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

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Beer Bottles - A New Market for Polyester
Beer Bottles - A New Market for Polyester Brigitta Otto and Michael Streng, Frankfurt/Germany The market for PET for packaging is set to grow to approximately 11.4 million t by the year 2008. It is predicted that some 427,000 t/year will go on the production of beer bottles. Beverages in PET bottles (PET = polyethylene terephthalate) are booming. An increasing number of drinks producers are opting for the lightweight and unbreakable alternative to the heavy glass bottle, not only in the ca...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Building: Trends with Polycarbonate Sheets
Special Trends with Polycarbonate Sheets Building. To improve thermal insulation, to integrate additional functions and to realise alternative solar roof concepts – these are three main foci on which development work for the building indus-try on polycarbonate sheets is presently concentrated. Transparent and translucent sheets of polycarbonate (PC) are used in the building industry frequently when it comes to making wide roof coverings as well as costly dome and roof structures. For this world-...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Comparative Study: Virtually Equal in Terms of Precision
Injection Moulding Virtually Equal in Terms of Precision Comparative Study. A study of the copying fidelity and reproducibility of an injection moulded part with microstructure compared the performance of an all-electric machine and two machines with hydraulic and accumula-tor hydraulic drive systems with the high-precision option. The results showed that the potential of hydraulic drive technology has by no means been exhausted. Harald Bleier Thomas Kosthorst For some years, there has been a cl...

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

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Dimensioning Parts: Non-linear Viscoelasticity
Simulation Non-linear Viscoelasticity Ernst Schmachtenberg Marcel Brandt Dimensioning Parts. Precise description of the non-linear viscoelastic material behaviour of thermoplastics in FEA makes it possible to exploit the mechanical potential of these materials in the best way possible and to optimise the development of corresponding parts. As more and more plastics are used in technical applications, design reliability and parts dimensioning are coming increasingly into focus. Shorter devel...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Double the Output
Double the Output Tandem Moulds for Standard Machines Christoph Jaroschek, Bielefeld/Germany Overall cost pressure in modern plastics processing makes constant innovation essential. Two directions of development are possible. Either you develop new products with clever technical features to secure competitive advantage (such as the multi-component technique) or you succeed in lowering production costs. This article describes a way of increasing the production output of a machine by up to 1...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Enhancing Performance: Fast-Cycle Injection Moulding Machines with Tandem Moulds
Enhancing Performance: Fast-Cycle Injection Moulding Machines with Tandem Moulds The implementation of a new mould concept drastically reduces the “dead times” with injection moulding systems. A precise analysis of these dead times shows that shortening them not only results in an increase in output, it also brings an improvement in part quality due to the additional cooling time. Christoph Jaroschek In March 2002, the Fachhochschule Bielefeld presented its tandem mould development concept...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Exhibition Preview: North American and Canadian Products at K 2004
USA-Special North American and Canadian Products at K 2004 Exhibition Preview. In Düsseldorf, more than 140 U.S. American and Canadian Companies will present their innovations for the first time to an European specialist audience. The editors of the magazine Plastics Technology have assembled a selection of the most important developments. With this thematically structured preliminary report you can effectively prepare your visit at the K show. Injection Moulding News from includes all-electr...

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

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, From the Skeleton Model to the Part
From the Skeleton Model to the Part CAD Service in the Design of a Barcode Scanner Ralf Steck, Friedrichshafen/Germany It is particularly difficult and expensive to produce plastic parts in relatively smaller production runs. Compromises have to be made in product design, not only because of the high costs of the injection moulds, but also because of poor knowledge about the materials. The remedy may be to subcontract part of the development work. The article demonstrates this with a pract...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Functional Integration: Packaging Design Between Economy and Creativity
Packaging Packaging Design Between Economy and Creativity Functional Integration. The packaging of a product plays a substantial role for the purchase decision. Intelligent and multifunctional packaging is increasingly demanded. Here use of plastic fulfils critical tasks. Andreas Unger The topic "packaging" presently has special significance. Today economic success is being re-dimensioned because profit margins are decreasing in most industries. Also the success of packaging is largely ...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Hot-runner Systems: Controlled Conditions
Tooling Controlled Conditions Hot-runner Systems. For precise balancing of a multicavity hot-runner mould, neither cavity pressure sensors nor filling studies suitable cavity temperature sensors compensate for viscosity changes in the melt by changing the hot-runner nozzle settings until every cavity has been filled at the same time. Christopherus Bader Christian Burkhart Erwin König Recent years have seen a proliferation in the number of multicavity moulds used in injection moulding production....

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Micro-Injection Moulding: Microfluidic Systems with Integrated Semiconductor Chips
Special Microfluidic Systems with Integrated Semiconductor Chips Micro-Injection Moulding. Combining microfluidic systems and electronic components usually requires a joining process. However, the joints are usually leaky and it is sometimes a problem to integrate the parts. As an alternative, the possibility was investigated of manufacturing a part by injection/insert moulding of the semiconductor chip, and synchronous producing a microfluidic system by micro-injection moulding with the polymer...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Mould Preliminary Costing: The Devil is in the Detail
Mould Preliminary Costing: The Devil is in the Detail New production methods have increased the precision and speed of mould making. However, preliminary costing is still done by methods developed in the 1970s. A new system makes it easier to compare different tool steels and high-speed cutting or standard milling. Michael Wilmsen Since process chain management and new mould machining techniques have come into use, the carousel of new product development has been spinning ever faster. Comp...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Moulds: Strategic Partnership
Moulds: Strategic Partnership MHT and MHS have agreed on a strategic partnership for PET moulds and hot runner systems. MHT Mold & Hotrunner TechnologyAG, Hochheim/Germany, and MHS Mold Hotrunner Solutions Inc., Georgetown/Canada, have set up a strategic partnership. It concerns MHT’s high performance injection moulds for PET preforms and MHS’s innovative hot runner systems. The aim of the partnership is to round out the companies’ mutual product ranges and to exploit market and sector knowl...

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

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

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Polyaryletherketones (PAEK)
Polyaryletherketones (PAEK) Wolfgang Reimer and Ralf Weidig, Hofheim/Germany Thanks to their versatility, PAEK high-performance polymers are finding use in many areas of industry. Developers and designers are exploiting their good balance of properties to create innovative solutions that meet the ongoing demand for cost reduction combined with optimised functions, weight reduction and extended product lifetimes. Most polyaryletherketones, in terms of volume, are currently produced by Victr...

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

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Potential for Saving: Cost-efficient Designing
Product Development Cost-efficient Designing Matthias Schmuck Jürgen Gäbelein Potential for Saving. Eighty percent of product and product follow-up costs are defined during development. Product development therefore offers the greatest scope for savings. Practical examples from a development service provider illustrate the salient aspects of cost-efficient designing in plastics. Production outsourcing has now become one of the most common phrases in the headlines of the economics sections o...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Process Comparison: Thread Manufacture in Fibre-reinforced Plastics
Joining Technology Thread Manufacture in Fibre-reinforced Plastics Klaus Weinert Christoph Kempmann Process Comparison. The two processes of thread tapping and thread milling can be used to make internal screw threads in fabric reinforced plastics. With thread tapping, the gauge compliance of the internal thread obtained is within the tolerance range while, with thread milling, a pronounced correlation with the cutting values is evident. Fibre-reinforced plastics offer a high potential as li...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Restructuring an Injection Moulding Machinery Manufacturer
Restructuring an Injection Moulding Machinery Manufacturer Management Consultants' Integrated Approach Pays Off Karlheinz Bourdon, Malterdingen, Walter Bantscheff and Karl-Heinz Pfaff, Simmozheim/Germany When restructuring a company, it is important to select the right management consultants and employ them properly. Taking the example of an injection moulding machinery manufacturer, the article shows how problems such as late delivery, long lead times, overstocked warehouses, slow ord...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Stereolithography: Prototypes for Neonatal Surgery
Prototypes for Neonatal Surgery Stereolithography. Parts production can be shortened from a matter of months to a few days. This is a great advantage for optimising precision parts in several phases in the run-up to series production. The Italian medical technology manufacturer Dideco, a world leader in the development and production of oxygenators and external blood circulation systems, has been using rapid prototyping in its production process for 10 years. The company initially collaborated...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Structural RIM: Composite Materials for More Robust Automotive Parts
Structural RIM: Composite Materials for More Robust Automotive Parts An automated process for preforming glass mats and subsequent processing of preforms by the S-RIM process stands at the end of the long development chain that was necessary for the production of a lightweight, durable plastic pickup truck box. Antonio Cossolo For decades, the pickup truck has been the most widely used vehicle for agriculture, building and in chemical and other industrial plant. The floor is subject to sev...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Market has Narrowed
The Market has Narrowed For Polyurethanes Know-how will become a Competitive Factor Stefan Albus, Herne/Germany In the last three years the polyurethane market has undergone clear changes. The field of large raw material suppliers has became narrower and increasing globalisation presents challenges to the enterprises to which they react with efficiency increases and structural changes. Polyurethanes have a privileged position among plastics. Probably no other polymer family can cover suc...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, The Right Software Brings Success
The Right Software Brings Success Design of a Golf Caddy Ralf Steck, Friedrichshafen/Germany A standardised CAD data structure very often determines the competitiveness of a company. In this article, we look at a golf caddy to illustrate the advantages of a standardised CAD data structure in the design and construction of high-quality, continuous-strand-reinforced injection moulded parts made of carbon fibre. With the Thermoshape process, a fusible-core process, a core composed of a low-...

Kunststoffe international, 2005-11-21, Trend Report: Colour Management for Global Production
Colorimetry Colour Management for Global Production Uwe Schröder Trend Report. There is no longer demand for island solutions in colorimetry. Instead, people want global applications in international networks and platforms that work via the internet. Both globally active groups and small-to-medium size subcontracting companies and enterprises can avail of colour-management systems composed of consulting, services, hardware and software that are tailored to nearly all areas of the plastics prod...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-02-22, Carbon-fibre-reinforced Plastics (CRP): The Black Gold of Lightweight Building
Materials. The Black Gold of Lightweight Building. Carbon-fibre-reinforced Plastics (CRP). The market for carbon fibres is thriving on the race for lightweight constructions in civilian aviation. The automotive industry would also like to participate in this development. However, there is a huge disparity between the desire of this sector, plagued as it is by consumer restraint, petrol prices and legislation, to take the potential of lightweight building far beyond that of its hitherto light met...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-05, Maintenance Software: From the Pilot to the Standard
Market and Management From the Pilot to the Standard Maintenance Software. The more complex a company’s products and processes, the more important structured maintenance becomes. But good facility and maintenance management (FMM) software is rare. Therefore, a software specialist worked together with an injection mould-ing machine manufacturer on a pilot project to develop a new FMM sys-tem, which is now to be launched on the market. Ralf Haassengier About ten years ago, the injection moulding...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-10, Company History (4): Heading in New Directions
Market and Management. Heading in New Directions. Christoph Schumacher, Company History (4). In the years between 1990 and 2005, Arburg developed the series that form the basis for the current machine line. During the same time period, the company became a systems supplier, and with its new modular drive concept tailored to the specific application fully matches machine perform-ance to customer requirements. As many times previously, the K-Show in Düsseldorf in 1992 was once again a display ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, A Holistic Approach: Integrated Engineering
Product Development Integrated Engineering A Holistic Approach. Integrated engineering means approaching product development as a whole, starting from the OEM’s specification and design requirements to the start of mass production – planned and supported entirely from one source. Experienced specialists coordinate the project flow and focus the innovative power of different companies in product development, prototype and mould making and the assembly concept. Jürgen Gäbelein Matthias Schmuck ...

Kunststoffe international, 2006-09-28, Joining: Geometry of Snap Hooks Optimised
Joining Technology. Geometry of Snap Hooks Optimised. Johannes Kunz, Matthias Holzinger. Joining. A noticeable improvement in the relationship between the joining and release forces is achieved with an optimised geometry of the snap hook. At the same time, the compression stress in the contact zone drops considerably. A simple design is proposed for the optimised design of the snap hook on the basis of a careful investigation. Snap fits are often employed for joining and assembly in plastic ...

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

Kunststoffe international, 2007-04-17, Plastics Processing Boom
Plastics Processing Boom Industry Association News The plastics processing industry saw its turnover increase by 10% in 2006 and thus significantly outperform the growth in GDP. Domestic turnover rose by 9% and exports by 12%. Margins were however squeezed by the jump in prices for raw materials and energy. Gerhard Gotzmann In 2006 the plastics processing industry generated revenues of EUR 49.3 billion. This was equivalent to a nominal increase in turnover of exactly 10.2% compared to 2005. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-05-14, Beyond the Sound Barrier
Beyond the Sound Barrier Development of Tools for Ultrasonic Welding Many a CAD expert claims to be able to identify the CAD system with which a product was developed simply on the basis of the product’s shape. Be that as it may, at Rinco Ultrasonics the introduction of Pro/Engineer has allowed new possibilities in shaping to be realised in tool construction. These extend the range of ultrasonic welding equipment manufactured by Rinco. System support for the CAD installation is being provide...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-07-18, Drying as a Quality Factor
Drying as a Quality Factor Material Handling When plastics are processed for medical or pharmaceutical applications, their purity and high quality are not the only important criteria. The requirements also apply to the machines and equipment employed. The most demanding requirements arise for products that are subsequently supposed to be resorbed by the human body. Susanne Gotzler For many polymeric materials, drying processes play an important and quality-determining role, especially when ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-08-14, Prince Charming
"Prince Charming" An out-of-the-routine constellation and almost the opposite of the private-equity wave that is currently sweeping through almost the entire industry: twenty months ago, Korbinian Kiesl bought Billion S.A.S. out of the mpm Group (mannesmann plastics machinery) as part of a management buy-out, and since then has officiated as President of the French injection molding machine manufacturer. Kunststoffe Editors Clemens Doriat and Gerhard Gotzmann met for talks with the tru...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Buss Kneader for Cable Compounds
Buss Kneader for Cable Compounds Compounding With the MX Series, Buss will present at the K 2007 a new generation of its Buss Kneaders for compounding of temperature and shear sensitive compounds. Without any increase in size, they offer up to 2.5 times the throughput and require about 15 % less specific energy compared to the present machine. Heini Grütter Rico Trachsel Hans-Ulrich Siegenthaler The operating principle of the Buss Kneaders from Buss AG, Pratteln, Switzerland, has proven ...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Energy Efficiency Taking on Increasing Importance
Energy Efficiency Taking on Increasing Importance Engineering Plastics (Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) The innovations in engineering plastics for K 2007 are to be found primarily in areas of particular importance for these plastics, including the automotive sector, industry and medical technology. It is in these sectors that the performance potential of these plastics can be exploited to the full. The challenges for these materials lie in component applications that have so far been based on...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-09-19, Mastering Demanding Challenges
Mastering Demanding Challenges Commodity Plastics (Trade-fair-pre-report K 2007) With customized polyolefins – sometimes without additives – it is possible to employ commodity plastics in sectors previously reserved for other resins. The opportunity for savings with a simultaneous improvement in properties attracts customers. The global demand for plastics since 1990 has grown, on average, 5.5 % per year – and this trend is expected to continue at an annual growth of about 5 % until 2015....

Kunststoffe international, 2007-10-21, Window for the Loading Door
Window for the Loading Door Design Highlight Two plastic components, a ring on the inside and viewing glass on the outside, cover the loading door of a Miele washing machine in such a way that no assembly elements are visible – and customers almost find themselves developing a sense of appreciation for the esthetics of household appliances. The factory assembly unit, which combines all the individual parts into a single module, provides an object lesson in mastering the complexities of large-s...

Kunststoffe international, 2007-12-17, From the Plastic Part to the End Product
From the Plastic Part to the End Product Surface Technology Most plastic products must undergo secondary processing or finishing for technical and often decorative reasons. Encouragingly, many innovations on this subject were presented at K2007, in the subjective opinion of the observer even proportionately more than at past shows. Max Dominik The article deals in detail with the coating and metallizing of plastic articles; the January edition will discuss the printing of webs and parts. ...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-01-15, Bringing Measurement to Optical Effects
Bringing Measurement to Optical Effects Color Measurement (Trade Fair Report K 2007) The range of requirements is expanding. Automobile manufacturers and their suppliers have to reliably determine both color and surface effects. Capturing light dependent effects, gloss as well as the colormetric behavior of translucent objects is becoming more important. In some extrusion applications color measurement is already part of the quality control and is starting to be used as part of the production ...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-04-14, Performance Enhancements for Highly Filled Compounds
Performance Enhancements for Highly Filled Compounds Dispersing Additives Compounds with high filler loadings are difficult to process. This results in sub-optimal dispersion of the fillers in the polymer matrix, which also has a negative influence on the mechanical properties. A new additive concept now allows processing and properties to be improved. Bärbel Gertzen Jörg Garlinsky Fillers are used in polymers in many ways to improve properties or reduce costs. A wide range of various diff...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-04-14, Safety Has Priority
Safety Has Priority Challenges in Medical Technology Hardly any other branch of the plastics processing industry places such stringent requirements on materials, reliability and the service provided by its suppliers as the medical device sector. Contractually agreed upon product characteristics, tight specifications and verifiable compliance with international standards guarantee long-term planning capabilities and ensure a reliable supply as well as a secure investment. With an expanded servi...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-05-10, Small Series Production of High-Strength Plastic Parts
Small Series Production of High-Strength Plastic Parts Laser Sintering Further developments in materials and processing aspects have made laser sintering a genuine alternative to injection molding. Products with homogeneous properties and capable of continuous loading can be supplied within a matter of hours at a high level of processing stability and without the expense of mold-building. Sören Griessbach Ralf Lach Wolfgang Grellmann Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) was developed in the lat...

Kunststoffe international, 2008-09-23, Bonding with Sensitivity
Nonpolar plastics are often welded by means of ultrasonics, because it is a versatile and economical process. From the simple handheld unit to machines with one or several welding heads and fully automatic equipment integrated into large production lines, a suitable unit can be found for every application. Laser technology is continually presenting surprises. The possibilities here appear to be far from being exhausted. PU technology holds potential to improve the economics of final assembly thr...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-01-26, Spotlight on Film
More than 200 guests from all parts of the world took up the plant and equipment manufacturer Kuhne’s invitation to the first “Kuhne Autumn Week”. The visitors were given the opportunity to see Kuhne’s wide range of equipment in operation. Film for various application areas was produced in the technical center. Heavy duty sack film with a flat width of 550 mm was produced on a three layer blown film line equipped with one 90 mm and two 60 mm extruders. Surface protection film and a biopolymer fi...

Kunststoffe international, 2009-02-17, Transparency and Good Service
BASF SE of Ludwigshafen, Germany, has recently made its HD services available to buyers of its Luran HD styrene acrylonitrile copolymer from the medical technology sector, too (HD means healthcare and diagnostics). If compared to other types of transparent materials, Luran has a higher resistance to chemical impact. It is stiffer, can be processed more easily, and its properties are barely affected by temperature variations. The material is commercially available now. “By bringing Luran HD to th...

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

Kunststoffe international, 2009-11-19, A Practical Guide
High-cavity molds play an increasingly important role in the high volume production of micro parts for key industries such as medical, electronics, and micro-mechanics. Only advanced hot-runner systems can control melt distribution in high-cavity molds that produce plastic parts with small shot weights of a few milligrams. For a typical micro part, the cavity accounts for less than 1/1,000 of the volume of the runners, particularly when the number of cavities in the mold reaches 16, 24, 32 or hi...

Kunststoffe international, 2010-09-24, Coming Out of the Crisis on Many Layers
Now that the economy appears to be recovering, a turnaround from the recent economically challenging years can be a recognized. In addition to the attempts to produce ever more economically and at ever higher throughputs, film manufacturers still face increasingly stringent requirements regarding film quality and the functional characteristics of plastic film. Because of these requirements, it is essential for producers to observe current production and market trends, since only in this way is i...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-02-21, Operation in Hand
An engineering plastic from BASF will in the future help to minimize the consequences of torn cruciate ligaments: the handle of a new instrument for inserting cruciate ligament implants that the company Resoimplant, Regensburg, Germany, will probably launch this year utilizes Ultraform PRO – a semicrystalline POM copolymer (polyoxymethylene, polyacetal). In addition to the good mechanical properties, the deciding factor for selecting this material was an extensive service package that the compan...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-05-12, Sound and Smoke Are No Problem
Please fasten your seatbelts.” When you hear this announcement in an Airbus, the air stewardess is likely to be speaking into a handset from Holmco. This is the tradename used for the professional electroacoustic equipment for voice transmission in loud and harsh conditions from Holmberg GmbH & Co. KG. In a historic brick building in the center of Berlin-Kreuzberg, Germany, where sonorous Bechstein grand pianos used to be built, the company, founded in 1919, now builds microphones, headphone...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Bio above All?
The Earth’s oil, gas and coal resources are limited. In the future, renewable energy and biomass will replace and supplement these limited fossil sources of energy and raw materials to a certain degree. As a consequence, renewable sources of raw materials will continue to gain in importance in the long term. But renewable resources are not good per se, just as crude oil is not bad per se. In the same way that oil can either be burned or converted into valuable chemical raw materials, corn, wheat...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-08-24, Good for the Environment
The term “bioplastics” is ambiguous and needs to be differentiated with respect to functionality and raw materials base. To begin with, the prefix “bio” can stand for two different properties: “bio-based” and “biodegradable”. A bio-based plastic is one that is generated partly or entirely from renewable resources and can just as likely be biodegradable as it may also be nondegradable. When we speak of “biodegradability”, we mean the capability of the plastic to be transformed into CO2, water and...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Bioplastics
Good ideas quickly find lots of believers. It is good that people like to copy very good ideas, because that is how they get even better. “Conceptual innovation”, the idea by which computer giant Apple triggered an InfoTech wave with iPhone and iPad, could, figuratively speaking, be applied to Coca-Cola, too. When Coca-Cola introduced the “plant bottle” for its brand-name soft drinks and packaging in 2009, the company d its intention to change its plastic beverage packaging, step by step, from f...

Kunststoffe international, 2011-10-17, Polypropylene (PP)
All the signs are pointing to steady growth in the polypropylene market. In 2010, the global market for polypropylene (PP) was about 50 million tonnes. In volume terms, the Asia-Pacific region enjoys the largest share, accounting for some 50% (North and South East Asia including India). With annual growth rates currently at 5.7%, volume is projected to hit 65 million tonnes by 2015. Growth opportunities in the PP market can best be illustrated with reference to the development of per capita cons...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-04-20, Home and Dry?
Compared with the case for conventional plastics, our knowledge of, and experiences with, the relatively recent field of bioplastics are still patchy. The results presented here, along with findings from practical studies jointly conducted by the Kunststoff-Zentrum SKZ, Würzburg, Germany, and Mann+ Hummel ProTec GmbH, Bensheim, Germany, were obtained on a commercial injection molding grade of PLA supplied by Nature Works, Minnetonka, MN, USA. While they are a snapshot in time, they represent a f...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-04-20, Plug-In Connectors for Household Appliances
With an estimated size of USD 160 billion in 2010, the global household appliance industry, also referred to as “white goods”, is a large market, which not only affects our functional home but it is also being impacted by the social structure of an average household. Global demand for appliances is set to rise by a low single digit percent annually through to 2015. This will be mainly driven by expansion in market penetration in developing countries, innovative electronics technologies and envir...

Kunststoffe international, 2012-09-17, Serving the Growth Market for Staple Fibers Ecologically
While some 35 million tonnes of natural and man-made fibers were produced worldwide in 1985, the figure had far more than doubled to around 80 million tonnes in 2010 [1]. After the steady growth, 2010 was a special year for the world textile industry – with 8.6 % the fibers recorded the strongest growth in the last 25 years. A pro capita consumption of roughly 12 kg was achieved [2]. The experts attribute this enormous increase to the consumers’ improved economic situation, but also to the growi...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-01-23, Fluorinated Oils: Going Smoothly
Oils based on fluoropolymers, when applied as additives for thermoplastics and elastomers, are able to enhance significantly these materials’ properties of processing and usage. Options range from improvement of scratch and abrasion resistance as well as flexural fatigue strength, reduction of friction coefficient and squeaking, up to facilitated melt flow and demolding. The Fluoroguard additives, supplied by DuPont de Nemours (Deutschland) GmbH situated in the town of Neu-Isenburg, Germany, are...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-01-23, Trend Report: Complex Recipes Handled Flexibly and Precisely
Machine and plant manufacturers used the trade fair to demonstrate the flexibility, efficiency, and simple handling of their systems. Particularly worthwhile methods for increasing the efficiency of molding processes are found in the sustainable and economic use of expensive raw materials, as well as the increased addition of regranulates. Energy efficiency plays a significant role mainly in material drying. For machine and equipment manufacturers as well as processors, the growing need for more...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-02-20, Design: How Plastics Shape Our Daily Lives
The first use of plastics for the industrial manufacture of products was a hundred years ago and we continue to write the success story of the material. But plastics were never such a self-evident expression of advanced lifestyles as today. An ordinary morning in 2014. We are awakened by the ethereal sounds of our smartphone. The lightly massaging waterfall of the colored rain shower fizz chases away our last fatigue. The super-elastic knee brace can be easily positioned at the right place, base...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-03-21, Forecast: The Future of Energy and Drive Concepts
Plastics constitute important design elements in vehicle manufacturing and are increasingly taking over the functions of other materials. The established usage areas for plastics such as seats, coverings, dashboards, tanks and bumpers have long been left behind and move thanks to new material combinations and processing technologies increasingly towards the field of design elements. To carry out a general analysis of the plastics processing industry in Germany is to immediately recognize its dis...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polyoxymethylene (Polyacetal, POM)
The automotive, electrical/electronics and consumer goods industries continue to be the main outlets for polyacetals. Highly integrated solutions for replacing metals, e. g. in the automotive industry, so as to lower vehicle weight and reduce fuel consumption is one of the main driving forces here. The market has been growing at an annual average of 6−7 % for a number of years. Global demand for POM has been growing almost constantly for years, reaching an estimated 1,100 kt in 2013 (Fig. 1). ...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-10-10, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
The biggest market segments for PVC are still pipes and (window) profiles. The material is opening up new applications with printable and decorative films, e. g. for payment systems and in the furniture industry. An important specialty segment is paste PVC, e. g. for artificial leather, wallpapers and flooring. Substitution of short-chain phthalate plasticizers is continuing apace. RegionsCapacities [million t]North America8.70South America1.77European Economic Area7.20Eastern Europe0.82Middle E...

Kunststoffe international, 2014-11-26, Does Size Matter?
With hard/soft components, the quality of adhesion between the combined materials is decisive. Existing standards are inadequate, and especially the transfer of results from large or standard test samples to small components is questionable. Openair Plasma ParametersPlasma plantFG 5001, Plasmatreat GmbH, Steinhagen, GermanyNozzleRotating nozzle AGU026APlasma parametersFrequencyVoltagePlasma cycle timeAir pressure21 kHz280 V60 %500 mbarTreatment parametersDistance of the die to the substrate Tran...

Kunststoffe international, 2015-02-28, Less Is More
Polyamides which are flame-retarded with red phosphorus are the most efficient, and an ecologically sound solution for most safety applications. These polyamides contain the reliable flame retardancy demanded by the electrical and electronics industry. The following article discusses their excellent electrical and mechanical properties. The polymers used in the electrical industry have one primary purpose: safety. They provide the electrical insulation for current-carrying parts which protect hu...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-04-08, Detecting Molecular Damage
Depending on application and environment, the aging of plastics has a considerable influence on the material properties. Although numerous non-destructive procedures for material characterization have been developed, most of them only detect macroscopic flaws such as foreign inclusions or cracks. By means of ultrasonics, aging of polymers at the molecular level is also detectable non-destructively. The economic and technical importance of plastics is undisputed. Together with application-related...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-07-20, Safety Glasses with Style
At its location in Fürth, Germany, the Uvex Safety Group runs an eye protection competence center where the focus on the newest technologies, high safety standards and a professional quality management are the basis for their success. One of the product highlights in this sector are the uvex i-3 safety glasses, which have won several awards and whose high-quality frame is produced in a combined injection molding process. In accordance with its slogan, "protecting people", the Uvex Safety Group ...

Kunststoffe international, 2016-11-30, Continuously toward Industry 4.0
Greater efficiency and flexibility, even in continuous processes such as extrusion, are the orders of the day in plastics processing. At the K 2016, contours of a platform became visible that supports data sharing between process steps all the way to component self-identification. The Varex II 5-layer-blow molding system allowed the potential of Industry 4.0 to stand out particularly strongly. Three times a day at the stand of Windmöller & Hölscher of Lengerich, Germany, one could watch their T...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-05-22, Precision Gating in Confined Spaces
When planning multi-cavity injection molds for the spray nozzle and the central valve of the pumping mechanism for a new trigger sprayer version packaging specialist Guala Dispensing worked closely with hot runner supplier Ewikon and the mold makers Abazia and BLT to find a solution for a cost-effective mass production with high process reliability. For both cases, the usage of a valve gate makes an ideal solution for the application requirements. The TS5 spray system is the newest trigger spra...

Kunststoffe international, 2017-12-21, Plastic and Metal − an Inseparable Team
The imminent paradigm shift in mobility makes it essential that the German automotive industry prepares itself to undergo a transformation, both now and in the future, the like of which has not been seen before. Resource-efficient lightweight system engineering in a multi-material design is a key differentiating feature here. In this connection, novel materials, highly automated, digitized manufacturing processes as well as functional integration for intelligent component structures and vehicle ...

eMagazine "Journal of Plastics Technology", 2019-07-01, Adhesion incompatible polymer-polymer composites with increased media tightness by sintered microstructures
For protection of electronic components against environmental influences, an innovative surface structuring process based on a sintered powder layer was investigated. The applied treatment pro-cess leads to micro undercuts on the insert surface, which can result in an increased bond quality and reduced leakage rates because of labyrinth sealing effects. With this new method, entire assemblies or specific components can be protected by manufacturing in assembly injection molding, which would enab...