Plastics Engineering articles from October 2008

Plastics Engineering archives from October 2008

Building new opportunities for plastics: plastics provide solutions for resilient, low-cost buildings and infrastructure.(NORTH AMERICA)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If the importance of plastics in the building and construction industry sometimes seems overlooked, it might simply be because of their overwhelming diversity of applications. Wood-plastic composites (WPC) are just...

Turning up the heat: mould temperature control: for too many processors, mould-temperature control is about little more than turning on the coldwater tap. Life is never that simple, and with increasing customer demands, not only for improved part performance, but also for top surface quality straight out of the mould, it is getting more complicated all the time. Enter vario-thermal mould-temperature control.(EUROPE)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Conventional temperature-control procedures always operate with a constant media temperature, the only variable being the rate of flow. Vario-thermal (dynamic) temperature control heats as well as cools the mould....

Correction.(Correction notice)
October 1, 2008... The sidebar "Big Parts, Low Volumes, High Quality" published in Plastics Engineering, July/August 2008, page 14, stated that a PUR system from BASF is used on the MAN truck-cab radiator cover. This information is incorrect. The article should...

Flexible electronics: they bend, they fold ... thanks to plastics.(NORTH AMERICA)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Flexible electronics, which are key to the production of portable devices with displays that bend and fold--thanks to the use of polymer materials--is a rapidly growing field, driven by consumer demand for smaller,...

Glimpse of Amazon kindle.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Amazon's Kindle eBook reader has enjoyed huge success since its launch last November, according to the company. Although the device houses a 6-inch rigid (not a flexible) display in its molded plastic case, it suggests the vast potential of...

Biobased, biodegradable polymers for biomedical applications: properties and processability: recent advances in biotechnology and polymer science have resulted in biodegradable polymers produced from bio-feedstock resources such as corn, soybeans, and other agricultural products: PLA from corn (NatureWorks), PHA from microbial "factories" (Telles-Metabolix), TPS and its blends (Novamont), and so on.(EUROPE)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Although these polymers are mainly used in packaging and agricultural applications, there is strong interest in using them in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. Their biodegradability and biocompatibility make...

Plastics as business, plastics as technology: new programs add value to NPE2009.(NORTH AMERICA: NPE2009)(Society of the Plastics Industry)
October 1, 2008... The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., (SPI) continues to increase the value of attending next year's NPE2009 exposition by developing innovative presentations and events. SPI has announced two new programs: an educational program that...

For members only: discount pricing on SPE products.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... As an SPE member you can strengthen your skills, enhance your knowledge, and help train your team--at your own pace and in your own location--through the 400+ technical resources obtainable through the SPE Store. In addition to all the online...

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.
October 1, 2008... Static Mixers U.S. Patent 7,390,121 (June 24, 2008), "Static Mixer Module," Peter Jahn, Helmut Brod, and Klemens Kohlgruber (Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany) Static mixers use straightforward mixing processes based on dividing and...

In Memoriam: Joseph Magliolo, Jr.(In memoriam)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... SPE mourns the passing of Joseph Magliolo, Jr., President of the Society in 1979-1980. He began his years of service as a Councilor representing the South Texas Section in 1969, one year after becoming a member. Before his presidency; he was...

Ken Braney's monthly look at SPE's activities in Europe.(EUROPE: SPE NEWS ROUNDUP)
October 1, 2008... This month I want to focus on one major issue facing our Society, not only in Europe, but globally. Since its inception in the 1940s, SPE has been based on both volunteer contributions and a 'face to face' meeting culture that has...

Industry events.(EUROPE)(Calendar)
October 1, 2008... OCTOBER 7-8, Nanopolymers 2008 Site: Frankfurt, Germany Website: www.rapra.net 7-8, Oilfield Engineering with Polymers Site: London, UK Website: www.amiconferences.com 7-10, Label Show 2008 Site: Moscow,...

Industry events.(NORTH AMERICA)(Calendar)
October 1, 2008... SPE CONFERENCES Oct. 5-8. SPE's Automotive TPO Conference. Site: Best Western Sterling Inn, Sterling Heights, Michigan USA. Sponsored by the Detroit Section. Contact: Bill Windscheif, +1 248-375-5055; Email:...