IE Series - PUR - Innovative Polymers, Inc

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-31, "Father of Long Glass" Delivers a New Baby
...and other bits of paper on which, over the years, Hawley drew the first sketches of a remarkable series of inventions. Known as the "father of long glass," Hawley helped pioneer the developm...

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-31, 'Father of Long Glass' Delivers a New Baby
...and other bits of paper on which, over the years, Hawley drew the first sketches of a remarkable series of inventions. Known as the "father of long glass," Hawley helped pioneer the developm...

Kunststoffe international, 3D Printing with Pellet Extruded Plastics on Metal
Additive manufacturing processes count as future-oriented manufacturing techniques. Numerous studies and award-winning demonstrators underline the interest of the industry. Nevertheless, up to now there are only a few plastic-based applications with significant quantities. Today, screw-based additive manufacturing is a ‧solution for the economic and technical challenges and has the potential for series production. The debate surrounding the conditions for cost-effective and scalable additive man...

Kunststoffe international, All about Plasticizing Screws
...on, and the starting point for further optimization. Designing an injection molding machine is actually a highly complex task. To ensure that no wrong choice is made when selecting the machine, a large number of key parameters must first be identified and included in the calculation. Particular attention must be paid to the plasticizing unit (Fig. 1), since it is a vital success factor in manufacturing high-quality products. The requirements these aggregates have to meet are extremely complex, b...

Kunststoffe international, Alternatives to Gluing and Mechanical Joining
... dissimilar materials combinations, thus ‧offering an alternative to classic procedures for joining hybrid parts. Plastic/metal hybrid parts are being used increasingly in numerous branches, such as the automotive, aerospace, or electronics industries. The joining of dissimilar materials continues to present a special challenge to joining technology. In recent years, thermal direct joining of thermoplastics and metals has developed into a promising joining technology capable of replacing gluing ...

Kunststoffe international, Amorphous Metals Combined with Elastomers
Injection molding manufacturer Engel and technology group Heraeus have succeeded in slashing cycle times in the injection molding of amorphous metals. In so doing, the two system partners have rendered these alloys, which possess special properties, amenable to large-scale production over a wide range of end uses. The K 2019 trade fair will see two-component parts made of amorphous metal and silicone being produced for the first time – inside a fully automated manufacturing cell. Due to their r...

Kunststoffe international, Automotive Display: A Matter of Form
...riving, such as navigation, infotainment and operation. It often has a touch function. For years, the trend has been toward increasing the number of displays, as well as their diagonals and resolution. Precisely harmonizing the technical properties of such side-by-side displays (white point, color temperature, color coordinates and black homogeneity) represents one major challenge. Another is to integrate the display surfaces harmoniously into the lines of a cockpit. Glass-based displays turn o...

Kunststoffe international, Avoiding Shutdowns
Hammann markets its own developed pulsed flushing process under the name Comprex. The flushing technology is a purely physical process, which does not use any chemicals – just air and water. Its fields of application have been increasingly extended over time. The example of a preform manufacturer shows how well the ‧process works in a practical application in plastics processing. The patented Comprex process stands for intensive mechanical cleaning of water-carrying systems. It works by the puls...

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 Assessing the Energy‧Efficiency of Heating Systems
It is often claimed that temperature control units featuring heaters with no direct contact to the heat transfer medium are at a disadvantage in terms of energy efficiency. While this may seem correct at first glance, a different picture emerges when the whole system is taken into consideration. A lifetime warranty on the heater – this promise, which was made by HB-Therm AG, a St.Gallen/Switzerland-based manufacturer of temperature control units and which is unique within the industry, recently ...

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, Everything Keeps Flowing
The filling of injection molds with plastic melt depends, among other things, on the surface quality of the mold cavity. An application-oriented structuring of the cavity surface increases the length of the flow path of the melt by up to 18 %, depending on the plastic material. This opens up the possibility of achieving longer flow paths with existing injection molding technology. Whether display frames or housing covers, front ends or decorative trim – the list of plastic components with long f...

Kunststoffe international, Excellent Resistance at Reduced Weight
The transfer of foam injection molding from thermoplastic to thermoset processing has not yet been implemented in industrial practice. IKV Aachen has investigated this transfer and has precisely analyzed the economic efficiency of the process and the potential for lightweight construction. For years, politicians have been urging the automotive industry to reduce the CO2 emissions of its fleets – and thus above all the vehicle weight – [1–3]. At the same time, a trend towards increased temperatur...

Kunststoffe international, Exhibitors See Green
Starting with the systematic design of manufacturing processes and the precise simulation of part manufacture, through smart tooling technology and sophisticated melt guidance, to efficient mold temperature control, numerous exhibitors have many innovations in the field of tooling technology on offer at K 2019. The current debates concerning marine pollution as well as anthropogenic climate change and its consequences seem to be having an effect at this world-leading trade show for plastics proc...

Kunststoffe international, Flexible Guiding Systems for Cooling Air
In order to avoid bubble ruptures during the production of blown film, the velocity of the cooling air is often ‧reduced, which has a negative effect on the plant efficiency. The use of air guiding systems (AGS) can prevent such bubble instability. A novel air guidance system was developed at IKV in Aachen, Germany, using iris diaphragms in order to increase the cooling efficiency of blown film extrusion and thus improve the productivity of an existing plant. The applications of blown film range...

Kunststoffe international, Foam Beads in Gliding Flight
...2019, pp. 21–28, only available in German), it is time to take stock. Even after the SamPa joint research project (Integral Production of Hybrid Lightweight Sandwich Structures by Multicomponent Particle Foam Injection Molding for Large Series, Forel Platform) came to an end, the work is continuing – with new partners – though behind the scenes and in “gliding flight.” A key role in this is played by the ThiM network, founded in summer of last year (see Box p. 46). It attempts to answer the mark...

Kunststoffe international, From the Roll to the Third Dimension
The company Leonhard Kurz is a specialist in the development and production of decorative and functional coatings for plastics applications, which are applied by means of carrier foils during injection molding. Essential objectives of the company are technology and process development as well as the optimization of the 3D foil forming around corners and the contours of the plastic parts. For this purpose, Kurz operates an extensive injection molding technology center. New in the machinery: two p...

Kunststoffe international, From the Sea to Electronics
Plastic waste in the sea has been shaping the negative image of the industry for several years. Various ‧initiatives and mergers of companies have therefore launched projects to tackle this Ocean-bound Plastics (OBP). Components made of OBP could become a symbol for a sustainable use of plastics. For many demanding applications, however, such recyclates must also have the necessary flame retardant properties. A recycling project in Haiti shows how these properties can be achieved. According to c...

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

Kunststoffe international, Less Granules Stock Means More Quality
...EDs 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. A good l...

Kunststoffe international, Less Is Often More
As part of an energy-saving project, the companies Ejot and RK Kutting looked at mold temperature control in a series application, paying particular attention to mold hoses. The strategic use of thermal insulation effectively reduced heat losses from the overall system and shortened the warm-up time by 40 %. The insulation also provides reliable protection against contact burns. Processing of thermoplastic materials is energy intensive and is accompanied by power losses, especially in the form o...

Kunststoffe international, Metal Substitution with Improved PA
Replacing metal with polyamides (PA) in components can not only reduce weight and costs, but also offers ‧developers greater design freedom. However, this requires materials with improved mechanical properties. A new PA6 series with greater stiffness and strength meets these requirements, not only as a substitute for metals but also replacing PA66 in components. With their very good mechanical properties and cost efficiency, polyamides (PA) 6 and 66 are widely used in the automotive sector and...

Kunststoffe international, No Chance for Dust and Contaminations
...o 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 potential of LSR (Liquid Silicone Rubber) for optical applications. Next to the optical quality ...

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, 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
...uce 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 transformed the development, design, manufacturing and distribution processes of car man...

Kunststoffe international, Quickly and Gently around the Bend
...ed scant attention is paid to designing the all-important hot runner to suit the individual product. Much more often, a manufacturer will use several cold halves and a hot one and produce articles weighing from 6 to 40 g. Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and mold specialist MHT conducted a research project aimed at determining how the hot runner design affects preform quality. There is even a vacuum cleaner for dealing with it: dust generated during production is all too famili...

Kunststoffe international, Replacing Metal in the Gearbox
...th them that they are using a small component called a shifter fork to do so. And few of them will realize that it is the reason they can change gears in the first place. In their relentless pursuit of lightweight engineering potential, OEM and Tier 1 companies have long since turned their attention on the engine compartment, where heat and chemicals make it particularly challenging to swap a plastic part for a metal part. Especially one that is subject to constant mechanical stress. Engineering...

Kunststoffe international, Reverse Rotation
...nd an additional component variant introduced. Doing so would have required adding another injection molding machine and an automated assembly unit as well as a larger intermediate storage area for the prefabricated parts. The process applied so far was time-intensive and costly due to the separate process stages and many activities carried out by hand between steps. A New Process for Multi-Component Parts What previously required two injection molding machines and a separate assembly line is n...

Kunststoffe international, Semi-Crystalline, and yet Thermoformable
...semi-crystalline nature. Specially developed PEKK grades now allow processing in this method. These can be used to produce large semi-crystalline PAEK parts with large wall thickness exhibiting extreme mechanical, chemical and flame retardant properties. Polyaryletherketones (PAEK) are used in technically challenging industry sectors, e. g. aerospace industry and the oil and gas market. The generic PAEK family includes different polymers, depending on the ketone to ether ratio, such as polyethe...

Kunststoffe international, The One that Shears, Splits, and Folds Material
The patent on the operating principle of the co-kneader was applied for three quarters of a century ago. Compared to other extruder technologies, it features a clearly higher mixing effect while it processes the raw ‧materials gently. Current applications for its further development range from reactive, shear-sensitive plastics to the compounding of high-performance engineering plastics. August 20, 1945, the day when graduate engineer Heinz List (Fig. 1) applied for a patent on the principle of...

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
...on 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 4.0. With the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 (PIC...

Kunststoffe international, What Can You Do at Fall Fairtime, When There Aren’t Any?
A year to forget is nearing its completion. To brighten up this dreary fall season without a major event like ‧Fakuma, injection molding machine builders have concocted various strategies to compensate for the cancellations of the many industry events that have fallen victim to the corona pandemic. In early fall, several companies opened up their technical centers to visitors, albeit only on advance notice and in compliance with distance requirements and rules of hygiene. In addition to selected...

Kunststoffe international, Zero-Waste Concept for Carbon SMC
...our research partners have therefore set themselves the goal of developing a new press forming technology as part of a zero-waste project. Whether for automotive, aeronautical, teletronics, construction or technical applications – diverse industries require ever more lightweight designs together with ever better part properties. The obvious advantage of using composite materials often fails at the hurdle of recycling. Three companies – Engel Austria GmbH, St. Valentin, Alpex Technologies GmbH, M...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, "Medical Grade" Plastics
...ty of PVC. For the first time, an official recommendation has been given not to use PVC for certain applications. Questions on the safety of materials in medicine and the resulting implications of liability have led some of the major plastics suppliers to restrict the use of their materials for medical applications. Examples are the withdrawal from the market of DuPont (PTFE), Dow Chemicals (PU) and ICI (PMMA). Their decisions were in some cases taken as a consequence of the problems related to ...

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, 3D Simulation: Simulation of Foaming Polyurethanes
...ng) polyurethanes, since only very few computational approaches were available for foaming polyurethanes [3]. Mould-filling simulation provides significantly improved understanding of the process and insight into processing details that are not achievable even in the laboratory. With this knowledge, part and mould design as well as process sequencing and processing conditions can be optimised, which results in quicker startup of production and improved product quality [4, 5]. The same claim can...

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 Coater with a Clear Perspective
...y Despite their thermoformability, untreated crystal-clear polycarbonates make poor glass substitutes because they are not hard enough. However, applying speciality, non-scratch polysiloxane coatings by the appropriate method can rectify this deficiency. KRD Sicherheitstechnik, Geesthacht/Germany, specialises in non-scratch sealing of plasticised plastics. Since 1988, for instance, it has been producing high-impact glazing for police vehicles. Another example is to be found on a catamaran cu...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Comparison of Hybrid Machines
... high injection dynamic response while still being designed to be economical on energy. Because of these basic requirements, machine developers must concern themselves with designing the clamping unit to be torsion free, with reinforced platens and tie-bars, as well as providing high-performance plasticization screws. The main priority is to improve the drive technology as a whole. Rapid, parallel movement of clamping unit, core pullers, ejectors and metering operation, as well as high injection...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Demanding Body Care Set
...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 appliances, ranging from foot massagers and exfoliation devices, through to face tanning lamps that are gentle on the skin. Camo Formen- und Werkzeugbau GmbH of Schwanenstadt/Austria was commissioned by Philips to produce pa...

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 Home Game for the Italian Plastics Industry: Rendezvous in Milan
A Home Game for the Italian Plastics Industry: Rendezvous in Milan Plast 2003 will be held in the Fiera Milano exhibition grounds from May 6th to 10th. Primarily because of the high numbers of visitors from abroad, it is the second most important plastics show in Europe after K in Düsseldorf. The Italian plastics industry is seizing the opportunity in Milan to demonstrate its innovative prowess to the experts. German plastics manufacturers are still the most important target export group for...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A New Generation: Flexible Profile Production on 32D Extruders
Extrusion Flexible Profile Production on 32D Extruders Hans-Peter Schneider A New Generation. Market studies show that, in the extrusion of plastics profiles, it will not just be throughput that plays a decisive role in future but, above all, the flexibility of the extrusion line. Lengthening the processing unit to 32D marks the answer to this development. Formulation costs for pipe extrusion have been reduced over the past few years through the use of high proportions of filler, and partic...

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)
...rimides (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 (PEIs) under the Ultem label. The philosophy behind ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Systematic Approach to Micro-Injection Moulding
...ing 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 sector, medical engineering, communications technology an...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Wider Area of Application: Compounders and Pelletisers
...s are shaping development in plastics compounding: new polymerisation plants now require compounding and pelletising systems for outputs of up to 80t/h, flexible compounding machines are needed for the growing number of plastics that have to be modified for specific applications, direct processing of compounds into semi-finished or finished products is continually gaining importance. Werner Wiedmann The machines mainly used for compounding plastics are co-rotating, closely intermeshing, twin...

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
...efit 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 part of producers. By concentrating on core competencies and ensuring a worldwide presence, development times are being shortened, and a constant quality guaranteed, independently of the region. It is very difficult to give a reliable estimate of the consumption of plastics additives, since the vario...

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, Additives: Tough and Heat-resistant: New Silicone Particles for Thermosets
...fforts to increase the fracture toughness of highly crosslinked reactive resins. At present, thermoplastic toughening is the solution that offers the most advantageous property combinations. However, the high-temperature-resistant thermoplastic modifiers that influence the toughness of the material are difficult to process. They considerably increase the viscosity of the resin and are only sparingly soluble in it, which is the reason that their use has essentially remained restricted to CRP stru...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Adhesives: What Do Adhesives Accomplish in Practical Processes?
...ical 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 automotive industry in particular uses such large quantitie...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Airbag Module in PA 6 Recyclate
...the central laboratory of the ITEZ (International Technical Development Centre) and the development partners of Honeywell, Heverlee (Louvain)/Belgium, and Lemförder, Damme, it proved possible to close a further material cycle through a recycling-oriented design for the passenger airbag housing (title photo, Fig. 1). Opel was the first automotive manufacturer to introduce this PA 6 housing with glass fibre reinforcement when it was incorporated in the Vectra in 1995. This has now opened up the wa...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Airbus to Fly with PPS
...ble weight and manufacturing advantages. The glass-fibre reinforced, high-performance polymer, polyphenylene sulphide (PPS; grade: Fortron, manufacturer: Ticona), is playing a key role in this development. In the new Airbus A340-500 and A340-600 series (title photo) scheduled for delivery as of 2003, the Dutch company, Fokker Special Products, has chosen PPS as the matrix plastic for the large profile sections of the wing leading-edge nose between the fuselage and the inboard engine. PPS Substi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, All-plastic Hybrids: Thermoplastic Hybrid Structures
...role in highly loaded structure components is clearly played by the fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) group of materials, especially those based on thermoplastics, which earns points with an outstanding weight-specific property profile. Thanks to modified building method concepts a whole kaleidoscope of possibilities is opened for how functions can be integrated and thus costs be saved, for example since assembly procedures and the logistics coupled to them are eliminated. Through the development ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, All-round Talent: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
...ith global consumption exceeding 29 million t in 2004, PVC is one of the most important plastics. While the clear focus is on the construction sector, other industrial sectors benefit from tailor-made products. Robert Hohenadel Torsten Rehm Oliver Mieden From 2001 to 2004, European consumption of PVC rose from 6.4 million t to around 6.8 million t. Due to more dynamic market growth in Asia, Europe’s share of consumption fell from 26% in 2001 to 23% in 2004 (Fig. 1). The North American market h...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, An Alternative?
An Alternative? Keyboards Made of TPE Can Replace Silicone Frieder Vielsack and Willy Molter, Waldkraiburg/Germany Newly developed SEBS compounds can be used for keyboards as alternatives to silicone rubber. The materials fulfil all the electronics industry’s requirements. Apart from the well-known uses of TPE in design for improved feel, optics and aesthetics, engineering applications have always played a substantial role. Continually increasing requirements e.g. in the automobile or el...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, An Interim Judgement on E-Business
An Interim Judgement on E-Business Potentials and Risks When Marketing Injection Moulding Machines and Spare Parts on the Internet Gerd Liebig, Schwaig/Germany Plastics machine manufacturers have initiated a variety of Internet-supported marketing and sales activities for new machines and spare parts. New success criteria and the necessity of an integrated e-business concept are the result of two years’ experience with the technology and user behaviour. In the past two years digital mark...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Anniversary: Excellence in Compounding Technology
Market Excellence in Compounding Technology Anniversary. Over the years, Coperion Werner & Pfleiderer GmbH Co. KG, based in Stuttgart/Germany, has developed from a supplier of baking and kneading machines into a manufacturer of innovative compounding systems. Coperion was created in 2001 by a merger between Buss, Waeschle and Werner & Pfleiderer, and is now one of the leading suppliers of compounding technology for the plastics, chemicals and food industries. Petra Thomas-Hasenzahl Werner & Pfl...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automated Gasket Application
...d-in-place-foam-gasket (FIPFG) process, is already successfully used in the automotive, packaging and electrical industry. In general, two-component polyurethane or silicone foam systems are used. They are mixed in liquid or thixotropic form and applied with contour robots with a freely programmable geometry. They cure at ambient temperature. For long-term applications these reactive polymeric gasket systems with a compression set of less than five percent are superior to conventional prefabrica...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automated Injection Moulding and Welding of Bumpers
... by Krauss-Maffei Kunststofftechnik GmbH, Munich) (Fig. 1). Then three separately produced plastics parts must be welded together. These are two mounting brackets used to fix the bumper to the bodywork and a strip required for clip-mounting the carrier for the impact-absorbing element. Less Space and Three Days for the Modification Owing to the structural situation and occupation of the production hall with other machines, the space available for automation was very limited. The floor space fo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automated Manufacture of Mobile Phones
...cture 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 not only the sup...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automatically in the Mould
...generally accepted particularly for production of moulded parts for automobile interiors. Krauss Maffei, Munich/Germany, developed the Decoform and Decopress procedures to fulfil the special requirements of this production technology. Both technologies are based on low-pressure techniques and low melt temperatures and low pressures inside the moulds make application of sensitive decoration materials without reducing the quality of the top or bottom material possible. The essential difference in ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automation Around Injection Moulding Machines
...ts No longer are only the simple supply of raw materials and the removal of finished parts under discussion. Rather, complex manufacturing units are planned, the end product of which is not an individual injection moulded part but a group of assemblies ready for installation or a finished plastic product. For such applications it is no longer enough to install a conveyor with defined length and width in or next to the injection moulding machine so that the parts fall on the conveyor and to thro...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automation Plant for Textile-decorated Interior Trim: Rapid Handling, Neat Trimming
...s was Neureder AG, a specialist in automation systems for plastics processing. The cladding for the A , B and C columns of the five and three door versions and the hatchback are produced in the plants. The three plants, which are already in series production, are constructed identically, with the exception of the plant for the A column in which the laser application is missing. They consist of an injection moulding machine, a linear robot for loading and unloading the machine, a totally enclose...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automobile Supplier Industry: Positioning and Partnerships
Automobile Supplier Industry: Positioning and Partnerships According to a study of the Center Automotive Research (CAR), Gelsenkirchen/Germany, the new role allocation between automobile manufacturers and suppliers makes the supplier industry the new growth branch. It is turning into a job machine while in the future the car manufacturers in the pure vehicle business will count fewer people employed. Ferdinand Dudenhöffer In the next ten years the automobile industry and its suppliers face...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Applications: Thermosets Get Going
...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 cost-efficient production in many cases, since a large number of parts can be...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Conference: Lightweight Construction as Magic Phrase
...id construction with steel, aluminium and plastic now holds out the promise of success as still measured in terms of weight savings and improving comfort. Competition among Materials Spawns the Material Mix In the bodywork of the new BMW 6 series (Title picture), this material mix saves weight and simultaneously increases crash safety. The aluminium panels of the front hood are bonded together with a two component adhesive – i.e., with plastic – that helps to reduce the thickness of the panels....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Glazing: Clear Prospects
...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 tailgate and roof glazing (right through to luxurious panorama roofs) are increasing...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Back-compression Moulding: Instrument Panel with Integrated Airbag Flap
...ion moulding process to the manufacture of an instrument panel (title photo). The instrument panel is used in the new Chrysler Crossfire from DaimlerChrysler, which is built by Wilhelm Karmann GmbH in Osnabrück/Germany. Peguform is the system supplier for the ready-to-assemble instrument panel and the adjacent centre console. Concealed Airbag Flap Integrated For the instrument panel, the developers used a decorative film specified by the customer consisting of a 0.7mm thermoplastic polyolefin ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, BASF and its Customers: Profitable Growth
... & Gas divisions as well as for coordinating the implementation of this corporate guideline. "We have set ourselves the goal of specifically cooperating with innovation leaders. Through joint development work with customers, we are seeking to achieve added value together. BASF will create a global campus for analysing markets and collaborating with customers to boost innovations. Examples of existing close, profitable partnerships are those with the sports equipment manufacturer adidas-Salom...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Better-Quality Rubber Products
... 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 materials "ready for use" from one supplier, but instead mix them in their own factories to suit product requirements. The compounds are generally composed of a large number of different raw materials. The production process for rubber articles is complex because the raw materials parameter...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Blow Moulding: More than Hot Air
Trade Fair Report More than Hot Air Blow Moulding. K2004 again served up a number of innovations in the field of blow moulding technology. On balance, the trends are higher output, lower energy consumption and improved blow moulded parts. One trend in stretch-blow moulding is quite clearly in the direction of clearer bottles made from polypropylene. Whereas Sidel and the additives manufacturer Milliken presented a joint concept for PP bottles that have the clarity of PET bottles, ADS offered...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Blown Film Extrusion Today
...lm manufacturers. As a result of this, new requirements have arisen in relation to plant technology, to which the machinery manufacturers are having to respond. The most important developments in machine technology involve new designs for extrusion dies, cooling rings and film guide systems and user-friendly plant control systems. Production plants for the manufacture of blown film must meet a variety of demands. While in the US markets, long-term manufacture of individual products that are of...

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

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bonding of Plastics
Bonding of Plastics Applications, Training, Trends Otto Diedrich Hennemann, Bremen/Germany Bonding is a joining process that enables high added value to be created. For confidence in the bonding of plastics to be boosted, there is a need to develop adhesives even further, among other things. Plastics Processors will also have to train skilled employees in the future. This will allow the possible applications of this joining technology to be fully exploited in fields with a promising future...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bonding PEEK
...PEEK Pre-Treating the Surface Increases Bond Strength Carsten Weiß and Helmut Münstedt, Erlangen/Germany, Horst Sandner, Hofheim a.T./Germany Bonding of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) remains unsatisfactory because of the poor adhesive properties between it and the polymer material. However, the bond strength can be greatly increased by various types of pre-treatment. Heat-resistant thermoplastics are difficult to bond if their surfaces have not been treated beforehand. The reason is that...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Broad Range of Application: High-density Polyethylene (PE-HD)
...n Europe, demand rose by only 2.7% overall, to stand at around 5.1 million tons. Over the next few years, average growth rates are expected to be approximately 6% worldwide and 3.5% for Western Europe. The Asian market, in particular, is set to experience disproportionately high growth over the years to come. The rated capacity for high-density polyethylene (density in excess of 0.94g/cm3) is currently around 33m t. Over the period 2000 to 2004, available capacity increased by 5.5m t/a. Capaci...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Broad Spectrum
Broad Spectrum Krauss-Maffei's Duroplast Forum Well Visited About 400 visitors, almost half from foreign countries, found Krauss-Maffei Kunststofftechnik's Duroplast Forum in Munich/Germany at the end of May unusually appealing. In addition to the machine demonstrations there was a symposium with altogether 20 lectures presenting a cross section of today's thermosetting polymer technology. In 1998 Krauss-Maffei took over Fahr Bucher Service GmbH, Gottmadingen/Germany, with all ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Calcium Silicate as a Functional Filler: Wollastonite – a High-performance Filler
...reduce the cost and now play a very key role in adjusting the special property profiles of modern polymer systems. Used as functional fillers, wollastonite powders and fine powders – produced by a sophisticated process and sometimes surface modified – are today making a crucial contribution to improve the mechanical and thermal properties of a whole range of modern plastics. Blocks or Needles The mineral, wollastonite, is a calcium silicate (CaSiO3), which is formed from calcium carbonate and ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Case Study (4): Hot-Runner Solution for a Spectacle Case
Tooling Hot-Runner Solution for a Spectacle Case Case Study (4). The question of whether a high-quality designer surface can be obtained in injection moulding depends on a variety of factors. The design of the part, the choice of polymer, the mould concept, the gate system and the injection moulding process all have an effect on the surface quality. The project described here gets to the bottom of the interrelations. Dirk Paulmann Injection moulded plastic parts are now replacing metals and o...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Case Study: Hot-Runner Solution for an Electronics Coil
Tooling Hot-Runner Solution for an Electronics Coil Case Study. What points have to be observed in designing the hot-runner system for producing an electronic part of glass fibre-reinforced PA? This article is the first of a six-part series on practically tested solutions, which will run until the end of the year. Dirk Paulmann A modular hot-runner system allows the system to be adapted to specific production requirements while at the same time keeping lead times short. By viewing the project in...

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, Choosing Plugs: Plugs for Forming Cups
...ug geometry and plug penetration depth. General design rules for plug geometry and plug penetration depth are presented in the literature in the form of empirical equations that are summarised in Fig.1 [2]. These guidelines, which are based on experience, may be condensed into a simple rule. The ideal plug assist will have small lateral gaps between it and the cup cavity and will exhibit edge rounding. Triggering of forming pressure. The right moment for the triggering of forming pressure tend...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Coextrusion: Flexible Production of Multi-layer Pipes
Extrusion Flexible Production of Multi-layer Pipes Henning Stieglitz Coextrusion. In numerous applications, polyolefin pipes are fitted out with coextruded functional layers. A new series of pipeheads makes it possible to produce such multilayer pipes more flexibly and efficiently. Plastic pipes of polyethylene or polypropylene are increasingly being designed as multilayer pipes that are lined on the inside or outside or both with functional layers. For example, PE sewage pipes have a white i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Coinjection of Thermoplastics and Elastomers
...n 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 the properties of the materials used, precise temperature control in the mould, precise process control and high process reliability. Severe Demands on Mould Technology Hard/flex...

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, Comparative Study: Virtually Equal in Terms of Precision
...ormance of an all-electric machine and two machines with hydraulic and accumula-tor hydraulic drive systems with the high-precision option. The results showed that the potential of hydraulic drive technology has by no means been exhausted. Harald Bleier Thomas Kosthorst For some years, there has been a clear trend towards electric drive sys-tems instead of hydraulic. Electric drive concepts are becoming increas-ingly established in mechanical engineering, as well as many other fields. The main r...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Competing Materials
Competing Materials Materialica 2000 Presents a Complete Overview of Materials and Processes Following on from the first two successful events in 1998 and 1999, Materialica, the International Trade Fair for Innovative Materials, Processes and Applications, will be held for the third time, together with the Materials Week Congress, from September 25-28, 2000 at the new exhibition site in Munich. Because of the significant increase in the numbers of exhibitors and visitors, Materialica 2000 ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Competing Processes: Is Plastic Laser Welding Economical?
...ages, prejudices still exist on account of higher investment costs and the, in some circumstances, higher costs for suitable materials. Any comparison with other processes must consider all aspects. Jürgen Klein Andreas Kraus The automotive supplier industry is particularly characterised by very high innovation and cost pressure. Thus, automotive suppliers are continually looking for innovative technologies that will enable them to offer their customers better quality products at lower prices...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Complex Handling: Fully Automatic Production of Door Trim Panels
...c 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 system supplier to the automotiv...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Composite Parts: Flexibility in Rigid/Flexible Combinations
...ions, either thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), rubber, or liquid silicone (LSR) are used as the flexible component, depending on the case in question. As a specialist producer of multicomponent injection-moulded parts, Weigelt has a great deal of experience in processing all three materials. There are a number of challenges to be mastered when it comes to the application technology, however... Susanne Wurst, Michael Weigelt The material selection stage is decisive for the functioning of rigid/...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compostable Material: Thermoformed Packaging Made of PLA
Compostable Material: Thermoformed Packaging Made of PLA Polylactides (PLA) represent a new group of thermoplastics for packaging applications obtained from renewable resources. In extensive tests, the functional and thermoforming properties of PLA were compared with those of other polymers. Luc Bosiers, Sven Engelmann Polylactides (PLA) represent a new group of thermoplastics for packaging applications obtained from renewable resources. PLA’s properties make it suitable for various thermo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounding with Twelve Screws
Compounding with Twelve Screws Ring Extruder Has Advantages Compared to Twin-Screw Frank Vorberg, Lauffen/Germany A ring extruder equipped with twelve screws opens completely new possibilities in the preparation and processing of plastics. Test results confirm that particularly concerning degassing and dispersion product quality and throughput can be increased. The ring extruder (manufacturer: 3+ Extruder GmbH, Lauffen) has twelve co-rotating parallel axle tight fitting screws arranged i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounding: Flexibility for Compounders
Compounding Flexibility for Compounders Compounding. When it comes to developing a new machine series, it is essential to accurately analyse the needs of the market and to use the analysis to devise one's own creative response. Apart from the standard requirements for quality and through-put, there is an increasing demand for flexibility. Richard Steiner In today's world of compounding, there are primarily three factors that decide on success: delivery time, order size and price. N...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounding: The Intelligent Alternative
Extrusion The Intelligent Alternative Compounding. Bimodal polyolefins pose a new challenge to compounding lines. The two components, comprising long and short chain molecules, with widely different viscosities, must be homogenised to produce a uniform pellet stock, free of fish eyes. The novel ZSK-NT combination opens up new routes to this difficult compounding task. First melting is carried out in a specially designed twin-screw kneader, and the melt is then transferred to a second twin-screw ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounding: Throughput-determining
Trade Fair Report Throughput-determining Compounding. Compounders benefit from the trend towards smaller batch sizes of raw materials due to increased product variety, and increasing demand for modified plastics. The latest developments in co-rotating twin-screw extruders were designed to meet the new demands. Exhibitors of co-rotating twin-screw compounders appraised K2004 in Düsseldorf/Germany as a complete success. This year’s trade fair was replete with terms such as Do/Di ratio, increase o...

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, 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, Compression Moulding: Highly Precise and Fully Automated
...ompression Moulding. In the area of compression moulding and technology, the innovations presented at K were to be found in the details. Thus, presses are becoming ever more precise and the processes have now evolved from the development stage to series application. Dieffenbacher GmbH & Co. KG presented a plant for the so-called LFT-D-ILC process, which compounds continuous strand-reinforced thermoplastics in line by the direct method. First, the polymer is melted and blended with additives in ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Consumer Protection: Migration Models for the Assessment of Plastic Products
...ssment 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, including plasticisers, stabilisers, flame retardan...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Control Engineering: New Technical Beginning in Machine Control
...urface 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 been characterised by numerous innovations. The conversion of the Selogica machine controller in 1993 was a trailblazing innovation from the point of view of the i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Control Functions with Artificial Intelligence
...s 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-electric injection moulding machines of the Robotshot series (manufacturer: Fanuc) are equipped with the same CNC control and drive ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Convertible Roofs: Targeting the Fresh-air Fanatics
...he fabric covering and the mechanical interfaces between the vehicle and fabric-covered top. In this regard, the use of plastics is gaining in importance increasingly. For instance, plastic applications on the storage compartment of the BMW 6 series convertible serve not only appearance purposes. The LFI moulded part of glass-fibre-reinforced PU is recessed on the inside and simultaneously form the upper portion of the storage compartment. Through the use of plastic, developers have also succeed...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Convertible Top Systems: Convertible Top – Lightweight and Made Easy
...ed 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 between four and seven years. With this production volume convertibles belong to the niche vehicle market segment. For niche vehicles...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cooling Injection Moulds
Cooling Injection Moulds Effective Cooling of Very Small Areas Siegfried Stitz, Klaus Schink and Manfred Popp, Würzburg/Germany The ways and means of cooling mould cross sections less than 5 mm thick are described and compared. Equipment to measure cooling efficiency is available to study the cooling effect of different cooling systems. In medium-sized moulds today, easily accessible mould regions with large cross sections are cooled by cooling channels 8 to 10 mm in diameter that are in...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cooling Time Reduction by Foam Injection Moulding: It Can Be Done Faster
Cooling Time Reduction by Foam Injection Moulding: It Can Be Done Faster Production time influences unit costs directly. A reduction in the production cycle time represents a cash saving. Processors can achieve this aim in principle by using foam injection moulding. This article presents the potentials of the process and the reasons for its improved efficiency over conventional non-foam injection moulding. Walter Michaeli, Sasan Habibi-Naini, Erhard Krampe If appropriately employed, the ch...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cosmetics Packaging: Optical and Haptic Aesthetics
... Optical and Haptic Aesthetics Cosmetics Packaging. The ionomer Surlyn combines the luxurious appearance and transparency of glass with the creative potential and performance advantages of high-quality plastics. Thanks to this combination of properties, the material is increasingly the preferred material for containers for cosmetics and body-care products. The unique combination of optical and haptic aesthetics made possible by Surlyn, along with the service benefits of the material, such as ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cost Consciousness: Modern Technology is More Economical than Low-spec
...acturers, 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 Liebig Christoph Mehler For fast-cycling packaging applications, material costs alone account for up to 90% of manufacturing costs, while for complex technical parts these represent about 60%. As a fraction of overall manufacturing costs, ma...

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, Cutting Costs
Cutting Costs Use of Regrind in Injection Moulding Klaus Uske, Ludwigshafen/Germany To obtain a better assessment of the risks and possibilities of using regrind, a series of trials with PBT and polyamide 6 was carried out. Some results of these trials are discussed here. Regrind is generated in thermoplastics injection moulding as a result of the granulation of sprues or reject parts into particles just a few millimetre in size. In this form, the regrind can be recycled back into the in...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, 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, Karin Strasser Short product cycles and a high rate of innovation feature prominently on the ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cutting Foams: Foam-Splitting-Machine with Network Capability
...g diagnoses right down to the drive level on the Profibus. And all this without being over dimensioned for the relatively simply tasks involved in horizontal cutting, so as to keep the costs in check." New Control Units for Greater Cost Efficiency Albert Bäumer has given preference to automation technology from Siemens for many years on grounds of its global acceptance. Thomas Gerke, head of design at Albert Bäumer, gives the reasons for this as being the sound and consistent overall concep...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Cycle time reduction: Linear Motion Technology Accelerates Production Exponentially
...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 advantages for us.” As Sigmund Appelmann, director of plastics manufacturing in the Schweinfurt...

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, Decentralised Production: Demag Plastics Group – Globally Based
...nes with a value of about EUR 337 million. In fiscal 2002/2003, it sold 2347 machines and received orders valued at almost EUR 305 million. Sales were at EUR 312 million (Fig.1). The globally based manufacturer of injection moulding machines is achieving growing market shares in Europe and the USA, and seeing strongly growing demand at its Asian joint ventures. The Demag Plastics Group will present itself at K2004 as a corporate group with a harmonised product programme and a uniform market pres...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Decoration During Injection Moulding: Preforming and In-mould Lamination in one Operation
...chine. Automation plays a crucial role in this. The integrated preforming only becomes possible with the correct choice of automation and precise interaction between the individual plant modules. Collins & Aikman have more than ten years’ experience in low-pressure technologies. The company produces pillar and boot linings by the Decoform and Decopress process. Collins & Aikman use the vertical Decopress technology (back compression) for the production of large-area carpet-decorated side trim fo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Decoration on the Front, Attachments on the Rear
.../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 the considerations involved in process selection and the design of the compression moulds, as well as a number of special features of the mould. The development of in-moul...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Demand Continues to Rise: Polystyrene (PS)
...ably in fourth place. Pushed by price pressure and price volatility, there is some movement on the polystyrene market, and the industry continues to consolidate. In addition product and procedure innovations will have high value nevertheless. Hans-Dieter Schwaben Consumption of PS in Europe decreased somewhat in the year 2004. The European polystyrene manufacturers’ sales decreased particularly in the last third of the year. Compared with the last four months of the previous year (2003) the dec...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Desktop Manufacturing and Biofunctional Processing
... it is also known as solid freeform fabrication (SFF). 3D Data Processing is the Key Solid free form fabrication has its origins in rapid prototyping, which so far has only been used for rapid production of prototypes, concept models and mini-series, e. g. for the automotive industry, as well as for foundry moulds and precision casting in the foundry industry [1,2]. With the advent of both cheaper office machines and new materials, solid free form fabrication has developed into an attractive a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Developing Customised Compounds
...ounds Albis Provides a Reference System for Economic Material Solutions Tailoring plastic compounds to a specific catalogue of demands continues to be a severe technical challenge. Albis, a compound developer and producer with many years of experience, keeps a modular reference system in reserve for selecting the right material, tailored to its customers needs. In past years, increased costs and reduced margins have forced plastics producers to reduce their product range, cut back on the d...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Development History of Plastics: Growth through Changing Times
PE103251 Special Growth through Changing Times Development History of Plastics. Plastics are markers of social change and pacesetters for technological progress. This emerges clearly from a review of their development, which started before the 20th century and has been characterised by steady growth. It all began with galalith, celluloid and thermosets, while today polyolefins and other thermoplastics are the high-volume sellers. The growth opportunities for plastics today still appear to be al...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Die Cutting Equipment for Plastics Processing
Die Cutting Equipment for Plastics Processing Considering Costs of Operation when Making Investment Decisions Bob Trkovsky, Illinois/USA Sales of high quality die cutting machines for plastics processing are growing rapidly for very good reasons. Demand for closer tolerances and custom-made short runs are two increasing trends that are expected to force every plastics processing plant to take a closer look at die cutting options. For most plastics applications electro-optical die cutting t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Diesel Lines: Some Like it Hot
Diesel Lines: Some Like it Hot A specialty polyamide 12 has been developed for use in fuel return lines and fuel lines located close to engines in diesel vehicles featuring new injection systems. It is far superior to other polyamides in resisting ageing at temperatures up to 125°C. Compared with systems based on vulcanised elastomers, the new line system is much more economical. Olivier Farges, Ursula Keil Sales of diesel vehicles in Western Europe have increased within the last five years...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Dimensional Stability and Impact Strength
...wigshafen/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) constitute a particular challenge for thermoplastics on account of the complex requirements profile involved. Apart from good processing properties (hi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Dimensioning Parts: Non-linear Viscoelasticity
...tion and testings of prototypes [2]. The usefulness of FEA simulations is heavily dependent on not only the modelling of the geometry and the chosen boundary conditions, but also the material model used to describe the material’s mechanical properties. Simulation of the non-linear viscoelasticity of thermoplastics remains a subject of intensive research [3]. However, the approaches used to date have specific limitations. The Viscoelastic Material Behaviour of Plastics Apart from elasticity, the...

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, Drafting Tolerances for Moulded Parts
...ervation of drafting tolerances is a permanent topic of discussion between customers, developers and producers. When metal parts have to be replaced by plastic parts, different tolerances must be provided for. The software program TolPro makes it easier to predict tolerances. Some Designers of moulded thermoplastic parts are often still influenced by the properties of metallic materials and the tolerances specified in the moulded part drawing are frequently too tight. The fact is generally ign...

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, Drive Technology: Direct Drive Provides Benefits in Extrusion
Extrusion Direct Drive Provides Benefits in Extrusion Drive Technology. For some time, Reifenhäuser has equipped certain extruder series with torque motors from Siemens. Initial installations at customers indicate that the benefits appear not only on paper. Karl-Heinz Charles Dieter Thewes Use of direct electric drives continues to gain in importance. The reason for this can be found, above all, in the considerable optimisation potential presented by these drive systems. Since the torque is ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Drive Technology: Reproducibility and Costs Are Primary Concerns
Drive Technology: Reproducibility and Costs Are Primary Concerns To compare different drive technologies, it is not sufficient just to consider energy consumption. The concluding article of this three-part series discusses the reproducibility of process parameters and product characteristics as well as the maintenance costs and oil and water consumption. Johannes Wortberg, Thomas Kamps, Reinhard Schiffers The reproducibility of the injection moulding process and hence the scatter of produc...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Dynamic Growth: Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCP)
Special: World Market Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCP) Dynamic Growth. Since their introduction to the market in the mid-1980s, LCPs have experienced rapid growth, with annual growth rates between 15 and 25% to date. According to predictions, the market should continue to grow an additional 12 to 15% until 2007. Ever shorter product lifetimes combined with ever increasing production quantities that must be produced in ever shorter time frames with increasing miniaturisation and the resultant incre...

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, Ecological Beneficial Composites
Ecological Beneficial Composites Reinforcing PMMA Thermosetting Resins with Flax Fibres Gunter Hieber, Schorndorf, Robert Kohler and Rainer Alex, Reutlingen/Germany Especially high quality materials can be produced using domestic natural fibres. Therefore existing procedures and formulations are being adapted to the requirements of natural fibres. It has thereby been possible to achieve the characteristics profile of glass fibre reinforced plastics and sometimes to even exceed it. Especi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Economical in Long Series
Economical in Long Series Centrifuged FRP Pipes with Thermoplastic Matrix Max Ehleben, Wolfsburg/Germany, und Helmut Schürmann, Darmstadt/Germany A newly developed procedure based on centrifugation technology makes it possible to manufacture continuous fibre-reinforced precision pipes with thermoplastic matrices. The centrifuged pipes are almost free of eccentricity and have outstanding internal and external surfaces. They are therefore particularly suitable as drive shafts, bearings or hyd...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Economical Production of PU Parts
...olyurethane is combined with various reinforcing materials, produces high-quality automotive body parts. The process was developed several years ago and has been in large-scale use for about 15 years. The mixed components have very good flow properties. This results in extremely complicated shapes and low wall thicknesses. The parts have excellent service properties, can be painted with low preparatory work and have very good paint adhesion with excellent stone-impact resistance. Their excellent...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Editorial: Concentration
...nstitute. These showed that by far the majority of Kunststoffe readers favour topics from the automotive and associated sectors. That should come as no surprise, given that the German automotive industry still ranks among the top automotive industries in the world, and plastics permit significant innovations in terms of weight savings, functional integration, design and safety. This makes automotive engineering into one of the strongest forces for innovation in the plastics industry, and it is...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Editorial: The Plastics Industry Needs Universities for Elites
The Plastics Industry Needs Universities for Elites We need universities for elites – not just for the industry but also to educate a new generation of politicians. The lack of expertise among our political leaders when it comes to ruling an industrial nation like Germany has become blatantly obvious. Saving money is no recipe for growth – the generation of growth requires strategic investment.It is a truism that providing the up-and-coming generation with a proper education is crucial to maint...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Efficiency in a Highly Compact Space
Efficiency in a Highly Compact Space Large-Scale Injection Moulding Machines Increase Productivity and Precision Thomas Langer, St. Valentin/Austria and Wolfgang Silmbroth, Ebensee/Austria A high level of productivity in a highly compact space, in terms of both machines and moulds, was the requirement that had to be fulfilled when Steiner Freizeitmöbel GmbH extended its production. Production capacity was expanded by 20 large-scale machines for the production of garden furniture and transp...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Elastomers
...r is expected to grow at +2.9% per year by 2005. Of this, China expects to see the biggest growth at +8.4%. In 2000, the synthetic rubbers with most growth in demand were EPDMs, owing to the increased consumption of technical rubber goods, and butadiene rubber, because of increased use in tyre applications. Germany is one of the world’s biggest technology motors in the field of rubbers and elastomers. The close intermeshing of scientific and applications-based research in the field of raw mate...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Elastomers: Flexible and Customised
... target markets are sealing systems for automobiles, medical products and soft-touch articles (Fig.1). The processing versatility and pleasant touch of TPE make them ideal for multi-component applications. For this reason, their adhesive properties vis à vis thermoplastics of all kinds and synthetic rubbers such as EPDM are becoming increasingly important. The challenges are to increase the continuous service temperature and match viscosity to the particular processing method [1 to 2]. As a re...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electrifying Novelties from the NPE
Electrifying Novelties from the NPE Drive Engineering in the Focus of the Machine Manufacturers Johannes Wortberg and Thomas Kamps, Essen/Germany A large number of different injection moulding machine makers exhibited their new products at the NPE in Chicago. The field of electromechanical drive engineering was notable for several innovative concepts. As expected, in the field of drive engineering, there was a marked tendency towards electromechanics among the Japanese machine manufactur...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electrifying: Emphatic Confidence
Special Emphatic Confidence Electrifying. At Netstal's advance press conference for "K", CEO Bernhard Merki, now in his second year of office, seemed satisfied with the progress made in the past year. The company will maintain its present course and push ahead with expanding its product ranges and sales network. The highlight was the unveiling of a new all-electric injection moulding machine. The board of Netstal-Maschinen AG, newly elected in 2003, is pressing ahead with its curre...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electronic Components and Displays: Intrinsically Conductive Polymers
...olymers, there are also electrically conductive polymers, where the group of conductive polymers must be divided into polymer compounds with conductive additives and the group of intrinsically conductive polymers (ICP). While conductive compounds achieve their conductive properties through addition of conductive additives such as metal particles or conductive carbon black, intrinsically conductive polymers do not require the addition of any additive whatsoever. From Structure to Commercial Appli...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Energy Consumption: How Much Energy Does a Drive System Need?
...rive System Need? Injection moulding machines with electromechanical drive systems have lower energy consumption than their hydraulic counterparts. This is a generally accepted fact. But do the energy savings of 50 to 80% as described in older studies also still apply to the new machine generations? And what are the potential savings for a complete production cell? Recent studies provide some answers. Johannes Wortberg, Thomas Kamps, Reinhard Schiffers Through the liberalisation of the ele...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Energy-saving Hydraulic Drives
Energy-saving Hydraulic Drives A Drive for Variable-speed Variable-displacement Pumps in Injection Moulding Machines Thomas Neubert, Dresden/Germany Variable-speed variable-displacement pumps can increase the energy efficiency of hydraulic injection moulding machines and lower the noise level. A novel method for controlling drive speed and displacement can minimise losses in every working point. The method has been tested out on a mass-production machine whose energy consumption and sound ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Engineering Network: Additional Knowledge Instead of Competition
...e 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? Anyone familiar with the dusty environment that accompanies stamping will certainly have their doubts about this. But if this is what the customers want, then all doubts have to be dispelled. As Dr. Marcus Ruf, managing director of Manfred Jacob Kunststofftechnik GmbH since January 2004, puts it – "no...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Enterprise Transparency: Success Factor Business Process Management
...tor Business Process Management Enterprise Transparency. In recent years it has turned out that controlling business processes is probably the most important factor for entrepreneurial success both in the manufacturing industry and in service industries. The following report describes how a medium-size enterprise organises, structures and supervises its processes. Peter Felber Due to the strong demand for IML technology (see box "In Profile") in the telecommunications industry toward th...

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, Exhibition Preview: North American and Canadian Products at K 2004
USA-Special North American and Canadian Products at K 2004 Exhibition Preview. In Düsseldorf, more than 140 U.S. American and Canadian Companies will present their innovations for the first time to an European specialist audience. The editors of the magazine Plastics Technology have assembled a selection of the most important developments. With this thematically structured preliminary report you can effectively prepare your visit at the K show. Injection Moulding News from includes all-electr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expanding with Demand
Expanding with Demand Compressed Air Generation for Plastics Processing Norbert Barlmeyer, Bielefeld/Germany For the economical, demand-dependent production of compressed air, a concept has been developed in which all the compressors are connected to a single control unit. The German plastics converter, Schwan-Stabilo, is impressed with the reliability of the supply network. No office desk is complete without one: the ’Stabilo Boss’ highlighter pen. Over 22million highlighters and felt-t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expansion Injection Moulding: Amazingly Thin
...oulding Amazingly Thin Expansion Injection Moulding. According to the state of the art, thin-wall injection moulding requires the injection unit to be supported by a hydraulic accumulator. But without a hydraulic accumulator greater precision is achieved in the process technology, energy consumption is lower and amazingly thin walls can be produced. The new state of the art is called "X-Melt", the expansion injection moulding process developed by Engel. It is all made possible by the ab...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expert Knowledge is Requested
...plastic material. The starting point of this project of the weapons manufacturer Heckler & Koch, Oberndorf/Germany, was the new development of an automatic firearm. In addition the enterprise availed itself of external specialised knowledge in the field of computer simulation and plastics engineering and assigned the task to SMi Steinbiß & Mittner Kunststofftechnik, Mühlenbach/Germany. The requirements on a sight guide, which forms the connection between the stock of a rifle and the appropriate ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Export Champion: Changeover Completed
Trade Fair Report Changeover Completed Export Champion. Already at the K2001 Taiwan was the largest Asian exhibitor – the following excerpt from the machinery program of K exhibitors from Taiwan is to show how the country of the cheap supplier of plastic products developed into the serious supplier of plastics processing machines. Already for some years the Asian continent has been the largest consumer of plastic in the world and also in plastic production Asia has presently taken over the lead...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Extremely Fast
Extremely Fast Tailor-made Polyurea Systems Matthias Sikorski and Holger Cordelair, Hamburg/Germany By using newly developed isocyanate prepolymers and modified diamines, the reaction profile and physical properties of polyurea products can be adjusted in a systematic way. Users can therefore tailor the system to suit their specific requirements. Polyurea systems are used in the construction industry and automotive engineering because of their useful combination of properties. Their feat...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Extrusion Technology: Reifenhäuser in the Right Direction
...ts. Approximately 85% of the group gross revenue originates from the export trade. In addition, Reifenhäuser could improve its market position on the home market. This altogether positive development is the result of a comprehensive strategic reorientation of the individual divisions of the group of firms. An intensive discussion of enterprise principles and the definition of clear guidelines today also provides employees and customers with a sharper enterprise profile adapted to the environment...

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, Fewer Production Stages, Shorter Cycles
...arrow radii and sharp transitions. At the same time, there are high cost pressures on the components of the passenger compartment that compel manufacturers to continually optimise existing processes and to constantly stay abreast of latest technologies. One way of achieving economical design and functionality is to provide decoration by means of the one-shot technique, which covers back-injection, back-injection compression (decoforming - a horizontal and vertical melt-flow process) and back com...

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 in the Global Limelight
...posites in the Global Limelight New Developments and Trends at JEC 2000 Karlheinz Hörsting, Kraichtal-Gochsheim/Germany Fibre-reinforced plastics are increasingly displacing classical materials, especially in individual applications, small series and high-performance parts. This trend was highlighted by the JEC Composites 2000 trade fair in Paris, which recorded 17,000 visitors from 87 countries. A highly positive market mood is basically prevailing amongst the manufacturers of fibres, s...

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, Fibre-reinforced Plastics: Naturally Better
...-reinforced Plastics. With hemp, sisal etc. in a polyurethane matrix, large-format mouldings can be produced that are on a par with their glass fibre-reinforced equivalents. In the ideal case, the lower intrinsic weight of natural fibres can even achieve weight savings of up to 15%. However, so far there have been restrictions due to the handling of natural fibre mats. The development of the NFI process now allows more economical natural fibre rovings to be used in a spray layup process. Wolfgan...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Film Extrusion: For Flexible Packaging
...ng presented a fairly spectacular double-deck air ring at K 2001, this time they were exhibiting developments and improvements in extrusion technology. Windmöller & Hölscher, manufacturers of machines for flexible packaging, served up a series of recent developments at their open day in Lengerich near Osnabrück/Germany last May. Around 450 visitors had the chance to inspect a rich assortment of new ancillary equipment in addition to familiar machines and a new cast-film extrusion line in the c...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Film Extrusion: PET Extrusion without Pre-drying?
Extrusion PET Extrusion without Pre-drying? Film Extrusion. The degassing technology represents a realistic alternative to pre-drying or at least a useful addition to it. Studies show that the processing of undried granules is possible on a single-screw extruder with the aid of degassing. Walter Michaeli Torsten Schmitz The market for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) over the last few years has been characterised by rapid growth. Everyone seems to be talking about the material and, not too lo...

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, Flame Retardants
Flame Retardants Trends and Innovations Jürgen Troitzsch, Wiesbaden/Germany More stringent international fire protection requirements in the construction sector as well as in rail transport, automotive engineering and the electrical industry, coupled with a rise in plastics consumption, are making for sound growth in the flame retardant sector. New flame retardant systems are facilitating plastics processing, and the trend towards halogen-free systems is continuing unabated. Contrary to ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flame Retardants: Growing Demand
... will have a 50% share in the joint venture, with its head office located in Japan. Operations are to be launched in the second quarter of 2005. Great Lakes will hold exclusive responsibility for distribution. The flame-retardant and plastics activities of Bayer AG have now been transferred to the newly-established companies of Lanxess GmbH (flame retardants and polyamides) and Bayer MaterialScience AG (polyurethanes, polycarbonate and PC/ABS blends). The Dead Sea Bromine Group DSBG (bromine fla...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flexible and Inexpensive
... 30 taking a toolbox by way of an example. The pultrusion process involves a long glass fibre roving being pulled through a polymer melt bath and then being fed into a cutter where it is cut into granules (Fig.1). The fibres in the granules are orientated parallel to the direction of pultrusion (Fig.2). The typical granule length is some 12mm for injection moulding and 20 to 25mm for extrusion compression moulding. Good impregnation and good dispersion of the individual filaments in the granul...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flexible and Precise
...ing. Additionally, in recent years the constant advancement of mechanical engineering has led to thermoforming methods gaining in attractiveness also for other reasons. The development targets of the manufacturers of thermoforming machines are varied. They include adaptation of machine sizes to market requirements and improvement of reproducibility as well as faster cycles and longer machine run times. Lately interesting technical innovations have been presented for almost all types of thermof...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flexible Quality Assurance
Flexible Quality Assurance Portable Tool for Measuring Parts and Assemblies Ralf Steck, Friedrichshafen/Germany Tolerances are tight in automotive engineering - both in technical terms and when it comes to finances and time. As a system supplier for roofs and sunroof and door systems, Meritor LVS also has to operate within the tight constraints imposed by the automobile manufacturers. The company, a subsidiary of the US Meritor, uses a SilverArm from Faro for the quality assurance of produ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fluid Injection Technique: Production of Media-conveying Ducts
...veying 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 different process steps. The fluid injection technique (FIT) c...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Foam Injection Moulding: It's Not the Bubble Size that Counts
...cs have to be set against drawbacks such as a poor surface structure on the moulded parts and a reduction in their mechanical characteristic values. The latest investigations show that microcellular foamed parts even possess poorer mechanical properties than fine-cellular foam parts with an integral foam structure. By foaming thermoplastics, it is frequently possible to achieve a reduction in the part weight. In the case of technical parts with a wall thickness of between 1 and 3.5mm, however,...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Foaming: Automatic Gasketing in a Five-second Cycle
...omatic application of gaskets directly onto the part by the FIPFG process is less costly than conventional gasketing technology, because it reduces manufacturing times and eliminates warehousing costs. A new automation concept allows automotive suppliers to seal 1.9million headlamp backcaps per year with only one employee. Peter Fischer, Dieter Koch In the processing of chemical gasket systems, a very important factor is the quality of the gasketing material, and the metering and mixing unit...

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
...ht 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 large, semi-structural components in automotive engineering. They are lightweight, offer the possibility of functional integration and have good damping proper...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Friction Behaviour of Thermoplastics
Friction Behaviour of Thermoplastics Test Method to Determine the Friction Coefficient between Plastics and Moulding Surfaces René Muschalle, Guimarães/Portugal The friction behaviour of plastics in contact with the surfaces of injection moulds is a key factor that must be considered in designing the ejection system. As part of the "Mouldfriction" programme at the University of Minho, Guimarães/Portugal, a test apparatus was developed that simulates the conditi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, From a Trading Company to an Assembly Supplier
Schieffer GmbH & Co. KG in Lippstadt/Germany From a Trading Company to an Assembly Supplier There are not many successful firms that started life as trading companies, before going on to set up their own production facilities and then becoming market leaders in a number of sub-sectors. Schieffer has been consistently following this path since the Fifties and is now a competent development partner and supplier of high-grade technical plastic and rubber assemblies, as well as market leader for ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, From Plastic to Branded Article
From Plastic to Branded Article A Raw Material Supplier's Marketing Strategy Johann Thim, Leverkusen/Germany Since its invention in the year 1953 Makrolon, the polycarbonate made by Bayer, has been the quality guarantor and jack of all trades among chemical materials. The plastic was previously known mainly to industry connoisseurs or plastics processors. Now Bayer wants to build up the Makrolon brand and make it popular with a broad public. Bayer, an international research-oriented ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, From the Idea to the Product
...er 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 different phases of product development. Developing products made of plastics means proceeding from a product idea and designi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fuel Cell for Alternative Propulsion
Fuel Cell for Alternative Propulsion The Demands Made on the Plastics Frank Reil, Frankfurt am Main/Germany Drive assemblies powered by fuel cells have the potential of becoming the alternative to the combustion engines of today. It is logical that completely new criteria will then apply to the materials used for such applications. The special demands made by fuel cells are satisfied above all by engineering plastics. Our mobile society is based on vehicles powered by combustion engines....

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, Functional Design: Acoustic and Design Concepts for the Engine Compartment
...ine 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 acoustic design engine covers. Specifically, they are for the 2.0l F...

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-assist Injection Moulding: GAIM: From the Design to Successful Application
...ing the part, it makes sense to conduct a suitability test: which geometric requirements does a moulded part have to fulfil for GAIM? The answer is obtained from a detailed catalogue of criteria, as is shown here in the first part of a three-part series on this subject. Helmut Potente, Hans-Peter Heim, Helmut Ridder Over the past few years, plastics engineers have established a large number of special injection moulding processes which provide properties that are optimally tailored to the ap...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Gas-assisted Injection Moulding: Accurate Determination of the Injection Points
...curate 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 Before a gas-assist process is designed...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Gas-assisted Injection Moulding: The Cross-section is Crucial
...ection 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 part and the process for choosing the melt and gas injection points [1, 2]. Here we e...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, General-purpose Plastics: Appearance Ever More Important
...urface gloss for more attractive packaging or flawlessness and improved scratch resistance for automotive parts – appearance would seem to be assuming ever greater importance at present. Alongside this, progress in mechanical and processing properties has not been forgotten either. The product group of general-purpose plastics takes in those plastics that account for the lion's share of plastics consumed worldwide. The list is topped by polyethylene (PE), with a tonnage of 57.4m t consumed...

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, Glass Fibre Reinforced Components: On the Road to the Composite Car Body
Product Development On the Road to the Composite Car Body Glass Fibre Reinforced Components. The British engineering firm Lotus Engineering and the German supplier Jacob Composite GmbH present “Ecolite“ – a joint research project on fibre-reinforced composite materials that are also suitable from an economic point of view for use in medium series in the automotive industry. Both partners focussed the objective of the Ecolite project (“Efficient Composites – Lightweight and Thermoformed“) on d...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Graphic-based Control Technology: Full Automation of One-component Foaming Lines
...– for short FIPFG for Formed in Place Foam Gasketing – to be sealed or damped is an economic alternative to the assembly of conventional prefabricated sealing profiles. The procedure makes complex, precise and also three-dimensional seal geometries possible and has therefore become generally accepted in the motoring industry, in the electrical industry and in switch cabinet construction. One-component polyurethane foams that foam up simply due to the pressure difference when applied to the compo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growing with the Electronics Market: Liquid-Crystal Polymers (LCP)
... 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 of the eighties when the first liquid crystalline polymers (LCP) came on the market, average percentage growth rates for this class of ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growth in Rotational Processing: Innovations Rewarded
...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 profile suitable even for long series production. Rotational technology offers many degrees of freedom in the production of complex hollow plastic bodies. It is sometimes not possible to produce hollow bodies or flat parts using the otherwise usual processing methods for plastics. In...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growth Through Innovations and E-Commerce
...the inauguration of the new Customer Innovation Centre at GE Plastics' European headquarters in Bergen op Zoom/Netherlands at the start of June, the company presented its latest product innovations together with its e-commerce and service activities. These areas are intended to secure the company's future growth. In 1999, GE Plastics achieved global sales of US$ 7 billion, with Europe accounting for US$ 1.3 billion of these sales. The company is intending to speed up its logistics and ...