Canadian Plastics March 2009

CanadianPlastics www.canplastics.com

NEW MARKETS IN PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION

MOLDMAKING REPORT

• Aerospace takes flight • Mold shops talk shop

ADDITIVES REPORT

• New materials for new applications

MARCH 2009

CANADA POST PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40069240

contents

CanadianPlastics MARCH 2009 VOLUME 67 NUMBER 2

LOOKING BACK...

The May 1969 issue of Canadian Plastics reported on the construction of a new PVC pipe extruding plant in Prescott, Ont., by Montreal-based Rehau-Plastiks. The facility, one of the largest of its type in Canada at the time, was expected to start production in the first quarter of 1970. Construction costs were pegged at $3 million. All equipment came from Germany, and pipe sizes would range from 1.5 inches to 10 inches. Now, approaching the 40th anniversary of this event, we’re happy to note that Rehau has just announced plans to reopen the Prescott facility, which had been shuttered last fall. (For more, see pg. 9)

page 18

Number of the month:

* 178,000

* Estimated number of Canadian housing unit starts in 2009 (see pg. 11)

page 11

page 29

cover story 4

Editor’s View: • Aerospace: The final frontier

5

Ideas & Innovations: • Green materials take the driver’s seat

8

News: • Mourning two plastics industry pioneers • Compact Mould gets into auxiliary business • News Briefs and People

10 Executive’s Corner: • Beware the pitfalls of buying auctioned equipment 25 Technology Showcase 27 Advertising Index 27 Classifieds 29 Design Ideas 30 View from the Floor: • Measure for Measure

11 PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION There’s no doubt that times are tough for most of today’s extruders. From housing to auto parts, many of the traditional markets for extruded plastic products are in decline or depressed. And to top it all off, manufacturers are dealing with one of the worst recessions in recent memory. Despite this, some extrusion markets are offering opportunities for business growth. Inside, we show you which ones, and what it takes to get a foot in the door.

features

16 MOLDMAKING REPORT Machining components for the aerospace parts industry may be one of the best new strategies for Canadian moldmakers looking to get ahead. The good news is that aerospace companies are looking for qualified suppliers. Even better, the Canadian Association of Moldmakers is teaming up with government agencies to fast-track the process.

PLUS: Canadian Plastics brings you the stories behind Prosin Molds and Tri-Star Mold — two Ontario shops determined to make the most of their chances in difficult times.

20 ADDITIVES REPORT Additive suppliers continue to churn out new products designed to increase line speed, enhance colour, and improve performance for injection molding, extrusion, and blow molding applications. They’re also ramping up production of additives based on biodegradable carriers like PLA, too. If you’re a plastics processor looking to earn more by doing more, our report can point you to the additives you need to get going.

Visit us at www.canplastics.com www.canplastics.com March 2009 Canadian Plastics 3

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

editor’s view

www.canplastics.com

Aerospace: The final frontier

I

t’s a minor point of pride among some who grew up during the 1960s that they experienced firsthand the so-called Golden Age of Television — a halcyon time in the history of TV broadcasting, compared to which none of the shows either before or since can hold a candle.

Whether TV did or didn’t have such an epoch I’ll leave to pop culture historians.

Whatever your opinion on that burning question, most of us who experienced it either at the time or in reruns would agree that one of the most memorable programs of that period was Star Trek. Featuring the intrepid Captain James T. Kirk, played by Canada’s own William Shatner, the show seems good nowadays primarily for a laugh. Yet who would have thought that the 60s-era Shatner — armed primarily with a phony-looking phaser gun, and penchant for overacting — would identify a growing business opportunity for today’s plastics processors?

What the heck am I talking about?

Recall if you will the famous first line of Shatner’s narration over the show’s opening credits: “Space, the final frontier...”

For more and more processors looking to get ahead, as well as the moldmakers and others that service them, the future might indeed lie in setting their sights on space — or more precisely, on the aerospace industry.

It’s not as though this is uncharted territory, of course; plastics have long played an important role in aerospace applications.

As long ago as World War II, plastics were a major substitute for rubber and metal in airplanes because these other materials were scarce. Later, the development of plastics that could take the heat associated with many aerospace applications, together with the launching of the U.S. space program, spurred additional interest and research in plastics for flight. Soon, plastic materials were common in aerospace for everything from interior trim in airplanes to nose cones for missiles. Solid fuel boosters on rockets and shields for reentry — to

4 Canadian Plastics March 2009 www.canplastics.com

name but two applications — came to rely more and more on plastic materials. As a recent report by the Society of the Plastics Industry summed it up, “when man landed on the Moon, so did plastics.”

But there are signs that, in both military and commercial markets, plastics are about to go boldly where they haven’t gone before (to paraphrase our old friend Bill Shatner). For those of us familiar with the benefits of plastics, the main reason is obvious: weight savings without sacrifice of either strength or durability. For example, a prototype X-wing rotor craft that relies on sophisticated plastic-composite wings to act as rotor during takeoff and landing, developed for use by the U.S. military, is believed to have potential as a jet-powered commercial shuttle — the value of plastics being its ability to lighten heavy payloads while retaining stiffness under stresses caused by vibrations.

Plastics are popular for other reasons, as well. The near-invisibility of some plastics to radar make them indispensable to the military for “stealth” aircraft. Meanwhile, other plastic fibres could play a significant role in a proposed blimp that would warn naval forces of surface-skimming missiles.

And this is just to scratch the surface.

The point is that the aircraft and spacecraft of the 21st century increasingly will be made of plastics — and this opens up hitherto unobtainable markets, and unimaginable opportunities, for processors and others.

There’s no doubt that our industry is up to this challenge — not least because much of the standards and the machinery used for the production of (for example) auto parts are suitable for making many aerospace components.

The current issue of Canadian Plastics spotlights opportunities for moldmakers in aerospace markets. In future, we’ll explore in detail some of the opportunities for injection molders, extruders, and others.

The aerospace market as a growth opportunity? As Bill Shatner’s pal Mr. Spock might have said, it’s only logical.

Mark Stephen, managing editor mstephen@canplastics.com

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ideas and innovations

Green materials take the driver’s seat

By Umair Abdul, assistant editor

W

hile many companies have wait-and-see approach with emerging green technologies, the folks at Canadian General-Tower Ltd. (CGT) are quite literally taking the front seat when it comes to innovation.

The company is perhaps best known for its production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) seat coverstock for the automotive market.

CGT has been making this seating material for over 30 years, and the company is now using bio-based plasticizers to manufacture the materials, with partial funding from a $2.5 million grant provided to CGT and two other plastics processors by the Ontario BioAuto Council.

The VEHREO product line is much like the company’s vinyl seating offerings, with one notable exception: the material uses plasticizers made with plant oils from soybeans and castor beans, instead of crude oil.

The company started off several months ago with a literature search from its suppliers. Prior to its search, CGT had done some work with soybean-based plasticizers, but castor beans were new to the company. Once they identified and sourced the right renewable materials, CGT started conducting all the bench top lab work at its facility.

“Automotive is very demanding because of the long-term aging requirements and the performance requirements,” explained Patrick Diebel, vice president of advanced technology at the company. “That was the initial screening step, making sure it was not going to evaporate out over time, and wouldn’t cause problems with fogging and tackiness.”

After nearly six months of lab work, CGT’s researchers scaled up to a production trial, testing the new material against OEM requirements and using material made with crude oil-based plasticizers as a performance benchmark. With each progressive trial, the firm has replaced more of the crude oil plasticizer with the bio-based alternative.

“We have been successful in passing several of these OEM specifications,” added Diebel. “We started with a partial replacement, and then the next one was about 50 per cent replacement, and this month, we are running a trial with a 100 per cent replacement.”

Additionally, the company applies a polyester knit textile to the backing of its seating systems so that it can be sewn in. For the environmentally friendly VEHREO product line, CGT worked with its supplier to introduce reclaimed PET plastic water and soft drink bottles into the fabric.

“They are collecting these bottles and cleaning them, and putting them back into a yarn, and that is then knit into the backing fabric,” said Diebel, adding that 55 per cent of the VEHREO line’s backing fabric is now reclaimed plastic. “It’s taken us three iterations, but now that we have this third iteration, it’s meeting or exceeding the requirements of the OEM.”

Canadian General-Tower Ltd.’s VP of advanced technology Patrick Diebel with the company’s VEHREO product, which uses bio-based plasticizers and also features recycled plastic bottles in the backing.

The VEHREO product line came out of the Advanced Technology group at CGT, which was created a year and a half ago.

The defined, concentrated group has been working on brainstorming new and innovative products that are eco-friendly and technologically advanced.

“We can’t just be a commodity player,” explained Diebel.

“The idea was for CGT to pursue new products and new markets that are more difficult from a technological point of view, and that take more R&D and brainpower.”

CGT continues to invest in the group, and the group continues to develop a range of applications. Most recently, CGT produced a new breathable product by putting micropores and a protein finish on synthetics, combining the durability of synthetic materials with the comfort of leather.

“It might seemingly be counterintuitive [to be investing in R&D] for the time, but it’s really exactly the time you want to do it, because it speaks to regeneration and renewal,” said Jan Chaplin, chief executive officer and president of CGT. The company is also working on projects with researchers at the University of Toronto, including a new top finish additive that makes products feel more dry and luxurious, and the development of a whole new polymer using fungus and starch.

Canadian General-Tower Limited (Cambridge, Ont.); www.cgtower.com; 519-623-1630 Ontario BioAuto Council (Guelph, Ont.); www.bioautocouncil.com; 519-827-1118 www.canplastics.com March 2009 Canadian Plastics 5

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news

IN MEMORIAM:

C

Mike Schmidt and Jack Reid

anada’s plastics industry lost two pioneers in January.

Mike (Matthias) Schmidt, a founder of ABC Plastics Group, has passed away at age 78.

Born in Yugoslavia, Schmidt moved to Canada in 1956, and co-founded blow mold equipment supplier ABC Group in the late-1960s. The Torontobased company was unique among industrial blow molders for its ability to design and build technically elaborate molds and in-house blow molding machinery.

Schmidt’s other Mike Schmidt Jack Reid accomplishments include recipient of the Society of the Plastic Industry (SPI) Manof-the-Year award in 1982; Chairman of the SPI in 1994; member of Canadian Plastics Pioneers Quarter Century Club in 1983; member of the board of directors of the Automotive Parts Manufacturing Association in 1995; and recipient of the 1997 Outstanding Achievement award of the Society of Plastics Engineers Blow Molding Division.

He also participated as a chairperson on numerous panels and committees designed to further the interests of the plastics industry with respect to various issues ranging from the Auto Pact to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Industry pioneer John Reid, better known as Jack, has also died, succumbing to cancer at age 89.

Reid got his start in the plastics industry in 1946, as a co-owner of profile extruder Microplastics in Acton, Ont., considered one of the first acrylic sheet extruders in Canada. In the 1960s, Reid joined the staff of Torontobased Danson Corporation, at that time one the country’s top plastics machinery sales firms. By the early 1990s, Reid had formed his own company, Dier International Plastics Inc., based in Unionville, Ont. Dier was formed with Reid’s stepson Greg Reid, who still operates the company.

8 Canadian Plastics March 2009 www.canplastics.com

Compact Mould gets into auxiliary business

W

oodbridge, Ont.-based moldmaker Compact Mould Ltd. has purchased the assets of Brampton, Ont.-based Heins PCM Machinery Limited, allowing Compact to offer a full portfolio of services to its customers.

“As a result of the current economic situation in North America, Compact Mould Ltd. has taken the initiative of strategically aligning resources and now offer some more complete services to the blow molding industry,” said Compact president Miguel Petrucci in a recent email to his customers.

In an interview at the company’s headquarters, Petrucci explained that Compact would now sell a full range of auxiliary and downstream equipment, such as extrusion heads, spin trimmers, leak testers and deflash units. The company will also sell and service a line of SIDE PET reheat stretch blow molding machines.

“The economic problems that we have now, for us moldmakers, we started seeing that two and a half years ago,” explained Petrucci. “We didn’t see that turning around, so we had to find ways to see how we could serve our customers better, and what else we could offer.”

The downstream offerings have been consolidated into an auxiliary department at the company. Gaston Petrucci, who was the owner and president of Heins PCM Machinery and is Miguel’s son, is now the executive vice president in charge of auxiliary equipment at Compact Mould.

According to Miguel Petrucci, being a full service supplier will allow the company to branch out into other markets, particularly in the United States. “Our strength is here in southern Ontario, but more and more we have to expand into parts of the U.S.,” he said. “They have a completely different view, they do want a complete service.”

In addition to entering the auxiliary business, the company has consolidated its product design business into Compact Mould.

“Product design and fast prototyping was a separate business for seven years, and when the market was expanding we thought it was best to offer that as a standalone service,” Petrucci noted.

“Now everybody needs things streamlined, so we felt it would be a lot more efficient to bring it in-house.”

Petrucci adds that the company used to do product drawings in a week or two weeks. With in-house services, the company now has a two-day lead-time for drawings, and another day if the customer wants a prototype.

The company has also recently invested in a wide range of equipment at its operations, including a quick prototyping machine.

news

NEWS BRIEFS

PEOPLE

Auto supplier Axiom Group Inc. is adding 95 jobs and boosting production as it begins injection molding a proprietary airflow circulation exhauster. The Aurora, Ont.-based company received a $2.4 million grant from the Ontario Next Generation of Jobs Fund to assist in financing and development of the part.

Mississauga, Ont.-based equipment supplier Hamilton Avtec has named Jim Parker as its inside sales and customer service representative.

Polymer manufacturer Rehau Inc. has recommenced its PVC pipe extrusion operations at its plant in Prescott, Ont. as part of an arrangement to supply material to Canadian distributor Distribution Brunet Inc. in Lévis, Que. Leesburg, Va.-based Rehau had nearly closed the Prescott plant last fall. According to Rehau, workers are now being rehired at the Prescott plant, which had remained open with a skeleton crew to deliver pipe to customers. The Prescott plant will recover 20 of the 40 jobs that were eliminated last fall.

Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning has closed its Canadian Plastics Training Centre (CPTC). The closure is due to the downturn in the plastics industry, according to David Alcock, Associate Dean, School of Applied Technology at Humber College. The CPTC was created in 1993 as a partnership between the Canadian Plastics Industry Association and Humber College, with the support of the Ontario Federation of Labour.

Over the last 15 years, more than 500 students have graduated from full time plastics programs and more than 1,000 employees have received training in plastics processing through the CPTC.

 ☛

Husky Injection Molding Systems, of Bolton, Ont., has appointed Dinesh Budapanahalli to the position of vice president, service and sales, Global Hot Runners and Tooling.

Glenn Frohring has been appointed president of injection molding machine supplier Absolute Haitian Inc., of Worcester, Mass.

Jim Parker

Custom Downstream Systems Inc., an integrated custom extrusion machinery manufacturer headquartered in Lachine, Que., has appointed Piero Tambuchi, director of sales and service, Ontario.

Kitchener, Ont.-based Ampacet Canada has named Michael Sarao as account executive responsible for sales in Quebec and the Maritimes region.

Glenn Frohring

For more on this story, visit www.canplastics.com/video/episode21.asp

Auto parts manufacturer DDM Plastics, of Tillsonburg, Ont., has announced an indefinite shutdown. The latest cuts affect between 140 and 160 workers. The announcement follows on the heels of 460 layoffs that took effect on Jan. 1. Employees received notice of the layoffs in October. Just last year, DDM was the town’s largest employer with over 600 workers.

Canadian auto supplier Magna International Inc., based in Aurora, Ont., has signed a deal to buy the European operations of Cadence Innovation LLC, acquiring three injection molding and mold making plants in the Czech Republic and one in Hungary. The four plants reported sales of approximately US$369 million in 2007, and will operate as part of Magna’s Decoma group. The companies did not disclose a purchase price.

The Ontario government has announced that it’s helping an innovative auto supplier in Kitchener, Ont. invest in new technology. The technological investment will help the company boost productivity while reducing its impact on the environment. The province will invest $1.5 million in Mitchell Plastics, supporting the company’s total investment of $10 million, and helping create 32 new jobs at the company. “This project will help us broaden our capabilities and allows us to provide the lowest cost to our customers while adding skilled positions to our Ontario workforce,” said company president and chief executive officer Joe D’Angelo. www.canplastics.com March 2009 Canadian Plastics 9

executive’s corner

Beware the pitfalls of buying auctioned equipment

By Rob Miller, Wittmann Canada

W

ith machinery auctions more and more common, potential buyers need to be aware of the pitfalls of buying equipment at these events, and ask themselves this question beforehand: are you really further ahead buying at auction than if you had called your OEM local supplier, with whom you have an established relationship, and who knows your specific needs and business? It’s worth bearing in mind that the true cost ultimately depends on the condition of the equipment, and if it’s right for the application, rather than what you actually paid for it.

DO YOUR LEGWORK Unless you’ve recently bought or requested a quote, your knowledge of the market and equipment cost may not be current. This is one value that machinery auctions can serve: go to the previews, get specifications, obtain as much information as possible, and try to get estimates on the cost of equivalent new equipment, so that you can determine if what you’re looking at is really a deal. In addition to the acquisition price at the auction, you’ll want to find out how much it will cost to install the equipment in your plant.

Most machinery on offer at auction is sold “as is,” with no warranty or return policy, so verify the terms up front before buying. Understand that in many cases in which a company has closed down, the best equipment has already been snapped up by insiders, meaning the equipment left to go to auction may be “the leftovers.”

Don’t assume that everything at an auction is a great deal.

If you’ve decided to go ahead with a bid, establish beforehand the highest bid you will make, and don’t exceed it. And be careful: auctions can play on emotions, 10 Canadian Plastics March 2009 www.canplastics.com

driving prices higher than the true value, so don’t get caught in the frenzy. Once you’ve done your best to determine a fair price based on the condition of the equipment, you’ll be better informed. If you can, determine as much as possible about the operation of the equipment. Is it fully operational — can you test it to find out? — and if not, what will it cost to make it fully operational? What is the service history of the equipment? Has the equipment ever been retrofitted or rebuilt?

Considering the time and effort spent specifying equipment, buying at an auction leaves little time to address typical questions and concerns. What about the electrical specifications for the equipment? Are the controls current technology? Does the equipment come with the current software, and back-up copies? Is the equipment compatible with your existing equipment?

Like any equipment purchase, you should still consider the ROI. There are many factors to consider beyond the unknowns of how it performed or if it was properly maintained that would contribute to the life of the equipment. While you might be all right if you purchase several identical pieces of equipment and can rebuild them as they age by using older equipment for parts, what if you can’t get spare parts, or if the supplier has gone out of business? It makes sense to check to see if you can buy a service contract, or if there is someone available locally to service the equipment. Maybe the warranty is transferable.

THE “FINE PRINT” In addition to a number of other fixed costs when buying equipment, like transporta-

tion and installation, will you face any additional moving costs for rigging or storage to move the equipment? Are there any hidden costs that you have forgotten, such as the buyer’s premium or exchange rates? These are some of the questions you might ask yourself.

Also, anything that was part of a system was likely designed as such, and may have to be re-engineered for your application.

When you add it all up and include the unknowns, what are you really saving when buying at an auction? Compare against the cost of new equipment, and all the benefits like the warranty, parts and service that are included in the purchase price from your known supplier. Finally, don’t forget about that last time your equipment malfunctioned, and how your supplier helped because of your relationship. By contrast, the auctioneer won’t be there to help you after the sale. In the end, it may be better to raise your hand first to ask questions rather than to register your next bid.

Rob Miller is president of Richmond Hill, Ont.-based Wittmann Canada (formerly Nucon Wittmann), a supplier of Wittmann automation and auxiliary equipment, and Battenfeld injection molding machines.

The company can be reached at 905-8875355, or www.wittmann-canada.com

extrusion

The lab line at Davis-Standard’s Technical Centre is engineered to support new applications in medical tubing technology.

Photo Credit: Davis-Standard, LLC

Many of the traditional markets for extruded plastic products are in decline or depressed.

And, to top it all off, manufacturers are dealing with one of the worst recessions in recent memory. But some extrusion markets continue to show strength in difficult economic straits.

By Umair Abdul, assistant editor

T

DOWN THE PIPELINE

o say that many Canadian extruders have had a tough year would be a gross understatement. Extruded product manufacturers have been confronted by the same recessionary pressures as the rest of the industry, but their problems have been compounded by softness in traditional markets.

In Canada, the building and construction sector is still the largest market served by extruders. According to the 2008 Extrusion Benchmark Survey conducted by Canadian Plastics, over 70 per cent of plants were serving the construction market. And with the continuing housing crisis in the United States, Canada’s largest trading partner, many of the traditional markets for extruded products are depressed.

“The market’s a little soft right now,” noted Tom Brown, general sales manager at Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems.

“The vinyl siding market has been relatively soft for the last couple of years, and the same with window profiles.”

Industry experts agree that Canada’s housing market isn’t headed for a subprime mortgage crisis like the one in the U.S., but housing starts are expected to level off over the next year. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corpora-

tion, housing starts will decline to 178,000 units in 2009. That’s above the average of less than 150,000 starts annually during the 1990s, but well below the average of over 225,000 annual starts between 2003 and 2007.

Additionally, several manufacturers of vinyl and wood plastic composite (WPC) decking products haven’t been able to weather the storm. Most recently, CPI Plastics Group Ltd., the Canadian manufacturer best known for the Eon line of decking products, announced that it had been unable to withstand the current economic crisis (see pg. 13).

Despite the torrent of bad news and bankruptcies coming out of traditional markets for extruded products, extrusion equipment manufacturers say that are seeing pockets of growth in several areas. And recent governmental measures may bring some much-needed relief to manufacturers with depressed work volumes.

STRONG PULSE IN MEDICAL Although the current economic crisis has managed to take the wind out of most sectors, OEMs continue to see modest growth in the market for extruded medical prodwww.canplastics.com March 2009 Canadian Plastics 11

extrusion

ucts over the next several years.

“Medical extrusion is going to continue to grow for the next year, and probably for the years to come,” said Antonio Pecora, vice president, sales and business development chief at downstream extrusion equipment manufacturer CDS Inc. “Our society is getting older, so you’ll always need more medical apparatuses, especially in medical tubing.”

Medical tubing may be the most common extrusion application that comes to mind, but manufacturers note that the process is required for several other applications. For instance, medical products such as catheters, blood bags and blood drains are made of extruded plastic.

“Small catheters and multilayer medical applications, that’s where we are finding our new applications,” added Bill ConCDSAppt/AB/CPL 11:15 AM Page 1 ley, technical2/12/09 sales at tooling manufacturer Guill Tool & Engineering. “Everything needs to be smaller, with thinner walls or more walls, and with smaller diameters.

APPOINTMENT

Piero Tambuchi Custom Downstream Systems Inc., an integrated custom downstream extrusion machinery manufacturer, has appointed Piero Tambuchi its new Director of Sales and Service for Ontario.

Mr. Tambuchi will draw upon his 20 years of extrusion experience to deliver strategic customer solutions for CDS. He can be contacted at: Phone: 905-553-2519 cell: 647-802-1030 R

1930 52nd Ave. Lachine, QC H8T 2Y3

Tel: 1-877-633-1993

www.cdsmachines.com 12 Canadian Plastics March 2009 www.canplastics.com

They could be using up to five materials to form five layers on one tube.”

For medical products, the focus is often on minimizing the amount of scrap and limiting the tolerances. For example, CDS’s Pecora notes that the company supplies high-precision vacuum tanks for medical applications.

“When they are doing complex procedures on patients, there are much tighter tolerances,” said Guill’s Conley. “Typically, they are trying to hold walls in tenths of inches.”

According to Wendell Whipple, vice president of pipe and profile extrusions at Davis-Standard, LLC, cleanliness requirements also mean that the equipment has stainless steel piping, with no copper or iron piping in any of the downstream equipment.

“And some of the materials can actually be very expensive, so you need to make sure that there is very little scrap,” continued Whipple.

Given the needs of medical extruders, suppliers often offer value-added services to ensure that the client’s specs are met. On the medical extrusion tooling end, “we do a lot of work with flow analysis,” said Conley.

Meanwhile, at Davis-Standard, a sophisticated lab line at the company’s Technical Centre in Pawkatuck, Conn. Is engineered to support new applications in medical tubing technology. The line is equipped for R&D processes ranging from screw design to the extrusion capability of specific polymers, materials such as FPVC, PEEK, PEBAX, fluoropolymers and other medical grade resins.

“The whole purpose was to show our customers that we do provide full systems for medical tubing,” noted Whipple, adding that the line is booked for use every week. “It gives them a chance to run some trials where they wouldn’t want to take up room in their cleanrooms.”

THIS AND THAT Medical seems to be the standout when it comes to growth, but extrusion machinery and tooling suppliers are also seeing strength and growth in a number of other markets. According to one supplier, the packaging products market seems to be holding its own in the current economy.

“Another industry that would be on the move would be the oil and gas industry, we see an uptake in pipeline requests,” said Davis-Standard’s Whipple. “Gas and oil exploration is still going on.”

According to Whipple, there is a demand for high-density and coated pipe in the oil and gas industry, as well as multilayer structures with gas valves.

Guill has also seen significant growth in polyethylene pipe applications, which is a new market for the company. Guill has introduced a die design specifically for the market.

“It’s the specific industries of oil, water and gas that are seeding this market,” explained Conley.

Additionally, when it comes to custom applications, suppliers note that there are several pockets of activity.

“We are still getting some orders in custom extrusion, which is promising,” said Pecora at CDS. “It doesn’t mean that the market is totally dead, you just have to go looking for it.”

“There are pockets of activity out there,” agreed Brown at Cincinnati Milacron.

“They are driven by the customer’s application, these are not projects where you would have an extruder right off the shelf.”

“Many of the projects that we are looking at are highly customized and, in some cases, involve combining the different technologies that Cincinnati Milacron has to offer, like extrusion and injection molding,” Brown continued. “We’re looking at how best to utilize the different processing technologies to achieve the customer’s highly specialized product.”

EYES ON INFRASTRUCTURE Without a doubt, suppliers say, infrastructure-related projects are a big target market for extruded products.

“We’ve been getting into large diameter sewer pipes,” said Brown. “You go into cities around the country, and any time you see a water main break, that needs shoring up and replacing. And PVC is an excellent choice for that.”

With an aging infrastructure and a deepening recession, infrastructure-related products may soon present an opportunity for some manufacturers. Both the federal

extrusion

government in Canada and the new Obama administration in the U.S. have promised to invest in infrastructure projects. In January, Minister John Baird announced that the Canadian government would spend $7 billion on infrastructure.

But there is some doubt about whether that potential growth market will immediately materialize over the next year.

“With unemployment that high, capital expansions or replacements and improvements are not going to happen,” noted Brown. “The infrastructure is a large part of the market in the long run. The question is whether those kinds of projects will happen in 2009.”

CPL RESOURCE LIST CDS Inc. (Lachine, Que.); www.cdsmachines.com; 877-633-1993 Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion Systems (Batavia, Ohio); www.milacron.com; 513-536-2000 Accuplast Solutions (Kirkland, Que.); www.accuplast.com; 866-6300808 Davis-Standard LLC (Pawcatuck, Conn.); www.davis-standard.com; 860-599-1010 Auxiplast Inc. (Sainte-Julie, Que.); www.auxiplast.com; 450-922-0282 Guill Tool & Engineering Co. Inc. (West Warwick, R.I.); www.guill.com; 401-828-7600 (for B.C.) Equipment Resources NW Inc. (Portland, Ore.); www.equipmentresourcesnw.com; 503-281-3612 (all of Canada except B.C.) Ontor Ltd. (Toronto); www.ontor.com; 416-781-5286

Court approves sale of CPI Plastics

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has issued an order approving a sales process for the business and assets of the Mississauga, Ont.-based CPI Plastics Group Ltd., according to interim receiver and manager Deloitte and Touche.

Deloitte has also brought a motion to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern Division of Wisconsin for an order recognizing the Canadian order and the application of the sales process in the U.S. According to the receiver, offers will now be sought for the assets of the company. “At this time there is no certainty as to the outcome of the receiver’s sales process,” said Deloitte. “It is unlikely that there will be any value for holders of CPI’s shares following the completion of any transaction resulting from the receivers efforts.”

The profile and film extruder was placed into receivership early in January, after the company announced plans to restructure its finances late last year. The company’s assets have since been put up for sale.

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Moldmaking R

E

P

O

R

T

Looking skyward for new business

“T

o the Moon, Alice!” With those famous words of warning, TVs Ralph Kramden would try to salvage his self-respect whenever his carefully laid plans went south.

The Canadian Association of Moldmakers (CAMM) is trying to help moldmakers salvage their economic futures by turning everyone’s eyes, if not exactly to the Moon, then at least towards the aerospace industry.

The organization was involved in a recent project by the Ontario Aerospace Council (OAC) to encourage approximately 10 Ontario companies in the machine, mold, tool and die (MTDM) sector to find new business opportunities working on aerospace parts.

OPPORTUNITIES take flight The global aerospace industry is currently in a strong growth period, which is expected to be sustained over the next several years. As a result, current industry capacity for machined components is stretch to the limit, and major Ontario and Canadian aerospace firms are actively seeking additional qualified suppliers. The OAC’s initiative, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, was designed to help in the search.

According to CAMM president Dan Moynahan, the OAC effort of bringing aerospace parts manufacturers together with MTDM shops is fast-tracking a goal that CAMM has been advocating for years. “Our organization has pushed for this for quite some time, but we’d always had problems because the aerospace industry isn’t one in which you simply knock on doors and get a contract. You need the right connections, and the OAC’s project has definitely helped.”

The OAC visited some 35 MTDM shops that had applied for the program in Ontario, and picked the 10 that seemed best able to take on aerospace contracts. “They looked at the quality of the shops, types of equipment used, and how prepared they were to invest further in it,” he said. “They also wanted to know financial information about each company.”

This last step was necessary, Monyahan continued, because the selected companies would be expected to contribute some of their own money to the initiative. “Each company had to agree to pay $10,000 if accepted, with the Ontario government putting in an addi-

By Mark Stephen, managing editor tional $20,000, to be used for training and upgrading,” he said.

Moynahan’s own mold shop, Platinum Tool Technologies Inc., of Oldcastle, Ont., was one of the 10 companies selected for the program — and while Platinum Tool hasn’t received any work orders yet, Moynahan is confident that aerospace is one of the keys to future prosperity for everyone in the MTDM industry. “In potential, aerospace is bigger than the automotive industry, and the projected growth of the industry is spectacular,” he said.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED As the two-out-of-three rejection rate for applicants to the program indicates, not all companies are ready at present to take on the challenges of such work.

“To get into the aerospace industry, moldmakers need highspeed machines that can machine tougher metals such as titanium, and have experience with these types of metals,” Moynahan explained. “It’s also necessary to move from an ISO rating to at least an AS9100 certification, which is a widely adopted and standardized quality management system for the aerospace industry.

For a mid-sized shop, it can cost about $30,000 to get this rating, without considering any employee training.”

Moynahan stresses that working on aerospace contracts does not necessarily involve moldmaking. “Although making molds does come into it, most of the work, in fact, involves high speed, tight tolerance machining of titanium parts,” he said.

Perhaps the most important element in getting and retaining contracts for aerospace parts lies in simple accountability, Moynahan continued. “A MTDM company has to be able to track a part if anything ever goes wrong,” he said. “Insurance can also be a problem, particularly if the moldmaker is responsible for any part of the design — if so, you’d better have some good liability insurance.”

At present, the OAC is considering additional programs of this nature. Moynahan says that, regardless, CAMM will continue to urge all Canadian MTDM companies to prepare themselves for working on aerospace parts, particularly those that were heavily invested in the auto industry. “It’s absolutely crucial for moldmakers to look at opportunities like this,” he said. “A recent CAMM study suggested, for example, that if a moldmaker has more than 35 per cent of its business tied up with the Big Three, they will not be in business in two years.”

CPL

Prosin Molds builds on its specialty

By Umair Abdul, assistant editor

N

early three years ago, Prosin Molds shifted gears. The Mississauga, Ont.-based moldmaker, which has been in business since 1995, sensed the impending slowdown in the automotive parts market and decided to diversify its customer base.

At the time, automotive clients accounted for over 55 per cent of Prosin’s orders, and president Cyrus Jebely had kept a close eye on the automotive industry’s tendency to outsource its tooling production to low-cost Asian competitors.

The company decided to focus in on its specialty — highly complex, multi cavity production molds that require fully interchangeable components — and targeted three core sectors for its business: packaging, medical, and electrical products.

“When producing high-quality medical components, or high volume packaging applications, success will depend on the accuracy and durability of the tooling,” explained John Hynds, VP of sales and business development at the shop. “In these industries, the molds must utilize full hot runners systems, run at faster cycle times, and produce lighter parts. Reliability and repeatability must be sustained over substantialy high annual volumes.”

BEYOND AUTOMOTIVE Now, nearly three years since refocusing their business, automotive now accounts for less than 10 per cent of the company’s revenues. The company employs 22 people at its 16,500 square foot plant, with three employees working full-time in design on SolidWorks and Pro/E. “We design in three dimensions, and every item in the mold is manufactured to specification” noted Hynds. “We’re also pretty much independent as far as being able to manufacture and assemble every part of the mold.”

Prosin is fully equipped to serve its customers. The company’s facility boasts seven EDM machines, and a line of CNC milling centres — four of which are high

Working in the design room at Prosin Molds.

Photo credit: Prosin Molds

speed, high accuracy machines capable of hard milling. Additionally, the company’s plant is fully ISO 9000:2001 certified.

“That standard is recognized in the medical business, so we underwent the certification process,” said Hynds. “And in that process, we formalized a lot of our internal procedures to ensure we will reliably meet customer expectations.”

In addition to diversifying into markets where better quality molds take precedence over the cheapest molds available, Hynds says Prosin has also worked to be more than just a moldmaker. With its portfolio of services and capabilities, the company can get involved in product design and development.

“We want to make sure that the project is rofitable, and will allow the customer to realize the low possible part cost,” he explained. “This means understanding what the customer’s objectives are, and

then we can provide services that will help them. We will also specify the injection molding machine requirements and look at ways to improve the post-mold product handling systems.”

With a wider spread of customers in various sectors, Prosin has avoided the recent ups and downs in the automotive moldmaking segment. And the shop is now working towards becoming a player in the global arena. The company has participated in several international trade shows, such as Arabplast in Dubai and Plastindia in New Delhi.

“Right now, we have a significant amount of inquiry and quotation activity from those regions,” said Hynds. “We see potential in those emerging markets where the growing middle class is increasing the demand for both medical and consumer products.”

Prosin Molds (Mississauga, Ont.); www.prosinmolds.com; (905) 564-7424 www.canplastics.com March 2009 Canadian Plastics 17

Tri-Star Mold: Getting comfortable in the spotlight

B

eing known as the strong, silent type might have worked wonders for film stars like Gary Cooper, but it’s probably not the most helpful approach for Canadian moldmakers trying to get ahead in today’s economic climate.

Indeed, with increased competition from overseas and dwindling markets at home, low key may well be the kiss of death. Yet many moldmakers still operate this way, taking pride in a job well done without wanting to draw attention.

One shop that’s learned to change in this respect is Tri-Star Mold Inc., a custom injection mold designer and manufacturer located in Cambridge, Ont. The 12 year old company — which currently employs 17 workers in an 8,600 square foot facility — has made a series of recent moves intended to make itself better known: expanding its

By Mark Stephen, managing editor business development activities, targeted marketing including a new website, and purchasing of new equipment.

“We were tired of being a well-kept secret in the plastics industry,” said Pete Florica, Tri-Star’s general manager. “Also, we were getting frustrated by losing contracts to Asian moldmakers when we know we’re capable of providing superior longterm mold tooling services and solutions.”

MODEST INVESTMENT PAYS OFF Adopting a more PR-friendly approach wasn’t accomplished without some trepidation, though. “I’m a toolmaker, and I’ve always been leery of trying to oversell myself,” Florica said. “At the end, the decision our company made was to make a modest investment to get professional help

Dave Tomic, CNC manager, and Pete Florica on the shop floor.

18 Canadian Plastics March 2009 www.canplastics.com

CM 1

to better publicize what we do.”

Beginning last year, the company undertook a campaign to improve both its public face and its shop floor capabilities.

On the business development front, Business Development Management Services Inc.’s Mark Nagy was brought in to focus on penetrating new accounts, bringing over 23 years of technical sales experience.

The next order of business was TriStar’s website. “Our old website definitely needed updating, but we didn’t want to get carried away and make our new website too complex,” Florica said.

TecMar Group, a technology marketing agency with specialized expertise in the plastics industry, provided strategy, planning, public relations and sales tool development. The results to date include a website that better 2/18/09 8:43 AM reflects Page 1Tri-Stars philosophy and capabilities. Users can explore company information, customer endorsements, download newly developed infor-

mation sheets and gain access to secure FTP services and online meetings, used to expedite communications with customers across North America.

The company has also invested in new equipment from suppliers like Makino and Cam Tool to further improve productivity, performance, and reliability. “From the start, we always went after the challenging, difficult work — like complex insert molding, and work with high tolerance parts — and accordingly always used high-end Swiss and Japanese machine tool equipment and programming software,” Florica said. “In order to seize new business opportunities, we knew it was necessary to continue acquiring the latest cutting-edge technology.”

THE ROAD AHEAD One market that Tri-Star is targeting is medical parts applications. “We became ISO 9001:2000 certified to improve all

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aspects of our business practices enabling us to pursue medical parts contracts,” Florica said. The company is also searching for contracts in the aerospace industry.

“We think we’re well-suited for micromachining, wire and sink EDM services for precision satellite components, for example,” Florica said.

“At Tri-Star, we always knew we had strengths, but didn’t consider them very exciting from a marketing point of view,” Florica explained. “In today’s climate, however, moldmakers can’t afford to work under the radar. We’ll never promise anything we can’t deliver, however, and this is what gives our marketing efforts legitimacy.”

Tri-Star Mold Inc. (Cambridge, Ont.); www.tri-starmold.com; 519-624-1991 Business Development Management Services Inc. (Oakville, Ont.); 905-849-6775 TecMar Group (Georgetown, Ont.); www.tecmargroup.com; 416-319-1756

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www.canplastics.com March 2009 Canadian Plastics 19

additives report

Additives Report

2009

Foaming & clarifying agents

Additive suppliers have introduced a host of new formulations designed to improve processing and performance, provide brighter and longer lasting colours, and meet tougher safety and environmental regulations.

Oh, they’re also developing more additives based on biodegradable carriers, too.

By Mark Stephen, managing editor

Clariant Masterbatches’ Hydrocerol chemical foaming agents (CFAs) produce foam by decomposing at processing temperatures. Clariant claims that Hydrocerol CFA masterbatches reduce bottle weights by at least 10 per cent with no loss of physical or mechanical performance. Additionally, the foaming agent is said to reduce melt viscosity of the base resin, allowing for faster extrusion rates and reduced cooling time.

Milliken Chemical has developed a clarifier for packaging designed to bring the cost and performance advantages of polypropylene (PP) to new markets and applications. Millad NX8000 is described as providing 50 per cent better clarity to PP than the current industry standard while meeting environmental packaging considerations. Milliken said that PP modified with the NX8000 line does not impart taste or odour into such products as water bottles, medical devices, appliances, and cosmetic and personal care packaging.

Stabilizers

Chemtura is offering the new Mark Series mixed metal, liquid stabilizer range of additives, designed to perform in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) applications where traditional liquid mixed metals are currently used. The new stabilizers are available in two ranges, the Mark 800 Series and Mark 900 Series. The latest contribution to Chemtura’s “Greener is Better” theme, the new stabilizers are intended to be a more sustainable additive solutions than the products they replace. Mark 800 and Mark 900 products complement Chemtura’s existing Reach stabilizer ranges, such as the Mark OBS, Mark EZ, and Mark CZ Series.

20 Canadian Plastics March 2009 www.canplastics.com

Process aids & mold releases

Ciba has introduced two new dispersants for industrial and automotive coatings.

Ciba EFKA 4310 and Ciba EFKA 4320 are designed to improve the stability of pigment dispersions and their compatibility with resins, increasing flexibility in manufacture and allowing substantial cost savings. EFKA 4310 and EFKA 4320 extend Ciba’s range of dispersants produced by CFRP, providing the benefits of controlled molecular structures to a wider range of applications. EFKA 4310 and EFKA 4320 perform well with a broad range of organic pigments and carbon black, according to Andreas Tuerk, global head of Ciba’s Business Line Paints & Coatings. EFKA 4310 is well suited for use with a wide variety of resins, Tuerk said, while EFKA 4320 is designed for thermoplastic acrylic systems and also compatible with numerous different resin types.

An internal mold release, INT-DCP220, manufactured by Axel Plastics Research Laboratories, is designed to resolve poor release and to maintain molds in clean condition longer — processing difficulties that are frequently associated with molding DCPD (dicyclopentadiene) resin. “INTDCP220 has increased the ease with which parts can be de-molded and significantly contributed to maintaining molds in cleaner condition, allowing molds to remain in service for as much as five times as long,” said Nancy Teufel, Axel’s global product manager. Marketed under Axel’s MoldWiz brand, the resin additive is a 100 per cent active, synergistic blend of complex organic materials said to be well suited to demanding RTM molding applications, especially in the automotive industry.

additives report

Flame retardants

Fyrolflex SOL-DP, a solid phosphate ester flame retardant soon to be made available from Canada Colors, is designed for use in thermoplastic resins such as polyphenylene ether alloys, polycarbonate (PC) and PC alloys and other engineered resin applications. Because it is a melting solid powder, the flame retardant can be metered in conventional plastics processing equipment, according to Canada Color’s Victor Satov, sales marketing manager, Polymer Additives. Fyrolflex SOL-DP is described as being heat stable and able to tolerate the high temperature processing required of many ER polymer resins. Its high flame retardancy efficiency achieves UL94/V0 ratings at lower use levels, allowing for better mechanical characteristics in the final composite.

Pigments & colourants

The latest special effect to be introduced under Clariant Masterbatches’ Enigma brand, the Fade effect is designed to allow for seamless transitions from one colour to another along the length of a container.

According to Dragos Gavriluta, general manager of Clariant Masterbatches in Canada, the colour shift is accomplished entirely in the blow molding process using Clariant’s Fade formulation technology, so this look can be both dramatic and cost effective. The Fade effect has been tested and applied using high-density polyethylene (PE), high-gloss PE, matte or soft touch PE, and PP. “Any two tones can be used together, fading light to dark or dark to light, high-contrast or more subtle, glossy or matte,” Gavriluta said. “An opaque colour can be faded over a translucent or transparent base. Other Enigma effects, including sparkling reflective, pearlescent and even glow-in the-dark phosphorescent, can be combined with opaque or semi-opaque colours.”

With the demand for near infrared (NIR)-reflecting black pigments for paints and coatings constantly growing, BASF is making available Paliogen Black, Lumogen Black and Sicopal Black pigments. In contrast to standard black carbon pigments, the BASF products are said to reflect most of the NIR radiation. “Because they swallow up the visible light completely like

any conventional black pigment, the optical impression of blackness is preserved,” said Ruth Bauer, marketing expert for special effect pigments at BASF. “The lower NIR absorption compared to other black pigments results in a temperature decrease of up to 20°C on the surface, meaning that there is less strain on the material.”

A new series of concentrates for engineering-grade copolyester thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) from Teknor Color Company include a wide range of colour choices, all of them fully compliant with the European Union’s RoHS Directive.

The new colours have been designed for use with high-performance TPEs like DuPont Hytrel thermoplastic polyester elastomers. The 12 colours in the new series are black, blue, light blue, brown, grey, green, orange, purple, red, rose, white, and yellow. According to Teknor Color, potential applications include wire and cable insulation, jackets, and fiber optic buffers, as well as injection and blow molded parts, film, sheet, and profiles.

Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) has developed the new Rx Medical line of LEDA compounded colour technology for designers hoping to break the traditional beige and white barriers associated with medical applications. Intended for use with BMS’ Makrolon PC and Bayblend PC/ABS resins, the Rx additives meet the FDAmodified ISO 10993-1, the accepted standard for biocompatibility of materials used in the manufacture of medical devices.

Ampacet recently introduced ProBlend, described as a “colour leveling” additive that offers package designers a broader palette of colour possibilities by allowing all colours to run at the same speed without adversely affecting shrinkage, quality or efficiency. “Most molders won’t slow down or speed up the equipment to accommodate the colour they’re running,” said Morgan Gibbs, director, Technical Services and Development at Ampacet. “The practice of running different colours at the same speed often causes differences in tolerances that may result in intermittent container leakage issues, and the ProBlend colour leveling additive helps solve this problem.”

Shepherd Color is introducing a new colour into its Precise product line. Yellow 40P140, CI Pigment Yellow 53 is

bright yellow in colour, and is said to meet approval for FDA guidelines, as well as Toy Safety EN71.3, Council of Europe AP(89)1 and the French Positive List. Part of the company’s Arctic range, Yellow 40P140 can be used to minimize heat build up and reduce overall energy costs, and is suitable for such outdoor opaque thin films as profiles, windows, doors, siding, marine docks and agricultural films.

Ciba has launching a new “colourtravel” effect pigment. Ciba XYMARA Fireball is said to combine unique effects and shade depth with superior technical properties, making it suitable for exterior automotive coatings and other highperformance applications, including consumer goods such as mobile phones and electronic devices. Applied as a standalone pigment in coating applications, XYMARA Fireball gives a shade that varies from orange/gold to a deep cherry red.

“With its platelet character, it adds a discreet sparkle when used in an effect colour formulation,” the company said. “Inherent transparency makes it suitable for use in combination with different chromatic transparent pigments as well as in a multilayer paint system, giving new, unusual effect shades with exceptional depth.”

Biopolymers & antimicrobial agents

Designed for use in extrusion, injection molding and calendaring, Arkema’s new Biostrength 900 metal release additive is said to enable consistent processing of polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-based alternative to petrochemical-derived products. Arkema claims that Biostrength 900 enables a wider processing window during PLA processing — leading to lower scrap rates — and also minimizes variations in processing temperatures and shear, enabling injection molding and calendaring operations that previously were problematic.

DuPont has expanded its Biomax packaging offerings to include renewably sourced Biomax Thermal 300, a proprietary heat-stabilizing modifier that allows PLA thermoformed packaging to withstand temperatures of up to 95°C. The material, which contains 50 per cent renewably sourced content by weight, is said to be U.S. FDA-compliant. Accordwww.canplastics.com March 2009 Canadian Plastics 21

Auxiplast blades We already keep many types of granulator and pelletizer blades in stock for immediate delivery for our customers who do not want to wait in case of an emergency breakdown.

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additives report

ing to DuPont, the addition of Thermal 300 to PLA at low levels also has a minimal impact on the material’s clarity, while accelerating cycle times during two-stage thermoforming.

Biosafe antimicrobial additives, available from RTP Company, are said to provide permanent protection of plastics and non-woven fabrics at less cost than conventional silver-based additives, while eliminating problems like discolouration, opacity, and concerns about heavy metals.

Available as both a powdered additive and as a masterbatch, the Biosafe antimicrobial protects products from staining, pitting, deterioration; does not compromise end-product safety by migrating out of the plastic or being rubbed off the surface; and does not compromise optical properties when used with high-clarity resAceTronic/AB/CPL 1/30/09 11:51 AM Page ins. According to RTP Company, Biosafe chemistry is FDA-listed as a modifier to medical devices and has received its EPA label approval

Other additives

On-site or field-applied UV coatings is a fast emerging technology capable of helping manufacturing plants, warehouses, and other facilities meet environmental regulations, decrease downtime, and reduce labour and maintenance costs. Cytec Industries has launched the Ebecryl 891 resin, an UV curable acrylate specifically developed for onsite or field-applied applications on concrete flooring. According to Cytec, the new modified polyester acrylate provides a balance of properties required to protect concrete flooring, in particular viscosity, abrasion resistance, and cure speed. When formulated with Cytec’s other Ebecryl UV curable resin systems, more specific properties can also be achieved, including toughness, adhesion, and chemical resistance.

CPL 1Resource List

Ampacet Canada Co. (Kitchener, Ont.); www.ampacet.com; 800-265-6711 Arkema Inc. (Oakville, Ont.); www.arkema-inc.com; 800-567-5726

Axel Plastic Research Laboratories Inc. (Woodside, N.Y.); www.axelplastics.com; 800-332-2935 BASF Canada (Toronto); www.plasticsportal.com; 800-267-2955 Bayer Inc. Bayer MaterialScience LLP (Toronto); www.bayer.ca; 866-770-1102 Canada Colors and Chemicals Ltd. (Mississauga, Ont.); www.canadacolors.com; 905-454-6900 Chemtura (West Hill, Ont.); www.chemtura.com; 416-284-1661 Ciba Specialty Chemicals Canada (Mississauga, Ont.); www.cibasc.com; 888-371-2442 Clariant Masterbatches Division (Toronto); www.clariant.masterbatches.com; 800-265-3773 E.I. DuPont Canada Company (Mississauga, Ont.); www.plastics.dupont.com; 800-387-2122 Milliken Chemical (Spartanburg, S.C.); www.millikenchemical.com; 864-503-6149 Shepherd Color Company (Cincinnati, Ohio); www.shepherdcolor.com; 513-874-0714 Struktol Canada Ltd. (Toronto); www.struktol.com/plastics; 877-812-7437

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AUXILLIARY EQUIPMENT

Cutter/puller has Feed cutting chamber expanded capabilities Versa Machinery has expanded the capaoffers continuous bilities for its Model 50 flywheel cutter/ cutting diameter puller systems.

Model 50 systems utilize a flywheel with up to eight knives to cut extruded plastic or rubber parts at high production rates. The new system design has an expanded cutting range: systems can now perform any cutting rate from 75 to 12,000 parts/minute. Model 50 systems are used to produce washers, spacers, and other small parts, and can hold cut length tolerance to +/- 0.003 inches on many products.

The MAS2 Auger from Wittmann is a conventional granulator with auger feed cutting chamber that guarantees a continuous cutting diameter for more uniform regrind.

It is based on the design of the MAS2 beside-the-press-granulator but can be used directly under the molding machine because of its low height.

The direct drive gear reduction provides a reduced rotational speed of 200 rpm to guarantee a more uniform regrind with minimal fines.

The cutting chamber dimensions of 247 mm x 255 mm (9.7 inches x 10 inches) and the open rotor concept are identical to that of the MAS2.

The MAS2 Auger is equipped as standard with a large auger trough measuring 600 mm x 280 mm (23.6 inches x 11 inches) that is well suited for larger sprues. An additional knife located above the screw is designated to prevent large, soft runners from wrapping themselves around the screw.

Additionally, the MAS2 Auger is equipped with an open rotor with three rotating and two fixed knives. By using the knife gap pre-adjustment fixture that is included with each unit, the rotor knives can be adjusted easily and accurately for faster knife changes, ensuring a continuous cutting diameter for more uniform regrind. The open rotor enables optimal air circulation and prevents jamming of warm sprues and parts.

Wittmann Canada Inc. (Richmond Hill, Ont.); www.wittmann-canada.com; 888-466-8266 Anplast Inc. (Anjou, Que.); 1-800-387-4590

Model 50 systems electronically linked flywheel and puller drives allow for consistent part length accuracy. A colour touch screen interface facilitates setup and operation. The operator enters the number of knives installed, cut length, and line speed.

Systems are available with either pinch roll or caterpillar puller assemblies. Other options include drip lubrication for the cutter bushings, air opening/closing of the puller booms, a digital puller gap indicator, and bushings bored for round products, or custom made for profile products.

Versa Machinery (Elkhart, Ind.); www.versamachinery.com; 866-448-3772

to provide a stable, flexible base for smooth product transitions, by reducing the gap between conveyors to 1-1/2 inches. With two belting options to choose from, both ends of the transfer have a profile height of either 3/8 inches or 3/4 inches. Utilizing positive sprocket drive and plastic link style belting eliminates tracking problems, slippage and edge damage.

The DynaCon powered transfer offers a slider bed length of 12 inches with widths available from 4 inches to 36 inches.

Transfer units utilize energy efficient 1/30 HP motors. Both single and variable speed motors are available, with speeds up to 100 feet per minute. DynaCon power transfer units also provide the user with the ability to increase or decrease product spacing.

The DynaCon Powered Transfer works well with the DynaCon Modular Conveyor System with its plastic link-style belting.

Dynamic Conveyor Corp. (Muskegon, Mich.); www.dynamicconveyor.com; 1-800-640-6850 Plastics Machinery Inc. (Newmarket, Ont.); www.pmiplastics.com; 905-895-5054

Soft placement module for bottle packaging

Transfer conveys small products An alternative to dead plates or roller transfers, the DynaCon powered transfer from Dynamic Conveyor offers a smooth and consistent transport of products as small as 2 inches from conveyor to conveyor.

A small plastic link style chain is used

Standard-Knapp has unveiled a new soft placement module for secure, efficient packing of bottles in a range of industries.

Compatible with several case packer www.canplastics.com March 2009 Canadian Plastics 25

technology showcase

models, Standard-Knapp’s soft placement module with advanced motion control gently lowers bottles into cases or trays without damage to the label, closure or container integrity. With its steady placement, the soft placement module eliminates bottle-to-bottle scuffing and breakage, with or without partitions.

The unit’s servo system accelerates bottles downward, then comes to a gradual, decelerated stop as the heels of the bottles reach the bottom of the case. The packed case is then indexed to the discharge conveyor and the soft placement module ascends into position for the next cycle.

The soft placement module is simple to adjust and change over. Its low-maintenance design adapts to trigger and unstable bottles of all sizes for more stable packing with less downtime. The soft placement system is 2/13/09 capable of2:09 handling Rotogran 3-AB-CPL PM sevPage eral cases per cycle for maximum packing efficiency.

Standard-Knapp (Portland, Conn.); www.standard-knapp.com; 860-342-1100

Emptying Gaylords more efficiently The Sweeper, from Maguire Products Inc., is designed to empty Gaylord boxes while reducing operator time and material waste, saving energy and plant space, and avoiding the high cost and safety issues of conventional tilt tables.

Mounted on a structural steel stand that straddles the Gaylord, the Sweeper continuously sweeps the length and breadth of the top level of resin in the container, reaching into every corner, as it uses vacuum to transfer the resin to a processing machine or dryer.

The device descends along with the level 1of resin in the Gaylord until the container is empty.

Because The Sweeper removes

resin from the Gaylord without unwanted interruptions, there is no need for operators to stand by to ensure that the processing machine does not run out of material or that undried material does not enter the process.

A vacuum switch ensures that The Sweeper is operating only while the vacuum loading system is pulling material. As a result, The Sweeper is always in “ready” mode and does not have to be manually started or stopped. The entire unit plugs into a standard 115-volt outlet and requires less than two amps.

Maguire Canada Inc. (Vaughan, Ont.); www.maguirecanada.com; 866-441-8409

INJECTION MOLDING

High clarity resin for I/M applications LyondellBasell’s new RM2073 resin has been developed to provide high clarity

FOR YOUR NEXT GRANULATOR GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS:

Canadian Built and Priced Right for Today’s Economy R

Rotogran granulators are internationally recognized for their superior design, efficiency, durability, and competitive pricing.

We are the size reduction specialists for the processing and recycling industry.

Our rugged equipment is precision manufactured to meet individual customer needs.

• Complete range from press side to central • The fastest change-over in the industry • Chamber construction second to none • Custom applications our specialty

AS ALWAYS, YOU PRODUCE IT…WE’LL REDUCE IT. INTERNATIONAL INC.

3 Bradwick Drive, Concord (Toronto) Ontario Canada L4K 2T4

26 Canadian Plastics March 2009 www.canplastics.com

For your area rep. or quotation, please call: Tel: (905) 738-0101. Fax: (905) 738-5750 www.rotogran.com

26 years of manufacturing in Canada

technology showcase

as a cost-effective alternative to polycarbonate (PC) in injection molding applications. It is also well suited as a substitute for glass or for other amorphous, transparent polymers, such as polymethyl-methacrylate or styrene acrylonitrile.

In addition to the transparency improvements, the high melt flow of RM2073 offers excellent shear-thinning behavior, which can mean improved output for molders. The flow characteristics present opportunities for reducing wall thickness or part density.

Significant improvements in chemical resistance can also be achieved.

This grade exhibits superior environmental stress crack resistance when compared to PC. RM2073 also requires lower processing temperatures compared to PC, which could translate into lower energy costs for the injection molders and better overall economics. Its added rigidity makes it well suited for applications that require strength as well as thin walls.

The RM2073 resin can be used in a wide range of injection molded applications, including food and beverage packaging, foodservice trays/covers, drinking cups/pitchers, storage containers, CD/DVD cases and technical products.

LyondellBasell (Houston, Tex.); www.basell.com; 713-652-7200

or 8 inches of additional stroke than previously available on this size of robot. The Axess 33 has a standard vertical stroke of 1600mm, with 1800mm (70 inches) available. Telescoping arms, which are ideal for low-ceiling applications, are also available on both the Axess 22 and 33.

Ideal for simple pick-andplace applications on smaller molding machines, the Axess Series is a line of 3-axis servo-driven Sepro robots that offer highperformance capabilities at a price below most other 3-axis servo robots. The Sepro-exclusive ‘Y-free’ function, also standard, provides for the programmed release of the strip-axis motor, allowing free movement of the robot arm and load-free ejector tracking. Wrist rotation from 0 to 180°, with a programmable intermediate stop at 90°, is a popular option.

Sepro America LLC (Pittsburgh, Pa.); www.seproamerica.com; 1 877-737-7610 Industries Laferriere (Mascouche, Que.); www.industrieslaferriere.ca; 450-477-8880 Shadow Automation, Inc. (Uxbridge, Ont.); 416 464 2070

plastics data file WITTMANN INNOVATIONS

ROBOTS & AUTOMATION

Innovations - Wittmann’s quarterly news letter - offers plastics processors detailed insight into ways to improve their businesses with news and application stories covering Robots and Automation, IML, Injection Molding Machinery, Material Conveying, Drying and Blending, Granulation and Temperature Control. It is available in print and on-line.

Wittmann Canada Inc., 35 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4C2; Tel. 1-888-466-8266; www.wittmann-canada.com.

Beam robots offer longer strokes for added versatility New configurations of the economical Axess of servo-driven beam robots from Sepro America LLC give molders up to 33 per cent greater vertical reach along with new safety and convenience features normally available only on high-end robots.

The new Axess 22 has a standard vertical stroke of 1400 mm (55 inches) with 1600 mm (64 inches) available. That’s 200 mm

advertising index Advertiser Acetronic Auxiplast CDS Canadian Plastics Sector Council Clariant Masterbatches Division Compact Mould Haremar NPE2009 PCS Company Rotogran International Inc. Vortex Valves

Page 24 6-7, 14-15, 22-23 12 2 back cover 19 13 31 9, 18 26 30

Telephone

E-mail

Website

800-803-8871 866-922-2894 877-633-1993 613-231-4470 888-621-1282 905-851-7724 905-761-7552 x 204

sales@acetronic.com info@auxiplast.com info@cdsmachines.com info@cpsc-ccsp.ca www.clariantmasterbatches.com info@compactmold.com info@haremar.com

www.acetronic.com www.auxiplast.com www.cdsmachines.com www.cpsc-ccsp.ca

800-521-0546 905-738-0101 785-825-7177

sales@pcs-company.com info@rotogran.com rbarragree@vortexvalves.com

www.compactmold.com www.haremar.com www.npe.org www.pcs-company.com www.rotogran.com www.vortexcanada.com

www.canplastics.com March 2009 Canadian Plastics 27

classified ads MATERIALS

1" booth ad 08.pdf

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SCRAP BUYERS 25 YEAR VETERAN Email: domino@domplas.com • Fx 631-642-1771 631-642-1995 Website: www.domplas.com domino@domplas.com Phone: (631) 751-1995 Fax: (631) 751-9396 www.domplas.com

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

POLY FILM & BAG PLANT LIQUIDATION (Formerly of) EUROPACKAGING LLC 14 GARABEDIAN DRIVE, SALEM, NH USA

INJECTION MOLDING

20 ton to 1000 ton machines. Concept to finished part approach. ISO9001/2000 Certified. Short runs accepted.

Contact: craig@penplast.com 905-871-4766 ext #222 www.penplast.com

SALES AGENTS WANTED

CO-EXTRUSION BLOWN FILM: (3) ALPINE 1600MM 3 Layer Lines, 2004 & (2) 1999 RECLAIM LINES: (2) EREMA 100 & 80MM Reclaim Lines (1999 & 1998); SHRED TECH ST75 Shredder (1999) POLY BAG MACHINES: (2) LEMO IS1100 3HT/LT, 1100MM, AUTO PAK, (2005); (3) LEMO IS1100 3HT/LT, 1100MM, (2005); ELBA SA9013HS, 1300MM, (1998); (3) ELBA SA9011HS, 1100MM, (1999) INLINE FLEXO PRESSES: (2) FLEXO Segesta STX/160 6/C 1600MM (2005); UTECO Blenda 4123ILS 4/C 2000MM (1999); (4) UTECO Blenda 4131L 4/C 1600MM (1998 & 1997) FLEXO PRESSES: UTECO Blenda 613RR 6/C 1600MM (1994); UTECO Blenda 613RR 4/C 1600MM (1993) Chiller • Compressors • Silos • Loaders • Equip For Detailed Listings, Photographs, Terms, Inspection, Visit www.JosephFinn.com

9/9/08

1:

design ideas • excellent electronics

TPEs bring personal computing into consumers’ hands

Hinge design for mobile phone handles pressures The global popularity of mobile phones has raised the consumers’ requirements for the integration of advanced functions — including cameras, audio, TV, PC, and GPS. The industry has responded with stackable designs of mobile phones with slide hinges to accommodate multi-functions, large screens, and expandable keyboards.

When Taiwanese manufacturer Simula Technology Inc. wanted a coating that provided wear resistance, bonding strength, and ease of processing to strengthen the durability of the slide hinge component of its mobile phones, it chose Vicote coatings, based on Victrex PEEK polymer.

The innovative design passed the EU’s strict RoHS certification and helped Simula Technology successfully expand into the European market.

“Mobile phones with slide hinges have become so popular among consumers that they’ve created a new trend in the marketplace,” said Richard Liu, vice general manager of Simula’s R&D Centre. “Tests show that mobile phone slide hinges using Vicote coatings maintain their original smoothness after 200,000 cycles and above, and the ease of processing serves to raise the production efficiency and yield rate.”

Victrex USA Inc. (West Conshohocken, Pa.); www.victrex.com; 484-342-6001

The Pepper Pad — a handheld personal computer from Pepper Computer Inc. that unifies email, instant messaging, the Web, pictures, music, video and remote control into a single compact product — has earned worldwide recognition from some of the world’s top electronics magazines, as well such agencies as CBS-TV, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal.

But the product also presented unique production and housing requirements from the outset, and might never have come to fruition at all without thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) supplied

by GLS Corp.

One formidable production obstacle arose when it was discovered that the end caps of the unit were not moldable, as originally planned by Pepper Computer. For this reason, overmolding was chosen as the best option, and a Versollan OM1262NX-1 overmold grade TPE was selected, which is applied onto a special PC/ABS. Additionally, the GLS Corp. TPE enabled users to be able to grip the unit securely during operation and move the scroll wheel without difficulty. An added advantage of the overmold TPE for the end caps was the ability to show the Pepper name through the TPE. GLS Corp. also selected its Dynaflex G7970 TPE for use around the product bezel.

With these difficulties ironed out, the challenges then switched to custom injection molder PTA Corp, of Oxford, Conn., which — after much trial and error — used state-of-the-art software to create a design that eliminated flow and knit lines, giving the finished product a seamless appearance.

GLS Corp. (McHenry, Ill.); www.glscorp.com; 1-800-457-8777

Ultra-thin consumer electronics get tougher Smaller, sleeker, and lighter — these goals are the Holy Trinity for designers seeking to create the latest products for the consumer electronics market. But, given that consumer electronic devices have to stand up to the abuses of everyday life despite being thinner and potentially less rigid, they’re also the goals that lead to extensive manufacturing challenges.

Many electronics manufacturers are solving these problems with devices that are plastic-metal hybrids, made through the process of metal insert molding — and Bayer MaterialScience (BMS) recently introduced its new Makroblend UT5205 polycarbonate/polyester resin for just such applications.

Designed to be used in the production of plastic-metal hybrid parts, Makroblend UT5205 is formulated to reduce the stresses inherent in metal insert molding during the molding process, as well as in everyday heating and cooling cycles, to ensure the finished part can withstand typical day-to-day abuses.

“Everyday substances that ultra-thin cell phones or MP3 players could come into contact with during a day at the beach, like sun block, are comprised of substances that break down plastic,” said Nick Sunderland, senior associate scientist with BMS. “So we developed Makroblend UT5205 with good chemical resistance so the consumer can focus on having fun.”

Bayer Inc. - Bayer MaterialScience LLC (Toronto); www.bayer.ca; 866-770-1102 www.canplastics.com March 2009 Canadian Plastics 29

view from the floor

Measure for Measure

By Jim Anderton, technical editor

A

nyone who’s ever held a micrometer has experienced that little nagging doubt: “What am I measuring?”

Most of the time, from a shop floor perspective, it’s an attribute that tells you something about the process you’re trying to control, rather than the part’s quality itself.

And that can lead to a surprisingly common “hall of mirrors” effect where you measure, measure and measure again, and end up no farther ahead in understanding what’s going wrong (or right) with your process.

There are lots of ways to screw this up, but I’ll concentrate on three of my favourites:

1

Using the wrong measuring tool. The first time I saw this was as a teenager watching a QC inspector use a microm-

eter to measure a polypropylene gasket. Gaskets are designed to deform, so how do you get a repeatable measurement with the vice-like squeeze of a handheld “mike”? Crazy as it seems, the reason for using this tool was that the print value was specified with tolwerances in thousandths of an inch, so it was assumed that the measuring tool had to have a similar resolution. The results plotted to a beautiful bell-shaped distribution, which seemed to validate the measuring procedure.

They were actually measuring the standard deviation of the operator’s thumb and forefinger pressure on the micrometer ratchet, but hey, the curves look great, right? This one is as much the fault of the customer’s inability to understand basic QA procedures. The solution, by the way, was an optical comparator with careful temperature control in the measuring booth.

2

3

Getting stupid with specifications. This one is a favourite of young design engineers. It really impresses the boss when they draw up a spec sheet as long as their arm for a two-cent part. Why is it necessary to know the dielectric strength of a spacer designed to keep stainless steel brackets from chafing during shipping? Scratch the engineer or tech (inventors do this too) and you’ll find that it comes from a materials handbook that spells out all the properties of the material they’ve chosen, and they’re going to hold their processor to every last one of them. This issue requires the people bidding the job to not just read the spec and cost in the superfluous testing, but to sit down and ask if that tolerance really needs to be held.

Cascading errors. By this I mean the influence one parameter has on others. A rectangular part that’s out of spec by going trapezoidal will show unacceptable tolerances in both part height and width, but neither spec may be really at issue — it’s the squareness of the part that kicks the other two parameters out of whack. While it may be strictly complete to report every out of tolerance measurement, if the part is out of square, you may as well stop, because nothing else will make sense, either. The solution is to think about the order in which you make your measurements.

There are other ways for things to get screwed up, but I think you get the idea. Question everything...gently, politely, but don’t assume that because it’s written down, it makes sense. QA, Engineering, Production, and the customer can all be wrong...especially the customer!

CPL 30 Canadian Plastics March 2009 www.canplastics.com

T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L P L A S T I C S S H O W C A S E 22–26 June 2009 • McCormick Place • Chicago, Illinois USA

W E

S P E A K

Co-located Events Technology exchange will dominate discussions among thought leaders as NPE2009 co-locates with the following events:

international competition

Y O U R

L A N G U A G E.

All in one week, under one roof, experience the world’s most comprehensive event for the plastics industry supply chain.

• Source 2,000 plastics suppliers exhibiting on nearly 100,000 square meters • Conduct business with 75,000 professionals from 120 countries • Learn from over 900 technical presentations & peer-reviewed papers, seminars and forums • Sharpen your skills in business development and training workshops

• Meet with leading contract and captive OEMs, from the packaging, bottling, automotive, air, space and medical industries • Compete in the first International Plastics Design Competition • Discover new and emerging technologies • Participate in industry sustainability discussions

Join the conversation. You can’t afford to miss the one event that brings the global plastics industry together.

produced by

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®

Registered trademarks and ™ trademark of Clariant.

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Sustainability isn’t just a dream with Cesa . ®

From UV stabilizers to flame retardants, antioxidants, antistats, antimicrobials, and so much more, Clariant’s extensive range of Cesa® additive masterbatches improves the beauty, performance and durability of most polymers. Plus our Hydrocerol® foaming agents dramatically enhance processing efficiency. Each grade is backed by the strength and 360˚ Service™ you expect from the global leader in color and additive masterbatches. Just a touch works wonders.

Clariant Masterbatches; Toronto, Ontario +800 265 3773, +416 847 7000; Lachine, Québec +514 420 0770; Delta, British Columbia +604 526 1717; www.clariant.masterbatches.com

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