Spectrum - PE-HD, PE-LD, PP - Eastman Chemical Company

Plastics Technology, 2010-03-08, It"s Time to Get to Know Your Way Around Bioplastics
...d compounds. Today, partially bio-derived compounds have emerged as an addition to the biopolymer spectrum. These truly engineered materials are not biodegradable, but offer increased bio-content rela...

Kunststoffe international, Almost like Human Bone
...ial applications include bone replacement after complicated fractures or tumor resections as well as scaffold structures.With the market launch of the three composites described here, Evonik is offering a product portfolio that provides a broad spectrum of biodegradation rates. To meet specific user requirements, individual polymer and composite compositions can be produced to GMP quality, even using other ceramic materials such as biphasic calcium phosphate. This product range is sold under the...

Kunststoffe international, An Impact Way beyond its Small Market Share
...cial ETFE films for use in greenhouses under the F-Clean brand (Fig. 3). They are more permeable to daylight and ultraviolet light than glass, polyethylene (PE) or polycarbonate (PC), meaning that the full spectrum of sunlight can permeate the interior of the greenhouse. This enables increased plant growth with reduced use of fertilizers, higher yields and a better quality of produce. These films have a very long service life because they are free from plasticizers that can diffuse out over time...

Kunststoffe international, Different Viscosities Combined in a ‧Material-Friendly Way
... waterproofing since the early 1950s. Requirements include elasticity, high impermeability, resistance to weathering and UV radiation, high fire resistance and high resistance to aging. These properties must be guaranteed over a wide temperature spectrum [2]. The original compound [3] for the production of the plastic roofing membranes is a rubber-bitumen mixture, which is conventionally produced on the basis of rubber powder from ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) as the main raw material i...

Kunststoffe international, Foam Beads in Gliding Flight
...can also be produced in a targeted way, since mono-material systems like this, with graded properties (e. g. density), open up completely new perspectives in terms of their spectrum of uses. They are of interest in conjunction with their recyclability. At the material side, the focus is on developing flameproofed formulations, which are a prerequisite for use in aircraft or rail vehicles.

Kunststoffe international, Killing Problem Microbes
...bial treatment formulations, either water based or solids, which can produce a durable, non-leaching, and non-migrating antimicrobial treatment to a wide range of plastic surfaces. The treatments were tested and found to be effective against a broad-spectrum of microorganisms including: Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria, fungi, algae, and yeasts. Application kinetics have been worked out and can be customized for online spray, dip, or kiss roll treatment application post extrusion or thermoforming ...

Kunststoffe international, Recycling that Gets under the Skin
...ving this aim requires not only a voluntary commitment by the market players and a higher capacity for reprocessing separately collected plastic wastes, but also new processing technologies to allow recycled plastics to be used for a wider spectrum of products and in greater amounts [5]. Engel Austria GmbH, Schwertberg, Austria, is contributing to this goal by offering a special injection molding process. The machine manufacturer and system supplier has developed the two-component skinmelt proce...

Kunststoffe international, The Role of Chemistry in Plastics Recycling
...f 300 °C and is mainly used to convert polyolefin-rich waste into hydrocarbon mixtures. Pyrolysis and thermocatalysis work in inert gas, the latter with the help of catalysts that considerably narrow the complex spectrum of products yielded by pyrolysis. This principle is at work, for example, in the Quantafuel technology implemented for the first time in Skive, Denmark, which is expected to process around 18,000 t/a of plastic waste in 2020. Hydrocatalysis additionally uses hydrogen gas to gen...

Kunststoffe international, What Can You Do at Fall Fairtime, When There Aren’t Any?
...Highly wear-resistant chromium nitride-coated cylinder modules are optionally available to enable the processing of a wider spectrum of materials. For automated application, the Allrounder 270 S compact can be fitted with an Integralpicker V. Previously supplied machines can be retrofitted with a robot interface, if required. To enter into the digital world of Arburg, a customer starts by registering free of charge in the customer portal, where he activates the Configuration app. This permits st...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, "Alliances increase Competence"
...that the investment in Contura usually pays for itself already in the first year. Innova takes on designing the temperature regulation of injection moulds supported by Bayer and in close co-operation with customers or mould producers. The capability spectrum of Innova includes thermal analysis as well as design and production of inserts with integrated cooling systems. The goal of the business is to attain technical leadership in the thermal management of injection moulds in the near future. Tr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, A Wider Area of Application: Compounders and Pelletisers
... for side feeding of additives or for venting. This extremely flexible mode of construction makes it possible to produce both highly specialised single-screw units, e.g. for compounding polyethylene, as well as extruders designed for a broad product spectrum, e.g. for compounding engineering plastics. Another widely used machine is a single-screw compounder in which the screw shaft, besides rotating, also performs an axially oscillating movement. Some 3200 of these so-called Buss-kneaders are in...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Acute Need for Handling
...n 1962, works at Geiger Handling AG in the Department of System Integration. Simon Bienz, born in 1974, is Sales Director at Geiger Handling AG. Geiger Handling offers full service from consultation to handing over the plant. The product spectrum covers both standard robots and customer and/or part specific entire plants, which makes automation processes possible in all ranges of the plastics processing industry. Contact: info@geigerhandling.com Fig.1. Flexibility and productivity Fig.2. Fu...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Additives: Tough and Heat-resistant: New Silicone Particles for Thermosets
...e even improved. With the development by Wacker Silicones of new nanoscale silicone and core-shell particles for extremely low-viscosity resin formulations and transparent materials and coatings, the spectrum of possible applications for this highly promising compound class can be substantially broadened in the near future. Acknowledgement Our special thanks are due to the Fraunhofer-Institut für Zuverlässigkeit und Mikrointegration (IZM) (Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegrat...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, An Alternative?
...neration of SEBS compounds comprises a genuine alternative to the silicone and liquid silicone (LSR) materials used up to now. The materials fulfil the requirements put on them. There is a complete manufacturing concept for them. The performance spectrum of silicone is not fully utilised for many applications in the keyboard field. The Authors of this Article Dr. Frieder Vielsack, born in 1968, directs a global key-account-team at Kraiburg TPE and in addition is responsible for co-operative eff...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Automotive Industry Revives Business: Thermosets
...smotic blistering, e.g. on boat hulls, the leading polyester resin manufacturers supply gel coats based on isophthalic acid-neopentyl glycol (ISO-NPG). Adjustable gel times, a wide colour range and minimal fibre impression complete the spectrum of properties [1, 2, 4]. For the present generation of VE gel coats, the previously used curing agent cumyl hydroperoxide is no longer necessary. Instead, outgas-free processing with no porosity in the moulding material can be achieved with MEKP (methylet...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Bank Rating: Leadership – An Important Rating Factor
...ely in a rating. As far as the other two styles of leadership are concerned, experts such as Lutz von Rosenstiel rightly point out that there is no such thing as a "best leadership style" [1]. Instead, managers are expected to have a broad spectrum of leadership behaviour to allow them to respond appropriately to every conceivable situation. - In terms of target achievement, a specific leadership approach may be successful with one employee but not with another. - It is quite conceivab...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Blown Film Extrusion Today
...eplace the established technology in the market. Die Technology Besides the extruder, the blow head is one of the most important components for high-quality, flexible production. The job of the die maker is to ensure that the widest possible spectrum of materials can be run on a die at high output and that the extruded film bubble is as homogeneous as possible in terms of gauge and temperature. The melt residence time must be short to permit rapid material changeover and prevent degradation an...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Boost for the Economy: Becoming More Competitive through Co-operation
...erent technical and commercial services pooled their expertise and created the new virtual firm out of their joint co-operation project of the same name. As "one company", they can offer a much broader spectrum of services and assert themselves more successfully against institutional or much larger competitors in Austria and abroad. A neutral service provider – in this case the KC office – ensures that all projects actually pass through all the three steps. Financing Initially, the Kun...

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

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Calculation Model: Modelling the Solids Feed Section in Grooved-feed Extruders
Calculation Model: Modelling the Solids Feed Section in Grooved-feed Extruders Used in combination with barrier screws, grooved, forced-conveying feed sections are regaining their importance. With modern metal cutting machine tool machines, helically grooved feed bushings can also be economically produced. Jürgen Miethlinger To design solids feed sections with tapering, rectangular, axial grooves, the equation proposed by Rautenbach and Peiffer [1, 2] is normally used for dimensionless mas...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, China is the Market Driver: Expandable Polystyrene (EPS)
..., have greatly increased in importance. In this area, there is large growth potential for all EPS insulation manufacturers in the next few years. In the packaging sector, EPS is regarded as a reliable, efficient material. But, even so, the spectrum of application for this foam material is by no means exhausted yet. New innovations show how versatile EPS is, whether as a constant-temperature transport container in the packaging sector or as a load-bearing material under racetracks. References 1...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounds and Blends Made to Measure
...shed on the market for 18 years. Thorough know-how in the field of high-performance polymer blends has extended the available range of material parameters. Thus in addition to using classical compounding with additives and fillers the characteristic spectrum of the material can be adjusted through specific optimisation of the polymer matrix. Although the importance of plastics as construction and functional materials continues to increase the number of newly developed polymers has dramatically...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Compounds and Masterbatches: Revival of Research and Development?
...iterranean area four tomato crops become possible instead of the three from conventional greenhouses. Laser welding represents a further field of development at Grafe. The range of products for laserbatches extends over the entire spectrum of polymers. Taking a completely opposite approach, Sukano Products Ltd., Schindellegi/Switzerland, has focused its attention almost exclusively on the polyester product group. The variety of applications for polyesters in fibre, film (Fig. 3), extrusion and ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Conduits for Fibre-optic Cables
... designed for the special requirements of this market. This has various consequences for the individual plant components. Extruder Efficient single-screw extruders should in any case meet technical requirements such as high output, wide processing spectrum and good melt quality. To combine high plasticising efficiency with excellent melt homogeneity, grooved-barrel extruders have been used together with barrier screws for many years. The grooved bushing (Fig. 3) ensures high specific output, w...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Continue to Improve Productivity and Quality
... 20 % by rinsing with very cold compressed air. The quality of the moulded parts is substantially improved by even cooling of the mould from the outside and by the very cold blowing air on the inside. According to Beko's specifications the spectrum of applications covers the entire field of hollow bodies manufactured by blow moulding. Thus the productivity of a two cavity machine for production of five litre canisters could be increased around 19,4 % to 529 units/h. For large volume hollow b...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Continuous Monitoring of Quality Parameters
... of the flow channel. The receiver converts the ultrasound pulse into an electrical signal that is amplified and digitised - again in a PC plug-in card. The ultrasonic velocity and absorption are obtained from the amplitude and phase of the Fourier spectrum of the received signal [10]. The ultrasonic transducers can be operated in a frequency range from 2 MHz to 6 MHz. For measurements during the processing process the melt pump in Fig. 1 is not necessary. Fig. 2 shows an implementation of the u...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Custom-tailored Engineering Materials: Polyphenylene Ether (PPE)
...to the real operating conditions (action of chemicals or storage in the particular chemical) [7, 8]. Modifying Blends of PPE and PS Compounding of PPE and PS with thoughtfully selected additives has led to a family of polymers that offers a broad spectrum of physical and thermomechanical properties. The well-known, typical attributes include high heat deflection temperature, outstanding electrical properties over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies, low density, good resistance to hydr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Demand Continues to Rise: Polystyrene (PS)
....4). The combination of high transparency, toughness and high impact resistance of thermoplastic SBS polymers (BASF trade name: Styrolux) and their miscibility with polystyrene over a wide range opens a broadly adjustable characteristics spectrum for blends. The material is to be found in extrusion as well as in injection moulding, particularly in transparent food packaging such as cups, bowls and covers. Here – in the case of Styrolux – the European Union and FDA conformity for use in food pack...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Designed for the Sun
...ce electricity, provide protection from the sun and, for structural reasons, weigh as little as possible. Boats with Solar Sails The leisure segment is another interesting field of application for polycarbonate solar modules. Here, the spectrum of use extends from the complete roofing of large solar-driven excursion boats to inconspicuously integrated photovoltaic cells in skylights and emergency hatches on yachts. Solar-powered boats travel over the water without producing any emissions or an...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Dies for Multi-Layer Pipe Extrusion
...n, and from the side in the case of an offset arrangement or crosshead design. The nature of the predistribution depends on the construction, although the predistribution system may differ even within one type of model. With spiral mandrel dies, the spectrum extends from the traditional manifold in which each spiral is fed from one drilled hole (star-type), to a melt predistributor which has a coathanger die mounted on a core mandrel, with a subsequent spiral manifold. Between these two extremes...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Direct Compounding: New Directions in Plastics Processing
...rmeshing, self-wiping screws and the modular construction. For every processing task, a custom barrel and screw geometry can be assembled. Co-rotating, tightly intermeshing twin-screw extruders have been employed successfully for the broad spectrum of all polymers – except PVC-U. There are in addition many special machines [4] that have achieved little importance in the field of direct extrusion. The planetary roller extruder occupies a special position. It combines good dispersion as the result...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Drive and Applications Technology: All-Electric Broadside
...are still equipped with hydraulic core pullers. In the case of servo-electric rotary tables, locking is by means of an index pin and often hydraulic because of the dynamic advantages. The opening up of all-electric machines to a larger spectrum of applications means that general market trends must be taken into account in the specification. Thus, the Elektra evolution 180-2F (Fig.4) with a mould mounting space of 630mm x 630mm greatly exceeds the current conventional dimensions for this clamping...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Driving the Automotive Industry: Engineering Elastomers
...M 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, garden and other hoses, seals, air valves, cable insulation, washing machine seals, printing rollers, conveyor belts and polymer modifiers. The heat resistance of sulphur-vulcanised (about 130°C) to peroxide-vulcanised (160°C) EPDM...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, E-mail from an Injection Moulding Machine
...rsonnel [5]. In addition to fault diagnosis and elimination, applications such as online software updating and the transmission of all settings and production data to provide rapid support in machine setting can be implemented. The available service spectrum [6] covers: - fault diagnosis, - fault elimination/alteration of software, - software updating, - remote machine operation and - testing of settings. Conclusion Injection moulding machines that call their service technicians independently ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Economic PVC Pelletisation
...e Factor in Downstream Processing Operations Detlef Kühlborn, Munich/Germany Economic production of PVC pellets requires an optimised plant concept. Processors demand reliable production reproducibility and place importance on processing the widest spectrum of materials with maximum quality. This can be achieved with carefully matched processing units, allowing full control over the process. PVC pellets are easier to store and transport than powder dry blends. They absorb much less moisture on s...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Elastomers
...ey viscosity, and offer improved oil swelling and low-temperature flexibility at reduced compression set. In applications in which the complete property spectrum of HNBR is not required, blends of HNBR and EPDM [8] can represent an economical alternative. Halo-Rubbers ( CR, CSM, ACSM, CIIR, BIIR): Consumption of chlorinated and brominated polymers is stagnating. Only CSM and ACSM continue to show a certain growth potential [3, 5]. Domains for the use of chloroprene rubber (CR) lie in the fields...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Electronic Markets for Plastics
...yers can see the offers and if interested negotiate by e-mail via the market with the supplier. Catalogue This business model is an extension of the simple offer as it were. In a catalogue (shop, showroom) a supplier presents its complete product spectrum or a large part of it. In former times there were such catalogues only on paper. More recently firms increasingly provide catalogues on CD ROMs or on the Internet. The Internet makes it possible for the supplier to show its catalogue to all p...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Europe is the Largest Market: Polyaryletherketones (PAEK)
... of PEEK, the welded components of the intermeshing vanes can be injection moulded with the necessary geometric precision to ensure smooth running in the measuring cell and therefore low pressure losses. The choice of PEEK also permits a wide spectrum of application for the flow meter. Because of the outstanding chemical resistance of PEEK, the instrument is suitable for volume metering many different aggressive media, even at high temperature. Thanks to the FDA conformity of unreinforced PEEK, ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Expanded Boundaries
...ime could be almost halved compared to the PA 46 previously used - without reducing the weld-line strength, even after overmoulding with rubber. Overall, these developments are strengthening the market position of PPS in the long term, and a growing spectrum of new applications are opening up relatively rapidly: not only in the automotive, electrical and electronics industries. PPS Extrusion Grades In parallel with the injection mouldable grades, Chevron Phillips Chemicals International has al...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Extrusion Technology: Reifenhäuser in the Right Direction
... the corresponding plants are the same as for new installations. The price of thusly overhauled plants is about 50 to 65% of the ex-factory price. At the location Troisdorf, Polyrema has now started a new operation and extended its product spectrum (Filmstar with plant widths of 900 to 1400mm for mono and 3-layer coextrusion) with a small blown film plant in the Reifenhäuser program. The gross revenue of this subsidiary accounts in the recent business year to EUR 10 million, of which more than t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Fillers: Improved Properties and Processing
...increasingly important window profile market. Technically, it is comparable to the material that is currently dominant in this market. The remaining selections have been well-established for years and include practically the entire spectrum of natural and coated calcites. Omya, Cologne/Germany, has strengthened its market-leading position through global additions to accommodate the globally active processors. For instance, since the K2001, new production sites have been added in South Korea, the...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Film Extrusion: PET Extrusion without Pre-drying?
...000ppm on a 60mm single-screw extruder is possible with the aid of degassing. Further tests will take a closer look at the correlation between intrinsic viscosity and melt viscosity, will thoroughly examine funnel degassing and extend the spectrum of the raw materials used in the tests. In addition, a new flat film die will shortly be integrated in the existing line for manufacturing top-grade film so that the analyses can be extended to include mechanical tests. The start-up of the 80 mm line a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Filter Cups Made from Polyamide: Transparency for Water Filters
...ous operation without any problem. It is not surprising, then, that Carbonit Filtertechnik GmbH, Salzwedel/Germany, a leading supplier of filter systems, uses high-tech plastics in its filters. The company's different filter models cover a wide spectrum from standard household use (Fig.1) all the way to special industrial applications and are easy to install, for example between the angle valve and faucet, directly onto the faucet or in the supply line to the building. Common to all the fil...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Functional Design: Acoustic and Design Concepts for the Engine Compartment
...nsulating mattes Weber GmbH & Co. KG Weber GmbH & Co. KG is an independent, owner-managed, medium-sized family com-pany in the third generation. As a development supplier for plastic components, modules and systems, Weber offers the entire spectrum of project management: From the initial conception via the development, in-house mould construction right the way through to the final production line product. The company is primarily involved with the automotive indus-try, heating technology, hous...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Granules and Recyclate: Direct Processing of PET without Pre-drying
...on: Various extrusion processes for the production of A-PET film (as per [6]); initial conditions: A-PET with iV of 0.78 to 8dl/g, moisture content 3000ppm, virgin material or reclaim material Table 4. Performance spectrum: Installed power and throughput in the direct processing of PET on the ZSK Megacompounder Translated from Kunststoffe 11/2003, pp. 85–88

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Growth through Specialities: New Markets and Individual Compounds
...’ Alcom and Altech compound specialities in Italy. Under a further distribution agreement with the Belgian company N.V. Asahi Thermofil (Europe) S.A., Albis will also distribute the Xyron range of PPE products in Germany. Comprehensive Elastomer Spectrum Albis has recently extended its range of competence in the area of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) by acquiring the production and marketing rights for the TPE-V Alfater XL from the Italian company Alfagomma. With Alfater XL, which will be prod...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, High-purity Pigments: Pigment Finish Makes All the Difference
...us point. It has almost no effect on warpage in HDPE, which is particularly important for certain packaging articles or closure caps. The diverse range of applications for articles coloured with PV Fast YellowH9G reflects its versatile property spectrum. It is equally suitable for packaging, cream pots, closure caps or toys (title picture). Conclusion New requirements resulting from the optimisation of plastics processing methods and the synthesis of new special polymers are creating a demand f...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Impressive Variety: Polysulfones (PSU, PESU, PPSU)
...ering thermoplastics with moderately heat deflection temperature from Solvay Advanced Polymers offer developers the design freedom for custom-tailored properties at a lower cost. The economic importance of sulfone polymers results from their unique spectrum of performance characteristics (Fig.1). The most important characteristics are high strength and stiffness even at elevated temperatures, a high continuous use temperature and a high heat deflection temperature (HDT-A), outstanding resistance...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Increased Performance: Micromaster Powers up Extruders
...ng the flexible setting of a wide variety of different start-up, ramp and braking characteristics in extrusion and mixing processes. This means that it is particularly easy to comply with the specific demands of polymer extrusion. Customized Power Spectrum Consequently, within this application, full torque is achieved even at zero speed with the latest asynchronous servo motors (Series 1PH7, manufacturer: Siemens). These compact three-phase motors are rugged and require little maintenance, an...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Injection Moulding (1): Innovation at Closer Inspection
...pecially developed for such applications, are requested less and less. Possibly the miniaturisation with the very small injection pistons is exaggerated. Foam Injection Moulding Foam injection moulding is included in the performance spectrum of nearly all machine manufacturers, even if only Arburg showed an application. Fundamentally the machine manufacturers see too little potential here. However, David Bernstein, CEO of Trexel Inc., is optimistic, particularly since Trexel now offers its own ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovation through New Processes
...aterial consumption and component weight, compensate for shrinkage effects and combine properties of different thermoplastics with each other. There is considerable application potential in the combination of these advantages with the broad end use spectrum of the polyurethanes. The IKV is developing a process jointly with Bayer AG, Leverkusen known as multi-component reaction injection moulding (MC-RIM). The manufacture of both PU hollow articles (gas-assist (G) RIM) and multi-layer PU componen...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Innovations in Flame Retardants
...fety of electronic devices [4]. As one of the major flame retardants manufacturers, DSBG (Dead Sea Bromine Group) is convinced that halogenated, phosphorous-containing and halogen-free flame retardants have their place on the market because of their spectrum of properties and effectiveness in relevant applications. However, all products need to be followed closely for their environmental and toxic behaviour during their complete lifecycle. Many problems can be avoided by proper use and handling....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Interview: "Innovations are Required to Make our Vehicles Attractive!"
...er to jointly discuss the financing of major innovations – which the buyers of our cars will also be willing to pay for. Kunststoffe: Dr. Stauber, many thanks for talking to us. Interviewed by Gudrun Klein. Fig. 1. Broad spectrum of plastics in the BMW 5 Fig. 2. Carbon fibre plastic roof of the BMW M3 CSL Dr. Rudolf Stauber The head of the Operating Strength and Materials Department at the BMW Group was born in 1949 in Selb/Oberfranken, Germany, and studied chemistry at the Universities of Wü...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Isocyanate-free Route to Polyurethane
...olactam formed was then extracted with an aqueous 2wt.-% calcium chloride solution. After drying and removal of toluene, the N-carbamoyl derivative was recovered as a yellow liquid (viscosity of 9.3Pas at 25°C) in quantitative yield. Its HN-NMR spectrum shows the absence of by-products. Aminosilanes such as Dynasylan DAMO from DegussaAG can be converted into the corresponding silane- and amine-functionalised N-carbamoyl compounds (corresponding to blocked isocyanates) without a solvent by he...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Joining Polyamide Inexpensively
...d yellow, for example, there is a typical tendency towards red absorption, which can mean that transmission in the NIR range is reduced. Conversely, red pigments generally have very high absorption values in the blue to yellow range of the visible spectrum and hence little influence on transmission (Fig. 5). A clearly positive influence on the uniform temperature and melting thickness of the components was seen for component B with a high carbon black content.In addition to this, it was establis...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Joining Technology: Laser Welding for Process Diversity
...ree dimensional plastic parts. It permits part size, joint geometry and part design to be chosen without restrictions. This process mainly improves the efficiency and flexibility of laser welding of polymers. It has thus shifted the entire process spectrum into another – a third – dimension. New Process Opens up Markets In mask welding, a curtain of laser radiation is selectively masked, The weld precision is determined by the fine structure of the mask and the control of the laser energy. The ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Laminating Window Profiles
... strength of hot melts, reactive adhesives and reactive hot melts Festigkeit = Strength, Zeit = Time, Hotmelt = Hot melt, Reaktiv-Klebstoff = Reactive adhesive, Reaktiv-Hotmelt = Reactive hot melt Fig. 3. Lamination system in operation Fig. 4. IR spectrum of the thermoplastic reactive hot melts with isocyanate peak (blue) and progress of the isocyanate reaction (hot melt cross-linking after 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours) Durchlässigkeit = Transparence, Wellenzahlen = Wave number, nach = after Fig. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Laser Welding Transparent Parts
...d for commercial use by Gentex Corporation, Cambridge/UK. It is patented in Europe and Australia with additional patents pending. Tailormade Dispersion Systems A series of materials has been developed, capable of powerful absorption in the near-IR spectrum, while remaining virtually colourless. Based on this, material systems were designed for use in a variety of production processes. The effectiveness of these material systems depends upon their compatibility with specific process parameters....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Less Water
... loose due to a low elasticity modulus and cold flow. Safety reserves are also possible in these areas. Weight reduction is always a topic in car manufacture, and, through thermoset reinforcement, polyamides could be produced with a similar property spectrum but lower glass fibre contents. In the case of PA 66 with 10 % thermoset reinforcement, the flexural strength was about the same as that of PA 66/GF 30. Replacing 10 % of the glass fibres with 10 % thermoset material would reduce the weight ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Location Decision: Centralisation and/or Relocation?
...The injection moulding industry follows its customers in the large customer industries. Therefore it cannot avoid certain megatrends (Fig.1). They include - the increasing complexity of technical parts, - greater differentiation of the shaped part spectrum in the individual customer industries and - even shorter life cycles for many end products. The consequences for machine builders are the following: - An increase in the number of cavities due to greater concentration in saturated markets shif...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Lotus-Effect – Now and in the Future
...ition, there are eight non-exclusive contractual partners: André & Sohn, BASF, BYK Chemie, Ferro (formerly dmc2), Institut für Textile Verfahrenstechnik, LiquiMoly, Schoeller & Hoesch and Tigerwerke (see www.lotus-effect.com). The spectrum of developments ranges from roof tiles through exterior house paints, plastics products, wood varnishes, paint raw materials, glass and metal, textiles and car polishes to paper and powder coatings with lotus-effect. And the number of free-riders has now unfor...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Machine Maintenance 2003: State of the Art and Future Trends
...capital goods manufacturers by offering appropriate service products. Asked about the number of service agreements they had concluded within the last three years, most manufacturers reported growth rates of 10 to up to 100% a year. The spectrum of services offered in the after-sales segment by the manufacturers covered the following standard features: - full-service contracts for complete maintenance - service agreements for individual machines - extended spare parts service (24h) - technical ho...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Machines and Robot Handling Systems from a Single Source
...stics moulding companies was important. Their requirements were specifically taken into account in designing the robot series. The result has been practically oriented, modular solutions which, because they can be combined with a wide machine spectrum, always enable automation to be individually tailored to the particular production and parts removal task. Operation via a central control system with simple, intuitive schematic sequence programming, time advantages through rapid and/or simultaneo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Market and Trends: Nanomaterials: Opportunities and Risks
...es are the new nanocomponents (tecton, greek for building block) of plastics nanotechnology. As new polymer additives, nanocomponents can produce massive property changes in established plastics even when present in small amounts. The multi-faceted spectrum of applications for plastics nanotechnology extends from nanoreinforced blends and plastics with self-cleaning and scratch-proof surfaces to nanotronics and photonics, electrically conductive plastics, halogen-free flame retardants, nanofoams...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Market Report: The Plastics World in a State of Upheaval?
...ndustrial belt is running at more than USD 200 million. But this is only part of the overall investment that is planned by converters in the USA. According to figures from the US Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), whose members cover the full spectrum of the industry (from raw materials to finished products) around 20000 companies and their suppliers are engaged in the plastics sector in the USA, with overall sales of an estimated USD 393 billion. Despite the occasional media reports about ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Micro-Injection Moulding: Microfluidic Systems with Integrated Semiconductor Chips
...temperature or the like, and evaluation electronics, and which is introduced directly into the fluid medium (Fig.17). In addition to the sensors and evaluation electronics, actuators can also be integrated into the system (Fig.18). The entire spectrum of integrated that can be manufactured by means of appropriate semiconductor technologies and/or microsystem processes are available. Using biocompatible polymers according to ISO 10993-1 and USP Class VI, such as POM or LCP, it is conceivable to i...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Modular Clamping Force: Why a Mould Maker Needs His Own Injection Moulding Machines
...uct pilot plant even serves as a production shop for all the mass produced parts. For example, a medical equipment manufacturer who only requires about 10000 parts per year would rather take advantage of the complete service spectrum of his mould maker than invest in own production capacity that would not operate to capacity. With such small orders, which can be fitted in flexibly between the mould trial phases, the mould maker can improve the productivity of its injection moulding machine witho...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Modularity: Multitalented Machine for Economical Injection Moulding
Injection Moulding Multitalented Machine for Economical Injection Moulding Modularity. The modular design of the new CX Series from Krauss-Maffei increases the number of variations available and offers the processor a wide spectrum of hybrid drive configurations. In this way the injection moulding machines can be individually matched to specific production requirements. Thomas Hörl Markus Betsche The new CX Series of injection moulding machines introduced at the K 2004 (manufacturer: Krauss-Ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Multi-component Processing: Plasma Makes for a Strong Bond
Multi-component Processing: Plasma Makes for a Strong Bond In-line activation of polymer surfaces by plasma treatment directly in the injection mould enables positive-joint composites to be made from polymer combinations that were hitherto unable to adhere to each other, markedly improves adhesion of compatible combinations and can be easily integrated into a process chain. Simon Amesöder, Agnieszka Kopczynska, Gottfried W. Ehrenstein Major growth is still being forecast for multi-componen...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Multi-layer Composites with Reactive Coupling Agents
... of the total mass were studied. For addition of 3,5 mass % compatibiliser the attainable adhesion is weak. In contrast composite adhesion depends strongly on the processing conditions for two layer composites with 7 mass % compatibiliser. Here the spectrum of behaviour extends from composites with little adhesion to those that can still be separated when values of 13 to 15 N/15 mm are reached or whose single layers tear after short separation distances. For the two layer composites with the bes...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Nanostructured Coating Materials: High Quality Plastic Surfaces
...occurs in addition to continuation of the condensation process [24]. The inorganic structural elements present after curing can be analysed by NMR methods, among others [25, 26]. Fig.5 shows, for instance, the 29Si-CP-MAS solid state NMR spectrum of the hybrid system that is also the basis for Fig.4. Both the groups resulting from the variously substituted silanes and their respective degree of crosslinking as well as the existence of Si-O-Al bonds can be demonstrated. Processing of hybrid sol-...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, New Developments and Trends: Functional Fillers
...micron micaceous iron oxide (trade name: Miox, manufacturer: KMI, Wolfsberg/Austria) has a reinforcing effect like mica, because of its extreme particle shape, but absorbs virtually the entire UV, VIS and IR spectrum owing to its metallic character. The relatively high density of 5g/cm2 and good thermal conductivity (80Wm–1K–1) of micaceous iron oxide lead to applications such as acoustic shielding and engine housings (Title photo). Its dark natural colour and reinforcing effect increase the scr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, New Material with Potential: Cycloolefin Copolymer (COC)
...water vapour and the very good deep-draw thermoforming characteristics. Traditional, halogen-containing materials such as PVC, PVDC and PCTFE are losing ground to COC in part because of the growing environmental awareness among consumers. The spectrum of film structures available today extends from multi-layer films with top layers of PP, PETG, PE-HD to laminates with PVC, PVDC, PCTFE and PAN. A steam-sterilisable film produced from a COC-PE blend presents completely new opportunities. What is s...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, News
...s processing industry, opened a subsidiary in Sao Paulo on 1 July. Local manager is Andres Grunewald. The office in Sao Paolo also manages the other South American representatives and provides technical support for their customers. The spectrum of services is complemented by a 24-hour delivery service for spare parts and screens. mpm Newly Designed Internet Presence The mpm Group, the world’s large assemblage of name brand manufacturers of plastic and rubber processing machinery, has redesigned...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Opportunity and Challenge
...rmed or thermoformed prior to plating. With regard to in-mould laminating, consideration is also being given to the use of known low-pressure plastic-processing techniques, including back filling and foaming, as a way of expanding the application spectrum. Future Potential of the Methods A survey of the 40 members of the 3D-MID Research Association (Forschungsvereinigung 3-D MID e.V.) reflects the current utilisation of MID manufacturing methods as estimated by these companies (Fig. 13). Accor...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Performance Show and Interview: Round About Pipe
...e pipe market has traditionally been our strong suit. We have the most products here and the most in-house system know-how. The pipe market spans a wide range of applications, from very small to very large pipe, over a wide spectrum of materials, including plastic-aluminium composites. When speaking about pipe, it is easy to overlook that there is an unbelievable diversity of products, which requires know-how in many different areas for the system supplier. Kunststoffe: And for what sizes do yo...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Pipe and Profile Extrusion: Continually Increased
...also demonstrated by means of working models. For example, a mono-pipe die can be retrofitted with a coating module for two-layer coextrusion. The “melt mixer” can be used to homogenise the melt temperature and standardise the residence time spectrum in melt channels. Unlike a static mixer, it performs selective rearrangement, and assists with material and colour changing, with low pressure consumption. Another accessory, the skim-off module, that was on display separates and removes damaged edg...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Pipe Extrusion: The Calculation of Spiral Mandrel Dies
...ata can be determined in such a way that different geometric die types can be compared with one another. Through the evaluation of - the volume flow at the die exit, - the volume flow over the gap, - the leakage flow curve, - the residence time spectrum, and - the pressure consumption, conclusions can be drawn about the quality of the spiral mandrel die [2]. The distribution of the emerging volume flow over the circumference of the die is evaluated with the aid of the reduced volume flow. Whe...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Pipe Extrusion: Universal Lattice Basket Die
...sary to be familiar with the flow behaviour of the melt. The geometric structure of the lattice basket die permits thorough, axial mixing of the melt virtually independently of the flow behaviour of the melt. In addition, the homogeneous deformation spectrum achieved with this die concept means that the solidifying pipe geometry downstream of the die can relax in a uniform manner. This permits a very high level of product symmetry to be achieved, since the die swell that always takes place durin...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastic Bodywork: No Steel, No Paint
...astic blends and polyurethane foam systems (Fig.1), whatever the method of coloration. In conjunction with its Elastogran GmbH subsidiary, BASF AG possesses the materials and expertise in all three product groups and is thus able to cover the entire spectrum of in-mould film lamination. The back-moulding materials with their very diverse properties can be used to produce virtually all conceivable automotive exterior components. The third partner in the BASF’s expert combine for automotive constr...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastics Gain Ground in Car Body Production
...r short vehicle production runs without long lead times. Lower Temperatures but High Requirements Bayer also supplies a comprehensive range of polymer materials and problem solutions for inline painting. Although in principle a broader spectrum of plastics is eligible for selection on account of the lower baking temperature of about 160°C, the requirements in terms of mechanical and surface properties are no lower. The specifications for car body parts already quoted therefore also apply t...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Plastics Processing in the Future
...gical acceptance. In fact, these requirements are nothing new, they describe present-day constraints within which a company basically moves today. The complexity of the tasks and challenges that can be derived from this is - depending on the product spectrum, the position of the sales markets, the materials processed and the technologies used - almost arbitrary and, in most cases, more and more difficult to master. All of this must not, of course, become a threat, but must be turned into a posit...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyarylsulphones (PSU, PPSU, PES)
...our and UV stability), - manufacturing properties (improved demoulding behaviour), - molecular weight distribution and low-molecular weight components, - morphology and purity of the polymer granulates as well as - available viscosity spectrum. Regarding optical characteristics, special types of Udel (Solvay, PSU) and UltrasonE (BASF; PES) were developed by Solvay and BASF with clearly less intrinsic colour, increased transparency and higher purity (lowered dirt and gel contents). This was poss...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polycarbonate instead of Glass: Large Car Windows from an Injection Moulding Machine
...New design opportunities, especially for the rear window area, make it possible to further reduce the dead angle or even eliminate it; this further improves safety when driving. From the manufacturing standpoint, plastic glazing opens up the entire spectrum of possibilities associated with injection moulding (and injection compression moulding), from the integration of inserts to in-mould laminating (back moulding) of decorative and functional films, overmoulding of elastomeric seals as well as...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyoxymethylene (POM)
...of POM can be manipulated as required: antistatic, dissipating, electrically conductive or screening. POM grades are now available on the market with absolutely any level of conductivity. In their endeavour to expand the property spectrum of POM through the development of innovative specialties and thus open up new areas of application for POM, manufacturers have recently also adopted the approach of chemically modifying the polymer backbone. Under the name Hostaform CP15X, Ticona has commercial...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polypropylene
...% and 6 % respectively, the consumption increase in 2000 was much lower (1 %), mostly as a result of the millennium effect. In the first half of this year, the market has grown again at a considerable rate of 4 %. Fig. 3 shows the broad application spectrum of polypropylene. With 26 % fibres make up the biggest part of PP production. 21 % of PP consumption are taken by rigid packaging. Flexible packaging - films (17 %) as well as technical applications in the automotive sector (10 %) continue sh...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polypropylene - Tailor-made
...oducing Bi-modal Polypropylene For a short time now, Borealis has been producing bi-modal polypropylene using the Borstar technology at its Schwechat/Austria location. The company is thus supplying the market with a PP that offers a broad property spectrum and can be processed in a cost-efficient manner. With the opening of a new plant for the production of bi-modal polypropylene (PP) using the Borstar technology, Borealis has reacted to the rapid growth in the corresponding markets. This ma...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polystyrene (PS)
...molecule architectures using an anionic process. Progress in the process engineering of anionic polymerisation and more thorough knowledge of the relationship between structure and properties have led to a considerable improvement of the performance spectrum of these transparent high-impact resistant polymers. Products and Applications The already mentioned commodity character of polystyrene and the economic necessity for the manufacturers to focus not only on uniform standard grades with as b...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Prevention of Solid Waste: Plastic Packaging Today - A Lightweight Champion
...e pigmented, printed, glued and formed into almost any imaginable shape. Plastic packaging finds use today as both rigid packaging and as flexible packaging in almost any thickness or shape. Nowadays, plastic packaging covers almost the entire spectrum of sizes and shapes. It is largely due to technical and, thus, economic advances in the production of packaging materials that more than ever before plastic has become the universal packaging material: transport and inner package; mass-market and ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Product Development: Rapid Analysis of Film Properties on Pilot Lines
... excluded. Comparison of Blown Films Blown film 50µm thick with the structures summarised in Table 3 were produced on both systems with a blow-up ratio of 2.5. The resins employed for this (Table 4) were selected to provide the wide possible spectrum of different polyolefin polymers. The most important system parameters are presented in Table 5. An evaluation of the extruded films through offline thickness measurements in the laboratory shows that, in spite of the smaller and thus more difficul...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Product Developments: Polyamides in the Engine Compartment
...for design reasons, given that it is a visible part. The fact that it can still be joined on by laser welding at all is thanks to Durethan DP2-2036/30 H2.0 LT (Laser-translucent). This is black in the visible light spectrum but transparent to the infrared radiation of the diode laser. The welding process thus essentially functions in the same way as for the intake trumpet. The part as a whole weighs only about half as much as of the former part in aluminium and considerably simplifies the subseq...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Production Control: Press Process Transparency
...e aircraft equipment supplier newly automated all of its production lines – excluding the actual press controls – with continuous control systems, controllers, decentralised periphery and a central HMI system from the Simatic spectrum by Siemens. Central Contact Point A Simatic S7-414-3DP each now controls the operation of ten mould carriers. There are a total of four of these head controllers. Add to this a Simatic S7-314IFM for a large press. All controllers are networked with each other and...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Production Methods: Coping with Product Diversity
...rn and is fixed throughout the period of one cycle. The subsections within a pattern (in the sense of the machine utilisation for a given product) are not subject to any fixed rules. The extrusion company in this case study markets a broad spectrum of plastic products. The highly diverse products are manufactured in a continuous production process. The orders range from small recurring orders to irregular large orders from major customers. The delivery time can be anywhere between two days ex s...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Promote People, Shape Technology
...gy and Education Centre Helmut M. Greif, Bonn/Germany The goals of the Dr. Reinold Hagen Foundation are in technology development and in the qualification of co-workers. Innovative technology is realised in projects. Promotion activities and the spectrum of services in the areas of education and advanced training have developed systematically and have become highly differentiated. On 26th May 1950 a patent on the blow moulding process was granted to the brothers Reinold and Norbert Hagen. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, PUR Composite Spray Moulding (PUR-CSM): Open to Many Different Applications
PUR Processing Open to Many Different Applications PUR Composite Spray Moulding (PUR-CSM). A new system variant of polyurethane spray technology involves the use of an isocyanate plus a fast- and a slow-reacting polyol. Depending on requirements, various additives, such as colour components, blowing agents or chopped reinforcing fibres, can be incorporated. For the production of moulded parts, only one mould half is required and no mould carrier. Ingo Kleba Thomas Kirsten In processing a rea...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality Assurance: Laser Transmission Welding on the Test Rig
...e available that enable localised process interruptions to be detected. Two examples will be presented below, namely pyrometry and combustion detection. Pyrometry is the contactless detection of the temperature of a body from its thermal emission spectrum. Temperature increases in the welding process, as occur in the notch shown in Fig. 4, can thus be identified. The scope of pyrometric process control, however, is limited by the material employed and the thickness of the top layer, as plastics...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Quality Assurance: Patients Made of Plastic
...rer of almost all plastic parts for the enterprise’s products and additionally develops and manufactures all small containers, boiling water devices and hand dryers for the entrepreneurial group. On its own the works offers its entire performance spectrum from product design through mould engineering and mould construction to supply of the finished product also to external partners.

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Radiation-induced Crosslinking: Crosslinked PA6 for Circuit Carriers
... polar components that improve wettability and adhesion in particular. The incorporation of polar oxygen-containing groups was confirmed by means of IR measurements. By way of example, Fig.5 shows the increase of carbonyl groups in the IR spectrum (wave number: about 1720cm-1) from the surface of electron beam-irradiated specimens. Practical Property Changes Heat deflection temperature: Fig.3 shows the effect of electron beam irradiation on the temperature-dependent torsional modulus of 30% ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Replacing Metals
...he well-balanced range of properties of the high temperature thermoplastic PEEK, it has become established as a material for gear wheels that can meet these requirements. Profile of Requirements Polymeric gear wheels are required to meet a complex spectrum of basic demands, since various types of load always occur in combination. A fundamental distinction must be made between dry-running, greased or oil-lubricated gear wheels. There are also differences as regards the impact loads and range of...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Requirements and Markets: Polymeric Flame Retardants
...abromobenzyl acrylate (FR-1025M-DSBG) is a monomeric brominated flame retardant supplied in powder form. It is unique in that it can be reactively polymerised during processing on standard commercially available compounding machinery. The property spectrum of pentabromobenzyl acrylate (Fig.3) combines a high bromine content with good thermal stability and excellent storage stability. Its high reactivity ensures a high degree of polymerisation during normal residence time in the extruder. This f...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Restructuring an Injection Moulding Machinery Manufacturer
...ular principle - to meet specific customer requirements. Production Segment Each of the three production segments at Ferromatik in Malterdingen is solely responsible for the costs, deadlines and quality of their particular products. The functional spectrum of the segment therefore covers, for example: - detailed planning and dispatch of production orders - responsibility for the number, recruitment and training of employees - coordination of capacities - including external processing of orders...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Rubber Processing: Smaller Batch Sizes and Automated Processes
...ng from normal load changes experienced by the screws are reliably corrected, according to the machine manufacturer. Either a roller die with dimensions of 360 x 650mm or a gear pump is located downstream from the DSE, so that 100% of the mixing spectrum can be strained ”online“. The Integrated Gear Pump Accurate metering, high output and extrusion pressures: gear pumps are of primary importance when designing extrusion systems. The use of a separate gear pump, however, entails a greater invest...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Series Production - Quickly
...h or the resistance of the models to different media, then for instance a plant of the titanium type from Stratasys, Inc (USA), is suitable, with which different materials, among them polycarbonates, can be used. The variety of procedures makes the spectrum of requirements that can be met very wide. For example hole diameters of the order of 1 µm can be produced for filter structures [3] or small complex components like the submarine in Fig. 3 can be made using microstereolithography. In c...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Sheet and Film Extrusion: Precision by the Metre
...chnology (Fig.9). The system is based on one or more thermal image cameras, which record the profile directly after it emerges from the die. On the principle that even small area/weight differences lead to differences in the temperature spectrum, the cross-profile control can intervene in the process must faster. Hch. Kündig & Cie. AG of Rüti/Switzerland presented a new instrument for film thickness measurement (Fig.10). This thickness measurement system is based on an optical sensor. It is an a...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Simulation Tools: Vibro-acoustic Design of Composites
... material- and geometry-specific variables they present, multi-layered continuous-fibre-reinforced and the new textile-reinforced plastic composites permit specific matching of directional material damping and the natural frequency/natural form spectrum to the dynamic excitation. The resulting innovative possibilities for vibro-acoustically appropriate composite design have hardly been explored technically to date. At the same time, questions relating to specific effects on the damping, natural ...

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, Special Injection Moulding Processes in Practical Application
...electronics industry leads us to the conclusion that the MID technology has good prospects as an alternative to conventional manufacturing methods. Conclusion The products described in this article represent merely a few facets of the enormous spectrum covered by innovative injection moulding processes for a specific application. They nevertheless show the enormous potential of innovative injection moulding techniques, which can help a flexible and committed company to achieve economic success...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Specialty Oils for Extruder Gears: The Chemistry Has to Be Right
...iscosity classes for extruder gears are ISO VG 220, ISO VG 320 and ISO VG 460. In a cold start, the oil must be soft enough to be pumpable and at the same time viscous enough to form a lubricating film. Synthetic oils offer the necessary performance spectrum. Selecting Synthetic Oils Mineral oils are mixtures of hydrocarbons of different molecular structure These structures influence their physical characteristics. For this reason, performance characteristics within the group of mineral oils al...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Spiral Mandrel Dies: Uniform Melt Flow from the Spiral Mandrel
...ion dies for pipe extrusion is determined during their design according to assessment criteria [1]. In spiral mandrel dies, these are usually the volume flow rate at the die outlet and at the mandrel gap, the leakage flow curve, the residence time spectrum and the pressure drop. Finite element analysis (FEA) enables developers to determine new assessment criteria, since computation results are available at each node of the FE network, and can be processed in their own evaluation modules. Layer ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Static Mixers: Well Mixed
... at the tube wall, it has a longer residence time in the outer regions than in the centre of the stream. A mixing element on the helical mixer eliminates the parabolic flow profile. The plug-flow effect therefore ensures a balanced residence time spectrum within the product stream (Fig. 8). Both the MX mixer and the helical mixer are available as both removable and gap-free designs nickel soldered to the tube. Solder depots incorporated into the mixing element ensure uniform flow and distributio...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Strong Composites
...re being opened up by self-reinforced thermoplastics based on polypropylene (grade: Curv, manufacturer: BP). These novel materials meet the demands by having a low specific weight and a balanced combination of properties, thereby opening up a large spectrum of possible applications. What are Self-reinforced Thermoplastics? The difference from more familiar thermoplastic composites, such as glass-fibre or natural-fibre-reinforced thermoplastic lies in the reinforcing fibres. Instead of the conv...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Structural Change: Styrene Copolymers (ABS, ASA, SAN and their Relatives)
...sing separation into two fields of styrene copolymers: Constant-quality commodities that have to compete against one another on a price-driven market, and specialties that obey different laws and are discovering ever new fields of application. The spectrum of plastic products derived from styrene and acrylonitrile is very broad indeed. Apart from styrene copolymer with acrylonitrile (SAN) – the forefather of this product class – they also include traditional products like ABS and ASA that are ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Less Water the Better
...se additional water to form. Spectroscopic methods, such as infrared or NMR spectroscopy are indirect methods. It is first of all necessary to perform a calibration on the basis of a reference method in order to establish the correlation between the spectrum and the actual value. New calibrations are required for each sample type. In many cases, the value displayed is conditioned by the density, the temperature and the grain size, or other physical parameters. Apart from this, the investment cos...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Market for Masterbatches in Germany
..., it is again the United States, who, as so often, are playing a pioneering role in this respect. The expectations for these new media are very high indeed. It remains to be seen whether the masterbatch industry will, with its highly diverse product spectrum, its very individual requirement profiles and its extensive logistic solutions, be able to achieve the hoped-for savings that have been reached in other market segments. Fig. 1. Market segments for masterbatches in Germany in 1999 Technisc...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Trend towards Electrical Systems
...ey are not usually so familiar with hydraulic systems. However, hydraulic drives also have advantages over electric motors from the system point of view. They generate a linear motion directly without any mechanical assistance and they allow a broad spectrum in the ratio of power to speed. Hydraulic drive systems have a low drive mass compared with the load mass, and they store energy which does not need any run-up time. The advantages of hydraulics are particularly evident with larger machines....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Thoroughly Mixed?
...such agglomerates reach the mould cavity, they lead to colour differences in the moulded part that cannot be eliminated by increasing the masterbatch concentration. Many thermoplastics have a typical yellow tinge because they absorb some of the blue spectrum of visible light on account of their molecular structure. To make the moulded part appear pure white to the human eye, this blue deficiency is compensated by adding blue hues to the masterbatch. Colorants that reflect in the ultraviolet rang...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trend Report: Colour Management for Global Production
... Colour-Management Software Datacolor, too, offers international users a fully integrated solution, comprising software, instruments and service that is designed for effective, automated colour management along the full supply chain. Datacolor Spectrum provides all companies involved in the workflow with access to a central platform for mutually accelerating all colour developments and matches. The resultant optimised communications facilitates faster market launching of products and cost savi...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends at the IAA: Shop Window for Innovations in the Motor Industry
...tives for potential car buyers, the new car business is not exactly ticking over. Against this background, attending the world's leading fair for the automotive industry turned out, for many exhibitors, to be something of a litmus test. The spectrum of exhibits was correspondingly diversified. In the halls occupied by the car manufacturers, the new Audi Q7, BMW 3 Touring, Fiat Grande Punto, Honda Civic, Mercedes S Class, Opel Astra Twin Top, Peugeot 407 Coupe, Porsche Cayman S, Renault Clio...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trends in Plastics Research
... field are present in the market (Table1). Together with the enterprises already established in plastics compounding, institutes and universities these new R&D service providers already cover a large part of the possible service spectrum. Because of the multiplicity of materials questions, specialisation of R&D enterprises to individual groups of materials or specific technologies will be essential. The differentiation can also take place “product specifically”, that is, within the service offer...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Unhindered Growth: Cyclic Olefin Copolymers (COC)
... used. Selection of the special material grades for individual applications is very much determined by the processing method to be used. Tailormade Products Developed The development of tailormade formulations permits a very wide application spectrum for COC today. Ticona alone has added three new COC grades to its existing range this year. Topas 8007F-400, for example, is an improved extrusion grade excellently suited to the production of blown films. As compared with the first COC generation,...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Well Insulated
...on plants has also doubled.The main reason for the high demand is the excellent lambda value of the PU rigid foam core, which has the lowest thermal conductivity of all insulating materials currently used in the industry (0.025 W/Km). Given the wide spectrum of applications for these elements, which includes cold stores and deep-freeze rooms for perishable foods, insulated industrial buildings (title picture), frozen-food compartments for supermarkets and refrigerated bodies for trucks, it can b...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, What Barrier Screws Can Achieve
...ncreased. Although screw plasticization and injection have been a constant feature of injection moulding technology since 1956, only continual improvement and further development have led to the three-zone screw widely used today. With a very wide spectrum of application, this screw offers a good compromise for the main requirements a plasticizing unit has to meet: - high plasticizing capacity, - good homogenizing effect, - low material degradation, - good quality and consistent processing per...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, “Nano Molding”: Permanent Bond between Aluminium and Polymer
...t is forcefully torn from an injection bonded sample, spots of polymer material remain attached to the surface of the aluminum. Careful analysis of this surface through infrared absorption shows an infrared absorption spectrum concordant with that of acid amide. When heat is generated, the hardening of that plasticised material which has not undergone freeze-hardening is delayed, and we believe that it hardens after it has made its way into the hyperfine depressions. We predicted that besides PB...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, ”The Electrical is not Better in Everything, but it is a Viable Alternative”
...the ‘advance’, we attain a saving of approx. 20–30%, and with the all-electric version, 35–40% compared with the conventional hydraulic machine. What are your typical target markets? We cover the entire spectrum for the industry. The largest possibility for saving energy, of course, falls to processors who have a significant material throughput and a long cooling time. One example is the production of PET preforms. Does your motto: “the entry into the world of electric drives” mean that you wa...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-30, Transparent PP Bottles: In the Overtaking Lane
... PE are better transparency and higher heat resistance. The first is an important aesthetic consideration and marketing tool, while the latter is a crucial criterion for hot filling or sterilisation. In addition, the property spectrum can be enhanced through multilayer designs with barrier layers. For both blow moulded and injection stretch blow moulded bottles, this will no doubt be one of the main approaches to reducing O2 and CO2 permeability. Special developments at Borealis in recent years ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-09, Continuous Fibres: Local Reinforcement of Injection Moulded Components
...alls, fewer ribs and reduction in short/long fibre content) also make the process economically competitive. In comparison with metal reinforcement, the components are more lightweight, corrosion-resistant and suitable for material recycling. The spectrum of parts can thus be extended to applications which at present cannot be realised by means of injection moulding. Once the production and placement of the inserts are economically implemented, the cost advantage of injection moulding can be ret...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-09, Plasma Processes: The Functionalisation of Plastic Surfaces
...the layers (Fig. 5). Plasma-polymerised layers generally have very different properties from conventionally produced polymers. As a rule, they are noted for their high density, high crosslinkage level and amorphous layer structure. The property spectrum of plasma-polymerised layers beyond this is very broad, which means that it is possible in principle to produce e.g. hydrophilic, hydrophobic, scratch-resistant, permeation-inhibiting, solvent-resistant, chemically active or friction-minimising ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-09, PTFE-polyamide Materials: Service Life Trebled
...Fig.3 shows excerpts from the spectra of an unmodified PTFE and a PTFE micropowder irradiated with 1000kGy. In the irradiated PTFE, the carboxylic acid fluoride [-COF] and carboxylic acid [-COOH] absorptions can be clearly seen. In the IR difference spectrum of the chemically coupled PTFE-PA6, after subtraction of the PA6 absorptions, the amide bond appears at 1708cm-1 as absorption bands, which were detected with model substances. In addition, no more COF and COOH bands can be detected, which c...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-26, Processing: Continuous Process for Manufacturing Natural-fibre-filled Plastic Boards
...plastic composites (WPC), which is produced in a plastication process. Pallmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, Zweibrücken/Germany, by developing the Palltruder, created the conditions necessary to obtain higher throughputs and a broader processing spectrum together with improved product quality. The dry, free-flowing homogeneous pellet stock, with a high bulk density, produced by this technology is an ideal starting material for processing in scattering units and double-belt presses (Fig.1). Of...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-01-26, Structuring and Ablating: Manufacturing Medical Products with Laser Technology
...d as a thermal tool, and so the possibility of the formation of thermal decomposition products must always be investigated and biocompatibility tested. Laser Energy Sources for Precision Polymer Ablation. Most plastics are transparent in the visible spectrum; absorption of light in the infrared (IR) range occurs by excitation of vibrations in molecules and, in the ultraviolet range (UV), by excitation of electrons. Figure 1 shows a typical transmission spectrum for a plastic, in this case polyca...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-02-21, Process Combination: Minimisation of Abrasion and Burr in Vibration Welding
...l.-Ing. Anne Thümen, born in 1975, is a science employee that the Institute for Plastics Technology Paderborn. Fig. 1. Kinematic variants of friction welding [2] Fig. 2. Preheating with radiant heaters Fig. 3. Comparison: Radiation spectrum of different infrared heaters [2] Fig. 4. Influence of heating time I: Melting depth as a function of heating time Fig. 5. Influence of heating time II: Abraded mass and welding time as a function of heating time Fig. 6. Influence of heating time III...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-02-22, Cockpit Surfaces: Workplace and Living Room on Wheels
Interieur Workplace and Living Room on Wheels Cockpit Surfaces. The interior of today’s and tomorrow’s cars holds a great deal of potential for new surface materials and technologies. Depending on the comfort level, the spectrum extends from simple injection moulded applications to high-quality film techniques. Development of the required materials and processes must take into consideration function, aesthetics, safety, ecology and economics simultaneously. Bernhard Klein The interior of today...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-02-23, Mass-production Properties: The Possibilities and Limits of RP
...ping and casting processes for the manufacture of polyurethane functional parts with which, e.g., test scoping on the entire vehicle can be carried out. However, until now it has hardly been possible to completely represent the required spectrum of mechanical and thermal properties of mass-production injection moulding materials. There are obvious reasons for this. Firstly the commercially available materials for rapid prototyping processes are (still) modelled more for optimum processing instea...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-03-23, Food Packaging: To Each Yoghurt Tub, Its Own Polystyrene
...ements: consistency of quality, reliability of delivery and competitiveness of price. For this reason, BASF has streamlined its product portfolio from several hundred down to 10 grades, a number which nonetheless covers virtually the full spectrum of polystyrene applications. It is only with a lean range of this kind that it is possible to produce polystyrene of consistent quality at competitive costs. At the same time, these few grades must optimally fulfil the key requirements of the respectiv...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-03-29, Bioplastics: Converting Risks to Opportunities
...creasing attention is a consequence both of positive market development and the trend in crude oil and plastics prices. Whereas a few years ago bioplastics technology was considered difficult terrain – expensive products with a limited performance spectrum, at best suitable for niche markets – now virtually no-one doubts the opportunities for this technology. Renewable resources instead of oil actually sounds far more promising in the age we find ourselves in today. Although there have been tang...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-04-21, Processing Aid: It’s All a Matter of Flow
...ed commodity resins can be improved and demanding special applications can also be realized. Martin Rösch. Cyclic butylene terephthalates (CBT) are thermoplastic precursors from which custom-tailored thermoplastics can be produced to cover a wide spectrum of properties and applications. As a result of their cyclic molecular structure, CBT melts upon heating to yield a product with a low, water-like viscosity (about 20 mPas), a characteristic that can be exploited in various fields of application...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-04-25, Adhesion and Ageing: Copper Coatings on High-temperature Thermoplastics
... untreated material (Fig.3). The increase is about the same for both polymers. The mechanisms that lie behind the increase in adhesion are, however, different for the two plastics, as the ESCA measurements in Fig.4 make clear. The high resolution spectrum of the carbon peak (C1s) for PEEK shows incorporation of carbonyl groups as a result of the plasma activation [2]. In the case of PPS, oxidation of the sulphur took place. The range spectrum of the sulphur peak (S2p) indicates the formation of ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-04-25, Filler Dispersion: Ultrasonic Spectroscopy for In-Line Monitoring
...ssed below. The mid frequency of the ultrasonic transducer was about 5MHz and the usable frequency range extended from about 1 to 8MHz. For the ultrasonic measurements, a pulse transmission method was used (Fig.3, right) [4]. To obtain the amplitude spectrum A(ω) and phase spectrum φ;(ω) for the transmitted and received signals, the ultrasound signals are subject to Fourier transformation from the time domain to the frequency domain (Fig.4). The phase spectra of the transmitted s...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-05-23, Innovative Potential: Additives Now and in the Future
...s such as PC+ABS blends. It even makes it possible to dispense with protection of the component during transport and processing, if necessary. More Beautiful Roses: Special fluorescent dyes, used in greenhouse films, are able to modify the spectrum of sunlight and shift the UV light contained in it into the visible red range. These modifications of solar radiation can influence plant growth and the structure of plants, since photosynthesis strongly depends on the quantity of light in the photoa...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-05-23, Transparent Nanocomposites and Hybrid Materials: Invisible Helpers
Special. Invisible Helpers. Transparent Nanocomposites and Hybrid Materials. There would seem to be no limit to the variety of functional fillers. Inorganic nanoparticles can suitably be used for functionalising transparent plastics, since their small dimensions mean they are not visible to the human eye, yet they still bring completely new functions with them. Stefan Kaskel. Inorganic fillers have traditionally played a decisive role in adjusting the mechanical properties of polymers, suc...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-05-23, Trends and Products: Masterbatch Manufacturers in Germany
...on black and ESD concentrates. Main fields of application are films and sheets. At Masterbatch Winter GmbH, Mühlheim (Main)/Germany, the masterbatches are based either on PE for use in polyolefins or on a universal carrier recommended for a broad spectrum of polymers. The minimum purchased quantity per colour match or supply amounts to only 1kg. Note This overview lays no claim on completeness and is based on information sent by the individual companies. Additions can be communicated to the a...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-06-27, Light Sources: OLED – Light of the Future
...tter materials contained in them. As a consequence of recombination of the injected electrons and electron holes in the emission layer, energy is released in the form of light in the visible region. The emitter materials employed determine the spectrum of the emitted 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 l...

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

Kunststoffe international, 2006-07-31, UV Protective Coatings: A Clear Thing?
...luctuations. However, such open-air tests are time-consuming and expensive and so attempts are made to anticipate the results in the laboratory. A number of test methods have become established in which specimens are exposed to essentially a spectrum of continuous light. Despite the introduction of standards, such as ISO 11341, users and manufacturers differ as regards which tests they consider trustworthy; even international standards are often viewed only as a basis for individual companies...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-08-06, Stabilisers (Part 1): Alternative Stabiliser Systems for PVC
...t article, which compares currently used stabilisers for PVC in relation to mechanical properties, stability and colour, with special reference to pipes. Michael Schiller Dominic De Souza Henk Huisman Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has a wide performance spectrum. This, in combination with low production costs, means that PVC has become an indispensable material in many areas of our everyday life. High resistance to wind, weather, UV radiation and chemicals as well as a long service life, high fire r...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-08-31, Production Control: Transparency When Compounding
...chnik GmbH Bonner Str. 20E 53773 Hennef / Germany Phone +49 (0)22 42/91 34 67-0 Fax +49 (0)22 42/91 34 67-10 www.opdenhoff.de In Profile: Nexans Industries is one of the leading cable manufacturers in the world and offers a complete spectrum of high-performance cables, system and components. In 2005 the company’s 18000 employees in 80 plants recorded gross sales of 5.4 thousand million Euros. At the Nürnberg site alone, 500 employees produce over 200000 kilometres of cable per year. In expert ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-08, All-electric Machines: One Shot Like Another?
...have benefit the material homogeneity of the melt, as is particularly desirable, e.g., for colouring. For this purpose, some granules of a colour concentrate were added to unpigmented material and the residence time spectrum of the two screw systems was measured (Fig.3, left). As expected, three-zone screws show a distinctly narrower spectrum than barrier screws. However, a broad residence-time spectrum improves the thermal and material homogeneity. The graph (Fig.3, right) illustrates this for ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-10, Company History (4): Heading in New Directions
...ve – all of these highlights in recent years substantiate this approach. The 820S extends the reliability and accuracy of the S series into the medium clamping force range; the Allrounder U as the new universal machine covers a wide spectrum of applications ranging from micro-injection moulding to multi-component moulding. The “Selogica direct” control system with touch screen operator interface and table entry simplifies machine management. With the Allrounder V introduced in 2005, Arburg retu...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-26, Textile Welding: Sewing without Thread
...a minimal depth of penetration and melts the textiles only at the contact surface while nevertheless achieving very high strengths. Unfinished thermoplastics, including synthetic fibres, transmit radiation in the near infrared region (NIR) of the spectrum. Thus, in order to weld the fabric, an NIR absorber that absorbs this radiation must be employed. This is normally achieved by placing the infrared absorbed either between the materials or introducing a thin layer at the weld seam. The laser be...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-27, Interview with Hans Wobbe: “Permanent Productivity Increases”
...by pacifiers by producing the parts in a class 100 clean room and then packaging them in a sterile environment. If an engineer is working on a process, he should really draw on the entire spectrum of available processes and develop the most innovative solution. Kunststoffe: If you forget for a moment your position on the board of directors, let me ask you as an enthusiastic engineer what injection moulding idea from outside your company impressed you the most? Wobbe: You know that we offer most...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-27, Processing of Semi-Finished Products: Air or Vacuum?
...chine and control technology coupled with a high degree of automation are reducing cycle times and increasing cost efficiency. Thermoforming is the preferred production method for both very thin-walled thermoplastic components at one end of the size spectrum and large flat parts at the other. Simple, fast material changes, the possibility of processing multilayer semi-finished products without any modifications to the machine construction, and comparatively low machine and mould costs are only s...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-27, Profile and Pipe Extrusion: Precise, Flexible and Fast
...iral mandrel distributor has progressively become established in most applications. In many cases, these dies represent the only possible solution for multilayer products. The deciding factors for this trend are the flexibility, wide application spectrum and not least process-engineering advantages. A high melt homogeneity, avoidance of weld seams and uniform melt distribution make the use of spiral mandrel distributors attractive wherever maximum quality demands are made on the extrusion of the...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-27, Progress and Trends: More Condition-oriented than Preventive
...tems constantly supervise tiny shifts in the condition of plant parameters and machine components, for instance with vibration measurement on rotating components. Accelerometers record impact sound and use it to calculate the frequency spectrum. These sensors make it possible to judge the status of the plant and identify the wear reserve. Vibration analysis is suitable to supervise many plant components critical for the process, such as electric motors, gears, spindles, bearings, pumps and compr...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-27, Trend Outline: Integration and Intelligence
... the absolute positioning accuracy of the electrical axes – in particular with complex applications – represents the major advantage as against hydraulic drive units. Not only the electrical machines’ share of the market, but also their spectrum of applications is rapidly increasing, recently including multi-component injection moulding. Thin-wall applications are gaining ground, too – e.g. in the areas of packaging or production of light-weight cases for mobile phones – since here the electrica...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, From Pretreatment to Finishing
... also from Rowa GmbH for such situations. By applying a protective UV primer with nanoparticles based on ZnO and TiO2, degradation of the PVC surface by UV radiation is delayed significantly and the useful lifetime extended by years. The absorption spectrum of Rowaflon G-73544 protective primer is shown in Fig. 7. More than 90% of the UV radiation in the range from 280–340nm is absorbed, while the transparency at the visible wavelengths remains above 70%. With Rowaflon G-71520W, a water-based sy...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, Labelling with Laser Beams: Writing with Light
...ve. Material Effects. Almost any plastic can be marked by selecting an appropriate laser wavelength and using suitable additives. Here, the marking result is determined by the material effects which are to be achieved. The laser wavelength spectrum used for plastics labelling ranges from ultraviolet (UV) to infrared (IR) regions. High-energy, ultraviolet laser light inside the plastic causes photochemical modifications which lead to bleaching or light-dark discolouration, leaving the plastic’...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, Laser Welding: Expanding the Laser Welding Spectrum
Joining Technology Expanding the Laser Welding Spectrum Laser Welding. Incompatible thermoplastics can now be joined by laser transmission welding using the interlayer film method. This method makes it possible for the first time to weld PA12 components to components produced from PBT, PP and PE. Edmund Haberstroh et al. Generally speaking, with just a few exceptions, welding methods can only be used to weld similar materials. Apart from this, possible weldable combinations are almost exclusi...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, Laser Welding: Race with Beams
...hey are not sensitive to soiling. Even more decisive, however, is the way the process is controlled, which makes up for a lot of unfavourable features of contour welding. The laser beam is combined to halogen light, which shows a large wave spectrum. Part of this wave length is absorbed as early as in the upper part, thus heating it up volumetrically, and this is added by heat conduction from the lower part to be joined. Stiffness in the upper part is thus reduced and should there be any gaps, t...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, Lightweight Construction: Advances in the Processing of Fibre-reinforced Plastics
...evelopments are aimed at implementing thermoplastic tape layers. The advantage of thermoplastic lay-up technology in comparison with that for thermosets consists not just in the possibility of using thermoplastic material. Much more importantly, the spectrum of parts which can be made is extended to more complex components having convex and concave contours. This is made possible by changing the way the process is carried out. The thermoplastic tape and the surface of the structural part are fus...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, Reactive Processing: From Expanded Foam to Structural Part
...can be retrofitted at low cost. The Italian machine manufacturer Cannon, Trezzano sul Naviglio/MI, with its A-Compact series has also created a compact and readily accessible machine design for the most varied applications. The systems cover a broad spectrum of output performance (40g/s–2400g/s) and are designed in such a way that they can be put into service with minimum installation costs. The user can choose between different versions in which the settings for the output power and the nozzles...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-10-30, Laser Sintering: Functional Prototypes Produced from PEEK
...ticular, can only be increased to a limited extent. As yet there are no laser-sintered materials that allow components with a tensile strength of over 50N/mm2 to be produced. A possible way of rectifying this deficiency lies in widening the material spectrum e.g. through the use of PEEK. PEEK, marked in red on the graph, with a tensile strength of 100N/mm2 and stiffness of 3600N/mm2, would potentially close the gap between the laser-sintered filled materials and the top-performing filled polyami...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-12-06, Colouring: Defined Colour Mixing for Recycled Materials
...developed that achieves high colour qualities. The formulation system also takes into account the colours of the other components used. Every Colour Needs a Formulation Pigments and dies selectively absorb certain wavelengths from the visible light spectrum. The non-absorbed wavelengths can be remitted by the physical 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 hu...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-01-22, Market Niches are Becoming ever Larger
...also work closely together in Technical Service and Applications Development (TSAD) with our technicians exchanging knowledge at joint technical meetings and evaluating trends observed in the market. In sales and distribution the whole spectrum of classic collaboration takes place. This includes segmenting the markets according to different criteria with some segments being worked by the partner and others by the producer. In sales we implement the strategy of the producers. There are also agree...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-01-22, Simulation of the Heating Cycle during Thermoforming
...determined through calculations in advance (Fig. 1). Infrared radiation is preferred for the heating process. The heating elements used are ceramic, quartz and halogen radiators which differ in respect of their service temperature, control and the spectrum of the emitted radiation (long, medium and short wavelengths). Heating with infrared radiation is universally applicable for all polymers. The spectral absorption coefficient and the emission coefficient are material specific parameters. In IR...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-02-13, An Eldorado for New Developments from Plastics
...e not even the subject of research yet. Accordingly, the field of implants, just the field of vascular implants alone, is very large. If we add to these load-bearing implants such as artificial joints, hip prostheses, knee prostheses and so on, this spectrum widens even more considerably. Kunststoffe: And these implants are made of plastic? Wintermantel: Yes, we always work on plastic-based implants which are in competition with metals. The metals are the classical implant materials and in the ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-02-13, Antimicrobial Finishing of 3-D Knits
Antimicrobial Finishing of 3-D Knits Functional Integration Plasma technology is used to apply functional nanolayers to polymer surfaces in order to selectively modify the spectrum of properties. New material functions can be tested under practical conditions before the results are implemented on an industrial scale. Ines Bilas Surface modification is useful for many applications. For example, to increase the bonding strength of coatings or produce a variety of functions on plastic and tex...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-02-13, Sealing Systems for the Cardiac Septum
...ion of the implant [3]. In view of this discovery, efforts are being directed towards the development of a fully resorbable implant. This approach is new because all available implants so far have been produced from non-resorbable materials. Wide Spectrum of Requirements In addition to processing properties and degradation behaviour, the mechanical properties of the polymer are very important. In the present case, the implant has to withstand considerable mechanical stresses. The demands place...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, Partnership on Equal Terms
...öllerTech is an essential member of the group and is responsible for plastics processing in the automotive sector, especially for interior applications. The company relies on over 300 engineers and technicians and employs the entire spectrum of processing techniques. Core competencies include injection moulding, extrusion blow moulding and secondary finishing operations. In addition to conventional injection moulding technology, complex techniques such as in-mould lamination based on injection m...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-03-15, Smart Ambience for Vehicle Interiors
...ces. Another advantage compared 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 eff...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-04-17, Develop New Markets with Hybrid Components and Surface Treatments
...e (water-soluble) film dissolves. When the parts are immersed in the bath, the pigments are deposited on the surface. After drying, the product is clear-coated with a protective layer. When it comes to painting, the spectrum of available materials extends from the standard RAL colours to metallic, special-effect and soft-touch paints. More recent developments include laser etching of multi-layer coatings and drum coating in a rotating vessel when working with small parts. Nano-scale coating syst...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-04-17, Fibre Composite Robot Arms
...ent stiffnesses with only minimal variations in density. In a CFRP component the laminations can be configured so that the fibres are primarily orientated in the direction of loading. This however requires a detailed knowledge of the applied load spectrum. The higher the content of fibres orientated in the direction of load – in the case of single axis loading almost entirely unidirectional – the greater the increase in stiffness and strength and thus the expected improvement potential. Materia...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-05-14, Customised Property Combinations
...ombinations Polypropylene Films Air-quenched blown film was solely a domain of polyethylene until a few years ago. With the polypropylene grades that have since been introduced into this area of processing technology, the application and property spectrum of films produced by this method has considerably widened. New product developments in the area of random and heterophase copolymers are taking account of this trend and permitting economic solutions in the packaging sector. Peter Niedersü...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-05-14, Everything in a Continuous Flow
...l manufacturing and processing stations by means of feed mechanisms, often represents the best solution. With the new inline production system from Singulus and Balda, one-piece flow is approaching reality. The systems, with their broad spectrum of applications, will shortly be demonstrating their suitability under everyday conditions in many areas of production. For this year, Balda Solutions Deutschland intends to start up series production on one system and issue orders for two additional sys...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-05-14, The Terahertz View
...at is currently being investigated at the Institute for High-Frequency Technology at the Technische Universität Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig/Germany). Out of the Shadows and into the Light Terahertz frequencies are located in the electromagnetic spectrum between the electrical and optical regions (Fig.1). At one end (0.1THz), the THz region borders on the highest microwave frequencies, while at the other end (10THz) it borders on very long wavelength infrared radiation. With new optoelectrica...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-07-18, High-Quality Pharmaceutical Film
...ment (such as limit plates, cutter rolls or guard plates). At these processing locations, the two primary variables – the elevated process temperatures and the increased residence time during material flow within this temperature spectrum – coincide (Fig. 5). Mixers: A combination of heated and cooled mixers is used. Here, the formulation of the batch, which determines the calender throughput, forms the transition to production of a continuous web on the calender (Fig. 6). In recent years, it...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, A Route to Cost-effective Photovoltaic Technology
...ration in the photoactive donor-acceptor layer; - Development of low-cost, transparent, highly conductive substrates as a replacement for the very expensive indium tin oxide glasses and films (high transmission in the range of the solar spectrum 305 to 4,045nm and absorber layer, surface roughness

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Focus on Attractive Added Value
...inese market is being evaluated. A feasibility study is currently being conducted together with Dow Chemical regarding a joint TDI facility in Europe. Innovations at the K 2007 At the K 2007 plastics exhibition, BASF will present a broad spectrum of plastics innovations. It will range from products for the automotive industry through the electrotechnical/electronics sectors and packaging to new polyurethanes and their applications. On the opening day, a new designer chair will also be on displ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, New Structure Bears Fruit
...r, Polyrema offers mono-blown-film systems with nominal widths of up to 3,400mm as well as co-extrusion lines with nominal widths of up to 1,400mm. By expanding its line to include these, the Reifenhäuser Group now covers the entire spectrum of blown-film lines. However, Polyrema not only supplies complete systems, but individual components as well, such as calibrating cages, take-off apparatuses and winders up to nominal widths of 3,300mm. Here the spotlight is on retrofitable system components...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, No Risk, No Profit
...nufacture (Martin Schöttli, Schöttli AG). Bechtel’s view however was that standardization in hot runner technology would be made more difficult by highly demanding quality requirements, polymers that can be difficult to process and the wide spectrum of molded parts with complex geometries. The live demonstration was a Hylectric molder with a two cavity tool for Petri dishes. On this machine practically any type of polymer can be tested and it is possible to adjust flow path to wall thickness rat...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, To the Limits of the Possible
...long-term in a moist environment. High-performance plastics such as PEEK or PPS are available for such purposes but are costly and overqualified for many applications. Standard polyamides, on the other hand, do not have the required property spectrum. The polyamides in the Grivory HT family provide a sensible bridge here as materials with an excellent property profile that is reliable and enduring. Mass-produced parts molded from these materials include, for example, components for water meters ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Basis of Product Quality
Basis of Product Quality Materials Supply (Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) From release from store through purification and drying to mixing and metering the machinery and plant manufacturers present a broad product spectrum of innovative exhibits. Gentle transport of materials, precise and flexible metering of materials as well as computer-aided documentation of all steps in a process are necessary contributions by machinery and plant manufacturers to materials supply in order to keep abrea...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Clearer and Longer Protection
...he region up to about 380 nm very well, however above 380 nm the protection is inadequate. In contrast to this the PET bottle containing the same amount of Uvinul S-Pack additive is very well protected to 395 nm and even in the visible region of the spectrum (above 400 nm) a certain amount of protection is still available (red line). The significance of this absorption becomes clear when the emission spectra of conventional fluorescent strip lights are analyzed. As shown in Figure 1 the intensit...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Faster – More Specific – More Efficient
...0-1400 C2 model IMC, that is used to optimize and develop the material on the injection molding machine [14]. This process is especially suited for developing the material directly on the part, thanks to the residence-time spectrum of the materials on the twin-screw and the quantity of material required for meaningful compounder operation. The IMC compounder has advantages especially with long-glass fiber-reinforced materials. High Throughput Screening: polyMaterials AG’s HTS approach (HTS: High...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Flexible with High Loadbearing Capacity
...c elastomer compounds based on hydrogenated styrene block copolymers (HSBC) offer a previously unattainable level of adhesion to polycarbonate- and ABS-based materials. This opens up opportunities for innovative design differentiation across a broad spectrum of end products. Easy Coloration and Good Damping Properties GLS Corp., McHenry, Illinois, USA, will introduce a whole suite of blow molding TPEs in a range of hardnesses from 35 Shore A to 40 Shore D at this year’s K2007. These highly fle...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Molded by Air
...orresponding blow mold models BM 20, BM 200 and BM 2000, all of which are available in both single and two-stage versions (Fig.1). Depending on the model selected, it is possible to realize up to six-layer coextrusion packaging. Mauser covers a spectrum of hollow-body volumes from 20 to 2,000 liters with this model line. Kautex Maschinenbau GmbH of Bonn, Germany, will highlight its proven and continuously further developed KLS 6-100 long-stroke shuttle blow molding machine (Fig.2). This machine ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Prior to Film Extrusion
...blends. Hereby, continuous gravimetric blenders are state of the art for extrusion. In view of increasing cost pressure, cost-optimized solutions are also being sought in the field of batching/blending. Depending on the application and the spectrum of materials to be blended, the use of batch feeding devices represents a cost-effective alternative for continuous gravimetric methods. However, the latter is not only used for materials blending in extrusion. Due to the higher metering accuracy comp...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Therefore Test, Who Wants to Bind Himself Forever
...g large plastic parts. The advantages of this method are demonstrated on the basis of a part drawn from practice, a vehicle light fitting having a three-dimensional weld geometry (Fig. 3). Another major theme in laser welding is the weldable color spectrum of parts to be joined. Here, Lifocolor Farben GmbH & Co. KG, Lichtenfels, Germany, offers functional masterbatches with which the plastics to be welded are modified in such a way that a wide range of colors can be joined. Gentex Corporation, S...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Transparent Processes and Tested Products
...ipment through continual refinement of existing products and development of new products. There are so many applications for measurement and testing technology in the plastics industry that the observer of this market encounters an immensely broad spectrum of equipment utilizing a variety of technologies. This article presents a few selected examples from the fields of measurement and testing that will be exhibited at the K 2007 this year. Materials Characterization With the Minipal 4, Panal...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-19, A Strong Industry
...(Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) The volume of plastics produced in the world has been growing at an impressive rate for decades. Plastics offer a whole range of advantages: They are versatile to process, have an unbeatable price/performance and wide spectrum of properties, and save energy and resources. The industry therefore expects continued very attractive growth. Günter Hilken Last year, 2006, 245 milliont of plastic were produced worldwide. The growth rate of world plastics production i...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-19, Your Business – Our Effects
...ba Colibri software. "We would like to create a world of emotions with the extensive range of Ciba Xymara pearlescent-effect pigments (Fig. 3)", rhapsodizes Marc Dumont. The pigment Xymara effects, which is characterized by a broad spectrum of bright and frosty color effects, is being introduced at the K 2007 for the first time. The Xymara Pearlescent products for high-performance applications complement the above, and Xymara Satin Black Pearl reflects the color of the night, of deep wat...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Flexible Where It Matters
... Tel. +49/2 41/80-93 806 Fax +49/2 41/80-92 262 www.ikv-aachen.de Multicomponent Injection Molding at the IKV The IKV is intensively occupied with the development and optimization of multicomponent technology processes. The spectrum includes, for example, - the overmolding of thermoplastic/thermoplastic and thermoplastic/TPE combinations, - the process combination of multicomponent injection molding and fluid-assisted injection molding for producing two-layer and sequentially composed fluid li...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Polyaryletherketones (PAEK)
... and Mitsui Chemicals, thereby obtaining a dedicated sales force under the umbrella of Victrex Japan Inc. Applications The differentiator between PAEK and other high-performance polymers is their well-balanced performance spectrum: Numerous characteristics such as mechanical, thermal, chemical and electrical properties are all at a high level. One quite common combination features high temperature stability, strength with stiffness, and ease of thermoplastic processing. This performance packag...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Polyarylsulfones (PSU, PESU, PPSU)
...rldwide regional consumption of amorphous HT thermoplastics (for 2006) Fig. 3. Application-related worldwide consumption of amorphous HT thermoplastics (for 2006) Fig. 4. New developed PESU blend, which expands the property spectrum of PESU significantly. Compared to pure PESU, flowability could be increased by 10 to 20%. Top: pure PESU; center: PESU blend; bottom: metallized blend (photo: BASF) Table 1. Producers of HT thermoplastics and their capacities (as of mid-2007)

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Process-Induced Degradation of Polylactic Acid
...er was a MultiSpec twin channel process spectrometer system (manufacturer: tec5 AG, Oberursel, Germany) based on the diode array technology. A xenon flash tube was used as light source. These tubes have a very long service life. Since the emission spectrum of the tube varies a little from flash to flash the second channel is used for reference. The NIR and Raman spectra were recorded by a Sentroproc NIR/RAMAN (manufacturer: Sentronic GmbH, Dresden, Germany). This instrument consists of two spect...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Three-Dimensional Structural Analysis of Foam
...is shifted a little towards larger cell diameters. This error can always be observed in this comparison regardless of the sample analyzed for each cell is cut at a different distance from its center. Accordingly, the cut pattern will reveal a wide spectrum of circular cell areas of different sizes, the maximum circular areas having the nominal diameter of the spherical cells. With this knowledge the three-dimensional distribution can be reconstructed. The reconstruction method is known in statis...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Window for the Loading Door
...30,000m2 Built area: 12,000m2 Total investment: over 10 million EUR since 2004 Headcount: 170 Annual sales: 34.5 million EUR (2006) Ebit/Ebitda: no data Export rate: 18% Products: technical plastic parts Spectrum of component weights: 100g (housing for color spectrometer) to 35kg (tractor cab roof) Client industries: domestic appliances, medical technology, electrical sector, machinery manufacture, sanitary engineering, automotive construction Main customers: include Agfa, Bauknecht, Bosch, Carl...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-11-21, Surface Finishing in the Cockpit
...No less important are the visual and increasingly also the tactile demands on the surface of a part in an automobile. But most importantly, paints must also guarantee the longevity of parts by protecting them against environmental effects. The broad spectrum of raw materials as well as the functionality and chain lengths (molecular weights) of the chemical building blocks permit a large number of possible variants [4]. The large number of components and surfaces in the interior of a vehicle to ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, From Miniaturization through to Furniture Design
...an be suitably used to replace metals in the lids of the housings for power and control units or to support climate management in lamp sockets and door locks. Furniture Industry: Plastics in Fashion At the opposite end of the spectrum from miniaturization, Ultradur High Speed from BASF presents a completely different picture. Its specific property profile can be used to convert clumsy balcony chairs into elegant cantilever chairs with filigree, mesh-like perforations. Finely-distributed nanopa...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, Marriage between Specialists
...er PP component, closing the barrier layer directly at the sprue. The function of the system can be checked on samples by IR spectroscopy. This is performed by inserting a probe into the preform, and representing the barrier layer by means of the spectrum, which is measured from outside. Improved Surface Quality The requirements on plastic surfaces increase to the extent that the modern production environment requires a reduction in secondary processing operations. With variotherm temperature ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, New Laser Sources Expand Field of Application
...is supposed to absorb the laser’s radiation to a satisfactory degree. The optical characteristics of a polymer are, as a rule, wavelength-dependent and can be measured in the visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum by means of a spectrometer. By way of example, Fig.4 shows the measured transmission and reflection as well as the absorption calculated from these values for a 2mm-thick test specimen of unpigmented PA6-3-T (grade: Trogamid T5000, manufacturer: Evonic) as a function of wave...