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Plastics Technology, 2004-03-23, NPE 2000 News Wrap-Up: Extrusion
At this year"s NPE, new processes to put wood flour into plastic were virtually everywhere-several even start with undried flour. There was also lots of news at the show in downstream cooling and...

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-23, NPE 2000 News Wrap-Up: Extrusion
At this year's NPE, new processes to put wood flour into plastic were virtually everywhere-several even start with undried flour. There was also lots of news at the show in downstream cooling and hand...

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-24, Garbage In, Good Plastics Out
Experts consider it the most high-tech recycling plant in the world: Schwarzataler Kunststoff in Germany takes dirty bottles and film from post-consumer recycling and turns them into automotive and ot...

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-24, How to Extrude Copolyester TPE Film
From building construction to medical supplies to food packaging, copolyester thermoplastic elastomers are seeing a resurgence of interest in high-tech films and extrusion coatings that combine low-te...

Plastics Technology, 2005-04-08, Expandable Bead Molding Goes High-Tech
The leading edge of EPS and EPP technology is multi-step processes, molding EPS into and around other parts, coating it, or using it as a coating-all in one cycle and fully automated.

Plastics Technology, 2005-08-23, Air, Land and Sea: Composites Advance on All Fronts
Part II of our report on the leading international composites show includes news for everything from high-tech aircraft manufacturing to boat building and automotive SMC.

Plastics Technology, 2006-01-04, High-Precision Thermoforming: It"s Putting the Pressure in Injection Molding
A look at the production of a high-tech medical device shows why pressure forming has injection molders looking over their shoulders. Complex shapes, undercuts, snap-fits, precise styling lines--all o...

Plastics Technology, 2007-02-01, Low-Scrap Thermoforming Competes In Medical Orthotics Manufacturing
An example of how thermoforming is expanding into more and more sophisticated and high-tech applications is the case of orthopedic devices to improve posture, function, and mobility. Restorative Care ...

Plastics Technology, 2008-10-08, A Custom Molder Takes the Next Step
The question John Winzeler keeps asking is, "How do you take the next step?" In the last two decades, he has transformed the Chicago metal-stamping company he inherited from his father into ...

Kunststoffe international, Crisisproof and Creative
Dr. Clemens Doriat (© private)Dr. Clemens Doriat (© private)Dr. Clemens Doriat (© private)They do still exist, the robust high-tech industries. The ones that are not suffering under a weakening global economy, international trade conflicts or the vagaries of Brexit. According to a survey by the IVAM Microtechnology Network, the majority (81 percent) of European companies in this sector are counting on increasing their revenue in this and the next two years. Around two thirds of them are planning...

Kunststoffe international, Fast and Effective Start of Production
During this year’s pandemic, maintaining supply capability has become a key necessity among processors. Closer involvement of suppliers is only logical in these circumstances. In toolmaking, new challenges are emerging for services related to molds. This is where the global, high-performance infrastructure of Barnes Molding Solutions enters the picture. The slogan here is “globally qualified local manufacturing.” The so-called “Global Hybrid Qualification” offered by Molding Solutions, a strate...

Kunststoffe international, Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polyphenylene Sulfide Made Weldable
Especially in the automotive industry, high-performance polymers are increasingly replacing assemblies made of metal and conventional engineering plastics, but their properties often present new challenges for joining technology. With novel laser system technology, even demanding materials can be joined. Thanks to their superior properties, such as high heat and chemical resistance, low weight and dimensional stability, high-performance polymers are increasingly replacing assemblies made of meta...

Kunststoffe international, Medical Applications of Additive ‧Manufacturing
Anyone who introduced additive manufacturing (AM) in a company 15 years ago was a visionary. Anyone who did not do so ten years ago fell behind the early adopters. Anyone who still is not using additive manufacturing today is losing their edge over the competition. What this technology is considered capable of today and how it can be applied in many areas of application is shown (representative) by this expert’s view of medical technology. Additive manufacturing (AM) is bringing about increasing...

Kunststoffe international, Outstanding 3D Achievements
On October 16, 2019, on the first evening of the K fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, Carl Hanser Verlag awarded the Dr. Richard Escales prize for the eighth time in memory of the founder of the journal Kunststoffe. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Gebhardt achieved the award for “outstanding achievements in the advancement of technical knowledge”, as the citation on the certificate states. It is important for me to systematize things,” commented Prof. Andreas Gebhardt (Fig. 1) on his prolific publishing activ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, 30 Years of Playmobil: Investing in the Future
Sports and Leisure Investing in the Future 30 Years of Playmobil. This year, geobra Brandstätter GmbH & Co. KG celebrates the 30th birthday of its highly successful toy range. Headquartered in Zirndorf, Franconia/Germany, this toy manufacturer had the right idea at the right time, combined with sophisticated plastics processing technology and a clever marketing strategy, that enabled it first to take pole position among German toy manufacturers and then to conquer children's play rooms all...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Airbus to Fly with PPS
Airbus to Fly with PPS Plastic Composites replacing Aluminium in the Wings Henning Küll, Frankfurt am Main/Germany Glass-fibre reinforced laminates with polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) as the matrix material are being used to substitute aluminium in the wing section of the Airbus A340-500 and A340-600 - a development that is set to continue in the light of the cost and weight savings. Around 40 % of the components for the Super-Airbus A380 scheduled for 2004 will probably be made of fibre-rei...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automation Around Injection Moulding Machines
Automation Around Injection Moulding Machines Choice of the Right Peripherals Wolfgang Martin, Meinerzhagen/Germany The pioneers among plastics processing plants long ago developed high tech enterprises that continually supply high quality products for all applications. Higher and higher requirements on the products force the manufacturers to invest also in the areas of automation and peripherals. The pressure of having to produce ever more complex high quality components is increasingly...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automobile Construction: A Substitute for Sheet Metal
Thermoforming A Substitute for Sheet Metal Automobile Construction. Now it is possible to process glass fibre reinforced poly-amide 6 (PA 6) using thermoforming procedures. The first relevant applications are large covers for marine engines. Crucial characteristics are the material’s out-standing dimensional stability under heat, as well as the low tooling cost. The company Reiss Kunststofftechnik GmbH in Tettnang/Germany manufactures various protective covers for marine engines for the fir...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Back to Nature
Back to Nature Trends in Development and Markets of Biodegradable Materials Harald Käb, Berlin/Germany Products made from biodegradable materials (BMs) are slowly but surely gaining a foothold in the market. While packaging made from BMs can already be found on the shelves of major supermarket chains in England, the Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland, in Germany they are still awaiting the results of a pilot project on biodegradable packaging. These new polymers are also establishing thems...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bond Reliably: The Right Adhesive
Joining Technology The Right Adhesive Bond Reliably. The property profile of polymeric materials also affects the bonding or joining method employed. Classical methods such as welding are often not suitable, so that bonding technology is gaining in importance. In order to achieve a successful bonding, however, certain basic prerequisites must be met. Gudrun Weigel With about 15 wt.-% in new car models, plastics represent the second largest materials group in the automotive sector and show a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cards are Trumps – Chip Card Bodies for the World Market
CircleSmartCard AG in Erfurt Cards are Trumps – Chip Card Bodies for the World Market We all have a smartcard of some kind in our wallet or bag, probably more than one. It might be a phone card, customer card or credit card. By the year 2010, it is expected that there will be somewhere between 20 and 30 billion chip cards in circulation round the world – and they have to be replaced every two years. This makes an annual production of 10-15 billion smartcards, of which the main body is made o...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounds and Blends Made to Measure
Compounds and Blends Made to Measure Made to Measure Materials through Compounding and Blending Philipp Werner, Kurt Napientek, Hamburg/Germany Luvocom products with tailored material solutions based on modification of high tech plastics from Lehmann & Voss & Co. have been established on the market for 18 years. Thorough know-how in the field of high-performance polymer blends has extended the available range of material parameters. Thus in addition to using classical compounding with addi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Customer-oriented Globalisation: Process Technology as Strategic Instrument for Developing New Markets
Market and Management Process Technology as Strategic Instrument for Developing New Markets Customer-oriented Globalisation. Markets must be identified, defined and then developed with the aid of innovative products. Of greatest importance in this regard for a plastics-processing machine manufacturer is a focused, product-based R & D and well-developed, customer-oriented process technology. The objective is to develop the best-suited raw materials, machines and processes. Erwin Bürkle Matth...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cycloolefin Copolymer (COC): Appearance Counts
Special Appearance Counts Cycloolefin Copolymer (COC). Not only marketing and packaging experts but also designers and product developers all place high requirements on materials. When it comes to transparency, COC – cycloolefin copolymer – fulfils stringent requirements for medical applications, food and drugs packaging, optical parts or films, and toner binder. Bernd Sparenberg Compared with the majority of polyolefins, which have only similar monomers lined up next to each other, cycloolefin...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Database: Portal for Natural-fibre-reinforced Plastics
Composite Material Portal for Natural-fibre-reinforced Plastics Erwin Baur Database. A property and knowledge based database for natural fibre reinforced plastics is being developed in a publicly funded project. The database will inform users from different industrial branches about material production, preparation and processing to reinforced products as well as calculation and design of components from these materials. Natural fibres, for example flax and hemp, are used increasingly for rein...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Decoration During Injection Moulding: Preforming and In-mould Lamination in one Operation
Automotive – Injection Moulding Preforming and In-mould Lamination in one Operation Decoration During Injection Moulding. Large-area, three-dimensional laminated parts, such as boot linings have until now been manufactured in multiple operations on vertical presses by melt strand deposition. A new production method allows the textile laminate to be preformed and injection compression laminated (back injection compression) in the injection mould in a single operation – with significant cost adva...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Demand Continues to Rise: Polystyrene (PS)
Trend Report Commodity Plastics Polystyrene (PS) Demand Continues to Rise. Polystyrene still ranks among the quantitatively most important thermoplastics and after PE, PP and PVC is invariably in fourth place. Pushed by price pressure and price volatility, there is some movement on the polystyrene market, and the industry continues to consolidate. In addition product and procedure innovations will have high value nevertheless. Hans-Dieter Schwaben Consumption of PS in Europe decreased somewh...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Europe is the Largest Market: Polyaryletherketones (PAEK)
Special: World Market Polyaryletherketones (PAEK) Europe is the Largest Market. There is sustained growth in the use of high-performance plastics from the PAEK family in all sectors of industry. The balanced, high-quality property profile of these materials enables product developers and designers to achieve innovative solutions in response to the constant demand for cost saving, functional optimisation, weight reduction, longer service life and maximum safety and comfort. The world’s largest q...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Filled PU: Solid Metering for Reactive PU Systems
Reactive Processing Solid Metering for Reactive PU Systems Filled PU. A process already established in the textile field is increasingly gaining importance for the industrial manufacture of technical articles. A large selection of fillers extends the applications of the reactive processing of polyurethane and opens up scope for new product ideas. Christian Decker Björn Dormann The systems mainly used for the production of polyurethane technical articles are high-pressure reaction casting machine...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Filter Cups Made from Polyamide: Transparency for Water Filters
Engineering Plastics Transparency for Water Filters Filter Cups Made from Polyamide. Modern filter systems would be inconceivable without plastics. The transparent filter cups in water filters made by Carbonit Filtertechnik are produced from Grilamid, a thermoplastic polyamide 12 that absorbs virtually no water and is approved for food and drinking-water contact applications. Peter Westerbarkey Engineering plastics play a key role in professional filter systems. They allow the greatest possible...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Geared for the Future
Geared for the Future High-Precision Flexible Assembly Lines The buckling arm robot used by the automotive supplier King Plastic in a fully automatic assembly line offers high flexibility: The line construction makes it easy to take account of future expansions. Working in collaboration with Schwamborn Sondermaschinen GmbH, Lindlar/Germany, King Plastic developed the initial concept for a new assembly line for brake-fluid reservoirs with four robots of the Movemaster range from Mitsubishi ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Good Growth Prospects: Ticona Sets its Stakes on Engineering Plastics
Special Ticona Sets its Stakes on Engineering Plastics Good Growth Prospects. An increasing number of key industries are substituting engineering plastics for conventional materials. At the same time, an ever-greater number of composites are being used. Ticona is intending to profit from both trends, which are set to become even more pronounced over the years to come. The focal points of the company's activities are constant process optimisation and the development of new products and marke...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growth through Specialities: New Markets and Individual Compounds
Distribution and Compounding New Markets and Individual Compounds Growth through Specialities. The distributor and compounder, Albis Plastic, plans further growth by adding complementary products and specialities to its core product range. Albis in-house developments are also important focal points for cooperation with OEMs. The Germany company Albis Plastic GmbH, Hamburg, is systematically pursuing its strategy of adding complementary products and specialities to the core product range it han...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-performance Plastics: The Right Material for Future Markets
Market and Management The Right Material for Future Markets High-performance Plastics. In 2003, 275kt of high-performance plastics to the value of 4.1 billion USD were consumed worldwide. Compared with engineering and commodity plastics, which are sold in far larger quantities, the materials in this group are characterised by exceptionally high performance. They have very diverse applications, ranging from the electrical/electronics sector and automotive engineering to aerospace. Klaus Kohlhepp...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-Performance Polyamides
High-Performance Polyamides Injection Moulding with Special Screws Ralf Hala, Michael Kaisser, Domat/Ems/Switzerland, and Nikolaus Kudlik, Näfels/Switzerland Highly exacting processing is required for novel high-performance polyamides for the production of injection-moulded parts for extreme applications. It is essential that the plasticizing unit prepares the material gently and homogeneously and that all parameters affecting quality are observed. The performance of polymer materials is...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Hot-Runner Technology: High-Tech Manufacture for Infusion Solutions
Tooling High-Tech Manufacture for Infusion Solutions Hot-Runner Technology. B. Braun Melsungen AG, one of the Europe’s largest manufacturers, has brought a new high-tech production facility for infusion solutions on stream. Needle valve technology played an important role in the implementation of the project. Jörg Essinger Under the name L.I.F.E (Leading Infusion Factory Europe), B. Braun planned three new production lines for the manufacture and filling of infusion solutions and brought them ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Industry-oriented Software Solution: Company-wide Networking of Injection Moulding Operations
Software Company-wide Networking of Injection Moulding Operations Industry-oriented Software Solution. In April 2001 HTP High Tech Plastics AG, located in Burgenland/Austria, made a decision to use the enterprise resource planning (ERP) software b2 from bäurer GmbH as a company-wide solution for its injection moulding operations. During the decision-making process, the quality of the software and the support from bäurer were decisive. HTP justifies its decision in favour of bäurer and b2wincar...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Injection Moulding (1): Innovation at Closer Inspection
Trade Fair Report Innovation at Closer Inspection Injection Moulding (1). To what extent is K2004 a barometer for the plastics industry? Do the exhibits show how the production of injection moulded parts will look in future? An attempt at a categorisation. On a tour of the exhibition impressive realisations of long-proven technologies are obvious first. Often the opinion is to be heard that injection moulding has arrived at a high level and cannot really be invented again. However, the highligh...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovations Today and Tomorrow: Polypropylene for Flexible Packaging
Packaging Polypropylene for Flexible Packaging Innovations Today and Tomorrow. The continuous improvement of flexible plastic packaging – driven primarily by the wishes of the consumer – is being helped along by the constant further development of polypropylene. With both flexible and rigid films – and especially with transparent cast film – enormous progress has been made in the last ten years. An important new impetus has also been provided by the development of new easy-to-open, easy-to-han...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Integrative Processing Technology: Injection Moulding Processes – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Special Injection Moulding Processes – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Integrative Processing Technology. As one of the most important processing technologies, injection moulding has experienced, by far, some of the greatest advances in recent decades. From its origins based on simple moulding of thermoplastic resins, a product-specific processing technology has been developed that has as its objective production of complex parts via a combination of various individual processing techniques. Erw...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Intelligent Use of Prototypes
Intelligent Use of Prototypes System Suppliers for Prototypes Provide Process Know How Andreas Daunderer, Feldkirchen/Germany, and Claus Hornig, Grainau/Germany In product development processes, the critical factors are speed, efficiency and quality. That is especially true for prototyping. In prototyping, it is essential to have a full understanding of the properties of the prototype products, the technology and the way it is modified, and the methodology used. The intelligent use of prot...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Interview: Global Material Flows Present Opportunities
Interview In Western Europe in 2004, more than 38 %, or 21 million t, of polymer production was processed to packaging materials. This puts the packaging sector far ahead of the construction industry at the top of the list of plastics applications. Kunststoffe editor Gerhard Gotzmann spoke at Interpack to the managing directors of Windmöller & Hölscher, Dr. Jürgen Vutz and Peter Steinbeck, about the sector’s current situation and innovations in packaging materials. Global Material Flows Prese...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Interview: “Faith-healing is not Enough”
Market and Management Interview: “Faith-healing is not enough” The new captain on board SMS Plastics Technology has set a new course, given a few sharp commands (edition 8/04, page 50) and hoisted the sail. So will the wind now pick up or is Wilhelm Schröder merely puffing up his cheeks? Clemens Doriat and Gerhard Gotzmann, editors of Kunststoffe, wanted to find out. Wilhelm Schröder talks about the end of a downward spiral, the art of motivation, misdirected ambition and catering to customers...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Large Investment Plans: Polyurethanes (PU)
Special: World Market Polyurethanes (PU) Large Investment Plans. The global polyurethanes market is characterised by steady growth, which is currently averaging some 5% per annum. This growth is being driven not only by increasing demand for materials for established applications but also, especially, by innovations and new application possibilities. Polyurethanes – discovered by Otto Bayer nearly 70 years ago – are extremely versatile materials that have been continually developed over the yea...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Large-sized Vehicle Parts
Large-sized Vehicle Parts VW Plant in Braunschweig Produces Instrument Panels on a 32000kN Large-scale Machine The plastics processors at Volkswagen’s plant in Braunschweig are producing instrument panels for a new people carrier. The complete production system including the injection moulding machine (clamping force: 32000kN), linear robot, suspended conveying system and additional peripheral equipment has been planned by Battenfeld. VW produces 450 different plastic components at its Bra...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Market and Trends: Nanomaterials: Opportunities and Risks
Nanotechnology Nanomaterials: Opportunities and Risks Market and Trends. Nanotechnology represents an attractive link between bioscience and materials science and is a driving force for material innovations in the future. It also presents numerous opportunities for developments in plastics. However, the new nanocomponents must become more affordable and readily available to industry. This trend report points out potential approaches and opportunities. Rolf Mülhaupt Nanotechnology is the key to...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Market Report (1): The Italian Plastics Machinery Industry
Market Report (1): The Italian Plastics Machinery Industry Like their European neighbours, the Italian manufacturers of machinery for plastic and rubber processing suffered a considerable decline last year. A recovery can be expected in the second half of 2003, provided the economic situation does not turn around again. Alessandro Veronesi The Italian mould builders and manufacturers of plastics and rubber processing machines represent an important branch of the Italian capital goods indus...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Market Report: Taiwan’s Plastics Industry
Market and Management Taiwan’s Plastics Industry Market Report. How is the situation of Taiwan’s Plastics industry? What are the goals and potentials of this prospering Asian country? Manik Mehta, economic journalist and expert on Asia from New York, provided Kunststoffe with an analysis of the actual situation and put the expectations of domestic industry experts into words. Manik Mehta Taiwan’s petrochemical and plastics raw material producers are upbeat about future demand, thanks to the...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Minutes of a Development Record: From Zero to the Road in Seven Months
Minutes of a Development Record: From Zero to the Road in Seven Months Only seven months were needed from the first sketches to different models to the ready to drive prototype, the Rivage. It is a sports car study, show car, data control model and concept car all in one. Robert Mahr In the spring of 2002 the managing directors of model-maker ITH and Professor James Kelly of the Steinbeis Transferzentrum Automotive Styling and Design were convinced. In six to seven months it must be possib...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Mould Design: Advances in Injection Mould Design
Trade Fair Report Advances in Injection Mould Design Mould Design. The trends apparent at the K-Show can be summarised as: combined and optimised technologies, easy to service, compact moulds, and “Fast-to-Market" product strategies. The results of a worthwhile visit. As the individuals who ultimately convert advances in processing into reality, designers of injection moulds are currently in the process of extracting even further benefits for their customers from the technical ideas of t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Multi-component Injection Moulding: New Properties through Rigid/Flexible Combinations
Multi-component Injection Moulding: New Properties through Rigid/Flexible Combinations Being a parts supplier to all major international mobile phone manufacturers, Balda AG also manufactures various components for outdoor phone models. Constant new designs, increasingly complex mould technology and ever shorter marketing cycles have led to the development of new practices and procedures within the company that effectively exploit synergies between design and production. Reinhard Mettenbrink...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Multi-material Technology: Always One Step Ahead Thanks to Active R&D
PE 102817 Automotive - Injection Moulding Always One Step Ahead Thanks to Active R&D Multi-material Technology. Multifunctional concepts for plastic parts have achieved their market success as a result of the variety of materials available and technologically advanced processing equipment. To take advantage of multi-material-technology, emerging technological trends must be recognised. Gottfried Steiner Herbert Brunner Christian Schumi The clear trend towards functionally integrated multicompone...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Nano-replication: Concentration of Information
Injection Moulding Concentration of Information Nano-replication. In the optimisation of optical storage media, miniaturisation will continue to be a key aspect of development. A recent research project examined the influence of different masters and moulding compounds on the replication accuracy of nanostructures. Increasing the storage density of optical media such as CDs is not possible without additional miniaturisation of the surface structures – the so-called 'pits'. In the sear...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Nanostructured Coating Materials: High Quality Plastic Surfaces
Nanotechnology High Quality Plastic Surfaces Nanostructured Coating Materials. Hybrid polymers, or nanocomposites that are produced via the sol-gel process from organo (alkoxy) silanes, main group or transition metal alkoxides and other components have become important products of chemical nanotechnology. Surface treatment of engineering thermoplastics represents one specific field of application. Gerhard Schottner Klaus Rose Sabine Amberg-Schwab Chemical nanotechnology represents one of the k...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, News
Plast/ipack-ima A Joint Appearance at the New Trade Fair Plast and ipack-ima, the two big trade fairs dedicated to plastics and packaging materials, are to be held side by side on the same dates, in future, with the next fair scheduled for 14 to 18 February 2006. The two events, which are held every three years, have always been located at the Fiera Milano in the past, and last time attracted visitors from more than 120 countries. Next time round they will be accommodated in the pavilions of th...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, News
Cincinnati Extrusion First Pipe Plant in Turkmenistan The Turkish company Erku International Ltd. of Ankara ordered four pipe extrusion lines from Cincinnati Extrusion GmbH of Vienna/Austria. The order includes one mono-line and two co-extrusion lines for the production of polyolefin pipes and an irrigation pipeline for a new plant near Azkaban, the capital of Turkmenistan. The lines are suitable for the production of pipes with diameters of between 20mm and 630mm. With about 3000 employees, t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, News
Demag Plastics Group: Increased Activity in China The injection die casting machine manufacturer Demag Plastics Group has introduced new senior management in its Chinese joint venture Demag Haitian Plastics Machinery Ltd. in Ningbo. Gerhard Massfelder, who is the former managing director of the Demag affiliate in Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia, has now assumed the top managemerial position in Demag Haitian. Stephan Greif, managing director of the distributing company Demag Ergotech China, located in Shan...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Optimising Safety Systems: Modern Chainmail
Modern Chainmail Optimising Safety Systems. Chainmail was not only used as combat armour in Ancient Rome and the Middle Ages. It is still used today, but with a different function. The combination of chainmail technology and ultramodern composites opens up new fields of application, for example in the security industry or as protection against stones. Jörg Wellnitz Chainmail was used by the ancient Romans. In the Middle Ages, armourers made chainmail shirts (known as hauberks), hoods, gloves ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Passive house: Successful Energy-saving
Passive house: Successful Energy-saving A passive house consumes about 80% less energy for space heating than a conventional building. Over 3000 passive houses are already occupied in Germany alone and adoption of this building standard with extremely high energy efficiency is spreading throughout Europe, even in the non-residential sector and for modernisation. Wolfgang Feist The passive house (Title picture: Dahms/Sieber project in Bremen/Germany) is finding ever widening application. To...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PBT Compounds
PBT Compounds Michael Geprägs, Ludwigshafen/Germany For years, polybutylene terephtalate (PBT) has been experiencing above-average growth rates. The main areas of application are in automotive engineering and the electrical/electronics industry where PBT compounds are increasingly replacing metals or thermoset materials. In the year 2000, 150,000 t of PBT compounds have been processed in Western Europe alone. The material group of polyesters is becoming an increasingly important engineerin...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Personal Expertise: Trends and Visions in Injection Moulding
Personal Expertise: Trends and Visions in Injection Moulding Whenever there is talk of making injection moulding production economically viable, constructional and engineering aspects have to take a back seat. In the highly competitive landscape of tomorrow, all-embracing expertise in process engineering will be absolutely vital because cost cutting and design requirements will be the future drivers of development. Hans Wobbe Three years ago, in an article entitled “Trends in injection mou...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PET in Packaging
PET in Packaging Prospects and Limitations Horst-Christian Langowski, Frank Welle, Freising/Germany Over the years, no other packaging material has presented the industry with such high growth rates as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The positive market development is due primarily to the increasing popularity of PET bottles. And the growth is continuing unabated. Now that glass bottles have been substituted to a large extent for mineral water, PET manufacturers and bottle producers ar...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastic, the All-purpose Material: Function in Form
Plastic, the All-purpose Material: Function in Form The correct plastic for a particular requirement and function can now be found in almost all sport and leisure applications. With its almost unlimited mouldability and colouring, this multitalented material is often used as a substitute for metal, glass or wood products. Gudrun Klein Sport and leisure applications are particularly influential in plastic’s popularity. This is partly due to the commitment shown by the plastics industry as r...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polycarbonate: Flat Screen TVs with Luminescent Aura
Electrical Engineering Flat Screen TVs with Luminescent Aura Polycarbonate. The housing design of the new flat screen plasma TV by Philips with its innovative environmental lighting creates a relaxing atmosphere. Thus, a transparent medium frame made of polycarbonate is integrated between back housing and front cover. The lighting effects are transmitted to the outside via this frame. The new 42" flat screen plasma TV by Philips not only offers razor-sharp images that allow viewers to be ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polypropylene
Polypropylene Yves Bonte and Rainer Schweda, Brussels/Belgium Several factors support the continuous growth of polypropylene consumption. Besides the general economic growth, polypropylene is continuously expanding its applications arena thanks to its versatile properties portfolio, excellent processability, relative low density and good cost/performance balance. Lifestyle changes of the consumer further stimulate the substitution of other thermoplastic resins and traditional materials like ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polystyrene (PS)
Polystyrene (PS) Daniel Wagner, Ludwigshafen/Germany With a world-wide consumption of 10.5 million tonnes in 2001 polystyrene is counted amongst the quantitatively most important thermoplastics and continues to be ranked in fourth place after PE, PP and PVC. Also in recent years on the average the dynamic development of consumption was a little greater than that of the gross domestic products of the corresponding countries and it is generally expected that this development will continue. Gen...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyurethane Elastomers
Polyurethane Elastomers Modified Machine Technology for Optimised Material Processing Michael Begemann, Patrick Brüninghaus and Werner Kraft, Sankt Augustin/Germany In the course of extensive reengineering, the processing concept for PU cast elastomers has been improved in all respects. Automated material handling leads to reproducible processes that guarantee consistent material properties. Polyurethane hot casting systems are rubbery-elastic materials. They are produced by pouring a li...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyurethane Gel: High-tech Gel Relieves the Back
Polyurethanes High-tech Gel Relieves the Back Polyurethane Gel. The furniture industry is one of the main outlets for polyurethanes. Outstanding comfort is promised by cushions made from a polyurethane gel with an exceptional combination of good mechanical, thermal, optical and, above all, tactile properties. Kristin Mädefessel-Herrmann We sit on it at the office, lounge around on it to watch television and sleep on it at night: polyurethane (PUR) furniture ensures our comfort the whole day l...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Portait: Pointers to the Future
Portait: Pointers to the Future Last year, the company A. Maier Präzision GmbH celebrated its 150th anniversary. The company enjoys a world-wide reputation: headquartered in the Black Forest town of St. Georgen, it specialises in the production of sophisticated hi-tech components and miniature parts. Its key production focus is on pointers for application in a wide range of areas, primarily the automotive sector. So, what is so special about pointers? Well, what looks at first sight like a t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Possibilities with Plastics: Sports Applications
Sports and Leisure Time Sports Applications Possibilities with Plastics. If we look at sports stadiums, equipment and clothing, we quickly see that almost nothing can be done without plastics. What’s more, without polymers, some sports would hardly be possible at all, and mass sports would hardly be affordable. This article uses selected examples to give a brief overview of the possibilities and advantages that polymers offer in the modern sports arena. Jörn Korte Sports shoes can be adapted to...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Process combinations: Intelligent Machine Technology for Flat, Lightweight Components
Process combinations: Intelligent Machine Technology for Flat, Lightweight Components A new type of injection moulding press for the first time combines the processing options of a pressing machine, melt-strand deposition-unit and injection units for multi-component and MuCell technology. The many different possibilities offered by this machine are aimed particularly at efficient production of functionally integrated, flat, lightweight components by low-flow film or textile in-mould lamination...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Producing for Medical Engineering
Producing for Medical Engineering A Round-Table Discussion Among Experts It is estimated that medical engineering applications around the world will consume more than 3.3 million t/y of plastics by the year 2005. Processors wishing to start out in this highly promising sector with a view to long-term success have to make important strategic decisions very early on. Kunststoffe held a round-table discussion with experts to examine the prospects and difficulties of trying to gain access. Wh...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quo Vadis - SMC in Automotive Construction
Quo Vadis - SMC in Automotive Construction Uwe Reimer, Ulm/Germany, Gerd Esswein, Ludwigshafen/Germany, and Heinrich Derek, Stolberg/Germany The automotive market is changing faster all the time and development times are falling sharply. The question for SMC is whether it will master the attendant challenge and so go from strength to strength or whether it will pale into insignificance. In the automotive industry, SMC finds itself currently both on the verge of another new departure and at...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Rapid Tooling - Where does the time go?
Rapid Tooling - Where does the time go? The Experiences of a Toolmaker Claus Hornig, Grainau/Germany No-one will deny that time can be a big problem when it comes to procuring a new injection mould. It seems that the companies marketing expensive "new" Rapid Tooling techniques are having difficulty passing on the promised time savings to their customers. Can we really say that Rapid Tooling has made the procurement of new moulds, especially experimental moulds and tooling aids, eas...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Rigid, Tough and Glossy all at Once
Rigid, Tough and Glossy all at Once New Polystyrene Resins with Balanced Properties Didier Leroy, Terneuzen/Netherlands In the past, polystyrene processors had to decide on one key performance characteristic, such as toughness, gloss, stiffness or flow, to the detriment of another characteristic. A newly-developed polystyrene technology platform now makes it possible to combine the properties in a balanced manner which was previously impossible with high-impact polystyrene resins. The fa...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Screw Concepts: Influence of the Plasticising Unit on the Processing of PET
Screw Concepts: Influence of the Plasticising Unit on the Processing of PET The production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles can lead to the formation of acetaldehyde. Because acetaldehyde has a significant influence on the taste of the contents, it is important, when manufacturing bottles of PET, that the plasticising process should proceed very gently. The decisive factor here is the stress to which the material is subjected, because a local increase in temperature encourages the f...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Silicones: Preserving a Heritage
Silicones: Preserving a Heritage In a world of high tech and future visions, a renaissance is taking place in our interest in the values and works of former ages. Conserving and preserving our cultural heritage are thus ongoing concerns, in which silicones have a firmly established position. Doris Wacker Silicones are familiar to us from many different fields of application. They perform their services in the automotive industry, in plastics and rubbers, textiles and paper and in the elect...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, SMC and BMC
SMC and BMC New Applications - New Markets Michael Sommer, Wesel/Germany SMC and BMC applications have different focuses in different regions of the world: in Japan they are concentrated in the sanitary sector, in the USA it is automotives and in Europe electrical engineering, with an increasing interest also in automotive engineering. Plant technology for a modern SMC/BMC production has reached a high technical standard. It now allows highly economic production of SMC parts in medium an...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Sports Equipment: Plastics at all Events
Sports and Leisure Plastics at all Events Sports Equipment. Of course, the ball is still round – but is it still made of leather? No, and it has not been for a long time. Basically, all sports equipment nowadays is made of high-tech materials – plastics. And polymers sometimes almost have to perform miracles if they are to help the athletes to victory. Putting together an ingenious combination of suitable plastic types is the well-guarded secret of all sports equipment manufacturers. Kristin...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Statistical Pitfalls: Packaging - The Plastic Industry's Largest Customer
Packaging Packaging - The Plastic Industry's Largest Customer Statistical Pitfalls. Publications from the Federal Statistics Office list a number of performance figures for the plastic packaging sector and plastic production. These figures must be interpreted with great care because of the risk of, inter alia, counting factories twice and because without deeper analysis it is not possible to unambiguously categorise the products as sheet, film and hollow bodies. Haimo Emminger Plastic ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Strong Growth: Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT)
Trend Report: Engineering Plastics> Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) Strong Growth. Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) polymer displays its strengths wherever dimensionally stable, highly stressed parts are specified. Because of its outstanding long-term electrical and thermal performance, PBT is used predominantly in the automotive and E+E industries. Christophe Ginss In 2004, the world market for PBT grew to around 640000 t – an increase of a good 10 % compared with the previous year. Consumpt...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Surface Technology: In-Line Plasma Processes
Surface Finishing In-Line Plasma Processes Surface Technology. The Openair plasma process has, for some years now, been creating a variety of new applications, especially for the cleaning, activation and coating of moulded parts and film. Now, a modular system has been developed for the in-line pretreatment of PP film that works with flexible widths and allows a high level of activation. Christian Buske Alexander Knospe Plasma – the "fourth state of matter" – describes a materia...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Surface Treatment Technology: Colour, Gloss and Protective Coatings
Trade Fair Report Colour, Gloss and Protective Coatings Surface Treatment Technology. Today, an attractive appearance counts just as much as the intrinsic value of a product. How practical that there is such a variety of surface treatments available. The outline of a visit to the trade fair summarises the innovations that were on display. Expectations at the K2004 were high on both sides: exhibitors hoped to energise the market by offering new machines and processes; visitors sought ideas to d...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Swiss Network: Nanoreplication in a Network
Special Nanoreplication in a Network Swiss Network. A joint project which pooled the competence of research institutes and industrial partners created a technology base for nanoreplication in Switzerland. By using moulding tools with lateral structure sizes of below 100nm, the partners conducted replication tests with different moulding processes and measured these on a centralised basis. The partners are now in a position to better exploit this know-how in the production of nano-structured par...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Teamwork Produces a New Design
Teamwork Produces a New Design Development of a Polystyrene Housing for TV Sets Mike Hale, Terneuzen/Netherlands, and Reinhold Rauh, Kronach/ Germany Collaboration between a television manufacturer, plastics supplier and injection moulder beginning at the product development stage rapidly led to the cost-effective development of a sophisticated design with the appropriate polymer. With consumer prices falling between 7 to 10 % every year, the European television market has to be very cos...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Newly Discovered Charm of Parts
The Newly Discovered Charm of Parts Success Factors in the Automotive Supplier Industry Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, Recklinghausen/Germany Is the suppliers pyramid completely upside down? The high margins are to be found not in complicated systems business but rather in parts supply. For, while systems suppliers return on sales is around 3.8%, parts suppliers show 6.5%. This is the outcome of a joint study by the Center for Automotive Research at the University of Applied Sciences of Gelsenkirc...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Trend towards Electrical Systems
The Trend towards Electrical Systems Drive and Control Devices in Injection Moulding Machines and Handling Systems Werner Eberlein, Erlangen/Germany The demand for electrical injection moulding systems is rising. Linear motors have been established for some time now for handling systems. This alternative to the hydraulic machine calls for new, intelligent links between mechanical and electrical systems. For many applications, hydraulically driven injection moulding machines are facing co...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Thin and Decorative to Boot
Thin and Decorative to Boot Ready for Series Production in the Shortest-possible Time: IMD Combined with Thin-wall Injection Moulding J. Gießauf and K. Knoll, Schwertberg/Austria, H. Föcking and D. Becker, Bocholt/Germany, A. J. Kaminski and W. Kohl, Leverkusen/Germany In-Mould Decoration (IMD) leads to high-quality surfaces and offers numerous design possibilities – but until now it could not be used for thin-wall parts. Five companies ventured into unknown territory here, joining forces ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends in Bio-materials: The Signs are Set for Growth
Biodegradable Polymers The Signs are Set for Growth Trends in Bio-materials. Progress is being made in the market – there is no shorter way of summarising the current situation as regards the launch of biodegradable materials in Europe. Within political circles too, this innovation is finding growing support. This sector report focuses on trends in the European market and progress made in shaping the framework conditions. Harald Käb Innovations are the basis of lasting successful business – the...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends in Injection Moulding: Specialists Increasingly in Demand
Injection Moulding Specialists Increasingly in Demand Trends in Injection Moulding. The pressure on plastics processors to innovate comes from two directions: On the one front are the exigencies of streamlining and cost-cutting which force them to keep making technical advances and on the other are the new materials that continually open up more plastics applications, thereby raising the standards that processors and parts alike have to meet. This overview of applied technology reveals where p...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends in Plastic Furniture: Designing with Plastic
Trends in Plastic Furniture: Designing with Plastic Back in the sixties, furniture designers eagerly seized on plastic as a symbol of the trendy way of life. They also used it as a provocation against traditional materials like wood. In later years, consumers lost interest in such designs. At this year’s furniture fair in Milan, it was evident that all the big designers had been working with plastic. Are plastics experiencing a new lease of life in furniture design? Gudrun Klein In the six...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Unobtrusive, Invisible, Universal
Unobtrusive, Invisible, Universal Plastics are Increasingly Replacing Traditional Materials Thomas Siegel, Loßburg/Germany In many segments, almost unnoticed, plastics are substituting conventional materials. Yet it is not just plastics in their narrower sense that are being used as injection moulding materials. This article looks at new trends with the aid of various practical examples. In more and more areas of everyday life, particularly in the field of high-tech applications, traditi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Wear-resistant Needle Valves: Hot-runner Solutions for Extreme Demands
Tooling Hot-runner Solutions for Extreme Demands Wear-resistant Needle Valves. An injection moulding shop converted the production of a challenging two-component part from two machines with transfer of the preform to a single mould with a stack mould. One of the most important technical elements of the new system is a hot-runner system with needle valves. Thomas Adolph Processing unusual material combinations, such as a carbon fibre-reinforced, high-impact material together with a soft compone...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Worldwide Demand is Increasing: Polyphenylene Sulphide (PPS)
Trend Report High Performance Plastics Polyphenylene Sulphide (PPS) Worldwide Demand is Increasing. The most important consumers of PPS are the automotive and electronics and electrical industries. The aerospace industry also manufactures ever more parts from PPS for its lightweight construction properties. As energy, transportation and raw materials prices increase, the greatest demand is for reinforced PPS compounds. Gunther Reitzel Gerhard Reuschel Polyphenylene sulphide has been on the m...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Worldwide Growth: Engineering Plastics
Trend Report Engineering Plastics Polyoxymethylene (Polyacetals, POM) Worldwide Growth. Because of their property profile, polyacetals are used in almost every area of industry. They are established on the plastics market. The greatest amounts are consumed in the Asian area. Stefan Kutta Nenad Katalenic Polyacetals are established on the plastics market – with a growth of about 4 to 5% averaged over several years. World consumption rose from 570000 tonnes in 2001 to about 730000 tonnes last ye...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, ”The Electrical is not Better in Everything, but it is a Viable Alternative”
”The Electrical is not Better in Everything, but it is a Viable Alternative” Interview with Herbert Kraibühler on Modular Drive Systems In the last few years, Arburg has been working intensively on modular drive systems. At K’95, the company which is based in the Black Forest showed for the first time a fully electro-mechanical machine as a concept study, and at K 2001, it presented the first modular electrical version (Type: Allrounder A), which is just going into series production. Now, at...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-12-07, Competition: The Other Chinese
Market and Management The Other Chinese Competition. Twelve enterprises from Taiwan were presented on a German regional tradeshow for the first time. Their objective was to build up business contacts, understand new projects and discuss trends in the plastic and rubber processing industries. But the Taiwanese could become serious competitors if fear of contact will be recessing and cost pressure increasing. Guido Radig Having in the interim established themselves as the fourth largest produ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-15, A Status Report (2): Versatility for Mass Production in MuCell Injection Moulding
Injection Moulding Versatility for Mass Production in MuCell Injection Moulding A Status Report (2). Following on from the first part [1], this article describes another special MuCell injection moulding process, the gas counterpressure technique, also in combination with precision mould opening. A subsequent cost efficiency analysis shows when and how the MuCell injection moulding process pays off. Foamed parts usually have an optically poor surface quality. They are therefore not usually used...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-15, Preliminary Exhibition Report: Winter in Milan
Special Winter in Milan Preliminary Exhibition Report. In the middle of February, the 14th Plast will be held at the new Fiera Milano exhibition complex. The “International Exhibition for Plastics and Rubber Industries” will be coupled for the first time with the Ipack-Ima packaging exhibition, which is the reason for the early date. This combination should be a double attraction for many visitors, despite the unusual timing. According to the organisers, the Plast in Milan is the second-...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-02-22, Surface Technology: Opportunities for UV Curing
Surface Technology Opportunities for UV Curing Coatings. Driven by the need to cut costs, improve quality and reduce environmental pollution, intensive trials are now being carried out to assess the suitability of new effective painting methods for plastics used in automotive exteriors and interiors. The main points discussed here include the requirements for coating components, recent coating concepts and the advantages and disadvantages of UV curing. Guido Wilke Georg Meichsner Right into t...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-02-27, Editorial: Quality Right from the Start
Editorial: Quality Right from the Start. The cars of today are complex, high-tech products and we, as buyers, quite rightly expect them to justify their high price by providing excellent value, safety and, in particular, the utmost in quality. Any breakdowns – whatever their origins and impact – not only cause annoyance but also harm the image of the brand. A number of car manufacturers have painfully experienced this in the past. Who, after all, likes to be taken advantage of and used as a test...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-03-23, Lanxess: Moving Boldly into the Future
Market and Management. Moving Boldly into the Future. Lanxess. Roughly a year ago, Lanxess AG, which had been spun off from Bayer AG, experienced a historical day when trading in its shares commenced on the Frankfurt stock exchange. Restructuring measures and a strategic realignment of the company to the market made the Lanxess share into the most successful new issue for 2005, according to a stock exchange assessment. As the outcome of this first year, Saltigo, the former fine chemicals busines...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-04-04, Trend Report: Success through Design and Technology
Packaging Success through Design and Technology Trend Report. New fields of application for PET packaging arise from market demand and through innovations that indicate new routes, new solutions and advantages for specific markets. A stroll through the rows of goods in the supermarket makes one thing clear: PET is in vogue. Otto Appel Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has many technological possibilities and sufficient freedom of design to allow the appropriate packaging to be developed for an...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-04-09, News
K 2007 Invitation for Exhibitors The theme of the K 2007 in Düsseldorf/Germany is ”Turning Vision into Business”. The international plastics and rubber business will hold their most important technical trade show worldwide from 24 to 31 October, 2007. Invitations for exhibitors will soon be sent to interested firms and individuals all over the world. The deadline for all enterprises that intend to take part in this trend setting trade show is 31 May 2006. As the organisers, the Düsseldorf exhibi...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-05-23, Market Trends: The Modern Masterbatch Supplier of Tomorrow
Masterbatches The Modern Masterbatch Supplier of Tomorrow Market Trends. The ongoing worldwide concentration process is forcing resin suppliers to reduce the range of products offered to a few standardised resins that can be produced in volume. The masterbatch industry, above all, stands to profit from this as its takes on tasks that were previously handled by the resin suppliers. Michael Thiessenhusen With consumption of about 150000t and a sales volume of approximately 350 million EUR in th...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-05-23, Phyllosilicates: Targeted Modification of Properties
Special. Targeted Modification of Properties. Phyllosilicates. Unusually high thermal stability of compounds results from a combination of (polyamide+polypropylene) blends with organically modified phyllosilicates (organoclays) obtained via the extrusion process. The observed effects can be traced to a nanoparticulate distribution of the phyllosilicates and their orientation at the phase boundary between the polyamide and polypropylene. Stefan Reinemann et.al. Reports on the development of poly...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-06-30, Composite Materials: Wood Filling Improves Bonding Properties
Composite Materials. Wood Filling Improves Bonding Properties. Pero Raos, Mladen Šercer, Mirjana Lucić. Composite Materials. Bonding of low surface energy materials, such as polyolefines (PE and PP), silicone, polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), etc. is one of the most difficult tasks to be performed. This study investigates the influence of a wood filler on the bonding properties of polypropylene. A hardened two-component (2K)-epoxy adhesive and a 2K-acylic adhesive specially designed for l...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-06-30, Extended Spectrum: High-Tech in Three Dimensions
Market and Management. High-Tech in Three Dimensions. Extended Spectrum. “People, ideas, innovations” was the motto of the summer forum held by Krauss-Maffei in Allach on the outskirts of Munich. All in all, some 50 exhibits from the three segments of injection moulding, PUR processing and extrusion were on show. At the same time, the company also presented its full range of services. Attracting 3500 visitors, the summer forum constituted one of the big events organised by the sector. The Kra...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-08-02, Interview with Rainer Armbruster: “The Beautiful Thing about this Market is that it is Growing"
Exactly five years after the purchase of a new plant, Foboha GmbH, specialised in the production of complex injection moulds for multi-component applications, opened a large scale extension building that more than doubles the previous useful area. Kunststoffe editor Clemens Doriat met Rainer Armbruster, the chairman of the board, in connection with the ceremonies in Haslach/Germany. “The Beautiful Thing about this Market is that it is Growing" Rainer Armbruster commented on developments in ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-27, Interview with Hans Wobbe: “Permanent Productivity Increases”
Interview “The leading market position of Engel is attributable to two factors. On the one hand, the high-technology business that requires continuous development, and, on the other, the production of large numbers of machines that makes financing the cost-intensive developments possible,” according to Engel’s website. These are the responsibilities of Dr.-Ing. Hans Wobbe, Managing Director of Engineering at Engel Holding GmbH. Kunststoffe’s editor, Clemens Doriat, met with him for a conversati...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, An Attempt at Defining the Status Quo: Injection Mouldmaking in 2006
Tooling. Injection Mouldmaking in 2006. Reinhard Bauer. An Attempt at Defining the Status Quo. The changes that have come about in the wake of globalisation have affected all the different sectors – and the know-how intensive mouldmaking industry is no exception here. Changes in the framework conditions – drastic as they may be in the individual case – do not, however, just lead to problems but can also be an opportunity for prosperity if the correct strategic approach is adopted. This is bo...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, Development Trends in Automation: Robots and Humans: A Good Team
Automation Robots and Humans: A Good Team Development Trends in Automation. Development trends in means of production in a free market economy are always the response of machine manufacturers to users’ requirements. The users in turn are driven by the end consumers’ expectations of new and better products. This dialogue is a significant motor of economic life – including for manufacturers of automation equipment. Bernd F. Johannson The plastics processing industry – and here I only want to dea...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, High-tech in a Holiday Region: With Clockwork Precision
Market and Management. With Clockwork Precision. Gerhard Gotzmann. High-tech in a Holiday Region. It is actually quite difficult to imagine how people can pursue technical work in a committed and successful manner in such an idyllic setting. Wild & Küpfer, one of the most successful companies in our sector, which has had one of the highest growth rates of the past few years, is located on the shores of Lake Zurich, just a stone's throw away from the reeds and with an unobstructed view of ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-10-30, Investment: Node in the Global Production Network
Market and Management. Node in the Global Production Network. Petra Thomas-Hasenzahl. Investment. Bayer has recently started operation of three new plants for the production of polycarbonate, diphenylmethane-diisocyanate and hexamethylene-diisocyanate in Shanghai/Caojing. This project situated in Shanghai Chemical Industry Park will comprise an overall investment volume of 1.8 billion US Dollars by 2009. The Polymer Research and Development Center (PRDC) in Shanghai/Pudong was extended, too. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-12-06, Corporate Strategy: Global Thinking and Acting in Corporate Technical Operations
Market and Management Global Thinking and Acting in Corporate Technical Operations Corporate Strategy. Progressive globalisation is not only making global business and management-oriented thinking necessary but is also increasingly affecting the strategy and actions of those responsible for corporate technical operations. It is no longer opportune for internationally positioned companies to act solely in a European dimension, let alone just a German one. This can even be problematic. Ralf Ack...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-12-06, Metal Replacement: Liquid Crystal Polymer in Springform Baking Pan
High Performance Plastics Liquid Crystal Polymer in Springform Baking Pan Metal Replacement. In the 1980s, high-performance plastics such as liquid crystal polymers (LCP) were seen as the future of polymer materials. Today, because of their good flow properties and other advantages, LCP are used primarily for small, thin-walled precision parts in electronic applications. To extend use of the versatile property profile offered by these materials, innovations with LCP are also being systematically...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-01-22, Market Niches are Becoming ever Larger
Market Niches are Becoming ever Larger Interview: Hans-Theodor Kutsch on the development of the Albis business from distributor to market and development partner. Changes in the pricing and profitability of raw materials and plastics are constantly forcing large companies to choose a new direction for their portfolios. In doing this the division of labour with distributors and compounders is becoming increasingly more important. Gudrun Klein, responsible for Materials and Applications at Kuns...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-02-13, An Eldorado for New Developments from Plastics
An Eldorado for New Developments from Plastics In scarcely any other sector of the economy are so many different key technologies brought together and fused together to form new products as in medical technology. For this purpose cross-disciplinary knowledge is necessary and the generation of synergy is an indispensable prerequisite. Through its Centre for Medical and Materials Technology the Technical University (TU) Munich has created on its Garching campus a concept which with regard to the ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-02-13, From Three-dimensional Cell Cultures to Contour-matching Mould Temperature Control
From Three-dimensional Cell Cultures to Contour-matching Mould Temperature Control Success through Cooperation Even if the approval procedures are often protracted, the development and production of items used in medical technology requires short development times and the highest quality standards. By systematically collaborating with research institutes processors can reduce their costs and achieve distinct competitive advantages. Gösta Pretel Alexander Walter Modern laboratory routine ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, Promoting Innovations with a Focus
Promoting Innovations with a Focus Business Development From materials supplier to project and development partner – to convey this message, Bayer MaterialScience AG invited a select group of journalists to the new technical communications centre (TechniKomm) and demonstration facility. Short presentations were held on important development projects from the automotive, medical and electrical/electronic fields. Demonstrations under near-production conditions underscored the high standards set ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-04-17, Ceramics Dressed as Plastics
Ceramics Dressed as Plastics Hybrid Parts Overmoulding of powder injection-moulded ceramic inserts opens up interesting possibilities for manufacturing plastics/ceramics hybrids on a large scale. This process was closely examined in a joint research project by the Süddeutsches Kunststoff-Zentrum (SKZ) and the Institute for Materials Research III at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. Volker Piotter et al. The development of novel composites, in which the properties of different materials are ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-04-17, Hydraulics is High-Tech
Hydraulics is High-Tech Describing hydraulic drive technology as antiquated, Professor Dr.-Ing. Alfred Feuser considers as being an outdated point of view. He is convinced that hydraulic systems are well on their way towards re-establishing on those markets that had counted for lost. This development will be supported not least by electronics, and this also shows on the "Motion, Drive & Automation", the sector’s leading trade fair, which is the crowd puller on the 2007 Hanover Fair. Ku...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-04-17, Multiple Personality
Multiple Personality Highly Varied Range of Tasks for Six-axis Robots In the plastics processing industry, articulated arm robots are handling increasingly complex tasks. Robot manufacturers respond flexibly to the processors’ demands with appropriate specifications. This is not the only reason why the robot business is booming in this sector. Complete processing of injection moulded parts, component handling with integrated quality assurance, use for CNC machining, fully automatic cleaning ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-04-17, Regrind for Swiss Precision
Regrind for Swiss Precision Repelletising The production of small plastic parts for the watch industry produces a large amount of scrap in the form of sprues. Because of the low weight of this expensive scrap, it is not usually worthwhile having it recycled by a subcontractor. A Swiss company now manufactures high-quality regrind from injection moulding waste from its own production. Karsten Bräunig The plastics manufacturer Ronda AG, Lausen/Switzerland, produces about 60 million plastic p...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-05-14, More than Testing
More than Testing Predictable Weathering Influence Weathering tests are comparatively time consuming. Optimising them will therefore save a great deal of time and costs. A two-step approach can bring fundamental improvements to weathering systems. Andreas Riedl Weather factors such as solar radiation, water and heat can affect materials in an undesirable manner. At the microscopic level, weather-induced aging processes are characterised as irreversible chemical and structural changes. Th...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-05-14, The Onion Principle
The Onion Principle Gas Barrier In order to improve gas barrier properties a technique based on principles found in nature has been developed that takes its inspiration from the multi-layered structure of the onion. Barrier improvements for plastic bottles and films are achieved by building up very thin layers of the same polymeric material one on top of the other, which means that the material remains recyclable. Paula Fraga García, Leslie Bauer, Erich Wintermantel, Martin Schlögl Polye...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-06-18, Expertise at the Micro-Level
Expertise at the Micro-Level Development of the Micro-technology Market They are everywhere, yet invisible. Although or even because micro-technological components are development-intensive products, they have penetrated all major sectors of industry. Micro-systems technology is forecast to enjoy continued strong growth. Christine Neuy Josefine Zucker An extract from the on-line encyclopaedia Wikipedia: "Micro-technology is technology with features near one millimetre (0.1-1000μm). ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-06-18, Polishing with Laser Radiation
Polishing with Laser Radiation New Perspectives for Design and Profitability Finishing of mould surfaces will no longer be performed manually in the future. Laser polishing opens up new perspectives for the automatic creation of texture details and gloss level of the mould surface. Edgar Willenborg To a large extent, the surface of a component or product determines its characteristics and function. Foremost in this regard are its feel, visual appearance, wear resistance, frictional propertie...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-06-18, Standardised Test Values for High-tech Applications
Standardised Test Values for High-tech Applications Melamine Resin Foam The outstanding property of versatile melamine resin foam that sets it off from other polymer foams is its wide temperature range. As a result, the material can be used in many applications in construction or transportation. Now, this is to be proven with reliable data based on international standards. Werner Lenz The melamine resin foam Basotect from BASF AG, Ludwigshafen/Germany, is a relatively young material compar...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-07-18, Artificial Nutrition from Beverage Bottles
Artificial Nutrition from Beverage Bottles PET Packaging Plastics containers are making inroads into the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors as packaging solutions – including for sensitive applications. A joint project has shown that stretch blow molded PET bottles, which are already used for beverages, are suitable as primary packaging for artificial nutrition solutions. Leslie Bauer, Paula Fraga García, Erich Wintermantel, Martin Schlögl Certain illnesses give rise to deficiency...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Air Unloaded
Air Unloaded PPS Fibers EU and national legislation are going to further reduce permissible limit values for the emission of harmful substances. New standards for waste incineration plants and coal-fired power plants will not only apply to newly erected plants, but also to older ones that will have to be appropriately upgraded. In order to meet these requirements new technical standards, more effective filter systems and innovative filter media on a PPS fiber basis will be indispensable. B...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Conductive Plastics
Conductive Plastics Custom-formulated Functional Materials Because of their special properties, new filler combinations are being used to a large extent for complex electronic assemblies. Since such materials are difficult to process, their use requires sufficient knowledge regarding process setup. The IKV in Aachen, Germany, is currently working on optimization strategies for material and process. Walter Michaeli Tobias Pfefferkorn Complex electrical and electronic products that could n...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Ozone Stabilizes Waterbath
Ozone Stabilizes Waterbath Operations Engineering Consistently clean water in the cooling bath increases product quality, reduces the scrap rate and makes for longer extrusion times. It has been demonstrated that ozone is suitable for stabilizing the water quality of the cooling section without impairing the quality of the product. Winfried Hackl Matthias Hoffmann Cooling water cycled in an open loop soon starts to grow algae and bacteria. It therefore needs to be either protected proper...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Sophisticated, Robust, Resource-Saving
Sophisticated, Robust, Resource-Saving High-tech Toys Gone are the days when toys were simple, injection molded articles made from cheap bulk plastics. Today’s toys are made from high-grade polymers in no way inferior to materials used for building cars or in medical technology. Some of them are processed in special techniques, such as sandwich or structural injection molding. The processing methods also satisfy highest standards – flash, sinkholes, weld lines or trapped air are nowhere to b...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, 450 Parts under the Same Lid
450 Parts under the Same Lid Product Engineering Sanitary hygiene is not exactly a nice word to describe the comfort state-of-the-art bathroom design offers – not to mention its technical refinements. Consuming only the minimum of space, 450 individual parts were built into an integrated shower toilet. Nearly all of the parts had to be newly designed. Having introduced a Japanese production philosophy, the manufacturer was able to preserve the production site in Switzerland. Ralph Schreibe...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Cost Effectiveness as Incentive
Cost Effectiveness as Incentive Film and Sheet (Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) Most of the film and sheet produced worldwide falls into the category of commodity products. Even though the layer structure and the process and machine technology required for manufacturing have become anything but trivial in most products, the margins that can be obtained are nevertheless low for the processors. It’s no surprise, then, that machine manufacturers are focusing on the catchword "cost effectivene...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Flexible with High Loadbearing Capacity
Flexible with High Loadbearing Capacity Elastomers (Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) Thermoplastic elastomers and technical elastomers are used mainly for special applications in automotive engineering, the sports and leisure sector or the chemical industry. Depending on their chemical structure, they provide cushioning and high-performance properties. In many cases, high safety or the required comfort can only be achieved by using these materials. At K2007, individual manufacturers will provid...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Return to Europe
Return to Europe Stage Completed Recovery of the injection molding machine business and comeback of the extrusion department to Europe, large orders for blow-molding lines and a wide product range in mold technology – the management of the US-company Milacron looks into the future with optimism. That is not something to be taken for granted, considering the crumbling domestic market. He couldn’t have sounded more American: "We’ll spend a few million dollars and show them at K just what...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Versatile Material with Unlimited Potential?
Versatile Material with Unlimited Potential? Polyurethanes (Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) The global market for polyurethanes has been growing steadily for years. It is driven by the desire for comfort, as in the furniture and automotive sectors, and for robust or tactile surfaces. At the K 2007 international plastics exhibition, manufacturers and processors will be providing information on new developments in these sectors. Virtually no other material combines an attractive appearance wit...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCPs)
Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCPs) Demand Exceeds Capacity (Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) When LCPs were introduced in the mid-1980s, sales were tied to the fortunes of the electrical and electronics sector. The economy nosedived in 2002, but the global market recovered from 2003 on, and has grown strongly ever since. Demand for the polymer is now estimated to be greater than capacity, not least because new application areas are being found for it. Jörg Schottek Chemically, liquid crystal poly...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, One Assembly Line for Many Product Types
One Assembly Line for Many Product Types Flexible Assembly Because many products come in all kinds of variants, it is often necessary to employ several machines for automated assembly. An assembly line for brake valves shows that things do not have to be like that. Ruud Schenning Many manufacturers fear that automating assembly work involving a great many variants will lead to a high error rate and so arrange for their products to be assembled manually. A mechanical method would, however, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS)
Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) Production Capacities Growing in Double Figures (Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is a semicrystalline high-performance plastic that is constantly opening up new fields of application due to its special range of properties. Rising demand for load-bearing materials has ensured, especially in the last few years, that the special properties of the polymer have increasingly attracted the attention of developers. In order to be in a position to m...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Polystyrene (PS)
Polystyrene (PS) Consumption Stagnating (Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) Polystyrene producers continue to talk of a “difficult market situation.” The global annual market volume has been stagnant at around 11 million t since 2002. New application areas in coming years should ensure some growth in consumption, albeit slight (approx. 1.8% p.a.). Annual consumption is expected to reach 12.2 million t by 2011. Wolfgang Glenz Growth rates for polystyrene have failed to exceed growth in gross nat...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Outer Body Skin with an Integrated Antenna
Outer Body Skin with an Integrated Antenna Functional Integration The technological advances achieved in high-frequency technology are making radar units increasingly attractive as driver assistant systems. Using plastic film, it would be possible to position an antenna at any desired point of the vehicle body. Michael Fuchs, Andreas Kilian, Zaneta Brocka, Ernst Schmachtenberg, Lorenz-Peter Schmidt Mobility and individuality are some of society’s most important needs today, and functional...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, From Miniaturization through to Furniture Design
From Miniaturization through to Furniture Design High-performance Plastics The smallest segment in terms of volume of the plastics branch still ranks right up front when it comes to miniaturization, heat resistance and strength. These polymers are coming to deploy their brilliant property profile in an increasing number of sectors, with much more than the straightforward substitution of metals involved here. Judith Hein "Lightweight" is still the mantra of the automotive and aviat...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, Seamless and Smooth
Seamless and Smooth Materials Handling Hoses for conveying abrasive bulk goods such as grain, sand, gravel or also plastics pellets must have a smooth interior surface, as otherwise the conveyed goods will cause increased wear at the seams and joints. In the past, such hoses were mostly manufactured of rubber. Thanks to a new process, it is now possible to produce smooth, seamless hoses of polyurethane (PU), which could become a serious rival for the previously dominant rubber hoses in many ap...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-02-17, Growth in Specialties
Growth in Specialties Compounds, Additives, Distribution Compounding is enjoying renewed importance. The resurgence of compounding is typically happening in sectors that cannot be served by masterbatches. For instance, systems with high filler levels may be involved or it may be a matter of achieving the finest possible distribution within the compound. Newly developed additives are permitting numerous customized innovations. The industry must seriously get to grips with the new European Che...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-02-29, Design and Lighting Technology
Design and Lighting Technology Trend Report The lights in and on automobiles are assuming an ever more make-distinguishing design function. In this regard, the state of development of high-output LEDs (light-emitting diodes) in combination with appropriate plastics plays an important role. With the introduction of daytime running lights for all new EU cars starting at the latest in 2010 in particular, LED lighting technology will no doubt achieve a breakthrough. The automaker Audi is in the fo...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-04-14, Sterilization in the Fast Lane
Sterilization in the Fast Lane Radiation Sterilization Being a very fast process, radiation fits perfectly into just-in-time concepts. This leads to lower logistic costs when plastic products are sterilized. Klaus Kuhnert When products of medical technology or the packaging of food and cosmetic goods are to be sterilized, this is mostly done by radiation – a task usually performed by specialist companies. Right after treatment in the radiation unit, the products are transported on to the c...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-05-10, Catalyst between University and Industry
Catalyst between University and Industry Academic Cooperation RWTH Aachen University has started operation of its new Catalytic Center, which is granted more than EUR 7 million as a fund by the Bayer group. Do you know what an enzyme or a catalyst is? [...] It triggers changes!" Walter Leitner, managing director of the Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry (ITMC) at RWTH Aachen University used this citation of Robert Musil’s "The Man without Qualities" to start t...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-05-10, The Rapid Aspect is not the Decisive Factor
The Rapid Aspect is not the Decisive Factor Hans J. Langer on the potential of laser sintering that is far from having been exhausted and the expected paradigm shift in industrial production The range of material variants for laser sintering has undergone considerable expansion over the past few years. The plastics are based on either PA12, filled with aluminum, or glass or carbon fibers, or on polystyrene. Colored variants and materials with additional mechanical properties are now also bei...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-06-16, A Company of Vision
A Company of Vision Recycling In the middle of April, Erema, the Upper Austrian supplier of plastics recycling plants, celebrated 25 years of success. What started with the courage and idea of three plastics engineers then, is regarded today as the virtual global standard for compounding thermoplastic waste to generate high-quality secondary raw materials. Gerhard Gotzmann Precisely on the day of the anniversary, an Erema 1716 T-HP type recycling plant (photo this page) had been scheduled fo...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-06-16, A Master Class in Complexity
A Master Class in Complexity Assembly Technology As more individual components and technologies are combined in a plant and the number of specialist technicians required for these rises, project management needs to be ever more focused. An example of this is the fully automated assembly of an inhaler from 19 individual components which requires six assembly machines, four tray handling solutions and 17 feeder systems for bulk materials to be linked together. Silke Fischer Every day tens of t...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-06-16, Bright Heads
Bright Heads Ultrasonic Welding The tuning between the welder and welding tool, or horn, is very important in ultrasonic welding. With the proper design, even soft materials that usually create problems can be bonded successfully. While typical ultrasonic welding applications are usually found in the automotive, packaging or textile industries or in the medical device sector, leisure and adventure articles are not among the classical applications. The present case involves a baseball cap wit...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-06-16, Sensor-Equipped Automobile "Thinks" Along with Driver
Sensor-Equipped Automobile "Thinks" Along with Driver High-tech Polymers It's like squaring the circle: Modern automobiles are expected to provide greater safety, comfort or performance, but at the same time cost less, be more fuel-efficient and have lower emissions. In order to satisfy these apparently contradictory requirements, high-tech polymers are increasingly becoming the interconnecting link. Henning Küll Countless assistance, communications and safety systems characteri...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-07-15, Continued Growth in Compounds
Again in 2008, continued market growth was the driving force behind the JEC (Title photo): Fiber-composite materials are being used more and more in high-tech plastics for the automotive and electronics branches. A basic reason for this lies in the intensified search for weight-savings potential. Since 2002, the annual increase in the consumption of technical compounds has been running around 5%, reaching 3.4 million t in 2007. This volume was spread out almost equally among compounded polyolefi...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-07-15, Metal as the Virtual Benchmark
Alongside the aspects of safety and comfort, the development of stateof-the-art vehicles is currently being driven ahead by the need to save costs and, above all, to bring about weight savings and hence also achieve a reduction in consumption and emissions. Although a large number of steel and aluminum parts in the engine compartment have given way to lighter-weight plastic parts with a higher level of functional integration, load-bearing structural elements have so far been excluded from this. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-07-15, Saint Augustin Displays Greatness
The most interesting aspect of this system is that it permits production of conventional 3-layer PE film as well as barrier film with polyamide (PA) and EVOH without having to change setup", explained Marcel Perrevort, Divisional Manager for Blown Film at Kuhne. The German company developed this custom-engineered machine configuration for a Russian customer, but it is expected to find great interest among producers of standard film who wish to enter the barrier film market with minimal risk...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-08-14, Growth through Change
Bayer MaterialScience, a sub-group of Bayer AG, following approx. EUR 10.4 billion sales in 2007, achieved a robust first quarter of 2008 with around EUR 2.5 billion sales. Adjusted for currency and portfolio effects, it slightly exceeded the first quarter of 2007 by +0.6% (1st quarter 2007: EUR 2.6 billion). However, in the materials segment, which includes polycarbonate and thermoplastic polyurethanes business, sales declined by 8.9% to EUR 673 million. The causes – according to the co...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCPs)
Liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) are present in crystalline form beyond their melting point. Only as a result of the shearing of the melt, as happens, for instance, in the cylinder of an injection molding machine, is the crystalline structure disrupted to the extent that the polymer begins to flow. The melt liquefied by shearing then has such a low viscosity that in injection molding even complex parts having low wall thicknesses can be filled in the mold without difficulty. The lamellar s...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)
Last year, the overall amount of PMMA molding compounds and semifinished products reached approx. 1.5 million t. PMMA offers a vast range of applications, which, at medium term, will promote this tendency to increase. Regions will grow at different speeds, though. Growth in the Far East region will be above average, most of all in China, whereas increase in Europe and NAFTA will be more or less moderate. The Asia-Pacific region is the main consumer, by now requesting more than 50 % of all PMMA p...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Western Companies have no Monopoly on being Plagiarized
Kunststoffe: Mr. Zhang, Haitian used to be a family-owned Chinese company that built injection molding machines for standard applications. Today you are part of a holding structure aimed at becoming a global player. What have been the consequences of this change? Zhang: Going public is intended to improve our access to globally active customers. This required a degree of transparency which we hope will create trust. Our employees now have to communicate with international business partners ...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-11-20, Problems with the Mold are no Longer the Responsibility of the Buyers
In the 1980s, a large number of manufacturing companies took the risk of having their injection molds built in so-called low-wage countries. Up to the present, there have been a number of phases in which different regions (including Portugal, Italy, Eastern Europe and Asia – and, more specifically, China) have been, or still are, in vogue. Although this trend has become increasingly established over the years, there are now clear signs of a change in tack. Despite the drawback of high wa...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-01-26, Extreme Performance in Sport
Faster, higher, further – the world of sport thrives on a constant succession of new records. Whoever wishes to rise to the best of form needs more than just physical fitness. Specifically in high-performance sport sophisticated technologies, high-grade materials and costly production processes are playing an ever more important role. One of the materials most in demand in professional sport is plastic since it offers the best combination of low weight, stability, strength, rigidity and elastici...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-02-17, Looking to Long-Term Success
The Bayer Group intends to continue strengthening its research and development activities despite the current financial and economic crisis. “Now is the time to set the right course for the future. Only through innovation can any growth be generated, which is essential to ensure the sustained success of our company,” said Werner Wenning, CEO of Bayer AG, at the end of last year at “Bayer’s Perspective on Innovation 2008”. The research and development budget for the company in 2008 was around 2.8...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-06-16, Cooperation with the Minister’s Blessing
The German federal state of Baden-Württemberg and the Canadian province of Ontario are stepping up their research cooperation. Sandra Pupatello, Ontario’s Minister of International Trade and Investment, travelled to Germany especially to sign a cooperation agreement between Canada’s University of Windsor and the University of Karlsruhe and the Fraunhofer ICT in Germany. She signed the agreement together with Prof. Peter Frankenberg, Baden-Württemberg’s Minister of Science in Pfinztal near Karlsr...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-07-16, Packaging on Target
Vitesse, the new high-performance series was at the focus of attention at the company’s Packaging Theme Day in Malterdingen, Germany, on May 13. Robert Burzler, Director Sales & Marketing at Ferromatik Milacron Maschinenbau GmbH, explained every detail of the machine. He explicitly stressed that the machine “is the fastest packaging machine available at the market.” Featuring short cycle times and a high level of reproducibility in multi-cavity molds, it fulfills the sector’s typical requirement...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Boosting Throughput – Increasing Flexibility
When paying a visit to the supermarket, consumers are delighted to see the ever-longer ''''best-by'''' dates and increasingly attractive packaging designs. In purchasing a filmwrapped product, the consumer does not spare a thought for the many different requirements that the films are subject to in order to make them into high-tech semi-finished products. Both film manufacturers and machine builders are confronted with the challenge of producing these films economically in the face of constantly...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, Focus on High-Tech
Whether it’s electrical or electronics, construction, engineering, packaging, chemical process technology, IT, automobiles or aircraft, practically all branches of industry can benefit from the innovation potential of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Their market growth therefore is very rapid. At present it is in the region of 25 % per annum. In ten years’ time the world market for CNTs is predicted to have a turnover about USD 2 billion. Bayer MaterialScience has therefore recently begun construction ...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, For the Third Industrial Revolution
Twenty years ago, generative production techniques started to conquer design departments all over the globe in the form of rapid prototyping. Despite this, the chief problems inherent in these techniques have still not been (fully) solved. Although the inferior-quality surfaces are now of a somewhat better quality without finishing work, they still cannot be regarded as good. Changes in the material – especially on the surface – and also anisotropy are still the order of the day. The range of ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-10-14, High-Tech and Tradition
Kunststoffe: Mr. Rucks, your company is now 165 years old – what’s the special thing about your enterprise? Rucks: One special thing certainly is that, until today, the company has been managed by the owner, almost without interruption. However, there was a short break from 1972 to 1990, when the enterprise was owned by the German Democratic Republic (GDR), with my father yet being the general director. Of course, the firm was not ''''owner-managed'''' then, but at least the generation of th...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-11-19, Continuous Production of Curves
Traditional pultrusion allows continuous production of straight, fiber-reinforced profiles. By reversing the conventional process, Thomas Technik + Innovation, part of the Thomas Group, Bremervörde, Germany, has now developed the technology for manufacturing curved, three-dimensional profiles. The profile is not drawn through a die, but a curved die slides along the curved profile. “Radius pultrusion” otherwise has the same basis and potential as conventional pultrusion: The production rate depe...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-11-19, Strong Partners
Processing several material components on an injection molding machine has long since stopped being a special process. Respective machine and mold technology makes it possible to produce fully functional components in one manufacturing cell. For this purpose, several techniques are available to join the materials. These are, for instance, overspraying, backmolding or onmolding of a plastic with another material component. A preform is usually injection molded, to be then placed in another cavi...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-03-17, Practically Reliable Viscosities for Simulations
For European injection molding and mold building companies, innovative products and processes are increasingly becoming success factors in the global competition against suppliers from low-wage countries. When complex plastic parts are being produced, in particular, it is essential for the development processes to be streamlined to ensure a very high efficiency. In the Pro4Plast EU project, the development process has been restructured in the form of a stage-gate process [1], boosting efficiency...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-04-20, Film with a Function
Flexible substrates for electronic circuits are currently growing at an annual rate of about 12 %, with most of this rapid growth occurring in Asia. The most important applications are found in computers, telecommunications and display units. Compared to the above-mentioned fields, automotive applications are at a relatively low level, although new opportunities are expected to open up here. Flexible substrates are expensive products and offer a number of benefits: Significant potential for weig...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-04-20, From Natural Rubber to High-Tech Material
There are many reasons why the high performance of synthetic rubbers is not widely known today: Parts that are made out of them are not especially eye-catching since they are often black and carry out their assigned tasks out of the limelight. Another possible cause lies in the history of rubber. Particularly in the early days of these materials they were intimately linked to natural rubber which is produced from the sap of the rubber tree. Hard rubber manufactured from this sticky substance is ...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-07-22, Big Breakthrough for PPS Composites
?: The new business jet from Gulfstream, the G650 (Title photo) has successfully completed its maiden flight. Mr. Offringa, please would you briefly tell us about Fokker’s part in this? Offringa:We developed the rudder and elevator for the Gulfstream G650. The innovation is that, in late 2009, the G650 was the first ever aircraft to take off relying on load-bearing thermoplastic composites. It was a huge breakthrough in the aircraft industry. These parts had been conventionally made of combinati...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-07-22, Support for Injection Molding
It is a familiar problem for many molding shops: the complex set-up procedures for a sophisticated injection molding process require the services of experts. Yet, skilled workers with a sound training in plastics technology are a scarce commodity. And in Eastern Europe and Asia, a destination for many relocating companies, they are rarer still. There, injection molding machines are often operated by trainees. Keba AG, an Austrian automation manufacturer, has devised a software solution to this s...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-07-22, The Sun is Back to Taiwan
The international trade show for plastics and rubber industry took place in Taipei, Taiwan, in March, presenting 419 enterprises at 2,111 booths. This year, 95 foreign and 324 local companies took the opportunity to present themselves to the public. This figure means a 2 % decrease, compared to 2008. The trade show is held every two years, and is organized by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (Taitra), a parastatal, non-commercial institute aimed at promoting trade, and Taiwan Associatio...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Becoming a “Future Player”
After a good first quarter in 2010, Lanxess expects an Ebitda before correction for special effects in the region of EUR 650 to 700 million. This fore is based on the expectation that the macroeconomic environment will continue to recover. Considerable boosts will be provided in particular by key customers such as the automotive and tire industries. The most significant rise in sales of 84.8 % (from EUR 448 million in Q1/2009 to EUR 828 million in Q1/2010) and in Ebitda before special items of m...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Beneficial Symbiosis
In biology, a symbiosis is a mutually beneficial association between individuals of different species. According to the degree of dependency, a finer distinction can be made depending on whether the two partners are still viable without one another or not. The fact that this form of coexistence is applicable to the engineering industry was demonstrated at a press conference by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH in Schwaig, Germany. In the course of the event, the management spokesman u...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, From Megatrends to Business
By the year 2030, the world's population will have risen to more than eight billion people. Some five billion of these will live in cities. At the same time, many people will be living healthier lives and receiving better medical care than today. Around 30 % of global greenhouse gas emissions and over 40 % of global energy consumption are presently accounted for by buildings. Over 14 % of all greenhouse gases worldwide come from the transport sector. In these future global trends, Bayer Mat...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Polycarbonate – How a High-tech Material Conquered the World and Continues to Do So
Even in his doctoral studies back in 1944, Dr. Hermann Schnell dedicated himself to the “Structure-property relationships in polyamides” – and engineering plastics were to play a central role in the further career of the researcher. In 1953, as head of Bayer's Main Science Laboratory in Uerdingen, he studied the reaction of phosgene with aromatic bisphenols. The polycondensates formed were also accessible through melt transesterification of bisphenols with diphenyl carbonate. This gave rise...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Variothermal Temperature Control with Laser Radiation
Injection molded parts with functional surfaces are gaining importance. For example, microstructured surfaces permit positive flow properties in intake manifolds, anti-reflection coating of displays by the moth-eye effect or selfcleaning properties due to the lotus effect [1–3]. It is particularly economical to produce such surfaces directly by injection molding. To ensure a high reproduction quality of the fine structures and prevent premature solidification of the material, the mold temperatur...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, On a Westward Course
Just a hint, or a challenge? Haitian Europe, the European affiliate of Haitian International Holdings, has relocated from Italy to Germany. The Chinese manufacturer of injection molding machines selected Nuremberg, Germany, as their headquarters with the goal of restructuring their infrastructure and organization. Their aim is to position their Haitian and Zhafir brands better on the European high-tech markets. At the same time, the company wants to create synergies with its German subsidiary, Z...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, The Dies Are Rolling
A number of processors are obviously appreciating close contact with domestic mold makers again, because this puts them in a position to react to changes in design more quickly and solve problems more easily. Nevertheless, the biggest advantage in global competition is competence. This is why mold makers must show that they are up to date with technology. Even better, if the supplier is able to implement innovative ideas quickly, which gives him a unique selling point and a headstart. The exhibi...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-11-25, No-Hassle Tooling for the Premier League
How high-tech toolmaking has reached the threshold to a fully digitalized and automated process chain after half a century of innovative development history. The technical draftsman has vanished” is the outspoken opinion of Dr. Thomas Zipp, managing partner of Weber GmbH & Co. KG, in Dillenburg, Germany, and three of his specialists: Henning Schmidt, Jörg Pitzer and Stefan Nix (see box). In a discussion with Kunststoffe, the four men – whose company is active in plastics engineering and mold...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-02-21, Driving Force, but no Think Tank
In the plastics sector, the K trade show is the fair with the highest number of exhibitors under one roof. At the latest K, taking place for the 18th time, 247 exhibitors from China (2007: 154 companies), 42 enterprises from Hong Kong (2007: 29 exhibitors), and 139 companies from Taiwan (2007: 132 enterprises) were present. Even without Hong Kong and Taiwan, exhibitors from China made up the second largest group from outside Germany, behind Italy. CHINA – Stimulus for Europe In 2009, PE, PP, PVC...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-02-21, Science for a Better Life
During its annual Perspective on Innovation, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany, announced that the group had invested around EUR 3.1 billion in research and development in 2010, representing an increase over 2009 of 13 % (turnover in business year 2009: EUR 31.2 billion). On this total, 67 % were spent in the HealthCare segment, 25% in CropScience and 7 % in Bayer MaterialScience (Fig. 1). The chemicals group sees enormous growth potential for itself in the future in these three segments, as the wor...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-04-25, Flame Retardants: Restricted Boom
After plunging into the deep trough of 2008 , the global plastics industry has regained momentum. In 2009, plastics production totaled 230 million t, of which Europe accounted for 55 million t. In the first half of 2010, the markets continued to grow strongly but the fores for the second half are more cautious (source: Plastics Europe). One of the growth drivers is China, where plastics production has surged ahead rapidly. In the first half of 2010, production increased by 23 % over the previous...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-06-20, Hitting the Nail on the Head
Through the combination of a pressure and temperature sensor melt flow and viscosity can be determined and controlled directly within the cavity of an injection molding tool [1]. In order to control the injection molding process and adapt this to various injection molding machines the basic parameters of the machine have to be adjusted so that the same flow conditions, compression ratios and shrinkage conditions always apply. If, however, a mold is used on different machines identical conditions...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-06-20, The High Energy Prices Are also an Opportunity
Eberhard Duffner on parts production in a finite time, stop-and-go operation in injection molding, and soft facts with considerable savings potential. Kunststoffe: Mr. Duffner, the increased subsidy of renewable energies passed by the politicians and the pursuit of greater energy efficiency are two sides of the same coin called “resource conservation”. What does that mean for a machine manufacturer and its customers? Duffner: At Arburg, we have been working to improve our machines’ energy effici...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polycarbonate (PC)
Global sales of polycarbonate – including the volumes for blends and semi-finished products – have increased annually by an average of around 9 % over the last 20 years. So this plastics family is one of the world’s fastestgrowing engineering thermoplastics. In 2010, some 3.5 million t of polycarbonate (including polycarbonate for blends) were processed worldwide (Fig. 1). Over the next few years, the global market for these high-performance plastics is expected to grow at an annual rate of 6 to...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-01-30, Impressions of Hall 11
Toolless manufacturing is more than skin deep. It is taken for granted today that rapid manufacturing specialists can produce not only trinkets for design-conscious apartment dwellers and true objets d’art worthy of exhibition in a gallery, but also essential parts for hightech industries and short production runs for many other sectors. Now, the technology is mastering three-dimensional partdata directly through the use of 3-D printing or laser sintering without the intermediate step of physica...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-02-24, Protecting the Ground and Environment
Plastics that are used in the construction sector for soil-contact applications or for contact with other materials are called geosynthetics. These include products intended to cover large areas and that are delivered to the construction site as roll goods in the form of a fabric or sheet. Buried plastic pipes and containers are thus not considered as geosynthetics. Requirements and More Such products are frequently manufactured from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthal...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, To Bond or Not to Bond
If Wilhelm Anger has actually managed to scare the eyewear industry, it is trying not to show it. But the 86-year-old grand master of the Austrian plastics and optics industry, who can look back on an impressive life’s work (see p. 16), is not averse to indulging in some “needling.” Emblazoned on the website of Lensbond, a company he founded in 2008, is the motto: “300 years of technological stagnation is enough.” And whoever goes to Salzburg to visit this elderly man with his almost juvenile lo...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-07-23, Influence on the Ongrowth Behavior of Tissue Cells
Acrucial factor for the medical success of implants, apart from the biocompatibility of the material, is the interface between the organism and the implant [1]. Systematic studies have enabled information to be gained on the ongrowth behavior of human cells on different material surfaces. Studies were conducted into this topic at the Institute of Medical and Polymer Engineering of Technische Universität München which investigated the influence of microstructuring, of surface treatments with open...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-07-23, Invisible Barrier Features
Long gone are the days when corner shops offered candies and chocolate in open containers, milk was sold in glass bottles, and meat, sausages and cheese were mainly displayed unpackaged behind the counter. Today, the shelves and display refrigerators are filled with packaged food. Its shelf life continues to increase steadily, and the packaging is not only an important marketing instrument at the point of sale but also provides the customer with information about all the ingredients. This applie...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-07-23, Planning a Second Home
The long service life of polymers can make a contribution to reducing greenhouse gases. This positive effect could be confirmed and quantified for PMMA in an environmental balance according to DIN ISO 14040ff. PMMA can also make a significant contribution to environmental protection in manufacturing. Current calculations for example show a CO2 equivalent of 3.8 kilograms of CO2 per kilogram of Plexiglas molding compound. Factors that are in line with the Chinese government’s 12th five year plan ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, Integration is the Magic Word
When you talk today about injection molding – a technology that is over 50 years old – you might find yourself saying: How could there be anything new to report?” But before George Steinbichler, head of research and development of technologies at Engel Austria GmbH, is able to raise serious doubts among his listeners, he himself rejects this view straight away: “It’s not true!” In so saying, he virtually set the tone for the mid-June symposium run by the Austrian maker of injection molding machi...