basic mechanical platform as the company’s S7 three-axis robot, but adds a two-axis servo-driven wrist developed in partnership with Stäubli Robotics. Unlike pneumatic wrists, which can only move in a continuous arc from 0° to 90° or 0° to 180°, the 7X wrists can move from 0° to 180° and 0° to 270°, or any part of those rotations with superior precision. Servo motors have positional encoders that recognize exactly where the drive shaft is at any moment. Then the system control can integrate positional signals from all of the servo motors on all five axes, so that it knows exactly where the gripper and part are in space at all times. This allows the robot to complete very complicated motions in all axes simultaneously, and do it very precisely and with perfect repeatability. The servo wrist can www.canplastics.com June 2015 Canadian Plastics

Digital DigitalScroll Scroll Compressors Compressors

efficiently efficientlyover over a awider widerload load profile. profile.

Technology providers BLOW MOLDING team up for 5-axis Modular, compact take- robot out automation system New from Proco Machinery Inc., the patent-pending Robopik EX2 take-out system is an upgraded version of Proco’s original Robopik and Robopik Plus models, and accommodates a wide range of shuttle extrusion blow molding (EBM) machines (such as the Bekum H style) and other EBM machines without modification or adjustment.

Maximum MaximumSeries Series Portable PortableChillers Chillers with with

10 ton 10 ton Water-Cooled Water-Cooled model model

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525 525 East East Stop Stop 1818 Road Road Greenwood, Greenwood, ININ 46142 46142 317.887.0729 317.887.0729 • fax: • fax: 317.881.1277 317.881.1277 www.AdvantageEngineering.com www.AdvantageEngineering.com Represented Represented inin Canada Canada By: By:

905-895-9667 905-895-9667 www.Chillersinc.com www.Chillersinc.com

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technology showcase

grip and position parts at any angle, making the robot much easier to set up and operate and allowing for simpler end-ofarm tooling. Sepro America (Pittsburgh, Pa.); www.seproamerica.com; 412-459-0450 Shadow Automation Inc. (Uxbridge, Ont.); 905-649-2652 I ndustries Laferrière (Mascouche, Que.); www.industrieslaferriere.ca; 450-477-8880

PACKAGING

Thermoformer for high-output food service products Originally developed for production of bakery and meat containers due to its low scrap rate, the GN760 plug-assist thermoformer from GN Thermoforming Equipment has been perfected to make it well-suited for the high-output production of PET lids for the food service market. Amid today’s rising cost of materials and the increased focus on sustainability, GN has developed innovative tooling technology which significantly reduces skeletal web scrap from approximately 30 per cent to 18 per cent when compared to typical form-cut-stack machines.

classified ads

RECYCLING

Economical, energy-efficient plastics washing line Proven in European recycling plants, Vecoplan LLC has now brought its HydroDyn plastics washing line to the North

advertising index Delivering Truckloads of Satisfaction

www.fwtransport.com

CANADA: Tel: 514-274-9290 • Fax: 514-274-9039 • info@fwtransport.com USA: Tel: 845-783-7730 • Fax: 845-783-7735 • info@fwtransport.com

To place your classified ad here, contact: Greg Paliouras, Associate Publisher at 416-510-5124 or gpaliouras@canplastics.com

The cut-inplace machine has a 762 mm by 533 mm (30-inch by 21-inch) forming area, and incorporates many of the same components found in GN’s traditional machines. The new larger model expands GN’s line of plugassist machines, meeting the demand for medium-volume and large-volume runs. The GN760 uses servo drives for plugging, material transport, stripping, and stacking. It also has a radiant infrared heating system with 60 zones; and an electronic regeneration system which reduces energy use, resulting in a savings of approximately $9,000 per year. GN Thermoforming Equipment (Chester, N.S.); www.gncanada.com; 902-275-3571

Advertiser Page Absolute Haitian 13 AceTRONIC 18, 19 Atlas Copco 7 Berg Chilling Systems 17 Chase Plastic 38 Chillers Inc. 35 Dyna-Purge 27 Engel 15 Erema North America Inc. 29 Haremar Plastic Manufacturing 33 IESO 24 IMS 23 Ingenia Polymers Corp. 32 KUKA Robotics 34 Lorenz Conveying 21 Maguire 9 Next Generation Recycling 14 Novatec 11 Piovan 30 Plastic Process Equipment, Inc. 39 Progressive Components 18, 19 Rechner Automation 27 Resource Recycling 26 Shred-Tech 10 Struktol Company America 37 Tantus Corporation 31 The Conair Group back cover Unique Tool & Gauge Inc. 2 Vecoplan, LLC 8 WEIMA America Inc. 22

Website www.absolutehaitian.com www.acetronic.com www.atlascopco.ca www.berg-group.com www.chaseplastics.com www.chillersinc.com www.dynapurge.com www.engelglobal.com www.erema.at www.haremar.com www.saveonenergy.ca/business www.imscompany.com www.ingeniapolymers.com www.kuka-robotics.com/usa www.lorenz.ca www.maguire.com www.ngr.at/en www.novatec.com www.piovan.com www.ppe.com www.procomps.com www.rechner.com www.resource-recycling.com www.shred-tech.com www.struktol.com www.tantuscorp.com www.conairgroup.com www.unique-tool.com www.vecoplanllc.com www.weimaamerica.com

Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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technology showcase

American market. Designed to produce plastic flakes that are 30 per cent cleaner than conventional washing lines, deliver lower operating costs, and be more economical to install and maintain than conventional plastics washing lines, HydroDyn uses the dynamic properties of water spun in a cyclonic fashion to generate horizontal friction and clean plastic flakes suspended in that water. In addition to washing the plastic flakes, friction created by centrifugal force in the water also generates heat. Since HydroDyn is a closed-loop system, integrating its own water treatment, the reused water process establishes a hot-wash system without additional power or gas usage — combined with Vecoplan’s energy-efficient drive systems, the result is a 25 per cent saving in operating costs, including energy consumption, water usage, and chemicals. HydroDyn’s modular design also makes it easy and eco-

nomical to retrofit into existing plants, or scale-up in size when systems need to be expanded. Vecoplan LLC (Archdale, N.C.); www.vecoplanllc.com; 336-447-3373 Greg Parent; 416-678-0154

plastics data file Wittmann Innovations

Innovations — Wittmann’s quarterly newsletter — 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 Get free information from the companies that interest you most. Contact the company directly using the telephone number, e-mail address or website listed above.

I’m Going Green!

ADDing

|SUSTAINABILITY||

= INNOVATION + TECHNOLOGY + PERFORMANCE Resolve difficult recycle challenges and reduce waste with our Intelligent ADDitive Solutions. Struktol Canada, Ltd. Uxbridge, Ontario | Canada

Call us at 416.286.4040 email us at strukcansales@bellnet.ca

www.4struktol.com www.canplastics.com June 2015 Canadian Plastics

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technical tips

Eliminating surface blemishes on a cosmetic part (part 3) By John Bozzelli, Injection Molding Solutions

lack specks, streaks or color mixing errors are the most commonly recurring problems that mar the surface of highly cosmetic injection molded parts. Three likely culprits causing the surface issues are resin degradation, equipment contamination, or process miscues. This is a big topic, so I’m breaking it up into parts. First, I discussed resin degradation; last issue, I focused on equipment contamination. I’ll now wrap it up by considering screw design and process miscues. Did you know that worn barrels and screws can sometimes provide better mixing than new equipment? With worn barrels and screws, you get some backflow over the flights, which provides better mixing and even moves material out of dead spots. The front of the screw has several components needing close inspection. Check the non-return valve, nozzle end cap, and nozzle tip for abrupt changes in flow path — more dead spots where polymer can hang up and degrade. Of course, if you spot broken or chipped flights or nicks in the non-return valve or screw tips, these are likely sources of black streaks and must be replaced. The nozzle body and screw tip are notorious for causing degradation. Keep the nozzle body as short as possible with a free-flow (cone) design. Temperature should be PIDcontrolled — not with variac or percentage methods. Also make sure the thermocouple is placed close enough to the nozzle tip to provide effective temperature control.

BARRELING ALONG Barrel temperature control is also important. Look for hot

spots or zones overriding set-points, where the heater bands are constantly on or constantly off. If a barrel zone is constantly on, raise the temperature of the barrel zone preceding it. Raising the temperature puts more heat into the resin just before the following zone. If a barrel zone is constantly off, again raise the temperature of the zone before it, but also reduce backpressure and screw rpm. Raising the temperature of the zone preceding it will reduce viscosity and thus lower the amount of shear heat being put into the resin. Lowering the backpressure and the screw rpm also will put less shear heat into the resin. This means less temperature override, which is probably causing the downstream hot spot that keeps the heater zone constantly off. Meanwhile, check the actual melt temperature using a hot probe or an infrared sensor. Vented barrels should be avoided, as the screw and vent area are often prone to dead spots. Run screw recovery for as long as you can during cooling, as slower rpm provides better mixing and minimizes hot spots. After the resin, screw, and barrel are checked, move on to the hot runner system if you have one. Many hot runners have dead spots formed by gun-drilled channels at right angles. Also check for burned-out heaters and open or incorrectly placed thermocouples. CPL John Bozzelli is the founder of Injection Molding Solutions in Midland, Mich., a provider of training and consulting services to injection molders, including LIMS and other specialties. He can be reached at john@scientificmolding.com or visit www.scientificmolding.com.

Redefining Resin Distribution through

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Canadian Plastics June 2015 www.canplastics.com

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MOLECULAR SIEVE DESICCANT HIGHEST QUALITY – TWO TYPES – TWO SIZES GUARANTEED TO BE PURE – CLEAN – FRESH MOLECULAR SIEVE DESICCANT Desiccant dryer manufacturers recommend changing your ••• LOW DUST TYPE ••• desiccant tanks or beds periodically to assure optimum FRESH DESICCANT HELPS performance of your desiccant drying units. ACHIEVE LOWER DEW POINTS! PPE supplies both types 13X and 4A molecular sieve desiccant in two bead sizes. Due to the various designs of desiccant plastic material dryers, you must replace your bed material with the same type and size that was supplied with your dryer. Molecular sieve desiccant type 13X has a 12% higher moisture absorption capacity and a larger pore size than type 4A. The larger pores allow it to absorb moisture faster and also absorb larger molecules of moisture as well. Depending on the quantity and type of molecules present, these could react on the surface of the 13X during regeneration and not come off, thus reducing its capacity to function over time. Type 13X is more subject to contamination which in time renders it ineffective. Because of type 4A’s smaller pore size, it is less subject to 4A 1/8” 4A 1/16” 13X 1/8” 13X 1/16” contamination. However, because of its lower absorption capacity and smaller pore openings, the rate at which it absorbs ALWAYS KEEP YOUR AIR INLET FILTERS CLEAN! moisture will be lower than with type 13X. Another factor to consider is the bead size. Small beads (8x12 mesh) have a faster rate of water absorption, but they are more dense and cause a higher pressure drop than the larger (4x8 mesh) beads. Always specify the correct type and size molecular sieve desiccant. If you don’t know which type of sieve your dryer was designed to use, contact your dryer manufacturer for their recommendation and then call PPE to place your order. SOLD IN FACTORY-SEALED CONTAINERS TO STAY FRESH AND DRY!

Avoids excess moisture or contamination. The best drying temperature range for desiccant bead regeneration is 400° to 600°F. Do not exceed 1000°F.

IF YOU BLEND SIZES If the smaller diameter bead size passes through your dryer holding tank screen we suggest you consider installing a stainless steel screen of slightly smaller mesh size in your cannister bottom.

GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES! TYPE 4A DESICCANT BEAD SIZE

MESH SIZE

1/8”

4x8

Size varies .098 to .177 dia.

1/16”

8 x 12

Size varies .059 to .098 dia.

TYPE 13X BEAD SIZE

4x8

Size varies .098 to .177 dia.

1/16”

8 x 12

Size varies .059 to .098 dia.

CONTAINER SIZE 30 lbs. 110 lbs. 300 lbs. 30 lbs. 110 lbs. 300 lbs.

PRICE PER CONTAINER 1 CONTAINER 2 OR MORE $89.50 ($2.98 lb.) $85.00 ($2.83 $310.00 ($2.82 lb.) $295.00 ($2.68 $795.00 ($2.65 lb.) $760.00 ($2.53 $89.50 ($2.98 lb.) $85.00 ($2.83 $310.00 ($2.82 lb.) $295.00 ($2.68 $795.00 ($2.65 lb.) $760.00 ($2.53

lb.) lb.) lb.) lb.) lb.) lb.)

MIX OR MATCH FOR QUANTITY PRICE BREAKS

DESICCANT

MESH SIZE

1/8”

PPE PART NUMBER MS4A4-030 MS4A4-110 MS4A4-300 MS4A8-030 MS4A8-110 MS4A8-300

PPE PART NUMBER MS13X4-025 MS13X4-110 MS13X4-275 MS13X8-025 MS13X8-110 MS13X8-275

CONTAINER SIZE 25 lbs. 110 lbs. 275 lbs. 25 lbs. 110 lbs. 275 lbs.

PRICE PER CONTAINER 1 CONTAINER 2 OR MORE $84.00 ($3.36 lb.) $79.50 ($3.18 $345.00 ($3.14 lb.) $330.00 ($3.00 $815.00 ($2.96 lb.) $775.00 ($2.82 $84.00 ($3.36 lb.) $79.50 ($3.18 $345.00 ($3.14 lb.) $330.00 ($3.00 $815.00 ($2.96 lb.) $775.00 ($2.82

lb.) lb.) lb.) lb.) lb.) lb.)

SAFETY: Always wear gloves, face mask and safety glasses when handling this product.

PLASTIC PROCESS EQUIPMENT , INC. www.ppe.com • e-mail: sales@ppe.com 6385 Montessouri Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89113 11218 Challenger Avenue, Odessa, Florida 33556 PPE W E S T

PPE

702-433-6385 • 800-258-8877 • Fax: 702-433-6388

PPE SOUTH

727-834-8888 • 800-282-6783 • Fax: 727-834-8873

Toll Free: USA, Canada & Mexico 8303 CORPORATE PARK DRIVE, MACEDONIA (Cleveland), OHIO 44056, USA 216-367-7000 • Toll Free: 800-321-0562 • Fax: 216-367-7022 • Order Fax: 800-223-8305 800-362-0706

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COOL IT!

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WITH THE INDUSTRY’S MOST COMPREHENSIVE

Temperature Controllers

HEAT-TRANSFER

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PRODUCT LINE When it comes to heat-transfer, we’re not limited to just one or two technologies or just a few sizes or

configurations. Our dedicated heat-transfer specialists analyze your specific concerns and recommend a unique tailored solution – whether it’s a single piece of equipment or a complete, integrated system. And, just like all Conair equipment, it’s backed by the industry’s best aftermarket service and support.

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Pump Tanks

Cooling Towers Service and Support

Represented in Canada by: Dier International Plastics l Greg Reid l 416.219.0509 Industries Laferriere l Francois Laferriere l 450.477.8880 l Injection Molding, Quebec F M Mecanique l Jocelyn Fournier l 514.953.5307 l Extrusion, Quebec The Turner Group l Chuck Roehm l 206.769.3707 l British Columbia and Alberta 1.800.654.6661 • 724.584.5500 • info@conairgroup.com • www.conairgroup.com

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