Plastics Engineering articles from January 2008

Plastics Engineering archives from January 2008

Steady progress for paint-free TPOs: but rough roads still lie ahead for molded-in-color auto exteriors.(NORTH AMERICA)
January 1, 2008... Many thermoplastics have been tried in automotive-exterior applications, with varying degrees of success. Recent improvements in paintable thermoplastic olefins (TPOs) have opened the door to even larger exterior applications such as bumper...

New technologies for a greener industry: soaring crude prices and escalating environmental concerns are having a marked impact on our industry. For raw materials producers, renewable resources present solutions to dwindling oil stocks and ecological responsibilities. So just how is the plastics industry 'greening up'?(Cover story)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] People working in the plastics industry should not need reminding that plastics are inherently 'green.' They constitute a highly efficient use of non-renewable feedstocks, their high strength-to-weight ratio helps...

Going green: eco-friendly materials and recycling on growth paths.(NORTH AMERICA)(Cover story)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Heightened environmental concerns and demands for reduced dependence on petroleum-based products are driving the greening of the plastics industry. From new methods for the recovery and recycling of plastics to...

Green polymers are big business in Latin America: petrochemical giant Braskem's CEO Jose Carlos Grubisich has a compelling vision for Brazil: "It will be to green polymers what the Middle East is to polymers made from nonrenewable resources.".(LATIN AMERICA)(Cover story)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] His optimism stems from the role that Brazil, and Latin America, play in formulating and commercializing biodegradable polymers from renewable resources, primarily ethanol derived from sugarcane, but also indigenous...

Changing the face of tooling: the ability to quickly and cost-effectively reconfigure tooling for product evaluation or lower-volume manufacturing is playing its part in an increasingly competitive marketplace.(EUROPE)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Product-development teams face ever-increasing pressure to provide final specification components quickly and inexpensively for performance and customer testing. Time Compression Technologies such as VR, CAD, FEA,...

Industry patents: the patent is a legal document giving the holder a license to capitalize on the invention without competition for a few years. In exchange, the holder teaches the basis of the invention. The patent is forward-looking, representing a technical horizon.
January 1, 2008... Acoustic Measurements U.S. Patent 7,275,437 (October 2, 2007), "Acoustical Cell for Material Analysis," Vitaly Bukin (Ultrasonic Scientific Ltd., Dublin, Ireland). Sound waves offer a convenient way to characterize materials by using...

SPE news roundup: Ken Braney's monthly look at SPE's European activities.(EUROPE)
January 1, 2008... The eleventh Automotive Awards presented by SPE Central Europe have now taken place. These prestigious awards have become a highlight for this industry, and the standards set by the entries were even higher than ever. The awards were split...

SPE in Europe.(EUROPE)(Directory)
January 1, 2008... SPE Europe Yetty Pauwels +32 3 541 77 55 spe.europe@skynet.be www.speeurope.org SPE Europe Board Chairman Jan Spoormaker jlspoorm@xs4all.nl SPE Executive Committee Liaison Ken Braney +44...

Industry events.(EUROPE)(Calendar)
January 1, 2008... JANUARY 15-17, Swiss Plastics 2008 Site: Lucerne, Switzerland Website: www.luzernevents.ch 23-24, Latex and Synthetic Polymer Dispersions 2008 Site: Madrid, Spain Website: www.rapra.net 29-Feb 1, Interplastica...

KLA industries: an Executive Search Firm.(EXECUTIVE SEARCH)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... An Executive Search Firm specializing in the Plastics Industry. KLA's focus serves Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing and Polymer Chemistry including a wide experience base in the various functions of injection molding, extrusion, compounding,...

SPE'S consultants circle.(CONSULTING)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the world's leading membership organization in the plastics industry, SPE is committed to providing a link between those seeking a specific resource and the providers of products and services. This is a NEW online...

SPE's Foundation.(SCHOLARSHIPS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The SPE Foundation offers scholarships to students studying for a career in the plastics industry. Grants from The SPE Foundation are available every year, funds permitting, for programs/projects that will benefit...

SPE's conference central.(EVENTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SPE Sections, Divisions and SIGs (Special Interest Groups) generally host approximately 15 TOPCONS in the U.S. and Canada annually. Additional TOPCONS are being launched in Europe and Asia as well. ...

SPE store.(BOOKS/VIDEOS/CDs/DVDs)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 2007 SPE Training & Education Catalog, your resource for the latest, most comprehensive and authoritative technical and professional information in the plastics industry today. ...

SPE's workshop & site seminars.(SEMINARS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SPE Seminar Instructors are experts in their field, drawn from both industry and academia and bring many years of practical and theoretical experience to the SPE Seminar Program. ...

Commercial printing.
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Quality Printing choice for your company. Established in 1990, IGS, Inc. has enjoyed a business relationship with Society of Plastics Engineers for over 12 years. We are a commercial printing company that...

SPE communities.(NETWORKING)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There is no better venue for networking with your colleagues and peers in the plastics industry than through SPE. Members have unparalleled opportunities to meet, work with, and share knowledge with other plastics...

Industry events.(NORTH AMERICA)(Calendar)
January 1, 2008... SPE CONFERENCES Feb. 24-27. SPE's Polyolefins and FlexPackCon[R] 2008. Site: Wyndham Hotel, Houston, Texas, USA. Subject: The latest in polyolefins markets, processing, additives, and catalysts, with an emphasis on the flexible...