Plastics Engineering articles from February 2006

Plastics Engineering archives from February 2006

Composite panels meet railroad fire standards.(locomotives)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... East Coast commuter railroad Metro-North now has a lightweight material offering fire retardance, plus low smoke and toxicity, for the acoustic ceiling panels in the cabs of its GE Genesis passenger locomotives: a new Rail-Lite thermoplastic...

Compounds abide by ATEX Directive.
February 1, 2006... RTP Company (Winona, Minn.) has announced a line of conductive compounds that meet the requirements of the European Union s ATEX Directive (94/9/EC) and the EN 50014 for plastic parts used in potentially explosive atmospheres. Requirements...

Thermoplastic alloy sheet accomplishes military mission.(purchasing of materials)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Armtec Defense Products Co. of Coachella, Calif., has selected Kydex GND sheet for containers and lids to ensure sate handling of the highly combustible magnesium-composition pellets it uses to manufacture military decoy flares. According to...

FR compounds for adhesion/insulation.
February 1, 2006... Devcon of Danvers, Mass., has developed two flame-retardant (FR) products for aerospace, submarine, mining, and other controlled-atmosphere applications. The first, Cable Cast FR, is a black, nonshrinking castable liquid that forms rigid yet...

Dow offers more hexene-based LLDPE resins for films.(MATERIALS)
February 1, 2006... Dow has announced the North American launch of six new Dowlex polyethylene (PE) resins and one new Elite Enhanced Polyethylene (EPE) resin. Produced using Dow Solution Technology, the new hexene-based LLDPE resins are said to cover the full...

Colorants offer self-dispersing granular format.(product development)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Lanxess Deutschland GmbH (Leverkusen, Germany) has added microgranulated organic and inorganic pigment preparations to its range of colorants. Levanyl Gran and Levanox Gran are self-dispersing, solvent-free grades for coloring paints and a...

Engineered plastic for prototyping and manufacturing.(molded plastics)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Valencia, Calif.-based 3D Systems has introduced an engineered plastic for rapid manufacturing. DuraForm EX plastic is said to offer the toughness and impact resistance of injection-molded plastic along with performance characteristics suited...

Flame-retardant polyamides.(Techmer Lehvoss Compounds LLC)(Lehvoss)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Techmer Lehvoss Compounds, LLC (TLC), a joint venture between Techmer PM and Lehvoss, offers a new family of flame-retardant polyamides. Luvotech PA/FR grades are specially formulated for heightened performance, incorporating, for example,...

Conductive, static-dissipative polyacetal compounds.(plastic product)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Based in Milton, Wis., Premix Thermoplastics, Inc., has introduced conductive and static-dissipative compounds based on copolymer polyacetal (POM). The compounds are said to offer the chemical resistance, toughness, and low coefficient of...

PP for returnable packaging.(polypropylene)(Phillips Sumika Polypropylene Company)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... A new polypropylene (PP) resin said to meet the impact resistance, durability, and stiffness requirements set for returnable packaging has been developed by Phillips Sumika Polypropylene Company, a joint venture of Texas-based Chevron Phillips...

PP resin for spunbond textiles.(resins)(polypropylene)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Headquartered in the Netherlands, Basell reports that it has developed a new resin that provides a soft-touch, cloth-like feel to nonwoven textiles for use in hygienic, personal-care, and medical-apparel applications such as hospital gowns and...

Bearing material takes the pressure and heat.(plastic products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Igus, Inc., of East Providence, R.I., has introduced a new material for its line of Iglide plastic bearings. Iglide Z510 is used in the first plastic bearing that can withstand temperatures as high as 500[degrees]F while resisting high...

MDI variants offer improved storage stability.(diphenylmethane diisocyanate)
February 1, 2006... Two new MDI (diphenylmethane diisocyanate) variants in Huntsman Polyurethanes' Suprasec range are designed to reduce manufacturing costs for adhesives, coatings, and elastomer systems. Suprasec 4102 and 1398 replace pure MDI in the production...

Injection-moldable silicone elastomer.(molded products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... NuSil Technology (Carpinteria, Calif.) has added an optically clear, injection-moldable silicone elastomer to its Lightspan line of photonics products. Designed to protect electronic components and assemblies from shock, vibration, moisture,...

PVA fiber-reinforced concrete resists cracking.(polyvinyl alcohol)(Nycon)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Kuraray America of New York and Westerly, R.I.-based distributor Nycon have announced a new high-performance PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) structural fiber reinforcement for concrete. Kuralon RSC is said to reduce long-term drying-shrinkage cracking...

Flame retardants: improving fire safety for plastics products.(safety measures)
February 1, 2006... Flame retardants are highly efficient at improving the fire safety of plastics. FR additives, masterbatches, and resins can increase resistance to ignition; reduce the rate of burning, flame spread, and smoke emission; and minimize dripping...

Advanced composites put to sea in Navy's new ship.(United States. Navy)
February 1, 2006... The U.S. Navy took delivery this past December of an experimental vessel that may herald a market-defining shift toward the use of advanced composites in military and commercial shipbuilding. Called Stiletto, the 80-ft-long (24-meter) boat has...

Rheometer provides nano-torque control.(product development)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The Bohlin Gemini HR "nano" rheometer from Malvern Instruments is designed for the control of ultra-low torques. It is described as being capable of probing weak or sensitive material structures and low-viscosity systems. While enabling the...

Fully automated rotational molding system.(product development)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... In the rotational molding process, the molds are rotated in large ovens heated to as much as 177[degrees]C (350[degrees]F). When heating is complete, the molds are sprayed with water to cool them to temperatures at which the part can be...

Pre-engineered roll-stand system.(industriqal equipment)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The XP Express is a pre-engineered roll-stand system described as Davis-Standard s most versatile design; it provides linear roll actuation with capabilities for lamination, solution coating, auxiliary cooling, slitting and trimming, embossing,...

Extruders produce sheet for thermoforming.(plastics machinery)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Berstorff GmbH has extended its range of machinery with three versions of extrusion lines for the production of standard thermoforming sheets from PP, PS, and PET for the packaging industry. The extrusion lines enable the manufacture of...

Needle Bearing Locks.(industrial equipment)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Progressive Components' Needle Bearing Locks for mold alignment are reported to provide exceptionally precise registration between two halves of a tool. Utilizing the company's FrictionFree technology, the new series of locks enables...

Low-maintenance Granulators.(industrial equipment)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Cumberland's portable S Series Screenless Granulators are the most recent addition to the company's beside-the-press line. They offer low-speed, energy-saving granulating technology, and primary and secondary blades that provide a consistent...

Rapid prototyping.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)
February 1, 2006... The large-format PolyJet rapid prototyping system--the Eden500V--is manufactured by Objet Geometries and distributed in North America by Stratasys. Stratasys notes that in addition to PolyJet's characteristic high speed, feature detail, and...

Batching/blending system.(industrial equipment)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... An inline pneumatic batching system from Flexicon Corp. allows simultaneous weigh batching of major ingredients supplied in bulk bags and manual dumping of preweighed minor ingredients, and blending of the material while a subsequent batch is...

Dual-track indexing conveyor.(industrial equipment)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Conveyor Technologies describes its Dual Track Precision Indexing Conveyor as providing single-track positioning accuracy with dual-track versatility. The open-center design permits a variety of inline operations, while dual tracks allow...

Ergonomic vertical injection machines.(industrial equipment)
February 1, 2006... The main feature of vertical machines that make up the Compact Series from Engel Austria GmbH is the new clamping design. The machines exhibit a low, comfortable working height that eliminates the need for platforms for operating personnel. The...

Patents of interest.(patents)
February 1, 2006... The patent is a legal document giving the holder a license to capitalize on his or her invention without competition for a few years. In exchange, the holder teaches us the basis of the invention. The patent is forward-looking, representing a...

BASF expands engineering plastics business; also seeks to acquire Engelhard.(acquisitions)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... BASF Corp. and Lati USA, Inc., the U.S. affiliate of italian engineering-plastics compounder Lati Industria Termoplastici SpA, have announced that BASF would acquire the nylon 6 and nylon 6,6, polybutylene terephthalate, and polyoxymethylene...

Dow invests $45 million in Saran innovations.(Dow Chemical Company invests)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The Dow Chemical Company has announced that the $45.1 million upgrade to its Midland, Mich., production facility is nearing completion, thus enabling the company to continue working on innovations to Saran resins and films. A company mainstay...

Solvay makes global acquisitions.(acquisitions)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Solvay (Brussels) has announced that it has signed a binding agreement to acquire Mississippi Polymer Technologies (MPT), the Bay St. Louis, Miss., polymer manufacturer that has commercialized Parmax, a new family of transparent amorphous...

Bayer restructures PUR business network.(reorganization)(polyurethane)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Bayer MaterialScience AG (Leverkusen, Germany) has announced a restructuring whereby its global network of polyurethane (PUR) "systems houses" will operate under the new BaySystems umbrella brand. Organization by systems houses, says Bayer,...

DuPont, Omniflex partner in active layer film.(marketing agreements)(Omniflex)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... DuPont Engineering Polymers (Wilmington, Del.) and Omniflex (Greenfield, Mass.), manufacturer of nonlubricated, barrier, waterproof, and breathable TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) films, have finalized a joint sales agreement for DuPont Active...

GE, ASC collaborate on automotive options.(joint ventures)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... At the North American Auto Show in Detroit (January 2006), GE Advanced Materials, Plastics (Pittsfield, Mass.) announced a joint effort with specialty-vehicle company ASC Inc. (Southgate, Mich.) to offer innovative options to help manufacturers...

Ciba to market antimicrobial technology.(Ciba Specialty Chemicals Holding Inc)(Bio-Gate Bioinnovative Materials GmbH)(marketing agreements)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Ciba Specialty Chemicals (Basel, Switzerland) has formed a global marketing agreement with Bio-Gate Bioinnovative Materials GmbH, German developer of a silver-based antimicrobial technology portfolio. With this agreement, Ciba becomes the...

UOP and Total Petrochemicals to produce light olefins.(Total Petrochemicals)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... UOP LLC, Des Plaines, Ill.-based subsidiary of Honeywell, and Total Petrochemicals of Brussels have announced a joint development program that will integrate technology for economically increasing production of light olefins. The agreement...

Diamant's degradable wrap enters North America.(international trade)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Diamant Art Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary Bio-Plastics Inc., announces that it is pursuing the North American market for its new plastic film product, oxo-biodegradable pallet wrap. Samples have been sent to a U.S. distributor. ...

Ampacet opens facility in Mexico.(mew facility)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Headquartered in Tarrytown, N.Y., Ampacet Corp. announces the completion of a new 3700-[m.sup.2] (40,000-[ft.sup.2]) plastic color masterbatch facility in Queretaro, Mexico. About 120 miles northwest of Mexico City, the locale is considered a...

DSM expands production of sizings in China.(foreign operations)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... DSM Composite Resins AG (a business group within the Performance Materials cluster of Royal DSM N.V., based in The Netherlands) has announced that it is building a plant to produce sizings at the existing DSM Xinghuo production site in...

Lanxess cuts production of Butyl Rubber.(production management)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Citing a lack of raw materials from its main supplier Nova Chemicals (Canada) Ltd., Lanxess of Leverkusen, Germany, reports that, since the end of December 2005, it has cut back production of butyl rubber at its site in Samia, Ontario, Canada....

Degussa begins PEEK joint venture in China.(joint ventures)(polyetheretherketone)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... JIDA Degussa High Performance Polymers Changchun Co. Ltd. (JIDA Degussa), a joint venture founded in June 2005 for the production of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) in China, has obtained all necessary permits from the Chinese government and is...

Owens Corning acquires composites business in Japan.(acquisitions)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Owens Corning, based in Toledo, Ohio, reports that it has reached an agreement with Asahi Glass Co., Ltd., to acquire Asahi's Composite Solutions business, including a glass-manufacturing facility near Tokyo. The transaction is expected to...

DuPont selects Singapore for Zytel, Vespel facilities.(investments)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... DuPont Engineering Polymers (Wilmington, Del.) announces that it has selected Singapore for investment in its Zytel HTN high-performance polyamide and Vespel parts and shapes businesses. The planned Vespel facility is expected to start up in...

Celanese's COC business goes to Daicel/Polyplastics.(acquisitions)(cycloolefin copolymer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Dallas-based Celanese Corp. has signed an agreement to sell it cycloolefin copolymer (COC) business to a joint venture formed by Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd., and Polyplastics Co., Ltd., both based in Japan. Celanese subsidiary Ticona of...

Competing moldmakers merge.(mergers in metal casting industry)(JohnDel, Inc.,)(Plaster Process Castings Co)(Plasti-Cast Mold and Products Co)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... JohnDel, Inc., and Plaster Process Castings Co. have announced that they are merging with competitor Plasti-Cast Mold and Products Co. JohnDel and Plasti-Cast are both manufacturers of cast rotational and fabricated molds. Plasti-Cast's...

Graham Packaging closes Cincinnati plant.(facility closures)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Based in York, Pa., Graham Packaging Company, L.P., reports that it will close its container-manufacturing plant in Cincinnati, Ohio, next month. The plant had been part of O-1 Plastic Container, acquired by Graham in October 2004. ...

Tyco unloads three businesses.(divestments)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Tyco International Ltd. has announced a definitive agreement to sell its Plastics, Adhesives, and Ludlow Coated Products businesses to an affiliate of private investment firm Apollo Management, L.P., for $975 million. Subject to regulatory...

ASTM book examines adhesion science, testing.(American Society for Testing and Materials)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... A new publication from ASTM International (W. Conshohocken, Pa.), STP 1463, Advances in Adhesives, Adhesion Science, and Testing, includes 11 peer reviewed papers that focus on new adhesives, particularly from the perspective of newer test...

Jon Huntsman receives SCI Award.(awards)(Society of the Chemical Industry)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The Society of the Chemical Industry (SCI) has named Jon M. Huntsman, founder and chairman of the Huntsman Corp., as the recipient of its Chemical Industry Medal, which is awarded annually to an individual whose contributions have enhanced the...

Hall-of-Famer Harold A. Holz, SPE President in 1975-76.(obituary)(Obituary)
February 1, 2006... The Society of Plastics Engineers notes with sorrow the death of Harold A. Holz, SPE President in 1975-1976 and a 2000 inductee to the Plastics Hall of Fame. He died on Dec. 23, 2005, at the age of 80. A graduate of Stevens Institute of...

SPE conferences.(calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
February 1, 2006... Feb. 26-Mar. 2. SPE's International Polyolefins Conference. Site: Houston. Contact: Conference Chair Bounita T. Favorite, Chemtura Corp., 225-755-3797: fax 225-753-5212; email bounita.favorite@chemtura.com. Or visit...

SPE seminars.(calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
February 1, 2006... Mar. 5-10. Industrial Thermoforming Symposium & Workshop for Thin & Heavy Gage Thermoforming. Site: Crowne Plaza Dallas Market Center, Dallas. May 8-11. Seminar Series at ANTEC 2006. Site: Hilton Charlotte Center, Charlotte, North...

SPE meetings.(calendar)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
February 1, 2006... Feb. 27. Akron Section. Subject: Diamond plant tour. Joint meeting with Cleveland Section. Dinner meeting at Guy's Restaurant. Contact: Tony Dean at 330-9299916. Mar. 9. Philadelphia Section. Site: Holiday Inn, Bensalem, Pa. Subject: TBA....

Other upcoming events.(calendar)(Calendar)
February 1, 2006... Mar. 12-17. Pittcon (The Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy). Site: Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. Contact 800-825-3221; email info@pittcon.org. Mar. 14. 2006 Asian Polyolefins &...

Thermoforming equipment guide 2006.(directory)(Directory)
February 1, 2006... Thermoforming Equipment Guide 2006 MACHINERY Roll Sheet COMPANY NAME, CITY, STATE, PHONE Page # Fed ...