EPPM 15.1

February 2013

www.plasticmachineryuk.com

Control CAPEX, retain quality and improve efficiency Borche Injection Moulding machines incorporate the latest technology at a price that keeps you competitive Industry leading power savings | 60 to 6000 tonne capacity | Established support network

www.eppm.com

eppm head office Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, Chester, CH4 9QE. Tel. +44 (0) 1244 680222 Fax. +44 (0) 1244 671074 Web: www.eppm.com

editorial

15

26

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editor david gray david.g@rapidnews.com

in this issue

publisher mark blezard

production art samantha hamlyn production peter bartley production adrian price

advertising european sales manager tim guest

MACHINERY

pages 6–15

REGULARS: Latest news

tel: +44 (0) 7581 398 723 tim.guest@rapidnews.com

subscriptions

6–8

subscriptions tracey nicholls

SHOWCASE: TESTING & INSPECTION

10–12

SPOTLIGHT: PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION

13–15

tracey@rapidnews.com qualifying readers europe - free, ROW - £115 outside qualifying criteria

MATERIALS

pages 16–23

please subscribe online at

REGULARS: Latest news

16–19

SHOWCASE: ENGINEERING PLASTICS

20–23

APPLICATION FOCUS Household Products

CLASSIFIEDS

www.eppm.com Address changes should be made on the original carrier sheet (address label) that came with this issue and then faxed to the publisher at +44 (0) 1244 671074.

European Plastic Product Manufacturer is published by Plastics Multimedia Communications Ltd.

pages 24 24

INDUSTRY NEWS & EVENTS Latest news

UK - £80, ROW - £115

pages 26–32 26–32

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European Plastic Product Manufacturer is distributed in electronic and print formats to a combined readership of over 12,400 manufacturing professionals.

Send address changes to European Plastic Product Manufacturer, Carlton House, Sandpiper Way, Chester Business Park, Chester, CH4 9QE. © February 2013.

While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information contained within European Plastic Product Manufacturer is accurate, the publisher accepts no liability for information published in error, or for views expressed. All rights for European Plastic Product Manufacturer are reserved, and reproduction in part or whole without written permission is strictly prohibited.

FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 3

4 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

John Ellis, Segment Manager Polycarbonate, Bayer MaterialScience

Clive Maier, Owner and Director, Econology Ltd.

Nigel Brown, Founding MD, Frontier Aerospace

Dr Martin Kay, Chief Consultant, Pira International

Vicki Sayer, Regulatory Manager, Colormatrix

Charmaine Bowers, Operations Manager, Polymer Training & Innovation Centre

Pipe Extrusion Recycling Micro Manufacturing Home Appliances

Automotives & Compounds

Mark Bonifacio, President, Bonifacio Consulting Services

Andy Bone, Sales Director, Formaplex

Andrew Smith, Head of Manufacturing, Numatic International

Wire & Cable

Aerospace Biopolymers

Alex Collins, Director, Vannplastics Ltd.

Regulation & Compliance

Andrew McArthur, Engineering Manager, IKO

Jonathon Short, MD, ECO Plastics Ltd.

Jon Herbert, Director, FS Cables

Biopolymers/Materials Science

Simon Chidgey, Director, M&H Plastics

General Industry Insight

Paul Maley, Senior Mechanical Engineer, Selex Elsag

James Goddard, Honorary Lifetime Member, Plastics Pipe Institute

Dr Terence A. Cooper, CEO, ARGO Group International

Ken Braney, 2010-2011 President, Society of Plastics Engineers

Advisor for the German & Scandinavian Speaking Countries

Film & Sheet Extrusion Recycling

Martin Marron, MD, Biffa Polymers

Graeme Diston, Senior Injection Moulding Engineer, Bausch + Lomb

Education in the UK & Ireland

Construction

Graham Pickwell, Technical Adviser, Polymer Training & Innovation Centre

Medical

Barry Assheton, Sales Director, CRDM

Mould Making

John Bunker, Member, Worshipful Company of Horners

Packaging

Omer Kutluoglu, CEO, 2K Manufacturing

Medical

Rapid Prototyping

Blow Moulding

Recycling

Injection Moulding

David Gray, Editor

John Sturgess, Director, MG Stuma

Andrew Feilden, Principle Consultant, Smithers Rapra

Wood Plastic Composites

Welcome to the first issue of European Plastic Product Manufacturer for 2013. Last year we saw a surge of innovation, particularly in the machinery field. This year we’re already starting to build on the success of 2012. In this issue, we’re carrying news from Netstal on the Elion 3200, which many readers may have seen unveiled at Fakuma.

According to reports, this machine has been received ‘exceptionally well’ so far since its arrival on the market.

Not to mention the machine featured on the front cover of this magazine. These machines are manufactured by Borche and sold in the UK by Plastic Machinery Sales, who are currently receiving phenomenal interest in the full range. Find out more on the opposite page.

The innovation streak from equipment suppliers is set to continue for 2013. And they’re not the only ones with new launches. Rapid News Communications Group, the publisher of this magazine, as well as British Plastics and Rubber, Medical Plastics News, Middle Eastern Plastics and organiser of the Interplas and Mediplas events, has launched a new product which is an all-encompassing tool for the industry. Plastrep.com is an online global directory for suppliers of any product or service that may be used by plastic processors or manufacturers at any stage of the supply chain. There’s more information in our new Events and Industry News section.

Powered by Which brings me to yet another new arrival. We’ve established two new sections for EPPM this year. The first is the Application Focus.

This will be a showcase for end-products which make innovative uses of plastic materials or processing technologies. Each issue will have a different ‘theme’, and we’re starting with household and everyday products, inclusive of a range of well-designed items from furniture to packaging. Next time, we’re looking at construction and infrastructure, so I’d be glad to hear from any readers or suppliers who know of any recent applications of plastic technologies in this field.

The second new section, as mentioned above, is called Events and Industry News. Whilst we have always accommodated this type of news, we wanted to give it a special platform — after all it is a K-Show year, and I’m anticipating some exciting and relevant news updates from the organisers of this and many other key events in the coming months.

That’s all the news from EPPM for now. As always, I hope there’s some useful information in the following pages to apply to your manufacturing process.

Plastics for the Environment

New year, new products...

General Industry Insight

“

from the editor

Our Editorial Advisory Board is compiled of a cross-section of the plastics industry, including processors, consultants, technicians and key industry figures.

Dr Gerd Schmaucks, Independent Consultant

cover story

New machines offered at used machine

prices

Plastic Machinery Sales has been a primary dealer in used machinery for over 40 years. Due to the change in the industry in the UK, quality used machines became harder to source whilst demand from all areas of the plastic manufacturing business increased.

CAPEX restrictions on industry demanded greater cost effectiveness that the existing new machinery manufacturers struggled to fulfill. The lack of quality used machines in the market led PMS to look at a new generation of machines to bridge this gap.

Borche manufactures a range of injection moulding machines up to 6000 tonne capacity. The machines are designed in Europe and incorporate the very latest technology, giving industry-leading quality at a price that is compelling to all users. PMS offers a unique service in the supply of new machines, providing exceptional value and support throughout the UK. The machines are simple to operate and have a range of options to allow customers to buy exactly what they need, and fully guaranteed, reducing the risk of a used machine, but at a price that reflects the drive to reduce manufacturing costs.

Key advantages of buying Borche include: • Industry leading power saving technology (dry cycling a 320 tonne machine draws less power than a 3 bar electric fire) • 100% guaranteed and support from a dedicated UK team • Trade-in options on all old and inefficient plant at guaranteed market rates • Customise the machine to suit exactly what the user needs (users can even change the colour) • Short lead times • Tool trials on all machines prove efficiency and quality Example prices for the Borche range (£).

60 tonne

26500

120 tonne

33000

150 tonne

39500

200 tonne

44000

320 tonne

69000

400 tonne

84500

500 tonne

109000

650 tonne

142000

800 tonne

188000

1000 tonne

225000

1300 tonne

270000

Full range to 6000 Tonnes

The BS320 tonne machine from Borche.

The BS400 tonne machine from Borche.

• PMS brings 40 years experience in supplying to the plastics industry • Finance packages available • Toggle and hydraulic options • All logistics and installation dealt with directly by PMS Alec Farrell, Managing Director of PMS said “Since last June we have sold 22 machines into the UK and since the start of this year many customers have been so impressed with the quality that we are taking new orders every week. It is not simply the price (a new, guaranteed 320 tonne machine is only £72,000 fully installed) but the ease of operation, the simple to use control, fabulous power saving technology and short lead times give our clients the latest equipment at the right price. We have enquiries for a number of machines throughout the range including multi-shot combinations from current users who have seen major improvements in their manufacturing efficiencies.”

An enquiry costs nothing, and PMS is encouraging readers to join its clients in the automotive, packaging and general moulding sectors and find out why they are so pleased. Interested parties can visit the group at PDM (stand D020) or visit them directly to see the machines in action.

Plastic Machinery Sales Ltd. Tel: +44 1299 253 338 Email: info@plasticmachineryuk.com Web: www.plasticmachineryuk.com FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 5

MACHINERY

Modular connection system suits all circuits Modern machinery and equipment often requires connections not just for electric power, hydraulics, cooling fluids and pneumatics but frequently also data transfer, fibre optics, sensors and thermocouples. Stäubli’s CombiTac range of modular connectors allows all of these connections to be made in one simple operation, saving time and improving circuit integrity.

Stäubli’s CombiTac programme has been introduced in response to the increasing requirement for multiple connections on modern machinery and equipment. It combines the versatility of selecting the most suitable fluid, air, data and electrical couplings from their wide range and fitting these onto a single, easy to use, space saving connector plate. There are over six million possible configurations.

Benefits result from speeding up the connection procedure and also eliminating any chance of wrong or cross connection since the connection plates can only be connected in one position. High performance guiding and locking systems ensure safe and secure connections. Dry break connectors bring the added advantage of preventing any loss of fluid on connection or

disconnection and also preventing any ingress of contaminants into the circuits.

The CombiTac range is IP65 rated (IP68 is available on request) and provides a complete and specially tailored solution for each application. The modules can accommodate seven types of quick release fluid or air couplings from 3 to 8mm diameter and numerous electrical contacts, including 4-pole and 2-pole modules from 1 to 8mm diameter with up to 26 contacts per module and a capability up to 600V and 125A. Data transmission by CAT 5 and 6, Ethernet IEEE 802.3, Profibus, Interbus and CANbus; up to 2 contact carriers of 8 poles per module.

Each CombiTac module has been designed to be housed either in a mobile housing for manual connections or as a rackable solution for automatic connection. Stäubli’s programme can accommodate every configuration.

Six standard housings can be selected as well as numerous bespoke designs, as appropriate for the type and number of connections included and each specific application.

Applications are wide ranging, wherever a combination of fluid and electrical

Dry-cut strand pelletiser goes to market Primo 200E is a new single-side mounted dry-cut strand pelletizer from Automatik Plastics Machinery, featuring an extra-large cutting width of 200mm.

The Primo 200E features a cutting geometry with a short unguided length between the feed rolls and the cut.

This geometry enables optimum straight cutting of both hard and very soft plastic strands.

The pelletiser is suitable for compounding of thermoplastics, for functional and additive masterbatch production and for the production of colour concentrates up to a line throughput rate of 1.5 tonnes per hour.

It features cutting tool sets for hard, abrasive and soft, flexible plastics. The pellet dimensions can be quickly changed by means of an optional automatic pellet length adjuster. This is done using a second drive motor for the feed mechanism with an integrated speed control.

When processing abrasive products and at high production temperatures, the Primo 200E can be equipped with a separately driven, wear-resistant metal feed roll instead of the standard elastomer feed roll.

The design of the Primo 200E makes it a suitable choice for the production of micro-quantities of colour masterbatches and concentrates. It features a low6 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

connections is required, the flexible and adaptable CombiTac system can provide a fast, reliable and safe solution.

Stäubli’s team of connection specialists are available to give advice on how the advantages of their CombiTac programme can benefit manufacturers in their specific applications.

deposit cutting chamber and enables short retooling times, and the cutting and tool changing process is said to be quick and easy.

Automatik Plastics Machinery describes a “strong and rugged” design of the cantilevered pelletizer.

The feed geometry is designed without any major deflections, so the plastic strands are not subjected to pretensioning prior to cutting. This means that even highly fragile polymers such as polystyrene or highly filled masterbatches can be pelletized in high qualities.

Automatik Plastics Machinery GmbH Tel: +49 6026 503 354 Email: info@maag.com Web: www.maag.com

Stäubli UK Ltd. Tel: +44 1952 671918 Email: connectors.uk@staubli.com Web: www.staubli.com/en/connectors

Injection moulding equipment on world tour usky Injection Molding Systems has announced the kick-off of the Husky World Tour 2013, a new series of global customer events that will take place throughout the year in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. With multiple local customer events spanning the globe, the Husky World Tour 2013 is a first-of-its-kind for the injection molding industry, giving current and prospective customers more direct access to Husky’s latest technologies at a local level. The tour will support Husky’s increasing focus on providing targeted solutions to help customers in its core markets reduce variability, improve part cost and increase productivity.

“We are excited about the Husky World Tour 2013 because it will give us a number of ongoing opportunities to showcase our technologies directly to customers throughout the year, while creating a platform for richer, more focused customer interactions,” said Jeff MacDonald, Husky’s Vice President of Marketing. “In 2012, key industry tradeshows played an

H The Primo 200E

Stäubli’s CombiTac programme has been introduced in response to the increasing requirement for multiple connections on modern machinery and equipment.

important role in helping launch our biggest products and will continue to play a role for us. Having a number of product launches in 2013, this new approach will allow us to introduce our latest technologies as soon as they’re ready.”

The Husky World Tour 2013 will build upon the success the company has had with hosting focused, local customer events over the past two years. Tour events will include presentations and technical demonstrations from Husky and industry experts, along with networking opportunities for attendees. Serving as Husky’s primary method to introduce innovations to the industry for 2013, each tour event will be tailored to customers’ specific market and regional needs. To provide dedicated focus on this new approach, the company will forego its participation in tradeshows for 2013, including Drinktec and K2013, both held in Germany at the end of the year.

Husky Web: www.husky.ca

MACHINERY ROUNDUP IMM supplier going micro at Medtec

Silo mixer adapted for process adjustment A 20m³ Kreyenborg mixing silo with internal pipe auger has been operating for 20 years for Ponachem in Hamburg.

Kreyenborg mixing silos are said to be known for their excellent homogenization and longevity. Over the course of time, the requirements of the mixing silo (i.e. materials, mixing quality and performance) often change, whereby adjustments of the process may be required.

By replacing the pipe auger with an open mixing screw with special segments, the user gained a better mixing result, a shorter mixing time – 20 minutes instead of 4 hours – and was able to drastically reduce the energy

consumption of the mixer.

The results were determined on the basis of plastic regrind. However, this mixing technology is suitable for all freeflowing materials.

Kreyenborg Plant Technology GmbH & Co. KG delivers universal quick mixers as mixing and homogenizing silos for a wide rage of applications in the bulk solids industry.

In addition to the components and systems business to these core components, Kreyenborg also provides modifications and enhancements to existing mixers and special silos built by Kreyenborg as well as other manufacturers.

Kreyenborg Tel: +49 251 21405 0 Email: info@kreyenborg.de Web: www.kreyenborg.com

The group will exhibit a MicroPower 15/10.

Wittmann Battenfeld is placing an emphasis on its micro machines for medical applications at Medtec Europe in Stuttgart later this month.

By developing the electric machines in its PowerSeries range, the group says it has optimised its offering for medical applications and implementing cleanroom systems. Specifically, the all-electric EcoPower and MicroPower series will be in focus during the event.

A micro filter made of POM with an 80µ grid and a part weight of 1.1mg, which can be used in acoustical engineering as well as in micro pumps or inhalators, will be manufactured on a MicroPower 15/10, which has been specially developed for high-precision injection moulding of small and micro parts. It will be produced in a 2-cavity mould with 3-platen injection.

Of particular interest on the MicroPower, according to Wittmann Battenfeld, is the injection aggregate.

The two-step injection unit consists of a screw and plunger, with a shot volume ranging from 0.05cm³ to 4cm³ offering stable production and short cycle times.

The recently-developed Hi-Q shaping injection-compression moulding process is said to offer the production of parts with virtually no internal stress and excellent surface finishes. Here, the process parameters for temperature and pressure are added to the settings for time and distance, which makes it possible to regulate the embossing pressure via the clamping force setting for every specific process. This enables accurate application of the embossing pressure to the entire surface of the part just above the glass transition temperature, causing a drastic reduction in material stress.

The machine on display is a completely integrated cleanroom production cell with a rotary disk, parts removal handling, integrated quality inspection by imaging and a cleanroom module. The machine’s cleanroom-compatible design plus the cleanroom module enable a class-6 clean air environment according to ISO 14644-1. In the application demonstrated at the fair, the parts will be injected, inspected and deposited inside the clean room.

Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH & Co.KG Tel: +49 2354 720 Email: info@wittmann-group.com Web: www.wittmann-group.com FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 7

MACHINERY ROUNDUP Recently launched IMM scores well in the market

Blender handles difficult materials

The market launch of Netstal’s latest Elion 3200 machine has gone “exceptionally well”, according to the manufacturer. The new model has been designed for the manufacture of complex moulded parts, in particular for applications in packaging, closures, medical components and high-precision technical parts. Netstal unveiled the model at Fakuma 2012.

“We are really pleased with the launch of the new Elion 3200. Customer feedback has been very positive and high demand for this tried-and-tested machine series is a ringing endorsement of Netstal’s high product quality and expertise,” said Dr. Hans Ulrich Golz, CEO of Netstal.

Machines in the Elion series are modular in design. The electrically driven clamping unit has been combined with a hydraulic high-precision injection unit that has also featured in the Evos series. “While feedback from the packaging industry has been especially outstanding, we have also had a positive response from customers who are in the medical sector and companies who manufacture highprecision technical parts,” said Golz.

The injection unit is able to reach injection speeds of up to 2,000mm per second at extreme levels of acceleration thanks to its dual-valve technology. Thinwalled packaging parts can be formed in filling times of under 0.1 seconds. This level of injection performance means that it is possible to minimise material use and reduce cycle times. “This is

Conair has launched its new TrueBlend blender for plastic processors who want to make profitable use of bottle flake and other difficult-to-feed materials.

“Certain thin, flaky regrind – like PET bottle scrap or thicker film and sheet scrap – has granules with relatively large, flat surfaces so they tend to pack together and bridge in conventional hoppers,” explained Jeff Bickel, Blender Product Engineer. “In the past, processors often found it necessary to re-pelletise these materials so that they could be handled more efficiently and that made them less economic to use.

By making it possible to easily re-use scrap that would be next to impossible to process otherwise, the new Conair blender designs can deliver a nice return on investment.”

For small quantities, Conair TrueBlend blenders can be fitted with side feeders with steeply angled sides that help prevent the regrind from hanging up and bridging. The material then can flow easily through an oversized opening at the bottom to a horizontal auger that positively conveys granules into the mixing chamber.

Ideal for pipe extrusion or similar applications requiring high volumes of regrind, Conair blenders use “lift augers” to eliminate bridging problems and promote a free flow of material. The lift augers are positioned at an angle in a corner of the regrind bin and, instead of forcing material out of the bin as most conventional augers do, they turn in the opposite direction, moving granules up and away from the bottom of the bin.

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With double-valve technology, an injection speed of up to 2,000mm/s can be reached with extreme accelerations.

The new 3200 model from the Elion Series. clearly proved by our customers’ decreased production costs,” said Golz.

The combination of different drive technologies requires an optimised drive concept adapted to requirements.

Netstal’s drive unit, the Eco Powerunit, takes full advantage of the energy-saving potential of hybrid technology. In comparison to conventional, hydraulically driven toggle lever machines, the Elion hybrid reduces energy consumption by up to 50%.

Netstal Tel: +41 55 618 61 11 Email: marketing@netstal.com Web: www.netstal.com

Conair TB2500 fitted with fluidizing augers is one of two designs developed to handle difficult materials.

This movement has the effect of keeping the material loose so that it can flow more easily through oversized side gates and into the mixing chamber.

When the full-length access door is closed, all pellets are contained within the mixing chamber, virtually eliminating waste and improving accuracy.

Throughputs can range from less than 23kg per hour on model TB45 to 5455kg per hour on model TB3500. Units with up to 12 ingredient bins can be supplied.

Conair Tel: +1 724 584 5500 Email: info@conairgroup.com Web: www.conairgroup.com

ADVERTORIAL

Intelligent Mould Flow Monitoring ouldflo offers injection moulders an affordable solution for monitoring multiple flow and temperature circuits within an injection mould.

M

Even though the mould temperature is one of the most important factors to a stable process, up until now, it was impossible to tell what was actually happening inside the cooling circuits. Mouldflo can protect the mould and improve part quality by quickly identifying cooling problems and alerting the moulder to common cooling circuit problems, such as no water flow from the mould temperature controller, blocked waterways, scale/rust build up or incorrect piping.

Simple overview The user can see an immediate overview of cooling circuit status ‘at a glance’ on a single screen with instant display status alarms should the flow/temperature go outside of tolerance.

Injection moulders currently use a range of methods for distributing and controlling the water flow around the cooling circuit. Traditionally the most common method has been with water flow regulators. Although cost effective, flow regulators suffer from a number of inherent problems including flow restrictions, long pipe runs, broken or unreadable sight glasses.

More recently there has been a trend towards aluminium manifolds mounted either on the mould, or the platens, which shows significant benefits with regards to flow but, generally these give the moulder no visual indication of flow.

Manifold The slimline and compact manifold design has been developed to enable Mouldflo to be mounted into the smallest space possible next to the machine platens.

This keeps pipe runs to an absolute minimum, improving flow rates to the mould and reducing cycle times.

Historical data Historical data recording means that a performance log for each circuit and manifold is stored on the internal memory allowing the user to track the performance and easily identify problems.

The Mouldflo manifold is equipped with very compact sensors that are capable of reading both flow and temperature. The sensor is based upon the vortex flow measurement principle which uses a bluff body in the flow path to create small eddy currents (vortices) and the pressure of this current is measured to determine the flow through a given cross sectional area. The sensors have no moving parts; this, combined with a large flow path, make it ideally suited to mould cooling even when using heavily contaminated water. The sensors are integrated directly into the manifold keeping size to an absolute minimum; the manifold has been designed to create a fixed linear flow path that is essential for accurate flow measurement.

Interface module The Mouldflo system is equipped with a DIN-Rail mounted interface module. This is the heart of the system and allows the manifolds to be easily connected to external devices. The interface module facilitates true ‘plug and play’, allowing multiple manifolds to be monitored, and also enables convenient and simple connection to the touch screen, power supply, alarm signals in/out and machine communications. The module is equipped with USB and ethernet. The data generated by the Mouldflo system can be fed into production monitoring systems or other ancillary devices such as hot runner controllers or the moulding machine control system using the onboard communication ports.

Event log Alarm errors, warnings and operator changes are all stored with a time and date stamp and can be reviewed at any time.

The slimline and compact design has been developed to enable the Mouldflo manifold to be mounted into the smallest space possible next to the machine platens. is stored in the internal memory, and is time and date stamped for ultimate traceability. The data can also be displayed in a graphical format in order that the operator can spot any trend in deteriorating performance for any particular flow circuit. The data can be read over an ethernet connection, downloaded onto a USB stick or fed into an external production monitoring system or directly into the injection machine control system.

Warning and alarm limits can be set for flow and temperature to all monitored zones individually. Should a zone deviate from those settings, then both an onscreen warning and a potential-free alarm signal can be fed directly to an ancillary device — such as an alarm tower, hot runner controller or the injection moulding machine to warn that the flow has deviated outside of tolerance. The system is capable of storing multiple mould set-ups on the internal memory which can be quickly loaded when a mould is changed with all the correct set-points for any given mould.

For more information on the Mouldflo system, contact: Mouldshop Tel: +44 8454 700 701 Email: info@mouldshop.com Web: www.mouldshop.co.uk

Touch screen Using a remotely mounted touch screen the Mouldflo system will monitor and display the flow and temperature for every circuit. The information can be displayed in either a graphical or text format. The data

Mouldpro Tel: +45 7020 3131 Email: info@mouldpro.com Web: www.mouldpro.com FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 9

MACHINERY

SHOWCASE TESTING & INSPECTION CASE STUDY:

Colour management at Poppin Inc.

Poppin Inc., a designer and seller of office supplies recently decided to release a product line aimed at brightening up the work place, including lime green pen caps, pool blue staplers,

and blazing red tape dispensers. The aim of the project was to encourage office employees to “Work Happy,” — the tagline for the group.

To make sure that the colours co-

ordinated on a variety of materials, including plastic, metal, paper and cloth, Poppin enlisted the aid of X-Rite, a specialist in colour management, and its wholly owned subsidiary Pantone.

The RM200QC device from X-Rite can accurately measure slight colour variations between products.

“We set ourselves apart from the big-box competition partly through the use of vibrant, eye-catching colours defined by Pantone and measured with X-Rite technology,” said Roger Cole, Vice President of 9 Kings, Poppin’s sourcing agent. “We’ve built a loyal customer base because we present stylish colours in an office setting at the right price point. So having colours match properly is critical for our business.”

Poppin was one of the first to adopt a new technology from X-Rite called the RM200QC. 9 Kings Tech Manager Tony Yan from the Shanghai office has to travel to manufacturing plants all over China, so he takes the RM200QC to each plant to check how closely the products match the colour requirements from Poppin’s headquarters in New York City.

The palm-sized RM200QC spectrocolorimeter simplifies the way that the plastic moulding industry can compare the colours of lab samples or parts in production with reference standards, then create reports that can be shared with supply chain partners.

Yan uses his RM200QC to ensure that items sold as a desk set, such as lime green scissors and its associated file tray, match each other exactly in colour for customers who want bright, fresh hues that co-ordinate perfectly in their offices.

“One of the most important factors for us is the control of colour deviation between our products that need to match in colour,” Yan said. “We use L*a*b* data generated by the RM200QC to check that degree of colour deviation and communicate effectively between manufacturers and our team at headquarters.”

Aided by colour checking instruments, Poppin has been able to tighten colour tolerance from delta E 2 to delta E 0.8 with RM200QC. Using the quick check function in RM200QC, the group can also monitor the colour variations in the same lot around the range of delta E 0.3 in an industry where delta E 2 is common.

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MACHINERY

SHOWCASE TESTING & INSPECTION Materials testing community gathers for educational events One the 23rd January the British Society for Strain Measurement (BSSM) hosted a dedicated event at Instron’s European Headquarters in High Wycombe. Instron is a leading supplier of testing and instrumentation equipment, and visitors had the chance to tour the facility as well as visit several exhibitors including Photron, LA Vision and SmartFibres. The event attracted over 100 visitors across two days and the seminars provided a useful and lively debate for all attendees.

The following day, Instron took the opportunity to stage an event of its own for customers and interested parties, setting the tone for an informal discussion forum amongst leading figures in the sector.

The brand new ‘Applications Laboratory’ (pictured) - a purpose-built facility hosting new and existing technologies, allows Instron to showcase a range of recent product releases that have been extremely well received in several application areas, including the plastics industry.

Visitors to the Instron facility were given the chance to tour the manufacturing

According to X-Rite, the new instrument goes beyond the capabilities of existing colorimeters with advanced features that identify colour differences between samples and standards, opacity, and grayscale assessment, as well as highlighting how colours may change in appearance under D65 daylight and Illuminant A household tungsten-filament lighting.

With a measurement time of about two seconds, the instrument gives results in the form of a simple pass/fail message or CIE L*a*b* values and delta E colour differences. It also reports results in all of the standard colour difference equations and tolerances, such as CIELAB, CMC, CIE 94, or CIE 2000.

The RM200QC memory holds 20 standards and up to 350 measurements automatically stamped with time and date and saved as PDF and CSV files that can be downloaded via USB cable, so the information can be shared with other stakeholders in a supply chain.

Any measurement can be linked with images of test surfaces, text notes, or voice messages and the reports can be output in multiple languages.

“This device is a marvelous tool to assist in our worldwide control of colour,” Yan said. “It gives accurate colour measurements that are accepted by both the U.S. and Chinese teams as an unbiased standard, so we can make decisions quickly to maintain customer satisfaction and introduce more colours to our product line with confidence.”

X-Rite Tel: +44 1625 871100 Web: www.xrite.com

facility, including demonstrations of the CEAST drop tower impact system used predominantly for ISO and ASTM standards within the plastics industry, as well as specimen preparation and melt flow monitoring equipment to the plastics sector.

As well as showcasing a range of materials testing machines focused on

the plastics market, Instron had key speakers from the composites industry who discussed developments in the aerospace and automotive sectors.

Instron Tel: +44 1494 456815 Email: info_news@instron.com Web: www.instron.co.uk

New solution boosts quality for converters Isra Vision, a provider of optical in-line inspection systems has developed solutions in surface inspection for converters. The systems are designed to find defects and, together with intelligent tools, can reportedly make a contribution to increasing processing efficiency.

The system can be used at all converting stages, including coating, lamination, metallising and more. Runs can be transparent, covered, semi-opaque, metallised, embossed or dyed. Also composite materials, striped applied coatings or coatings with patterns, optical films and plates can all be inspected. It can be installed on various units, such as coating lines, re-winders and doctor machines.

The fully-automated systems are said to find optical defects with precision. The low-maintenance and networked systems are based on the most modern technology and are constructed in a modular and flexible fashion both in their hardware and software designs.

Adaptation to each customer’s production process, regardless of line speed, web width and the installation circumstances is straightforward. The system can cope with frequent material changes, as the handling of different product related recipes is flexible. The use of camera and lighting technology ensures that the smallest and lowestcontrast material defects will be found.

Isra Vision AG Tel: +49 6151 948 0 Email: info@isravision.com Web: www.isravision.com

FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 11

MACHINERY

SHOWCASE TESTING & INSPECTION REPORT:

Plastic recycler invests in new testing lab

Terry Burton, Technical Manager at Luxus, a well-known UK recycler, explains why opening a new laboratory this spring will help accelerate the company’s development of sustainable thermoplastic polymers reshaping automotive design.

The automotive industry has been transformed in recent years as its demand for innovative plastics have helped set new standards in design and environmental performance to satisfy both EU emissions targets and customer needs.

Materials are the very backbone of the automotive industry with plastics poised to take a major role. It is an industry which is being impacted heavily by CO2 emissions legislation, making ‘lightweighting’ (reducing the weight of vehicle components) a key objective. So it is increasingly looking to the plastics sector for new innovations to help meet the challenge of improved fuel economy and a cleaner future.

EU regulations currently state that a ‘fleet average of 130 grams of CO2 per kilometre must be achieved by 2015’. In terms of fuel consumption, this target is approximately equivalent to ‘5.6 liters per 100 km (l/100 km) of petrol. In 2012 an average of 65% of each manufacturer’s newly registered cars must comply with the legislation. This will rise to 75% this year, 80% in 2014, and 100% from 2015 onwards’.

Never before has it been more important to develop sustainable materials for car interiors that meet emissions goals and deliver competitive advantage in what is a highly sophisticated and rapidly changing market.

Lightweight thermoplastic polymers are highly flexible, they give both auto designers and engineers the freedom to deliver truly innovative design. Not only satisfying CO2 emissions, but also delivering the eco value and affordability that consumers have come to expect.

For the last ten years our sustainable thermoplastic materials have been revolutionising auto interior design worldwide and we aim to stay ahead thanks to the next stage in our continuing investment programme.

Staff from Luxus and Loadhog at the site of the new lab.

Luxus Technical Centre Our new 750m2 Technical Centre which is opening this Spring, we hope will significantly speed up the development of our high performance thermoplastic polymers for major customers such as Nissan, Ford, Jaguar, BMW and Renault.

The investment has been made possible thanks to the lending we received as a regional winner of the HSBC ‘Business Thinking’ award in 2012. It will enable us to maintain our competitive edge and satisfy new markets as we extend our reach into Asia and Europe.

It will also provide a true technical ‘hub’ right across the business that includes support for our ‘closed loop’ wheel bin scheme, know as ‘Bin2Bin’ for local authorities; to transit packaging recycling for high street grocery retailers and research into new technologies for the construction industry.

Lightweight polymer development But it is the support it provides for the auto industry that will be its primary use, for example we are achieving improvements in compound design through a new European collaboration project that focuses on the technical aspects of recycled polymers in car interiors.

It has recently lead to the development of Hycolene a new lightweight polymer.

Developed to replace standard talc filled grades for car interior components, Hycolene offers a weight reduction of 10-15% compared to a typical 25% talc filled material. The result is much lower weight, highly scratch resistant for vehicle components without compromising on performance and design flexibility.

Manufacturers will also have the choice of either prime or a more sustainable Hycolene grade made from up to 60% recycled content (from post industrial and consumer feedstocks).

Hycolene has attracted considerable interest since development work began and is now being trialed with a number of automotive customers before its goes into general production on current models.

Bespoke polymer testing and analysis This is how our bespoke lab service works - we liaise closely with the customer to gain a full understanding of the final product, application and processing route. If we’re looking at a new material a specification of critical factors are agreed and if we’re replacing an existing grade we test the material and compare our formulation on the same test equipment. This provides the customer with meaningful comparative data on which to evaluate materials or develop new grades if required.

Our laboratory is equipped to a very high standard allowing testing for MFI, Izod, FDI, HDT, VICAT, tensile and FITR. The accurate data generated provides the ‘building blocks’ for the formulation of new materials.

Next colour matching systems and batch specific additive packages are developed for incorporation via gravimetric feeders during the compounding process on single or twin screw extruders.

Luxus Tel: +44 1507 604941 Email: info@luxus.co.uk Web: www.luxus.co.uk

CNC milling machine dedicated to polymer materials Ray-Ran Test Equipment Ltd manufactures a range of CNC profile cutting machines which are ideal for producing test samples from polymer and plastic material over 5mm thick. A typical example is to cut dumbbell samples from underground thick wall pipes which are generally 50mm or more thick.

Metal cutting machines have not generally proven suitable for polymer materials which require very high cutting speeds, in the region of 2,400 to 24,000 rpm, to give the desired surface finish and ensure that the temperature at the cutting surface does not affect the material characteristics.

The Ray-Ran dedicated CNC milling machine can offer X, Y and Z axis combinations to cater for most test sample sizes. Prewritten programs are available and training in the Demonstration Department is freely available.

The ball screws and slide ways provide excellent positional accuracy and low frictions drives which are ideally matched to the stepper motor drive systems.

The Advanced Micro-Stepping feature gives optimum cutter control when machining contours.

Special polymer cutting tools are available which

12 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

reduce the cutting surface temperature and give optimum surface finish Ray-Ran Test Equipment Ltd Tel: +44 2476 342002 Email: polytest@ray-ran.com Web: www.ray-ran.com

MACHINERY SPOTLIGHT eppm

PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION

NEW CONFERENCE LAUNCHED FOR PIPES IN INFRASTRUCTURE

AMI has announced that a new conference on Pipes in Infrastructure will take place from 9-11 April 2013 at the Hotel Nikko in Düsseldorf.

The conference will focus on plastic pipe systems used within infrastructure applications, such as drinking water supply and distribution, gas transmission and distribution, underground drainage and sewerage, road and railway drainage, land drainage, underground cable protection and district heating.

The conference will provide an invaluable opportunity to highlight the latest innovations and discuss current and future challenges faced by the industry thanks to a panel of expert international speakers

gathered by AMI. The different sessions will cover topics such as installation techniques, developments in material technology and process technology, testing and sustainability. There will also be a market overview session with papers from AMI and Eandis.

Key pipe producers such as Wavin GmbH, Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd., Rollepaal and Georg Fisher Piping Systems Ltd. will share their

experiences and latest developments for the industry.

Other companies taking part in the programme include Friatec AG, Reinert-Ritz GmbH, Amster-Howard, Hobas, TWI Ltd., SHS Energieefizienz GmbH and many more.

Pipes in Infrastructure 2013 will offer a networking opportunity for delegates representing the entire industry, including pipe specifiers and installers and end users, resin

suppliers, additive producers, machinery makers, pipe manufacturers and fittings suppliers, testing and certification bodies, etc.

The event will offer a comprehensive overview of the latest material, technology and business trends.

AMI Plastics Tel: +44 117 924 9442 Email: info@amiplastics.com Web: www.amiplastics.com

RECYCLATE IN PIPES MAKES THE AGENDA WITH THE EUPR

At the recent EuPR Annual Meeting, Mr Roel van’t Veer, TEPPFA (The European Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association) Project Manager for Voluntary Commitment, gave a presentation to the EuPR HDPE and PP working group.

In his speech, he highlighted a need to use more recylate as well as the growing potential of using PP and PE recyclate in non–pressure sewer pipes and cable protection pipes. EuPR and TEPPFA agreed to set up a joint working group to investigate the possibilities to also use (next to the already existing use of PVC recyclate) PE and PP recyclate while maintaining pipe quality and life expectancy.

TEPPFA Tel: +32 2 736 24 06 Email: info@teppfa.org Web: www.teppfa.eu

FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 13

MACHINERY SPOTLIGHT eppm

PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION

NEW WPC PROFILE EXTRUDER TO RUN LIVE AT CONFERENCE

At the 9th Wood-Plastic Composite conference later this month, extrusion specialist battenfeldcincinnati will host a live demonstration of a WPC line in its technical lab. The demonstrations will include the new fiberEX 114 parallel twin-screw extruder, which has been designed for high output and optimised process stability, and is ideally suited for the production of solid WPC profiles.

Even though the regional markets and product variants are changing, WPC still remains a growth market.

The demand for WPC in Europe is continuing to grow at an annual rate of 20-25%.

Decking profiles are still the bestsellers in this branch of the industry, taking up some 75% of the total market volume, while new products, injection moulded as well as extruded, are presenting the machine manufacturers with new challenges. The conference will focus on the developments in the global

14 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

market, including growth opportunities as well as new products, trends and machine concepts.

Solid decking profiles, which constitute a new trend in the WPC industry, have developed from the German market and are now gaining in significance throughout Europe. Because of certain advantages, they are becoming a more and more important alternative to the hollow profiles predominantly used so far. Solid profiles can be cut diagonally without any problems, and do not need any injection-molded end caps even when cut straight, since there are no hollow chambers that need to be covered. Due to their smaller surface, they also have less capacity for absorbing moisture and are therefore considered even more resistant to weathering. This is a major advantage especially in outdoor applications such as decks with nonrectangular floor plans.

The latest machinery development from battenfeld-cincinnati is the fiberEX 114 parallel twin-screw extruder. With this model, the machine manufacturer is extending its portfolio by a second parallel extruder in addition to the fiberEX

135, designed especially for highperformance WPC extrusion.

Even though the range of extruders for WPC processing already covers outputs between 20 and 1,000kg/h, fiberEX 114 significantly extends the portfolio once more with out–puts ranging from 280 to 520kg/h. The parallel extruder enables the production of solid WPC profiles with optimal process stability and maximum output. It also handles difficult, low-density bulk materials and permits maximum degassing performance.

In close cooperation with a network

The new fiberEX 114 parallel twin-screw extruder of partners, battenfeld-cincinnati offers a wide range of solutions for the WPC industry. The group offers customised machine concepts from project planning to on-site installation and start-up. The portfolio also includes coextrusion solutions which are sometimes said to be more costeffective. battenfeld-cincinnati Web: www.battenfeldcincinnati.com

MACHINERY SPOTLIGHT eppm

PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION

“QUICKSWITCH” SYSTEM SPEEDS UP CHANGES DURING PIPE PRODUCTION

KraussMaffei Berstorff’s QuickSwitch system for inline dimension changes at the push of a button is now available with immediate effect for the production of PO pipes with a diameter up to 450mm.

S.C. Valrom Industrie S.R.L. in Bucharest has been producing single-, double- and three-layer PE drinking water pipes in a diameter range from 250-450mm on a fully automated QuickSwitch line from KraussMaffei Berstorff. In addition to single-screw extruders from the 36D series, the key components of the machine are the newly designed KM-3L RKW 75 QS pipe head, the suction belt and the calibration basket with QuickSwitch design.

The QuickSwitch system was designed to meet the demand for high flexibility, small order batches and short changeover times. The system is said to be highly effective when producing pipes with a larger diameter from 250mm. “The bigger the diameter of a pipe, the more complicated and more expensive it is to change over with conventionally operated machines”, said Michael Hofhus, Head of the Pipe Extrusion Product Group at KraussMaffei Berstorff.

“We have supplemented our very successful QuickSwitch system with the model up to 450mm, thus offering processors an even wider product portfolio and enabling customers to save even more costs, time and material when switching over to other dimensions”, Hofhus continued.

The system also reportedly increases competitiveness since the producer can quickly complete urgent orders.

S.C. Valrom Industrie S.R.L. is a longstanding customer of KraussMaffei Berstorff, and says it has been extremely impressed by QuickSwitch technology. “After years of very positive experience with QuickSwitch machines, we also opted again this time for KraussMaffei Berstorff

KraussMaffei Berstorff QuickSwitch calibration basket for diameters up to 450mm.

because we are really impressed with the machine quality and effectiveness”, said Catalin Coraci, Managing Director of S.C.Valrom Industrie S.R.L. “We regard KraussMaffei Berstorff as a reliable partner with whom we can meet our production requirements according to our plans in a first-class way”, added Coraci.

S.C. Valrom Industrie S.R.L., a member of the Valsir Group, is one of the largest polyolefin processors in the region and supplies a wide range of products for infrastructural applications such as pipes for sanitary installations and heating systems, drinking water pipes, wastewater pipes and gas pipes. In addition to the recently installed machine, four other QuickSwitch lines are in operation at the production plant in Bucharest.

They cover all available diameter ranges, i.e. 25-63mm, 75-160mm and 160-250mm. The subsidiary S.C. Valrom Ukraine S.R.L. in Vinnytsya also operates a QuickSwitch line for the diameter range 75-160mm.

The company enjoys a strong market position in the rapidly growing region in Eastern Europe. It serves over 75% of the Romanian market with its products, but also exports them to neighboring countries such as Bulgaria, Moldova, Greece and the Ukraine.

great importance to high quality and maximum systems availability. By drawing on our expertise in plant and process engineering, we have met these requirements. For more than ten years now, we have been Polyplastic’s premium partner for compound manufacturing”.

Additionally, Isoljazionny Trubny KraussMaffei Berstorff’s large-diameter pipehead KM-RKW Zawod (ITZ) with head 39-1600. offices near Moscow be gearing our production to the has invested in KraussMaffei rapidly increasing demand for preBerstorff’s large-diameter pipe encased pipes and are confident that technology. ITZ, a newcomer to HDPE the systems expertise of KraussMaffei production, has chosen KraussMaffei Berstorff will give us a competitive Berstorff technology because, edge”, Mr. Frolov added. according to the company, “it has a The company will principally distribute technical edge over other production its products in Russia to end users in systems available on the market”. The the oil and gas industry, as well as PE-encased pipes produced on the housing construction and municipal new line (with diameters of up to services.

1600mm) are used for covering PURencapsulated steel pipes as heat KraussMaffei Berstorff insulation. ITZ Managing Director S.N. Tel: +49 89 8899 2792 Frolov said: “We believe that in Email: KraussMaffei Berstorff we have found annemarie.pabst@kraussmaffei.com partner with whom we can enter into Web: www.kraussmaffeiberstorff.com long-term business relations. We will

New extruder orders for the Russian market Two leading pipe manufacturers from Russia have also recently chosen KraussMaffei Berstorff as systems supplier and have invested in PO pipe extrusion systems. As a new customer, Isoljazionny Trubny Zawod (ITZ) is seeking to enter into a long-term partnership with the company.

Polyplastic Group is already a KraussMaffei Berstorff customer and has placed a follow-up order.

Andreas Kessler, General Sales Manager at KraussMaffei Berstorff, said: “Our customer Polyplastic, the largest plastics manufacturer in Russia, is impressed by our proven 36D single-screw extrusion technology and relies on the high quality of our products and our many years of experience in systems engineering.

Our customer is currently modernising its machinery with our equipment”.

The order is for two models of the 36D single-screw extruder series which will be integrated into an existing corrugated pipe production plant.

Another extruder model, the KME 9036 B/R, will be installed in an existing line for the production of smooth HDPE tubes (up to a diameter of 800mm). The systems will go into operation in the spring of 2013.

In addition, the largest KraussMaffei Berstorff compounder line began operation at maximum output at Polyplastic’s Saratov facility in May 2012. The turnkey plant is based on a ZE90*58D UT twin screw extruder and produces filled polyolefin compounds.

Dieter Brunner, Head of Systems Engineering at KraussMaffei Berstorff, emphasizes, “Polyplastic attaches

FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 15

MATERIALS

EVM chosen for aircraft flooring Floor coverings used in long-range airliners must meet a wide range of strict requirements, predominantly for safety reasons. This applies in particular to products that need to be fitted in aircraft galleys. With their new Duroflex and Durofloor floor coverings, engineers from rubber specialist Metzeler Technical Rubber Systems GmbH, based in Germany has reportedly developed a highly durable solution. The new, easily bondable non-slip products are said to feature excellent abrasion resistance and fire protection properties and are based, among other materials, on the halogen-free rubber raw material Levapren from synthetic rubber group Lanxess, designed to be highly compatible with a number of fillers and polymers.

“You might imagine the galleys where warm meals and beverages are prepared for passengers of larger airliners to be small, but they’re not,” said Joachim Bormuth, responsible for quality management at Metzeler. “In an Airbus A320, for example, the galley already occupies a floor area of around 24 square meters, and in larger airliners such as the Boeing 747 or the Airbus A380 it can even be in excess of 100 square meters.” These facilities need to be protected against fire hazards, not least because of the presence of electrical appliances such as microwaves and coffee machines and the mass of electric cables in an extremely confined space. Added to this are further requirements such as low abrasion, low soiling tendency, and good bonding to the substrate to help avoid tripping hazards. Easy and smooth installation must also be assured.

“The airlines therefore apply a strict functional specification which demands passing of exacting flame tests, for example; this is often aligned to the requirements stipulated by FAR 25853 of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which also contains precise specifications with respect to slip resistance,” continued Bormuth. OEMs frequently add their own specifications with regard to dimensional stability, rippling and abrasion. Impact tests, for example, check how much floor coverings suffer when objects fall on them. It is also important that the material’s tensile strength is sufficient to prevent it from tearing when being laid. “We additionally have to make sure that the materials used do not form small blisters when cabin pressure is reduced,” added Bormuth. “So you see, the field of aviation has its own quite special requirements.”

To date, the most important demands were frequently met by flexible coverings or rigid laminates with a top layer of silicone rubber. These often have the disadvantage of a low shore hardness, however, which can find expression in comparatively rapid wear and can make the floor sensitive to the falling of sharp objects. And for many cost-conscious clients they were not always first choice for financial reasons. “In 16 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

2002, therefore, we started looking for alternative materials and have put a lot of developmental effort into the project,” said Bormuth. The material that finally convinced his company was a special grade of Lanxess’ EVM synthetic rubber Levapren.

A good choice, according to Michael Herrmann, Product Expert from the Lanxess’ High Performance Elastomers business unit: “In many ways Levapren is an ideal material: the rubber does not contain any halogens and therefore does not liberate any corrosive acidic gases in the event of fire; rescue equipment then remains intact for longer and human life and materials are spared. On combustion, Levapren has a low smoke gas density, leaving escape routes free for longer should it come to the worst. To let it never get that far, Levapren can be supplemented with large quantities of flame-retardant inorganic fillers, but still remains easy to process.”

Since the engineers from Metzeler decided on a relatively polar grade of the material, which is available in many different degrees of polarity, surface contamination with oils and other foodstuffs can usually be removed easily, and even aggressive cleaning agents have little impact on the material.

Despite the high filler content, it is able to meet the strict demand for low density that is typical of aviation applications. In addition, the cost-effective rubber raw material scores well with its good bonding properties, which not only enable the safe and durable laying of flexible Metzeler Duroflex floors, but also allow costeffective production of the more rigid Durofloor laminates, all the while maintaining a high standard of quality. “That is hardly surprising – after all Levapren is also used as an adhesive raw material,” said Herrmann’s colleague Frank Taschner. The material is processed at Metzeler in a special calender known as an AUMA in which the material is vulcanized in one step.

Lanxess Tel: +49 214 30 71582 Email: kay.varnhorn@lanxess.com Web: www.levapren.com

MATERIALS ROUNDUP Medical TPV ranges from ultra-soft to high-hardness Teknor Apex Company has developed two highhardness grades in its Medalist MD-200 series of thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) elastomers, extending the range of high-purity compounds for replacing rubber in medical applications.

The company will introduce the compounds in Europe at Medtech (Stand 1L44).

Previously ranging in shore A durometer from an ultra-soft 15 to a semi-hard 80, the Medalist MD-200 Series now includes an 87 shore A compound, MD240, and a 43 shore D grade, MD-245.

The 43 shore D durometer is roughly equivalent to a shore A hardness of 93.

The new compounds can be extruded, injection moulded, and blow moulded.

Suggested applications include peristaltic tubes, collection and drainage tubes, stoppers for vials, caps and plugs, seals and gaskets, device handles, ergonomic soft grips, valves, and diaphragms.

The rubber-like properties of Medalist MD-240 and MD-245 include low longterm compression set, high fatigue resistance, prolonged flex life, stability at high temperatures, abrasion resistance, and long-term sealability.

“Among the benefits of the TPV technology developed by Teknor Apex for the MD-200 series are the elimination of the need for pre-drying, since all grades are non-hygroscopic, and a light natural colour that permits efficient use of colourants,” said Keith Saunders,

Bio-succinic acid plant starts up in Italy everdia, the joint venture between life sciences and materials sciences company DSM and Roquette Frères, a global producer of starch and starchderivatives, has begun operations in Cassano Spinola, Italy, at a commercial-scale plant producing Biosuccinium sustainable succinic acid. The plant, which has a capacity of about 10,000 tonnes per year, is claimed (by Reverdia) to be the world’s first dedicated large-scale plant for the production of succinic acid from renewable resources. It is also the reportedly only commercial facility to benefit from experience gained using low-pH yeast technology on a demonstration plant scale; Reverdia says this is essential to be able to promise further improvements in product quality.

Key applications for biosuccinium include polybutylene succinate (PBS), polyester polyols for polyurethanes, coating and composite resins, phthalate-free plasticizers, and 1,4 butanediol. End products could

R

Senior Market Manager for the Thermoplastic Elastomer Division. “What also sets us apart is that we manufacture our TPV compounds ‘from scratch,’ starting with polymers and all other basic ingredients, rather than using a masterbatch intermediary. This gives us tight control over properties and considerable freedom to formulate custom compounds that precisely meet customer requirements.”

Teknor Apex produces Medalist compounds in dedicated ISO-13485certified facilities. All standard grades are FDA, RoHS, Coneg, and REACH compliant, are Drug Master File (DMF) listed with FDA, and are biocompatibility tested in accordance with ISO-10993-5.

Teknor Apex has developed extensive data for all grades on chemical resistance and resistance to steam, gamma, and EtO sterilisation. Medalist compounds are free of animal-derived materials, phthalates, latex proteins, and bisphenol A.

include footwear, packaging and paints.

“We feel honoured and proud to open this new era in the lives of Reverdia and Biosuccinium,” said Will van den Tweel, Reverdia’s General Manager. “The new phase will enable direct and indirect customers to start production of commercial scale volumes of materials and end products based on bio-based succinic acid. These will be the first biosuccinium-based products to find operational use in industry and to show up on retail shelves.”

Reverdia Tel: +31 6 53 18 52 64 Email: marieke.smidt@dsm.com Web: www.dsm.com

Teknor Apex Tel: +44 121 665 2100 Email: medalist@teknorapex.com Web: www.medalistmd.com

PP thermoforming grade offers clarity and stability Polypropylene producer NATPET has launched a new PP thermoforming grade based on European group Milliken’s nucleating agent, Hyperform HPN-600ei.

The isotropic shrinkage control, visual appearance and stiffness/impact balance generated by Hyperform HPN-600ei can lead to more consistent finished articles covering a variety of thicknesses.

With improved mechanical strength and excellent shrinkage control, both in machine direction and transverse direction, converters may find more stability and control of ovality with better top load bearing capability.

As a result, unit rejection rates could be reduced, and converters can gain the opportunity to downgauge material.

NATPET says that H03TF also displays excellent visual appearance both in sheet and thermoformed parts even when they are stacked together. H03TF has regrind stability and does not yellow after multiple extrusions.

Finished products based on H03TF are said to offer a high level of quality with good stacking performance.

Milliken’s Hyperform HPN-600ei offers

organoleptics with no contamination risk, making the H03TF grade suitable for food applications.

Neaz Ahmed, Assistant Manager Product Application at NATPET said: “H03TF, with its enhanced dimensional stability, is giving packaging customers an opportunity to reduce their cycle times and achieve better products with less wastage, for all-round productivity improvements. It is receiving positive feedback from our customers around the world in Europe, China and Africa, who welcome the good processability and performance of the grade for their thermoformed applications.”

NATPET Tel: +966 2 604 8668 Email: nahmed@natpetpp.com Web: www.natpetpp.com FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 17

MATERIALS ROUNDUP OPINION:

Masterbatch in Pipe Production

Bob Thomas, Technical Director, Colloids, the Makers of Masterbatch, offers us another report on his specialist field. This issue he looks at the use of masterbatch in plastic pipe production.

Right across Europe, you couldn’t go far without finding our product underfoot.

Just think of those 3D schematics simulating infrastructure — with all the pipes below ground colour—coded for easy identification: blue for water, yellow for gas, brown for sewage and so on.

Then above the surface, there’s all the piping inside every building — even though that too is typically out of sight.

Plastic surpassed metal as the material of choice for plumbing systems in Europe back in 2005 and now already accounts for over 60% of new installations. The building and construction industry as a whole consumes more than 9.5 million tonnes of plastics — 20% of the European total — making it second only to packaging in volume.

The reasons for this growth include durability and resistance to corrosion,

Check out the image scanning microscopy above for example.

In terms of dispersion, agglomerates and particle size this is what I want to see (the largest agglomerate here is 40 m) — check ISO 18553 for more details.

And I want to see it in the lab before the masterbatch goes out the door. A product recall for plastic piping would be horrendous — for all the reasons mentioned.

Come and see us at the K Show 2013

18 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

New internal mould release additives for DICY cured epoxy resin

“

Plastic surpassed metal as the material of choice for plumbing systems in Europe back in 2005 and now already accounts for over 60% of new installations.

”

insulation, cost efficiency, minimum maintenance, sustainability, innovation and fire safety. And with this success comes great responsibility for all those involved, especially in terms of: • Safety and environment: just think of the consequences of failure in, say, a gas pipe, • hygiene and toxicity: particularly regarding potable water, • reliability: even more demanding when the contents of the pipe, including gas or aggressive, chemicals, may affect performance, • UV protection: pipe is vulnerable above ground pre — installation, • commercial: installing pipes in the ground for example is the most expensive part of the whole operation (up to 90% of the project costs) so the last thing you want to do is start digging them up before time.

Which is why getting the masterbatch right is essential, whether meeting existing formulae that have already been through lengthy and costly approvals, or formulating to introduce improvements that typically combine both performance and commercial benefits.

You need the right extruders, processes and know — how, the best technical equipment and expertise for analysis, and rigourous testing.

MoldWiz INT-1322 and INT-1329 are epoxy resin additives that can improve release of moulded DICY cured epoxy composite parts manufacture, including aerospace and other industries.

Axel Plastics Research Laboratories has launched two new internal mould release additives for DICY (dicyanamide) cured epoxy resin: MoldWiz INT-1322 and INT1329. By nature, DICY cured epoxies are among the most tenacious in their bonding properties, prompting many in the industry to search for more effective ways to release DICY epoxy, resins, compounds, prepregs and laminates.

According to Axel’s Product Manager: “In the past, many internal mould release formulations proved ineffective, often killing the cure of the DICY resin and leaving the polymer under-cured and tacky. Axel’s new proprietary formulations MoldWiz INT-1322 has been designed to have no impact on the cure kinetics of imidazole or amine accelerated DICY. For non-accelerated DICY cured epoxy resin, Axel offers INT1329, which is formulated for the higher process temperatures associated with these DICY systems. Initial evaluations of these two new internal mould release

additives indicates that they have a good pot life in resin mixes and provide good release from moulds and substrates, making these new internal mould releases equally suitable for use in epoxy resin, epoxy compounds and prepregs.”

MoldWiz INT-1322 and INT-1329 just two of the hundreds of products produced

by Axel, a 71 year old, ISO 9001 registered manufacturer of proprietary mould releases and process aid additives. All of Axel’s products are REACH compliant and formulated from raw materials that comply with major worldwide chemical regulatory lists.

Customers are served both through direct sales and by a network of 55 stocking distributors located in 46 countries around the globe.

Axel Tel: +1 718 672 8300 Email: info@axelplastics.com Web: www.axelplastics.com

MATERIALS ROUNDUP PET compound chosen for auto mirror actuators Magna Auteca, a supplier of automotive micro-actuator systems for various kinds of adjustments has chosen Arnite A, a high performance compound based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from DSM for use in its latest generation of exterior mirror adjustment units. The material is said to have outperformed several rivals in a series of qualification tests.

Magna Auteca required a replacement for PBT, which improved the durability performance for this new application.

As a result of this, the company looked at a wide range of compounds based on different thermoplastics. The validation period at Magna Auteca lasted over a year, during which time the company put the materials through a wide range of tests.

Magna Auteca, located in Weiz, Austria, has now selected Arnite AV2 370XT, a 35% glass reinforced PET specifically intended for applications with extremely narrow tolerances. The adjustment unit, code-named MR5, will first appear on the latest version of the Porsche 911.

“Arnite XT outperformed PBT, PA66, PPA and competitive PET products on every single test, due mainly to its high dimensional stability, high stiffness and strength, and excellent wear and friction properties,” said Michael Kleinhappl, Design Engineer at Magna Auteca. He added: “In addition to providing a top-quality material, DSM

also provided best-in-class support throughout the entire application development phase”.

“This is a major success for DSM and for Arnite A,” said Andreas Weinmann, Account Manager at DSM. “Magna Auteca is a trendsetter for next generation mirror adjustment units with reduced weight and improved quality.

We expect the competition will follow Magna shortly, and we are looking forward working with them too!”

DSM’s family of Arnite XT grades all offer dimensional stability due to low moisture absorption and a very low and constant coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) which is reportedly comparable to aluminum.

Arnite XT tolerates a wide range of temperatures and environmental conditions, including chemical exposure. DSM is able to produce Arnite XT to very narrow specifications (glass fibre content, for example, is specified to 35.0 +/- 1% versus a minimum 2% margin in competitive products), ensuring an unprecedented consistency from batch to batch to fulfill the demanding requirements for high performance precision parts.

DSM Tel: +31 46 477 3051 Email: mirelle.kreeft-vander@dsm.com Web: www.dsm.com

Egg incubators given the antimicrobial treatment It’s hoped that antimicrobial additives will help boost hatching rates in egg incubators.

Egg incubators create the ideal conditions for the growth of microbes and bacteria that can in turn be harmful to incubating eggs and can cause embryonic death.

To reduce this risk, manufacturer Brinsea has incorporated Biomaster antimicrobial additives into the incubator cabinets during manufacture.

Biomaster is embedded within the plastic itself preventing the growth of bacteria and helping to provide the optimum environment for hatching.

“It’s very frustrating when eggs develop but fail to hatch, often for no apparent reason. We estimate 25% of these could be due to bacterial contamination and the use of Biomaster antimicrobial additives in our plastics will help reduce this problem and lead to higher hatch rates” said Ian Pearce, Managing Director, Brinsea.

Ian continued: “Biomaster provides an

added level of protection for your eggs during incubation. From January 2013 Biomaster has been utilised as widely as technically as possible within our products — providing you with additional confidence in your hatch”.

Adding Biomaster into the Brinsea range of incubators is an attempt to combat the growth of microbes on the product. Paul Morris Managing Director of Addmaster, the company responsible for producing the Biomaster additive. “Its action against such a wide range of bacteria such as campylobacter, salmonella and legionella makes it the ideal product to provide the hygienic protection required for the incubator”.

Biomaster Tel: +44 1785 225656 Email: info@addmaster.co.uk Web: www.biomastertechnology.com

Magna Auteca’s latest generation of exterior mirror adjustment units.

Soft plasticiser-free TPUs developed for footwear applications The Lubrizol Corporation now offers Estane, a soft plasticiser-free thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for athletic footwear applications. An alternative to conventional plasticised TPUs, Lubrizol’s plasticiser-free TPUs provide an option for manufacturers sensitive to today’s more stringent environmental requirements.

Conventional soft TPUs contain a phthalate-type plasticiser that may be subject to regulation by environmental agencies.

Lubrizol’s line of plasticiser-free TPUs are said to exhibit performance attributes that include flexibility, softness, abrasion resistance and mouldability. They are available in both a polyester series (Estane T460AH, Estane T460A, Estane T465A and Estane T470A) and a polyether series

(Estane T365A and Estane T370A). The Estane soft plasticiser-free TPUs range between 60A to 77A Shore hardness and reportedly offer high transparency and UV stability when compared to TPUs with plasticisers. These products can also be used as replacements for rubber and PVC in various moulding applications.

“The footwear industry is facing significant challenges in a fast-moving competitive environment,” said Justin Park, Lubrizol’s Global Marketing Manager for footwear. “Our soft plasticiser-free portfolio is just one of the ways Lubrizol is positioning itself as a global solutions provider for the athletic footwear industry.”

Lubrizol Web: www.lubrizol.com FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 19

MATERIALS

SHOWCASE ENGINEERING PLASTICS Q&A:

Styron and the Automotive Sector

Styron is one of the largest suppliers of plastics, with a range of engineering products among its offering. One of the key markets for engineering plastics has always been the automotive sector. As the demand for lighter vehicles continues to grow, this trend is set to expand.

EPPM spoke to Dagmar van Heur, Global VP Automotive for Styron to get his views on what the future holds.

What trends are you seeing from customer demands in terms of underthe-bonnet applications using plastic?

Current emission legislation targets and the aim towards national emissions reduction targets will require turbocharged engines to run at a higher temperature in order to reduce their emission levels. I am convinced that this constant legislative pressure will be driving the use of high-performance plastics in many under-the-bonnet applications. Hence, the current trend of lowering heat resistance specifications for under-the bonnet-applications will be reversed and favour higher heat plastics (e.g. polyamide). Another solution to deal with the higher heat in the engine compartment would be to add heat barriers around the engines. In general terms, we will see that lower heat plastics will increasingly be used in front of the engine, whereas high-heat plastics will increasingly be used on top of the engine because of the specific heat requirements.

Due to increasing fuel efficiency regulations, car manufacturers are also looking closely at how new airflow management technology can help optimise aerodynamics in cars. A recent example of this kind of innovation is the airflow management system of the grille in the Ford Focus, which uses vents to control airflow through the grille to the cooling system and engine compartment. I am convinced that this type of innovation will be introduced into almost all vehicles

in the near future because of the immediate correlation between airflow, air resistance and fuel efficiency.

Styron’s intimate knowledge of designing and engineering with long glass fibre products (such as INSPIRE long glass fibre polypropylene (LGF PP) resins) will enable low weight solutions for this new requirement.

Due to the fact that growing amounts of electronics are being introduced under the bonnet, there is the trend to micronize applications to optimise space. It is becoming commonplace for car manufacturers and processors to enlist plastics manufacturers to help them develop smaller applications that exhibit the same functionality.

What are some common processing challenges faced when using engineering plastics in car parts?

Looking to the near future, processing of fibre filled products will be hugely important in the automotive processing business. Consequently, current processors are faced with new challenges, such as predicting the flow of the material which largely influences the direction of the (glass)fibres in the resultant parts and consequently its performance. Today, processors and car manufacturers collaborate closely with us because we have the expertise and capabilities to predict how to model the flow of the materials, how the fibres are oriented in the part, and last but not least, how to maximise the

An under-the-hood application that Styron recently worked on was the integrated bracket introduced on the new Ford Fusion. Styron was part of the multi-party collaboration that successfully developed the new plastic bracket which helped Ford win the 2012 SPE Automotive Innovation award for Safety. Styron’s INSPIRE long glass fibre polypropylene resin (LGF PP) contributed to absorbing the impact, consequently helping Ford to meet new US Safety regulations.

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function of the fibre in the final part.

Due to the upcoming fuel efficiency and emissions legislations, I predict that ten years from now, there will be a real market need for plastic based structural parts in automotive. The parts will be made with endless glass and/or carbon fibres to have the required structural performance. Whether thermoset or thermoplastic, these will require the development of completely new processing technologies to obtain the necessary output needed for the automotive industry. In contrast, the aircraft industry has been developing processing technologies for endless fibres for more than twenty years now, however their technologies are very slow and cannot simply be replicated for the automotive industry.

A further challenge, and one I find very commonly occurs in this business, is the challenge for car producers to educate their engineers on actively including more plastics into their design development tracks. It is fair to say, that currently, a lot of plastic products do not go into cars because of the limited inherent material knowledge of the development engineers. Overlooking plastics is a missed opportunity, and for a material company like Styron, we believe we can play an important role in educating our customers throughout the value chain (from processors, part makers to OEMS).

And how can Styron products help to overcome these?

We have an extensive product line of engineering resins ranging from polypropylene compounds and LGF PP, ABS, PC/ABS and polycarbonate resins for automotive applications. However, it is the processing capabilities of Styron’s engineering team that can overcome the above challenges and contribute to making us truly unique. Products help in developing the part, but it is our material science and characterisation knowledge, combined with design engineering and processing knowledge that helps car makers, tool makers and processors to be more comfortable with introducing medium glass fibre products in their end-products. This is a growing trend and a future challenge will be to develop structural parts with medium length fibres. One example of this already is the lift-gate of the new Renault Clio.

I forecast that the trend of using endless fibres in the automotive industry will only

Dagmar van Heur, Global VP Automotive for Styron

take central stage in five or so years, to replace the chassis part of the vehicle.

Styron will develop new products in line with these new trends.

So plastics are being used more and more in the sector now because whilst dimensional stability is getting stronger, the weight remains lighter in comparison to alternative materials.

The general consumer may feel nervous about passenger safety - is this justified?

I understand consumers’ trepidation, because obviously they are not aware of the use of plastics in structural parts of the cars and they still see steel as something synonymous to “robust.” For me, with my industry experience, I know that carbon fibre can absorb more energy than steel, but your regular consumer does not possess this knowledge. This is where we come back to the educational role of plastics companies and associations to change that mindset. Educating and evolving mindsets is important and should be an ongoing process.

Moreover, as previously alluded to, it is not only the consumers, but also car makers who sometimes feel uncomfortable with using plastics in the automotive design phase, even though extensive R&D work and reports show for instance that crumple zones can be developed as effectively with fibre reinforced plastics as with steel. What is clear, is that education must extend passed the consumer base also.

As we start a new year, I am excited BMW, a global automotive leader, will launch its first carbon fibre car mid-orend of 2013 (the tentatively titled BMWi3 model). It will be the first example of a car based on new carbon fibre technology based on endless fibre technology. It’s a huge step forward!

Lightweighting is important for the environment, but so is recyclability.

Do your grades offer good recycling credentials?

For Styron, lightweighting and recyclability can go hand in hand, the Renault Clio lift-gate, which was jointly developed by Renault and our R&D department is an example of this. For many years, the automotive industry has been looking for alternatives to steel for lift-gates. With this innovative concept, the French car manufacturer not only

MATERIALS

SHOWCASE ENGINEERING PLASTICS Portfolio re-structured for food contact

Thermoplastic lift-gate solution for the new Renault Clio. Styron contributed in the engineering phase, but also helped in the material development implementation phase to select and test the materials required to fulfill the specific requirements. contributes to weight reduction for optimal fuel efficiency, but also responds to waste management recycling guidelines promoting recyclability without disassembly. Taking into account that the base polymer of the lift-gate solution is the same, the part can be easily recycled and used in future applications. In the selection of the materials, Styron was confronted with several challenges due to the complexity of the part, consisting of three parts: The inner skin is injection moulded using a talc filled polypropylene compound from Styron and connects to the structural part.

The structural part is produced with long glass fibre polypropylene resin (LGF-PP) concentrate developed by Styron. This concentrate is diluted directly on the moulding machine with appropriate PP copolymer resin through dry-blend directly.

The outer skin is made with Styron’s INSPIRE At-Press talc masterbatch concept, which injection moulds through blending of the different components (polypropylene impact copolymer, specifically designed 70% talc masterbatch and the required color concentrate), allowing for a tailoured mechanical performance to meet the OEM specific application requirements.

Something that is often overlooked is the fact that a car should also be designed for disassembly. Styron regularly works together as a development partner, advising car manufacturers on how to design the different parts, so that they can easily be taken apart.

Even though drivers from medium and luxury cars still want the feeling of low gloss paint in their interiors, we advise car manufacturers to consider replacing surfaces in the vehicle with materials that don’t need to be painted, but come

Semi finished plastic materials used in the food industry have to comply with the requirements of the latest European Regulation (EU) no. 10/2011. This Regulation, also known as the Plastics Implementation Measure (PIM), is aimed at excluding any toxic effects which could arise as a result of interaction between food substances and plastics. Ensinger has restructured its portfolio of semi finished engineering plastic products for the food industry and performed migration testing on a multitude of its stock shapes range. In order to guarantee seamless traceability, customers are provided with an extensive data package along with their stock shapes.

The focal element of this data package is an order specific declaration of compliance as outlined by 10/2011.

To reflect the complexity of possible application conditions, the Regulation defines different test simulants, times and temperatures. Developers can use the data to derive definitive conclusions about adherence to migration values

under application conditions. This allows customers to determine at an early juncture whether a material is suitable for a specific field of application involving contact with food.

As the test results obtained by Ensinger are based on concrete standard test methods, the effort involved in compiling additional declarations of conformity is significantly reduced. This is a major benefit for users such as finished part manufacturers who produce components for use in food processing plants. All they now have to do is pass on the compliance information from their subcontractor and supplement it with their own data.

Since January, compliance certificates have been available from Ensinger for its polymers which are most commonly used in food technology applications.

Ensinger Tel: +49 70 328 190 Email: info@de.ensinger-online.com Web: www.ensinger-online.com

close to creating the same look and feel.

In bypassing the necessity of interior paint, this facilitates improved recyclability. Unsurprisingly, Styron has excellent credentials in this area with our Velvex, a reinforced elastomers portfolio for unpainted interior trim applications and MAGNUM Super Low Gloss ABS (MAGNUM 3416 SLG) that can easily be recycled, but also has similar aesthetics to a low gloss painted part. An example of this is MAGNUM SLG ABS (Super Low Gloss Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene resin) in the new Golf model where Volkswagen wanted to eliminate paint on the door handles.

Finally, is demand for more plastic automotive parts really growing as quickly as it seems? Or is the media emphasising this trend too much?

This is a very good question. From my perspective we are currently at a crossroads. Over the next two years, I don’t expect that any growth in automotive plastics will come from the car interior; rather it will come from developing under-the-bonnet or exterior plastics applications. This however, will not create exponential growth in automotive plastics short term.

Beginning 2015 however, due to the increasing emission legislation in Europe and the US on getting better miles per gallon/lower emissions, the amount of plastics part in vehicles will increase considerably because these ambitious targets can only be achieved by producing lighter cars with plastics, (already, improvements in the engine design to reduce weight have amply been examined).

Styron Web: www.styron.com

FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 21

MATERIALS

SHOWCASE ENGINEERING PLASTICS Range of polyamide compounds expanded With the cross-linkable CompaDur PBT compounds, DimeLika Plast of Germany has commercialised a range of applications with several customers.

The expansion of the product range with cross-linkable polyamides was a logical progression, according to the group.

“By cross-linking plastics, plastic components, that is, we are able to improve the material properties of less costly plastics in the melt, so that they can replace metals, metal alloys and high-performance plastics, which are costly and often difficult to process. By replacing high-performance plastics such as LCP, PPS and PPA, we can generally save five euros per Kilogram and more,” said Hans-Dieter Voss, Managing Director of DimeLika Plast.

The basic effect of beta irradiation can be explained as follows, using polyamide (PA) as an example: polyamides are linear polymers with amide bonds which repeat regularly along the main chain. Precisely metered beta irradiation breaks up the macromolecules in the polymer into radicals and cross-links them into new molecules.

The irradiation causes chemical changes to occur. Excitation of the molecules subjects the chemical bonds in the macromolecules to homolytic cleavage. Free radicals are formed when the bonds are broken.

The key mechanisms of the change are chain cleavages occurring as random cleavages of bonds. Chain branches, the early stages of cross-linking, form a 3D network in the subsequent crosslinkage. The precursor of every crosslinkage is an increase in molar mass due to this branching.

Moisture has a positive effect on crosslinking in the PA. Increases in moisture content in turn increase the motility of the amorphous areas, leading to a decrease in the glass transition temperature.

Irradiation improves mechanical properties in reinforced plastics (such as with glass fibres). This is not based on the cross-linkage of the matrix material, however. It can also be attributed to improved fibre/matrix adhesion.

The result of radiation cross-linking is a material with a significantly higher cross-linkage density which is comparable to thermosets or highperformance plastics in terms of its mechanical, thermal and chemical properties. Originally a thermoplastic polymer, the material can now withstand significantly higher temperatures of up to 350°C. It has an extremely high heat distortion temperature and excellent electrical and mechanical properties.

PA compounds must contain a special additive package in order to be crosslinked. CompaMid PA 6 and PA 6.6 contain a specially developed crosslinking additive package which is incorporated during the compounding stage. The processor thus receives finished pellets which can be added directly to the shaping process. No mould changes or modifications are required, and the additive package does not affect the cooling and shrinkage behaviour of the compound.

“In the logistics chain (see figure 1), cross-linking is the last step after the shaping process (injection moulding, extrusion, blow-moulding), before the component is transported to the end user. Today, thousands of tonnes of finished and semi-finished plastic parts are upgraded by radiation crosslinking. The irradiation facilities existing today make it possible to perform the irradiation process in a matter of seconds. With short process times and professional logistics partners, this logistics chain will soon become a daily routine. Large international companies in the electrical and electronics industry have been using

Figure 1

The expanded range of PBT compounds is a suitable choice for under the bonnet applications. radiation cross-linking of plastics to their advantage for years,” explained Liborius Flöper, of DimeLika Plast GmbH.

DimeLika Plast GmbH Tel: +49 6202 409 72-63 Email: d.voss@dimelikaplast.de Web: www.dimelikaplast.de

panels, Renault can continue to raise the bar in automotive innovation.”

SABIC provided a wide range of technical services, including defining and validating the moulding conditions, using predictive tools to optimise the fender design and processes, testing application requirements such as impact and dimensional stability, and supporting production processes including online painting and assembly.

Renault has designed more vehicles with fenders moulded from NORYL GTX resins than any other automaker.

Models include the Twingo, Clio, Kangoo, Scenic, Megane, Laguna, Espace, Wind and Modus. The automaker began development of

plastic fenders in 1985 and launched its first in 1989 on the Clio 16S. Building on its recent success with PIR material, Renault is collaborating with SABIC to develop a closed loop system in which the OEM will harvest the thermoplastic material of fenders from end-of-life vehicles for the production of fenders for new cars.

The aim is for Renault to use a postconsumer recycled grade of NORYL GTX resin, a material already in the validation stage, for select vehicles.

Automotive OEM opts for recycled resins for car fenders SABIC’s Innovative Plastics business has announced that Renault has adopted a new post-industrial recycled (PIR) grade of NORYL GTX resin as part of its ongoing drive to comply with the European Union’s end-of-life vehicle (ELV) requirements. The OEM adopted the new SABIC material for the fenders of its 2013 Clio IV and will expand the resin’s use to the upcoming ZOE electric vehicle. The fenders are said to offer up to 47% lower greenhouse gas emissions over the lifecycle of the fender when compared to steel.

Renault started a project in 2010 to review technical solutions to meet the requirements in Directive 2000/53/EC on the elimination of end-of-life

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vehicles. The project, known as ICARRE, which stands for Innovative CAR REcycling +95%, is targeting a 95% recovery rate for ELV materials.

“Renault’s vision and innovation have played a leading role in the mainstream adoption of plastic fenders to achieve key automotive industry goals of enhanced sustainability and design freedom,” said Leon Jacobs, Automotive leader, Europe, Innovative Plastics. “The company’s use of NORYL GTX resin over 25 years has conclusively demonstrated that lightweight thermoplastic body panels made from the product are a viable, proven, production-capable solution.

Now, with next-generation SABIC materials that use recycled body

SABIC Innovative Plastics Tel: +1 248 926 4219 Email: david.cameron@sabic-ip.com Web: www.sabic-ip.com

MATERIALS

SHOWCASE ENGINEERING PLASTICS High temp polyamide developed for blow moulded ducts DSM, the creator of “Diablo” technology, has launched Stanyl Diablo OCD 2305 BM, a heat stabilised blow moulding grade of Stanyl polyamide 4.6, developed specifically for hot charge air ducts.

DSM claims it is the first high temperature polyamide suitable for processing by extrusion-blow moulding and with a significant cost benefit compared to PPS, thanks to its lower weight and scrap rate.

The group says it is a more costeffective alternative to metal and PPS (polyphenylene sulfide) and for thermoplastic hot charge air ducts and capable of resisting continuous temperatures of up to 230°C. The lower density of Stanyl OCD 2305 BM reduces part weight by 7% compared to PPS. Better wall thickness distribution can potentially reduce weight by over 10%.

The product was developed for the automotive market, where new EU legislation has set stringent emission reduction targets for 2015. This has led to a trend in smaller vehicles with downsized engines. Creating these smaller engines requires new part designs. However, air ducts, either in metal or injection moulded in plastic, do not offer the design flexibility needed to fit complex under-the-hood geometries. This means that a better solution is to have hot charge air ducts manufactured using blow moulding techniques. The first company to deliver serial ducts from Stanyl Diablo OCD2305 BM is ETM. ETM looked for an alternative blow moulding material to produce hot charge air ducts for Volkswagen.

Speaking on behalf of ETM, Mr. Klockow, General Technology Manager, said: “ETM sets out to meet the needs of its customers both for today and tomorrow. The new DSM material is clearly designed to address the challenges faced by the automotive industry. We are happy to be the company which brings to market the first blow molded ducts made in Stanyl Diablo OCD 2305 BM, approved by Volkswagen.”

With its Stanyl Diablo OCD 2100 and OCD 2300 injection moulding grades of polyamide 4.6, DSM has developed a range of polyamides with high resistance to long term heat aging.

The company’s Turbo System Team has built up considerable experience in air management applications over many years. “With this new grade, we are completing the portfolio for air management solutions.” said Kurt Maschke, Global Segment Manager, Turbo System. “We now offer solutions for all temperatures required, with both injection moulding and blow moulding grades.”

According to Kurt Maschke, ducts in Stanyl Diablo OCD 2305 BM are able

to withstand temperatures of up to 230°C, according to different OEM requirements: “Because Stanyl Diablo is less dense than PPS, and because processors using Stanyl Diablo have

better control over wall thickness distribution compared to PPS, it is possible to make parts in Stanyl Diablo OCD 2305 BM that weigh 10% less than PPS equivalents.

DSM Engineering Plastics Tel: +31 46 477 3051 Email: mirelle.kreeft-vander@dsm.com Web: www.dsm.com

FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 23

APPLICATIONS FOCUS HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

Design student puts plastic in the closet

Major chemistry group offers clear PC grades for furniture Bayer MaterialScience has developed and launched two new products based on polycarbonate that meet the DIN 4102 Class B and UNI 9177 Class 1 standards, which are especially important for furniture applications to be used in public buildings. The group says there is increasing demand from the

Bayer says it has noticed growing demand for transparent, flame-retardant materials for furniture.

furniture industry for transparent materials that are flame-retardant.

Makrolon FU1007 (the abbreviation FU stands for furniture) is said to have good flow properties, making it suitable for more customised designs. Makrolon FU4007 was formulated specifically for higher mechanical loads. Both grades include UV protection and are easy to process and colour.

“We developed both products at the request of furniture manufacturers with particular requirements for flame retardance due to use in public buildings,” said Matthias Rothe, Polycarbonate Marketing at Bayer MaterialScience. “This makes us the only supplier in this high-end market and rounds out our previous range of transparent plastics for the furniture industry.” Upon request, the company also supports customers with the design and trial production for such furniture applications.

Bayer MaterialScience Web: www.materialscience.bayer.com

The new range is particularly suited to furniture applications to be used in public buildings.

Tech devices get a little of that human touch A world-leading manufacturer of consumer electronics has chosen a new thermoplastic copolyester from DSM to create an almost skin-like feeling to the soft touch surfaces of electronic devices, like notebooks and tablets.

Applied to the surface using a 2K molding technique, to enable cost efficient mass production, Arnitel Eco is said to represent the first use in consumer electronics of this material.

DSM states Arnitel Eco is a high performance thermoplastic copolyester

(TPC) with 20 - 50 percent of its content derived from renewable resources.

These renewable resources are made from rapeseed oil. Arnitel Eco reportedly delivers a carbon footprint reduction of up to 50 percent when compared to classic copolyester solutions, thus supporting the need of brand owners for more sustainable material solutions.

Francis Aussems, Project Manager of Bio-Polyesters for DSM, said: “In consumer electronics, there is a growing awareness of more sustainable material

solutions. DSM is at the forefront with the development of halogen free materials for cables and connectors, the introduction of recycled materials, and, last but not least, the introduction of biobased polymers like Arnitel Eco and Ecopaxx.”

DSM Tel: +31 46 477 3051 Email: mirelle.kreeft-vander@dsm.com Web: www.dsm.com

Last year’s Design Innovation in Plastics competition was won by Jamie Mansfield, a second year student of furniture and product design at Nottingham Trent University. Jamie won with his collapsible flat-pack clothes hanger, which earned him a placement with one of the world’s leading polymer producers, Bayer MaterialScience, at its headquarters in Leverkusen, Germany.

By developing a unique, integral mechanism, Jamie designed a plastics coat hanger with flexible arms that collapse and spring back, allowing the user to attach clothing via the neck without having to take the hanger from the rail or undo buttons.

One of the seven judges, Robin Kent, Managing Director of Tangram Technology, said: “I have never seen this mechanism before in any form - let alone a coat hanger. It works well because it offers a strong initial resistance to movement, but once the ‘break’ has been made, it is then quite flexible. It’s a good mechanism with other potential uses, particularly in safety applications where you need something to resist movement but also be very flexible.”

This year, the competition’s organisers have announced a theme of ‘Saving Lives: Design for Disaster’, wherein candidates should submit designs which could help alleviate the suffering of disaster victims. Preliminary judging will take place on Tuesday 12th March 2013.

Design Innovation in Plastics Web: www.designinnovationplastics.org

German closure design “enhances health properties” The patented “Gizmo” closure and delivery system, which is manufactured

by RPC Bramlage-Wiko, has been selected for a new range of natural drinks.

Tea of a Kind, available in Peach Ginger Black Tea, Citrus Mint Green Tea, and Pomegranate Acai White Tea is a 100% natural drink, which contains 20 calories per 16 ounce bottle and is loaded with antioxidants. A key requirement for the packaging was to preserve the natural essence of the teas until the consumer chooses to drink them.

The Gizmo closure provides a pressurised bottle cap where all the ingredients are contained and only released when the cap is opened. This means the ingredients are mixed at the point of consumption to provide a much fresher drink than any pre-mixed variety 24 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

as well as an eye-catching colour change that enhances the opening experience.

For Tea of a Kind, the Gizmo closure chamber provides protection for the natural flavours, real brewed tea and powerful antioxidants without the use of chemical preservatives. In addition, the chamber defends the ingredients against UV light, oxidation and other damaging conditions that can degrade the nutrients and which most bottled beverages confront in the warehouse, on the delivery truck and on the store shelf.

As the cap is twisted, the ingredients burst into the bottle and self-mix, creating at the same time a colour change that provides visual confirmation that the drink is fresh and ready to consume.

The Gizmo system comprises a miniature pressurised injection moulded chamber which operates in combination with various Gizmo closure designs. The chamber is tailored to hold the precise required volume of colours, flavours, vitamins, minerals, herbs or concentrates.

Tea of Kind marks the first application of the Gizmo technology by Gizmo Beverages, run by the duo of Founder & CEO, Don Park, and Co-Founder & President, Walter Apodaca.

Apodaca compared Gizmo to the revolutionary impact the aluminium can had on the beverage industry. “I’m a part of something that transcends technology and our generation,” he explained. “We feel proud to have brought great tasting, healthy, all natural, preservative-free options to the market.”

RPC Bramlage GmbH Tel: +49 4442 881 200 Email: sales@rpc-bramlage.de Web: www.rpc-bramlage.de

INDUSTRY NEWS & EVENTS

Growing interest boosts foam moulding seminars for 2013 At the end of November 2012, 130 representatives from various plastic processing firms visited the Engel Austria technology centre in Schwertberg to learn about the possibilities of MuCell foam injection moulding. The seminar – arranged by Engel together with Trexel and other partners – attracted a full house. As a result, Engel has recently confirmed that it will hold the event again for 2013.

“The fact that physical foaming is becoming hugely more important is clear from the steadily rising numbers of people attending the MuCell seminars”, said Michael Fischer, Sales Manager

Full house in Schwertberg: demand is high for Engel’s MuCell seminars.

(Technologies) at Engel Austria. Two factors in particular are driving growth: the gathering trend towards lightweight construction and the low distortion of products manufactured under the MuCell process. Moreover, it is becoming easier all the time for plastics processing firms to implement the technology. Engel supplies complete, ready-to-use MuCell manufacturing cells.

The company imports MuCell systems from Trexel, performs integration with injection moulding technology for control and safety purposes and offers application-specific consulting.

The event in late November focused on the manufacture of highly polished components for automobile interiors, the simulation of foamed structural components (using dashboard carriers as an example) and the costeffectiveness of MuCell processes.

Innovation Engineer Emmanuel Hallauer and Dominique Manceau, R&D Manager at Plastiques du Val de Loire, reported on their practical experiences; other speakers were from Borealis, Wobbe Bürkle Partner, Digimat, Trexel and Engel.

Thin or thick injection, no sink marks,

Major polymer distributor enters Nordic countries ffective from January 1st 2013 Biesterfeld Nordic AB, a 50/50 joint venture between the Swedish based family-owned Fred Holmberg & Co AB and Biesterfeld Plastic GmbH will start its activities from its central Nordic head office in Malmö, Sweden.

Biesterfeld Plastic, currently holding the leading position in panEuropean distribution of standard and engineering polymers and elastomers, came to an agreement with fast-growing Fred Holmberg & Co AB which has developed in recent years to the leading position in chemical and polymer distribution in the Nordics with local sales offices in all Nordic countries.

“We believe that now is the right time to establish Biesterfeld’s presence in the Nordics in partnership with a strong local player. We expect further consolidation in the Nordic region and we think we have now found the right partner to carry this out together”, said Carsten Harms, Managing Director of Biesterfeld Plastic GmbH. Fred Holmberg, appointed Verställende Direktör of newly

E

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established Biesterfeld Nordic AB and family share owner of Fred Holmberg & CO AB commented: “We are delighted to start this partnership with the market leader in Polymer distribution. Our views, values, principles and business objectives being privately owned companies are aligned and I am sure this venture will bring highest technical skills and service both to the markets and our common principals here in the Nordic region.”

Biesterfeld Plastic GmbH, a 100% subsidiary company of Biesterfeld AG, is a leading distributor in the European plastics industry with long-standing sales partnerships in a total of 42 countries.

Fred Holmberg & Co AB in common with Biesterfeld AG is a 100% familyowned chemical and plastic distributor in the Nordic region. The company holds a leading position in the Nordic region.

Biesterfeld Nordic AB Tel: +46 40 6012890 Email: f.holmberg@biesterfeld.com Web: www.biesterfeld-plastic.se

MuCell foam injection moulding technology will be discussed in detail at the 2013 events. high dimensional stability and improved rheological properties – the presentations illustrated how MuCell overcomes the limitations of compact injection moulding and opens up new design vistas. The MuCell process also facilitates the dimensioning of thin component areas, while wall thicknesses of 1mm are no longer possible in conventional injection moulding. In addition, the sample products on display clearly showed how MuCell can be used to cut component weight by as much as 20% while significantly reducing carbon footprints.

“The automobile sector is still a focus for our applications”, said Fischer.

“However, we’re noticing that more and

more sectors are recognising the potential of MuCell technology and exploiting the advantages. In 2013 we expect new medical engineering applications to emerge, for instance.”

Next year’s MuCell seminars will take place on 4th-5th June and 27th-28th November 2013; for both occasions, the events will start at 1pm on the first day and conclude at noon on the second day. The venue will be the technology centre of Engel Austria in the town of Schwertberg.

Engel Tel: +43 50 620 0 Email: training.austria@engel.at Web: www.engel.at

Call for evidence on the use of cadmium in plastics ollowing a request from the European Commission, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is examining the case for expanding the restriction on cadmium in plastics from the current 16 specific plastic materials listed in Annex XVII of REACH to all plastic materials. ECHA is asking for evidence to help identify the impact of this potential expansion.

Anyone who could be affected by a widening of this restriction, or who holds information on relevant uses of cadmium and its compounds in plastics, or on possible alternatives, is invited to submit comments via an online questionnaire available on the ECHA website. In particular, the Agency seeks to identify any additional plastic materials – made in the EU or imported, for example, in consumer articles, and not covered by the current restriction – which might contain cadmium or cadmium compounds.

The call for evidence provides an opportunity for interested parties to express their views at this early stage in the restriction process. This information will assist ECHA’s development of an Annex XV

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restriction dossier on the expansion of the restrictions on cadmium in plastics. The call for evidence does not replace the public consultation on restriction proposals prepared by ECHA, which forms a standard part of the restriction process and will take place later.

European Chemicals Agency Tel: +358 9 686180 Email: press@echa.europa.eu Web: www.echa.europa.eu

INDUSTRY NEWS & EVENTS ROUNDUP Global automotive group sponsors plastics suppliers to speak at VDI Technical plastics recycling and compounding company Luxus and plastics additive manufacturer Milliken have been sponsored by the RenaultNissan alliance to speak at the next international VDI conference, ‘Plastics in Automotive Engineering’, 13-14th March 2013, Mannheim, Germany.

Sharing the stage at VDI will be Terry Burton, Technical Manager, Luxus, Adam Watson, Business Development Manager, Milliken and Mark Ellis, Manager Engineer Materials Design, Renault-Nissan. They will be discussing product trials of Luxus’ next evolution in polymer development – a new highly sustainable material for auto car interiors known as Hycolene.

This new lightweight polypropylene compound will enable OEMs to significantly lower the weight of the average car, reduce CO2, deliver improved fuel economy and help meet EU emissions targets. Developed to replace standard talc-filled grades for car interior components, it offers a reduced filler content of just 10% down from a typical 25%.

Hycolene will enable much lower weight vehicle components to be manufactured, without compromising on performance and design flexibility. But most importantly, it’s made from up to a high 60% recycled content so its offers manufacturers a highly sustainable choice too.

Renault-Nissan’s, Mark Ellis explained: “Both Luxus’ technical capabilities and

New global directory service launched for plastics industry apid News Communications, the publisher of British Plastics and Rubber, European Plastic Product Manufacturer, Medical Plastics News and Middle Eastern Plastics, and the organiser of the Interplas and Mediplas UK events, has launched a new directory platform which will serve the global plastic processing sector.

Plastrep.com is designed to play host to companies at every end of the supply chain, including producers of raw materials, manufacturers of machinery and equipment for every major process, as well as distributors and agents, consultant services and event organisers.

The site is designed for quick and simple sourcing of a local product or supplier - wherever the user may be based. An integrated Google Maps feature gives a clear overview of regional clusters of activity surrounding the various manufacturing processes. The site also offers genuine user interaction, with the opportunity to leave feedback, reviews and ‘starred’ ratings, based on experiences with specific suppliers.

A simple contact form system allows direct communication with the supplier. The site’s developers believe that it will grow to be one of the most efficient resources for fast, reliable

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Terry Burton, Technical Manager, Luxus in the Technical Centre. its desire to push the boundaries of Polypropylene applications above and beyond that of virgin material by using a high recyclate is a major achievement and one that Renault-Nissan is keen to support.”

Luxus’, Terry Burton also commented: “We are very pleased to have been asked by the Renault-Nissan alliance to showcase our development work with Milliken at this key event in the automotive calendar.

“For the last ten years our thermoplastic materials have been revolutionising auto interior design worldwide. But it has never before been more important than it is today to develop sustainable materials for car interiors that can deliver a competitive advantage for OEMs in what is a highly sophisticated and rapidly changing market.

VDI Wissensforum Tel: +49 211 6214-201 Email: wissensforum@vdi.de Web: www.vdi.wissensforum.de

Powered by

Plastrep.com is an all-new sourcing tool for processors everywhere. sourcing. To give more detail on their product range, suppliers can even host their own literature on the site.

Pooling the readerships of the aforementioned titles, plastrep.com opens the door to a genuinely global audience for suppliers and their partner offices around the world. Basic listings are free of charge for all suppliers to the plastic processing industry.

Plastrep.com Tel: +44 1244 680222 Email: david.g@rapidnews.com Web: www.plastrep.com

FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 27

INDUSTRY NEWS & EVENTS ROUNDUP 2013 printing conference programme announced ESMA has announced a packed programme of technical presentations to be delivered during the Advanced Functional & Industrial Printing 2013 conference to take place in Düsseldorf, Germany on 6-7 March 2013.

Industry experts and keynote speakers will offer printers, OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers over 20 presentations covering the best practices, as well as offering an invaluable insight into the latest technologies available. Applications to be covered include automotive, film insert moulding, nameplate, fascia, printed electronics, circuit, label and solar cell technologies.

Advanced Functional & Industrial Printing 2013 will take place at the Radisson Blu Scandinavia hotel and the conference

programme will be presented in dual English and German. The programme will be supported by regular intervals dedicated to an accompanying tabletop exhibition of leading manufacturers of machinery and consumables.

With space limited because of the hotel venue, delegates can register now at www.AFIP2013.org for only €595, including access to all presentations, exhibition displays, refreshments, lunch and dinner. Further discounts are available for multiple delegate bookings and ESMA members.

Advanced Functional & Industrial Printing 2013 follows on from the 2011 event which incorporated the Membrane Switch Symposium and was reportedly deemed an outstanding success by an

international audience of over 140 attendees from 19 different countries. In feedback, 100% of attendees stated that the conference programme was good or very good, and 98% said the 20 presentations would be useful to their business.

In addition to Advanced Functional & Industrial The 2011 event attracted 140 attendees from 19 different Printing events, ESMA countries. has a staged other AFIP 2013 successful educational conferences and Tel: + 32 16 894 353 exhibitions such as the Membrane Email: info@esma.com Switch Symposium, GlassPrint and CTS Web: www.afip2013.org & Digital Work Flow.

Conference programme (subject to change): Time

Presentation

10:00:00 AM 11:00:00 11:15:00 11:45:00 12:15:00

18:00:00 19:00:00

Arrival, registration and table top exhibition Introduction and welcome Functional printing using screen or digital printing Inkjet for Industrial applications - scope and limitations Agfa’s conductive polymer & metallic new inks for functional printing.

Lunch and table top exhibition Business case - Real innovation by Natgraph UV-curable digital Inks for the IMD process Functional pressure sensitive adhesives Coffee and table top exhibition Photonic sintering of printed conductive structures for OLED & OPV applications Computer to screen technology – the future in screen production Inks for touch panel decoration Screen printing mesh for industrial precision fundamentals for success Table top exhibition Networking dinner

21:00:00

Close

Time

Presentation

8:30:00 9:00:00 9:30:00 10:00:00 10:30:00

13:00:00 14:00:00 14:30:00 15:00:00 15:30:00 15:45:00

Table top exhibition Volume printing of multilayer products Material developments in film insert moulding (FIM / IMD) Conductive inks Dual-cure lacquers as protective coating for film insert molding applications Coffee and table top exhibition Computer to screen latest generation much more than replacing films Clevios conductive polymers for printed electronic applications High speed flatbed violet and UV imaging technologies, and its applications Lunch and table top exhibition Sintering and applications of copper conductive inks Printed EL circuits and antennas Printed humidity sensor circuit with inkjet and aerosol jet printing Sum Up Table tops

17:00:00

Close

12:45:00 14:00:00 14:30:00 15:00:00 15:30:00 16:00:00 16:30:00 17:00:00 17:30:00

11:00:00 11:30:00 12:00:00 12:30:00

Presenter

6 March 2013 (Day One)

Peter Buttiens, ESMA Prof G Hubner, HDM Stuttgart Christian Gasser, Durst Olivier Decroly, AGFA Alan Shaw, Natgraph Marabu (speaker to be confirmed) Günter Perner, KIWO, Kissel + Wolf

Rob Hendriks, TNO Holst Andreas Ferndriger, SignTronic Frederic Blancher, Encres Dubuit Alexander Seitz, Sefar

Presenter

7 March 2013 (Day Two)

Prof T Claypole, Swansea University David Parker, MacDermid Autotype Ryan Banfield, Conductive Compounds/PrintColor Dr Hans-Peter Erfurt & Stefan Zaeh, Pröll

Alessandro Scolari, G4 Automation Dr Detlef Gaiser, Heraeus Bart Wattyn, Xeikon Paul Reip, Intrinsiq Steve Jones from PEL & Peter Dyreklev from ACREO Patrick Cosemans from Sirris and Qiang Chen from KTH Peter Buttiens, ESMA

Exhibitor list includes: AGFA, Asada Mesh, Durst, Encres Dubuit, Fimor, G4 Automation, Grünig-Interscreen, Heraeus, Hönle, Intrinsiq, KIWO / Kissel + Wolf, MacDermid Autotype, Marabu, Natgraph, PEL, Printcolor, Pröll, SEFAR, SignTronic, Sun Chemical and Xeikon.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL & INDUSTRIAL PRINTING 2013 – CONFERENCE PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED ESMA has announced a packed programme of technical presentations to be delivered during the Advanced Functional & Industrial Printing 2013 conference to take place in Düsseldorf, Germany on 6-7 March 2013.

Industry experts and keynote speakers will offer printers, OEMS and Tier 1 suppliers over 20 presentations covering the best practices, as well as offering an invaluable insight into the latest technologies available. Applications to be covered include automotive, film insert moulding, nameplate, fascia, printed electronics, circuit, label and solar cell technologies.

Advanced Functional & Industrial Printing 2013 will take place at the easily accessible Radisson Blu Scandinavia hotel and the conference programme will be presented in dual English and German. The programme will be supported by regular intervals dedicated to an accompanying tabletop exhibition of leading manufacturers of machinery and consumables.

28 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

INDUSTRY NEWS & EVENTS ROUNDUP Packaging group to hold European plastic training seminars Plastic Technologies, Inc. (PTI), a global specialist in PET and other plastic-based packaging development has announced its 2013 training seminar series.

“PTI has a long history of helping companies successfully commercialise new packaging for well-known global brands. Our annual training seminars enable us to deliver the knowledge our professionals have amassed over the past 25 years to a broader audience,” said Ron Puvak, Director of Business Development and Marketing, PTI. Classes will be taught at PTI’s U.S. corporate headquarters in Holland, Ohio, as well as its European location in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland. Subjects, dates and locations are: PET Technologies and Applications

Plastic Packaging for Sensitive Beverages

March 11-12 (Switzerland) April 2-4 (Ohio) June 18-20 (Ohio) September 10-12 (Ohio) November 19-21 (Switzerland) December 3-5 (Ohio)

May 14-16 (Ohio) September 3-5 (Switzerland)

Additionally, the March and November Switzerland dates will also have separate oneday add-on training modules for PET barrier materials and PET recycling.

The three-day PET Technologies and Applications training program will include instruction on material/resin properties, material handling and drying, injection and blow molding basics, package development fundamentals, heat-set technologies, quality assurance and testing, and the latest recycling information. This training targets those professionals seeking fundamental PET knowledge, or those who would benefit from a refresher course.

The two-day Plastic Packaging for Sensitive Beverages training module will include the latest technical information on PET, as well as polyproplylene, bioplastics and other materials that are suited for these applications. Also included in this module will be the basics of non-carbonated packages, sensitive beverage packaging material compatibility and associated filling technologies, including aseptic. (A recommended prerequisite for this course is a basic knowledge of PET, including properties and processing. This is covered in the PET Technologies and Applications training.)

PTI-Europe SARL Tel: +41 24 423 9530 Web: www.pti-europe.com/training

German plastics sector weakens in 2012; capital spending remains strong s expected by many in mid2012, the plastics economy in German-speaking Europe could not escape the cooling trend across much of Europe and Asia in the second half of the year. Only 20% of companies participating in the semi-annual “KI Dialog” readership survey of PIE’s German-language sister publication Kunststoff Information, reported that business in the second half was better than in the first, while 43% said it was worse.

Despite this, the industry’s expectations for the first half of 2013 are positive. The economic indicators appear to be pointing upward again.

This is all the more surprising considering the fact that business was already on a relatively high plateau, that was reached with surprising speed after the severe recession of 2008-2009. That said, polymer prices are still pointing upwards, despite sinking demand.

Some 56% of the 536 KI readers returning the newsletter’s questionnaire were plastics converters, with producers and distributors/traders accounting for 9% and 11% respectively. Machinery manufacturers, manufacturers of semi-finished products, users and recyclers accounted for 5% each.

Around a quarter of the companies

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had more than 500 employees, 30% had a headcount of 101-500 and another 30% counted 21-100 workers. Small firms with under 20 employees represented 10-15%. The largest companies, led by polymer and machinery producers, were the most export-oriented but, on the whole, two-thirds of the poll’s participants exported less than half of production.

Altogether, domestic business was stronger than the export trade for the companies responding. Around 44% said exports had weakened, while only 36% said the same of domestic sales. By contrast, about 23% said both domestic and export business had improved. Among multinational companies, the picture was mostly evenly divided.

Looking ahead, some 31% of the KI readers believe export momentum will increase in the first half of this year against last year’s second half, with only 19% expecting a weakening. Some 27% indicated that domestic sales were likely to pick up, with 20% saying the sales balance would deteriorate.

Kunststoff Information Tel: +49 6172 96060 Email: info@pieweb.com Web: www.pieweb.com

FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 29

INDUSTRY NEWS & EVENTS ROUNDUP UK retailer partners with recycler for closed loop strategy he John Lewis Partnership, a major UK retail firm, has committed to developing a ‘closed loop’ waste plastics strategy through a new contract with recycler Centriforce Products.

The new arrangement will guarantee that thousands of tonnes of plastics waste from the retailer’s Waitrose and John Lewis stores are recycled into useable products by Centriforce, a UK independent plastics recycler.

The new contract is part of the John Lewis Partnership’s strategy to streamline its waste contractors and keep complete control and responsibility for its waste flows, ensuring as much as possible is recycled.

The retailer is also exploring opportunities to reuse Centriforce products such as plastic planks and sheeting in its new store construction programme to achieve a true ‘closed loop’ in its plastics waste stream.

Centriforce will collect more than 3,000 tonnes of plastics waste from John Lewis and Waitrose distribution centres across the UK annually and bring the waste to its Liverpool manufacturing centre.

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The retailer uses recycled plastic furniture made by Centriforce outside most of its stores.

“We want to be completely transparent in our approach to waste management and ensure that as much as possible is recycled and then reused in our own businesses,” said Mike Walters, Recycling and Waste Operations Manager for the John Lewis Partnership. “We are committed to keeping ownership of our waste all the way to its final destination, rather than selling it to the highest bidder, or losing control over what happens to it.

Centriforce has capacity to recycle more than 20,000 tonnes of plastics waste a year to produce plastic sheets, boards and profiles. These offer a durable alternative to wood and traditional materials and could find a wide range of uses in store.

Mike continued: “We are working with Centriforce’s innovations team to explore ways in which we can reuse more recycled plastic products in our stores in future, especially for new store construction. We already have recycled plastic furniture made by Centriforce outside most of our Waitrose and John Lewis stores.

Centriforce planks and posts were also used recently in an employee-led project to build a boardwork through historic woodland close to our Bracknell headquarters.”

All waste plastics from John Lewis and Waitrose stores - from warehouse packaging and pallet films to used Waitrose ‘Bags for Life’- are transported to central distribution centres by returning delivery vehicles.

“We have had a policy of backhauling our waste through the space available in empty vehicles for a number of years. It provides the perfect starting

point for recycling,” added Mike. “We have declared our aspiration to achieve zero waste to landfill with a diversion target of 95% by the end of 2013. Plastics waste plays an important role in that, but even more exciting is the possibility that it can be recycled into products we can use again.”

Centriforce has been working with the John Lewis Partnership to recycle a proportion of its waste for more than five years. However, in the new contract Centriforce will reprocess all of the John Lewis Partnership’s soft plastics. The contract follows Centriforce’s recent investment in its own mixed plastics sorting line, a facility vital to guarantee the processing capacity needed by the John Lewis Partnership.

“The John Lewis Partnership is taking

Plastics supplier picks ‘prize-winning’ engineering thesis Quadrant, a global player in the manufacture of high-performance thermoplastics and composites, presented its international Quadrant Award for the fifth time on January 25th 2013. Submission was available to graduates who have written a doctoral thesis in the field of materials and processes related to engineering and high-performance plastics and composites. Of the four prizewinners, the Japanese researcher Dr. Nobuhiro Yanai won the first prize of €15 000. Dr. Yanai wrote his thesis at Kyoto University, Japan and is now an Assistant Professor at Kyushu University, Japan.

The event took place at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland.

The academic jury awarded the first prize to Nobuhiro Yanai for his thesis entitled “Controlling Polymer Properties in Coordination Nanospaces” for his development of elegant strategies utilising metal organic frameworks to template polymeric systems and tailor their properties at the nanoscale.

Formation of polymers in controlled pore geometries leads to control of many properties, such as transition temperatures in quasi-one dimensional arrays and two dimensional template geometries. Yanai tackled these problems with a creative combination of 30 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

a visionary approach to its plastics waste management which is an example of good practice not only for other retailers, but for any businesses with multiple outlets or sites nationwide,” said Centriforce’s Managing Director Simon Carroll.

“By working with Centriforce, the John Lewis Partnership can ensure it avoids landfill costs and makes an income from its waste arisings.

Furthermore, it is pioneering closed loop arrangements which provide the perfect demonstration of total waste ownership as well as underpinning the company’s sustainable corporate responsibility.”

Centriforce Products Ltd Tel: +44 151 207 8100 Email: sales@centriforce.co.uk Web: www.centriforce.com

Supplier announces PA6 price increases

s a result of unprecedented and continuing increases in the costs of its raw materials, DSM Engineering Plastics is required to increase prices for its Akulon PA6 polymers and compounds in Europe. It will also increase prices for Akulon PA6 compounds in North America.

Effective 1 February 2013, DSM will increase prices by €200 per tonne in Europe.

While DSM Engineering Plastics continues to pursue and implement cost savings initiatives targeted at absorbing the impact of the raw material escalations, this additional increase is necessary to ensure DSM Engineering Plastics’ sustainable long-term growth.

A

The winners of the Quadrant Award 2013; Dr. Nobuhiro Yanai (1st prize) is second on the left. experimental and modeling approaches.

Applications include tailored anisotropic conductivity, tailored ion-conductive polymers, and fluorescence switching by gas absorption. His contributions to fundamental science include a better understanding of pore size effects, and the origin of transition behavior due to guest-guest and guest-host interactions.

The award presented was designed by the internationally distinguished Swiss artist Beat Zoderer. The design of the artist’s multiple is based on the artist’s idea that thermoplastics can be worked in the liquid state. Liquid plastic dripping

onto an object such as paper or a panel forms drops of different sizes, which also resemble the emergence of innovative ideas in the form of drops of imagination. Beat Zoderer has translated this idea into a relief landscape of circles. The base material used was a sheet of Ertacetal C blue 50 plastic produced at Quadrant’s plant in Tielt, Belgium.

Quadrant Tel: +41 44 213 66 66 Email: award@qplas.com Web: www.qplas.com

DSM Tel: +31 46 477 3051 Email: mirelle.kreeft-vander@dsm.com Web: www.dsm.com

INDUSTRY NEWS & EVENTS ROUNDUP Full house for French composites show JEC Europe – Composites Show & Conferences, taking from 12th-14th March 2013, at the Paris Porte de Versailles has reportedly sold out of space, according to the organisers.

Twelve key themes will be highlighted during the three day trade show: Design, Non-Destructive Testing, Robotics, Aeronautics, Automotive, E-car, Wind Power, Carbon, Biocomposites, Thermoplastics, Multifunctional Materials and Environment.

With 50,000m2 of floor space, the equivalent of eight soccer fields, the JEC Show will represent the global composites industry and its most recent advances in the sectors which consume the most composites, including aerospace, aeronautics, shipbuilding, railway, automotive, mass transportation, construction, equipment and sports/leisure.

“The global composites market represents 81.6 billion euros in value and 9.2 million metric tonnes in volume for 2012. This market is growing an average of 6% per year. Composites are used more and more often to lighten structures, aircraft, and vehicles in general, thus improving energy efficiency,” stated Frederique Mutel, JEC Group President and CEO. “Innovation is present in each of the steps of the value chain. Producers of raw materials (polymers, as well as carbon, glass and natural fibers) have heavily invested in the research and development of new formulations.

Downstream, at the part manufacturing

KraussMaffei combines Netstal with KM UK Frederique Mutel, JEC Group President and CEO. level, the industry is also highly innovative.”

Turkey has one of the most innovative composites industry in Europe. Active in the automotive as well as pipe and tank manufacturing markets, the Turkish composites industry represents almost 200,000 tonnes for a value of one billion euros.

“The sector, notably in Europe, has strongly advanced in the processing of composites. Especially in Europe, innovation is directed towards manufacturing, and in particular, mass production,” said Frederique Mutel. “Of all the patents granted for composites in Europe in 2011-2012, 52% involved robotics and automated manufacturing processes. It is probable that these technological advances will primarily interest major international contractors and decision-makers in countries with rapidly growing populations and economies.”

JEC Europe Web: www.jeccomposites.com

The KraussMaffei Group is bundling its strengths and expertise for a stronger market presence in the UK and the Ireland market. With effect from January 1, 2013 the affiliate of Netstal UK will be moved from Stone (Staffordshire) to Warrington (Cheshire). Under the organisational umbrella of KraussMaffei (UK) Ltd an independent market presence of the Netstal, KraussMaffei and KraussMaffei Berstorff brands will be maintained.

“By amalgamating the operational business units of KraussMaffei and Netstal under one organisational roof we will be strengthening our market presence. We’re bundling the expertise and skills of our employees; strengthening our brand portfolio and improving our range of products and services. This will have clear benefits for our customers”, said Mike Bate, who has held the post of Managing Director of the UK subsidiary KraussMaffei (UK) Ltd. since 2009. With the new structure an independent market presence of the Netstal, KraussMaffei and KraussMaffei Berstorff brands will be maintained with a clearly well-known product portfolio and the company will be able to exploit existing synergies so as to better serve the market with all three brands. “Thanks

to the organisational merger, we can use coordinated management to offer our customers the right product which they need for their specific requirements and to increase our sales and service power to the market”, said Bate. Regarding the rubber and plastics processing extrusion product portfolio of KraussMaffei Berstorff the customers in the market will be furthermore supported by Michael Barltrop of DBA Machinery.

Nigel Baker, MD of Netstal Limited, decided to step down from his position and to leave the company.

“The company would like to thank him for all his work and wish him all the best for the future”, said Bate.

Richard Mumford, Director of Sales KraussMaffei, will head up the respective Sales team for both Netstal and KraussMaffei Injection Molding Machinery brands. “I am convinced this step will be accepted and welcomed by our customers.

There will be no reduction in the sales, service and spare parts personnel that have been available to the Netstal customer base.”

Krauss Maffei UK Tel: +44 1925 644100 Email: info@kraussmaffei.co.uk Web: www.kraussmaffei.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 31

INDUSTRY NEWS & EVENTS ROUNDUP New President for TPE compounder eknor Apex has appointed William J. Murray as its new President, the company announced recently. He succeeds Jonathan D. Fain, who remains CEO and becomes chairman of the board.

William Murray will be responsible for the company’s worldwide compounding businesses. Teknor Apex operates twelve manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Mr. Murray has also been appointed President of Singaporebased Teknor Apex Asia Pacific.

“In 35 years with Teknor Apex, Bill

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has come to understand all phases of our company and has been a key force in its development as a global enterprise,” said Mr. Fain. “ As President he will draw on his wealth of experience to strengthen our mission of serving customers as a unified team, with one focus across all disciplines and in all manufacturing operations.”

William Murray assumes his new position after serving as Executive Vice President of the company since 2006. He joined Teknor Apex in 1978 as a Project Engineer. Subsequent

positions included those of Plant Engineer, Plant Manager, and Corporate Director of Engineering.

He was promoted to Vice President of Manufacturing in 1992 and to Senior Vice President of Manufacturing in 2002. At this time he also became a member of the company’s Senior Management Team.

Teknor Apex Tel: +44 121 665 2100 Email: eutpe@teknorapex.com Web: www.teknorapex.com

William J. Murray, President at Teknor Apex.

Additives group enters composites market with new acquisition olyOne has acquired advanced composites materials producer, Glasforms, as the company looks to expand its range of speciality materials offerings.

Purchased for $34 million, PolyOne says it expects the acquisition to be accretive to earnings in 2013.

Glasforms has grown at a 36% CAGR since 2010 and in fiscal year 2012 reportedly achieved revenues in excess of $50 million.

“Our acquisition of Glasforms marks yet another important milestone in PolyOne’s transformation, as we further broaden our specialty solutions portfolio to include these

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32 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

new and adjacent technologies and applications,” said Stephen D. Newlin, Chairman, President and CEO, PolyOne Corporation.

Glasforms manufactures advanced composites products for use in applications across the electrical and telecom, energy, transportation, healthcare and security and defence markets. End applications include applications for endoscopy wands, wind turbine blade stiffening components, flooring, doors and decking amongst others.

Polyone Web: www.polyone.com

PolyOne is looking to expand its range of speciality materials offerings. Courtesy of PolyOne Corporation.

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34 • WWW.EPPM.COM • FEBRUARY 2013

RE-PROCESSING EQUIPMENT Cont’d

To advertise here please contact Tim Guest: Tel: +44 (0) 7581 398 723 Email: tim.guest@rapidnews.com USED MACHINERY

USED MACHINERY

MATERIALS Manufacturing Equipment

BUY

SELL

MANAGE

Find what you need, sell what you don’t, and manage what you have.

EquipNet has been providing asset management sales and solutions to leading corporations in the plastics and chemical industries for more than 12 years. The EquipNet.com MarketPlace is the world’s largest online venue for buying and selling pre-owned manufacturing equipment.

www.EquipNet.com/EPPM Sales@EquipNet.com • Tel: +44.118.901.6161

Maschinenhandel Borowski

OTHER

Used plastic processing machines Injection moulding, blow moulding and accessories Tel. 0049-2173-8950790 Fax 8950799 www.mhborowski.de info@mhborowski.de

Extruder and Extrusion Lines

PRINT EQUIPMENT

Tel: +49-2244-83041 email : pmh.gmbh@t-online.de www.pmh-extruder.com

Over 35 Years of Service

1350mm Wide Welex Union ABS,HIPS, PMMA Capped ABS Sheet Extrusion Line Comprising 100mm Extruder, Coextruder, 1350mm X 450mm Stack, Guillotine.

1300mm Battenfeld coextrusion sheet line; 2 x 90mm single screw extruders. 1300mm x 600mm 3 roll polishing stack+ haul, 2 station winder, 1995.

Tel: +44 (0) 1793 827666

4 component Ferlin gravimetric blender model FGB5-4 For up to 500kg/hr. Piovan hopper loaders.

Email: sales@transxl.co.uk

90mm Welex single screw extruder. 5 zone vented fan cooled barrel. 200hp dc motor.

150 rpm max screw speed. 115mm hydraulic screen changer.

Web: www.transxl.co.uk

45mm Kuhne single screw extruder model K45E 30D plugged vented. 20-204 rpm. 24kw dc motor.

1040mm Welex coextrusion sheet line, comprising 90mm and 63mm extruders, 1000mm wide die, 1040mm x 600mm stack, pumps, haul off, winder.

GRANULATORS

SHEET LINES

500mm Zerma model GSH-500/600 600mm Rapid GK640KU 660 x 350mm Cumberland model 6/84.

900mm Cumberland Model 4590

2400mm Cincinnati PVC Sheet line 2300mm Omipa Pmma Extrusion Line 1800mm Virginio Mai 3 layer coex line 1650mm Kaufman Sheet line 1500mm Bandera 3 roll stack

EXTRUDERS

1350mm Welex/ Union line 1350mm Welex 3 roll stack 890mm Welex Coextrusion Welex World Standard sheet Line. 90mm Extruder. Circa 50mm Co-extruder. Gear Pump 900mm Die. 890mm Welex Stack winder. 1998.

1300mm Battenfeld coextrusion sheet line.

1040mm Welex Coex sheet line.

1850mm Battenfeld Gloenco PP PE Cast Film Line: 120mm+60mm extruders, feedblock. 1650mm Cloeren auto die, 1850mm Chill roll, haul off, winder.1993.

890mm Welex World Standard sheet Line.

90mm Extruder. Gear Pump 900mm Die. 890mm Welex Stack winder. 1997.

1040mm Welex 3 roll stack 1000mm Esde 3 roll Stack 1000mm OMV co ex sheet line 890mm Welex Pet sheet line

THERMOFORMING

115mm Hartig Extruder, 30d 100mm Union extruder.

90mm Welex single screw extruder 80mm Cincinnati Titan twin screw 90mm John Brown Egan single screw extruder 70mm Battenfeld-kuhne Extruder 60mm Cincinnati coextruder 50mm Welex co extruder. 25:1 l/d ratio.

50mm Betol extruder 25:1d 45mm Kuhne model K45E 30D

1000mm Omv Coextrusion Sheet Line.

120mm Omv Extruder, 60mm Coextruder, Melt Pump, 1000mm X 500mm Roll Stack, Haul Off, Winder.

DIES

4.5” Welex single screw extruder. 30D vented., static mixer, gear pump. 2003.

700mm Illig RDM 63/15B cup forming line 700mm Illig Rv74 Vacuum Former 605mm Kiefel KL2 SH Thermoformer, 540mm Kiefel KL2EH vacuum former 500mm Illig RDM 50/3 Lid Thermoformer 6 colour Omso DM144 lid priner

70mm Battenfeld-kuhne Extruder, Electrically Heated Air Cooled 5 Zone, Plug Vented Barrel. Screen Changer.

1550mm Battenfeld Heidelberg PVC calender line. ZSE 170mm planetary extruder, 1550mm x 550mm 3 roll calender, haul off winder. 80-800 micron - 600kg/hr 1988.

1040mm Welex sheet extrusion line: 90mm Welex extruder with gear pump, die head, 1040mm wide Welex 3 roll polishing stack, haul off and winder.

500mm wide RDM 50/3 lid thermoformer, Double heaters, Motor Indexing. Auto Rail Spreading, Counter/ Stacker, 1982 very good condition.

1700mm Bandera Virginio Mai PMMA ABS sheet extrusion line. 80mm extruder, 1600mm Simplas die, 2-7mm thickness. Complete line 1987.

100mm Union single screw extruder. 35D vented with fan cooled barrel. Vacuum vent.

110kw dc motor and drive. Temperature panel 1987.

980mm EDI model Ultraflex HR75 915mm EDI flex lip sheet die 900mm Kuhne model BDF 90F 500mm Masterflex flex lip cast film die 1987

6 Colour Omso DM 144 lid printer. UV curing.

Up to 8000 lids per hour. In feed, and stacker.

Maximum lid height - 25mm. 1997.

600mm Rapid Model Gk640 KU granulator 600 x 300mm opening.

1000mm wide Kuhne model BDF 100 PET close approach flex lip sheet die. Inclined choker bar. Decal facility. Removable bottom lip. Rectangular feed. Year 2000.

TRANSXL INTERNATIONAL THORNHILL SOUTH MARSTON SWINDON WILTSHIRE SN3 4TA ENGLAND MORE MACHINERY, MORE PHOTOS ON THE WEB: www.transxl.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2013 • WWW.EPPM.COM • 35