Plastics Engineering articles from July 2006

Plastics Engineering archives from July 2006

Photopolymer combines impact strength, elongation.(Huntsman Advanced Materials)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A new photopolymer from Huntsman Advanced Materials--RenShape SL 7800 resin--combines high impact strength and elongation for the production of high-accuracy models and functional prototypes. Once cured, the material exhibits a Shore hardness...

Nonhalogen FR compounds for cable sheathing.(PolyOne Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... PolyOne's,Wire & Cable group has broadened the Company's line of nonhalogen, flame-retardant (FR) ECCOH compounds for cable-sheathing applications. These LSFOH (low smoke, free of halogens) thermoplastic materials are formulated to meet...

Performance modifier for PE-based recycle.(DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers has launched the proprietary copolymer DuPont Fusabond E EC-603D, a compatibilizer for polyethylene (PE)-based waste-recycle streams. Compared with traditional grafted modifiers, says DuPont, Fusabond E...

PET with UV guard preserves "Beverage Itegrity".(Eastman Chemical Co. introduces polyethylene terephthalate)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Vitiva PET (polyethylene terephthalate) from Eastman Chemical Company (Kingsport, Tenn.) combines UV protection with optical clarity to shield the ingredients of bottled beverages such as juices and sports drinks and preserve their distinct...

Foam-bonding adhesive tapes.(MATERIALS)
July 1, 2006... Adchem Corp. (Riverhead, N.Y.) a manufacturer of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape systems specializing in custom foam-bonding solutions, has released composite data for its double-coated and transfer adhesive tapes. The products covered include...

TPU fabric coating eliminates secondary processing.(Merquinsa)(Merquinsa North America)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Merquinsa (Barcelona, Spain) and Merquinsa North America (Sparta, N.J.) have launched the new Pearlcoat Activa TPU line for fabric coating. Based on the company's original Pearlcoat TPU, the new material allows manufacturers to add...

Photoluminescent masterbatches are linked with support service.(MATERIALS)
July 1, 2006... Based in Tarrytown, N.Y., Ampacet Corp. has introduced photoluminescent masterbatches based on strontium aluminate that include a service package to help customers overcome the processing challenges posed by this material. The masterbatches can...

Thermoset composite for power transformers.(MATERIALS)
July 1, 2006... Norplex-Micarta (Postville, Iowa) has designed a thermoset composite material to provide superior structural strength and electrical insulation in transformer applications. The oil-resistant composite, NP613, is used to separate and isolate...

New PVDF resin grades.(MATERIALS)
July 1, 2006... At Achema 2006 in Paris (May 15-19) Arkema (Paris) presented the following new grades of Kynar PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) resin for high-tech processes requiring anticorrosion. * Kynar ADX 111--adhesive PVDF grade for powder coatings,...

Formulation constancy in medical applications.(MATERIALS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... BASF has launched Terluran HD-15, an ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) offered with a service package tailored to the requirements of medical technology. It is part of the Styrene Plastics Operating Division's PlasticsPlus product line,...

New silicone products.(Wacker Silicones Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... At the Plast'06 International Exhibition for Plastics and Rubber Industries held in Milan, Italy (Feb. 14-18), Wacker Silicones (Munich, Germany) unveiled: * Elastosil R and Elastosil R plus--solid silicone foams that combine low density...

TPEs promise strong, long-term bonding.(MATERIALS)
July 1, 2006... ExxonMobil Chemical has developed new Santoprene thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) grades promising excellent bond-strength retention in overmolding applications with engineered thermoplastics. They bond to polycarbonate (PC),...

Helping hands: designing products for accessibility.(plactics industry)
July 1, 2006... A new requirement is emerging in product design: accessibility. Major end-users, primarily government but also some OEMs, are evaluating the product needs of both an aging population and the disabled, and mandating design features that help...

SPE International Award recipients are honored at ANTEC 2006.(society of plastics engineering)(annual technical conferance)
July 1, 2006... Dr. Lawrence J. Broutman International Award. Dr. Lawrence J. Broutman began his research career in plastics while an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The research for his undergraduate thesis involved a damage...

Reaching out to promote the value of SPE membership.(ANTEC 2006 WRAPUP)
July 1, 2006... The 64th Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Plastics Engineers, ANTEC 2006, enjoyed a successful run in Charlotte, N.C., May 7-11. Incoming President Tim Womer was installed along with the other members of the...

Expansive exhibition hall.(ANTEC 2006 WRAPUP)(trade shows of instruments used in plastics industry)
July 1, 2006... The Exhibition Hall at the Charlotte Convention Center offered an open floor plan that enabled exhibitors to display their equipment, materials, and services in grand fashion. The following lists the ANTEC 2006 exhibitors in alphabetical order,...

Patents of interest.(Horizons)
July 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...

Large parts with internally molded seals or gaskets.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)
July 1, 2006... The Engel Duo Combi M is a multiple-injection-unit machine for the production of large-area parts with internally molded seals or gaskets. A Duo 1650 Combi M US machine from the Duo Series, molding a two-color automotive sunroof panel, was...

PET testing.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)
July 1, 2006... The Davenport Melt Viscometer from Lloyd Instruments, described as offering cost and environmental benefits for testing polyethylene terephthalate (PET), now has the added advantage of being fully compatible with the company's Windows-based...

In-Mold rheological control.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)
July 1, 2006... Traditional injection molding has been limited by one-dimensional linear control of the melt after the polymer leaves the injection nozzle; in reality, nonunifonn, three-dimensional changes in viscosity occur in the melt as it flows through the...

Automated injection molding for small parts.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)(Staubli Robotics)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A fully automated standard injection-molding cell for small parts is the result of cooperation among three companies: BOY, manufacturer of the BOY 55 VV injection-molding machine; Staubli Robotics; and Schleicher, manufacturer of the automation...

Mold cooldown and purging simplified.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)(Wittmann Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Wittmann has redesigned its Tempro Basic C 90 and Primus C 90 temperature controllers for water up to 90[degrees]C to provide increased purging capacity and automatic cooldown. The volume of the internal process tank has been increased by 40%...

Power problems pinpointed.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Fluke Corp.'s 430 Series of power quality analyzers incorporates the new International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for flicker, harmonics, and power quality for troubleshooting of three-phase and single-phase power distribution...

Blow molding with parison suction.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)
July 1, 2006... Uniloy Milacron's UMA 20.SH blow-molding machine uses advanced parison-suction technology to economically produce elongated and curved 3D shapes, virtually flash-free, from high-temperature engineering resins. Particularly suited for automotive...

Laser Trackers.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)
July 1, 2006... Two new models, the Laser Tracker X and Xi, are capable of 0.0006-inch and 0.0002-inch distance accuracies, respectively, making them twice as accurate as the previous models, says Faro Technologies. They also feature a 66% greater temperature...

Standard compounding.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)
July 1, 2006... The ZE 42 x 44 D Basic twin-screw extruder from Berstorff is specifically tailored to standard compounding applications. This embraces primarily the production of color concentrates (masterbatch). Further applications are the plasticizing and...

Single-package control.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)
July 1, 2006... Witlow's EZ-Zone ST control loop integrates temperature control, power control, safety shutdown, and power disconnect in a single package. It features a PIP temperature controller already connected to a high-amperage solid-state relay, with the...

Robot for vertical molding.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The SVR side-entry, high-speed robot, which was on display at NPE 2006, is designed for product extraction and/or sprue runner with vertical injection-molding machines up to 150 tons and insert molding with vertical injection-molding machines...

Loading the hopper.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)(models of hopper loaders)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Economizer's EL Series hopper loaders are available in five models and standard capacities: * Model EL1 with a capacity of 110 lbs/hr (50 kg/hr); * Models EL3 and EL3 VP with a capacity of 275 lbs/hr (125 kg/hr); and * Models EL7...

Increased capabilities for compounding/molding.(MACHINERY & PROCESSING)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Composite Products, Inc.'s (CPI) Advantage System (introduced in 1989) compounds long-fiber thermoplastic materials and molds them in one step, making it unnecessary to purchase pre-compounded pellets or glass-mat thermoplastics. An upgraded...

TPM&F division announces ANTEC 2006 Best-Paper Awards.(Thermoplastic Materials and Foams Division)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... SPE's Thermoplastic Materials & Foams Division has named the winners of its ANTEC 2006 Best-Paper Awards. Winning in the Thermoplastic category was "Thermal Transitions and Rheology of PolypropyleneEthylene-Based Terpolymers," by Abdelhadi...

2Phase Technologies enlists Universities for Army job.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
July 1, 2006... 2Phase Technologies, Inc., a Dayton, Nevada-based company providing prototype, repair, and short-run manufacture solutions for composite and plastic parts, has awarded subcontracts to the University of Nevada, Reno; University of Nevada, Las...

BASF completes takeover of Engelhard.(BASF AG acquired Engelhard Corp)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... BASF AG (Ludwigshafen, Germany) has announced the completion of its acquisition of Engelhard Corp. As a result of the transaction, the Iselin, N.J.-based surface-chemistry and materials-science company becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of BASF....

GE and PetroChina enter polycarbonate joint venture.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
July 1, 2006... GE Plastics (Pittsfield, Mass.) and PetroChina Company Ltd. have announced that they will form a world-scale polycarbonate (PC) resin-manufacturing joint venture in China. Per the agreement, PetroChina will supply the feedstocks, and the...

DAK Americas' new PET site expects to open in 2006.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... DAK Americas (Charlotte, N.C.) reports that a new PET resin unit at its Cape Fear, N.C., manufacturing site is slated for startup in fourth-quarter 2006. The plant is expected to add a capacity of 450 million lbs, bringing the company's total...

Dow starts up PMDI plant, shuts down another.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich.) has announced that its polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (PMDI) facility in Freeport, Texas, has completed its startup phase. Production at the new 500-million-lb plant is to replace PMDI...

Union Carbide increases ethyleneamine production.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The Dow Chemical Company has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Union Carbide Corp. will invest in new ethyleneamine capacity that will significantly boost Dow's ability to meet growing market demand for ethylenediamine (EDA) and...

AEC, Eriez Magnetics form marketing partnership.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Through a new marketing partnership with Eriez Magnetics (Erie, Pa.), AEC, Inc. (Wood Dale, Ill.), reports that it can now offer customers an affordable solution to mixed-resin separation and recycling to help them defray rising resin costs....

RTP expands LFC capabilities.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... RTP Company reports that it has made substantial investments toward expanding its long-fiber compound (LFC) capabilities. Chief among them is a new long-fiber facility near company headquarters in Winona, Minn., which increases production...

Ampacet completes network of packaging support labs.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Ampacet Corp.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Masterbatch supplier Ampacet, based in Tarrytown, N.Y., has announced that it has completed a global network of technical support laboratories to serve producers of blow-molded or injection-molded and other forms of rigid packaging. Located in...

Texas firm teams with Mitsui to commercialize CNTs.(carbon nanotube)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Texas-based Nano-Proprietary, Inc., through its subsidiary Applied Nanotech, Inc. (ANI), has announced a strategic alliance with Mitsui & Co. Ltd. of Japan for the development of nanotechnology businesses. The companies will develop and license...

Upcoming events.(Calendar)
July 1, 2006... SPE CONFERENCES Sept. 12-14. SPE's Automotive Composites Conference & Exposition (ACCE). Site: Troy, Michigan. Sept. 13-14. SPE's Foams 2006. Site: Elk Grove Village, Illinois. Sept. 17-19. SPE's Color & Appearance Conference...