Plastics Engineering articles from March 2009

Plastics Engineering archives from March 2009

Notice of proposed amendments to bylaws.(From SPE)(Society of Plastics Engineers Bylaws)
March 1, 2009... The Society of Plastics Engineers Bylaws require that all proposed amendments undergo a three-step approval process: a vote of Council to recommend the proposed bylaw amendments for consideration; if the vote passes, publication of the proposed...

Clear alternatives, transparent motives: clear resins are competing with glass and each other in consumer applications.(NORTH AMERICA)
March 1, 2009... More and more, consumers seem to be looking for greater transparency in their personal products, whether water bottles or automobiles. At nearly every level--from the disposable package to the highly engineered product--plastics have been able...

Pipe dreams coming true.(EUROPE)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Some 14 million tonnes of plastic materials were consumed in pipe production in 2006; that amount could approach 18 million in 2010. Most of it is still PVC, but polyolefins are gradually catching up. New...

Moldmaking for composite materials: part quality starts with attention to detail in tooling.(NORTH AMERICA)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) have long been a material of choice for boat-builders, aircraft manufacturers, motorsports teams, and others requiring lightweight, high-strength components that are easily formed...

Energy management: always a concern.(EUROPE)
March 1, 2009... In its June 2008 issue, Plastics Engineering covered energy management in an article titled "Cutting Energy Consumption by 30%." The article gave hints on internal benchmarking using the Performance Characteristic Line (PCL) and some tips for...

Industry patents.
March 1, 2009... 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. Recycling U.S. Patent 7,438,244 (October 21,...

NPE2009: a week of discovery: emerging technologies at NPE2009.(NORTH AMERICA)
March 1, 2009... Industry professionals have always attended NPE to learn about innovation. At NPE2009, the opportunities for discovery will be more plentiful than ever, in part because the NPE trade show will be co-located with an unprecedented number of other...

For members only: emails from the society are key to member benefits.
March 1, 2009... If you're not reading all your emails from SPE, you may not be getting the most out of your membership. In fact, you may actually be missing out on some of your most important SPE membership benefits. All members should take the time to read...

Syracuse University.(Industry News and Notes)
March 1, 2009... The National Plastics Center has moved to Syracuse University, which will now hold the nation's largest private collection of artifacts, books, and papers related to the history and use of plastics. Founded in 1982, the center was located in...

Clariant Masterbatches.(Industry News and Notes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Clariant Masterbatches has begun production at its new manufacturing operation in Guangzhou, China. The new plant produces color and additive masterbatches for rapidly growing local markets and also serves as the Clariant center for fiber...

Elemica.(Industry News and Notes)
March 1, 2009... In January, Elemica began collecting quantitative and qualitative data in the areas of sales, procurement, vendor-managed inventory (VMI), logistics, and invoicing, from participants in its study. The scope of the study includes practices and...

Celanese.(Industry News and Notes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Celanese has released its annual Sustainability Report, which provides information about the company's industry-leading commitment to safety, health and the environment across its worldwide operations. The 2008 report, found at...

As You Sow.(Industry News and Notes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... More than 200 billion beverage containers are sold in the U.S. each year, but less than one-third are recycled, according to a new report. Corporate responsibility watchdog As You Sow's report, Waste and Opportunity: U.S. Beverage Container...

The Sabreen Group.(Industry News and Notes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... The Sabreen Group of Piano, Texas USA, is expanding capacity to meet demand for its VectorJet[TM] Laser Marking Technology. The company says that VectorJet[TM] Laser Marking achieves unprecedented, permanent marking contrast ("dark-on-light",...

Spiroflow Systems.(Industry News and Notes)
March 1, 2009... A mobile Flexible Screw Conveyor that can be used to meter bulk ingredients and/or minor additives from storage or processes of any kind for further processing or packaging is now available from Spiroflow Systems of Charlotte, N.C. The...

The Shepherd Color Company.(Industry News and Notes)
March 1, 2009... The Shepherd Color Company has introduced a new color into the Precise product line of pigments designed specifically for coloring fibers and films. Yellow 40P140, CI Pigment Yellow 53 is bright yellow in color. The new pigment meets approval...

Rhodia.(Industry News and Notes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Rhodia has received the W270 certification regarding aquatic microorganisms for its Technyl[R] A 218W V30 grade. This standard completes Rhodia's existing range approved for food and water contact delivered by European and American regulatory...

BASF and Vorbeck Materials Corp. have established a joint research program to develop graphene-based formulations and composite materials.(Industry News and Notes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... BASF and Vorbeck Materials Corp. have established a joint research program to develop graphene-based formulations and composite materials. As part of the collaboration, Vorbeck and BASF are developing dispersions of highly conductive graphene...

Sensor Products Inc.(Industry News and Notes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Sensor Products Inc. reports that its Pressurex[R] thin flexible plastic film instantly captures and permanently records pressure distribution and magnitude between any two mating or contacting surfaces. Physically similar in appearance to...

Axiomatek (Tecnomagnetos y Equipos para Manufactura, S.A. de C.V.) has joined the AEC family.(Industry News and Notes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Axiomatek (Tecnomagnetos y Equipos para Manufactura, S.A. de C.V.) has joined the AEC family. Serving AEC's customers in Northern Mexico, the company provides services in the plastics, metalworking, and electronics industries. Axiomatek's...

Teknor Apex Company has signed a licensing agreement with Cerestech Inc. on a unique method for blending relatively low-cost thermoplastic starch (TPS) with synthetic polymers or other bioplastics while retaining high levels of key performance properties, the companies announced recently.(Industry News and Notes)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Teknor Apex Company has signed a licensing agreement with Cerestech Inc. on a unique method for blending relatively low-cost thermoplastic starch (TPS) with synthetic polymers or other bioplastics while retaining high levels of key performance...

INX International Ink Co.(Industry News and Notes)
March 1, 2009... INX International Ink Co. of Illinois, USA, has announced the availability throughout North America of Belle Color[TM] Rotogravure laminating inks for the flexible-packaging market. INX says its Belle Color technology, already widely used in...

Garlock Sealing Technologies.(Industry News and Notes)
March 1, 2009... Garlock Sealing Technologies has won a 2008 Business Achievement Award from the Environmental Business Journal for eliminating a volatile organic compound (VOC) and listed hazardous air pollutant (HAP) under the Clean Air Act with a more...

ASTM International.(Industry News and Notes)
March 1, 2009... ASTM International, one of the largest voluntary standards-development organizations in the world, will launch the "Year of the Professor" campaign in 2009. This multifaceted academic outreach initiative will be aimed at promoting the value of...

K 2010.(Industry News and Notes)
March 1, 2009... Messe Dusseldorf has announced that "It's K time," for all companies planning to take part in K 2010 at the fairgrounds in Dusseldorf, Germany. The industry will convene at the world's largest trade fair of its kind from October 27 to November...

Managing your expectations.(NORTH AMERICA)
March 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I receive a fair number of email communications from men and women in transition. I'm not able to answer them, unfortunately--the volume is just too great--but I do read and think about them. And of late, I've...

Ken Braney's monthly look at SPE's activities in Europe.(SPE NEWS ROUNDUP)
March 1, 2009... I produce this column a couple of months ahead of publication, so I am writing as we enter 2009 experiencing the continuing downturn in the economy. Recent decisions to help the banking and industrial sectors with public money have not yet...

Industry events.(EUROPE)(Calendar)
March 1, 2009... MARCH 11-12, European Additives & Colours Conference Site: Antwerp, Belgium Website: www.speeurope.org 15-19, Hybrid Materials 2009 Site: Tours, France Website: www.hybridmaterialsconference.com 16-18, PVC...

Industry events.(NORTH AMERICA)(Calendar)
March 1, 2009... SPE CONFERENCES Mar. 2-4. SPE's Polymer Nanocomposites Conference. Site: Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania USA. Sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Section. For further information, contact Patrick Kelley, +1 570-992-7041; ...