I'm green - PE-HD, PE-LD, PE-LLD - Braskem

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-24, Renewable PLA Polymer Gets "Green Light" For Packaging Uses
Polylactic acid, first synthesized a half-century ago, has finally arrived as an alternative to PET, HIPS, PVC, and cellulosics in some high-clarity packaging roles. PLA is being used in candy wrap, o...

Plastics Technology, 2004-03-31, Biodegradable Polyesters: Packaging Goes Green
The U.S. is catching up with Europe and Asia in exploring the potential of biodegradable polyesters in flexible and rigid packaging. Because of their cost, these resins often find use in blends with o...

Plastics Technology, 2007-02-01, Extruding Biopolymers: Packaging Reaps Cost Benefit of Going "Green"
...sil carbon from oil or gas, are suddenly a solid commercial reality. The draw isn"t just "green" marketing, but the "green" of stable prices not linked to petrochemicals.

Plastics Technology, 2008-02-01, K 2007 Materials: "Green" Is an Added Attraction In Bumper Crop of New Plastics
Among the staggering number of new plastics making their debut at last fall"s K Show in Dusseldorf, the buzz wasn"t all about faster processing or higher strength or heat or chemical resista...

Plastics Technology, 2008-02-01, What"s Ahead for "Green" Plastics: Look for More Supply, More Varieties, Better Properties
Shifting the emphasis from compostability to renewability means a lot more materials will be classed as biopolymers in the future. That gives processors more to work with as they seek to replace oil-b...

Plastics Technology, 2008-07-07, Enhancing Biopolymers: Additives Are Needed for Toughness, Heat Resistance & Processability
Plastics are going "green," but they will need some help to get there. Biodegradable polymers derived from renewable resources are attracting lots of interest and publicity, but that enthusi...

Plastics Technology, 2009-04-01, Injection Molding Biopolymers: How to Process Renewable Resins
U.S. injection molders are still pretty green when it comes to processing the new crop of renewably sourced biopolymers. These biologically derived polymers made from PLA, PHA and starch-based resins ...

Plastics Technology, 2009-12-01, On-Site: Green Business Is Good Business for Fabri-Kal
"We tend to jump on things early," says John Kittredge. "F-K has been a pioneer in a number of things. Our earliest example was converting HDPE margarine tubs to ABS. After that we were...

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, From Fishing Net to Particle Foam
...ecycled plastics. Plastix is certified for the recycling of used fishing nets and ropes from the maritime industry according to the ISO9001:2015 and ISO14.001:2015 standards for quality and environmental management. The “green” plastic granules produced serve as raw material for a wide range of applications throughout the plastics industry. For example, OceanIX, a recycled product called rHDPE (recycled high density polyethylene) or rPPC (recycled polypropylene copolymer), is already being used ...

Kunststoffe international, Green Shape Changers
...screw extruder from Coperion in Stuttgart. Two fully biobased plastics, PLA and PHBV, were used, as well as a partially biobased thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a partially biobased polyamide 6.10 (PA610), and a polyketone (PK) based on the greenhouse gas carbon monoxide. The swellable fillers trialed were wood flour, cellulose powder, and a natural sodium bentonite. Filaments with a diameter of 1.75 mm were extruded on a laboratory extruder from Collin in Maitenbeth, Germany. To ‧ensure opti...

Kunststoffe international, Killing Problem Microbes
...o humans, but very effective against the microbes when their toxic levels (dose) could be maintained and delivered. Although used with a "care of the day" approach, most biocidal products used in years past are unacceptable under the principles of Green and Sustainable that are demanded today [6]. Unfortunately, several of the chemicals once used became part of the "legacy poison" club. This demanded that new biocidal technical actives and methods of application had to be completely redesigned. ...

Kunststoffe international, Medical Applications of Additive ‧Manufacturing
...y relevant for simple applications with certain tolerances. In binder jet 3D printing, also known as “powder bed and inkjet”, the parts are built up layer by layer as “green bodies”. 3D data serve to calculate the geometry of every individual cross-section or layer. During 3D printing, a bed of powder or granulate is spread on a height-adjustable tabletop and then a binder is deposited to glue the parts together in the places that form part of the component. The developments of the past ten yea...

Kunststoffe international, Paying Attention to Layers in-between
...dwiching” the former. Lastly, the outer materials are added – again, laterally – in successive stages in order to ensure good adhesion. Note that in Figure 1 the outer materials are represented with two different colors (orange and green) for illustrative purposes. Depending on the required configuration, the outer materials may, in fact, be the same or different. To adjust and optimize distribution of the various polymeric layers, the co-extrusion head incorporates several levers that can be us...

Kunststoffe international, Polypropylene Beats Aluminum
...ssed through the plasterboard to the inner side of the ElroSafe sheet. Figure 5 shows the temperature curves measured on the profiles (yellow and green). These curves represent the combined temperature of the flames and the aluminum profiles. The red curve shows the temperature curve on the inner side of the ElroSafe sheet. Because of the low thermal conductivity of the thermoplastic fiber composite, a temperature of only 100 °C was reached there. The high fiber content leads to extremely dense ...

Kunststoffe international, Protective Coat for Electronics and Body
...ectronics, damage in the form of cracks, embedded medium in the polymer matrix, as well as aging and corrosion effects were revealed.Results and Different EffectsOutstanding results were exhibited by the coating materials highlighted green in Table 1. With them, no toxic constituents of the solder mask or the ENIG penetrated the coating material during the 7-day eluate contact. In correlation with the CCK-8 Assay, an intact coating (Fig. 2) or failed barrier (Fig. 3) could be validated visually....

Kunststoffe international, Reactive Extrusion of TPU
...uous synthesis of polymer products brings intrinsic technological and ecological benefits. Its application in the production of high-quality plastics based on CO2 sources is a simple path toward a “green” polymer industry. The “Dream Polyols” project demonstrated the combination of both approaches in the development of new, sustainable components for the polyurethane market. A particular advantage at the development stage and in controlling the quality of industrial REX production could be achie...

Kunststoffe international, Recycling that Gets under the Skin
... is specialized in molds for storage and logistics containers and uses the produced sandwich transport boxes for intralogistics in its own production site (Fig. 2). The recycled material (type: Systalen) was supplied by the Green Dot – Duales System Deutschland (DSD). It originated from household wastes that had been collected in the yellow bag or yellow container scheme. Confirming Fitness for Use To confirm the fitness for use of the 2-component transport boxes, stacking pressure tests were pe...

Kunststoffe international, Sustainable Growth
...verage market growth of 4 to 5 %. The new approach from the EU Commission for a sustainable economy within the European Union – called the “Green Deal” has the goal of ensuring that no net greenhouse gas emissions are emitted starting in the year 2050. The EU wants to become climate neutral by 2050. The construction industry has a key role to play, because 40 % of global energy consumption and a third of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by buildings. The second largest segment using PU rigi...

Kunststoffe international, Zero-Waste Concept for Carbon SMC
...orce is increased to cause the material to flow during subsequent pressing. A graph illustrates the profile of the cavity pressure during the curing time. The reference material is shown in green and the recycled material in orange (Fig. 6). During the heating time, the cavity pressure is still low. In parallelism-controlled press forming, a pressure maximum occurs which, despite precise control of a constant clamping force of 5000 kN, rapidly decreases again. Here, the conversion of the liquid ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Additives
...064nm) and is transferred to the surface of the plastic (Fig. 5). The newly presented pigments of the Variocrom series (manufacturer: BASF, Ludwigshafen/Germany) provide a special effect. The colour shade undergoes a change – such as from green to red (grade: Magic Green K 9811) – depending on the angle from which it is observed. This is achieved through the interplay of light interference and refraction on iron oxide and silicon dioxide layers that are applied to micaceous iron oxide plaques (M...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Additives: Custom-engineered Plastics
... and cause fibre breakage when spinning fibre. The consequence: additional costs due to extended downtime and increased rejects. BASF has now decided to address this problem. The new “FPV products“ are available in the colours blue, green, scarlet and yellow, and, thanks to an especially low filter pressure value, prevent the above-mentioned process difficulties. Organic pigments are often the reason that injection moulded parts warp while cooling. For this reason, BASF has developed a new ptha...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Adjusted Geometries
...d, the very sharp corners still present in the part mean that very high, unrealistic values are obtained for the required wall thickness. A parison with this kind of wall thickness distribution cannot be produced in practice. By contrast, the green wall thickness distribution, which is shown in Fig.3, can easily be manufactured from the machine point of view. It consistently avoids high peaks, which experience has shown to cause problems because of the exact positioning required on the part. The...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Barely Affected
... lead to any relevant differences in the viscosity. The PA 6 pigmented with antimony chromium III titanium dioxide shows in principle the same results. The graph has therefore not been included here. Organic pigments Two organic pigments (blue and green) were tested. Both pigments are based on phthalocyanine chemistry, with the green types having the higher chlorine contents. The viscosity curves of the pigmented PA 6 without glass fibre reinforcement (Fig. 3A) show that a concentration of 0.1 ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Better-Quality Rubber Products
...shown no signs of limiting shear stress, even at very low shear rates. Limiting shear stress is often adduced as an explanation when phenomena such as cold cores are found during extrusion. Studies of viscous compounded properties of silica-filled green-tyre recipes at Vredestein have revealed surface silanisation of the silian filler. Examination of the specimens after every fabricating stage has revealed changes in both viscosity and the Payne effect. Polyflow has derived a new material law - ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Biologically Degradable Plastics
Biologically Degradable Plastics A Market with Potential? Frank Reckert, Paderborn/Germany For the past ten years the field of processing so-called "green plastics"" can be called a niche in the plastics industry. Expectations on this new range of materials and products have so far been only partially fulfilled in the course of increasing environmental awareness both on the part of consumers and on the processing plant side. A reason for this may be on the one hand the raw ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Ceramic Injection Moulding in Practice
...ection moulding machine (manufacturer: Arburg; grade: Allrounder 270C400-100) equipped with a 20mm tungsten carbide injection tool with five temperature zones is used. Additionally the machine has an automatic removal mechanism that transfers the green part to a magazine (Fig.2). Thus for the following production steps it is not necessary that the ferrule be handled individually. All the components of the quadruple injection mould in contact with ceramic are made of tungsten carbide to achieve a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Colourmatch-capable Film Technology: A Technology Waits in the Wings
... pictures show clearly that the maximum long wave (shadow effect) is smaller than 6 units, the maximum short wave (orange skin) smaller than 7 units, and the gloss (20°) clearly above 80 units. These thresholds are shown in Figs. 3 and 4 by a green line. Even with 20% LGF in the backmoulding material, the specifications made on a Class A surface are met. Isotropic Coating The pilot component could not be used for ascertaining whether or not there was a preferential direction for cutting the ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Combinations Enhance Performance Many Times Over
...new fields of application. For a long time, this method was used virtually exclusively for decorating consumer goods and household articles. Plastics processors are now using marbling for the selective identification of electrical goods. The yellow-green marbling of assemblies, which are of relevance for safety, has taken over from printing yellow moulded parts with green ink. Apart from the classical assembly processes, other downstream operations, such as painting, are also being substituted. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Construction Industry: Panes with Sunscreen
...they decided to use traditional sunscreen glass. The new thermal-insulation glazing utilises a completely new technology. Instead of being translucent or opaque, as previous products have been, the PC sunscreen panes are transparent and are tinted green. This reflects the sunlight (IR), but transmits light very readily. Unlike expensive, sensitive coatings that can be damaged during transport or assembly, the plastic additives that shield against the heat and sun are contained in the polycarbona...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Development History of Plastics: Growth through Changing Times
... and Eastern Europe, beige: North and South America, orange: South-East Asia, excluding Japan, black: Japan, green: Middle East and Africa Fig. 14. Roof of the Athens Olympic Stadium made from polycarbonate sections from 2004 (photo: Bayer MaterialScience AG) Fig. 15. Fuel cell with end plates made from PPS and bipolar plates made from LCP from 2004 (photo: Ticona GmbH) Fig. 16. Wing assembly of the Airbus A 380 with structural elements made from PPS composite (grade: Fortron; France) from 2...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Die Optimisation: Flexible Die Walls
...without the need to heat the work piece to a critically higher temperature. Figure 8, for example, is a 3D view of the top half of a feed block for the manufacture of coextruded panels that can be optimised while the line is running. The green flow-channel section consists of 10 individual walls in succession that can be deformed within pre-defined limits while the line is running. This enables the layer distribution in the coextrusion layer to be rendered uniform during operation. The advantage...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Driving the Automotive Industry: Engineering Elastomers
...tribution (good processability). The characteristic features of bimodal grades are more efficient compounding and higher extrudate output (30 to 60%) coupled with significantly better (up to 60%) green strength than conventional EPDM grades. Dutral TER grades from Polimeri Europa have propylene contents ranging from 25 to 40% with moderate to high polymer curability. As with other manufacturers’ grades, a wide application spectrum is covered: e.g. profiles of all kinds, roofing sheet, radiator, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Elastomer Composites: Complex Mould Technology for Sealing Membranes
...portion of this. www.rico.at Showerheads were one of the first applications for joining plastics and silicones. There is now a wide range of applications for such parts. Title photo. 3D drawing of the sealing membrane. The light-green region of the part is the LSR component, which, for its function, is slit subsequent to the injection moulding operation Fig.1. View of the 32-32-cavity mould for manufacturing sealing membranes. Clearly shown are the clear delimitation between the production a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Elastomers
...) molecular weight distributions. They are characterised by faster and more efficient compounding, higher extruder output and, for example for blend production, significantly better green strength and therefore improved collapse resistance of the green hose. Vistalone8700, among other applications, is used for maximum demands on the surface quality in the case of hose products and window profiles. At K’01, AtoFina presented new Sunfrost grades, also for window profiles. DutralTS9720 from EniChem...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, European Political Institutions and Plastics
...tilisation and wastes handling (Fig 2).The action program already affects a number of European legal initiatives. Concretely, the following plastics relevant topics of current importance have crystallised out: - white book on chemistry policy, - PVC green book, - used cars guidelines (approved), - used electrical equipment guidelines (at present in the European Parliament) and - amendment of the package guidelines. The VKE sees the discussion about the EU green book on the environmental problem ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Evolution, Not Revolution
.... Extrude Hone, Irwin/UK, presented its "ProMetal" process for functional metal parts at Euromold. In this, layers of metal powder are bound with polymer, which is applied by means of inkjet printing technology. The result is an intricate green part that is bound and infiltrated in a downstream process. Here again, as in metal laser sintering, it is possible to integrate intricate cooling channels into the mould. In the authors' view, rapid tooling techniques have the potential to at...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Flame-retardant Curing
...o 65 %. Post-curing may be carried out either continuously or subsequently by conditioning (Figures 4A and 4B). The most important factor is that an incipiently cured system should build up a sufficiently high modulus, which ensures sufficient "green strength" of the material. The curing cycles can be reduced in an autoclave, and high glass transition temperatures produced subsequently in a conditioning oven. The phosphorus content of these combination compounds on its own is not suffici...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growth Market for Powder Injection Moulding
...mpounds by mixing and homogenizing them with sufficient polymers and waxes (binders) to form a feedstock that has the flow properties of the polymer and can be processed as pellet stock by conventional injection moulding. The injection moulded part (green compact) is formed as with plastics injection moulding with more or less complicated injection moulds. To achieve the finished part, the binder is removed (known as "debindering") from the green compact, usually in a two-stage process, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-perspective Location
...heide from "Treuhand", the trust agency charged with the privatisation of former state-owned enterprises in East Germany after 1990. To begin with, the existing plants had to be cleaned up and modernised, but only a year later, BASF gave the green light for the first new investments - in the aqueous coating facility. This was followed by further major capital expenditures almost every year: a plant for the production of Styrodor (expanded polystyrene, EPS) and Neopolen (expanded polyprop...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Highly Filled, Well Dispersed
... only in respect of particle size. The basic formulation is given in Table 1. In the first series of tests the wax content was 30 %. In later tests the effect of wax content was investigated and it was reduced to 20 %. The pigment was phthalocyanine green pigment green 7 (e. g. PV Fast Green GNX produced by Clariant) and this was used at a concentration of 40 %. The amount of carrier depended on the amounts of wax and pigment. The investigations were carried out in a counter-rotating twin-screw ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Injection Moulding Ceramic Powder
...at is a necessary condition for injection moulding. As with plastics, the feedstock is processed using a "modified" injection moulding machine. In contrast to the production of injection moulded plastic components, in the following steps the green ceramic material (Fig. 2) must be freed from binder, that is, the binders required for plasticising must be removed. Only after binder removal can the components be sintered (burned) to make them denser and produce the final form and/or the des...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Injection Moulding Metal and Ceramic Powder
...ny traces of binder can adversely influence material properties in some circumstances. Apart from chemical and catalytic methods, two-stage binder removal is increasingly being used: - Stage 1: The injection moulded component, also known as the "green compact", is immersed for up to ten hours in a water bath - alternatively also in organic solvents (Fig. 1). In this extraction phase approximately 60 % of the binder is removed without disturbing the geometry or stability of the moulding. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovative Direct Processing of Natural Fibres
...ong-fibre fraction >1mm (20wt.% flax; screw configuration study with combing elements) Fig.11. Types of flax fibre and processing methods Flachsstengel = Flax stems; Bastfaserbündel = Bast-fibre bundles; Grünflachsfaser = Green flax fibres; Röstflachsfaser = Retted flax fibres; Elementarfaser = Elementary fibres; Faservliestechnik = Nonwoven fleece technique; Extrusionstechnik = Extrusion Fig.12. Mechanical properties potential of the newly generated PP/flax composites (30 wt.% flax) Table1....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Joining Polyamide Inexpensively
...d commercial polyamides. The focus of the current investigation was on natural-transparent and pigmented PA 6 grades with and without glass fibre reinforcement, mineral fillers, impact modification, flame retardants and different pigmentation (red, green, yellow, white, black and carbon black). The wall thickness was seen to be the third main influencing variable, as had been expected. Rectangular, injection moulded testpieces (150 mm x 100 mm) with wall thickness of 1.6, 3.2 and 6.25 mm were us...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Large-scale Production: Challenges in Ceramic Injection Moulding
...ng: fully automatic processing of the ceramic compound on a standard injection moulding machine equipped with a hard metal injection unit. For high production rates, the mould must also be made of hard metal. The final product is the so-called “green part”. - Debinding: the binder is removed from the green parts by thermal decomposition in a furnace system with a process curve up to approx. 350°C. The final product here is the highly sensitive porous “brown part”. - Sintering: a high-temperature...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Laser Labelling: Emission-free Labelling of Colour Films
...ible a variety of design solutions, there is a wide colour scheme for the colour-laser films available (Fig. 2). Not only the ground colours black (matt ink and glossy) and silver can be implemented, but also customised ground colours, such as red, green or yellow. It is also possible to customise the font colour with the help of reference colour schemes. The colour-laser film (CLF) can be processed on all lamp-pumped or diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser systems. The necessary parameter- and hardware se...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Lotus-Effect – Now and in the Future
...ffect project at Creavis Gesellschaft für Technologie und Innovation mbH (Degussa AG, Düsseldorf/Germany). Contact: gernot.dambacher@degussa.com Fig.1. Left: familiar technology – on a hydrophobic, easyclean surface (green, smooth surface), dirt particles (red) are only “repositioned” by moving water droplets (blue); right: new technology – on a lotus-effect surface (green, textured surface), dirt particles (red) are completely collected and quantitatively rinsed off by water droplets (blue) ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Materials and Processes: Electrical Engineering in Transformation
...o 300%, is delivered in pre-stretched form on a support tube (Fig.3). Flash-free injection moulding with high homogeneity of the abrasive additives is essential to avoid tearing of the part. As electrical field control, a separate patch (green) is used here, which is filled with metal oxide and is based on a slightly crosslinked polymer. This special base material, together with flow-promoters, ensures that the patch flows reliably on the cable under the pressure of the silicone component. [1] ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Materials with Multiple Functions
...ic Semiconducters or polyfluorene from Dow are embedded between an inorganic electrode (anode) and a metal alloy as cathode. A small DC voltage on the electrodes causes the organic emitter to shine in the colours green, red and blue. The system can be manufactured relatively simply as the emitter material can be applied from a solution or using vacuum evaporation methods one after the other to cover the surfaces of normal commercial glass plates coated with indium tin oxide (ITO) or on flexible ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Measuring the Optical Quality of Films
...ry is taking on increasing importance in production. In colorimetry, by analogy with human vision, so-called standard colour values are determined indirectly depending on the measurement process by means of standardised assessment functions for red, green and blue. In the case of opaque products, such as pigmented plastic films or coated and painted surfaces, colours are determined by reflection. Transparent products are analysed by transmission. In both cases a defined observer viewpoint and a ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Metal Injection Moulding: Precision Parts Rapidly and Economically
...ulded, debinding and sintering follow in separate process steps. First, the binder is removed in a continuous manner from the outside to the inside, so that even larger parts avoid warpage. This involves a catalytic debinding process: the green injection moulded parts undergo debinding in a simple gastight furnace at 110 to 140°C in a nitrogen atmosphere containing a few percent of gaseous nitric acid. The resultant off-gases are incinerated in an environmentally friendly manner. With the short ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Microtopographic Requirements for Injection Moulding: Optical Surfaces in View
Tooling Optical Surfaces in View Microtopographic Requirements for Injection Moulding. Injection moulding of functional optical surfaces requires not only a command of high-precision machining operations for production of the mould inserts, but also the ability to replicate these high-quality surfaces in the moulded parts. In fact, such surfaces exhibit roughness values of

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Nanocomposites - En Route to Application
...h TNO research institute in Eindhoven. According to Dr. Hartmut Fischer, planomers technology uses organophilically modified layered silicates for a series of applications. The addition of organophilic layered silicates to starch ("green nanocomposites") makes starch materials and starch films resistant to the action of water without the addition of hydrophobic agents. In the case of paints, layered silicates are charged with colouring agents, which are effectively dispersed in the acryl...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, One Step Closer to Nature
...roduct that can be clearly defined or adapted. In order to give the user greater certainty of complying with the relevant regulations, laws and ordinances, PolyOne Werk Melos GmbH, Melle/Germany has developed EPDM granules coloured artificial-turf green (other colours are, of course, possible too) which are weather-resistant, offer perfect playing properties and have been strictly adapted to comply with the technical and present-day ecological requirements for artificial-turf infill granules (gr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Online Process Control: Ultrasonic Measurements on Thermoset Moulding Compounds
... with different reaction times, fast compound: red, slow compound: blue Effect of holding pressure time Fig. 7. Variation of holding pressure time, blue: 10 s, red: 15 s, green: 20 s; moulding compound PF31 Contact loss can be avoided Fig. 8. Variation of holding pressure time to avoid loss of contact during curing, red: 15 s, blue: 10 s; moulding compound PF 7595 Table 1. Machine parameters during experiments Table 2. Overview of materials Table 3. Explanations of marked points from F...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Pellet Conveying: Water Absorption from Polymerisation to Processing
...ing project engineer. Table1. Water content of pellet samples as supplied – comparison of Karl Fischer measurement with the gravimetric method and presentation of the results in a bar chart (red: Karl Fischer values, green: evaporation loss) Fig.1. Typical flow chart of a plant for producing and supplying plastic pellets Water absorption Fig.2. Relationship between solids density and water absorption for different polyethylene grades Fig.3. In the pilot plant for hydraulic conveying o...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Planning Future Scenarios: Automotive Applications in the Distant Future
...y when A.C. voltage of, e.g., 110V/400Hz is applied. They consume hardly any energy, emit no heat, require no maintenance and are extremely long-lived. There is no need to use bulbs. The light can be generated optionally as blue, green, orange or white. The parts are made by taking a transparent polycarbonate film and performing multi-layer screen-printing. The print comprises a transparent polymer electrode which is isolated by a non-conducting layer, called a dielectric, from the counter-elect...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastics Packaging in the 21sup>st/sup> Century
...ing with returnable systems. It is plastics packaging that is the clear winner in this development - in terms of the number of applications involved rather than in terms of the mass. In cases where consumers have to pay a small levy towards the "Green Dot" recycling scheme, flexible packaging already holds a 2/3 share of applications (Fig. 2). This trend would not have been possible without the technical developments that have taken place. Improved Product Protection Using Less Material...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)
...safe for food-contact applications. A completely new development in the market are the PMMA sheets offered by Degussa under the name Plexiglas truLED in special LED colours (Fig.6). Adjusted to the same wavelengths as blue, green, yellow and red LEDs, this PMMA grade offers unparalleled transmission in the corresponding wavelength ranges. Outstanding light diffusion allows the construction of ultraslim illuminated signs with thicknesses of only 40mm. Moreover, the colour impression is the same b...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polypropylene (PP)
...issions from the material. Whether it involves fogging in vehicle passenger compartments, or fat or water-soluble components in food packaging, PP must continue time and again to prove its image as a clean and “green” material. Demand for high crystallinity and thus stiffness have not reached their peak either. In this respect, high isotacticity, optimised molecular weight distribution and crystallisation control by means of nucleation or BNT technology are the key to further advances which wil...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polystyrene recycling: Regranulates from Post-consumer Waste
...evel of eco-efficiency in plastics recycling. In the case of plastics packaging, mechanical recycling methods are proving particularly advantageous at present. Of the approximately 600000t of plastics packaging with the “Grüner Punkt” (green dot) recycled by the DSD in 2001, more than half was mechanically processed into new products. Advances in sorting technology, and particularly the use of near-infrared technology, are creating the conditions for high-grade material recycling at the sorting ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Powder Injection Moulding: Joining Injection Moulded Sintered Parts in the Green-compact Phase
Joining Joining Injection Moulded Sintered Parts in the Green-compact Phase Powder Injection Moulding. The complexity of parts produced by powder injection moulding is ultimately limited by the possibilities available in the mould technology. Unlike moulds for plastics technology, not even small undercuts can be accommodated by forced demoulding. Ceramic or metal green compacts can now be joined using standard techniques to form complex geometrical structures. Helmut Potente Lars Wilke Powder i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives ...
...he crucial step was the use of a copolymerisable photoinitiator, which became chemically bonded to the main polymer chain and could not migrate out of it (Fig. 6). The result was the ideal “green” adhesive which, logically, complies with the stringent legal provisions governing indirect food-contact. Furthermore, the dosage of UV radiation to apply affords the adhesive manufacturer a means of deciding on the molecular weight of his adhesive and thus a certain amount of control over the propertie...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Production Control: Press Process Transparency
...ge) can be separately accessed for each mould carrier from the WinCC computer (Fig.4). At the colour of the display, the operator can immediately recognise, whether a certain temperature is in the desired range (green), too low (blue) or too high (red) and can intervene accordingly. Provided as well are detailed overviews of all control parameters, which can now – for the first time – be saved together with the recipe and quickly be retrieved if necessary (Fig.5). Authorised operators can also c...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PU Seat Foams from End of Live Vehicles
...ront seat cushions, cores of rebond PU foam were found. However, seats of this construction only made up about 4 % of the material studied. The natural colour of new PU seat foams is white to light yellow. Some foams are pigmented and are then light green or grey. After the foam has come into contact with air and sunlight, the original light colour changes to dark yellow, or even dark brown. This discoloration of the seat foams is caused by the effect of oxygen and UV radiation, and elevated tem...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality Assurance: A New Standard of Gravimetric Metering
...times and materials consumption and puts it at the disposal of authorised personnel and managers in real time. The most important data can be seen at a glance on the main screen (Fig.5). The traffic light signals the production machine status. - Green: the machine produces within the tolerance limits. - Yellow: the machine produces outside the tolerance limits. - Red: the machine is down. Production-specific data such as cycle time, additive portion and work order progress in percent are to be...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality Improvement: Cooling Time as Variable
...d. Table1. The automatic cooling time computation fully exploits the cycle time without a safety margin Fig.1. Cutaway diagram of the combined cavity pressure and temperature sensor, with pressure measurement (dark grey) and thermocouple (red/green) Process profile Fig.2. Process profiles close the gate and end of fill, measured with the combined cavity pressure and temperature sensor Fig.3. Sporadically occurring crazing on the part without automatic cooling time computation Fig.4. Smart...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality of Dispersion: Standardised - the Filter Pressure Value as an Evaluation Tool
...aboratories. Since the laboratories did not use equipment of identical construction, the same sample sometimes yielded significantly different numerical results. However, almost all laboratories uncovered the same trend. All participants rated MB-green 1 as the best sample, while MB-red 2 rated poorest in almost all tests. Limits In assessing the numerical values obtained by this method, it is important to remember that the standard described here does not include the type of colour concentra...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality of SMC Surfaces: Paintability Enhanced
...agram shows a comparison of Tough Class ‘A’ with standard Class ‘A’ SMC Fig. 6. Concerns: Defect rates at Ford reveal the reduction in paint pops (the green bar indicates the switchover to Tough Class ‘A’; M = Mudguard, BL = Boot lid, B = Bonnet Table 1. Composition of class ‘A’ SMC Manufacturer: ThyssenKrupp Automotive AG Alleestr. 165 D-44793 Bochum Germany Phone +49 (0) 234/919-6013 Fax +49 (0) 234/919-6015 www.thyssenkrupp-automotive.com

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Recycling: Drinks from the Detergent Bottle
... the fear that PET bottles from non-food applications could pose a threat to the health of consumers when recycled by the bottle-to-bottle process. Studies by the DKR, which is responsible for recycling post-consumer plastic packaging bearing the Green Dot (“Grüner Punkt”), have shown that non-food PET bottles make up between three and six percent of the PET bottles obtained from the sorting stations of Duales System [2]. The project initiated by the DKR was aimed at establishing if non-food PE...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Screw Concepts: Influence of the Plasticising Unit on the Processing of PET
...igh-viscosity standard PET. Figs. 3 and 4 show the temperature profile over the length of the screw for a poorly designed barrier screw. What is documented here is the mean melt temperature over the height of the channel in the melt channel (green line) and in the solids channel (red line). For a low-viscosity material, the simulation comes up with a final melt temperature of 293.3°C, and for a high-viscosity material, a final temperature of 300.8°C. If we look at the melt temperature in the sol...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Series Production - Quickly
...steps and casting processes the mould inserts are manufactured based on the geometry of the original model, which for instance can be integrated into an injection mould. To the indirect rapid technologies or process systems group belong for example green body fabrication procedures such as the KelTool process (3dSystems, USA), the resin casting procedure and spray metal moulding. Due to different degrees of complexity and quality requirements it is not meaningful to illustrate all the components...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Simulation of the Injection Moulding of EPDM
...irectly into the Sigmasoft Preprocessor. Not only the part itself, but also the inserts are converted because all the material groups are used in the subsequent calculation. Fig. 4 shows the geometry of the moulding (red) including a plastic insert (green) in the preprocessor of the simulation program. In the next step, the gating points are modelled and the material groups assigned to the mould, moulded part and insert. The subsequent meshing into a three-dimensional model takes place fully aut...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Simulation right through to Failure
...ere, the contact force is presented over the deformation for different sets of results. The blue curve shows the results of the experiment, while the simulated curves were calculated with strain-rate-dependence on the one hand (red) and without it (green) on the other. Good agreement is seen in the deformation for the measurement and the simulation with strain-rate-dependence - in other words, in the computed version, the falling body penetrates the specimen just as deeply as in the experiment. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Software: The Optimum Screw Diameter at the Click of a Mouse
Injection Moulding The Optimum Screw Diameter at the Click of a Mouse Software. Selecting the right screw diameter is guaranteed to give high-quality parts. All the new ScrewSelection software requires to do this is a few items of basic data and a few clicks of the mouse. August Burr Andreas Müller Martin Hetschel The residence time of the moulding compound and the metering path are the key criteria when it comes to selecting the correct screw diameter and hence determining the quality level...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Sports Equipment: Plastics at all Events
...ing properties and help the ball return to its original shape immediately it leaves the player's boot. Adidas intends to further develop the Roteiro for the World Cup in 2006, but is unable to reveal any details at this stage. The Green Green Grass of Home But it is not only the ball that is made of plastic; in many soccer stadia the pitch is no longer made of what we generally know as grass. In many parts of the world, normal grass surfaces suffer from excessive moisture because of dew, ra...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Strategies for Cooling Moulds
...fluencing the local mould temperature by means of multi-circuit cooling (source: Innova) Gelber Kreislauf: Anschnitttemperierung = Yellow circuit: Gate cooling; Grüner Kreislauf rechts: Wandtemperierung rechts = Green circuit on right: Wall cooling on right Fig. 7. Injection moulding machine at Emould for producing optical data-storage media (source: Emould) Fig. 8. Principle behind Variotherm cooling (source: IKV) Fig. 9. Reproducibility of micro-structures as effected by differential coolin...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Tailored EPDM
...s also easier to implement multireactor processes [4]. Thanks to the special manufacturing process, many potential causes of contamination and discoloration can be excluded: The extremely small amounts of catalyst eliminates one of the causes of the green/yellow discoloration that can sometimes be observed in EPDM polymers produced with Ziegler-Natta catalysts. There is no need to wash the polymer with acid to remove the catalyst, and thereby the brown/black stains that may be found in EPDM bale...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Case in Favour: Tiebarless – What Are the Benefits?
...sensor 1 (on the side at the top) plotted the horizontal platen movement at the top (hidden black curve in the results graph), sensor 2 the horizontal movement at the bottom (red) and sensor 3 the vertical movement of the mould (green). Stroke/time curves were plotted as the mould halves came together up to the moment of clamping force buildup, during the holding time of about 3s and as the mould opened. A special feature of the mould was that it was operated without a centring device for this t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Crucial Question in Fire Protection
...droxide, the continuous phase (PA66) has excellent ductility in addition to the desired low content of flame retardant (see Main Properties in Table4). The new blend currently ships unreinforced, with 10% glassfibre and in the colours dark green and black. The glassfibre-reinforced variant has a UL94-V1 classification for 1.0mm wall thickness, and also passes the UL94-V0 test for 2.0 mm. A paler grade conforming to RAL 7035 is being developed. Striking a Balance is Not Easy, But It is Feasible!...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Journey is the Reward
...they are depicted. Even the generous estimate of 2800 DM suggests that the space taken up by one machine is insignificant. If we had 20 machines, each of which took up just 5 m2 more space, 100 m2 would have to be provided - a minor problem for new, green-field sites, but usually an insoluble one when existing locations are being expanded. The high proportion of variable costs renders pressing relatively insensitive to fluctuations in capacity utilisation. The situation proves particularly favou...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Transparent Parts: Laser Welding without Limits
... formulations can now be used in both plastic parts, and the laser beam is still absorbed in the lower part,” according to Dr. Sieffert, head of R&D at Treffert (Fig.2). The intrinsic colour of the IR absorbers – they are light green or medium blue – does not pose a problem. By making colour corrections, almost all colours – from light to dark and transparent to opaque – can be produced, or matched to provided colour samples. Clinical White or Transparent They are also an important aid for medic...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Two-component Micro Powder Injection Moulding: Three Special Processes in One
...ters for reproducing parts and details on a sub-millimetre to nano scale [2]. In powder injection moulding, the feedstock that is moulded consists half and half of a binder and a metal or ceramic powder. After moulding, the binder is removed and the green compact is sintered to form a dense part [3]. Each of these three special processes makes special demands on the processor. Combining the processes means entering technological new territory. The Department of Process Development and Experimen...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Unobtrusive, Invisible, Universal
...viously mentioned criterion of quality is seen in the considerable reduction of postfinishing work. The forming process in PIM processing follows a similar pattern as in the injection moulding of plastics. The injection moulded part (the “green body”) is freed of the plastic component in a debinding process – in this example, in one step under a flow of hydrogen and under low vacuum. A subsequent sintering process bonds the particles of the resultant “brown body” firmly to one another. The tempe...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Water-assist Process Suitable for Mass Production: Outgrowing Experimental Status
...jector.) The Micrograf curves obtained in production of the basic element with water-assist technology document the following sequence: Some 4.5s after the start of the moulding cycle (end of the melt holding pressure phase, green curve), the water feed begins (yellow curve) – with the injector closed. The feed line to the injector is filled at the preset volumetric flow rate (in this case 8l/min, recognisable in the Micrograf as just under 55% of the 100% y-axis value of 15l/min. When the injec...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, When Seconds Decide...
...mparison of the plastication rates for screw diameters 35 mm in the case of polystyrene process of the TM and HM series Drehzahl = Speed; Standardschnecke = Standard screw Fig.6. Temperature of plasticated melt and the set cylinder temperature (green line) in polystyrene processing with maximum screw speed Massetemperatur = Melt temperature; Standardschnecke = Standard screw

Kunststoffe international, 2005-12-08, A Status Report (1): Versatility for Mass Production in MuCell Injection Moulding
...r conditioning system, produced by MuCell in-mould decoration of a film (left); two-component ventilator flap made of MuCell-foamed, talc-filled PP plus overmoulded surrounding TPE seal (light green) Fig. 6. Frame moulds and moulds with vertical flash face (left) are both suitable for use in precision opening. After volumetric filling of the cavity, the enlargement of the mould cavity should if possible be carried out with parallelism control (right) Fig. 7. Foamed PP panel, produced by MuCell...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-13, Materials Handling: Centralisation Complete
Market and Management Centralisation Complete Materials Handling. Mann+Hummel ProTec GmbH has completed the relocation of its facilities in Ludwigsburg, Weiterstadt and Königswinter to a new site in Bensheim ahead of schedule. A green-field factory was literally erected and designed according to the Kanban principle. Kunststoffe’s chief editor Gerhard Gotzmann paid a visit to the new site and talked to Norbert Strohbeck, production manager, and Michael Zlotos, CEO, about the advantages of the ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-15, Obligation to Label Products: How to Label Plastics? With Lasers, of Course!
...traviolet (UV)- and the long wave infrared (IR) ranges. However, absorption is strongly influenced by additives, fillers and pigments, whose absorption capabilities are bound to certain wave length ranges – optimum is almost at 532nm (green). This enables an increased marking rate and improved contrast – which are factors decisive for the selection of the laser system. At a wavelength of 355nm, photochemical reactions, such as breaking off chemical bonds as a result of the high photon energy, do...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-26, Recycling: Clean PET Flakes Through Use of Filtration
...tration of washing additives in the washing solution remains unchanged. Surprisingly, the printing inks in the washing solution are removed almost entirely in the course of filtration. This can be recognised by the fact that the previously green hot wash solution is colourless after filtration. The quality of the PET flakes produced is improved noticeably by filtering the hot wash solution. The percentage of flakes with adhering adhesive is reduced substantially and the recontamination-based dis...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-02-22, Interview: Changing Mould Construction
...to take? OM: We changed location several times: From the cellar works into the industrial area, we extended this location twice, and then we bought a building on the other side of the road , which was also extended. Then we built here on the green meadow. For me that was really a very big decision: It was a matter of 15 million DM, with an annual turnover at that time of 18 million DM. H-PM: Whereby it must be said that without this investment we would not be in this good strategic position t...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-03-29, Bioplastics: Converting Risks to Opportunities
...e market launch phase. The industry expects a powerful market boost from this exemption, which is granted until 2012. Some 1.3 EUR per kg plastics packaging would, for example, be payable for approved disposal of packaging licensed under the Green Dot System. There is no longer any compulsion to sign up to this system but companies placing this packaging on the market have to ensure as part of their product responsibility that the “highest possible content” of used products is recycled. In other...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-04-21, Processing Aid: It’s All a Matter of Flow
...1. Flow behaviour: The flow characteristics of PET can be more than doubled with the addition of only a relatively small amount of CBT Bild 2. As an additive in polycarbonate, CBT provides 44% better flow; the sample contains 5% CBT Fig. 3. Green CBT-based colourant masterbatch with 55% pigment; grey with 60% pigment (manufacturer: Deifel) Manufacturer: Cyclics Europe GmbH Bonländer Hauptstr. 32 D-70794-Filderstadt Germany Phone +49 (0) 7 11/7 07 09 09-0 Fax +49 (0) 7 11/7 07 09 09-99 www.cycli...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-06-27, Light Sources: OLED – Light of the Future
... light. As the result of material developments and optimisation of components, it has been possible to both create new colours and increase the output and life expectancy of OLEDs enormously (Fig. 4). Nevertheless, to achieve white light, red, green and blue are usually combined. OLEDs that also emit light outside the visible wavelength range of 400-800nm are likewise conceivable. If suitable emitters are employed, OLEDs that even emit in the near infrared (NIR) region are possible. In contrast,...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-08-06, Ergonomic and Intuitive: Touch Screen Cockpit with a View
...ssures etc. This status field is also organised to reflect the functions on the machine. The colours selected for the symbols provide an additional subliminal separation for the user: Blue symbols correspond to machine motions; green symbols indicate data. All of the above-mentioned “hidden” planes guide the user through the operator interface without his awareness. User Groups with Different Rights. During set-up, a “Wizard” is available to the operator that with its concept of active operator...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-05, Viscosity Measurement: Material Characterisation in Powder Injection Moulding
...ly the powder load, the size of particles and the composition of the binding agents, but also the mixture’s homogeneity severely influence the processing properties. Afterwards the binding component is largely extracted from the injection moulded green part. The so-called brown part thus obtained is then submitted to final sintering in a furnace (Fig. 2). Metal and ceramic parts manufactured by PIM are employed in many fields of industry, such as medical technology and automotive industry [1]. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-08, All-electric Machines: One Shot Like Another?
...users. For this purpose, the relevant process parameters are analysed by means of complex mathematical models and evaluated to identify errors, with a suggestion as to their causes. The process is “in the green zone”, that is to say stable, when the process stability factor is above 0.7 (Fig.9). It can identify, for example, transient conditions after product interruptions as well as absent cooling water or parameter changes. This new software will shortly be available as an optional add-on for ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-08, Natural-fibre-reinforced Plastics: Considerable Potential for Improvement
...s of eight rotary tables, each with five compression moulds, charged by a robot. Consistently high product quality and a performance increase of 30% are guaranteed. References 1 Goda, K. et al.: Impact Properties of Mercerised Ramie Fibre Green Composites. Yamaguchi University, Japan. 2 Oksman, K. et al.: Bio-Nanocomposites Based on Cellulose Whiskers. Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norvay. 3 Radovanovic, I. et al.: Einfluss der Verarbeitung auf die Eigenschaften von WPC. SKZ-K...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-18, Colouring In-line: Non-Stop
...bination with his/her processing machine, starting from the basic set of liquid colours. This way, the engineer can switch colourings even during the production process. The title picture shows an in-line-colour change from purple via red into green during the production of hinge-joint caps. On the basis of components from micro processing engineering in combination with a customised microprocessor control a level of precision and colour retention previously unattainable can be achieved. In cont...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-10-30, Laser Sintering: Functional Prototypes Produced from PEEK
...ed plastics as rectangular areas. Through the addition of fillers, mechanical and thermal properties can be significantly improved in both laser sintering and injection moulding. In the graph, the colour indicates whether the materials are unfilled (green) or glass-fibre-filled (orange). The graph shows that the unfilled sintered materials, generally based on PA12, are able to match the functional range of injection moulded PA12. In the range of filled materials with high elastic modulus and hi...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-11-28, Practical Example: 6-Cavity Injection Mould for Transport Fasteners
Tooling. 6-Cavity Injection Mould for Transport Fasteners. Practical Example. This article describes which design-engineering details played a major role when configurating a metal powder injection mould for transport fasteners. To produce threaded transport fasteners in MIM technology, a standard mould (see also DIN ISO 12165:2002-06, Fig. 1) was selected. The six-cavity mould of Wilhelm Eisenhuth GmbH KG, Osterode/Germany is designed mainly with Z standard elements (manufacturer: Hasco Hasen...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-12-06, Colouring: Defined Colour Mixing for Recycled Materials
...sical effect of scattering. A yellow pigment absorbs the short blue wavelengths of visible light. The other wavelengths are substantially remitted. From the remitted wavelengths, the human eye forms a colour value from the three colour valences red, green and blue. The intensity of the remitted wavelengths, the so-called remission (R) can be measured with a spectrometric colorimeter. The remission is measured in wavelength intervals of visible light and combined into remission curves. The remiss...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-01-22, Complex Moulds for Foam
...d at this point that the technologies involved in the overall manufacturing process can be matched to one another, and the process can be optimised. Fig.13 illustrates the procedure. The vertical surfaces are equipped with inflatable seals (green). This area must be well vented. Rigid seals would not be possible here, because there would be collisions between the skin and substrate during closing of the mould. The red lines indicate the rigid seals in the horizontal regions. Here, the sealing ca...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-02-13, Filling of Flexible Packaging
... production involving large quantities (Fig. 2). The three-layer variation consists of a ceramic-coated and reverse-printed PET layer (I, yellow) on the outside, an oriented polyamide film (oPA) in between to improve the mechanical properties (II, green) and on the inside a coextruded cast polypropylene film (cPP) (III, light blue) with good welding characteristics. These individual layers are laminated with aliphatic adhesives (red). The four-layer version for large sizes has an additional PET ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, From Family Saloon to Transporter
...in Europe and North America. The transparent material, which appeared on the market in 2001, was the first to be based on Somos Oxetane Advantage chemistry, which guarantees not only very rapid and exact moulding of the model, but also a high green strength and permanent dimensional stability. Since being launched onto the market, the range of potential applications for this SL material has grown enormously. The fact that WaterShed can be used also on ViperPro installations makes it possible for...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, Smart Ambience for Vehicle Interiors
...ared to point light sources is that the luminous surfaces have an extremely long service life, need no maintenance, and their light output is controllable (dimmable) by varying the applied voltage. Moreover, the colour spectrum ranges from blue, green, and orange up to white. An important safety aspect: The light is glare-free. In contrast to the lighting from point sources, the homogenous, full-surface illumination of the plastic surface has a calming and pleasing effect. What’s more, depending...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-04-17, Ceramics Dressed as Plastics
...produced by powder injection moulding. For this purpose, the institute at the FZK developed an integrated process chain, which extended from production of the feedstock (powder injection moulding compound), through injection moulding of the green compacts and debindering, to sintering with subsequent quality control. To investigate the influence of different ceramic grades on the properties of the hybrid part, zirconium oxide (ZrO2) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) inserts were produced for the overm...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-06-18, Metal Injection Moulding at Micro Scale
...ed especially for micro injection moulding, by virtue of their low viscosity, permit complete mould filling and, at the same time, because of their high strength, reliable demoulding of the injection moulded microparts, the so-called "green compacts". The binder is removed from the green compacts by a thermal process after injection moulding. They are subsequently sintered. In this process, the part shrinks by the volume amount previously occupied by the binder. With optimised process pa...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-07-18, Heat Transfer in the Impregnation of Textile Semi-finished Products
...hrzeugindustrie. Workshop: Polymere der Zukunft, Teil 3: Neue Kunststoffe; Wolfsburg, 19. September 2000 4 Flemming, M. u.a.: Faserverbundbauweisen – Fertigungsverfahren mit duroplastischer Matrix. Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg, 1999 5 Green, J.: Overview of filament winding. Filament Winding 2001 – Second international convention for filament winding technology; Brüssel 17.–19. Oktober 2001 6 Menges, G.: Werkstoffkunde Kunststoffe. Carl Hanser Verlag, München Wien, 1990 7 Frormann, L.; Rec...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-07-18, Innovations for Medical Technology
...es) and in medical technology (metering technology, fluidics). The powder injection molding manufacturing process is multistage, comprising compounding of a plastic highly loaded with metallic or ceramic filler, injection molding (green compact), debindering (dissolving out the plastic), and sintering. Depending on whether ceramic or metal fillers are used, the terms ceramic injection molding (CIM) and metal injection molding (MIM) are used. Decorating techniques such as mechanical-chemical po...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Creating New Growth Through Innovations
... 200 million, primarily to increase global plant capacity, over the next three years. Further Growth through Sustainable Solutions According to the Vice President Sales & Marketing, more than half of all Americans are willing to buy "green" products, although how much they are willing to pay for them is a moot point. An increasing number of trading companies were trying at the same time to raise their profile with sustainable products and activities in addition to favorable prices and ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, On the Road to the Market
... collaboration with the biotech company Genencor International, Rochester, NY, USA, can do it in one step, and also produce a higher yield. Fig.2 shows the reaction scheme. The production of BioPDO requires 40% less energy and generates 20% less greenhouse gases than its petrochemical counterparts. Based on annual production of around 45,000 metric tons, this permits energy savings corresponding to around 38 million liters of gasoline – the annual consumption of around 22,000 cars. The first ind...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, For High-End Applications
...n with Zenite standard grades in the two-component injection molding process. It has close to 10% lower density than competitive products, resulting in lower part costs that benefit the customer’s budget. DuPont demonstrates its "green fingers" with the LCP grade Zenite 7145L. In the "E-Papillon" greenhouse light (Fig.5), this material ensures that the lamp holder does not melt, even at continuous service temperatures of well over 200°C. This 45wt.-% glass-fiber-reinforced produc...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Rare Earth Metal Stabilizers: Appearance and Reality
Rare Earth Metal Stabilizers: Appearance and Reality PVC Stabilizers For some years now, samples of PVC stabilizers based on rare earth metals and their compounds have been turning up in Europe. They are being talked of as heavy-metal-free alternatives to the European systems based on calcium-zinc or organic substances. This article aims to present a realistic picture of rare earth metal stabilizers to set against the advantages that are often claimed for them as a result of inadequate infor...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Two-Station Mold for Injection Molding and Foaming
...Fig. 4. Sectional view of the foaming mold in Station2 shows the arrangement and function of the spring shoulder in the male mold, and the thicknesses of the armrest substrate material (red), non-foamed surface layer (blue), and soft foam (green) Fig. 5. Circumferential segmented spring shoulders in the male mold provide reliable sealing of the foaming mold (photos: Georg Kaufmann)

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-19, Your Business – Our Effects
.... The additive does not migrate to the surface of plastic components and consequently generates no stickiness. It can be added during the injection molding process. If polyethylene film containing the additive Smartlight RL 1000 is used in greenhouses, roses, for instance, can be grown faster and with higher quality. The plants are healthier, longer-stemmed and more colorful. In this way, the grower has a more valuable product to sell. The additive Ciba Shelfplus again protects packaged goods fr...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Bioplastics
...le and innovative products. Plastic carrier bags – a market of almost 1 million t in Europe across all product types – could be a key product segment for the development of bioplastics technology. What if these products were produced by "green" instead of fossil technology? It’s the obvious next step – after all, there are already many manufacturers, a wide selection of possible materials, excellent products, a large space available for consumer information, as well as the double utiliza...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, New Boost for Plastic Parts
...onstruction is being boosted by the ongoing debate on climate change. This year’s IAA in Frankfurt provided the relevant subcontractors with a platform for their innovations. Stefan Schlott Very few motor shows have focused as squarely on "green" topics as this year’s IAA. Once again, politics and legislation were the real drivers behind the innovations and technologies. The ongoing debate on CO2 emissions and fuel consumption, for example, is providing a new boost to lightweight des...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Surface Finishing in the Cockpit
...ction, however, can only proceed at an appreciable rate with undissociated carboxyl groups (low pH). Apart from the cross-linking of the PU chains in the paint the polycarbodiimides (black chains) also react with themselves (green balls; Fig. 9). This yields some technological advantages for aqueous two-component PU paint systems. PU dispersions are stable only at higher pH levels. This means that a paint system comprising carbodiimide cross-linkers is blocked in its reactivity and its viscosity...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Weight-Saving Plastics for Reduced Fuel Consumption
...ity, environmental protection, and efficiency. Consequently, the International Automobile Exhibition (IAA) in Frankfurt – considered as the world’s leading fair for the automotive industry – was deeply involved with ecological issues. The "green" IAA presented today’s products as well as ideas and concepts for tomorrow, aimed at considerably reducing CO2 emissions. Mann+Hummel and many other automotive suppliers are making important contributions. After all, some 70% of an automobile’s c...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, Logistics and Know-how Rule the Market
... case with soccer or rugby, for instance. Stadiums of the future might be equipped with these types of materials, most of all in regions with a less favorable climate. The Brazilian enterprise Braskem S.A. introduced its so-called "green PE" at K 2007. This is the first polyethylene certified according to the ASTM-D6866 standard, featuring properties that correspond to those of a conventional material. The plastic may be colored as desired. The term "green" refers to the sustaina...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, More Complexity, Speed and Intelligence
...ld temperature control: underway to economy? – measurement technology: equipping molds with more intelligence – hot-runner technology: drive technology for valve pins and processing "green" polymers. Fig. 1. 34t steel: 1+1-fold rotary-plate multi-daylight mold for producing ready-to-install, multi-color PU-coated car door panels (photo: Krauss Maffei) Fig. 2. Exjection mold for injection molding long, thin-walled profiles: The cavity is pulled past the injection nozzle (photo: Engel) F...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-01-15, More Complexity, Speed, and Intelligence
...uced to a 5V holding level. To open the shut-off needle, the supply voltage is simply switched off. … to Hot-runners for Special Applications To prepare for the predicted future increase in the use of "green" plastics, hot-runner manufacturers are developing solutions that are matched to the processing of these polymers that are produced from renewable raw materials. For example, D-M-E Europe C.V.B.A., Mechelen, Belgium, particularly recommends using their hot-runner system Eco-Smart (...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-02-17, Stiff, Tough and Resistant
...ngth over several hundred cycles of superheated steam sterilization (134°C, 2bar, 7 minutes) Fig. 2. Network diagram comparing different properties (red: Grilamid LV-65H SST; orange: Grilamid LVX-75H SST "Extreme Impact"; green: PSU-GF30, blue: PPS-GF40, black: PA MXD6-GF50) Fig. 3. Comparison of the property combination of notched impact strength versus elastic modulus, conditioned, for different high-performance plastics (red: Grilamid LV-65H SST; orange: Grilamid LVX-65H SST "Extr...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-02-29, EPDM and HNBR versus Summer Smog
.... In particular, it is no rarity for specialty elastomers to play a key role, because "conventional" rubber grades have often been identified as the weakest link in the chain. A lot is expected of these materials in the area of "green" technologies and from the point of view of resource conservation: keywords are minimized spare-parts and maintenance requirements due to longer service lives, even at elevated temperatures and under harsh conditions, as well as increased resistance...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-04-14, Straps Demand Extremes
... Münster, Germany; s.woestmann@kreyenborg.de Four Questions Posed to Dieter Gille and Urs Scherrer Fromm Plastics GmbH, part of Fromm Holding AG, Cham, Switzerland, was founded in summer 2000; a model factory was built on a green-field site not far from Erfurt, Germany. After average growth rates of 30 to 35%, it now generates sales of EUR 30 million with over 120 employees. It produces blown film, which customers process into air-cushion packaging systems on Fromm automated processing system...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-05-10, Measuring During Softening
... the lower region of the diagram, side view Fig. 3. The thermostatic system with 8-stage pump Fig. 4. Test Record: Test report for Vicat softening temperature of three thermoplastic samples tested in parallel. The curves (blue, green, and red) represent the three parallel measurements, which show very good agreement throughout the entire test period. From approx. 120°C, the strength of the thermoplastic decreases suddenly Fig. 5. Test report with parameters and test result. The mean value of the...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-07-15, Predictive or only Perceived Quality?
...owever, the training level of the factory staff is not up to the mark. The machine setter can define quality standards for the process locally. However, he must first be qualified to enable him to do that. Think of a gardener who is supposed to have green fingers. The counterpart in the injection molding shop is the plastic soul of the machine setter. But he must be trained in order to arouse his enthusiasm for the process. Kunststoffe: How do you implement that in practice? Behrens: Process sta...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-08-14, Food Packaging: A Green Light for Recyclates?
Kunststoffe: Mr. Hackl, this new regulation has been in the making for years. Since being published in the Official Journal of the European Union last 28 March, it replaces all previously valid national regulations. What do recycled plastics have to fulfill for them to be approved for food packaging according to the new rulings? Hackl: According to the new regulation, packaging materials and food packaging with recycled plastics content may be put in circulation only if the recycled plastics con...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-08-14, Strapping Tape Production under Control
... strapping tapes and are immune to weather, since they do not rust and upon opening they present no danger of injury due either to sharp edges or to the so-called pop-open effect. In the manufacture of strapping tapes (usually colored a shade of green), the Dutch company uses exclusively postconsumer bottle flakes which are available at low cost. When this material is used, it is imperative that the extrusion line runs uninterruptedly despite varying contamination loads in the form of sa...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-09-23, Injection Molding Machines Become “Green”
...e version (XL) with clamping forces of 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 kN. The extended opening stroke makes these machines well-suited for general packaging applications. Ferromatik is further using this model to illustrate its energy-saving “GreenLine” concept. In addition to the well-established electric screw drive, the Cap-Tec XL comes standard with energy-optimized accumulator management for the hydraulics. Using this approach, the accumulator is not always charged completely,...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCPs)
...ure rise associated with this in leadfree soldering. The next innovative push for further growth in liquid crystal polymers is already in sight: halogen-free consumer electronics. Even before the environmental conservation organization Greenpeace publicly denounced well known manufacturers of electronic games on account of the use of polymers containing halogenated fireproofing agents, the electronics industry had already started on the stepwise replacement of brominated fireproofing systems for...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT)
... heavy metals in end equipment. Independently of this there has been an increasing desire over the last few years for halogenfree flame-retardant PBT grades. The background to this are environmental test marks as well as the general trend to “Green Products” and pan-European ecological directives. A relatively new one is the EU WEEE directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). This requires that electrical and electronic appliances have to be taken back free of ch...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA)
...otovoltaics is moreover promoted by the fact that semiconductor materials out of silicon are increasingly getting scarce, which results in a significantly higher price at the market. Energy efficiency: PMMA materials are also well-fitted to insulate greenhouses, save energies consumed by illuminated advertisements and air conditionings of buildings – and it gets even more profitable as energy prices are exploding. This is due to the fact that special PMMA applications can reduce e.g. a bu...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Polyurethanes (PU)
... fire (smoke rating S2). The static loads that such sandwich elements can sustain is demonstrated by the example of the Kingspan Envirodek from Kingspan. These easy-tolay panels are intended for use as insulation on green roofs. Rigid PU foam remains the material of choice for insulation in refrigerators. Thanks to optimized PU systems, it has been possible to further reduce mold-closed times during production as well as the amount of PU used as a result of lower material densities. NOPs...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-10-17, Thermosets
...in wind energy, whose market in the next five years will again grow by over 20 %, even BASF in a cooperative venture with Leuna Harze has again appeared on the scene as a system supplier [www.basf.de]. Reactive Resin Systems – Faster, More Stable, Greener The sectors ofwind power, aviation and automotive engineering are driving developments in reactive resins for liquid resin processing, referred to below as LCM (liquid composite molding). For use in automobiles and commercial vehicles t...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-04-16, Eco-friendly – for Safety’s Sake
...d products that have minimal impact on the environment during production and use [1]. As electronica confirmed this past year, increased ecological awareness on the part of consumers has also been noted in the electronics industry. The subject of “Green IT” was to be found throughout all 14 halls of the new Munich Convention Center. The leading companies presented technologies and solutions for improving energy efficiency or for eco-friendly product design (Fig. 1). Nevertheless, in spite of pro...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-04-16, In-Line Color Measurement Directly in the Melt
...sign of the extruder probe means that the spectral photometer can be calibrated without any interruption to production. To do this, the fiber optic is unscrewed from the probe sleeve and calibrated on the basis of the black and white standard. A green control standard is employed to check the validity of the calibration. The calibration is a function of the surrounding conditions. The system can retain its stability for up to three months before a renewed calibration is required. The actual colo...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-04-16, Saving Electricity Costs
... are developing the optimum component structures together with their partners Philips and Osram. BASF already achieved an important milestone in OLED research some years ago. The best way to obtain white light from OLEDs is by combining red, green and blue light (Title photo). Until recently there hadn’t been an efficient deep-blue light source. In 2003, BASF researchers laid the foundation for a phosphorescent blue emitter by creating a new class of materials based on an iridium complex. “We ai...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-06-16, Writing with Light
In industrial production the laser is one of the favored choices for marking materials. Metals, plastics, ceramics and other materials can be marked by means of laser radiation sources with wavelengths 1,064 nm (infrared), 532 nm (green) and 355 nm (ultraviolet). Used as an instrument the light can individually fit numbers, texts, logos or machine-readable codes, such as the data matrix code with its high information density, on the tightest space and in various batch sizes. In doing so the high...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-07-16, Changing Supplier after Fifteen Years of CAD History
...s covering 15 years of intensive use with up to 30 change states and complete history had to be imported into Model Manager. Bartel refers to an additional hurdle, “Of course we could not install Model Manager as if we were on a “green field site” since we already administered a large number of 3-D models here. DMS and Model Manager data needed not only to be brought together, but also the hitherto lacking linkages had to be created.” The biggest problem was the ambitious timetable. The first co...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-07-16, Packaging on Target
... when the molded parts are not ejected. What is more, reaction times are shorter, eventually leading to shorter cycle times, too. The packages for reduction of energy consumption and for remote maintenance are included as standard. The Green Line software includes an intelligent accumulator management component, meaning the hydraulic accumulator is only filled up to the level required by the individual process stages. A report of consumed energy is also available on the screen. Thanks to its Tel...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-11-19, The Price of Color
...ystem. These correction scales (Fig. 5) receive SPCs (Single Pigment Concentrates/Mono-Masterbatches) of the correction pigments. Depending on the type of color correction needed, often only several hundred grams per hour of black, white, green, red, yellow or blue SPCs are needed for correction. The corrections to the recipe are also displayed online together with the diagrams of the color values. In this way, the operator sees the effects of his recipe correction in just a few minutes. The ext...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-01-27, Efficient Tempering and Economic Cooling
...g without employing additional energy input. This might involve solar panels as well as a new type of refrigerating machine that generates, from hot water, the cold water needed to cool the mold. The weco gt (green technology) follows the adsorption principle. It needs no electrically driven compressor, emits very little noise and requires none of the usual cooling agents, which cause damage to the environment. According to company statements, this technique also has the potential to contribute ...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Becoming a “Future Player”
...ter resources, climate change, demographic change and the trends towards increasing urbanization and mobility. Two fields of application were mentioned that relate to the megatrend of increasing mobility: the so-called “green tire” and lightweight construction with composites. On the basis of special rubber formulations, the roll resistance of the “green tire” can be reduced up to 30 %. That would mean further considerable savings in fuel consumption and significantly reduced emissions of the gr...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Plastics versus Metal
...ibed below are the engine for constant change. Standards and legislation tighten up product safety and environmental standards and spur on the harmonization of guidelines in global markets. Eco-friendly products can be obtained through the use of “green” materials, the voluntary elimination of polluting finishing steps, and product design involving fewer different materials, a smaller number of components and easier disposal at the end of the product lifecycle. The minimization of system costs i...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Profitable and Faster than the Market
... in the form of a lightweight polyethylene injection molded product that is rugged, colorfast and does not distort. To produce the crate, the silver-gray crate shape is molded first and then overmolded with a green plastic. Ensuring that the two materials remain distinct in the final product was ultimately achieved through use of in-house additives. Even the weld lines that arise when the two melt flows meet were reduced to a minimum by having the company's own experts work with the injecti...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, Ready for the Upturn
...of all solutions relating to pipe extrusion worldwide. It offers several answers to the rising demand for energy-saving concepts. battenfeld-cincinnati has bundled its general concept for energy-efficient pipe extrusion under the name Green Pipe, which encompasses three different possibilities with a substantial reduction in cooling sections and energy costs. These include Efficient Air Cooling (EAC) and KryoSys, plus a new downstream concept to be presented at the K for the first time. While EA...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-08-19, The Interior Goes Green
Several techniques are available to produce soft-touch surfaces for instrument panels. There are some well-known injection molding techniques, that are used to process polypropylene (PP) and acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS) ‒ compact and foamed ‒ mostly applied for small vehicles. Polyurethane (PU) and sprayed skins ‒ compact and foamed ‒ are mainly employed in upscale vehicles. The best price-performance ratio with high freedom of design at the same time is, however, achieved when applyin...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Color Takes on a Functional Role
...mut of high purity from Orange (C.I. PO 73) to the bluish red (C.I. PR 264). Similarly, the property profile has been modified specifically to develop products for transparent, opaque or low warping applications. Today the whole gamut from yellow to green is so well covered that the demand of the market for another new class of pigments is virtually gone. The most common polymers are so well developed coloristically that a wide range of shades can be displayed. Thus it is not expected that radic...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Coming Out of the Crisis on Many Layers
...eveloped a turnkey flat film system together with the Norwegian company Oldroyd AS, Kragero Naeringspark. The system features special vacuum rolls that permit changing the bubble design in 30 min. A blown film system from the Green Line series that addresses the topic of sustainability can be viewed at the technical center. Hall 17, booth A41 Extrusion Dies Industries Barrier Properties through Use of Microlayers Microlayer technology developed by Extrusion Dies Industries LLC (EDI), Hastingson-...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Elastic Diversity
...urope, Mechelen, Netherlands, is answering the call of the market for highperformance products based on renewable resources. The company has set itself the goal of increasing the content of renewable resources in its copolyesters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With the first of these new products, Arnitel Eco+, which was launched this year, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over the entire product lifecycle (Lifecycle Assessment) of 50 % was achieved. This product, however, does not y...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Facilitating Technical Life
...stics have conquered a niche position, they are tremendously important and are opening up an increasing number of applications. Lightweight construction in the automotive and aircraft sector continues to be one of their principal domains. Yet the “green” trend is also gaining increasing ground, in the form of both biobased and low-emission materials. The following crosssectional profile provides a compact overview. Sabic Innovative Plastics Interior Fittings for Aircraft At Sabic Innovative Plas...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Output Assured
...ility of double-digit growth rates for 2010 and 2011 – high expectations that can only be met through innovation and efficient solutions. This is indicative of interesting trends that point the way to the future. battenfeld-cincinnati “The Green Pipe” battenfeld-cincinnati, Bad Oeynhausen, Vienna, Austria, will be exhibiting a new parallel twin-screw extruder series. This is the first joint development after the merger of Battenfeld Extrusion Technology and Cincinnati Extrusion. An extruder gene...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Precise and Efficient
...nd multi-hopper systems possible to satisfy a wide range of needs for conveying and drying without the need for either compressed air or chilled water. As an indicator of energy-efficient operation, the system has been issued the “Green Factor” label. Hall 11, booth H57 Maguire Gravimetric Color Metering Maguire Europe Sales Limited, Staffordshire, United Kingdom, will be exhibiting an improved model of the MGF color metering unit (Fig. 6) for the first time. While retaining the same compact siz...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-11-25, Of Fibers, Foam and Nano (?)
...ove). This has led in the 21st century to new terms such as “green” foams or “green” trainers as well as “bio-mattresses”. Thermoplastic PUs are also being marketed as “bio” or “eco” TPUs. The well known aqueous 2K PU paints, now free from co-solvents are, in the current parlance, “green” [10]. However, it is going to be more difficult to manufacture diisocyanates from rice husks. These PU raw material species are going to continue to stem from fossil sources for some time yet: coal, salt, miner...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-01-25, Appealing to (almost) all the Senses
...ch. The maize concerned has been genetically modified to optimize starch production and is not a type suitable for the food chain. An environmental audit produced by DuPont shows that this elastomer is superior to the mineral oil variant in terms of green house gas emissions as well as the use of non-renewable energy. Following confirmation from Takata-Petri that airbag covers manufactured from Hytrel RS meet all the requirements in respect of paint adhesion, aging as well as low temperature duc...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-01-25, Efficiency Has Many Names
Eco, green and efficient are the keywords that have largely dictated developments in the field of drying in recent months and years. This is reflected today in the smart-controlled and energetically optimized process steps involved in the drying of plastics. In this regard, throughputs and metering levels are increasingly declining. Processors have a growing need to handle minute amounts of highly concentrated additives in the form of pellets, powder, meal and liquid. Simplified operation and th...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-02-21, Automatic Melt Filtration
...ols the piston movement via solenoid valves. A touch screen display is provided for parameterization and monitoring (Fig. 4). An indicator light signals different operating modes to the operator in different colors, such as “Automatic mode”(green),“Backflushing mode”(blue) and “Screen changing mode” (yellow). Conclusion The CSC/BF-PE series has been available since October 2010 in all standard extrusion sizes up to an active filter surface area of 2600 cm2 and can be equipped with screen fabrics...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-02-21, Expedient Combination instead of Wasteful Installation
...(from left to right) can be used for the temperature control on the moving mold half Fig. 2. The three circuits of the discontinuous temperature control system are controlled by means of thermocouples in the mold (red: moving mold side; green: nozzle side) In addition, a combined pressure/temperature sensor is installed on the surface of the mold cavity (blue) Fig. 3. The possible cycle times when using discontinuous temperature control (light color) were determined during the production of part...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-02-21, From Metal Substitution to Sterilization
...e for color coding of medical disposables, whether for marketing reasons or to differentiate size and application in the operating room, has in the past been a limitation for parts that were gamma ray sterilized. With light colors, for example, a green color shift was seen. In order to support the trend toward aesthetically attractive medical disposables Solvay Advanced Polymers has developed gamma stabilized colors of Ixef PARA (Table 1) that meet the requirements of ISO 10993. E is used to qua...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-04-25, Sustainability in the Children’s Room
... energy generation up to production of the final product. Fuel-saving vehicles with low emissions of pollutants, or, if possible, none at all, are just as popular with customers, as, for instance, energy efficient injection molding machines. This “green trend” has eventually reached the toy sector too, which is very much at the focus of public attention. Harmful substances found in toys have sharpened customer awareness over recent years, also in respect of environmental impact caused by product...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-05-12, Biopolymers as a Sustainable Alternative?
...ags made from petrochemical raw material has been banned in Italy. As a result of the revision of the German packaging directive in May 2005 biopolymer packaging with certified compostability was freed from disposal fees, such as the levy for the “Green Dot” (Grüner Punkt), until 2012 (Fig. 1). With continuously growing quantities of biopolymers in the marketplace it is, however, increasingly necessary and sensible also to consider all other alternative disposal options for biopolymer packaging ...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-05-12, Reliable Process for Liquid Wood Products
...identical. Every urn is unique. We achieve even more variety since we have succeeded in also producing white and reddish-brown urns.” Furthermore, the spectrum of the high-quality surfaces ranges from natural colors through green, black and red right up to beige. In addition, the customer has a choice between smooth and patterned or engraved surfaces. Coating with clear lacquer is not necessary. Herbert Perschl places two urn lids on the table. He taps them and tries to bend the edges. “Dependin...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-06-20, Economic Multilayers
...cs, FR4 substrates mostly require halogenated flame retardants, which are to some extent harmful to health and the environment. Thermoplastic substrates are considerably more ecofriendly and toxicologically acceptable. The aim is to develop a “green”multilayer based on thermoplastic substrate materials. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The research results presented here were made possible by funding from the Hamburg Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment (Behörde für Wirtschaft und Arbeit) as part of the pr...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-06-20, Sustainable Reduction of Energy Consumption
...gy utilization. The focus is increasingly turning to the downstream equipment and the analysis of the overall system. One example that has been developed in recent months to improve energy efficiency during cooling of pipes is the “green pipe” concept [6]. In conventional pipe lines, each spray tank is connected directly to the cooling circuit. The water volume required corresponds to the sum of the volumes required by each tank. All the tanks receive the water at the same temperature. The diffe...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-06-20, The High Energy Prices Are also an Opportunity
...he market, with our hybrid Hidrive series, to include an energy efficient solution in our program, which, together with braking energy recovery from the fast mold movements, fits ideally into a green-production landscape. Kunststoffe: In which applications and industries in particular will injection molders be able to contribute to greater energy efficiency in future? Duffner: There is the familiar topic of substituting metal, with the associated design freedom and weight saving. In this context...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Focus on Sustainability
...eir latest products at their national pavilions. The “Eco-friendly Plastics Conference” focused on energy efficiency and resource saving. This industrial forum was part of the main program, along with other events on the topic “Green Plastics. Our Goal. Our Future”. Sustainable Development Prescribed Environmental compatibility, sustainability, reduced emissions and energy saving – these issues have, however, not been selected at random or put up by the industry itself in events or workshops at ...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Good for the Environment
... are polylactide (PLA), polyvinyl alcohols (PVOH), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHB), polycaprolactone (PCL), cellulose products, thermoplastic starch (TPS), as well as bio-PE, bio-PP, bio-PA and bio-PU (Table 1). Growth for “Green” Packaging Interest in bioplastics is rising proportionately with public debate about climate change, sustainability and the drive for independence from fossil fuels, such as crude oil and natural gas. To be sure, the quantities of bioplastics produced remain small. Current...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Making Use of Natural Resources
...tive on account of its considerably higher price. But Akro-Plastic has taken a farsighted look at the future and sees good opportunities for this material: “Akromid S claims its place in the market as an engineering polymer and not as a “green” substitute for PA6”, Dr. Schnell explains further. “Our material has higher chemical and hot water resistance than PA6 and PA66. It absorbs 50 % less moisture and has higher dimensional stability and better low-temperature impact strength. It also produce...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-09-23, Fit for High Performance
...he beverage industry Fig. 1. Which drive best fits the application? There is more to the answer than just the attainable dynamic response. Depending on the sector, also cleanliness and noise emission play a role (degree of fulfillment: green = good, yellow = moderate, red = poor) Fig. 2. Optimized toggle clamp lubrication: The oil inlet and outlet are implemented separately for each bearing point and are located in the bolt Fig. 3. The lubrication system for the toggle clamp and the guide rails ...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Bioplastics
...creased the rPET (recycled PET) content in the bottles. Bio-based content in this first step was 30 wt.-%. According to company estimates, this first step eliminated some 30,000 t of CO2 emissions in 2010, or approx. 15 % per bottle. This “green” monomer building block in PET also convinced the makers of Heinz Ketchup to cooperate with Coca-Cola and join in their effort to leap the hurdles in their path. Coca-Cola intends to equip some 2 billion bottles this year in this way. Heinz is making a s...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCP)
...pportunities for growth. Increasing growth rates in the automotive industry point to a positive trend for LCP growth. Electronic mobility will not be able to dispense with LCP either, a good scenario for furthermore increasing LCP demand. “Green Electronics” In addition to productivity, environmental friendliness is becoming an increasingly important criterion in plastics processing. Under the slogan “green electronics”, consumer groups, governments and electronics manufacturers around the world...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT)
...y thin walls down to 0.4 mm. There are several reasons for this interest in halogen-free flame-retardant PBT grades. These materials fulfill the criteria for current ecolabels and enable suitable products to be advertised as “green products”. In addition, like some halogenated PBT compounds, they meet the stricter requirements for the ignitability of plastics specified in household appliances standard IEC 60335-1. Then again, as mentioned earlier, the price of flame retardants has increased so t...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polyurethanes (PU)
...1 cm thinner (source: Bayer MaterialScience) Fig. 7. The first EcoCommercial Building of the Bayer Group, the children’s day nursery of Bayer CropScience in Monheim, Germany, recently won the Annual GreenBuilding Award 2011 as an exemplary energy saving project (photo: Bayer MaterialScience) Fig. 8. The huge importance of rigid PU foams for the heat insulation of cold stores, refrigerated containers, refrigerated display cases and refrigerators will continue to grow (photo: Liebherr) Fig. 9. PU ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-01-30, Sustainable Way of Walking
...n addition, the materials are due to give long service life to the final product. The enterprise also follows this holistic approach with its new materials and technologies for the shoe sector. One example of this is the concept of the Ecotrekker “green shoe”. Up to 90 % of its components feature improved properties concerning their environmental impact, as against materials formerly used (Title picture). The latest material innovations for the footwear industry are determined by the principles ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-02-24, Adjustable Dispersion Rings Reduce Setup Times
...ine was used as the blue pigment since it is often very difficult to disperse in co-rotating twin screw extruders. In this series of evaluations poorer dispersion, that is a large number of large agglomerates, was indicated via lighter, yellower and greener colormetric LAB values. Highly homogeneous distribution on the other hand has the opposite effect on the colormetrics, since the pigment can more effectively deliver its desired color influence [2]. The dependence of the color on the hydrauli...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-02-24, High Efficiency Drum
...he holes. The primary application is industrial production scrap, waste with paper labels, dairy packaging, washed agricultural film as well as waste from film manufacture, electronic and electrical recycling and even post consumer Green Dot trash with every conceivable kind of contamination. Limits with the system are only seen when there is a high proportion of abrasive substances of mineral origin or glass, where high levels of abrasion are to be expected. Flexibility Enables a Wide Range of ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-04-20, Color Diversity
...t all colors are available to the plastics industry. It should be remembered that in German the same word “Farbe” is used to mean both the physical material with which color is imparted and the actual color sensation (e.g. red or green). In English and Dutch, a distinction is made between these two concepts with, for example, the words “paint” (English) or “verf” (Dutch) being used for the physical material and “color” (English) or “kleur” (Dutch) for the color sensation. (e.g. red or green). Co...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-04-20, Coloring Cellulose Fiber-Reinforced Polypropylene
...mples can be compared and calculated by means of the following equation [13]: ??? (1) The overall color difference (ΔE) consists of the difference between two color tones in the CIE lab system with the color coordinates L* (lightness), a* (green-red) and b* (yellow-blue). A difference of ΔE=1–2 represents an already detectable color difference. Starting at a difference of over ΔE = 5, the difference is perceived clearly as a different color [11]. For a material to be used in a vehicle interior, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-06-25, High Commitment in Asia
...s 1.3 billion potential users, China is one of the largest markets for closures and caps too. Engel Austria GmbH and Plastisud SAS, moldmaker from elnaudray in France, recently founded a joint venture named “Green Cap” at the Shanghai site of Engel. The venture was presented at Chinaplas, and will produce a complete system for the production of closures, especially designed for the Chinese market. An all-electric e-cap 3440/420 Engel injection molding machine was equipped with a 96-cavity mold b...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-07-23, Antimicrobial Finishes for Surfaces
... areas of application for antimicrobial plastics to boost safety and hygiene standards (sources: TITK) Fig. 2. Schematic representation of the tree-like branching structure of a dendritic molecule (carbon skeleton: blue; terminal groups: green) Fig. 3. Concept behind hybrid additive architectures for antimicrobial treatment of materials by compounding or coating Fig. 4. TEM image of a silver-hybrid additive (a), nano-silver (b), nano-copper dispersion (c) and nano additive with zinc (d) and stab...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-07-23, Efficient Separation
... a technology for cost- and energy-efficient separation of CO2. Highly selective membranes made up of several cylindrical and hollow polyimide fibers (Title photo) form the new hollow fiber membrane modules with the brand name of Sepuran Green. Highly Selective Membranes Polyimides are high-performance polymers with high pressure and temperature resistance. “For Sepuran we rely on a specially optimized form of Evonik’s proven polyimide family. The membranes have consistently high selectivity and...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-07-23, Functional Parts of Different Metal Powders
...High-adhesion Bond A crucial aspect for the success of multi-component powder injection molding of metallic materials is the question of whether it is possible to achieve a high-adhesion bond between the materials at the interface in the green compact. Particularly important for the position and properties of the interface here is the meeting of the feedstock streams during injection. With the valve sleeve, for example, a precise (sharp) transition of the properties at the interface is of partic...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, From Pastel to Dark
... culture involves all of the things that a human being itself produces and forms [1]. In connection with color, there are definitely commonalities among cultures. This is especially clear when it comes to association with nature. The color green is the dominant color of vegetation around the world. Because of the plants that sprout anew each year, this color is associated with new life, continued life and growth in numerous cultures [2, 3]. At the same time, there are numerous differences as to ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-08-22, Tour de Taiwan
...place on one of the better-known share indices. Apart from the globalization and diversification of our business, we are constantly improving our products.” The “green future” is also coming ever closer in Taiwan, which is why FCS will be concentrating on topics such as energy saving and environmental protection for the Taipei Plas in September 2012. The company will be presenting an injection molding machines of the HT-SV Series with servo motors for energy saving and patented venting during th...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-09-17, Customized Development
...wable resource material used. Several market players are currently increasing their efforts in the area of sustainable and ecofriendly products and processes, by the targeted application of bioplastics. One example of this is the Green Products series recently introduced by OBO Bettermann GmbH & Co. KG in Menden, Germany. This series uses bioplastics such as bio-polyamide for the production of cable management systems. The manufacture of “Green” Polyethylene (PE) from sugar cane is another m...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-10-15, A Matter of Combinations that Fit
... addition to heat dissipation, also controls power supply and LED actuation. Illumination elements can now be more compact, flat and lightweight than before. What is more, RGB-LEDs are able to generate a broad spectrum of colors by mixing red, green and blue light, thus producing any color desired. These features have paved the ground for LEDs’ increasing application in ambient illumination, for instance in homes, but also in vehicle interior (Title picture). The new chances for LED technology, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-10-15, Caught Between Efficiency and Functionality
...ize on energy and raw materials are having two major benefits: Processors are meeting rising production costs – in some cases, raw material costs contribute over 80 % – by using energy and raw materials efficiently. This also affords a way of “greening” the credentials of their products and their companies. Film Die Technology. Uniform film thickness is essential if raw material consumption is to be minimized. Maku AG Kunststoffmaschinen, Buochs, Switzerland, achieves this by using set-screws t...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-10-15, Energy-Efficient Production “Just in Time”
...gy-efficient equipment for a wide range of products. In addition to the primary components of an extrusion line, the extruder and extrusion dies, downstream equipment is receiving more and more attention. Buzzwords and advertising slogans such as “Green Pipe”, “Green Technology”, “Blue Line” or “Blue Systems” highlight the importance of energy issues among equipment manufacturers. Thanks to the innovative system concepts evident in the equipment produced by its machinery manufacturers, Germany, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-10-15, Things are Moving!
...and program a swan-neck robot. Energy Efficiency of Automation Solutions A still relatively new topic for injection molding and robot manufacturers is the energy efficiency of the systems. Most of them have long regarded “green automation” as making an important contribution to the efficiency of the automation solution. The energy efficiency can be increased, for example, by recovering the braking energy or the developer uses vacuum technology with economy setting and reduces the moving masses. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-11-26, Unimagined Possibilities
...T3Z LF are well suited for use at temperatures up to 240°C, and their impact strength and dimensional stability are excellent. Both unreinforced grades are based on polyphthalamide. They are made of 50 % renewable raw materials and are part of the Green Line assortment of Ems-Grivory. With its Green Line products, Ems-Grivory makes an important contribution to sustainable management of fossil fuel resources. The basic Grivory HT3Z version is characterized by high strength and toughness. In addit...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-01-28, Is the Future of Plastics Green?
...dizing their property profiles or efficient recycling. The implications of increased biomass use and its possible negative effects on the food supply and climate, particularly in the production of biofuels, are the subject of hot debate [1]. New green products, such as polypropylene carbonate and isocyanate-free polyurethanes, utilize direct chemical conversion of carbon dioxide, without following the pathway via biomass and without competing with food production. Green Chemistry and the Green E...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-02-22, Is the Future of Plastics “Green”?
...l product classes for specific applications can be much more easily tailored to requirements than was previously possible in biotechnological processes. Through the polymerization of biobased monomers, nearly all conventional polymers can be made “green”, i. e. renewable and biobased. The possibilities of using biomass as a raw material for biorefineries are shown in Figure 1. At the present time, biorefineries are being expanded worldwide [10]. Through gasification of biomass in the biomass to ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Injection Moldings for the Compost
What does a manufacturer of injection molding machines for rubber processing do to equip himself for the green future of the plastics industry? He founds a company that develops and processes biomaterials. And what if he lacks the necessary experience? He enters into a cooperative venture with a manufacturer of plastics injection molding machines. “So you want to know how a caoutchouc machine manufacturer gets involved with renewab...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-04-19, Trump Cards up the Sleeve
...tact and minimizing waste by in-line quality control. According to supplier information, annual output of the production cell is 2.4 million parts above the rate of serial production. Cubes, Gas, and Green Tempering Technology The units on display included an electromechanically driven rotating cube mold by Foboha sitting on a two-component machine (Allrounder 720A). Featuring a second injection unit on the moving platen, the unit ...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-05-16, Is the Future of Plastics “Green”?
...lyfunctional cyclic carbonates. These can be cured with di- and polyamines to form hydroxyfunctionalized polyurethanes. This reaction has been known for many years but has acquired a new relevance in light of current regulations and the quest for green products. Although conventional oil-based epoxy resins have been used as a raw material, Nanotech Industries of Longview, Texas, USA, have launched these non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPU) on the market under the trade name “Green Polyurethanes”,...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-07-22, A Gram of Plastic for a Dozen Promises
...have to look very closely in order to calculate their own real potential for saving energy. Two initiatives can be seen as examples for the sustainability and energy saving efforts of the sector. Rather confusingly they are called “Cap Green” and “Green Cap”. Cap Green or Green Cap? In 2012 the French tool manufacturer Plastisud and the Austrian injection molding machine manufacturer Engel Austria founded a joint venture under the name of Green Cap to supply turnkey solutions for the manufacture...

Kunststoffe international, 2013-07-22, Measuring Melt Temperature with Ultrasound Metrology
...e delay lines of the receiver probes, the pulse arrives at the ultrasonic transducers, where it is converted back into an electrical signal and is subsequently digitized by an analog-to-digital converter for further processing (Fig. 3, left, green arrow). The travel times through the delay lines must be subtracted from the total travel time. If the travel times across the different sound path travel distances are measured simultaneously by transmission measurements (or almost simultaneously usin...