British Plastics & Rubber articles from May 2008

British Plastics & Rubber archives from May 2008

Conferences & exhibitions.(Calendar)
May 1, 2008... Applications--automotive June 10-11 The First International Conference on Automotive Adhesives, Sealants & Coatings 2008. Rapra Technology conference in Stuttgart, Germany. 01939 250383 [email] conferences@rapra.net [website]...

Factors affecting the gloss of extruded PVC profiles.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... Surface finish is an important factor in the buying decision for extruded profiles, such as window and door frames, and products on offer range from matte to very glossy. But according to Bernard Cora, Rohm and Haas European Laboratories...

Window profiles coextruded in twin strand production.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... GERMAN window profile extruder Schuco International in cooperation with Greiner Extrusion has installed a new plant to produce five chamber main window profiles in double strand production--two profiles are produced simultaneously, reducing...

PBT-reinforced window profiles are lighter and warmer.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... GERMAN window system manufacturer aluplast is using a specially developed BASF Ultradur High Speed glass-reinforced PBT to replace steel reinforcement in PVC window frame profiles. Two flat Ultradur strips extruded directly on to the window...

High window frame output with minimum energy cost.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... AN ENERGY efficiency package installed on a window frame line at Profine in Germany is keeping production costs to a minimum while extruding profile at 1,200 kg/hr. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Profine produces co extruded window main...

Eurocell buys Plastmo business.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... PVC door and window frame extruder Plastmo Profiles of Nottingham, more latterly operating as Sprinter 1233, has been bought by Eurocell. Eurocell is owned by the Tessenderlo Group, and the acquisition of the Plastmo business and equipment, the...

Cincinnati Extrusion symposium augments pipes conference.(pipe & profile)(Conference news)
May 1, 2008... CINCINNATI Extrusion will be holding a Pipe Symposium in Vienna in September with lectures in English and machinery demonstrations at Cincinnati's factory. The dates, September 19 and 25, have been chosen to coincide with the Plastics Pipes XIV...

PEEK improves performance of offshore oil hose.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... A new range of hose from offshore oil specialist Kutting has a lining made from Victrex PEEK in a proprietary design that takes advantage of the polymer's high mechanical properties, and maximises chemical, thermal and permeation resistance....

Drinking water pipe 'has world's thickest wall'.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... PIPE with a wall thickness of 109.1 mm--claimed as a world record--has been produced in Turkey for a drinking water pipeline crossing the Bosporus. It was extruded by Firat Plastic Kaucuk Sanayi veTicaret in Istanbul to transport 300,000...

D-S builds lab line for medical tubing development.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... A LINE for the development of medical tubing and customer trials has been installed at Davis-Standard's technical centre in the USA, with aims such as higher production rates for commodity products and the manufacture of catheters with tighter...

Uponor to quit UK/Ireland gas/water supply business.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... FINNISH pipe producer Uponor is to sell its British and Irish businesses producing infrastructure products--for gas, water and communications--to private equity group 3i, supporting a management buy out, for 100 million [pounds sterling]. The...

Produce finished, packaged coils of pipe automatically.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... A FULLY automatic system for coiling and packaging pipe has been developed by Pipe Coil Technology, with a system already in operation in the USA. It takes pipe from the extrusion line, coils and packages it and then packages and labels the...

On-line profile monitoring keeps rubber extrusion on the straight and narrow: the importance of on-line monitoring of rubber profile dimensions is described by Dennis Reynolds, vice president of sales and marketing at Bytewise Measurement Systems.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... RUBBER extruders can risk scrap rates approaching 10 per cent because of the unexpected behaviour of the compound due to processing variations or even inconsistencies in the same batch of material. Warning that things are going wrong can...

Visual inspection systems designed for tough conditions.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... GERMAN manufacturer Pixargus has supplied its first system for in-line measurement of rubber sealing profiles at high ambient temperatures to a German manufacturer of automotive profiles. The ProfilControl-Dimension HT-740 was developed to...

Gravimetric mixer for extrusion lines.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... KOCH-Technik has introduced the Graviko GK 1000 loss in weight gravimetric mixing station for extruders. A slider fitted to the outlet of the feeder mounted above empties a specific amount of material into a container the contents of which are...

TSM puts the pressure on regrind addition.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... WHAT is described as the first gravimetric batch blender with a built in crammer is being sold by TSM Control Systems of Ireland. The company says it allows the use of even the most difficult regrinds in pipe and profile extrusion. The...

VOC emissions cut from flexible PVCs.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... LEXIBLE PVC compounds for profiles such as furniture trim have been formulated by Teknor Apex to have 80 per cent less volatile organic compound emission than conventional flexible vinyls. They are intended to help manufacturers achieve...

Logical expansion of Boston Matthews range.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... THE Logic series of single screw extruders from Boston Matthews has been redesigned, and the range extended with bigger machines. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The series was introduced in 2004 as a range of small footprint, energy-efficient...

Torque motor has thrust bearing built in.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Most extruder manufacturers are offering direct drive torque motors for greater control and simplified installation, but German manufacturer Ematik reckons to be a step ahead with the motors iris now fitting to its...

Spares scheme cuts downtime.(pipe & profile)
May 1, 2008... Special terms are now offered by Davis-Standard to customers wishing to stock spore extruder ports on their own sites. They extend to users who hove recently bought machines which ore still under guarantee. In this instance, parts are replaced...

Anti-fog and impact modifier are for biopolymers.(additives)
May 1, 2008... NEW anti-fog additive for biopolymers and a transparent impact modifier for polylactic acid have been introduced by PolyOne. The anti-fog additive concentrate, OnCap BIO Anti-fog T, prevents the occurrence of fogging on the surface of film...

Masterbatch for starch-based plastics.(additives)
May 1, 2008... ITALIAN masterbatch producer Frilvam has introduced a new range for use with biodegradable polymers based on starch. Its Bio masterbatch line consists of standard black and white formulations and the company will match any Pantone or RAL colour...

More transparency and faster processing in silicones.(additives)
May 1, 2008... A NEW generation of Aerosil fumed silicas from Evonik has increased the transparency achievable in the end product. Aerosil silicas are used as reinforcing fillers in silicone rubber to improve mechanical properties such as tensile strength and...

PMB and RTP introduce antimicrobial masterbatches.(additives)
May 1, 2008... ANTI-MICROBIAL masterbatches have been introduced by Performance Masterbatches and RTP Company after exclusive agreements with the active ingredient manufacturers. They use different technologies, the PMB product based on silver ions while...

Online colour search for professionals.(colour management)
May 1, 2008... BAYER MaterialScience's new Competence in Color website provides electronic access to its Color Competence Centers located at Filag in Italy, at Newark in Ohio, and at Map Ta Phut in Thailand. A colour search function enables customers to...

Coex bottle machines show what colour can do.(colour management)
May 1, 2008... TO AID development of new effects for bottles Clariant Masterbatches has been installing bi- and tri-layer blow moulding machines around the world. In the last 12 months seven machines have been started up, supplementing other single- and...

Greater clarity for PP and new clear colour effects.(additives)
May 1, 2008... "PREVIOUSLY unattainable levels of clarity" in polypropylene have been achieved by Milliken, and through a linkup between Milliken and Clariant, a wider range of special effects for clear PP containers is now available. The increased...

Pearlescents prevent yellowing.(additives)
May 1, 2008... AS WELL as imparting a surface effect, new Xymara XPS pearlescents from Ciba prevent yellowing and, says the company, prolong the life of the plastics to which they are added. Conventional mica-based pearl pigments tend to cause yellowing...

PP moulds faster with Timecut.(additives)
May 1, 2008... A NUCLEATING masterbatch for polypropylene from Plastic Technology Service is said to reduce cycle times by up to 40 per cent. Timecut PP can be dosed at levels down to 1-3 per cent and works by increasing the crystallisation temperature by...

Albion expands with Plastron additives.(additives)
May 1, 2008... LASTICS additives from Plastron of France have been added to the Albion Chemicals range. PlastronFoam are endothermic blowing agents in powder and masterbatch form which are suitable for a range of polymers including olefinics, styrenics,...

Frost and PVC colours added by Silvergate.(additives)
May 1, 2008... FROSTED effect and PVC-specific masterbatches have been introduced by Silvergate Plastics in Wrexham, the colour masterbatch arm of British Vita. ColourFrost is targeted mainly at packaging and is best used with transparent colours to give...

Updated software improves blender accuracy.(additives)
May 1, 2008... THE accuracy of Conair's TrueBlend gravimetric blenders has been improved with new control software, which also adds functionality and expands communications. The software is standard on all new blenders and can be installed as an upgrade on...

Gravimetric control saves '000s [pounds sterling] in masterbatch dosing.(additives)
May 1, 2008... SAVINGS in excess of 20,000 [pounds sterling] a year in masterbatch consumption were achieved by Guala Closures when it replaced volumetric dosing equipment with two gravimetric units dosing straight to the feed throat of the injection moulding...

Inclined screw keeps volumetric doser accurate.(additives)
May 1, 2008... NEW volumetric dosing units from New Omap of Italy, supplied here by InteliCare, use an inclined screw which the company says guarantees accuracy in both screw position and the amount of material metered, it also ensures no spillage of material...

TPE-V additions to wire and cable range.(engineering materials)
May 1, 2008... FOUR TPE-V series have been introduced for wire and cable use by PolyOne Corporation. OnFlex-V 2000 is for standard extrusion applications; V2100 includes a high UV-resistance grade for outdoor extrusion applications; V2400 includes copper...

More PA4T available for product trials.(engineering materials)
May 1, 2008... THE market development plant for DSM's polyamide 4T, "the first new polymer to be introduced in the new millennium", has been started up at Sittard-Geleen in the Netherlands, where DSM has its worldwide R & D centre. The material, with a...

Lexan sheet meets aircraft heat release standards.(engineering materials)
May 1, 2008... A NEW Lexan polycarbonate sheet from SABIC Innovative Plastics is intended to meet demanding safety, aesthetic and performance requirements in aircraft. A move to larger seating-sleeping areas on some aircraft has caused additional...

Linear polyethylene is fully bio-sourced.(biopolymers)
May 1, 2008... ANOTHER form of fully bio-sourced polyethylene has been developed by Braskem in Brazil. Last year Braskem revealed a high density polyethylene made entirely from sugarcane-derived ethanol. Now it has produced what it says is "the first linear...

Bio-sourced packaging materials debut from DuPont.(biopolymers)
May 1, 2008... BIO-SOURCED materials for packaging have been introduced by DuPont using its own PTT (poly trimethyl terephthalate) technology and also the starch-based polymers from Plantic of Australia, with which DuPont set up an alliance last year. ...

Translucent compostable film grade to replace PE.(biopolymers)
May 1, 2008... GERMAN company FKuR Kunststoff has introduced a translucent and compostable polylactic acid (PLA) blend film grade known as Bio-Flex 467F. This new grade is said to have "universal" application possibilities and has the advantage of easy...

Metallocene polyethylene simplifies film by replacing blends.(packaging materials)
May 1, 2008... ENABLE mPE from ExxonMobil Chemical is a metallocene polyethylene giving converters the opportunity to downgauge films while extending output and simplifying material sourcing. It offers what ExxonMobil terms "an unprecedented combination of...

New OPP film better and cheaper than aluminium foil.(packaging materials)
May 1, 2008... EXXONMOBIL Chemical has introduced Metallyte UBW-ES, a new oriented polypropylene film for flexible packaging. This metallised white film has improved barrier and sealing performance, and offers economic and performance benefits compared with...

Bottle sleeves can biodegrade or float away.(packaging materials)
May 1, 2008... FRENCH container sleeving specialist Sleever International has introduced the Biosleeve, a fully biodegradable and compostable sleeve made from polylactic acid. This continues its packaging solutions policy of sustainable development and...

Decanter saves water costs in PET washing.(reclamation & recycling)
May 1, 2008... A DECANTER for the recovery of wash water in PET recycling is claimed to offer a rapid pay-back in terms of fresh water and effluent disposal costs. The Westfalia Separator can both clean the water circuit and replace depth filters used in...

More emphasis on recycling at Spanish PET producer.(reclamation & recycling)
May 1, 2008... SPANISH PET producer La Seda de Barcelona is to increase focus on the recycling of PET by combining the management of its four recycling plants in Spain, France and Italy. As well as streamlining its own PET recycling operation, La Seda is...

PVC recycling well on target.(reclamation & recycling)
May 1, 2008... ACCORDING to the latest figures from Vinyl 2010 the European PVC industry is well on the way to meeting the targets set out in the Vinyl 2010 Voluntary Commitment for Sustainable Development. In 2007, 149,500 tonnes of post-consumer PVC were...

Thermoplastic composite underbody shield for BMW.(design)
May 1, 2008... SYMALITE composite from Quadrant Plastic Composites has been specified by German Tier One supplier Takeo Automotive Systems for underbody shields on the new BMW M3 model. These lightweight panels cover almost the entire underside of the car,...

Light-diffusing compounds optimise SUV interior lighting.(design)
May 1, 2008... LIGHT-diffusing plastics compounds from RTP Company play a key part in the light emitting diode interior lighting solution adopted for the Ford Motor Company's 2007 Ford Edge cross-over sports utility vehicle. The materials are used in the...

Inflatable case liner challenges EPS.(design)
May 1, 2008... A COLLABORATION between DuPont Packaging Materials and French company Coldpack has resulted in Airliner, a new-generation inflatable insulating liner for shipping cases. It offers an alternative to conventional insulation materials such as...

Shielding compound helps detect brain injuries.(design)
May 1, 2008... A NEW portable Transcranial Doppler (TCD) device from Multigon Industries uses SABIC Innovative Plastics' LNP Faradex compound for electromagnetic/radio frequency interference shielding. The Neurovision 500P pocket TCD makes it easier for...

Virtual work cell takes the risk out of robotic investment.(automation & robotics)
May 1, 2008... BRITAIN is falling further behind Europe in automation, according to robot integrator Barr & Paatz. It says that according to the 2007 World Robotics survey, in the time that sales of industrial robots across continental Europe have risen by 11...

Tiny robot is updated.(automation & robotics)
May 1, 2008... A NEW version of smallest robot in the Toshiba Machine range is now available from TM Robotics for use in small automation cells such as electronics assembly. The new TH350A has arm lengths of 350 mm and a repeatability of [+ or -] 0.01 mm....

Automation system is designed for Petri dish moulding.(automation & robotics)
May 1, 2008... THE automation system for Petri dish production sold by Hekuma of Germany has been optimised to handle the demand for higher output which it says comes from "steeply rising" demand from laboratories worldwide. A new high speed lateral...

Large part nozzles are now larger still.(injection moulding)
May 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HASCO has increased the dimensions of its Value Shot nozzles for the production of large parts. Nozzle lengths are now up to 250 mm. Lengths of nozzles in smaller diameters have been increased for multi-cavity...

Moulding machinery on show in June.(injection moulding)
May 1, 2008... FIVE injection machine manufacturers are setting out their wares in quick succession at the beginning of June. First off is Battenfeld--now styling itself as Wittmann Battenfeld--which is opening its Austrian plant at Kottingbrunn to...

Multi stage ejectors offer new ways of demoulding.(injection moulding)
May 1, 2008... NEW ways of effecting multi-stage demoulding are said to be possible with the new Hasco Z1692 two stage ejector. Demoulding is performed in two completely separate stroke movements. These are positively controlled and seamlessly adjustable. ...

Engel adds Turkish subsidiary.(injection moulding)
May 1, 2008... A TURKISH sales subsidiary has been set up by Austrian injection machine manufacturer Engel. The new company absorbs the work of Engel's previous agent, EN-KO Makine Servis.

Hot sprue bushings for single cavity moulds.(injection moulding)
May 1, 2008... NEW Polimax hot sprue bushings from DME have been designed for direct part gating in single cavity moulds. Fifteen standard bushings are offered for commodity materials and a similar number for engineering grades. Three styles of wear...

Routsis extends on-line training for RJG process monitoring and moulding certification.(injection moulding)
May 1, 2008... PLASTICS training company A Routsis Associates, now a division of scientific moulding system developer RJG, has produced on-line training programs for RJG's eDART process monitor and controller, and for its Master Molder certification...

HDPE developed for milk bottles.(blow moulding)
May 1, 2008... SABIC has developed a new high density polyethylene grade specifically to meet the special demands of added-value milk products. The company says HDPE B6246LS performs well in blow moulded mono- and multi-layer bottles for pasteurised, extended...

Dual station machine customised for six-layer coextrusion.(blow moulding)
May 1, 2008... A CUSTOMISED two-station blow moulding machine with six extruders has been built by Bekum to make a six-layer pharmaceutical bag-in-bottle container for Gaplast of Germany. The BM 206 DL has four extrusion heads to fill four cavities on...

New packaging system makes fruit jars easier to fill and to open.(blow moulding)
May 1, 2008... A NEW closure system developed by Bapco Closures of Guildford and moulded in the Isle of Man has been combined with a polypropylene jar from Graham Packaging in the USA to save weight on Del Monte brand canned fruit products from CanGro Foods...

Elastogran joins Arabian PU joint venture.(reaction processing)
May 1, 2008... ASF's polyurethanes subsidiary Elastogran is joining forces with Bahraini company Kanoo Group in a PU systems business on the Arabian Peninsula. The joint venture will be majority (51 per cent) owned by Kanoo with operations led by Elastogran....

In-mould process produces high gloss finish on LFI parts.(reaction processing)
May 1, 2008... A NEW in-mould painting process for the production of long fibre injection parts with highly glossy surfaces has been developed by KraussMaffei. A layer of paint is sprayed directly on to the surface of the mould and a spray mixing head then...

Laser perforation is tighter and more controlled.(film & sheet conversion)
May 1, 2008... JENOPTIK-Votan P laser liners used to produce tear lines in multi-layer packaging materials have sensitive adjustment to ensure that only the top layer is perforated, ensuring that the contents of the pack are protected until it has been...

Huhtamaki quits rigid packaging in Britain.(film & sheet conversion)
May 1, 2008... FINNISH packaging giant Huhtamaki is to cease making rigid plastics packaging in Britain. It started phasing out its Portadown plant at the end of 2005 and sold it with a temporary lease-back at the end of last year as it put together plans for...

Thin lids formed with steel rule cutting.(film & sheet conversion)
May 1, 2008... AUSTRIAN thermoforming mould and machine manufacturer Mould & Matic has developed a mould concept for the production of thin PP lids using steel rule cutting. Known as Flimsy-Lid Cut, the technique had previously mainly been used for the...

Controlled lay-on force prevents blocking.(film & sheet production)
May 1, 2008... DAVIS-Standard claims to have solved the problem of blocking at the core as often occurs, it says, with large roll surface winders which have either mechanical or no control of lay-on force. The company's upgraded PAC 50 series surface winders...

Autodesk acquires Moldflow.(software)
May 1, 2008... Arguably one of the most influential companies in the application of modern computing to the world of plastics has been Moldflow. It took the injection moulding industry from black art to black box in understanding and controlling what happens...

Upgrade for free Moldflow Communicator.(software)
May 1, 2008... MOLDFLOW Corporation has released version 2.0 of Moldflow Communicator, a free simulation results viewer that allows distributed product teams to visualise, quantify and compare Moldflow analysis results. New features allow the Communicator to...

Free engineering unit conversion software.(software)
May 1, 2008... INSTRUMENTATION company Process Instruments is offering a free downloadable engineering units conversion utility from its website. Convert 123 includes conversion sets for acceleration, angles, area, circular measure, density, energy, mass and...

Sidel's greener bottle initiative.(what's new on the web)(Website overview)
May 1, 2008... Sidel, now a division of Tetra Laval, claims invention of the plastics bottle in the 1960s. Now worldwide consumption runs at over a billion per day. The sheer volume coupled with the realisation that PET bottles draw on non-renewable...

Manufacturing management: real time production monitoring, scheduling and process monitoring.(software directory)(Directory)
May 1, 2008... PlantMaster BarcoVision Ltd Tel: 01254 662244, E-mail sales.dex@barco.com, Web site: www.barco.com/plastics. Affordable and flexible MES system for the plastics/ rubber industry. Real-time production monitoring features...

New materials, machines and software from 3D Systems.(prototyping)
May 1, 2008... 3D Systems has been busy. The last few months have seen a rash of developments and launches covering materials, equipment and software. No fewer than four materials have been introduced, starting with Accura Xtreme Plastic, a new material...

Nylon 66 capacity raised again.(materials marketplace)
May 1, 2008... THE third nylon 66 capacity expansion in two years has been implemented at Solutia's Pensacola plant in Florida, USA. Capacity for Vydyne and Ascend was increased by 32,000 tonnes in 2006, 40,000 tonnes in 2007, and now has been raised by a...

Arkema to expand US acrylics production.(materials marketplace)
May 1, 2008... ALTUGLAS International, Arkema's acrylics business, is expanding production of acrylics in the USA. It is to install a further compounding line at its Bristol, Pennsylvania, plant to meet increasing demand for its Plexiglas acrylic polymer and...

Basell to shut PP plant in rationalisation.(materials marketplace)
May 1, 2008... PRODUCTION of polypropylene at LyondellBasell's plant at Morris in Illinois, USA, is to cease in the fourth quarter of this year. Production of polyethylene will continue. The shut down of the PP plant is part of a long term rationalisation of...

DuPont invests in ethylene copolymers and photovoltaics.(materials marketplace)
May 1, 2008... MORE expansion is planned by DuPont in the production of ethylene copolymers. Last year it set up a joint venture with Sinopec to make EVA in China, and now is to add further EVA capacity in the USA and enlarge facilities for speciality...

New polystyrene giant opens its doors.(materials marketplace)
May 1, 2008... THE joint venture in polystyrene between The Dow Chemical Company and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company has begun operations as Americas Styrenics, with "the largest polystyrene capacity in the Western Hemisphere". Dow is putting into the...

Chemtura sells PVC stabiliser business to Baerlocher.(materials marketplace)
May 1, 2008... THE Chemtura rigid PVC organic-based stabiliser business has been bought by Baerlocher, which has also bought a licence to use Chemtura's technology in flexible PVC. The move gives Baerlocher extra leverage in calcium-based stabilisers as the...

Recent price increases.(materials marketplace)
May 1, 2008... recent price increases Material Producer Increase Effective Thermoplastic moulding materials Polyethylene Dow Europe 150 [euro]/tonne on LDPE, June 1 ...

Management buy out at Thompson Plastics.(update)
May 1, 2008... THOMPSON Plastics of Hull, which makes large parts such as caravan panels, off-road and commercial vehicle panels and washroom and shower cubicles, has been bought by its management. The takeover, for an undisclosed sum, has been assisted by an...

Extrusion support--one out, one in.(update)
May 1, 2008... TWO extrusion machinery companies are changing their British technical support. Film and pipe equipment manufacturer Reifenhauser is closing its UK subsidiary and transferring service and spares to an independent company, while compounding...

Koch sets up British sales office.(update)
May 1, 2008... GERMAN materials handling equipment manufacturer Werner Koch Maschinentechnik has set up a sales office near Swindon to serve Britain and Ireland. The company makes equipment and systems for the mixing, dosing, conveying, drying and...