Injection Moulding Asia Industry News
US firms tie up with universities for research
U
S-based DuPont and China’s polymer R&D centre, Sichuan University, are to jointly cooperate on research for flame retardants, specifically for the computer, communication and consumer electronics markets. DuPont said the firm is partnering with Sichuan University because of its academic achievements in the field of polymer materials, such as halogen-free, flame retardant compounds. DuPont’s China R&D centre and the university have cooperated on various projects since 2008. Another US firm PolyOne is also collaborating with university and industry experts to develop advanced materials and production parts using 3D printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing. The threeyear project is made possible through an Ohio Third Frontier grant of nearly US$3 million to the University of Dayton Research Institute, which will collaborate with PolyOne and other companies to develop and produce polymer formulations that will be used in speciality applications for the aerospace and automotive industries. Other project participants include GE Aviation, Rapid Prototype & Manufacturing and Stratasys. The Ohio Third Frontier is a technologybased economic
development initiative that provides funding for open innovation, entrepreneurial support, value-chain development and expansion of a skilled talent pool that can support technology-based economic growth.
with Taiwanese partner TYC Brother Industrial for US$20 million.
Fakuma to showcase the latest
T
he Fakuma show, to be held in Germany from 16-20 October, will feature highlights from machine makers like Arburg, Engel, KraussMaffei and mould maker Fohoba and welding specialist LPKF. Arburg will showcase its Particle-foam Composite Injection Moulding (PCIM), longfibre direct injection moulding and inline printing. It will also display its new electric Allrounder 630 A, the productivity package for the Golden Edition series and the servo-hydraulic drive concept for the large Allrounders of the S series. In fact, the firm will have over 20 Allrounders on show throughout the Fakuma, ten of them on its own stand. Arburg’s new long-fibre direct injection moulding process is developed together with SKZ German Plastics Centre in Würzburg. It allows inline feeding and enables longer fibres to be processed, so that lightweight injection moulded parts with thin walls and high strength can be produced. Particlefoam Composite Injection Moulding (PCIM) is a joint
Visteon’s lighting unit sold to Indian firm
I
ndia-based automotive lights maker Varroc Engineering has completed the acquisition of the global lighting business of US-based firm Visteon for US$72 million. A new company, Varroc Lighting Systems (VLS), will be formed and will comprise Visteon’s 4,200workforce (including 400 engineers), manufacturing operations in Mexico, Czech Republic and India, besides the engineering centres and associated units in Europe, the US and India. The acquisition is expected to make Varroc the largest automotive lighting manufacturer in India and the only lighting technology supplier there. The business had a revenue of US$531 million in 2011 and is expected to cross the US$1 billion mark by the end of 2013. It encompasses a wide range of exterior lighting products including front and rear lighting systems, auxiliary lamps and key sub-components such as projectors and electronic modules. In line with another announcement earlier this year, the two companies also have an agreement for Varroc to acquire Visteon’s equity interest in a Chinabased lighting joint venture
project with Krallmann and Ruch Novaplast in which a foamed part is combined with plastic. The two components are bonded, so that there is no need for subsequent assembly steps and a finished part is produced in a single step. This opens up a whole field of new options for the electric mobility, lightweight construction and insulation sectors. With the inline printing Inkbot process from FPT Robotik, which combines digital printing and robotics, it enables parts with irregular geometries and curves to be printed. German mould making company Foboha will present its all-electric stack turning and cube moulds at injection moulding machine maker Ferromatik Milacron’s stand at the show. Foboha engineers came up with the servodriven solution to the market standard allelectric injection moulding machines after searching for ways to make stack turning and cube moulds entirely without hydraulic drives, surmounting the issue on how to integrate the necessary servo drives into the mould. All drives (axes) of the new design, from the ejector via the reversing unit to the handling unit, are fitted with electric motors. The electric moulds are targeted at the medical, pharmaceutical and food processing fields. At the Fakuma, Arburg will present a production cell with inline printing for the manufacture of individually decorated plastic parts
1 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012
w w w. p l a s t i c s a n d r u b b e r a s i a . c o m
LPKF’s LQ-Smart laser welder
In laser plastic welding, LPKF will show its LQ-Vario and LQ-Spot systems for the medical sector. The system on display at the show will be equipped with a rotary indexing table, and can also be fitted with two component compartments for faster throughput. With the LQ-Spot, a technique for fastening elements inside housings is shown. The system welds on a small cap to fix small integrated components rigidly in place with no mechanical or thermal stress. Another product still in
the development stage is the new tabletop machine specially developed for prototypes and small series. Producing moulded parts of a consistently high quality shot by shot is the aim of Austrian firm Engel’s new software iQ weight control. The patent-pending system analyses the pressure profile at screw positions in real time during the injection process and compares the measured values with a reference cycle online. This comparison is used to calculate a new set of process parameters that allow changes in melt volume and material viscosity to be detected immediately. Another machine maker KraussMaffei will also present its new GX series, which the firm has already showcased in Europe and Mexico to customers from the
Industry News electrical engineering/electronics, consumer goods, packaging and automotive industries. During Fakuma, a GX 450-3000 will produce a telephone cradle for an automotive interior using MuCell technology. KraussMaffei’s latest GX series will be demonstrating the MuCell technology
www.netstal.com
At Netstal our aim is to help you produce the perfect PET preforms: at minimum cycle times you achieve maximum output with constantly high quality and energy efficiency. And that’s no coincidence: our team of experts are always there for you – with state-of-the-art systems.
Low production costs Maximum output Engineering Excellence