PLASTICS
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Yo u r L i n k t o t h e P l a s t i c s W o r l d
G r a d uat i o n D ay C e r e m o ny The Graduation for the first, second and third batches of HIPF was held on 21st of March, 2010 at the HIPF Campus. His Excellency Dr.Ali bin Nasser Al-Ghafees, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of HIPF and Governor of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) along with His Excellency Dr. Abdul Wahid Bin Khalid Al-Humaid, the Deputy Minister for Saudization, Ministry of Labour, had graced the occasion and awarded the Diploma Certificates to the graduating trainees. The representatives of our sponsor companies were proud of their trainees as they had scored exceptionally well in their “On Job Training” at their respective companies. A total of 225 trainees graduated on that day in the presence of their 24 sponsoring companies. Our Board members and representatives from 43 companies were our special guests on this occasion. The first Graduation Ceremony for HIPF
PET B ot t l e s
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Handles
PET bottles are much stronger and last longer than HDPE bottles but it is not easy to have PET bottles with handles and offset necks. Northumbria Blow Mouldings and Beaubury Precision Moulds of United Kingdom have become the first in Europe to produce 4 and 5 liter handled containers using extrusion blown PET. The bottles are useful for food and beverage application as it has high clarity and gloss with the ease of using handles. It also enables bottle designs with angled necks and other design features beyond what is possible with stretch blow PET bottles. There is potential for use in chemical containers replacing HDPE as it offers aesthetic improvements and cost reductions. HDPE needs expensive fluorination which adds to its cost. For molds, HDPE needs a bead-blasted surface but PET can be molded in a polished tool. They have developed molds which can be used for both PET and HDPE. This will also allow existing PVC or HDPE tooling to be adapted to run with PET. QUARTERLY ISSUED BY THE HIGHER INSTITUTE FOR PLASTICS FABRICATION
S pecial P oints of I nterest: •HIPF Graduation Day Ceremony •Recent Path Breaking Innovations in the field of Plastics. •Selected International Plastics centered events and exhibitions.
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PET bottles made by extrusion blow molding
I n T his issue :
• Graduation Day Ceremony • Transparent PP films from Upward Blown Film machines • Self Lubricating Molds • Hot filling of MuCell PET Bottles • Polycarbonate Grades from SABIC • International Plastics Events
T ransparent PP films from U pward B ubble B lown F ilm M achines
Adflex 7492 XCP from Lyondell Basell allows the use of upward blown film machines for making PP films.
PP film is generally manufactured either by biaxial oriented process known as BOPP film or by a downward bubble tubular water quenched film process known as TQPP. The upward bubble commonly used for PE as well as PVC produces translucent film with haze of more than 30-40%. Polypropylene (PP) is generally difficult to process on the conventional upward blown film extrusion mainly due to poor melt strength, long cooling time and inferior optical properties. PP is slower in crystallization compared to PE causing opacity and result in loss of transparency. Lyondell Basell, the largest PP manufacturer and a pioneer in research & development, has now developed Adflex 7492 XCP which offers
a combination of transparency and resistance to impact, puncture and tear. This material has transparency of 13% haze value at 30 µm (micron) film thickness. This new material may be used for industrial packaging and agricultural applications which are yet not available due to property deficiencies of PP film. The film will provide exceptional transparency, while maintaining softness, mechanical properties, good bubble stability and throughput. This performance combination enables possible cost reductions through reduced material consumption. Blown film equipment costs less than Stenter orientation process required for BOPP film.
S elf Lubricating M olds For blow molds to work well, regular greasing operations are needed: moving parts generate friction. Sidel has introduced Kohlox™, a thermo composite material with a low coefficient of friction, helping parts move freely without any lubrication. this material is the best compromise between mechanical resistance to impacts and compression, while also ensuring free movement of parts.
Self lubricating molds save time and money
Two new grease-free parts have been produced for the molds: mold bottom wear rings, and female studs. In 2009, these new parts have been tested and validated on the industrial scale in partnership with Nestlé Waters Est., France.
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As a self-lubricating material, it offers significant savings in mold maintenance time, while also eliminating the use of consumables for those operations. Reducing maintenance time improves productivity. This innovation also helps improve mold cleanliness by eliminating the possibility of grease splashes or deposits, which are sources of persistent dirt. The low density of Kohlox™, which is four times lighter than steel, helps lighten the mold base to accommodate new blow molder speeds of 2,000 bottles per hour per mold, and reduces mechanical wear on the machine itself. This technology is available as an option for most new molds.
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H ot F illing P L A S T I C S of M u C ell PET B ot tles
PET Bottles made with MuCell Technology
Microcellular PET bottles can be used for hot filling of beverages using MuCell technology of foam injection molding to manufacture foamed PET bottles developed by Plastic Technologies Inc (PTI). Nitrogen is injected into PET melt with modified preform molding machine inside the barrel. As the cavity-fill pressure in the chamber drops below the nucleation pressure, foam cells are produced that expand as gas diffuses into them. The preform can be blow-molded using conventional machines. The presence of foam reduces the weight of the bottle by up to 5%. The transmission light also reduces by 95% making the bottles opaque. The white or silvery colors are achieved by the scattering of light. Bottles produced so far have been
able to hold liquids with temperatures of up to 85°C, without excessively shrinking. This new process will widen the scope of PET bottles. PTI has developed the first lightweight foamed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle/jar blow molding process. This bottle technology provides • New visual presence • Recycling is possible • Light weighting of up to 5% • Significant light barrier characteristic’s up to 95% reduction in transmitted light. Potential applications include a wide range of bottles and jars in food, beverage, personal care, household chemical, etc.
P olycarbonate G rades from SABIC SABIC has many grades of Polycarbonate in the market. Each member is tailored to optimize a particular property or balance of properties beyond the previous grades of polycarbonate. The newest grades set benchmarks for PC’s flow/ductility balance, heat resistance, and scratch resistance.
PET bottles made by extrusion blow molding
Lexan EXL is a copolymer of PC and silicone rubber that combines extreme ductility, chemical resistance, and impact retention under heat, humidity, and UV exposure. SABIC also offers a special healthcare version of this copolymer called Lexan HPX. It offers enhanced flow, release, and autoclave performance at 121°C with biocompatibility. Lexan SLX is an outdoor weatherable grade that minimizes yellowing and embrittlement. It needs no UV stabilizer or coating. Lexan FST is designed to comply with flame, smoke, and toxicity (FST) limits, as well as low heat release, for materials used in aircraft interiors, ships, and railroad cars. A brand-new development in this series is a transparent grade that could be the first plastic to replace glass in aircraft interior.
Lexan DMX has high scratch resistance
Lexan HFD provides very high flow—about 40% greater than standard PC—without the usual tradeoff of toughness or ductility for flowability that is typical in standard PC. This is achieved via incorporation of a soft block derived from castor oil.
This allows molding thinner walls without risk of cracking during demolding. It also allows molding designs with sharp notches and corners without fear of breakage. Lexan HFD processes at temperatures about 20°F lower than standard PC with the same ductility. This allows use of heat-sensitive additives and provides advantages in two-shot molding and in-mold decorating Lexan XHT is clear, flame-retardant grade with use temperatures from 140 C to 195°C (284-383 F). They are said to offer UL relative thermal index (RTI) of 150°C, higher than polyarylate or other highheat PCs (HHPC). They also boast improved blister resistance and exceptional clarity and color stability under UV exposure or heat aging, compared with polyarylate and high heat PC. Lexan DMX offers pencil hardness of 3H, three units higher than standard PC. That translates into better scratch resistance for displays, touchscreens, and keypads. Extruded sheet and film of these resins can withstand rougher handling without surface marring. Added to the above are 5 times greater moisture barrier and almost 20 times higher oxygen barrier than standard PC.
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03 LINK 2010 PLASTICS
I n t e r n at i o n a l P l a s t i c s E v e n t s
www.hipf.edu.sa
EXHIBITIONS:
QINGDAO PLASTICS & RUBBER EXPO Qingdao (China) International Plastics & Rubber Industry Exhibition
Qingdao ( China ) > Qingdao International Convention Center
11.08 - 13.08 2010
PLASTEX BRNO International Plastics, Rubber and Composites Fair
Brno ( Czech Republic ) > Brno Exhibition Centre
13.09 - 17.09 2010
POLYMERS & GLASS IN PACKAGING Technologies and equipment, raw and auxiliary materials, finished packaging articles made of polymer and glass materials
Minsk ( Belarus ) > Belexpo - 27, Yanka Kupala str.
21.09 - 24.09 2010
PLASTICS INDUSTRY SHOW International Specialized Exhibition of Plastics Products, Raw Materials, Equipment and Technologies for Their Manufacture
Moscow ( Russia ) > Expocentr’ Krasnaya Presnya Fairgrounds
27.09 - 30.09 2010
PLASTEC Plastics processing resources for manufacturers in aerospace/ aviation, Appliances / Housewares, automotive, electronics, medical, packaging, consumer goods, and more
Rosemont, IL ( USA - United States of America ) > Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
28.09 - 30.09 2010
INTERPLAST EXPO Plastic Trade Show
Bucharest ( Romania ) > Romexpo
06.10 - 09.10 2010
JEC SHOW ASIA JEC Asia event is the new composite platform for Asia-Pacific
Singapore ( Singapore ) > Suntec Singapore
12.10 - 14.10 2010
SPF - SPECIALITY PLASTIC FILMS Annual World Congress dedicated to Plastic Films. Specialty Sheet, Films, Laminates, Co extrusions, Coatings, Global Markets, Applications, Developments
Dusseldorf ( Germany ) > Düsseldorf
24.10 - 26.10 2010
PLASTEX UKRAINE International Specialized Exhibition of Plastic and Polymeric Materials Producing
Kiev ( Ukraine ) > Kiev International Exhibition Center
26.10 - 29.10 2010
TPE This International Conference concentrates on new Opportunities for Thermoplastic Elastomers and will be especially of use to those involved in any way with the Thermoplastics Industry
Cologne ( Germany ) > Cologne
26.10 - 27.10 2010
K Plastics and Rubber International Exhibition
Dusseldorf ( Germany ) > Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre
27.10 - 03.11 2010
Higher Institute For Plastics Fabrication
7495 AlKharj Road, New City Industry, Unit #1, Riyadh 14332 - 4073 Tel.: +966 1 498 9600, +966 1 498 9678 Fax: +966 50 107 9961 Contact Details: Tel.: +966 1 498 9678 Fax: +966 1 498 9650 e-mail: info@hipf.edu.sa www.hipf.edu.sa
PLASTICS LINK Your Link to the World of Plastics The establishment of HIPF aims to prepare Saudi youth to participate as skilled technicians in the booming plastics industry of the Kingdom and to develop the technical knowledge and skills of Saudi workforce towards localization of plastics fabrication technology. The Editorial board of the Newsletter would like to remind the reader that the articles in this newsletter are collated from the various sources of information. HIPF does its best to verify the sources and confirm the authenticity of the articles published in the newsletter. The HIPF will not assume any legal liability for the content, quality, accuracy or completeness of said information and materials. The sources of the articles and the ‘terms and conditions’ of the newsletter ‘Plastic Link’ are available with the board of Editors and are available on request.s