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SEPTEMBER 2022

GETTING CHARGED UP FOR EVs

Balcan Innovations has changed a lot lately Quebec startup lends a hand with continuous improvement software K 2022 Preview: The latest materials and machinery

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contents SEPTEMBER 2022 VOLUME 81 • NUMBER 4

FROM THE ARCHIVES

The March 1987 issue of Canadian Plastics featured a cover story on the growing use of composites to replace wood in a range of sporting applications. Hockey stick blades and shafts featured prominently, but we also reported on one molder that was making inroads with bowling lanes. The Glastic Co., headquartered in Cleveland and with a second molding plant in Toronto, developed composite panels for bowling alleys using a fibreglass mat/polyester resin system, with woodgrained graphics and wear surface molded in a single operation. The product, which could be installed on top of existing lanes, won a Grand Design Award from the Society of the Plastics Industry Association.

Number of the month:

$14 million*

*The amount of funding recently obtained by Worximity Technologies Inc. (See pg. 24)

cover story

10 AUTOMOTIVE: Getting charged up for EVs

Cover Photo Credit: © Naypong Studio / Adobe Stock

Editor’s View: Causes for optimism

Ideas & Innovations: McMaster inventors’ repellent plastic wrap sheds all viruses and bacteria

News: • Industry group asks court to quash Canada’s single-use plastics ban • Heartland begins PP production at Alberta plant, names new executive • Ipex adding pipe capacity at three U.S. plants • Supplier News and People

The electric vehicle revolution is here, and plastics are uniquely positioned to keep it moving forward.

features

15 PACKAGING: Balcan innovates

The former Balcan Plastics, a well-established Quebec-based flexible packaging and film manufacturer, has changed a lot over the past few years. Which is why it’s also been renamed.

20 K 2022 PREVIEW: A sneak peek

Last staged just before the pandemic hit, Germany’s K show looks set to make its usual cycle again in October 2022 without a hitch. Here’s some of what was unveiled at a series of preview events in June.

24 DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY: All about actionable data

Worximity Technologies, a Montreal-based digital technology developer, can help improve your factory’s day-to-day operations by identifying and prioritizing opportunities that are often hidden in production data.

28 Technology Showcase 29 Advertising Index 30 Technical Tips: Twins are useful, not compulsory

Visit us at www.canplastics.com September 2022 Canadian Plastics

Canadian Plastics magazine reports on and interprets developments in plastics markets and technologies worldwide for plastics processors, moldmakers and end-users based in Canada.

editor’s view

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Causes for optimism

he events of the last few years have made it hard for even incorrigible optimists like yours truly to keep their chins up. You have to make the most you can of whatever breaks appear in the storm clouds these days, and I see at least two at the moment: a lawsuit pushing back against the Canadian government’s anti-plastics legislations, and the upcoming K show in Düsseldorf, Germany. In July, a coalition of plastics companies sued to block Canada’s ban on six single-use plastic products, challenging Ottawa’s decision to declare them “toxic” and prohibit them. The Responsible Plastic Use Coalition (RPUC), which includes some of North America’s largest resin makers and processors, is asking a federal court to quash the ban, which was announced on June 20, and order the government to convene a scientific panel to review the decision. It’s the second lawsuit filed by RPUC; the first, filed last year and still before the courts, seeks to overturn the government’s decision to designate plastics as “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). The new lawsuit says the government doesn’t have real evidence that plastics are toxic – which is true, since there isn’t any – and argues that the bar for the regulation of plastic products under CEPA should be similar to that for drugs or guns. “The substance must pose a threat or danger, in the same way that Parliament regulates other threats or dangers to the public, peace, order, health and security such as the regulation of narcotics and firearms pursuant to its criminal law power,” RPUC said. Plastics clearly don’t pose any such threat or danger, but just because RPUC is right doesn’t mean it’ll win – the government plans to fight the lawsuit, so we’ll have to wait and see. If we lose,

4 Canadian Plastics September 2022

prohibitions on manufacturing and importing the banned products start to phase-in in December, with exports banned in 2025. However it ends, though, we all owe the companies involved a real debt of gratitude for hitting back on our collective behalf. And when it comes to the K show, one lesson we’ve learned repeatedly during the course of the pandemic is that every scheduled industry trade event is going to go ahead as planned, until it isn’t. That said, things look good at the moment – I’m writing in August – for K 2022, scheduled to run from Oct. 19 to 26. And barring a catastrophic outbreak of a new COVID-19 variant, things should remain good. Through sheer luck, K is the only big international trade show that’s managed to evade the pandemic’s impact, with the most recent edition being held in October 2019, just a few months before the world began to shut down. Show organizer Messe Düsseldorf is optimistic that the upcoming show will not only go ahead, but also be a “normal” K event, without mandatory masks and strict social distancing. The triennial K fair is the biggest nonannual plastics trade show in the world. Here in North America, K might not bulk quite as large as the triennial NPE show – I know more than a few North American plastics industry veterans who have been to 10 or more NPEs but have never attended a K show – but it’s still seen as one of the granddaddies of them all; almost literally so, as the show marks its platinum anniversary by turning 70 this year. So, we have at least two good omens to celebrate: RPUC’s refusal to let our industry be a piñata for the anti-plastics zealots and the apparent return of big international in-person trade shows. And they couldn’t come soon enough.

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Occasionally, Canadian Plastics will mail information on behalf of industry related groups whose products and services we believe could be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our audience development department in any of the four ways listed above. Annex Privacy Officer privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com • Tel: 800-668-2374 No part of the editorial content of this publication can be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission ©2022 Annex Business Media. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. No liability is assumed for errors or omissions. All advertising is subject to the publisher’s approval. Such approval does not imply any endorsement of the products or services advertised. Publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising that does not meet the standards of the publication. MEMBER: Magazines Canada, Canadian Plastics Industry Association.

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ideas & innovations

McMaster inventors’ repellent plastic wrap sheds all viruses and bacteria

Photo Credit: McMaster University

f the past two and a half years have taught us anything, it’s the worldwide threat posed by viruses. Now, new research by the inventors of a promising pathogen-repellent, self-cleaning plastic wrap has confirmed that it sheds not only bacteria, as previously proven, but also viruses, boosting its potential usefulness for interrupting the transmission of infections. Called RepelWrap, the wrap protects against contamination on high-touch surfaces such as door handles and railings, and is now moving toward scaled-up production through FendX Technologies Inc., which last year licensed the technology developed by inventors Leyla Soleymani and Tohid Didar, both from the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. To prevent pathogens and other agents from adhering to the plastic, the McMaster researchers used nanotechnology to sculpt the surface structure of everyday household wrap so that it traps microscopic air pockets that push away everything that comes in contact with it, including water or blood droplets. “This is a line of defence against emerging pathogens, including future threats we haven’t yet seen,” Soleymani said. “This technology closes the door to the surface transfer of pathogens.” Soleymani, Didar, and their McMaster colleagues have published three new papers about RepelWrap since their proof-of-concept research was first made public in December 2019, unknowingly on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first, published in January 2022 in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, shows the wrap has the same effect using a new formulation which eliminates the use of fluorine, a chemical associated with health and environmental concerns; the second, published in February 2022 in the nanotechnology journal Small, demonstrates a novel manufacturing method that transforms the wrap into highly flexible transparent films that repel pathogens and prevent blood clots under flow, to be used in medical catheters and tubing; and the most recent paper, also published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, shows the surface of the wrap is effective in repelling not just bacteria, as demonstrated in the proof-of-concept research, but also viruses, substantially increasing its utility. This latest research, using a real-world model developed by researcher Ali Ashkar’s lab in McMaster’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, also demonstrates how the wrap sheds a herpes virus and a coronavirus closely related to SARS-CoV-2 in structure, meaning it’s highly likely to repel COVID itself. The product works using a self-cleaning surface design microscopically “tuned” to shed everything that comes into

RepelWrap, a self-cleaning plastic wrap developed by McMaster researchers Leyla Soleymani and Tohid Didar, protects surfaces from dangerous bacteria as well as viruses, new research shows, and is now moving toward scaled-up production for the marketplace.

contact with it, down to the scale of viruses and bacteria. The design was inspired by the surface of the water-shedding lotus leaf. The next step is commercialization, although an exact timeline hasn’t yet been set. “Everything is moving in the right direction as this invention continues to evolve and move CPL toward the marketplace,” Didar said.

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2017-02-23 11:54 9:10 AM 2022-08-11 AM

news

Industry group asks court to quash Canada’s single-use plastics ban Photo Credit: © Lumos sp / Adobe Stock

coalition of more than two dozen North American plastics companies has sued to block the federal government’s plan to ban several single-use plastic items including straws, cutlery, and takeout containers. It’s the second lawsuit filed in the court by the Responsible Plastic Use Coalition (RPUC); the first suit, filed in June 2021, seeks to overturn the government’s decision to designate plastics as “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). CEPA defines a substance as “toxic” if it can have “immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment or its biological diversity.” The “toxic” designation, which came in May 2021 after a scientific assessment of plastic waste, is needed for the government to ban substances believed to be harmful to human, animal or environmental health. This first lawsuit remains before the courts RPUC was formed in 2021 in response to the “toxic” designation, and currently includes more than 30 North American processors and resin makers, including Berry Global Group Inc., CCC Plastics, Dow Inc., Ingenia Polymers, IPL, LyondellBasell Industries, and Nova Chemicals Corp. The single-use plastics ban was announced on June 20 of this year, and prohibits plastics including checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from or containing problematic plastics that are considered hard to recycle, ring carriers, stir sticks, and straws (with some exceptions). Prohibitions on manufacturing and importing start to phase-in in December, and exports of all the products will be banned by December 2025. The RPUC’s second lawsuit – filed on July 15 – asks the court to quash the ban and prohibit the government from using the act to regulate single-use plastics and prevent the ban from

being implemented in the meantime. The second lawsuit also says the government doesn’t have real evidence that plastics are toxic. “The [ban] was made despite a paucity of facts and evidentiary support about the nature and extent of the environmental contamination and harm arising from the SUPs [single-use plastics],” RPUC said. “Accordingly, the ban cannot be justified as an exercise of the criminal law power conferred upon Parliament.” In a written response to the second lawsuit, Steven Guilbeault, the minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada, said that he expects the government to prevail in the lawsuit. “While a handful of plastic companies try to stop our ban on harmful single-use plastics, we are going to keep fighting for the clean, healthy environment Canadians deserve,” Guilbeault said. “We’re going to stick to the facts, which show very clearly that plastic pollution is harming our environment and we need to act.” Guilbeault also said the government would rather work with the industry to improve recycling than battle the sector in court. CPL

Heartland begins PP production at Alberta plant, names new executive

Heartland Polymers’ new PP resin plant will have the capacity to fill 18 rail cars per day when fully up and running.

6 Canadian Plastics September 2022

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Photo Credits: Heartland Polymers

eartland Polymers has begun production of polypropylene (PP) resin in Strathcona County, Alta., and also named Todd Karran as CEO of petrochemicals. Calgary-based Heartland will initially make homopolymer PP, with plans to add random copolymer PP in 2023. Once commercial production is underway, which is scheduled for the third quarter of 2022, Heartland is expected to produce more than one billion pounds of PP Todd Karran annually, filling approximately 18 rail cars per day, seven days a week. Karran, meanwhile, has 35 years of industry experience, including serving as president and CEO of resin maker Nova Chemicals Corp. from 2015 to 2020. His position at Heartland includes all aspects of the firm’s business, company officials said in separate news release. CPL

Ipex adding pipe capacity at three U.S. plants

Photo Credit: Ipex

akville, Ont.-based pipe maker Ipex has announced plans to invest in a major expansion that will impact three of its extrusion facilities in the U.S. In a June 20 news release, Ipex officials said that a total of 28 new production lines will be added to the Ipex facilities in Asheville, N.C.; Lawton, Okla.; and Fort Pierce, Fla. The new lines will use the latest in high-speed extrusion technology and include closed-loop wall monitors, end-of-line pipe bundling automation, and gravimetric feeding systems. The new lines are expected to be operational beginning in late 2022 to early 2024. All three facilities will also see expansions of their distribution yards and buildings. The expansion complements other strategic investments, the release said, including three new distribution centres and a new state-of-the-art flagship molding facility currently under construction in Pineville, N.C. Ipex provides a range of thermoplastic piping systems for the municipal, irrigation, industrial, plumbing, mechanical, and electriCPL Ipex’s plant in Lawton, Okla. cal sectors.

WE PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS.

Deltaplast founder Ted Koch passes away

heodor (Ted) Koch, the founder of Canadian extrusion machinery maker Deltaplast Machinery Ltd., died on June 20 in King City, Ont., at age 87. Born in Elditten, OstPreussen, Germany, Koch was a master machinist before immigrating to Canada at age 21. He joined Toronto-based plastics processing machinery sales firm Danson Corp. in 1965, and eventually became the company’s service manager and director. In 1976, Koch branched out on his own by founding Deltaplast, which manufactures single- and twin-screw extruders and related equipment for the profile, pipe and tubing, compounding, reclaim, wire and cable, and sheet markets. Headquartered in Concord, Ont., Deltaplast remains family-owned, being run by Koch’s sons Dirk and Marcus after his retirement as president in the mid1990s. Deltaplast has currently built and installed a total of almost 1,000 extruders. During his long career in plastics, Koch also served for several years during the 1970s as the president of the machinery division of SPI Canada, which later became the Canadian Plastics Industry Association; and was also an active member of the Canadian Plastics Pioneers Association. CPL

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2022-08-18 1:18 PM

news

SUPPLIER NEWS

Drader Manufacturing turns 75

anadian plastics product maker Drader Manufacturing is currently marking its 75th year in business. In addition to its well-known Injectiweld plastic welder, Drader offers injection molding, moldmaking, extrusion, thermoforming, vacuum forming, part design, and 3D printing services. Operating out of its headquarters in Edmonton and a second plant in Brampton, Ont. that opened in 2010, the company molds milk crates, bakery equipment, warehouse and distribution bins, PPE, pipe thread protectors, and numerous custom and specialty items. Founded in 1947 as a manufacturer of stackable all-steel trays for the baking industry, Drader entered the plastics space in the 1970s by launching a lowercost plastic version of the tray, and in 1991 it expanded into custom molding operations and also started its first extrusion line. CPL

– Woburn, Mass.-based plastics technology developer MuCell Extrusion LLC has granted rights to injection molding service company Trexel, of Wilmington, Mass., to offer its MuCell technology to the extrusion blow molding market in North America. Until now, Trexel was only allowed to apply the microcellular foaming injection molding technology to automotive blow molding applications, due to a non-compete clause that was part of the agreement when Trexel sold its extrusion business to Zotefoams plc, the parent company of MuCell Extrusion.

PEOPLE

Richard Ishii

Paul Karim

Mike Brown

Christian Eidt

Jason DiChristofaro

Bradd Harried

Laura Stewart

Gerhard Ohler

Eric Brenner

Stephanie Strategos Polis

Ashley Hood-Morley

Whitney Taveras

Rob Nugent

Marshall Scott

John Alfano

Andres Caballero

– Injection molder Axiom Group, headquartered in Aurora, Ont., has named Richard Ishii as vice president of sales and business development, and Paul Karim as vice president of operations. – Pawcatuck, Conn.-based extrusion machinery maker Davis-Standard LLC has named Mike Brown as vice president of operations GTA for its Canadian businesses Brampton Engineering, Deacro, and Gamma; and Christian Eidt as chief information officer. – Processing machinery maker Graham Engineering Co. LLC, based in York, Pa., has named Jason DiChristofaro as strategic market manager, extrusion and extrusion systems. – Duluth, Ga.-based LS Mtron Injection Molding Machines, which sells the machines made by its South Korean parent company LG Corp. in North America, has named Bradd Harried as customer service manager. – The Charlotte, N.C.-based National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR), the trade association for the PET packaging industry in North America, has named Laura Stewart as executive director.

8 Canadian Plastics September 2022

– Recycling machine maker Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen GmbH, headquartered in Feldkirchen, Austria, has named Gerhard Ohler as CEO. – Calgary-based materials supplier Nova Chemicals Corp. has named Eric Brenner as acting chief financial officer. – The Washington, D.C.-based Plastics Industry Association has named Stephanie Strategos Polis as vice president of communications; Ashley Hood-Morley as vice president, industry engagement; and Whitney Taveras as equipment council director. – Traverse City, Mich.-based injection molding training company RJG Inc. has named Rob Nugent as CEO. – Maryland Heights, Mo.-based Spartech LLC, which makes packaging, rollstock materials, specialty products, and visual and structural sheet, has named Marshall Scott as chief financial officer, and John Alfano as general manager of thin-gauge sheet. – Pipe extruder Uponor Inc., headquartered in Apple Valley, Wis., has named Andres Caballero as president of its building solutions division.

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automotive

GETTING CHARGED UP FOR EVs The electric vehicle revolution is here, and plastics are uniquely positioned to keep it moving forward. By Mark Stephen, editor

10 Canadian Plastics September 2022

in 2021, they made up one in 20. And the federal government has announced an aggressive transition plan: Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault intends to mandate that by 2026 EVs make up one in five new passenger vehicles sold. By 2030, it must be at least half, and by 2035, all new vehicles sold must run on batteries. And the edict will be enforced: Guilbeault is currently developing a national sales quota system that will impose penalties on dealerships or car companies that don’t sell enough EVs. Automakers are also on board. Many have detailed plans to electrify large portions of their fleets over the next decade, with some announcing goals for fully electrified lineups within five years. Dozens of pure battery EVs are set to debut by the end of 2024 if all goes according to plan, and even some parts makers are now entering the space: Canadian firm Magna International Inc. recently partnered with Israeli startup REE Automotive Ltd. to create its own EV; the project involves jointly building the EVs using REE’s platform, which can be modified to support light commercial vehicles.

SPEED BUMPS

The rapid expansion of the EV market isn’t all smooth, however. While consumer curiosity and interest in EVs is clearly growing, automakers simply don’t know how many EVs they’ll be able to sell in the next seven to eight years, nor whether they’ll have their factories, EV batteries, and supply chains ready to meet their goals, making it harder than usual to plan operations and launches. And inflation is wreaking further havoc, especially by pushing the prices of raw materials higher. In Canada, meanwhile, sales aren’t on pace to meet the government’s new targets – at the current rate of growth, EVs will only make up about 15 per cent of new registrations by the end of 2026 – and most auto analysts say that achieving mass adoption of EVs in Canada won’t be solved by mandates alone, since not one country leading the world in EV adoption has a mandate in place. Instead, specific problems will have to be tackled, including solving global supply chain challenges – including a worldwide shortage of microchips that has bedeviled factory www.canplastics.com

Photo Credit: © Naypong Studio / Adobe Stock

ou can’t stop an idea whose time has come, especially when it’s backed by overwhelming outside pressures. Take the global electric vehicle (EV) market, for example. The internal combustion engine platform that replaced the horse-drawn carriage is itself set for obsolescence with the evolution of EVs, backed by governments around the world that have adopted policies that promote EVs as part of their sustainability efforts, even mandating their implementation in the decades ahead. It might just be the biggest change in the history of automobiles and light trucks, and the Canadian government is firmly behind it, having identified EVs as a key contributor to achieving its transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of 12 megatonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030. EV sales in Canada grew almost 60 per cent last year, with 86,000 battery-electric and plug-in hybrids sold, accounting for 5.2 per cent of new registrations. That compares with 54,000 in 2020, making up 3.5 per cent of total vehicle registrations. Five years ago, EVs made up fewer than one in 100 new cars sold;

automotive output for the past year and a half – increasing the consumer purchase incentives, and funding more charging stations. Some of these problems are easy to quantify: compared to other jurisdictions, for example, Canada has one of the least comprehensive and ambitious charging infrastructure plans, with a commitment to build just 50,000 public chargers; and Canada doesn’t even rank in the top 20 globally when it comes to purchase incentives, with a federal incentive of only $5,000. But despite these hurdles, two things are already clear. First, plastics will continue to be crucial in driving the EV industry forward, as it’s one of the preferred materials used to manufacture these vehicles – it can be an electric conductor and also an insulator, and thermoplastic polymers can be produced in various shapes and designs as per the requirement of EVs due to the high versatility and easy moldability of plastics. Second, an increasing number

of automotive OEMs and parts makers are getting involved by focusing on metal-to-plastic conversion and injection molded plastic parts to better align with the unique needs and environmental benefits of EVs and hybrids; and of that segment, it’s becoming a bigger

Plastics is one of the preferred materials used in the manufacturing of EVs; it can be an electric conductor and also an insulator, and can be produced in various shapes and designs. part of their business. “Years ago, when we took on our first EV program, electric cars were rare,” said Maxwell Preston, communications manager with Axiom Group, an automotive parts molder based in Aurora, Ont. “Now less than 10 years later, over 35 per cent

of the parts we make throughout all our locations end up in EVs, and that percentage grows every year.”

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

With all of the noise about EVs, it’s a funny twist that one of the challenges in developing them is overcoming noise. EV engines are basically silent, meaning that even subtle noises like hums and whistles from the wind and road become more noticeable, and this is why sound absorption and noise dampening are hugely important – and why, according to a recent study conducted by Indiabased BIS Research, the acoustic and thermal insulation material market to overcome Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) – the measure of how pleasant a car or truck is experienced while driving – for EVs will grow 21 per cent annually over the next decade. And the solutions required to eliminate cabin noise – including seals, sound insulation foam, and TPE panel

SmartPower 25 – 400 t

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plugs – fall right in the wheelhouse of plastic product and rubber manufacturers. Axiom Group, for example, makes a one-piece hybrid acoustic wheel liner, with fabric overmolded into a large single component, that’s designed to reduce cabin noise in the vehicle. But everything in automotive is a balancing act. “Manufacturers can’t sacrifice performance properties like lightweighting for anti-squeak adjustments,” said Mike Hale, global plastics technology director at Berwyn, Pa.based material supplier Trinseo. “As the industry continues to embrace plastics for automotive use, NVH has the potential to save the vehicle industry time and money, but only if these polymers can maintain essential performance properties.” As an example, EPDM rubber is considered by many to be the best material to stop sound, but it’s also heavy compared to thermoplastic vulcanizates alternatives. Which are where new materials that combine sound insulation properties with lightweighting attributes come into play. An early developer was systems supplier Cooper Standard, which released its Fortrex material to the market back in 2017 – the proprietary blend of EPDM and TPV provides a two-decibel reduction in noise, which company officials said represents about 50 per cent, and is lighter weight than a traditional EPDM. Recently, it’s also been shown that polymers like acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) can be modified to minimize excess sounds while retaining the same performance properties, including lightweighting.

LIGHTEN UP

Another area of emphasis with EVs is actually an old one with a new twist: weight reduction, as car companies look to extend the range of batteries for EVs. Utilizing plastic injection molded components has been standard practice in automobile manufacturing for decades now – because plastics are so lightweight, they can help reduce the weight of vehicles by replacing heavy materials like metal and glass to save energy and improve safety. Compared to similar components made from other

12 Canadian Plastics September 2022

Photo Credit: Sabic

automotive

Plug-in hybrid EV battery tray cover using non-halogenated FR Sabic PP to meet stringent fire safety requirements while eliminating additional thermal blankets and providing significant weight savings versus aluminum designs.

materials, plastic components can often weigh 50 per cent less. This means lightweight plastics today can make up 50 per cent of a vehicle’s volume, but only about 10 per cent of its weight. While any car can use lightweight materials, they’re especially important for EVs to help offset the weight of electric motors and batteries – which make them weigh more than vehicles with traditional engines – and to enable performance. The lighter the vehicle, the longer it can run, and without lightweight components, EVs won’t have the range necessary to attract a critical mass of consumers. One way that OEMs are reducing body weight — in both EVs and traditional vehicles — is using polymer composites for structural components. For example, the insides of doors, fenders, and liftgates increasingly are being reinforced with glass fibre and/or carbon fibre composites, which reduce the need for metal reinforcement. And common applications currently associated with EV drivetrains include electric motors, batteries, connectors, power control units, thermal management systems, and more. All of which is why the use of plastics in EVs is projected to grow at a CAGR of 26.9 per cent to reach a market size of over US$2.5 billion by 2025, up from US$767 million in 2020. Key players in the plastics market for EVs include BASF, Sabic, Dow, LyondellBasell, DuPont, Trinseo, Covestro, Solvay, Lanxess, LG Chem, and Asahi Kasei. To cite just one example of what they’re accomplishing, Sabic has developed a plug-in hybrid EV battery cover

that’s said to be the first thermoplastic solution for a battery cover that meets stringent new fire safety requirements that went into effect earlier this year in China. A flame retardant Sabic polypropylene (PP) compound is used to mold the part, which is 1.6 meters long and 2.0 millimeters thick. When exposed to flames, the Sabic PP helps promote the formation of a protective intumescent char to physically and thermally protect the battery pack cover, which is 40 per cent lighter than the outgoing metal solution. The Sabic material is also recyclable. The cover is in production for Honda, and recently won an award from the automotive division of the Society of Plastics Engineers.

BATTERIES INCLUDED

And on the topic of batteries, a widely felt industry challenge for EVs continues to centre on battery life since – to repeat – the lighter the vehicle, the longer it can run. Today’s EVs, however, rely on heavy lithium-ion batteries that can increase the weight of a car by as much as 35 per cent; and one of the largest, the battery for the fully-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC comes in at a whopping 1,400 pounds. By replacing heavy electric cells with lightweight plastic components, automakers can extend the capacity of EVs to stay charged and extend their driving range. But realizing that potential will depend on battery makers’ ability to design for the large volume production of lithium battery packs that are smaller, lighter, and less expensive. And also, as the heart of the EV system, the battery www.canplastics.com

automotive must remain cool during operation. “Both vehicle reliability and range rely on the battery technology utilized, and so any threats to battery performance, like hot climates for example, have to be countered,” said Tony Austin, technical director at Europe-based parts molder Rosti. “Essentially, an increase in ambient temperature results in reduced e-mobility battery life – the hotter the batteries, the faster chemical reactions will occur and the faster the battery will discharge. Independent tests have shown that the self-discharge rate of a battery doubles every time the temperature rises by 10°C or 50°F. It’s also imperative that batteries are protected from overheating, which leads to rapid damage.” There are a range of materials to choose from when designing battery enclosures for EVs; in particular, flameretardant polycarbonate (PC) and ABS blends are increasingly preferred over other semicrystalline polymer classes like polyamide and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). Amorphous resins have clear advantages for use in EVs in that they experience minimal changes over a wide temperature range, and postshrinkage is negligible. The use of PC and PC blends is said to be especially advantageous, since these materials also have high impact strength over a wide

temperature range, high thermal management stability, good flame resistance, and a low coefficient of linear thermal expansion. Covestro, for example, offers Makrolon and Bayblend for EV battery modules. And Avient Corp.’s new specialty engineered Edgetek polyketone (PK) thermoplastics formulations are specifically designed for EV components, battery connectors in particular. Available with common fillers or impact modifiers to enhance performance, the materials can be laser marked and are pre-coloured in orange for high-voltage applications in EVs, Avient officials said, although other colours are also available for custom formulations. And in a welcome development here at home, battery manufacturing for EVs is getting substantial investment from the Canadian government, as the country has the natural resources such as lithium to make this component at mass scale.

A NEW BUSINESS MODEL

EVs aren’t just changing the automotive landscape, they’re also changing the actual business of making vehicles. “In the past, an OEM could reconfigure an existing internal combustion enginepowered vehicle with an electrified powertrain,” said Joe McCabe, president and CEO of AutoForecast Solu-

tions, in Chester Springs, Pa. “If the vehicle didn’t sell as expected, that variant was eliminated from the portfolio. This had a minimal impact on the supply chain, with most of the parts remaining the same.” But the introduction of dedicated EV platforms forces the propulsion system to dictate design, McCabe noted. “Part count and content per vehicle will decline, replaced by fewer, larger modules,” he said. “Manufacturing processes will simplify, creating less demand for tools and machinery. All of these issues will create new challenges and change the competitive landscape for the supply base.” Most suppliers are used to working with a traditional supply chain, McCabe continued, supporting a traditional internal combustion engine-powered vehicle. “These vehicles have thousands of parts, but to accomplish new carbon footprint targets, EVs will force the number of parts per vehicle to dramatically decrease,” he said. With the evolution of EVs – and the launch of Tesla and about a half-dozen other new automakers – sending a charge through the industry, parts suppliers will have to be even more nimble than before to stay competitive. In a move that marks a transition from battery EVs to fuel cell EVs, Guelph, Ont.based parts molder Linamar Corp.

Photo Credit: Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association

Project Arrow, the first all-Canadian EV, nears completion Project Arrow, the first all-Canadian designed and manufactured EV, is on schedule to be completed by this December. Launched in 2020 and spearheaded by the Toronto-based Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA), the design of the car came from a national competition, with APMA selecting the winning Project Arrow concept from a team at Carleton University’s School of Industrial Design in Ottawa. In addition to $20 million coming from the APMA and suppliers, the federal government chipped in $5 million, the Ontario government gave $1.78 million, and Quebec earmarked $1.4 million to Quebec-based parts suppliers. Now that the design is complete, the project has entered the engineering and build phase. The car will be unveiled to potential investors, starting in 2023, at auto shows around the world for two years. Project Arrow is being designed to be scaled-up and mass produced in Canada, with the goal of building as many as 60,000 vehicles a year. CPL September 2022 Canadian Plastics

automotive

partnered with Ballard Power Systems of Vancouver last year to develop and sell hydrogen fuel cell powertrains for use in light-duty EVs, including passenger cars, SUVs, light trucks, and commercial vans up to five tons in North America and Europe; and earlier this year they unveiled a concept hydrogen fuel cell-powered Class 2 truck chassis displayed in a Ram 2500 pickup truck. So, there are opportunities, yes, but parts suppliers also have to be careful. “There are no shortages of new OEMs entering the EV marketplace and having suppliers invest millions into tooling, design, and development, only for those cars to never actually be delivered before the OEM closes its doors, leaving suppliers with large investments for vehicles that will never make production,” said Maxwell Preston. Another challenge in dealing with an automotive industry in transition is that, as companies like Tesla try to establish markets, the traditional supply chain is becoming diluted and fractured, with more companies bringing out cars in smaller volumes, and fewer trim levels. “Suppliers are now facing a double-edged sword, providing core innovations at low margins while investing in new innovations for future, potentially lower volume applications,” Joe McCabe said. Another supply chain problem is the continuing shortages of microchips and semiconductors. The pandemic takes part

14 Canadian Plastics September 2022

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of the blame for this, of course, with many factories, ports, and industries facing closures and labour shortages, made worse from the increased electronic demand with stay-athome and work-from-home measures. And specific to the EV industry, the increased cell phone and electronic chip demand forced manufacturers to allocate their limited semiconductor supply to cell phones, which have a higher profit margin. Regardless of the reasons why, the semiconductor shortage is forecast to continue to plague the EV industry going forward. “We’ve definitely been affected by the semiconductor shortage, but we’re fortunate to have the diversification we do – many other suppliers were affected more than us,” Maxwell Preston said.

TOO BIG TO FAIL

An upside for EV manufacturing is that governments and established automakers are trying to offer a steadying hand for an industry in mid-revolution. For example, there’s a major push going on to retool assembly lines at major car plants in Canada – including Stellantis, Ford, General Motors, Honda, and Toyota – so they can shift production from combustionengine to plug-in vehicles, and the government is investing billions to help the processes proceed as smoothly as possible. And for the part suppliers themselves, a counterbalance to the challenge of trying to understand what systems are going to change in a vehicle that has been fairly consistent for decades is the fact that molding parts for EVs is, in many ways, the same basic process as for internal combustion vehicles. “Design-wise, Axiom Group may see some alternative considerations for an EV, such as an increased focus on noise reduction, but plastic is still plastic at the end of the day, and whether a grill guard or front bumper goes on an EV or an internal combustion engine vehicle is irrelevant for our business; the learning curve we undertook would be no different if it were a non-EV program, and because we have a mix of EV and non-EV customers, our design teams are constantly flipping back and forth on different platforms,” Preston said. “Special care is only required when handling anything that includes electronics, but this is agnostic to EVs. As far as molding EV parts, our processing machines don’t need special tooling considerations, although as our EV business has grown we’ve invested in specialized equipment to keep improving our capabilities by acquiring rotary presses, larger tonnage machines, automated flame cells, and fiveaxis CNC machines.” Historically, the automotive industry runs at a glacial pace, but the automakers’ shift to an all-electric future is moving fast. “In 2019, only 25 per cent of vehicle platforms built globally were dedicated to EV applications,” said Joe McCabe. “By 2028, [we] forecast this number to grow to 78 per cent. This means the industry is at a point of no return, since these dedicated platforms cannot be retrofitted for a traditional engine/transmission powertrain. The OEMs are investing in a too-big-to-fail business strategy, which suppliers will be forced to follow. So, it’s different this time.” CPL

8/10/22 4:00 PM 2022-08-11 11:24 AM

www.canplastics.com

packaging

BALCAN INNOVATES The former Balcan Plastics, a well-established Quebec-based flexible packaging and film manufacturer, has changed a lot over the past few years. Which is why it’s also been renamed. By Mark Stephen, editor

All photos courtesy of Balcan Innovations Inc.

ometimes a name change doesn’t mean much – early Canadian smartphone maker Research In Motion’s rebranding as BlackBerry in 2013 didn’t really alter the product line in any significant way. Other times, however, it can tell you a lot. When Quebec-based film extruder Balcan Plastics Ltd. changed its name recently to Balcan Innovations Inc., it capped a series of moves that marked an unprecedented growth phase for the 55-year-old company, which traditionally made plastic packaging and technical films for industrial applications, from building materials and wood products to lawn and garden and food and beverage. The reinvention process spans the past two years, during which the company acquired Nelmar Security Packaging Systems Inc., Plastixx FFS Technologies Inc., Covertech Flexible Packaging Inc., and Reflectix Inc. And six months after this last acquisition, Balcan Innovations announced the opening of its inaugural U.S. manufacturing facility following the completed installation of its first extruder and printing press in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. Add it all up, then, and it’s not quite the same “Balcan” you might remember from just a few short years ago.

“We’ve been very active over the past two years, and as we look forward, we see a future that requires us to be much more innovative than our competitors, and also much more innovative than where we’ve been, historically,” said Balcan Innovations CEO Dano Lister. “The name change from Balcan Plastics to Balcan Innovations represents this aspiration.”

NEW NAME, EXPANDED RANGE

Balcan Plastics was founded in 1967 as a family-owned company with a single extruder and the classically entrepreneurial idea of filling a void in a particular product sector: in this case, making films and flexible packaging for Montreal’s growing garment industry. In the 1970s, Balcan Plastics opened its first plant in St-Leonard, Que., a suburb of Montreal, and became one of the first companies in North America to commercialize large web film of up to 40 feet; and a second plant opened in St-Leonard, across the street from the first, just a few years later, increasing the company’s manufacturing and warehousing footprint by more than 400 per cent. By the mid-1980s Balcan Plastics had become an early adopter of three-layer blown film, and in the 1990s it developed elastomeric

film technology and launched its proprietary stretch hood film – a first-ofits-kind in North America. A third plant opened in Laval, Que., in the early 2000s. “Balcan Plastics’ founders saw an opportunity and built a tremendous company around that over the past 55 years,” Lister said. “The mission has always been to develop and deliver sustainable, high-quality film and flexible packaging that protects and promotes the customers’ products.” And that hasn’t changed, Lister continued. “We have a strong product development organization that’s very adept at customizing films to meet customers’ needs – in particular, customers that are using those films in demanding downstream applications, either automated filling or packaging lines or converting lines that require consistency,” he said. “We control every step of our research and development, manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution processes in-house, and incorporate redundant fabrication capabilities for control and efficiencies. The vertically integrated operations offer a level of control and agility, and allow us to make consistent, high-quality products at competitive prices.” What has changed is that offering plastic packaging and film is no longer September 2022 Canadian Plastics

packaging all that the company does. First, as a business, Balcan Plastics Ltd. no longer exists. “The assets and customers of the legacy Balcan Plastics business are still here, and we now use the brand name ‘Balcan Packaging’ for our custom film and flexible packaging division of Balcan Innovations,” Lister said. Second, some of the recently acquired Balcan Innovations’ plant in St-Leonard, Que. brands have products that overlap with the company’s plastic opportunities available for us to bring manufacturing operations, while others these two business units together to don’t. “Both Nelmar Security Packag- help refine our focus around form-filling Systems and Plastixx FFS Tech- seal film and polyethylene valve bags, nologies extrude, print, and convert which is geared more towards the LDPE film for different applications,” industrial space and automated filling Lister said. “With Plastixx FFS, there’s operations, which have very precise direct overlap: Balcan Plastics’ packag- requirements.” ing operations served the same type of customers as Plastixx FFS, and going PURSUING PLASTICS forward there’s some good integration Balcan Innovations’ legacy business, its

Balcan Packaging business unit, meanwhile, is still growing on its own. In February, the company announced the installation of a new three-layer Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H) extrusion line in StLeonard. The line is now fully operational, and joins a large fleet of extrusion machinery in the St-Leonard and Laval facilities. The company has been buying from W&H for a number of years now. “We have W&H lines in our facilities that date back at least 10 years,” Lister said. “As we’ve developed a need for films with higher technical consistency and consistently high output, and the ability to control thickness and quality of film on the output, we saw W&H as being a partner that really delivers those enhanced efficiencies

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packaging and outputs – they’re a leader in this space. Our newest line will help us grow our output capacity and stay ahead of demand for high-performance films.” And Balcan Innovations’ new 165,000-square-foot facility in Wisconsin – which was special-built, Lister said, towards the requirements of higher end film production and printing – was purchased in June 2021 to support the evolving needs and growth of the company’s American customers. Following a six-month sprint filled with extensive facility construction and rehabilitation and investments in new machinery, the state-of-the-art plant is now operational, although still a bit of a work in progress. Within the coming year, Lister said, it will fill out its growing fleet of three- and five-layer extruders, along with a series printing presses, converting equipment, warehousing space, and loading access via truck and rail. “We’ve supplied the U.S. market

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for a long time, and we have some great blue chip customers there, and we also see the potential to develop new accounts,” Lister said. “Wisconsin is a business-friendly hub state, and state leaders provided a supportive package to help us locate there. We’re in a robust industrial park in Pleasant Prairie, with great manufacturers in the area, very good infrastructure, close to the freeways, and we’re along the railway to receive raw material.”

ADAPTING TO THE PRESENT

You might have noticed that Balcan Innovations’ growth spurt coincided with the worst global pandemic in over a century. But that didn’t slow the company down much, if at all. “We worked hard to maintain safe, healthy operations during the pandemic,” Lister said. “We moved everybody outside of our manufacturing operations who didn’t absolutely have to be there, and as a result we never had a service interrup-

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tion during the whole time.” Automation helped the firm stay productive during the crisis, Lister added, and it will probably play an even bigger role going forward. In total, Balcan Innovations employs approximately 1,600 workers, with about 1,200 of those in the company’s legacy Balcan Packaging segment. “Automation is very important, especially as labour gets scarcer,” Lister said. “The only way for us to continue to grow is to have robust operations, which means more automation, and we’re continuing to invest in that.” The company also takes sustainability seriously. “Our products are designed to be monomaterial with 100 per cent recyclable resin and additives; that’s the standard,” Lister said. “Our multilayer extrusion and lamination capabilities also enable us to produce high-strength, recyclable structures with thinner gauge and profile variations, offering opportunities for down-

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packaging gauging and subsequent material savings for our customers.” Also, Balcan Innovations has developed a series of products that incorporate post-consumer and post-industrial resins into its plastic film blends. “The level of recycled content can be tailored from between 20 to 70 per cent, depending on the customer’s needs determined by health, safety, and performance guidelines,” Lister said. “With both increasing recyclability rates and recycled materials that we incorporate, we’re pushing the envelope as far as we can.” After decades of slow, steady growth, Balcan Innovations has suddenly leapt forward exponentially in the past two years. But Lister believes there’s a “standing-on-the-shouldersof-giants” quality to its recent growth. “We’re an entrepreneurial story,” he said. “Our roots are in a family that saw a need in the market and filled it, and we’re proud of that and still doing that today.” CPL

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k 2022 preview

ew York Yankees pitcher Lefty Gomez famously said that he’d rather be lucky than good. The K show, it seems, is both. Held every three years, the world’s largest plastics trade show appears to have dodged the COVID-19 bullet. K 2019 wrapped up in late October of that year, and less than five months later show owner Messe Düsseldorf began pulling the plug on all its other industry events as the pandemic shut down most of the world. This June, the fair owner hosted more than 60 members of the international plastics trade press from 25 countries, in addition to representatives of key material and machinery exhibitors, for its K preview event, just four months ahead of the show returning to Düsseldorf this Oct. 19 to 26. Also in June, marketing agency EMG held its own multi-company K preview event in Rotterdam, Netherlands; and machinery maker Engel held another separate preview event in Upper Austria. Here’s some of the new materials and machinery that were spotlighted at these events.

20 Canadian Plastics September 2022

MATERIALS MATTER

It’s safe to say that materials that are sustainable yet offer equal performance to their fossil-based counterparts will be prominent at K 2022, in particular those designed for the growing e-mobility sector. Ascend Performance Materials highlighted several new products: Vydyne Thermaplus, a new technology platform of high-temperature, high-ductile PA66 for fasteners, and designed as a smarter replacement for PA46; Starflam flameretardant polyamides, a full portfolio of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) yellow card-certified FR materials designed to meet a variety of performance requirements; and HiDura, a portfolio of longchain polyamides for consumer goods and connectors, as well as copolymers for films that make packaging more durable, with grades being introduced with 40 to 60 per cent bio-based content. BASF announced that its Ultramid B3EG6 Ccycled material, manufactured in the U.S., has received validation by UL. Under UL 2809, Environmental Claim Validation Procedure, Ultramid Ccycled grades, using multiple pre- and post-consumer waste streams, are avail-

able using a mass balance system to meet the recycled content criteria. These grades have the same properties as their conventional equivalents, BASF officials said, don’t require adjustments to traditional processing methods, and are sustainable raw material alternatives for applications such as packaging film, carpeting, and furniture. DSM Engineering Materials has developed what company officials said is the first 100 per cent bio-based hightemperature nylon – in this case a more sustainable version of its flagship Stanyl product. New Stanyl B-MB, with up to 100 per cent bio-based content from biomass waste feedstock, enables DSM to halve the carbon footprint of this product line, company officials said, and its superior high-temperature mechanics, flow and processing, and wear and friction resistance make it ideal for hightemperature applications in automotive, electronics, electrical, and consumer goods industries, such as USB connectors, automotive and industrial actuator gears, powertrain timing chains, bearing cages, and food contact conveyors. DuPont Mobility & Materials introduced its eCool technology for extrusion www.canplastics.com

Photo Credit: Messe Düsseldorf

A SNEAK PEEK

k 2022 preview utilizes well over 80 per cent sustainable raw materials. The company is also launching a new halogen-free flame-retardant and hydrolysis-stabilized polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) compound for high-voltage plastic connectors for powertrains and charging infrastructure for the EV market. Sabic announced production of a new line of certified bio-renewable based long-glass PP Stamax compounds targeted at structural automotive applications such as front end carriers, instrument panel carriers, tailgate structures, door modules, and others. The new Stamax resins reportedly can replace corresponding Sabic fossil-based grades with no need of lengthy technical validation, as they offer the exact same level of performance and quality. Solvay introduced Amodel Bios, a new family of partially bio-based longchain polyphthalamide (PPA) for electrical and electronic applications in e-mobility. Besides its renewable feedstock content from non-food competing sources, it’s produced with 100 per cent renewable electricity, minimizing its GWP well below the level of other biobased PPA. Solvay says the material offers the highest glass transition temperature (Tg 135°C or 275°F) of all biobased PPA in the market and a melting point (Tm) of 315°C or 600°F. Designed for injection molding, it’s well-suited for non-blistering reflow soldered surfacemount devices and parts in the cooling circuit of power electronics, including fluid connectors. And Wacker unveiled a new rapidcure, self-adhesive liquid silicone rubber (LSR) designed for two-component

injection molding, aimed at cost-effective large-scale production of multicomponent parts used in the medical device, automotive, and other sectors. Called Elastosil LR 3078, the LSR’s rapid curing rate enables short injection molding cycle times, Wacker officials said. In addition, devices with complicated geometric shapes can be produced with high precision and without the need for secondary finishing. The product portfolio encompasses hardnesses from 20 to 70 Shore A, and all grades are translucent and can be coloured to customer specifications.

ALL ABOUT MACHINERY

New and improved machinery and equipment was the other side of the coin at the K previews. Engel said it will debut an injection machine that reportedly can process plastic scrap, such as flakes, directly after grinding. By eliminating pelletizing as a separate process step, Engel officials said, the two-stage press improves energy and cost efficiency in plastics recycling while also reducing the heat history of the reclaimed material. KraussMaffei presented its new precisionMolding and powerMolding injection machine series, saying these combine cost-effective production with high performance and rapid availability. The new press series draws from existing machines, company officials said, with precisionMolding representing a basic version of the all-electric PX series with a reduced number of options, while powerMolding is the counterpart of the company’s hydraulic GX series. More standardized designs and less options make

Photo Credit: Wacker

Photo Credit: KraussMaffei

of multilayer cooling lines positioned inside and outside high-voltage battery packs, designed to addresses the challenge posed by increased cooling line requirements in various electric vehicles (EVs). Based on the company’s Zytel LCPA long-chain polyamide grades coextruded with thermoplastic olefin elastomer, eCool is designed as an alternative to current, heavier options such as thick EPDM rubber hoses and other thermoplastic assemblies. ECool technology not only removes weight, DuPont officials said, but it also better resists a range of EV cooling fluids while remaining cost-competitive. In addition, DuPont has assessed that its eCool solution can significantly reduce global warming potential (GWP) by more than half compared with monolayer PA12 tubes. Ineos Styrolution has developed Luran S Eco B with up to 50 per cent renewable (bio-attributed) content, said to be the first bio-based acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) resin on the market. An addition to the company’s Luran S family of products – known for use in outdoor applications for the construction industry and exterior applications in automotive – it offers up to 58 per cent carbon footprint reduction when compared to the respective fossil-based products, depending on the selected Luran S grade. Lanxess presented its new Tepex composites based on recycled or biobased raw materials. Examples included Tepex dynalite Scopeblue 813, which is produced from flax fibres and polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymer; and a Tepex dynalite with a nylon 6 matrix that’s produced from “green” cyclohexane and

Adhesion tests show that Wacker’s new self-adhesive silicone rubber Elastosil LR 3078 adheres to polycarbonate without pretreatment, enabling cost-effective large-scale production of multicomponent parts.

Depending on the application, KraussMaffei’s new powerMolding unit can boost throughput by as much as 15 per cent over comparable standard injection molding machines on the market. September 2022 Canadian Plastics

Photo Credit: Reifenhäuser Group

k 2022 preview

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Reifenhäuser’s EVO Ultra twin extruder can process low-quality recyclate for a better melt homogenization for blown film.

delivery time quicker for the machines, they said. The company also announced that it will enter the additive manufacturing/3D printing space at K 2022, but is saving all the details for the show. Sumitomo Demag introduced the high-speed PAC-E line of machines, initially targeting packaging and currently available in the medium tonnage range. Described as a fusion of the El-Exis hybrid platform and IntElect all-electric series, it features a new injection unit developed specifically for highspeed packaging. At K 2022, the PAC-E line will debut with an all-electric 350-ton model running a 72-cavity cap mold, with intent to show that the electrified press can achieve the same cycle time as the El-Exis. For extrusion, battenfeld-cincinnati unveiled its new Industry 4.0-themed “Steady flow” module, which minimizes pressure fluctuations inside the die in PVC extrusion, which are all-too-common due to the chamber profile of the counterrotating conical twin-screw extruders frequently used in the process, and which can degrade the quality of the semi-finished product. Steady flow takes care of measuring the pressure at the screw tip, and on that basis constantly readjusts the screw speed. This minimizes pressure fluctuations and consequently pulsations in the melt flow, which in turn ensures significantly better semi-finished product quality and reduces the amount of scrap. Steady flow can optionally be integrated into the BCtouch UX control system of every new PVC extrusion line, company officials said, and it can also be retrofitted without any problems in existing lines with a modern control system from the UX series. And Reifenhäuser Group addressed a big problem facing blown film producers: the widely fluctuating quality of the input material. The company’s EVO Ultra Fusion extrusion process permits blown film shops to be less dependent on the input quality while dispensing with the energy- and costintensive regranulation of the recycling material. Fluff, film shreds, and other types of production waste and post-consumer resin can now be extruded directly by using the company’s EVO Ultra single-screw extruder and degassing unit that ensures a stable process for a better melt homogenization. EVO Ultra Fusion processes even the lowest quality recyclates into functional films for simple applications such as trash or mailing bags, company officials said, which opens up new CPL fields of application for recycled products.

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Nylon has played significantly in the world of thermoplastics. Many items are manufactured from nylon. Nylon was invented during the timeframe 1928-1935 by a gentleman named Wallace Carothers who worked for E.I. du Pont de Nemours. Nylon 6,6 was commercialized in 1935. I presume there were others on his team that contributed greatly to bring this synthetic fiber to market. World War Two initiated shortages of goods. As a result, products such as nylon in cord or rope became very useful and popular. Think of parachutes. If one could procure a thermoplastic that had most of the characteristics/physical properties of nylon and maybe physical properties that were even better than that of nylon, you (rhetorical) as a Designer would likely be interested in procuring this material into thermoplastic applications. What is the easiest material to process? What is the easiest material to design parts from? The answer is “the one you know the most about.”

both melt over a temperature range. The crystallinity holds the molecules together and this “bonding” requires a certain amount of energy to allow the molecules to move. Think of it like the molecules are tiny magnets. Neither nylon 6 nor nylon 6,6 have a definitive melting point. Both are dissimilar to water in this respect. Water freezes and melts @ 32° F or 0° Celsius. This is a melting point and the freezing point of water. Nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 have melting ranges, not melting points. Nylon should be dried in a desiccant bed dyer. The moisture content of the dried unreinforced nylon needs to be at 0.08 to 0.2 % by weight entering the throat of the molding machine. I reiterate that the literature suggests a wee bit of moisture present in the nylon assists filling the part. Processors of nylon need a moisture analyzer. Processors need to use them. The addition of glass or mineral or impact modifier to a nylon compound will change the allowable moisture content.

The negatives of nylon: Nylon is hygroscopic. This means that it absorbs moisture. Since nylon parts expand when they absorb moisture, they are “hygroscopic”. Nylon therefore requires drying prior to processing it, as does polycarbonate and polyesters. Polycarbonate molded parts do not expand post-molding after absorption of moisture.

Another issue with processing and designing with nylon is shrinkage. Nylon exhibits differential shrinkage. In the case of injection molding the nylon shrinks more in the crossflow direction than in the direction of flow. This phenomenon is much more apparent with glass reinforced nylons. This type of shrinkage is named anisotropic. Amorphous thermoplastics such as ABS exhibit isotropic shrinkage.

My largest “pet peeve” regarding nylon is the fact that it changes as it absorbs and loses moisture. It is not that nylon absorbs moisture, but the issues that come with that absorption. I dislike how moisture absorption impacts the processing of the nylon and the physical properties of the finished parts. This phenomena must be paid very much attention to when designing and processing nylon.

How does one design a precision part that will undergo anisotropic shrinkage and dimensional expansion upon moisture absorption post-molding? How does one mold when the material entering the throat of the machine has a moisture content that is too high, the part may over pack? Nylon material that has a moisture content that is too low, the part will underfill?

Processing data says to dry unreinforced nylon to yield between 0.08 to 0.20% water by weight for the nylon portion of the compound. Impact modified nylon can have as much as 20% other polymer that doesn’t absorb moisture, hence the nylon portion of the compound.

Suppose Pounds of Plastic Inc. could offer a product with all the attributes of nylon, but the material did not have to be dried. This would save grief, ambiguity (variable concern) and considerable amount of money. Would you be interested in this material? Of course, you would.

The next question relates to drying temperature. For both nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 the recommended drying temperature is 85° C or 185° F. This means the dry air entering the hopper of the dryer is at 185° F (85°C). It is reported that nylon 6 has a melting temperature of 420o F or 228° C. Nylon 6,6 it is reported melts at 509° F or 268.8° C. Both are semi crystalline thermoplastics, and

We believe we have a great alternative to nylon in a polymer called #3. Read on using the QR code to find out more about this alternative to nylon.

www.poundsofplastic.com Ph: 905-286-9894 • Fx: 905-625-8233 Pounds of Plastic Inc. prides itself in on time swift delivery (often same day delivery), high quality materials and competitive pricing.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS SERIES

A NEW THERMOPLASTIC IN TOWN

digital technology

ALL ABOUT ACTIONABLE DATA By Mark Stephen, editor

t’s no secret that plastics manufacturers face major challenges these days, including labour shortages, rapid inflation, and rising raw material prices. And since none of these are going away anytime soon, they can’t be relegated to the back burner – so, you’re going to have to deal with them if you want to remain profitable in business. One good way is to digitalize your shop floor, with benefits that include better operational efficiencies, increased throughput, and decreased downtime. These digital systems do something that more traditional annual reviews – which tend to be too focused on the past and not on forward-looking needs – can’t do: provide actionable real-time information. But knowing what digital factory software solution to choose can be a challenge when there are so many and it seems like they all do the same thing, which they don’t. For Canadian processors looking for a digital factory software solution that gives them all the data they need – and more importantly, tells them what to do with it – one provider is closer, geographically, than you probably think. Worximity Technologies Inc. is a Montreal-based technology company that has developed continuous improvement (CI) algorithm and digital technologies that measure performance based on automatic data collection, real-time operations monitoring, automated analytical reports, and preventive and predictive advice using machine learning and artificial intelligence to identify, quantify, and prioritize opportunities. The goal is to use absolutely accurate metrics to take the guesswork out of decision-making, so that manufacturers can hit new levels of productivity. The firm has a proven track record of success – clients include major players in the manufacturing industry across North America and Europe – and has recently closed a new $14-million financing round from Investissement Québec, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, and its strategic investor Marel.

24 Canadian Plastics September 2022

EYE OPENER

Worximity was founded ten years ago by manufacturing engineer Yannick Desmarais, who cut his teeth in process improvement by developing a CI program for a Montreal-area meat processing plant where he worked as operations manager. He wanted to enhance the firm’s productivity and profitability, but prioritizing CI projects required validation drawn from hard and reliable numbers, which was sorely lacking. “I talked with everyone, from shop floor workers to supervisors and maintenance, but no one could provide adequate information,” Desmarais said. “Everyone had a different opinion about what our goals were, why production had slipped, and why objectives weren’t being met.” So, he developed and launched his own data-gathering system that allowed workers to see, in real time, where they stood in relation to production goals – and in less than a month, yield and productivity had increased dramatically. And when expanded and implemented across multiple lines in the company’s two factories, the system quickly boosted the firm’s profitability from break-even to a six per cent growth. That experience opened Desmarais’ eyes to the possibilities beyond meat processing, so he created Worximity in 2012 to deliver similar results to manufacturers of all types and sizes. “The key to process improvement is gathering actionable information,” Desmarais said. “I knew that to be successful we had to put real-time data into the hands of the workers on the floor, allowing them to respond quickly to changing conditions. Without that hard data, progress is often incremental at best.” In its early days, Worximity was actually a bit ahead of the curve for North America. “Industry 4.0 was making inroads in Europe but hadn’t really arrived here yet,” Desmarais said. “This was the age of the tablet, and potential customers weren’t comfortable bringing them onto their shop floors.” But the company hung in there, continuing to assemble its team and develop its technology, and by about 2015 the manufacturing sector was ready. “Industry 4.0 was catching on and we ran some successful pilot projects with early adopters in the food and beverage and plastics sectors,” Desmarais said. “Having evolved from a shop floor software provider, we now offer a total CI performance management software solution that lets the customer gather, quantify, and prioritize data. We’re very focused on improving profitability and gaining capacity for our customers, which are their two main concerns.” www.canplastics.com

Photo Credit: Worximity Technologies Inc.

Worximity’s TileConnect device automatically starts collecting production data from the equipment on a manufacturing line.

digital technology

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IS KEY

A potential problem with some CI systems is underwhelming deliverables. “Many factories have had some negative experience with CI, especially by ineffective CI programs that only really result in surface fixes such as cleaning up work areas or taping up whiteboards,” Desmarais said. “What’s important to realize, however, is that CI isn’t just a ‘program,’ it should be a part of factory culture. Introducing CI as a program can immediately set the expectation that it has a start and end date, when what everyone needs to do is to keep improving the way they do business going forward.” To that end, Worximity has to get to know a business before it can design a solution. “Our best installment practice process for a new customer is to connect one or two pieces of their equipment with our smart sensor for a few weeks to gather data, and we also walk the plant with the customer so we can map their entire process,” Desmarais said. “At the end of that time period, we can recommend the best solution for their needs based on their own data, not ours.” And for potential customers that already have a CI team in place or are already using a consultant, so much the better. “We can send them our smart sensor and they deploy it by themselves – it’s very simple,” Desmarais said. “A typical process takes six weeks from the first call to a full deployment, and we remain involved after installation. We have a team of opera-

Innovations K 2022

D - Düsseldorf 19 - 26 October 2022 hall 1, booth C 06

Toll Free: 800-387-9609 www.hasco.com

tional excellence specialists, who all have manufacturing shop floor experience, who are dedicated to working with the customer after installation to keep improving profitability; they’re basically the customer’s in-house advocate.” And a customer’s productivity gains typically see an increase by an average of between 20 to 30 per cent in just a few months, Desmarais continued. Worximity currently offers three main Industry 4.0 technologies under its performance management software. “The process starts with our TileConnect smart sensors, which are connected to a manufacturing line and automatically start collecting production data in real time,” Desmarais said. “Our Tile+ solution, which is connected to TileConnect, makes this data available, also in real time, via custom dashboards, allowing the customer’s team to respond to operational issues and increase production efficiency – data is securely stored on the cloud and can be accessed from any location and across devices, so you can respond to issues remotely. And Tiletyics analyzes production patterns to assist with prioritizing tasks that drive performance, cut costs, and improve efficiencies.”

TARGETING PLASTICS

Worximity has helped improve the performance of more than 2,500 projects in North America, Desmarais said, and between five and 10 per cent of its customers are in plastics, from packaging to tubing, in both Canada and the U.S. “The plastics industry was in our sights from the beginning, and we can reduce downtime caused by either human factors or processing equipment by gathering information from the machine and the operators, reducing rejects and tracking raw material yield in instances when a shop is using more material to produce an order than is specified,” Desmarais said. “We’ve worked with many larger companies, but our real sweet spot is with the mid-size manufacturers; their cycle times are shorter and they have a smaller number of decision-makers that have to sign off on the project. We bring profit to these companies very quickly. And if they already have an ERP management software system in place, we can build on that – we never need to scrap the system entirely.” The recent $14-million investment will support Worximity’s growth, Desmarais said, as well as fund research and development to keep improving its technology. “We’ve worked with a number of universities in Montreal over the years on product development, as well as with the National Research Council of Canada, and we plan to continue doing so,” he said. “We have a total of 43 workers, and we’re also looking to add a few more.” In the end, Desmarais believes Worximity’s solutions are an antidote for what ails many plastics processors. “Manufacturers are currently caught between unprecedented cost increases, staff shortage headaches to support orders, and retailers who refuse to accept price increases,” he said. “With our technologies, they can produce more with the same equipment and the same staff.” CPL

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www.canplastics.com 05.08.2022 06:58:58 2022-08-08 1:58 PM

2022

CANADIAN PLASTICS FALL CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT Mark your calendars, get your clubs ready, and plan to join us

on Thursday, September 29th, 2022 for the Canadian Plastics Fall Classic Golf Tournament! This year, we will be holding it at Royal Stouffville Golf Course. The day will be filled with great networking opportunities, friendly competition, loads of prizes, and lots of great food and beverages.

Registration Includes:

18 Holes of golf, Golf Cart, Boxed lunch & Dinner

Prize Table + Individual Prizes For: Longest Drives Closest to the Pin (team win) Lowest foursome gross Hole in One Contest

Registration Fees:

Individual - $145 + tax Foursome - $500 + tax

Address:

14248 Highway 48 - Stouffville, ON

www.canplastics.com/ golf-tournament/