AF-Complex - Antioxidants, Antislip agents, antiblock agents, lubricants, Antistatic agents, UV-light stabilizers - AF-COLOR

Plastics Technology, 2004-07-28, Beyond Decking: Wood Composites Branch Out
Extruded decking still drives the embryonic wood-filled plastics market. But injection and compression molded wood composites are coming on strong, and extruded profiles are moving toward more complex...

Plastics Technology, 2005-09-06, Wood-Plastic Composites: Weathering Quality Issues
Recent research sheds light on the complex interactions between ingredients in wood composites that affect weatherability, color loss, and resistance to moisture, mold, and aging.

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, 2006-03-06, Gear Molding: Where It"s Headed
Plastic gears are growing larger, more precise, more complex in geometry, and more powerful. High-performance resins and long-fiber compounds are aiding this evolution.

Plastics Technology, 2007-05-30, HOW TO COMPARE DRYERS? A Complex Challenge With No Simple Answers
Is one type of resin dryer faster or more energy-effi cient than another? That question prompts competing claims from suppliers-but very little concrete data. When one vendor performed controlled test...

Kunststoffe international, All about Plasticizing Screws
The required screw diameter can be ascertained on the basis of the shot volume. The formula for the average residence time can be used to estimate the degree of utilization and the thermal load on the material. Last but not least, the maximum injection pressure and the available screw torque are key variables for successful injection molding production – basic principles for the selection of a barrel-and-screw combination, and the starting point for further optimization. Designing an injection m...

Kunststoffe international, Automotive Display: A Matter of Form
Harmoniously integrating displays into the lines of a vehicle cockpit has always been a real challenge. ‧Continental now uses a combination of film insert molding, in-mold decoration and injection-compression molding to produce large, three-dimensionally formed plastic panels. The display increasingly sets the tone of a vehicle cockpit. Most current car models already have two full-color, graphic-‧capable displays. The instrument cluster usually consists of a large display (full digital cluster...

Kunststoffe international, Beyond Human Capabilities
The quality of injection molded parts and the process stability are still heavily dependent on the knowledge and experience of the process technician. However, the ever increasing degree of freedom creates complex interrelationships between part quality and process parameters. At K 2019, IKV and an industrial consortium will demonstrate how algorithms based on artificial intelligence can support machine operators during the process setup by using machine data and quality data. When setting up in...

Kunststoffe international, Central Hub for Digitization in Plastics Processing
Because it has not yet been possible to exploit the full potential of digitization in plastics processing, the Institute for Plastics Processing at RWTH Aachen University is building a new application-oriented research infrastructure along the lines of a Smart Factory. Kunststoffe is accompanying the building of the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 with a series of publications. Part 1 describes the concept and the initial demands on the physical ‧infrastructure. Digitization is now making inroads...

Kunststoffe international, Correctly Predicting Creep
An important phenomenon that deserves attention in the use of plastics is the materials’ viscoelasticity. It has the consequence that plastics first deform spontaneously under constant load and then continue to deform over time. Spontaneous deformation can be predicted using the modulus of elasticity (single point value acc. to ISO 527-1/-2 in Campus). The subsequent creep requires more complex material data. For this, Campus provides the customary representation in the isochronous stress-strain...

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, Data Management at the Tool
A tool logbook on paper is often not to hand just when you need it most. Or it is incomplete, since it is time ‧consuming to keep the information up to date. A cloud-independent, electronic tool log, which is directly integrated into the tool could make all the relevant data available directly. Digital access would allow authorized users to read or enter content, and, if needed, provide important operating instructions and information about the condition of the tool. The proven functionality and...

Kunststoffe international, Delivering Efficiency Even in Harsh Environments
Across many industry sectors, the quest for enhanced performance of applications and cost-efficiencies is on. In addition to these traditional requirements, societal and environmental trends, such as the need to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and maintaining a healthy and active ageing population, are important needs that must be addressed as well. Due to its high-performing properties polyetheretherketone thermoplastic polymer is being used more and more frequently in many products. In c...

Kunststoffe international, Easier to Reach the Destination
Weight reduction is one of the major requirements of automotive components. Regardless of the vehicles in which they are used. One of the lightest materials that can be considered is polypropylene (PP). With the right reinforcements, it is also suitable for demanding vehicle components. This is demonstrated by its use in ‧vehicles such as the NIO ES8. The industry is undergoing transformation on a scale not seen for decades. Trends such as connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles, powertrain elec...

Kunststoffe international, Fine Adjustment of the Melt Flows in the Hot Runner by Means of Melt Rotation
In injection molding with multi-cavity molds, shear-induced viscosity differences in the flow channels of manifold systems can result in the various mold cavities producing molded parts with different properties – in spite of natural balancing and optimum mold quality. This situation can be remedied with a fine adjustment of the melt flows, achieved using melt rotation. If you look at the key data for our example – the inner shell of a double-walled thermal mug made of PC (Fig. 1) – everything s...

Kunststoffe international, Foam Beads in Gliding Flight
The particle foam crowd cannot complain about a lack of interest by potential users. At least as far as demand for products with high-quality functional and optical surfaces is concerned. However, development has stagnated since the joint research project SamPa sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and ‧Research reached its conclusion. There is an urgent need for action. One year after the status report “Schaumperlen im Aufwind” (Kunst‧stoffe 2/2019, pp. 21–28, only available in ...

Kunststoffe international, Formed Pultrusion Profiles
Pultrusion profiles are typically inexpensive, stable – and one-dimensional. Local stretch bending represents a new approach to forming thermoplastic pultrusion profiles. Pultrusion is an inexpensive process for the production of fiber-reinforced composite structures. Cost-sensitive sectors such as the automotive industry therefore have a strong incentive to use pultrusion profiles for the local reinforcement of structural components. In certain cases, it is also conceivable to assemble structu...

Kunststoffe international, From the Vertical Machine into the Car Door
The integration of individual parts to a multifunctional assembly is one of the important innovation potentials of plastic injection molding, e. g. the production of glass window modules for car rear doors, as practiced at Henniges Automotive. They consist of the glass pane, a web strip, and fastening clips, which are overmolded by a TPE frame to a ready-to-install assembly. For the manufacturing the automotive supplier relies on vertical C-frame injection molding machines from LWB Steinl. The r...

Kunststoffe international, Functional Prototypes for Car Components
Fiber-reinforced plastic components, including those for load-bearing areas, are established alternatives to metals in vehicle construction. It is not just their low specific weight that makes them interesting, but also their acoustic properties, which reduce noise transmission. As development cycles become ever shorter, the scope for protecting and coordinating components in their vehicle environment is becoming increasingly restricted. 3D printed prototypes, however, can help with acoustic ass...

Kunststoffe international, Green Shape Changers
Shape-changing structures (smart structures) are able to change their shape in response to external stimuli. The change of shape is self-induced and requires no artificial energy input. In view of the increasing demand for efficiency and resource conservation, shape-changing (smart) materials offer a sensible approach to integrating functionalities into a component without giving rise to additional energy and material costs. Even greater sustainability is achieved if the components are produced ...

Kunststoffe international, Half a Million More Parts
Mold cleaning is a challenge with a very small, 0.8 g light injection-molded part. The use of an efficient dry ice cleaning system not only increases product quality, but also reduces cleaning time, increasing both equipment availability and production capacity. Diehl Stiftung & Co. KG (see box p. 48) manufactures punched parts and approximately 850 t of fiber-reinforced high-temperature-resistant plastics such as PPS, PBT, PEI, PPA and PA into complex multifunctional parts at the plant in Telto...

Kunststoffe international, Influences on Microdamage Strain Limits
The quality of a part design or a strength proof depends to a large extent on how well the material property in question meets the design conditions. For this paper, information about the influences exerted on the strain limits of “microdamage”, as a criterion for mechanical material failure, was compiled from the literature, evaluated and prepared for application as far as possible. Strength testing of thermoplastic parts proves to be quite simple if it is strain-based and if micromechanical d...

Kunststoffe international, Less Granules Stock Means More Quality
In cars, LEDs are taking over ever more applications and are increasingly used as differentiating design ‧elements. They increase the geometrical variation, which poses new challenges to manufacturers of light guides. In order to ensure a high luminous efficiency even with complex geometries and elongated structures, Engel has developed a new plasticizing process for manufacturing light guides. This increases the homogeneity and purity of the melt, thus opening up new freedom for light designers...

Kunststoffe international, Maintaining Clarity Long-Term
Transparent plastics are used in medical technology for disposable articles such as catheter accessories, blood/plasma separators, thorax drainage sets, and medical filter and device housings. Since they are being exposed to increasingly aggressive solvents, disinfectants and drugs (for example new cancer drugs), these plastic articles have to be comprehensively tested for their chemical resistance. Plastics in medical technology must be resistant to environmental effects throughout their servic...

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, New Application Areas for Cube Molds on Standard Machines
The newly developed Compactcube mold system from Foboha can be used on slightly modified standard machines in the low to medium clamping force range. This means that the advantages of cube mold technology are now also available for applications with smaller production volumes. Until now, cube systems have mainly been used for the production of 2-component or 3-component closures in the packaging sector, in which high production volumes usually exceeding 100 million parts a year are required. The...

Kunststoffe international, No Chance for Dust and Contaminations
LSR optics offers a wide range of applications due to the optical brilliance, the possibility to produce undercut shapes not to mention the competitive pricing. The adhesive surface which is almost impossible to clean however makes the LSR parts vulnerable against contaminations. This characteristic however limits the possible ‧application fields. To overcome this limitation Wilhelm Weber has partnered with Fraunhofer IFAM in a recent research project. The numerous advantages explain the large p...

Kunststoffe international, No More Weight Problems
HiQ Flow is Wittmann Battenfeld’s answer to the challenge of fluctuating shot weights in injection-molded parts. The assistant system modifies the process parameters in the course of the same shot to counteract viscosity fluctuations caused by batch fluctuations in the material or by the use of regrind. The viscosity of a plastic melt has a significant effect on the part quality of an injection-molded component. Viscosity fluctuations caused, for example, by different batches of material or the ...

Kunststoffe international, Nozzles Regulate Thickness
Wall thickness fluctuations often occur during the production of blown films. Spiral mandrel dies with adjustable nozzles can balance the volume flows and thus deliver more uniform film thicknesses. The Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) has taken the first steps to develop such a system. Modern film applications require tight thickness tolerances in order to meet both technical and economic requirements. The control of the volume flows in the entire extrusion die is therefore of decisive i...

Kunststoffe international, Open Control for More Efficiency
With the transition to the new Simatic Open Controller generation, Gabler Thermoform is upgrading their ‧machines to provide increased performance and more efficiency. This will represent the first step toward ‧digitalization for the North German company, and a new dimension of customer support. The availability and ‧productivity of machines will be bolstered as a direct result of precisely plannable maintenance work. Situated in Lübeck, Germany, Gabler Thermoform GmbH & Co. KG is one of the gl...

Kunststoffe international, Plastic in the Service of Medicine
A Polish pharmaceutical company is developing inhalation therapy for the treatment of lung disease and the appropriate drug delivery drug. The inhaler has a complex interior and consists of 14 components. In order to be able to produce these with the required precision, Celon Pharma has formed a partnership with the mold making company Glittenberg and its hot runner sister Witosa. Mostly detached from developments in other industrial sectors, medical technology continues to be a rapidly growing ...

Kunststoffe international, Present in a Multitude of Trends
Lightweight construction, functionality and design are characteristic of material development in all areas of ‧application for PC compounds, composites and films. The range of materials has enormous opportunities when it comes to the mobility of the future, lightweight structural construction with continuous fiber-reinforced composites, 5G technology and medical technology. During the course of 2018, the high demand for polycarbonate (PC) had already slowed down considerably in comparison with ...

Kunststoffe international, Printed Tools for High-Volume Production
Ford has selected desktop 3D printers to create various assembly tools, and can now produce jigs and fixtures, and even in highly complex designs, in-house at low cost. Ultimaker’s open filament system enables the automaker to create parts with various filaments from a range of material manufacturers and meet specific material properties exactly. The automotive industry was one of the first sectors to recognize the potential and benefits of 3D printing. Its advanced technology has significantly ...

Kunststoffe international, Putting Hybrid Components to the Test
The different thermal expansion of plastics compared with metals makes it difficult to design components that combine both materials. A new test procedure simulates in a time lapse the aging process of plastic-metal hybrid components when temperatures change. Using two contrasting test procedures, reliable information can be ‧derived to assist in the designer. Metal or plastic? Traditionally, many automotive components are made from either one or the other material. But in the field of e-mobilit...

Kunststoffe international, Rattle-Free Part
At the US location in Auborn Hills, Michigan, fischer automotive systems produces kinematic components for the center console of the Mercedes GLE class, which are equipped with a roller blind. The individual slats of the roller blind are manufactured on a large two-component injection molding machine and, while they are still in the turnkey system, are combined with externally supplied parts to form the finished roller blind. It takes almost a bird’s eye view to get an overview of the size and c...

Kunststoffe international, Reactive Extrusion of TPU
The simple replacement of petroleum-based components with renewable ‧alternatives in a well-established reactive extrusion process is a promising route to more environmentally friendly thermoplastic polyurethane ‧elastomers (TPU). However, this requires a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between chemical reactions and material flow within an extruder, as well as a thorough understanding of the effects of heat and shear on polymerization and melt processing. Driven by the strategy ...

Kunststoffe international, Real-Time Process Monitoring in Cleanroom Environments
In the production of plastic parts for the medical and pharmaceutical industry, the requirements for cleanroom environments are becoming increasingly stringent. In this area, not only the demand for all-electric injection molding machines is increasing. There is also an increasing use of electric drives for the implementation of mold movements, which meet the high requirements for cleanliness and reliability. Compared to hydraulic or pneumatic systems, electric drives offer high cleanliness and ...

Kunststoffe international, Recycling that Gets under the Skin
Process technologies for manufacturing multilayer and multicomponent products offer great potential for using reprocessed plastic wastes even for plastic parts that are subject to strict requirements for surface quality, product protection or consumer safety. The key: to place the recycled material in the interior while the surface is made of virgin material. Engel has developed a variant of sandwich injection molding that allows high proportions of recycled material to be used even with complex...

Kunststoffe international, Reverse Rotation
The new Reverse Cube developed by Foboha manufactures various components or multi-component parts from varying materials in one step and assembles individual parts into finished products independently from the cycle time using an integrated handling robot. The automated process improves quality, accelerates cycle times by up to 40 % compared to separate injection molding and assembly processes, and thus enables substantial productivity gains at lower costs. The starting point for the new process...

Kunststoffe international, Runway Lights for the Seat Belt
Ambient lighting has captured the car interior – and facilitated orientation for the passengers. There is no need for anyone to fumble for the seat belt buckle in the dark in the Audi A7, as an integrated light guide shows the way. Kunststoff Helmbrechts produces the 3-component part and also developed the tool concept. The trick: a so-called twin-turn tool which rotates on both sides. The company was awarded the GKV TecPart Innovation Prize for it at the K 2019. The article itself does not appe...

Kunststoffe international, Sanitary Prototypes with High Requirements
In order to minimize the development time for new products, Geberit International AG manufactures many prototypes using 3D printing. Since 2016, the Swiss company uses a Sintratec S1 for design optimization and material testing in its prototyping laboratory. A visit to Switzerland. The Geberit Group, the market leader for sanitary parts in Europe, operates 29 production plants in over 50 countries. Before the Group releases a new product for market launch, it must meet a variety of requirements....

Kunststoffe international, Sophisticated Geometry – and Hermetically Tight
The cleanroom production of a biochip system made of semi-crystalline plastic presented a great challenge for the manufacturer. The upper part with test chamber must be assembled with the support layer in an absolutely tight manner. After all gluing trials had failed, the methodical approach in the weld process saved the project. R-Biopharm AG from Darmstadt, Germany (see box p. 26) had invested three years into research and development to design their Rida-Chip FoodGuide (Fig. 1) for detection ...

Kunststoffe international, Sustainable Growth
Because of its good temperature resistance, impact resistance and aesthetics appearance, acrylonitrile-‧butadiene-styrene is often used in household goods and in the automotive industry. The development of a ‧circular economy also shows successes. More and more ABS materials used in a range of applications are ‧containing a contribution of recyclates. Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) is the largest-volume engineering thermoplastic resin, offering an excellent balance of heat, chemical, and ...

Kunststoffe international, Sustainable Growth
The central issue in all polyurethane applications is the conversion from the past linear economy into a ‧circular economy, and the use of sustainable raw materials in manufacturing. To do so, manufacturers are ‧taking measures such as using bio-based raw materials, chemical recycling, and CO2 as a synthesis component. Digitalization, electromobility, autonomous driving and the construction industry are also driving PU development. In 2019, global demand for polyurethane (PU) saw a significant b...

Kunststoffe international, The Potential of Redesign and Part Consolidation
Hybrid production chains have been increasingly in the spotlight in recent years. This also applies to the ‧combination of conventional manufacturing and additive processes in tool construction. With the example of an injection molding tool, it is shown how mold inserts produced by additive manufacturing can greatly shorten cycle times, and thereby significantly reduce unit costs. The important thing is to find a suitable combination of processes from the variety available. Over recent years, ad...

Kunststoffe international, The Role of Chemistry in Plastics Recycling
Today plastics recycling is usually only classified as being either mechanical or chemical. This view ‧ignores the fact that the main difference between the two is whether physical or chemical reactions are taking place. However, precise differentiation is crucial for any assessment of the possibilities and limitations of plastic ‧recovery processes and whether materials are actually being recycled or merely their raw materials recovered. Plastics recycling has been enjoying a considerable boom ...

Kunststoffe international, Ultrafast 3D Printing
3D printing is a fast-growing market, opening up completely new product and manufacturing options for ‧customers and industry. The newly developed SEAM process significantly extends the options for the efficient manufacture of printed components. An impression of this is conveyed by the example of a fiber-reinforced clamping fixture. The SEAM process (screw extrusion additive manufacturing) takes a new approach to high-speed additive manufacturing of plastic components. With printing speeds of u...

Kunststoffe international, Use Cases of Digitized Plastics Processing
While the use of assistance systems in production is increasing, the range of digital solutions continues to grow. However, the number of pragmatic approaches and real examples of implementation is still small, and the actual benefits of digitization are difficult to quantify. Part 2 of the series on the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 (PIC 4.0) at RWTH Aachen describes the procedure by which industrial use cases of a Smart Factory are identified and converted into real testbeds within the PIC 4....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, "Medical Grade" Plastics
"Medical Grade" Plastics Biocompatibility Tests on Plastics Used in Medical Technology David Thaler and Nicole Böhnisch, Münster/Germany For plastics used in the medical sector, the aspect of biocompatibility is gaining increasing importance. This article describes the tests that the end-product manufacturer should perform to ensure the safety of the material. Plastics are used in virtually all areas of medical technology [1]. They are found in disposable articles, in nearly all ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, 100 % Web Inspection
100 % Web Inspection How Measuring Systems Can Master the Flood of Data Collected during Film Inspection Rudolf Krampe, Bochum/Germany The only way to pick up and classify every single production fault in film manufacture is to monitor the entire surface area. Modern web inspection systems document and visualize any faults, thus allowing the relevant production parameters to be specifically corrected. In the production of materials such as plastic film, nonwovens and paper, which are man...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, 3-Dimensional Moulded Circuit Carriers
3-Dimensional Moulded Circuit Carriers New Process Combines 3D-MID Technology with IMD Ulrich Schütz, Leverkusen/Germany The first components made by the 3D-MID technology were produced by 2-component injection moulding with subsequent metallization or by hot embossing of conductive tracks into the surface of the components in series production. A third, less well-known process is gradually arousing interest, namely the insert moulding of film structured with conductive tracks. Mechanica...

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, 3D Simulation: Simulation of Foaming Polyurethanes
PU Technology Simulation of Foaming Polyurethanes 3D Simulation. Mould-filling simulation provides significantly improved understanding of the process as well as insight into processing details. For foaming polyurethanes, however, only very few computational approaches have been available to date. By integrating material models with an overall fluid mechanical model, a simulation tool has now been developed that can be used for many PU applications. Peter Wulf Bolko Raffel As with injection mou...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, 42V Power Systems: More Power in Cars of Tomorrow
42V Power Systems: More Power in Cars of Tomorrow Cars of tomorrow will offer more comfort and convenience, which inevitably means more electronics. To meet the resultant increase in electric power demand, global development of 42 V power systems is in progress. Engineering plastics are playing an important role in this development. Hans-Jörg Krautschneider, Michael Geprägs With the installation of ever more innovative and complex electronic systems and the medium-term electrification of m...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Comparison of Drive Technologies
A Comparison of Drive Technologies A Practical Comparison of Injection Moulding Machines with Different Types of Drive Johannes Wortberg, Thomas Kamps and Reinhard Schiffers, Duisburg/ Germany A wide-ranging survey was conducted with the aim of providing an objective basis for the debate on electrical and hydraulic drive technologies in injection moulding machines. This investigation is based on measurements on electrical, hydraulic and hybrid drives for injection moulding machines. The ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Comparison of Temperature Control Systems: Optimum Thermal Design of Injection Moulds
Special Optimum Thermal Design of Injection Moulds A Comparison of Temperature Control Systems. Optimum ther-mal design of moulds is an important prerequisite for economic manufacture of high-quality injection moulded parts. The engineers responsible for part and mould design need to strike a compromise between the level of the mould costs and the cycle time reduction that can be achieved. A major German supplier to the infocom indus-try has conducted research into current technology. Carsten B...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Contradiction in Terms?
A Contradiction in Terms? "Design for Recycling" or Design before Recycling Peter Wiedemann, Neuburg/Donau, Germany The EU End of Life Vehicle Directive is in force. It makes plastics recycling compulsory on a considerable scale. Because of the effects on type approval from 1.1.2005, account must be taken now of the requirements for "design for recycling". With the adoption of the EU End of Life Vehicle Directive, the subject of recycling has again moved into the foregrou...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Demanding Body Care Set
A Demanding Body Care Set Injection Moulds for a 4-Part Skin Cleansing Set Helmut Obermayr, Schwanenstadt/Austria A new massager is assembled from four housing parts. But these apparently simple mouldings have a hidden complexity. Many details had to be taken into account in the complicated mould design. The story of body care and beauty electronics began with electric shavers and continued with electric toothbrushes. Now, any household can choose from a wide variety of electrical beauty...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Good Simulation is Half-Way to Production
A Good Simulation is Half-Way to Production A Field Report from Parts Development Angela Schubert and Bernhard Schiedek, Pfreimd/Germany, and Claudia Hans, Regensburg/Germany For diabetes patients, the daily blood sugar check is a routine activity in which a drop of blood is taken from the finger. The pricking device necessary for this, a system with complex parts, was developed with the aid of simulation software. The problems which occurred and how they were solved are presented from the...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Short Time-To-Market Process
A Short Time-To-Market Process Practical Examples of Practical Rapid Prototyping Elke Fritz, Planegg/Germany Rapid prototyping has become a development instrument that modern industry can no longer do without. Enterprises in almost all industries use the method to bring new product ideas to market more quickly, to design more product variants and at the same time to keep development costs in check. Practical examples make this clear. Rapid prototyping makes a substantial contribution to ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Substitute for Metal: Polyetherimides (PEIs)
Trend Report: High Performance Plastics> Polyetherimides (PEIs) A Substitute for Metal. Amorphous polyetherimides (PEIs) are characterised by their high temperature resistance in combination with dimensional stability. This mix makes them appropriate for galvanic coats or applications formerly carried out with metals. The main focus of new developments is on reducing weight for both aircraft and railway applications. Peter Catsman In 1982, GE Plastics commercially introduced polyetherimides (P...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Systematic Approach to Micro-Injection Moulding
A Systematic Approach to Micro-Injection Moulding Combining 3D-MID and Microsystems Engineering Rainer Bourdon and Werner Schneider, Roding/Germany Increasing calls for micro-injection moulded parts and structures over the past few years have prompted the development of new mould and process technologies to produce these parts. The number of technical applications is constantly increasing. The examples that can be given are many and varied and are to be found particularly in the automotive...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Adding Value through Quality and Technology
Adding Value through Quality and Technology Innovating with Multi-Functional Systems Michael Kömpf, Munich/Germany Taking an holistic view of customer orders and thinking in terms of parameters that influence processes are the foundations of success at the plastics engineering company RKT GmbH (Rodinger Kunststoff-Technik). By adopting this approach, the company has evolved from being a small mould-making operation to an international, innovative injection moulding processor specialising i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Additives
Additives Trends and Perspectives Walter Hohenberger, Villach/Austria Additives have become an irreplaceable constituent of plastics. They increase the added value of plastics by improving their processability, stability, and appearance, plus a great deal more. They therefore increase the cost-benefit ratio in overall terms. The trend in additives is towards easy-to-handle, environmentally-compatible products. Tailor-made solutions are providing evidence of closer customer proximity on the...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Additives: Custom-engineered Plastics
Custom-engineered Plastics Additives. Whether flow behaviour, colour or hardness – the properties that characterise a plastic are determined by additives that become more application-specific every year. Small amount, large effect – the action of additives can be summarised with these words. For years, manufacturers have striven for continuous improvement of their products, matching flame retardants, pigments and stabilisers more and more exactly to the requirements of customers and the market. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Adhesives: What Do Adhesives Accomplish in Practical Processes?
Composite Materials What Do Adhesives Accomplish in Practical Processes? Adhesives. Thermoplastic natural fibre-reinforced composites are gaining increasing market share. A frequently discussed problem is the adhesion between the natural fibres and the polyolefin matrix. A great deal of study has been carried out on the basic principles, but what an adhesive is actually able to do in practice in the various composite processes is barely known. Natural fibres in composites are nothing new. The a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Airbag Module in PA 6 Recyclate
Airbag Module in PA 6 Recyclate Pilot Project at Opel Ulrich Rick, Thomas Jenny and Uwe Ruster, Rüsselsheim/Germany According to the current proposal of the EU End-of-Life-Vehicle Directive, the recycling rate for end-of-life cars is to rise from the current 75 % by weight to 95 % by weight in 2015. The suitability of PA 6 GF recyclate for the passenger airbag housing on the Opel Astra was proven in a pilot project under the conditions employed in final testing, and the material cycle thus...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, All-plastic Hybrids: Thermoplastic Hybrid Structures
Reinforced Plastics Thermoplastic Hybrid Structures All-plastic Hybrids. Light alloy hybrids were yesterday, the future belong to plastic-plastic combinations. Hybrid structures made of thermoplastics with continuous fibre-reinforced reinforcement elements have high integration variability with low weight and good economy at the same time. Ralph Funck Markus Steffens Light, lighter, lightest. The use of light alloys and highly specialised steel alloys is natural today. What will be the next inn...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Anisotropic Parts Design: The Right Orientation
Simulation The Right Orientation Anisotropic Parts Design. In the engine compartment, die cast aluminium parts are increasingly being replaced by injection moulded articles made from heat-resistant thermoplastics. One example of this is the glass fibre-reinforced PA exhaust gas return valve discussed in this article. When designing structural mechanical parts, the designer must factor in the fibre orientation, as otherwise the parts will be useless. Reinhard Haag Thomas Brinkmann As a way of ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Application and Recovery: Plastics in Electric and Electronic Appliances
Application and Recovery: Plastics in Electric and Electronic Appliances With their versatile and highly adaptable properties, polymers are ideal construction materials for electric and electronic appliances. Both the tremendous complexity of the corresponding waste generated as well as the strict regulations of the European WEEE directive call for a new approach for the establishment of an eco-efficient waste management. Klaus Vorspohl, Ingo Sartorius The market for electric and electroni...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automated Injection Moulding and Welding of Bumpers
Automated Injection Moulding and Welding of Bumpers Jointed-arm-Robots in Action Otto Leiritz and Hergen Görse, Pappenheim/Germany In fully automated bumper production, a jointed-arm-robot takes care of all handling tasks. Its wide operating area and high positional accuracy have made it possible to integrate into the automation system a welding operation that was originally separate. In preparing for serial production of the rear bumper for the new DaimlerChrysler E-class at their Pappe...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automated Manufacture of Mobile Phones
Automated Manufacture of Mobile Phones High Requirements on Robot Handling Technology Christine Böhringer, Munich/Germany Every manufacturer would like to produce parts ready for dispatch or installation in just a single operation. Plastic handling robots achieving injection moulding machine removal rates of less than 2.1 s and complex after moulding operations allow in addition the production of mobile phones in virtually unmanned production halls. Users of industrial robots now expect ...

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, Automation: Maximum Networking of Manufacturing Processes
Automation: Maximum Networking of Manufacturing Processes Production sites in Germany can only safeguard their existence by taking efficiency measures and maintaining a technical lead. Although this is by no means an original observation, many users have still not grasped the true potential of automation and process networking. Oliver Giesen Injection moulding operations in western industrial countries, most of which are high-cost areas, are coming increasingly under cost pressure. Foreign...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Applications: Thermosets Get Going
Automotive Applications: Thermosets Get Going Metals, thermoplastics and thermosets are all competing against each other in the keenly-contested automotive sector. Thermosets have good prospects for under-the-bonnet applications, in particular, since they combine resistance and stability with the possibility of cost-efficient production. Eva Bittmann The use of plastics in cars not only permits weight reductions and hence energy savings when the car is in service but also makes for more co...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Conference: Lightweight Construction as Magic Phrase
Automotive Magic Phrase: Lightweight Construction Automotive Conference. The automobile is more than ever the number 1 technology driver for plastics. This was also confirmed by the experts at this year’s VDI-K “Plastics in Automotive Construction” held in Mannheim. Foremost among the forward-looking topics covered in their papers were lightweight construction and process stability. Wolfgang Kircher The history of plastics in the automobile is as old as the automobile itself. It began with in...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Engineering: Fully-automated Press Line
Automotive Engineering: Fully-automated Press Line Underbody covers reduce noise emissions, provide protection against corrosion, contribute towards a vehicle’s aerodynamics and, in conjunction with a lightweight design, minimise fuel consumption. The system that Dieffenbacher recently supplied to Menzolit-Fibron produces underbody covers for Volkswagen’s PQ 35-platform vehicles (Golf, Audi A3 and also Seat and Skoda vehicles). This system is the most complex one that Dieffenbacher has ever ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Glazing: Clear Prospects
Automotive Engineering Clear Prospects Automotive Glazing. A trend towards large-area, three-dimensional plastic glazing made of robust, weight-saving polycarbonate is emerging in the automotive industry. GE Advanced Materials is working on the development of state-of-the-art glazing systems in cooperation with system suppliers and vehicle manufacturers. While the side and vent windows on present-day saloon cars have tended to become smaller so as to permit higher door panels, bigger tailga...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Industry: Innovative CFRP Technology for Volume Production
Automotive Industry: Innovative CFRP Technology for Volume Production A new CFRP technology has the potential to be used for the first time in volume production in the automotive industry for the manufacture of lightweight parts of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics. In motor sports and in aircraft construction, load-bearing parts of carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRP) have been used for many years to keep weight down. The prime reason for the outstanding lightweight properties of these ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Babylonian Confusion?
Babylonian Confusion? Compatibility Problems in the CAD Environment Ernst Schmachtenberg, Aachen/Germany, Christian Janßen, Velbert/Germany, Thomas Seul, Essen/Germany The exchange of geometry information in networks helps to reduce development times. This type of communication poses unthought-of challenges for users, since the CAD data are often faulty or unreadable due to incompatibility between the different software systems. The following article provides some tips on how to make data ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Back-compression Moulding: Instrument Panel with Integrated Airbag Flap
Back-compression Moulding: Instrument Panel with Integrated Airbag Flap In the space of only 18 months, Peguform und Kaufmann succeeded in developing an instrument panel for the Chrysler Crossfire to production maturity using a new injection-compression moulding process. The foam-backed TPO coverstock used for the part gives a high-quality surface with a soft touch. The development and validation of the integrated passenger airbag took six months. Ali Hassanzadeh, Hans Schirmer, Georg Kaufma...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Barrier Properties: Permeability of Polymer Alloys
Blends Permeability of Polymer Alloys Barrier Properties. Polymer alloys can be used to optimise the barrier properties of polymers and are therefore promising materials for improving fuel barrier properties for the automotive industry. This article describes the advantages of alloy technology in relation to permeability properties. Benoît Brulé The materials considered in this study were commercially available alloys marketed under the trade name Orgalloy. The name stands for a complete range ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Behind Bars
Behind Bars Engineering Plastics for MercedesC-Class Door Locks Reinhold Platz, Joachim Flöck and Detlev Danilow, Frankfurt/Main, Germany Two materials based on polyester and a polyacetal ensure perfect function of the side door locks in the new MercedesC class (W203). In order to fulfil the complex requirements, extensive FEM and moldflow computations as well as frequency analyses were made. The result is that engineering plastics offer maximum security and comfort. In accordance with t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Better-Quality Rubber Products
Better-Quality Rubber Products International Conference on Rubber Processing Two large-scale research projects jointly conducted by the Institut für Kunststofftechnik (Institute for Plastics Technology), in Paderborn/Germany, and industrial partners are examining the processes that occur during the compounding and extrusion of rubber compounds. The results will be presented at an international conference to be held in Paderborn on 9/10 January 2002. Rubber industry do not obtain their raw ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Blown Film Extrusion Today
Blown Film Extrusion Today Versatility and Flexibility are Required Jens Spirgatis and Johannes Wortberg, Essen/Germany Because of the increasing demands being imposed on film products, e. g. in the area of food packaging, a continuing trend towards coextruded film is evident. In addition, the market requires high production flexibility on the part of film manufacturers. As a result of this, new requirements have arisen in relation to plant technology, to which the machinery manufacturers ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Boost for the Economy: Becoming More Competitive through Co-operation
Market and Management Becoming More Competitive through Co-operation Werner Pamminger Boost for the Economy. In April 1999, in Upper Austria, the Kunststoff-Cluster (KC – Plastics Cluster) was founded as part of a promotional program for the plastics industry. It was intended to strengthen the innovativeness of plastics companies, especially through co-operative networking. Methods developed in the PC make it easier to create a basis for successful co-operation. Based on the pioneering achi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Calculation of Plastic Parts: Stress Appearance during Creep
Design Stress Appearance during Creep Calculation of Plastic Parts. Finite element analysis is one of the key tools used by engineers today. Calculations of this type, however, require material models which ensure a precise description of the thermoplastics. New approaches point the way forward in this direction. Vladimir Kolupaev Martin Moneke Florian Becker When designing parts, engineers frequently lack trustworthy material data for the simulation calculation. The engineer has no way of kn...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Campus - The World Standard for Plastics
Campus - The World Standard for Plastics Ralf Tüllmann, Marl/Germany, Rainer Kurzknabe, Geneva/Switzerland, Bahman Sarabi, Leverkusen/Germany, Knut Laumen, Kelsterbach/Germany, Gerhard Maurer, Ludwigshafen/Germany, and Erwin Baur, Aachen/Germany The true value of Campus lies in the fact that it can incorporate standards with test conditions that are so narrowly delimited as to permit full comparability. Campus has thus established itself as a universally-valid standard for plastics testing. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Case Study (2): Hot-Runner Solution for a Thermostat Rotary Knob
Tooling Hot-Runner Solution for a Thermostat Rotary Knob Case Study. With multicomponent technology it is possible to meet requirements such as ensuring that the lettering on a part is abrasion resistant in constant use and that the parts can be produced in a single operation, without secondary work for handling and marking. The prerequisite for obtaining the desired results is close cooperation between the mould maker, designer, injection moulder and hot-runner supplier. Dirk Paulmann Complex ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cast Polyamides for Small Series: Goodbye Injection Moulds
Rapid Prototyping Goodbye Injection Moulds Cast Polyamides for Small Series. From a technical standpoint, prototypes of cast polyamide are fully comparable to mass-produced PA parts and can be produced in sufficient quantities rapidly. For even small lots, the “NylonMold” production process developed by rpm GmbH offers convincing evidence through favourable competitive factors such as low costs, short production cycles and high product quality. The rpm (rapid product manufacturing) GmbH combine...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Ceramic Injection Moulding in Practice
Ceramic Injection Moulding in Practice Masters of the Sensitive Method have Access to an Enormous Market Potential Moritz von Witzleben and Wolfgang Kollenberg, Rheinbach/Germany The authors published a fundamental report on the ceramic injection moulding process (CIM: Ceramic Injection Moulding) in 9/2001 [1]. Here follows a report on production practice that focuses particularly on the injection parameters used in order to point out the differences to conventional plastic injection mouldi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Characteristic-value functions: The Mechanical Fingerprint
Characteristic-value functions: The Mechanical Fingerprint The mechanical properties of plastics are conditioned by a large number of influencing variables, and the property profile of an individual plastic, as a function of temperature, time and media influence for example, is almost as complex and unique as a human fingerprint. Ernst Schmachtenberg, Oliver Schröder, Kai Kuhlmann To ensure that efficient product designs are achieved in plastics engineering, it is essential to have recours...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Close Cooperation Ensures Success
Close Cooperation Ensures Success Technology Management in the Plastics Industry Christian Bonten, Essen/Germany Plastics are being increasingly used in highly demanding segments that would have been unimaginable a few years ago. The main reason for this increase is that, in most cases, plastic products are able best of all to satisfy the many different wishes of the customers - even as far as the price is concerned. K 2001 will demonstrate once again that good technology management by the...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Coinjection of Thermoplastics and Elastomers
Coinjection of Thermoplastics and Elastomers Technical and Economic Aspects of a New Coinjection Technology Christoph Lange and Thomas Hungerkamp, Munich/Germany The production of composites by coinjection moulding is state of the art. High-precision, modular injection moulding machines and innovative mould technology now allow crosslinking elastomers to be injected in combination with thermoplastics. The economic efficiency of these new polymer/elastomer composites depends critically on...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Colour Variation: Two Components, Four Colours, Five Units
Injection Moulding Two Components, Four Colours, Five Units Colour Variation. A five-component injection moulding machine with an 8-cavity 3-station rotary mould can produce, in a single process, four different coloured toothbrush mouldings with a soft-touch surface, each from two components. The 350 injection unit for the basic toothbrush bodies is horizontally arranged on this machine, and the four 100 injection units for the coloured soft-touch surface are aligned vertically. Christoph Sch...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Colourfast Window Profiles
Colourfast Window Profiles Heat-resistant Combinations of ASA and ABS Florian Hennenberger, Ludwigshafen/Germany For more than 40 years now, impact-modified PVC has been doing outstanding service in the construction industry for profile production, particularly for window frames. Nevertheless, there has recently been an increasing call for alternative plastics for this application. The styrene copolymers ASA and ABS are possible candidates. More than half the windows in Germany are curre...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Combinations Enhance Performance Many Times Over
Combinations Enhance Performance Many Times Over Trends, Tendencies and Perspectives in Multi-component Injection Moulding Ansgar Jaeger, Schwaig/Germany While the mould technology and process engineering for multi-component injection moulding are becoming ever more complex, the machines can be configured in an increasingly flexible manner on a modular basis. Future opportunities for multi-component injection moulding will be based first and foremost on the combination of different approac...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Combined Process: Foamed Parts with Excellent Surface Quality
Combined Process: Foamed Parts with Excellent Surface Quality The aim of applications engineering must be to combine two special processes in such a way that the combined process can be technically mastered under practical conditions, that the advantages of both processes are exploited and that the user, in an ideal case, gains an added benefit. An impressive example is the combination of Monosandwich and MuCell processes. Jörg Dassow In injection moulding, many special processes often com...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compact and Reliable
Compact and Reliable Production Integration and Process Reliability in Laser Welding Stefan Hierl, Erlangen/Germany When a method of joining materials is being chosen, ease of automation and process reliability need to be considered in addition to process engineering. What possibilities does transmission laser welding of polymers offer here? Transmission laser welding adds an innovative dimension to the range of methods available for joining plastics. Its specific characteristics render ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Complex Blow Mouldings for the Engine Compartment
Complex Blow Mouldings for the Engine Compartment Branched Polyamides Extend Range of Application Detlev Joachimi, Dirk W. Pophusen and Helmut Schulte, Krefeld/Germany, Roderich Kammerer, Leverkusen/Germany Conventional polyamides with a linear structure can only be used to a limited extent for blow moulding and thermoforming processes. New branched grades of polyamide based on PA 6 and PA 66 with higher pseudo-plasticity have now been developed for these manufacturing processes. In rece...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Complex Handling: Fully Automatic Production of Door Trim Panels
Complex Handling: Fully Automatic Production of Door Trim Panels For the production of door trim panels, the plant operator uses two standard robots and three shelf-mounted robots positioned on the machines. In a sophisticated job-sharing process, the panels are provided with a piece of open-weave fabric (scrim), threaded bushes and labels, and then machined in a laser-cutting unit. Jürgen Warmbold Mürdter GmbH is a company that manufactures door panels for an airbag system on behalf of a ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Complex Multi-Textile Preforms
Complex Multi-Textile Preforms The Potential of Sewing Peter Mitschang and Christian Weimer, Kaiserslautern/Germany Resin injection processes (e. g., RTM) are taking on ever greater importance in the production of structural parts made of fibre-plastic composites (FPCs). Further development of these production methods is critically dependent on the provision of tailored reinforcements, so-called preforms. This article compares the potential afforded by sewing technology in the manufacture ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Composite Constructions: Industrial Production of Structural Components Made from Fibre/Plastic Composites
Lightweight Construction Industrial Production of Structural Components Made from Fibre/Plastic Composites Composite Constructions. The economic production of large, complex, spherically curved fibre/plastic composites for machine and automotive construction requires the development of basic processing principles. In this article, the entire process chain is described from design through production of a preform contoured closely to the shape of the final part to impregnation of the component. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounds and Masterbatches
Compounds and Masterbatches Trends at K 2001 Matthias C. Hund, Neustadt/Weinstraße, Germany The large number of exhibitors at K 2001 offering compounds or masterbatches underlines the importance of these industries. They are used for turning commodity polymers into tailored systems. This article picks out certain features and trends from the wide variety of available information. At first glance, the division of responsibilities appears quite simple: polymer manufacturers produce the bas...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounds and Masterbatches: Revival of Research and Development?
Compounds Revival of Research and Development? Compounds and Masterbatches. Once again, over 80 exhibitors presented compounds and masterbatches at the K 2004. The selected strategies of the individual companies are as varied as the challenges facing the industry: tailoring the properties of plastics to their respective applications. For the first time, several global players were not present in Düsseldorf, while family-run companies emphasised that participation in the K-fair was meaningful...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compression Moulding of Long-fibre-reinforced Plastics
Compression Moulding of Long-fibre-reinforced Plastics Rolf Liebold, Bretten/Germany Large-area components are produced from both the thermoset materials, SMC and BMC, and the thermoplastic semi-finished products, LFT and GMT. In both sectors, new applications have been developed. The article describes the advances being made in industrial-scale processing. The manufacture of SMC (Sheet Moulding Compound) has already been described in detail elsewhere [1] and this article will only cover t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Consumer Protection: Migration Models for the Assessment of Plastic Products
Consumer Protection: Migration Models for the Assessment of Plastic Products The migration of substances from plastics into foods or into the indoor air is a key issue. New software programs provide support in estimating substance migration and help save time and costs. The wide range of properties offered by the plastics that are familiar today is based, firstly, on the different fundamental structures of the polymer matrix and, secondly, on a wealth of relatively low-molecular additives, i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Continuous Growth: Polyarylether Ketone (PAEK)
Trend Report: High Performance Plastics Polyarylether Ketone (PAEK) Continuous Growth. Continuous growth is being reported in the use of high-performance plastics from the PAEK family in all sectors of industry. The balanced and high-grade property profile of this material enables developers and designers to come up with innovative solutions and thereby respond to the constant call for cost reduction, functional optimisation, weight reduction, a longer service life and optimised safety and com...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Continuous-strand-reinforced composites: Multilayer Knitted Fabrics for Rail Vehicles
Continuous-strand-reinforced composites: Multilayer Knitted Fabrics for Rail Vehicles Multilayer knitted fabrics made from glass fibres offer great potential for the economical manufacture of complex, continuous-strand-reinforced structural and interior elements for rail vehicles. The preferred method of processing for this is low-pressure injection. Intensive searches are being conducted for economical and environmentally friendly solutions for lightweight machinery, equipment and vehicles....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Control Engineering: New Technical Beginning in Machine Control
Control Engineering: New Technical Beginning in Machine Control Ten years have passed since the responsible persons at Arburg decided to revise the controller surface of their machine controller. The task of making ever more complex machine processes and connections controllable resulted finally in realisation of a controller with new patented features. Before Fakuma it will be extended by some functionalities. Eberhard Duffner From a control engineering point of view the past years have b...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Control Functions with Artificial Intelligence
Control Functions with Artificial Intelligence AI Brings Advantages in Precision Injection Moulding with All-Electric Machines All-electric injection moulding machines have proven that the electromechanical drive concept has advantages over hydraulic machines for the production of precision parts with thin walls and short cycle times. This article describes the capabilities of all-electric machines and where their advantages lie. Michael Kerber, Neuss-Grimlinghausen/Germany The all-elect...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Convertible Roofs: Targeting the Fresh-air Fanatics
Convertibles Targeting the Fresh-air Fanatics Convertible Roofs. Auto manufacturers across the world regard maximum customisation of their vehicles as a magic wand for generating new incentives to buy in a largely saturated market. The convertible segment offers a particularly wide scope in this respect. Stefan Schlott Of the many thousands of individual parts found in a convertible, the top performs a rather ambivalent function. As a rule, when driving with the top down, it is expected to “res...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Convertible Top Systems: Convertible Top – Lightweight and Made Easy
Convertibles Convertible Top – Lightweight and Made Easy Convertible Top Systems. Innovative and economic solutions can be developed by using plastics for convertible tops and associated systems. Particular advantages are in possible function integration and weight minimisation. In the article some exemplary applications are described. Thomas Lemckau Oliver Moritz The quantities of convertible vehicles produced can vary from 20000 to 200000 units depending on vehicle class with running times bet...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cost Consciousness: Modern Technology is More Economical than Low-spec
Injection Moulding Modern Technology is More Economical than Low-spec Cost Consciousness. Injection moulding machines built to Central European standards give moulders an economic advantage over simply equipped machines from Asian manufacturers, so-called “low-spec” machines. An analysis of the manufacturing costs for various injection moulded parts showed: it is not the purchase price of the machine, but rather its availability and performance that are decisive regarding efficiency. Gerd Lieb...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cost-effectiveness: In-mould Decoration on Modified Standard Machines
Cost-effectiveness: In-mould Decoration on Modified Standard Machines Back-moulded surfaces for car interiors in the compact class are becoming more and more sophisticated in their design. Although such car series are produced in large quantities, there is little margin for error on costs. When certain modifications are made to standard injection-moulding machines, these can also fulfil the technical and economic requirements for back-moulding decorative surfaces. Ante Vasilj, Martin Schmidt...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cost-efficient Extruder Degassing
Cost-efficient Extruder Degassing Dry-running, Contact-free Vacuum Systems Mark Redmann, Maulburg/Germany Screw and rotary piston pumps are increasingly being used for extruder degassing. These dry-running, contact-free vacuum pumps cut the operating costs of the whole plant. In the past, vacuum systems with liquid ring vacuum pumps or oil-sealed, rotary slide vane vacuum pumps were used for extruder degassing. Liquid ring vacuum pumps have been preferred to the rotary slide vane types b...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cost-efficient Production: Extruding Plasticised PVC Film
Cost-efficient Production: Extruding Plasticised PVC Film Using a specially-assembled co-extrusion system, it has proved possible, for the first time, to produce film that could previously only be produced by the calendering process. This permits more cost-efficient production with a high quality at the same time. Franz Grajewski, Henning Stieglitz Plasticised PVC films are used in a large number of areas thanks to their outstanding mechanical properties and their high resistance to permea...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Crash Simulation: Computer Modelling
Safety Computer Modelling Crash Simulation. With a newly developed numerical model, fibre-reinforced plastic components can be simulated far more realistically than with previously known methods. This will considerably improve virtual vehicle development. Stefan Glaser Andreas Wüst To achieve safe crash behaviour is one of the most challenging tasks in modern vehicle development. In addition to protecting just the occupants, increasing importance has been attached in recent years to protecting ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Crosslinking Instead of Glassy Transition
Crosslinking Instead of Glassy Transition Determination of Degree of Curing in Fibre-reinforced Composite Parts Wolfgang Stark, Joachim Döring and Heinz-Ulrich Walentowski, Berlin/Germany In processing fibre-reinforced composites, the curing reaction can be significantly retarded if the temperature and reaction time are not optimally set. In such situations, complete curing is sometimes impossible under practically relevant conditions. It is difficult for processors to recognize or detect ...

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, Customised Mould Technology: Integrated Rotary Platform for Flexible Two-Component Production
Automotive Tooling Integrated Rotary Platform for Flexible Two-Component Production Customised Mould Technology. For a new car central console, a two-component mould has been developed in which the rotary platform is integrated into the mould direct rather than in the clamping platen. This gives processors the flexibility to use the mould in combination with a side injection moulding unit on different machines. Uwe Steinmeyer Otto Kunststoffverarbeitung Crock GmbH specialises in the productio...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cutting Costs, Increasing Benefits: Multi-Component Injection Moulding as Innovation Driver
Cutting Costs, Increasing Benefits: Multi-Component Injection Moulding as Innovation Driver For products to remain viable, they must offer added functionality and design combined with lower production costs – a condition that can only be met with innovative production processes.In this article, Wilden AG in Regensburg/Germany, uses a series of sample products to demonstrate the development potential that can be unlocked by multi-component injection moulding. Herbert Argauer, Andreas Eder, Ka...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cutting Foams: Foam-Splitting-Machine with Network Capability
PUR Technology Foam-Splitting-Machine with Network Capability Jürgen Speck Cutting Foams. Complex cutting lines for moulded parts in polyurethane or other foams are made up of a number of separate machines which, in the ideal case, ought to be able to communicate with each other. Data exchange on horizontal splitting machines has now been implemented on the operating unit in a direct and straightforward manner for the first time, via Ethernet. Arm rests and backrests for upholstered furnitur...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cycle time reduction: Linear Motion Technology Accelerates Production Exponentially
Cycle time reduction: Linear Motion Technology Accelerates Production Exponentially Bosch Rexroth AG substantially accelerated manufacture of thin walled injection moulded parts in its Schweinfurt/Germany works using an automation system from the handling specialist Hekuma GmbH. Hekuma uses Rexroth’s linear motion and assembly technologies as core components for the high-speed unloading robot. Torsten Kirchmann The highest quality and 24 hour delivery capability are crucial competitive adv...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Dashboards Meet Highest Requirements
Dashboards Meet Highest Requirements New Market for Slush-moulded Skins Made from TPU Jürgen Hättig, Leverkusen/Germany, and Wolfgang Kaufhold, Dormagen/Germany The requirement profile for dashboards can be roughly divided into the categories of safety, appearance, touch and environmental friendliness. Because of increased requirements, particularly in relation to airbag technology, the use of moulded skins based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is growing in importance. A car dashboa...

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, Decoration on the Front, Attachments on the Rear
Decoration on the Front, Attachments on the Rear Producing the Interior Trim of an Automotive Door by Integrated Decoration Compression Moulding Richard Hahnekamp, Munich/Germany, and Georg Kaufmann, Busslingen/Switzerland The very finest in mould technology, production techniques and logistics all go into the production of the different versions of the interior door trim for the convertible and coupé of the 3-series BMW by integrated decoration compression moulding. This article describes...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Design of Single-screw Extruders
Design of Single-screw Extruders Simulation Is Not Easy Walter Michaeli and Andreas Imhoff, Aachen/Germany Correct dimensioning of the screw is a vital factor for the cost and quality of extruded products. Designing single-screw extruders is only possible if a large number of simplifications and assumptions are made. Most machine manufacturers have specific know-how in certain areas of application when it comes to selecting the screw geometry. This well guarded knowledge is part of a compa...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Desktop Manufacturing and Biofunctional Processing
Desktop Manufacturing and Biofunctional Processing New Applications in Tissue Engineering Rüdiger Landers and Rolf Mülhaupt, Freiburg/Germany, Hendrik John, Marl/Germany The new tools of desktop manufacturing are set to unlock the door to completely new application areas, especially in medicine. Three-dimensional dispensing in a liquid medium ("3D plotting") allows to fabricate complex objects, pipes and non-wovens according to CAD specifications. Many different kinds of material m...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Detecting Contaminants: Product Safety in the PET Loop
Recycling Product Safety in the PET Loop Detecting Contaminants. It takes a powerful analytical system to guarantee the product safety of recycled PET. Specific detection methods enable all kinds of interferences to be detected at high sensitivity. A specially developed online method provides detailed information of the kind specifically needed in the manufacture of recycled PET for critical applications in the food sector. Andreas Mäurer Frank Welle Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has been...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Development and Trends: Plastics – a Mature Industry?
Market and Management Plastics – a Mature Industry? Development and Trends. Plastics are predicted to show continued growth and innovation. Experts envisage that, in future, this will be driven not by new polymers, but by the custom design of supramolecular structures and integrated solutions within the plastics supply chain. Franz Brandstetter The plastics world is currently characterised by falling margins, globally standardised production technologies and growing capacity surpluses. The domi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Development Trends: Extrusion Blow-moulded Automotive Components
Development Trends: Extrusion Blow-moulded Automotive Components Extrusion blow moulding of industrial automotive components is currently undergoing dramatic changes which affect both suppliers and products alike. Suppliers of blown components have to struggle with an increasing cost pressure – product innovations and efficient technologies for a better production efficiency are called for now. Axel Birk More than ever before, suppliers to the automotive industry are compelled to deliver h...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Dimensional Stability and Impact Strength
Dimensional Stability and Impact Strength (PC+ASA) Blends for Automotive Body Panels Martin Weber, Heiner Görrissen and Reinhard Jakobi, Ludwigshafen/Germany Blends based on polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylic ester (ASA) are noted for their good weatherability and processing stability. A new product with improved flowability and toughness has been developed for the field of automotive body panels. Applications in the field of automotive body panels (title photo) constit...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Diode Lasers in Mass Production
Diode Lasers in Mass Production Flexible Welding Technique Up to now available laser light sources have been too complex, too big and too expensive for welding plastics. However, in this regard modern diode lasers are exceptional: they are compact, efficient and ready for use in industrial mass production. Laser welding of plastics offers advantages compared to other joining techniques. Laser welding is a non-destructive non-contacting process with well controlled local heat application. T...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Direct Compounding: New Directions in Plastics Processing
Special New Directions in Plastics Processing Direct Compounding. Process steps that normally occur separately during compounding at the resin supplier and during processing at the producer of semi-finished or finished goods are combined in direct extrusion and in the injection moulding compounder. The additional effort and expense incurred by the processor are considerable and must be offset by cost savings for the raw materials as well as by the benefits resulting from increased flexibility a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Direct Laser Forming: New Structures Built up Layer by Layer
Laser Technology New Structures Built up Layer by Layer Direct Laser Forming. Generative laser processes are already well established in the plastics industry for the series production of components. In the metal sector, however, the use of these processes, e.g. for making injection moulds, is still new and extremely promising. In a similar way to other powder-based generative processes, laser forming makes it possible to build up components with complex geometry layer by layer directly from a ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Double Belt Plants: Flexible Production of Various Insulation Panels
Building Flexible Production of Various Insulation Panels Wolfgang Friedl Michael Loferer Double belt plants. Large-size, pre-manufactured sandwich panels with a mineral wool or polyurethane foam (PU or PIR) insulation core have proved particularly successful in industrial buildings and cold store warehouses. Both types of element are produced on double belt lines in different configurations and stacked ready for shipping. The weatherproof, ready-to-use sandwich panels with outer layers made ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Drive and Applications Technology: All-Electric Broadside
Injection Moulding All-Electric Broadside Drive and Applications Technology. Through ongoing technical developments and many years of experience in the field, it has been possible to greatly extend the bandwidth of possibilities for the use of all-electric injection moulding machines. Besides reducing manufacturing costs through a suitable choice of drive concepts, current development work is focusing on transferring the advantages of these machines to a large number of machines. Kai Grundman...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Driving the Automotive Industry: Engineering Elastomers
Trend Report Crosslinking Plastics Engineering Elastomers Driving the Automotive Industry. Within the elastomer-manufacturing industry, there is increasing concentration and focus on product groups. Regardless of this, the trend towards relocating production of standard products within the expanded European Union continues to advance. In the future, China and India will also increasingly emerge both as markets and production locations for engineering elastomer products. Werner P. Lauhus The Eu...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, E-mail from an Injection Moulding Machine
E-mail from an Injection Moulding Machine Remote Maintenance of Injection Moulding Machines - Concepts, Possibilities, Future Erwin Schwab and Ralf Marzineak, Iserlohn/Germany The traditional maintenance and repair service previously operated in plastics processing plants is no longer sufficient to ensure high availability of complex production systems. New information and communication technologies offer the potential here for innovation in terms of commissioning, remote diagnosis and fau...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Easy and Reliable Demoulding
Easy and Reliable Demoulding Electroless Nickel Dispersion Layers to Aid Demoulding Udo Daniels, Aalen/Germany In injection moulding, fault-free production is an essential requirement for economical working. If no lubricants and release agents can be used and if the moulds have complex geometries or thin-walled parts are involved, good surface slip is absolutely essential. Electroless nickel dispersion layers are very suitable for this purpose. Studies and practical applications have prove...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Easy-opening Concepts: Easy-opening Sterile Packaging
Easy-opening Concepts: Easy-opening Sterile Packaging Packaging for medical devices, operating-theatre apparel, wound dressings and sterile sheets for medical applications needs to be easy and quick to open. No particles or fibres are allowed to become detached from the torn surface, however. Traditional peel concepts already satisfy this requirement, but a new innovative material combination with a spunflash nonwoven is able to offer further benefits. Heiko E. Schenck, Malik Zeniti In Nor...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Ecoefficiency: Plastics in Politics and Practice
Ecoefficiency: Plastics in Politics and Practice The market for products made of biologically degradable materials is still at the beginning of its development. Market mechanisms and basic legal conditions will solely determine whether this new group of materials is penetrating the market. Ingo Sartorius Innovative new developments and advances are the basis for stabilisation and preservation of the competitiveness of European industry. They make i.a. relevant contributions to environmenta...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Economical Production of Barrier Film
Economical Production of Barrier Film The Innovative Films Market Calls for Flexible Machine Concepts Jochen Hennes, Worms/Germany, and Tony Rüegg, Lachen/Switzerland The property profiles of high-grade barrier films are becoming increasingly complex. Extrusion lines must be able to process a greater variety of materials than ever before. This makes enormous demands on the machine components. The ability to supply individual films quickly is nowadays more important than ever, which is wh...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Economical Production of PU Parts
Economical Production of PU Parts State of the Art of Polyurethane RRIM Technology Karl-Heinz Dörner and Hans Joachim Meiners, Leverkusen/Germany, Hans-Joachim Ludwig, Sulzbach/Germany The RRIM process provides the polyurethane industry with a technology for meeting the automotive industry's basic demands of cost and weight reduction together with high quality standards. PU RRIM parts can now be produced at competitive prices with high process stability. The RRIM (reinforced reaction...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Effect of Structure-borne Sound: Acoustics of Plastics parts
Automotive Engineering Acoustics of Plastics parts Effect of Structure-borne Sound. By gathering material data according to the stressing, and selecting appropriate material models, it was possible to predict the sound emission of technical plastics parts as a result of structure-borne sound using FEA and BEA techniques. There is good agreement between the simulation and experiment. The need for acoustic design of technical parts or systems arises from legal and economic circumstances. The dri...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Effects of E-Business on the Automotive Supplier Industry
Effects of E-Business on the Automotive Supplier Industry Opportunities for Medium-Size Companies Kerstin Geiger, Walldorf/Germany The announcement of different market places for the automotive industry has both unsettled and spurred on suppliers. In order to be able to help fashion E-business, suppliers are founding their own initiatives. Political framework conditions and the achievements of information technology are enabling companies in the automotive industry to increasingly act on...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Efficient Project Development
Efficient Project Development Polyarylamide Compounds for Cycle Brake Housings Wolf Sanner, Rheinberg/Germany, Robert Olz, Bad Urach/Germany, Vito Leo, Brussels/Belgium, and Thomas Halcour, Kerpen-Sindorf/Germany Light weight, a balanced strength profile, an excellent surface finish and very good slip properties are the most important requirements for cycle brake components. Calculations and extensive laboratory and practical tests confirmed the suitability of polyarylamide (PA MXD6) compo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Elastomer Composites: Complex Mould Technology for Sealing Membranes
Tooling Complex Mould Technology for Sealing Membranes Elastomer Composites. Disposable bottles for shampoo, ketchup or condensed milk include a sealing membrane to prevent dripping. As with many other applications, in this unassuming mass product the details are important. An LSR component moulded onto a PA ring requires a certain degree of mould design expertise. Gerhard Kornfelder The production line described below, in which an LSR component is overmoulded onto a PA ring makes subsequent a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Elastomers: Flexible and Customised
Trade Fair Report Flexible and Customised Elastomers. Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are now indispensable for applications ranging from everyday items to underhood components. On the "rubber line", trade visitors were able to assess the merits of special developments in synthetic rubbers, which account for by far the largest proportion of elastomers. The automotive industry remains an essential driving force for the market. After years of strong growth, thermoplastic elastomers – a grou...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electrical Engineering: Plastics Go Electric
Electrical Engineering Plastics Go Electric Electrical Engineering. In the globalised electrical industry, plastics are having to meet increasingly stringent, country-specific requirements. Flame-retardant modification plays a key role here. Karl-Michael Reinfrank Ralf Neuhaus Requirements for plastics in electrical engineering are becoming increasingly stringent. At the same time, the market is regulated by a multitude of different standards, which means that very special, flame-retardant-modi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electrically Conducting Compounds: New Functional Material for the Automotive Sector
Automotive - Functional Materials New Functional Material for the Automotive Sector Electrically Conducting Compounds. Electrically conducting components used in the automotive sector, are generally made in complicated multi-stage processes. An alternative is offered by a new material in which a low-melting alloy is incorporated along with copper fibres into a thermoplastic matrix. Electrically and thermally conducting components are becoming more important in the automotive sector. Electrica...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electronic Components and Displays: Intrinsically Conductive Polymers
Special: Electronics Intrinsically Conductive Polymers Electronic Components and Displays. The importance of intrinsically conductive, that is, self-conducting, polymers is growing in many areas of the electronics industry: these materials are already finding use in through hole plating of printed circuit boards and as the counter electrode in polymer-based capacitors. Polymer electronics and polymeric light-emitting diodes (PLED) are being predicted as growth areas for the future. Stephan K...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electronic Markets for Plastics
Electronic Markets for Plastics E-Commerce Increases Market Transparency Tina Canic, Groß-Umstadt/Germany Everyone can win: the buyers, the suppliers and naturally also the electronic markets. Since the beginning of 2000 four German markets have been bringing the Internet trade with plastics up to speed. They use the Internet to illustrate proven business models on-line and to develop new business models. Opinions on electronic markets switch between euphoria and scepticism. Surely they ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Engineering Network: Additional Knowledge Instead of Competition
On the Spot Additional Knowledge Instead of Competition Engineering Network. Over the past 30 years Jacob Kunststofftechnik has made the move from being a classical thermoformer to a system developer with a high level of know-how whose product innovations have received several awards. In the process, the company has benefited from being part of a plastics engineering network, which it helped to set up. Clemens Doriat Is it possible to thermoform and stamp films under clean-room conditions? An...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Engineering Plastics: Products for Innovative Processes
Trade Fair Report Products for Innovative Processes Engineering Plastics. Product developments tailored to innovative production processes were a noticeable trend in the engineering plastics sector at the K2004 plastics trade fair. Product developers are increasingly focusing on the implications of legislation such as the EU End of Life Vehicle Directive (ELV Directive) and the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive). The engineering plastics group is not clearly ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Epoxy Resins (EP)
Epoxy Resins (EP) Juan Antonio Merino, Horgen/Switzerland Just like most companies in the volatile economy of the last year, manufacturers of epoxies had a challenging business environment in 2001 with high raw material costs and a slowing global economy. Raw material costs have somewhat stabilized, and there is increasing confidence that we have or will soon pass the bottom of the business cycle. By the second half of 2002, we expect to see a resurgence in growth around the world. World c...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Escalators Made of Plastics
Escalators Made of Plastics Specially-Tailored Polymer Blend Conquers this Aluminum Domain Eckhard Erlenkämper, Leverkusen/Germany, Horst Beicher, Krefeld/Germany, and Andreas Lange, Bad Salzuflen/Germany Ever since the end of the Sixties, escalator steps have been made of aluminum by pressure die-casting. All attempts to produce the steps in plastic to date have failed on account of the stringent requirements imposed on the dimensional stability of the component and hence on the material ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Estimating the Material Properties: The Route to a Working Prototype
Rapid Prototyping The Route to a Working Prototype Estimating the Material Properties. Developing an intake manifold for a V6 engine required a range of functional tests. A number of prototypes had already failed due to a lack of stability, and the alternative of producing the required parts from series material, was impossible on cost grounds. A methodological approach to the material selection for prototype construction was seen to open up the way to a solution. Tom Mueller In the past, ra...

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, European Political Institutions and Plastics
European Political Institutions and Plastics VKE wants to form Political Communication with the Committees of the EU actively Increasingly guidelines resulting from political decision processes of the European Union influence national markets and global competition. To have an influence on behalf of the interests of the plastics industry, the Association of Plastics Producing Industries, VKE, wants to intensify its communication with European political institutions. The basic political con...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Evolution, Not Revolution
Evolution, Not Revolution Prototyping at Euromold: Optimisation of Existing Processes C. Bonten, C. Janßen and T. Seul, Essen/Germany Euromold 2001 clearly showed that in the field of rapid prototyping the innovative focus of equipment manufacturers last year is more on optimising than on developing new processes. Fig. 1 shows that demand for models and prototypes remains unbridled. The clouds of alchemy surrounding rapid prototyping are clearing, with many visitors showing that they are...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Exhaust-Air Purification in Laser Technology
Exhaust-Air Purification in Laser Technology Catalytic Exhaust Gas Treatment Reduces Emissions in the Laser Processing of Polymers Jens Bliedtner, Jens Haupt, Hartmut Müller and Harry Schreiber, Jena/Germany Unlike metals, polymers and composite materials undergo profound physical and chemical changes under the effect of a laser beam. Equipment concepts that take into account mutual interactions ensure an optimum and stable process that can also be automated. The laser processing of orga...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expanded Boundaries
Expanded Boundaries Newly Developed PPS Grades for Injection Moulding and Extrusion Benny Mermans, Kallo-Beveren/Belgium The advanced polymer polyphenylene sulphide (PPS) has now succeeded in overcoming critical technological hurdles. New injection moulding alloys and extrusion grades are extending the traditional applications of this previously highly specialized material, and opening up new applications. Polyphenylene sulphide, properly called poly(thio-1,4-phenylene), has a relatively...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expectations and Performance: The Importance of Numerical Simulation
Special The Importance of Numerical Simulation Expectations and Performance. The use of simulation to design moulds and products has become an indispensable part of plastics processing. Complete simulation will still remain a long-term dream but the first steps along this path have already been taken. Walter Michaeli Stefan Hoffmann In view of the high quality requirements that plastics products have to meet and the pressure to cut development costs, the rationale for using simulations in th...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expert Knowledge is Requested
Expert Knowledge is Requested Injection Moulded Parts for Sight Optics Require High Precision and Strength Frank Mittner, Mühlenbach/Germany A design using appropriate material and professional project planning are preconditions for successfully developing a product technically and economically. As the example of the component presented in the following shows, it is worthwhile for the engineering designer to include external expert knowledge. The task set consisted of the development and...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Extrusion Technology of the Future
Extrusion Technology of the Future New Developments, Trends and Concepts from the Point of View of Machine and Line Manufacturers Wolfgang Studener and Norbert Kreth, Bad Oeynhausen/Germany To remain competitive, extrusion processors must produce ever-higher quality at ever-lower cost. Is the philosophy of zero-defect and zero-tooling time in extrusion technology really feasible or just an ideal goal? Innovation cycles are getting shorter while cost pressures on extruders are intensifyin...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Extrusion: Automation – Right Down the Line
Extrusion: Automation – Right Down the Line Highly automated extrusion lines are nowadays needed for the production of profiles, pipes and cables. Consequently, a number of different control systems must be built into the overall automation arrangement. A new concept enables simple control and operation of all the components of the extrusion line. Werner Eberlein Following several years of development and close coordination with customers, Siemens AG is now offering a complete automation p...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fast and Reliable
Fast and Reliable Welding Three-dimensional Parts by Laser Edmund Haberstroh, Reiner Lützeler and Jan Schulte zur Heide, Aachen/Germany Contour welding can be used to weld complex part geometries without contact. The welded parts have very low leakage and high bursting pressure. In addition to the frequently used welding processes such as ultrasonic welding, hot tool butt welding and vibration welding, various laser welding techniques have succeeded over the last few years in becoming es...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, FE Method: Design Concept for Stacked-type Spiral Dies
Extrusion Design Concept for Stacked-type Spiral Dies Michael Cretu, Hans-Gerhard Fritz FE Method. A new model-based design concept for stacked-type spiral dies is based on flow simulation, and allows correct design of the distribution system based on optimisation criteria. The design concept has been verified by experimental studies. Flat spiral dies are mainly used in pipe and tubular film extrusion. Because of its many advantages, this die concept has shown strong growth in the field of mult...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fibre Composite Parts: Automated Preform-RTM Production
Fibre Composite Parts: Automated Preform-RTM Production Experience acquired in automated textile engineering and plastics technology, coupled with software developments that can be implemented in different branches of industry, make it possible to optimize automated processes and achieve considerable savings potential. Thanks to the many years’ experience acquired in the mass production of textile clothing and the high market volume involved, these production processes are now run in an exte...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fibre Composites: Bonding Automotive Bodies
Fibre Composites: Bonding Automotive Bodies In small to medium-sized series vehicle, fibre composites are increasingly used materials for exterior body panels. Adhesive bonding is raising in importance as it often is the only suitable joining technology. Jochem Sauer Plastics currently make up 13 to 18% of a motor car. This is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 4.7% in the West European automotive industry. Plastics applications are distributed between the car interior – by far the gre...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fibre Orientation in the Simulation: Improved Dimensioning of Engineering Plastic Parts
Improved Dimensioning of Engineering Plastic Parts Fibre Orientation in the Simulation. Engineering plastic parts are often reinforced with short fibres to improve their specific properties. In the development of such parts, the mechanical behaviour is often incorrectly predicted if the fibre orientations are not taken into account in dimensioning. Software allows reliable simulation of short-fibre reinforced parts. Wolfgang Korte The strength and stiffness of plastic parts can be significant...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fibre Reinforced Plastics: Tailor-made Reinforcing Textiles
Fibre Reinforced Plastics: Tailor-made Reinforcing Textiles Textile semi-finished products for fibre composites can be made up by employing conventional sewing techniques. Special mechanical properties can be achieved in sewn and resin-impregnated parts in this way. Kai Klopp, Thomas Gries Due to their complex nature, fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) have a very high potential for solving specific strength problems. Continuous fibre reinforced plastics are employed in aeronautics and aerosp...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Film extrusion: Predicting the Properties of Blown Film
Film extrusion: Predicting the Properties of Blown Film A statistical process model makes it possible to predict the mechanical properties of a blown film ahead of production using simple dimensionless process values. Walter Michaeli , Friedrich Ohlendorf The tubular film or blown film extrusion process is one of the most important processes for producing film. The mechanical values of a blown film are governed by the complex process state in the bubble expansion zone. The bubble expansion...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Firm Alliance: Total Quality Management in the Production of Sheet Products
Firm Alliance: Total Quality Management in the Production of Sheet Products Three system houses with emphasis on measurement technology, inspection technology and software production have united in the Paper & Plastics Solutions Group. The group supports manufacturers of paper and plastic foils with quality assurance. Gerhard Spies, Helmut Flohr, Leo Stadlmayr The functions of production-near in-line measurement systems and of production planning systems increasingly grow together during p...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flex-ring Dies: Improved Wall-thickness Distribution of the Preform during Blow Moulding
Blow Moulding Improved Wall-thickness Distribution of the Preform during Blow Moulding Flex-ring Dies. The possibility of varying the flow-channel gap at any position around the circumference of a die opens up completely new horizons for extrusion blow moulding. It not only makes it possible to manufacture even more complex parts, but flex-ring technology also extends the range of applications of dynamic wall-thickness control to all required die geometries. Heinz Groß The geometries of blow-mo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flexibility Profit in Lost-core Technology
Flexibility Profit in Lost-core Technology Lost-core Machine with Two Independent Mould Clamping Units Windsor Kunststofftechnologie GmbH, Hanau/Germany has developed a new concept for a lost-core machine. The KGM 100 Duo model has two independent mould clamping units for the simultaneous use of two moulds and a relatively high clamping force of 1000 kN for casting metal cores. This company, part of the Cannon Group since August 1999, supplied the first design of the large lost-core machin...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fluid Injection Technique: Production of Media-conveying Ducts
Automotive - Injection Moulding Production of Media-conveying Ducts Fluid Injection Technique. Media ducts that are both curved and partially integrated in other functional parts are to be found in cars, household appliances, medical technology and virtually all other sectors of industry. This wide variety of applications and requirements calls for different production techniques. Conventional processes such as extrusion, blow moulding and 3D blow moulding frequently entail a number of differ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fluid Injection Technique: Understanding Residual Wall Thickness
Injection Moulding Understanding Residual Wall Thickness Fluid Injection Technique. The material distribution is one of the most important criteria when using the fluid injection technique. The residual wall thickness has a significant impact on the mechanical properties of the hollow plastic part and, for fluid conduits, directly establishes the area of the flow cross section. In addition to the process parameters and part geometry, the material properties of the polymer used play an importan...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Foaming: Multi-Component Mixing Head
Foaming: Multi-Component Mixing Head An ingenious solution for multi-component formulations opens up new possibilities and creates greater flexibility in foam manufacture. Long-term production tests on car seats have been highly promising. To increase productivity and obtain substantial cost savings, manufacturers of car seats (Fig.1) are looking for foaming processes that offer flexibility, efficiency, short cycle times and less maintenance. They especially want to be able to process multic...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Framework Principle: New Production Process for Fibre-reinforced Composite Components
Composite Material New Production Process for Fibre-reinforced Composite Components Framework Principle. Economic production of high-load-bearing, lightweight structural components is now possible in a one-stage process. This process is a combination of the established method for producing components from long-fibre thermoplastics with the strategic use of complex multiple inserts of unidirectionally oriented endless fibres. Long-fibre-reinforced thermoplastics (LFT) are now widely used for la...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, From the Idea to the Product
From the Idea to the Product Examples of a Consistent Development Process Ernst Schmachtenberg, Rainer Dahlmann, Oliver Pfannschmidt, Markus Glissmann, Sven Prollius and Jochen Töpker, Aachen/Germany In the course of part development, complex and interlinked problems are frequently encountered which have to be worked through on a step-by-step basis. The huge variety of problems that arise and the links that exist between them are set out on the basis of specific examples taken from differe...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Full House: Innovative Systems Prove an Attraction
Market Innovative Systems Prove an Attraction Full House. A high-powered programme, an attractive setting and a clear upwards trend in the number of participants – the VDI’s annual Injection Moulding conference is on the way to achieving its aim of becoming an institution. Wolfgang Kircher The number of participants at the annual injection moulders' conference in Baden-Baden each Spring is generally a good barometer of the economic climate. If a large number of injection moulding experts m...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fully Automated MID Technology: Complete Solution for Overmoulding Flexible Circuit Foils
Tooling Complete Solution for Overmoulding Flexible Circuit Foils Fully Automated MID Technology. The mouldmaker, Erwin Quarder Werkzeugbau, offers a complete, fully automated solution for in-mould lamination of flexible circuit foils. This “Flex-Foil” method is faster and more economical than conventional stamped circuits. For the production of electric circuits on three-dimensional moulded components, this technology requires less space and fewer operations for identical functionality. Erwin ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Functional Design: Acoustic and Design Concepts for the Engine Compartment
Automotive - Design Acoustic and Design Concepts for the Engine Compartment Timo Würtz Silvia Ziolkowski Functional Design. Engine covers must satisfy a number of different require-ments. They have to upgrade the appearance of the engine compartment gener-ally and reduce noise emissions at the same time. Diesel vehicles in particular are a big challenge in this respect. For the engine compartment of the new Golf V, Weber, Dillenburg, has developed – and now manufactures – a range of acousti...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Functionality is the Key Factor
Functionality is the Key Factor Plastics Drive Medical Progress Martin Weller and Peter Eyerer, Stuttgart/Germany The ever increasing functionality of medical products and, in parallel with this, the mounting complexity of such articles are making a significant contribution towards raising the value added in the use of plastics for medical applications. This, in combination with the enormous pressure on costs in the health care sector, is providing the driving force for innovative developm...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Gas - Not just because of the Cell Structure
Gas - Not just because of the Cell Structure Economical Structural Foam Moulding for Customised Component Properties Christof Wurnitsch, Rudolf Wörndle and Bernhard Spiegl, Leoben/Austria, Georg Steinbichler and Peter Egger, Schwertberg/Austria Ever greater use is being made of plastic foams due to increasingly stringent weight reduction requirements and tighter specifications on component tolerances. Foams combine improved thermal, acoustic and electrical insulation properties and high sp...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Gas Phase Fluorination: Reducing Plasticiser Migration
Additives Reducing Plasticiser Migration Gas Phase Fluorination. Plasticisers have special importance in producing PVC. They can be used to adjust the properties of PVC over a wide range from hard to leathery soft. The plasticiser migrates from the PVC and accumulates on the surface. Plasticiser migration from PVC can be significantly reduced by pretreatment with gas phase fluorination. Sindy Mosch Carsten Rehwinkel Bernd Möller Since the beginning of mass production in the last century plastics...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Gas-assisted Injection Moulding: Accurate Determination of the Injection Points
Gas-assisted Injection Moulding: Accurate Determination of the Injection Points In the process design of gas-assisted injection moulding process, the positions of the melt and gas injection points have a decisive effect on the subsequent part quality. Part two of this three-part series uses an FE simulation to illustrate the effect of melt distribution on the gas bubble profile, and shows a way to determine the optimum injection location. Helmut Potente, Hans-Peter Heim, Helmut Ridder Befo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Gas-assisted Injection Moulding: The Cross-section is Crucial
Gas-assisted Injection Moulding: The Cross-section is Crucial The gas-bubble cross-section has a crucial effect on the growth of the gas bubble in a gas-assist part. For successful application of gas-assisted injection moulding, it must therefore be clear how process parameters affect the developing cavity. Part 3 and end of the series. Helmut Potente, Hans-Peter Heim, Helmut Ridder Two preceding articles on gas-assisted injection moulding (GAIM) described the geometrical influences of the...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, GIT, Sandwich and Two-component Moulding in Practice and Research: Correct Application of Multicomponent Processes
25 Years of KTP Correct Application of Multicomponent Processes GIT, Sandwich and Two-component Moulding in Practice and Research. The article gives a brief survey of gas-assisted injection moulding, multi-component composite injection moulding and sandwich injection moulding. It highlights application problems in practice and potential solutions from research at the KTP. Despite the fact that the term "multicomponent process" is only used in the literature in the context of the injectio...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, GITBlow: Inflating Functional Channels in the Injection Mould
25 Years of KTP Inflating Functional Channels in the Injection Mould GITBlow. A new technique combines gas-assisted injection moulding with an inflation stage. The process allows the production of complex plastic parts with large cross-section hollow cavities and low wall thicknesses. Hans-Peter Heim Helmut Ridder Plastic parts whose design requires hollow channels are often produced by gas-assisted injection moulding, for example to reduce the typical shrinkage and improve the quality of the e...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Granules and Recyclate: Direct Processing of PET without Pre-drying
Direct Processing of PET without Pre-drying Granules and Recyclate. The direct processing of PET into film or fibres increases product quality, offers significant savings in operating costs, reduces power consumption and cuts logistics costs. The process has proved successful for units of up to 3000kg/h, and can also be used in bottle-to-bottle recycling. Sabine Schönfeld Frank Lechner The consumption of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has been recording above-average growth rates for many y...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Graphic-based Control Technology: Full Automation of One-component Foaming Lines
Foaming Full Automation of One-component Foaming Lines Graphic-based Control Technology. From Japan comes an innovative one-component foaming technology that the German licensee for the European market is developing further. It is betting on complete automatic control engineering with graphic visualisation and intuitive touch control on a Windows CE based operating panel. Jürgen Speck In many cases direct foaming of seals on the component – for short FIPFG for Formed in Place Foam Gasketing – ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Gripper Technology: Problematical Assembly Work
Automotive - Automation Problematical Assembly Work Gripper Technology. The rear flap of the Mercedes CLK is relatively complicated to assemble and poses a challenge for automation. Robots have now replaced this elaborate and error-prone manual work in a tailor-made unit. Up until recently, an automotive supplier put together the rear flap of the Mercedes CLK by hand. Manual assembly of the three large-area plastic parts, four reinforcement panels and the aerial proved to be unsatisfactory,...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growing with the Electronics Market: Liquid-Crystal Polymers (LCP)
Trend Report High Performance Plastics Liquid-Crystal Polymers (LCP) Growing with the Electronics Market. Electronics applications are still the driving force behind the consumption and development of liquid-crystal polymers. As parts get ever smaller but at the same time more complex, increasing demands are made on the material grades used. In many cases, LCPs offer the most efficient solution here thanks to their extraordinary range of properties. Birgit Staub Stefan Greulich Since the end o...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Grown Dynamically: PBT Compounds
Special: World Market PBT Compounds Grown Dynamically. Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) is a semicrystalline material that is being used with increasing success in the automotive and electrical and electronics sectors, where it is often a substitute for metals and thermosets. Market volume in Europe in 2003 was around 180000 tonnes, up about 30000 tonnes on the figure for 2000. Like PET, PBT belongs to the family of saturated polyesters. Both materials offer an interesting combination of pro...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growth in Rotational Processing: Innovations Rewarded
Growth in Rotational Processing: Innovations Rewarded According to predictions rotational moulding will register annual growth rates of more than 20% up to 2005. Use of new materials, more economical moulds and further developed mechanical engineering are the principal reasons for the outstanding growth of this process. D. Erich Boersch As a still relatively unknown process and at only about 50 years comparably recent, today rotational technology is presented as a process with its own prof...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growth Market for Powder Injection Moulding
Growth Market for Powder Injection Moulding Opportunities for Processors Frank Petzoldt, Bremen/Germany The injection moulding of metal and ceramic powder materials (powder injection moulding - PIM) has become established as a competitive technology for precision parts. PIM's success results from the high freedom of shaping allowed by plastics injection moulding technology combined with the wide choice of materials offered by powder technology. This leads to a dynamically growing marke...