Canadian Plastics November 2010

CanadianPlastics www.canplastics.com

NOVEMBER 2010

Resin

PRICING

FORECAST The experts weigh in on what to expect for 2011

Extrusion

Our fourth annual survey results are in

Robots & EOAT

How to handle really small parts

Testing & Color Matching

Color control gets serious

We help your great ideas be great products.

POLYOLEFINS Polypropylene High Density Polyethylene Rotomolding Metallocene Polyethylene

STYRENICS GPPS HIPS

ACRYLIC Plexiglas® - Acrylic resins Solarkote® - Acrylic capstocks

FUNCTIONAL POLYMERS Evatane® - EVA Copolymers Lotryl® - EMA and EBA copolymers Lotader® - terpolymers Orevac® - tie layers

PVC Lacovyl® - paste PVC Lucalor® - chlorinated PVC

FUNCTIONAL ADDITIVES Biostrength® - Modifiers for biopolymers Clearstrength® - MBS Impact Modifiers Durastrength® - Acrylic Impact Modifiers Plastistrength® - Processing Aids for PVC Thermolite® - Heat Stabilizer for PVC Vikoflex® - Epoxidized Vegetable Oil Luperox® - Organic Peroxides

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EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES.

The world is our inspiration

contents

CanadianPlastics NOVEMBER 2010 VOLUME 68 NUMBER 6

LOOKING BACK...

The November 1973 issue of Canadian Plastics broke the news that Ed Torokvei, president of Toronto's Scepter Manufacturing Company, had been named "Man of the Year" by the Society of the Plastics Industry of Canada (SPI). Our coverage described Torokvei as having gone from a "penniless Estonian immigrant" to the head of a 300-employee-strong injection molder and extruder with four facilities.

(Torokvei wasn't the only one who changed: the SPI morphed into the Canadian Plastics Industry Association, and the "Man of the Year" award was eventually rebranded as the more inclusive "Leader of the Year".)

page 19

Number of the month:

$19.68*

*Average hourly wage for an extrusion shop floor operator, according to our annual Benchmark Survey. (See pg. 15)

in every issue 4 Editor’s View: • “Keep buggering on” 5 Ideas & Innovations: • Composite resins might take wind turbine towers to new heights 6 News: • Industry gathers for Quebec City trade events • CPIA forum links industry with academia • News Briefs and People 9 Executive’s Corner: • Don’t lose track of your company’s cash flow 26 Technology Showcase 27 Plastics Data File 27 Advertising Index 28 Classified Ads 29 Design Ideas: • New adventures in wires & cables 30 View from the Floor: • Cyber attack, atom bombs and your PLC software

page 10

page 29

cover story

10 RESIN OUTLOOK 2011: After the storm, confusion

As the Great Recession finally begins to recede, resin buyers will find an uncertain landscape in its wake. Overcapacity of some of the major commodity and engineering resins will force low prices; with others, low supplies will allow sellers to raise the cost to just below import levels.

Inside, we tell you which is which.

features

14 EXTRUSION BENCHMARK SURVEY: Lean, mean and ready to invest

Wondering what shape Canada's pipe and profile extrusion shops are in after a period of unprecedented crisis? It's in here. Looking for info on buying intentions, markets served, machine utilization rates and more?

We've got it. Simply put, our fourth annual Extrusion Benchmark Survey gives you a snapshot you won't find anywhere else.

19 ROBOTS & END-OF-ARM-TOOLING: Micro moving

We've got nothing against moistened fingers, but are they really the best way to pick up very small, very delicate plastic parts? Processors looking to go big with small parts molding should at least consider the alternatives of robots and/or end-of-arm-tooling. We look at the pros and cons of some popular picks.

24 TESTING & COLOR MATCHING: The color of control

It's simple: if you can't get finished plastic parts to your customer on time, you're not going survive. But if the colors are off, you'll wish those parts hadn't gone out at all. The latest developments in color matching technology can help.

Visit us at www.canplastics.com www.canplastics.com November 2010 Canadian Plastics 3

editor’s view

“Keep buggering on”

C

orrect me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t 2010 supposed to the year of the economic comeback?

Oh, sure, there was some good news: Canada’s banking system remains sound, overall employment is up from 12 months ago and so, too, are domestic auto sales.

But that’s about where it ends. Last March, economists were forecasting a 3.1 per cent economic expansion in Canada; within three months, that figure was revised downward, as weaker than expected U.S. GDP growth gummed up the works for the Canadian recovery. As if on cue, Canada’s manufacturing sector shed 14,000 jobs between May and June alone.

Hanging over it all was/is the fear of a double-dip recession. This concern isn’t exactly unprecedented, of course: there’s never been a recession — ever — where people didn’t fret over a double dip. But the Great Recession has been atypical, making worries seem even more justified this time around. (Here’s what we do know: Warren Buffet says it won’t happen, while Conrad Black says it will.)

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

And to top it all off, bisphenol A (BPA) has just been declared toxic in Canada, a finding that flies in the face of most of the available research. This doesn’t mean much when stacked against all the other bad news, granted, but it strikes me as putting a symbolic period at the end of an often frustrating year.

So where do we go from here? Well, perhaps Winston Churchill said it best, albeit in a different context: “Keep buggering on.” There’s plenty of chances for our industry to KBO in the months to come: the K 2010 show in Dusseldorf is right around the corner, for example, and Canada’s own Plast-Ex event isn’t too far behind, And on a global scale, there’s a whole lot of glass, paper and steel just begging to be replaced by plastic in more applications than you or I can count.

So here’s hoping that when we meet in 12 months time to perform our post mortem on 2011, we’ll find a much healthier specimen to survey.

Mark Stephen, editor

mstephen@canplastics.com

Season’s Greetings

Wishing you a happy & prosperous New Year from

Mark Stephen Editor

Judith Nancekivell Publisher & Editorial Director

Brayden Ford Advertising Sales Representative

Jim Anderton Technical Editor

and the rest of your friends at

CanadianPlastics 4 Canadian Plastics November 2010 www.canplastics.com

www.canplastics.com EDITOR Mark Stephen 416-510-5110 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: mstephen@canplastics.com TECHNICAL EDITOR Jim Anderton 416-751-5749 E-mail: jimeditorial@yahoo.ca ART DIRECTOR Andrea M. Smith PRODUCTION MANAGER Steve Hofmann 416-510-6757 E-mail: shofmann@bizinfogroup.ca PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER Phyllis Wright PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Judith Nancekivell 416-510-5116 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: jnancekivell@canplastics.com ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVE Brayden Ford 416-510-5124 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: bford@canplastics.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Diane Rakoff 416-510 5216 Fax: 416-510-6875 E-mail: drakoff@bizinfogroup.ca HEAD OFFICE 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto ON M3C 4J2. 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-5134 CANADIAN PLASTICS is published 7 times a year by BIG Magazines LP, a div. of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspa­ pers and business-to-business information services.

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ideas & innovations

Composite resins might take wind turbine towers to new heights

W

hen it comes to generating wind power, it’s simple: taller towers are key to harvesting more energy.

Problem is, steel turbine towers can only go so tall. Build one much higher than the North American average of 265 feet and not only is it not strong enough to support the weight of the turbine — which can be as much as 100 tons — but it’s also in danger of buckling under the stress of the rotating machinery. Add to that the fact that, in their present configurations, steel monopoles are pre-fabricated in sections as large as 14 feet in diameter and 70 feet long, making it difficult to ship them to the typically hilly and remote locales of current wind farm sites, and you’ve got some serious hurdles to the growth of wind power.

Scientists at the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) believe they’ve hit on a way to clear those impediments, by using fiberglass and resin composites to build turbine towers up to almost 400 feet in height.

According to Brian Rice, division head for multi-scale composites and polymers at UDRI, the fiberglass and resin composites could be used to fabricate tower sections on-site at the wind farm using raw materials delivered to the site. “On-site fabrication eliminates the transportation problems and makes more sites accessible to wind power development,” he said.

Such a dramatic increase in tower height necessitates an increase in tower diameter, too, but Rice is confident a new design concept can solve that problem.

In addition, he added, the corrosion-resistant properties of composites would be far better suited than steel for offshore wind farms, which are

just starting to be developed in U.S. waters.

A project team under Rice’s direction has been working on the idea for the past two years, during which time materials have been tested and coupon samples analyzed. In addition to UDRI and lead partner Ershigs Inc., the team reads like a who’s who of Ohio industry research: Edison Materials Technology Center in Dayton, WebCore Technologies in Miamisburg, Owens Corning in Columbus, and Ashland Performance Materials in Dublin.

Further boosts came earlier this year, when UDRI received US$270,000 in state funding for the project and a feasibility study was put together shortly after.

The next step is to prepare for product demonstration, including the goal of completing and testing a full-scale 100 meter composite tower, which Rice said will be one CPL of the largest composite structures ever built.

www.canplastics.com November 2010 Canadian Plastics 5

news

Industry gathers for Quebec City trade events Quebec City was centre stage for the only Canadian plastics industry trade show in 2010. More than 400 business leaders, decision-makers and delegates from across Canada attended the PCMExpo,

The Plastiques Moore team with their Honoris Innova award.

6 Canadian Plastics November 2010 www.canplastics.com

Forum Canada 2010 and Honoris Innova award presentation events, all staged at the Loews Le Concorde Hotel in Quebec City from September 23 to September 24.

The PCMExpo, sponsored by Canadian Plastics and Plastiques et moules magazines, featured 39 exhibitors and 10 seminar presentations, and drew approximately 200 attendees.

Speakers and attendees at Forum Canada 2010, presented by the Federation of Plastics and Alliance Composites (FEPAC), discussed key challenges that face their companies in the plastic and composites industries. The event was headlined by Warren Evans, an international expert on future trends and management strategies. Evans drew particular

Headline speaker Warren Evans.

attention to the ways in which new information technologies and the social media will impact Canada’s plastics processors.

Beyond that, the event had a larger purpose, according to Pierre Fillion, FEPAC’s president and CEO. “A primary goal of Forum Canada was to show the rest of the Canadian plastics sector that Quebec is an open border,” he said.

“Old divisions between Quebec and the rest of the country can’t be allowed to get in the way of our common interests in economic prosperity and in reinforcing our Canadian industry.”

Held as part of Forum Canada 2010, the Honoris Innova awards recognized a number of innovative Quebec-based companies. A total of 13 awards were given out, including “Education and New Skills” to vocational trainer Centre Sectoriel des Plastiques; “Energy Efficiency” to bag and film manufacturer Balcan Plastics; “Dynamic Contribution” to Leonce Tremblay, founder and president of equipment supplier Anplast Inc.; “Marketing” to pipe manufacturer Corma Inc.; and “Outstanding Achievement” to Bernard Poitras, president of packaging supplier Micron Plastics.

The remaining eight winners received “Sustainable Development” awards: bottler Naya Waters Inc., resin manufacturer Felix Compounds, footwear maker Genfoot Inc., packaging and insulation supplier Polyform Foam Plastics Inc., extruder NovaTech Group, custom injection molder Plastiques Moore, packager and extruder IPL Inc., and mold designer Exacad.

CPL

news

CPIA forum links industry with academia On Tuesday October 5, the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) hosted its first Plastics Innovation Forum in Toronto.

Approximately 210 people attended the event, including sales, manufacturing and management leaders from across the plastics industry, as well as government officials, retailers and stewardship organizations.

Attendees heard from eight university professors with emerging technologies in the fields of process optimization, materials and recycling. They also heard from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) about its new Engage Grants Program, which provides up to $25,000 for collaborative innovation projects, as well as Export Development

Canada (EDC) about sources of financing for growth and exports. Presentations were followed by breakout sessions with academics.

“It was a great event, and just from the narrow viewpoint of ‘one professor giving a talk’ I made several important contacts and received some good ideas in return,” said Dr. John Vlachopoulos, professor emeritus at the Department of Engineering, McMaster University. “The breakout session was very useful, and it should be part of any future forum. Overall, it was rare to have academics talk to such a large audience of industry people, and both groups seemed to enjoy it.”

The CPIA’s second innovation forum will be held in Vancouver on November 29. Briefs will include polymer compatibilizaton technologies for recycling, process aids to improve efficiency and quality, and structural composites for industrial applications. CPL

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news

NEWS BRIEFS Quebec injection molder and extruder IPL Inc. is being purchased by private equity firm Novacap and Quebec provincial venture capital firm Fonds de solidarite FTQ for $94.2 million.

The offer “will permit shareholders to realize promptly a fair value for their multiple voting shares without being subject to risks inherent in IPL’s business plan or market risks inherent in non-cash offers,” the company said in a statement. Shareholders approved the deal on October 12.

Saint-Damien-based IPL, which makes parts for a variety of industrial manufacturing sectors, employs approximately 900 people at four plants — three in Quebec and one in New Brunswick.

ACE

Automotive parts maker Florida Production Engineering Inc. (FPE) will open an injection molding facility in Stratford, Ont. in April 2011.

The Troy, Mich.-based company plans to occupy 65,000 square feet of the former Collins and Aikman manufacturing plant, and will hire between 30 PM to 50Page workers Sept10/AB/CPL 8/17/10 12:16 1 during the growth stage of the operation.

FPE — which designs and manufactures wheel trim, interior and exterior trim and a variety of industrial plastic structural products — will supply parts to Honda in Canada.

PEOPLE — Husky Injection Molding Systems has made leadership changes within its sales organization in the Americas. Mike Urquhart, vice president, Latin American sales, has replaced Carmen Lowe as vice president, North Ameri- Mike Urquhart can sales. Lowe is retiring after 23 years with Bolton, Ont.-based Husky.

— Equipment representative Auxiplast Inc., of Ste-Julie, Que., has added three more people to its staff. John Sproule, based in Toronto, has joined the company as Ontario territory manager; Steve Métivier has been named business development coordinator; and Éric Lachance John Sproule has joined the firm as service technician.

— Extrusion equipment supplier CDS – Custom Downstream Systems Inc., of Lachine, Que., has named Aron Gabor as its regional sales account manager for Ontario.

— Jonathan Fischer, the president and CEO of tooling supplier Mold-Masters Limited, has stepped down. Hamdi Conger, chairman of Georgetown, Ont.-based Mold-Masters, has been named CEO on an interim basis.

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executive’s corner

Don’t lose track of your company’s cash flow

By Edmée Métivier, Business Development Bank of Canada themselves. Don’t be afraid to show a little humility — talk to an accountant or a consultant. Both you and your business will be stronger for it.

CPL

C

ash flow management is at the heart of every business, and that’s doubly true in the rough and tumble world of manufacturing. The observation that cash is king in business is hardly new. Indeed, you can Google “cash flow management” and within the roughly 367,000 results you’ll find lots of sound, practical advice on all your cash flow problems. None of that information will do your company much good, however, if you don’t understand how money flows in and out of your specific business in the first place.

There are many recipes out there for managing cash flow, but where too many entrepreneurs fail is in understanding how to adapt these strategies to fit their particular business.

As a first step, companies need to understand and embrace three principles of cash flow: Understand how cash flows in and out of your company, and how that fluctuates throughout the year.

1.

2.

Establish, and continuously update, a 12-month cash flow projection.

Think of this forecast as an early warning system that will help you have enough cash on hand to ride out the slow periods.

3.

I f you don’t understand points 1 and 2, get expert advice. Your business depends on it.

Simply put, positive cash flow means having more money coming into your business coffers than going out. “Business 101” stuff for sure, yet not having enough cash on hand to pay bills is still one of the most common reasons companies fail.

Entrepreneurs need to remember that the line between liquidity and bankruptcy can be razor-thin.

Edmée Métivier is the executive vice president, financing and consulting, at the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).

BDC is a financial institution wholly owned by the Government of Canada that supports the development and growth of Canadian small- and medium-sized businesses through its financing, investment and consulting solutions. For more information, visit www.bdc.ca.

The importance of paying attention There are practical ways to prepare for cyclical cash shortages. Companies can, for example, offer customers discounts for paying invoices early. Taking out a line of credit or term loan is another option. But don’t knock on your banker’s door when your company is bleeding red ink. Instead, approach them when your balance sheet looks strong.

It’s also important to monitor the key indicators in your business — your bank account balance, accounts receivable turnover, inventory turnover and sales growth.

Paying close attention to these metrics on a daily basis will help predict whether your company will have a cash flow issue or not.

Another common mistake companies make is using their working capital to pay for long-term investments, such as new equipment, facility expansions, or moving into new markets. You’re better off using debt to finance these projects, or refinancing fixed assets to free up capital.

Entrepreneurs are very proud people, and many believe, particularly when they start up, that they can handle everything

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resin outlook 2011

After the storm,

CONFUSION

By Mark Stephen, editor

‘‘I

t’s a strange time for plastics processors,” remarked James Virosco, one of the speakers at the 15th Canadian Plastics Resin Outlook Conference in October. “Two years ago, you had the materials and not the orders; now, you have the orders and can’t always get the material to fill them.”

Virosco’s comment gets at the heart of the uncertainty that surrounded not only this year’s resin event, but resin purchasing in general. In 2009, conference attendees knew they were in the midst of an almost unprecedented financial meltdown; this time around, no one knew what to expect, either in resin prices or the plastics manufacturing sector in general.

And that uncertainty was reflected in the various pricing forecasts. Looking for an overarching theme? You won’t find it.

Instead, from polycarbonate to polypropylene to PVC, factors specific to each material, and the various markets they’re used in, are making for unique pricing trajectories.

For buyers of some resins, there might never be a better time to pick material up at reduced costs. For others, it’s the sellers who hold all the cards.

THE BACKDROP: ECONOMIC, COMMODITY PRICE OUTLOOK

At a glance

How bad a year was 2009? Stephen King never wrote anything so frightening. “In 2009, the world economy actually contracted, the first such contraction since the 1920s,” said Patricia Mohr, vice president, economics, at The Scotiabank Group. “This year, there’s been a substantial recovery in world GDP growth, and GDP will be at about 4.4 per cent.” The bad news: the pace of growth in the U.S. and Europe will slow in the second half of 2010, Mohr continued, and be even slower in 2011, with a two per cent growth rate projected for the U.S. “Recovery will be slow because this was not a

typical recession, having been triggered by difficulties in the mortgage market and not, as usually happens, by high interest rates,” she said.

Canada had a mild recession in 2009, Mohr continued, with three per cent growth in 2010, and slightly slower growth project for 2011 because of the projected slowdown in the pace of the American recovery.

China — the 800-pound gorilla in the economic recovery room — experienced a slowdown in late 2008, but never went negative on a year-over-year basis.

“The Chinese government ramped up the economy again in early 2009 through massive bank credit expansion, and the country’s economy is now fully rejuvenated,” Mohr said.

Turning to oil and its effect on commodity pricing, Mohr described the oil market as not tight currently. “Oil inventories are fairly high, but they could tighten in the second half of 2011 as the global economy continues to move ahead,” she said. “Scotiabank predicts only about 300,000 barrels a day of new supply from non-OPEC producing regions.”

Canada is rapidly expanding its pipeline capability into key markets in the U.S., she continued, and in the next 12 months will have additional capability to export down into the Houston refining centre, displacing a lot of Venezuelan, Mexican and Saudi Arabian crude. “I’m worried, however, about the fact that the actual demand for petroleum in the U.S. will grow only very slowly in the next few years,” she said. “Canada should get going very quickly on building

Polyolefins Lower cracker by-product production should result in reduced propylene supplies, leading in turn to higher propylene and PP prices in 2011.

PET Overcapacity of PET worldwide means that North American purchasers will enjoy a real pricing advantage.

James Virosco, Nexant Chemsystems

PVC A three cent per pound market price increase by American PVC producers will be added to an almost five per cent PVC price increase from last year.

Styrenics As benzene prices become more stable and PP becomes more expensive, PS will become increasingly competitive, with a corresponding fall in PS prices.

Esteban Sagel, Chemical Market Associates Inc.

José Rangel, DeWitt & Company Inc.

Judith Taylor, ICIS

10 Canadian Plastics November 2010 www.canplastics.com

Nylon A combination of factors, including automotive recovery and anti-dumping duties, will allow local producers to raise their prices to just below import levels.

Paul Blanchard, Chemical Market Associates Inc.

Polycarbonate After dramatic price reductions, the price of PC rose within the past few months.

Suppliers will have a good year.

Paul Blanchard

resin outlook 2011

We wish we could say that resin buying will be simple as the Great Recession recedes — but it won’t. Overcapacity of some of the major commodity and engineering resins will force low prices; with others, low supplies will allow sellers to raise the cost to just below import levels. Inside, we tell you which is which. new pipeline capability on the West Coast to serve a variety of Asian markets, which is where the real demand growth is going to be.”

The availability of natural gas shouldn’t be minimized as a resin-pricing factor either, she continued. Natural gas prices will be lower for the next three or four years because of the development of new shale plays across the U.S.,” she said. “This is a big, and positive, factor for Canada’s plastics industry and all petrochemical users, as prices will be more competitive.”

POLYOLEFINS One of the most popular of today’s resins, polypropylene (PP) is used in a wide range of consumer goods: appliances, automobiles, food packaging, housewares, medical components — yes, even diapers.

Until the latter half of 2009, PP prices were on a sharp decline as plant-operating rates dropped below 70 per cent and plastics processors reduced inventory. More recently, the low-priced natural gas feedstocks referenced by Patrica Mohr have had a seesaw effect on PP prices.

Where will it stop? Not where the buyers would like. According to the afore-mentioned James Virosco, Nexant Chemsystems’ manager of special projects, strategy divison, PP prices are heading upwards. “Lower cracker byproduct production should result in reduced propylene supplies, leading in turn to higher propylene and PP pricing,” he said.

If current demand trends continue, both North America and Europe could be net importers of PP within the next two years, Virosco continued, as older production units are shut down and the Middle East and South America grow their respective production capacities.

This same importer/exporter pattern is taking hold with polyethylene (PE), which will mark a big shift in the global PE net trade. “The Middle East has become the major exporting region of PE; by 2015, the region is set to have net exports of over 11 million tons per year, rising to over 16 million tons per year by 2025,” Virosco said. “Western Europe will see net PE imports rise to just under three million tons by 2025, and North America — although currently enjoying a significant export position — is forecast to become a net importer by 2015.”

In the shorter term, however, abundant quantities of our old friend natural gas close to home are forestalling the need for imports and keeping PE made in North America competitive on a global basis.

“We’re near the bottom in the PE pricing cycle, which is surprising given that global demand for the material is high,” Virosco said.

STYRENICS In its long struggle to compete with PP, polystyrene (PS) has often seemed like the poorer cousin — poorer, that is, by being more expensive. This is about to change, according to Esteban Sagel, director, polyolefins and polystyrene, North America, with Chemical Market Associates Inc. “The PS industry has suffered in the past decade partly due to less expensive PP, and also by pricing itself out of a number of markets,” he said. “But as benzene prices become more stable and PP becomes more expensive, PS will become increasingly competitive, with a corresponding fall in PS prices.”

Indeed, these are shaping up to be heady days for PS. “The domestic PS market is soft but holding, while global demand outlook is positive,” Sagel said. “Consumer goods such as sixpacks of yogurt, that used to be molded from PP or HDPE, are moving into PS.” The only dark clouds on the PS horizon are in the form of environmental pressures. Measures against PS continue to be a threat, Sagel noted, although recent good news came when California’s attempt to classify styrene as a carcinogenic was blocked.

Sagel expects PS demand growth to be almost flat from 2010 to 2015, with regional PS operating rates at between 80 to 90 per cent in 2011.

“In the end, PS will be a material segment with an improved profitability situation for the next few years, since — with the exception of PET — competing materials are not as competitively priced as they used to be. The PS industry will score a victory simply by remaining the same.”

PET On the surface, these look like troubled times for some North American producers of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), symbolized by big guns Eastman Chemical Co. and Invista putting their businesses up for sale. But looks can be deceiving. Capacity continues to be added at other facilities around the world, with almost 16 million tons of PET produced in 2009. And other North American producers are ramping up production, with North America set to be a net PET exporter in 2011 after having been a net importer in 2009 and 2010.

The result? For buyers and processors, it’s a good time to be in PET, according to José Rangel, manager, aromatics and derivatives, with DeWitt & Company Inc. “The overcapacity being built in the Middle East and elsewhere is built for exports, with associated transportation costs already factored in,” he said. “North American purchasers will therefore enjoy a real pricing advantage.”

Regional PET prices were up almost eight cents per pound in mid-2010, Rangel said, but have since fallen to where they were at the start of the year, and should remain flat during 2011. www.canplastics.com November 2010 Canadian Plastics 11

resin outlook 2011 Rangel anticipates annual demand growth for PET in North America will be four per cent through to 2015. “Abundant feedstocks provide an excellent impetus for PET growth,” he said.

“Although we’re approaching the point where there’s not a lot of glass left to convert in the drink-bottle industry, new lightweighting developments continue to make PET attractive to bottlers.”

PVC One of the lesser noticed side effects of the U.S. housing slump, according to Judith Taylor, an editor with ICIS, has been its effect on the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sector. “PVC remains the plastic of choice for the construction industry, but the ongoing poor performance of the construction sector will continue to dampen demand into 2011,” she said. The silver lining? “ There remains a huge PVC demand in developing countries, and exports of PVC from U.S. manufacturers jumped by 32 per cent in first quarter 2010 from 12 months earlier.”

Indeed, the export market is so strong that Taylor expects it to contribute to higher operating rates for North American PVC producers for the next few years, which — of course — they’ll attempt to pass on to the buyers. “Presently, there’s a three cent per pound market price increase in the works by American PVC producers,” she noted. “This will be added to an almost five per cent PVC price increase from one year ago.”

But if the housing market is heading south — and, in theory, taking PVC demand with it — why aren’t prices falling? Because,

Taylor explained, the material is gaining popularity as a replacement for ductile iron, concrete and other plastics in the houses and condos that are being built. “Seventeen per cent of all water pumped in the U.S. is lost via pipe leaks, and PVC — which leaks less than competing materials — is making inroads into this market,” Taylor said. “It’s also lighter and therefore less costly to transport and handle, and offers a 110-year life expectancy.”

The market stands to be hurt in future by “green” considerations, Taylor also noted, citing Procter & Gamble’s initiative to remove all PVC from its packaging by 2020.

NYLON As the U.S. automotive market roars back after stalling in 2009, producers and buyers of nylon resin should expect the material’s popularity to improve in turn, said Paul Blanchard, a senior consultant with Chemical Market Associates Inc. The pricing results? “A combination of factors, including automotive recovery and anti-dumping duties, will allow local producers to raise their prices to just below import levels,” he said. “The European and North American prices are closer than they’ve ever been. If you’re having a problem buying nylon 6, you’re not alone; and if you don’t like the pricing, you’re definitely not alone.”

The growth of demand for nylon 6 in Asia has sucked supply out of other regions, Blanchard said, tightening the supply/demand balance. “There should be some limited nylon 6 relief in North

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resin outlook 2011 America going forward because of new production investments, but not much.”

North American operating rates for nylon 6 resin should average approximately 94 per cent in 2010 and 90 per cent through 2011 and 2012, he added.

For nylon 6/6, Blanchard forecasts North American operating rates to hold at 70 per cent until the end of 2010 before climbing to 80 per cent by 2014. Pricing should remain tight. If the price of nylon 6/6 comes down, as Blanchard anticipates, thank China. “Suppliers in China are without a basic source of adiponitrile, and therefore have no choice but to move the prices up, making China the most expensive region from which to buy nylon 6/6,” he explained.

“By contrast, North America and Europe are less expensive. You’re getting a bargain if you’re buying from these regions.”

POLYCARBONATE Turning polycarbonate (PC), 11:10 Blanchard ResinConfAd Octto 10 CPL 10/19/10 AM noted that, even with the automotive slowdown, North American PC manufacturers still managed a growth year of 3.5 per cent in 2009. Now, PC demand is showing a

strong recovery in 2010, leading to a tight market and rising prices into 2011. “After dramatic price reductions during the recession and then a period of flat pricing, the price of PC started going up within the past few months, partly related to supply and demand issues like force majeures,” Blanchard said. “The PC suppliers will have a good year in 2011.”

With CD and DVD sales falling drastically in the digital media age, PC makers cut back on optical-grade PC output — only to be caught short in early 2010, Blanchard said, when megahit films Avatar and Twilight: New Moon were released on DVD. Prices skyrocketed by almost 50 per cent. Those exceptions aside, shrewd PC processors are already looking for the next breakout application. “Potentially, there’s a big opportunity for PC in automotive front windshields, although the glass industry has not yet agreed to give up this market,” Blanchard said. “It’s also a heavPage 1 ily regulated industry, and it’s still illegal for anything to be in a windshield other than glass. Time will tell if and when it opens up for the PC sector.”

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www.canplastics.com November 2010 Canadian Plastics 13

extrusion benchmark survey

Photo C

aplan erican M redit: Am

CANADIAN EXTRUD

LEAN,

Wondering what shape Canada’s pipe and profile extrusion shops are in as the Great Recession winds down? It’s in here. Looking for info on buying intentions, markets served, machine utilization rates and more? We’ve got it.

Simply put, our fourth annual Extrusion Benchmark Survey gives you a snapshot you won’t find anywhere else.

By Mark Stephen, editor

BY THE NUMBERS

$19.68

Average hourly operator wage, excluding benefits

52

Number of workers at the average Canadian extrusion plant

5,441,666 Average resin consumed in 2010 (lbs.)

62%

Machine utilization rate at the average extrusion shop

W

ith the worst of the worst recession in living memory hopefully behind us, it’s as good a time as any to cast a backwards glance to assess the toll taken on Canada’s pipe and profile extruders. How did they hold up during this unprecedented challenge? As the economy coughs, sputters and begins to recover, which product markets are they relying on to take them into the immediate future? And is new equipment part of that future?

These — and a lot more — are the queries the fourth annual Canadian Plastics Extrusion Benchmark Survey tried to answer.

How did we do? Let’s let the answers answer that question.

JUST THE BASICS When asked how many employees worked at their plant, we received answers ranging from five to 225, with the average shop employing 52 people. Last year, the survey respondents ranged from one worker to 200, with the average shop employing approximately 66 workers. In 2008, there was a 69-worker average.

Right off the bat, then, we have probable evidence of the downsizing that must certainly have occurred during the Great Recession.

Of this year’s respondents, 75% are involved in profile extrusion, 41% in tubing extrusion, and 25% in pipe extrusion. In 2009, 56.3% were involved in profile extrusion, 37.5% were involved in pipe extrusion, and 25% in tubing extrusion. Additionally, 33.3% of this year’s respondents say they’re involved exclusively in pro14 Canadian Plastics November 2010 www.canplastics.com

prietary extrusion, 33.3% exclusively in custom extrusion, 25% in custom extrusion with some proprietary work, and 8.3% in captive with some custom extrusion. Last year, 43.8% of respondents said that they were involved exclusively in proprietary extrusion, 12.5% were involved in exclusively custom extrusion, 18.8% were involved in captive with some custom extrusion, and 25% were involved in custom with some proprietary extrusion.

The majority of respondents this year — over 66% — reported that their shops were involved in the construction and building markets. This marks a notable decline from the 81% involved in these same markets in last year’s survey — no great surprise given the ongoing weakness of the U.S. housing market. Also, 33.3% of this year’s respondents are extruding consumer goods (compared with 50% in 2009), 33.3% are involved in packaging applications (down from 25% last year), and 25% are doing automotive work (up substantially from 12.5% in 2009 — a suggestion that the auto sector is beginning to recover?).

Over 67% of those surveyed this year said their plant already has either ISO or QS9000 certification, up from 55% last year. As in 2009, the majority of respondents this year (54.5%) are located in Ontario; of the rest, 27.3% are in Quebec and the remainder (18.2%) hail from Alberta.

MACHINERY & PURCHASING When asked to tote up the number of extruders at their plant, 70% said they have 10 or fewer machines — a number virtually unchanged from the 73% with ten or less in 2009. At the high end this year, our largest respondent reported having 34 extruders. The vast majority this year (75%) use single screw extruders (compared with 81.3% in 2009), with 16.7% using counter-rotating twin screw designs, and 16.7% using co-rotating twin screw designs — a slight fluctuation from the 31.3% with counter-rotating machines and the 12.5% with co-rotating twin screw units in 2009.

The 2010 Canadian Plastics Extrusion Benchmark Survey, consisting of 35 questions, was emailed to approximately 390 people at pipe, profile and tubing extrusion facilities throughout Canada, with one respondent being selected per manufacturing facility. We received 15 completed surveys.

extrusion benchmark survey

ERS:

WHAT CATEGORY BEST DESCRIBES YOUR PLANT?

MEAN and READY to INVEST Here’s something to make extruder suppliers sit up and take notice: on average, 49% of the machines in respondents’ shops this year are five or more years old — a huge tumble from the 80.5% that were five or more years old in 2009. Either this year’s respondents are really atypical, or a lot of new(ish) equipment has quietly been snapped up in the past 12 months.

How many of those machines were bought brand spanking new from the OEM as opposed to picked up on auction is, alas, unknown.

If you’re getting the impression by now that extrusion shops are beginning to loosen their purse strings, you might be right: forty-five per cent of respondents this year say they have no plans to buy a new extruder within the next 12 months — which sound like a lot until you consider that a whopping 73% weren’t in a buying mood this time last year.

When asked if they were more likely to buy a complete line — including extruder, tooling and downstream equipment — or a unit extruder, 66.7% of respondents opted for a complete line (compared with 75% last year). And here’s another indicator of the peculiar lay of the post-recession land: eighty per cent of respondents this year said the equipment they planned on buying would replace old machinery rather than add capacity. In 2009, 50% was to replace old units and 50% for new capacity. Doing the math thusly, it seems our respondents in the brave new world of 2010 — supposedly the year of the recovery — remain skittish about the likelihood of adding capacity in the months ahead.

This fact notwithstanding, 55.6% of respondents this year plan to purchase new downstream extrusion equipment within the next 12 months, and (presumably the same) 55.6% will be shopping around for new auxiliary equipment.

Machine utilization rates have bounced around considerably during the four years of our extrusion survey, but in the end little seems to have changed.

How little? The average machine utilization rate among respondents this year was 62% — exactly what it was in our first survey, in 2007. (To complete the picture, the average rate was 71% in 2009 and 73% in 2008.)

INVESTMENTS, WAGES In 2009, extrusion firms allocated an average of 3.5% of their annual budget to employee training and 4.9% to product research and development. How do those numbers stack up against current expenditures? The figures have shifted, but not by much: almost 2.5% was allocated to employee training in 2010, while funds set aside for product R&D actually rose to an average of 5.5% — still, this last number pales in comparison to the 9% average spent on R&D in 2008.

For the guys on the shop floor, here’s probably the most important question on the survey: what’s the hourly average rate paid to machine operators, excluding benefits? According to this year’s survey, the average operator wage is $19.68 per hour — an impressive bump up from the comparatively Ebenezer Scrooge-like rates of $16.08 an hour paid out in 2009

N=15

Exclusively custom extrusion 33.3% Exclusively proprietary extrusion 33.3%

Captive with some custom extrusion 8.4% Custom with some proprietary extrusion 25%

PAST PURCHASES (BY %) 80

Yes No

70

N=15

66.7

60

58.3

50 40

77.8

41.7

30

33.3

20

22.2

10 0

Extruders

Downstream extrusion equipment

Auxiliary equipment

INTENT TO PURCHASE (BY %) 60

Yes No 54.5

50

40

45.5

N=15

55.6

55.6

44.4

44.4

30

20

10

0

Extruders

Downstream extrusion equipment

Auxiliary equipment

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Other 8.3%

Packaging 33.3%

Electronic 8.3%

Construction/buil

Consumer goods 3

Does this represent a retreat back into Canada during extremely difficult times, or simply a different set of N=15 Automotive 25% respondents? We don’t know.

What we do know is that, of the respondents whose shops do have a Consumer goods 33.3% foreign presence, 60% maintain a manufacturing facility (compared to Construction/building 66.7% LOOKING ABROAD 66% in 2009), 40% have a sales office Canada is a great country, no argu(compared to 66% in 2009), and 20% Electronic 8.3% ment, but it’s not the whole world. have a joint venture with a local firm There’s a lot of other nations out (compared with 33% in 2009).

Packaging 33.3% there — how are Canadian extruders And here’s a stunner: a whopping faring when it comes to doing busi100% of the extrusion shops without Other ness, or establishing a presence, on a foreign presence are quite content 8.3% foreign soil? Approximately 45% of to keep it that way, and have no 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 survey respondents this year said plans to plant the company flag on their facilities ship 50% or more of foreign soil in the next 12 months. its products outside of Canada, a notable increase over the 25% Last year, 16% reported having at least tentative plans to go global by 2010. Either they didn’t do it, or they didn’t answer that shipped 50% of its goods beyond Canada in 2009.

When itNov comes maintaining2:00 a physical presence this year’s survey.

CPL ProcessHeaters 10 to10/19/10 PM Page 1 outside of Canada, 44% of respondents have a presence in the U.S. (down To view the full survey results, go to: from 69.2% in 2009), 11.1% have a presence in China (down http://www.canplastics.com/survey/ from 23% in 2009), and none of the respondents, apparently, have archives/2010CPLPipeExtrusionSurvey.pdf anything to do with India (down from 15% in India in 2009).

0 10 20

and $16.67 in 2008. Given the smaller number of workers in the average 2010 extrusion shop, as noted above, this seems to suggest that the workers who weren’t let go are considered valuable enough to be given serious money.

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extrusion benchmark survey

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robots & EOAT

micro Photo Credit: Fanuc Robotics America Inc.

MOVING

I

t’s been said that, with the rise of modern telecommunications, we’re living in an ever-smaller world. True or not, it’s undeniable that plastic parts are getting smaller, as their use in the medical and electronic industries continues to grow.

The term “small part” can mean different things to different people, however. Engineers define “small” as any component less than one inch in length. For plastics processors, a small part — or miniature or micro part — is much smaller: no bigger than 0.25 inches in overall size, and sometimes a lot less than that. (Think grains of sand.)

Straight away, it’s not hard to spot the processor’s plight: how do you handle a part that’s barely visible to the human eye?

There are several options, beginning with the most basic and inexpensive: the human hand. The downsides? Clumsiness and slow, inconsistent results. And pity the poor shop floor operator.

“The pressures of finding and handling very small parts without damaging them can make an operator’s hands literally shake,” said Mike Cicco, general manager of material handling for Fanuc Robotics America Inc. “It’s definitely not something you want to do for an eight-hour shift.” Still, the appeal of the hands-on, zeroinvestment approach is strong — in the beginning, anyway. “Virtually every processor who decides to invest in automation for small parts tried first to do it by hand, and simply found it too difficult and time consuming,” Cicco continued.

BEYOND HANDS-ON For processors ready to move beyond the tongue-moistened finger approach, choosing an automation method for small parts

There’s nothing wrong with moistened fingers, but they’re probably not the best means for picking up very small, very delicate plastic parts. Processors looking to go big with small parts molding should at least consider the alternatives of robots and/or end-ofarm-tooling. We look at the pros and cons of some popular picks.

By Mark Stephen, editor

requires some thought about balancing speed, cost and quality, as well as awareness of the shape and size of the parts to be handled.

A first approach is to custom design and build a system specific to the process at hand, complete with dedicated end-of-armtooling (EOAT) — called a “hard” automation arrangement.

A second option is a robotic automation system engineered for microassembly. “Robotic automation gives the processor a level of flexibility that ‘hard’ automation doesn’t,” Cicco said. “As the requirements change, the system is altered too, sometimes with as little as a ten-minute program change.” In this approach, the robot is a flexible tool, complete with a programmable controller. After the program is written, the end user or a systems integrator can then develop EOAT to grip the item to be moved. The good news, from a programming point of view? The size of the parts being handled usually doesn’t affect the programming process. “The robot has its assigned field of view, and within that field of view the only thing that matters are pixels. By that measure, even the smallest part can be made to appear large,” Cicco continued.

Portable side-entry robots offer another alternative to the “hard” option. “Yushin’s SXA-10II side-entry robot interlocks with super-small molding machines with which product take-out and installation of a take-out robot have been considered difficult, and allows you to raise the ratio of good products and achieve stable small part molding,” said Brad Lemieux, sales manager with Yushin representative En-Plas Inc. Whichever option the processor chooses, one key component to a good robotic automation solution is a vision-identification system, wherein the camera looks for parts of a specific shape, size or www.canplastics.com November 2010 Canadian Plastics 19

robots & EOAT

TRUSTWORTHY TOOLING

SAB

A wide range of specialized grippers are available to handle small parts, beginning with mini-finger grippers with jaws that can be machined down to very tiny shapes to fit the part, whether it be an interior or exterior grip.

Grippers offer greater control of forces than conventional tweezers. 1/22/10 “A big benefit a gripper is that it can accurately Ad/AB/CPL 10:07of AM Page 4 locate the part,” said Dr. LaRoux Gillespie, a consultant and author of numerous books on automation and precision machining. “Once the gripper has the part between its fingers, the processor knows exactly where that part is.”

Be careful, though: with a pneumatic gripper, it’s possible to produce enough force to damage the part.

Force sensors can be used to signal the robot that it has applied enough force to hold the part. Stroke position sensors are helpful in providing feedback to the robot, so it knows whether the gripper is open, closed or in transit, Gillespie continued.

Also, since small parts are often presented in arrays spaced closely together, the grippers must be very small themselves to work effectively in these tight matrices.

“Gripping and releasing small parts is typically more challenging because of the accuracy, repeatability and speed involved,” Gillespie said. “As a general rule, higher quantities require lower cycle times.”

If there’s a risk of part damage due to the force applied by a gripper, or if precision is not a big concern, vacuum probes are a good option for small parts handling. “Vacuum probes find frequent application in the mass production of flat parts and for parts smaller than wooden match heads,” said Gillespie. “It’s a method that processors like to use because it’s cheap, clean, fast and readily reconfigurable.”

The drawback to vacuum probes? “Vacuum systems are often unable to handle certain small part shapes unless the tips are modified,” Gillespie continued. “And their usefulness is limited when parts must be pushed on or pulled off fixtures.”

A third option involves vibratory bowl feeders. The vibration

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Photo Credit: En-Plas Inc.

color. The user defines a primary pick point in the workspace and the camera locates the part. The robot then moves in and — gently!

— picks the part up. “We’ve designed many EOAT and downstream solutions for small part applications that use a vision-identification system for part verification, or other means to prevent rejects getting mixed with good parts,” Lemieux continued. “We’ve even had a two-shot machine application where our customer had extremely stringent part deviations they had to be within, and we were able to offer them a turnkey solution that implemented a scale that could decipher a 0.001 gram difference from shot to shot.”

And whether it’s a “hard” solution or not, there are a slew of EOAT components your system might incorporate — including grippers, vacuum cups and bowl feeders — as well as sexier equipment like industrial robots.

The SXA-10II side-entry robot from Yushin interlocks with super-small molding machines for small part take-out.

robots & EOAT of the bowl automatically orients the parts, which are then transported via rails to the next station. The rails and gates can also perform simple inspection tasks, such as checking that external features are present and automatically rejecting nonconforming parts. Bowl feeders are standard, off-the-shelf devices, Gillespie said, but the systems’ orienting and part-rejection features must be customized for a specific part or part family’s shape and weight.

“Vibratory bowl feeders and their associated rails are one of the most cost-effective approaches for processing large lots ranging from 3,000 to one million parts or more,” he noted.

Drawbacks? “For smaller lots, the requisite setup time normally outweighs any savings in handling time,” Gillespie said.

“Contamination from application to application is also possible, since part fragments might become embedded by the vibrations and rub into any subsequent production runs.”

READY ROBOTS “In my mind, robots are useful for small parts handling when a processor will be making hundreds of thousands of parts, in production runs that will last for years,” Gillespie said.

Since the normal robotic rules don’t always hold in the microworld, Gillespie and others stress that processors have to understand upfront what’s important — and what’s not. “In small parts robotic automation, payload is not an issue — reach is far more important,” said Mike Cicco. “A processor should tailor the choice to the smallest robot with adequate reach, because the smaller the robot, the faster and more repeatable it is.”

In the end, the right configuration depends largely on the application and the work envelope, Cicco continued.

The good news: thanks to recent advances in hardware and software, nearly any style of robot — parallel link, articulated arm or SCARA — can be used in small parts handling.

Parallel link units — in which the end effector, or tool, is linked to the power source via parallel links, or beams — tend to be found in standard assembly and food processing applications, and are making the leap to small parts handling. Fanuc’s M-1iA lightweight six-axis, parallel link robot can be installed in a variety of orientations, and has a three-axis articulated wrist to enable a 3-D part movement. The M-1iA also offers a four-axis model for simpler operations such as part picking or kitting, and a camera for iRVision that can be integrated into the robot. “This system can do very complex, small things in a very small, 10-inch diameter work envelope,” said Cicco.

In articulated arm models, the robot arm has at least three rotary links and often rotates on a base. According to Cicco, an articulated arm robot such as Fanuc’s LR Mate 200iC can provide the same repeatability as a parallel link robot, carry a larger payload, and offer a larger work envelope — albeit at slightly slower speed. “In general, an articulated arm robot tends to be more flex-

ible than other robotic styles, allowing it to better accommodate job changes,” he said.

SCARA robots have two parallel rotary joints that determine the X and Y positioning, as well as a sliding shaft at the end of the arm that moves in the Z-axis. For high speed, pick-and-place work with small parts, SCARA units are said to really shine. “SCARA robots are the most precise, cleanest and fastest robots for smallpart assembly work,” said LaRoux Gillespie.

Downsides? Less flexibility than an articulated arm model.

“If a processor only wants to pick a small part up and move it on the X and Y plane, SCARA robots are a very good option — they’re cheap, fast and accurate,” said Mike Cicco. “In my experience, however, a processor who wants three axes of motion will find it more cost-effective to purchase a pre-designed robot, because of the amount of additional programming and extra engineering work required to get a pick-and-place robot to that performance level.”

In the end, then, there’s big things happening in minature parts moving.

CPL RESOURCE LIST En-Plas Inc./Yushin Precision Equipment Co. Ltd. (Toronto); www.en-plasinc.com; 416-286-3030 Fanuc Robotics Canada Ltd. (Mississauga, Ont.); www.fanucrobotics.com; 905-812-2300 LaRoux Gillespie (Kansas City, Mo.); www.larouxgillespie.com; 816-942-5497

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testing & color matching

The

of

COLOR

CONTROL

For plastics processors, a big part of surviving in tough economic times involves getting finished parts to the customer, fast. But if the colors are off, you’ll wish those parts hadn’t gone out in the first place.

The latest developments in color matching technology can help.

E

fficient plastics processing is all about control. Part parameters, temperature set points, cycle times — they should all combine to make the perfect finished part, every time. The obverse is that if something — anything — is off, the part won’t cut it.

Adding to this, you’ve got to spot those bad parts before they go out the door, and defects aren’t always obvious to the naked eye. Take color, for example. A shade or hue that’s fractionally off can be almost impossible to spot by even the most vigilant shop floor operator. That’s why color matching equipment and software stand as part of the last line of defense against shipping bad products to your customers.

And yet only one-third of the manufacturers that need to maintain tight color tolerances do so with instrumentation.

With competition on the rise during tough economic times, though, using color matching equipment probably makes better sense than ever. Ready to take the plunge? Here’s a look at some of the latest, all designed to put the kibosh on off-color parts while satisfying a growing demand for user friendliness.

SPECTROPHOTOMETERS: BIG WORD, BIG ROLE Portable spectrophotometers provide a

fast, handy way to troubleshoot color problems on the factory floor. To this end, X-Rite Inc. has unveiled a new family of multi-angle spectrophotometers. Called the MA94, MA96 and MA98 spectrophotometers, the units are improved versions of the company’s popular MA68II device, according to Brian Teunis, X-Rite’s product manager. “The new units offer better data repeatability, a more robust method for measuring flexible or curved surfaces, and can also help manufacturers identify and maintain the color quality of parts that may originate from different production lines,” he said.

The MA94 is designed for color measurement of flat, flexible and curved test surfaces by using three pressure sensors that indicate to personnel that they’ve positioned the instrument correctly for readings. “The MA94 illuminates test surfaces with a tungsten halogen module and takes readings from five aspecular angles in less than two seconds,” Teunis said.

The MA96, meanwhile, has all the features of the MA94, but takes measurements from six aspecular angles, Teunis continued, to provide additional information for collecting data on effect paints and coatings.

Finally, the MA98 is a 31-point spectro-

24 Canadian Plastics November 2010 www.canplastics.com

By Mark Stephen, editor photometer designed to measure effect paints for research and development, process improvements and product refinements. “With 11 sensors and two illuminators, the MA98 can detect characteristics of effect paints that the other instruments miss entirely,” Teunis said.

The SPECTRONIC 200 spectrophotometer from Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is a successor to the company’s familiar SPECTRONIC 20 and GENESYS 20 devices, and is intended to provide fast scanning without the need to connect to an external computer. The onboard controls and full-color display reduce bench space requirements and offer an intuitive navigation experience similar to a cell phone — an interface that’s easy to learn, the company said, even for inexperienced users.

User friendliness is further emphasized by features such as the removable sample compartment and integrated cuvette rack shelves. Corrosion-resistant, it allows for easier cleaning compared to legacy and competing instruments, as the sample compartment can be removed and rinsed in a sink. Results are displayed on a fullcolor LCD graphics screen with variableangle positioning, providing improved

testing & color matching

dish mode, and then guides them through each step to ensure proper setup,” Howard said.

Konica Minolta’s CM-5 benchtop spectrophotometer has a transmittance chamber that slides open to allow for testing of relatively large samples.

Photo Credit:

SOFTWARE STEPS UP Folio Instrume

nts

clarity of information display. And for users of the instrument’s predecessors, the SPECTRONIC 200 offers what’s described as an easy upgrade path by including user interface emulation modes in its on-board software platform.

Konica Minolta Sensing Americas, Inc. (KMSA) recently introduced its CM-5 benchtop spectrophotometer, a direct replacement for the company’s CT-300 series. Described as an accurate, standalone instrument that doesn’t require a PC, the CM-5 has a top port design intended to support the measurement of solid objects. “Unlike other benchtop models, the CM-5 has a transmittance chamber that slides open to allow relatively large samples to be tested without having to be cut or destroyed,” said Neil Howard, technical sales with KMSA representative Folio Instruments.

Here, too, user friendliness is a key feature. “To assist operators in setting up the CM-5, KMSA has included a simple software wizard that allows them to select from reflectance, transmittance and petri

But spectrophotometers aren’t the answer for every color measurement application.

Color matching software also plays an important role, and — as with spectrophotometers — new software offerings are designed to double down on user friendliness.

Datacolor’s new, next generation TOOLS 2.0 color quality control and management software, for example, is designed to quickly and easily create color measurement files and establish pass/fail criteria. “The software navigation has been significantly streamlined, enabling users at any experience level to create customized reports and screens for viewing data, as well as configure forms for printing data,” said Vincent Lequeux, director of product management with Datacolor’s industrial business unit.

Features of the new TOOLS 2.0 include configurable user interface, layout and workflow, that adapts the data presentation and program function-access per individual user or customer demand results using customized software configurations; complete backward compatibility for minimum learning curve and continuous productivity; and a standard, integrated Datacolor ENVISION component that offers accurate on-screen color and appearance.

Datacolor has also unveiled the new Guardian instrument monitoring technology and unique predictive maintenance program for its high-end spectrophotometers.

According to Lequeux, the Guardian software automatically sends test results to the so-called Datacolor Guardian Sentinel server, where it’s reviewed by the assigned Datacolor technician to assess each instrument for any troublesome trends. “The end goal is to anticipate possible failures and allow Datacolor users to implement proactive service before an instrument color drift adversely affects production,” Lequeux said.

Cognex Corporation recently introduced In-Sight Explorer 4.4 for its In-

Sight automated vision inspection systems. Explorer 4.4 is said to add new color tools, improved calibration and expanded data access within the company’s EasyBuilder configuration software.

According to Narayan Subramanian, product marketing manager at Cognex, Explorer 4.4 includes new color tools in EasyBuilder that simplify the process of color training. “Trained colors can now be shared among multiple tools, and new application-specific color tools make the task of solving color applications easy and flexible,” he said.

Explorer 4.4 also offers more powerful distortion correction for line-scan cameras, improved 32-point calibration in the In-Sight spreadsheet, and more calibration options with EasyBuilder with easier access to pattern, blob and edge data. “InSight’s EasyBuilder configuration software helps users of all experience levels to quickly set up their entire In-Sight application without needing programming or spreadsheet knowledge,” Subramanian continued. “With the Explore 4.4 upgrade, In-Sight vision systems can be easily integrated with any factory network or automation control system.”

As you can see, it looks like the equipment and software suppliers have set the bar fairly high for color testing and matching. Now, if only they could rid the world of white shoes and socks worn with white shorts...

CPL RESOURCE LIST BYK-Gardner USA (Columbia, Md.); www.byk.com/instruments; 1-800-343-7721 Cognex Corporation (Natick, Mass.); www.cognex.com; 877-264-6391 Shelley Industrial Automation (Toronto); 416-447-6471 Rotalec Group (St-Laurent, Que.); 514-341-3685 Datacolor (Lawrenceville, N.J.); www.datacolor.com; 609-924-2189 Prism Instruments (Pickering, Ont.); 888-717-7476 Konica Minolta Sensing Americas, Inc. (Ramsey, N.J.); www.konicaminolta.us; 201-236-4300 Folio Instruments (Kitchener, Ont.); 800-683-6546 Thermo Fisher Scientific (Nepean, Ont.); www.thermofisher.com; 613-226-8874 Geneq Inc. (Montreal); 514-354-2511 Hoskin Scientific Ltd. (Vaughan, Ont.); 905-333-5510 (Vancouver); 604-872-7894 X-Rite Inc. (Grand Rapids, Mich.); www.xrite.com; 1-800-248-9748 Manutrol Inc. (Montreal); 514-489-4144

www.canplastics.com November 2010 Canadian Plastics 25

technology showcase

AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT

Case packer provides gentle support handling The new Versatron case packer with “soft catch” technology from Standard-Knapp is designed for high-speed packing of fragile containers, in particular challenging packaging applications with reduced and/or lightweight materials.

Unlike many traditional case packers, which simply drop containers into their respective packaging, the Versatron case packer gently “catches” each container to ensure that each package is filled without damage. This unique “soft catch” feature allows for maximum productivity and a reduction in machine downtime while dramatically reducing breakage.

A two-axis servo system allows the Versatron to actually “catch” the product as it descends into the case. The lift table moves the case to the “up” position and waits for a full grid. When the grid is full, the riding strips shift to the side and initiate the bottle descent. The lift table simultaneously moves the case downward on a velocity curve that ultimately achieves the same speed at the point of contact, cradling it gently and securely.

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

BLOW MOLDING

Filling line for broad range of applications W. Amsler Equipment Inc. has expanded its custom line of filling equipment for a broad range of liquid filling applications including beverage, edible oil, household cleaners and pharmaceuticals.

The company’s rotary mono­block filling lines are made of stainless steel, and all rinsing, filling, and capping operations are enclosed, thereby promoting a sanitary environment. The unit can be built with HEPA filtration and serve as its own cleanroom.

The filling machines feature PLC controls for reliable and repeatable performance. Machine speed is automatically varied depending on line conditions. Filling lines can be set up independently or inline with a W. Amsler linear or rotary blow molder.

W. Amsler Equipment Inc. (Richmond Hill, Ont.); www.amslerequipment.net; 905-707-6704 26 Canadian Plastics November 2010 www.canplastics.com

Fast mold changeover system Sidel has unveiled the new Bottle Switch quick format changeover system, designed to improve blow molder flexibility by reducing the mold changeover time to less than one minute.

A simple, semi-automatic solution places the required blowing station right in front of the operator. Easier unlocking of the mold support units ensures automatic opening.

The result is an easy-to-use system with no tools, optimal ergonomics, increased safety and a 50 per cent decrease in machine downtime. On an SBO 20 Universal2, for example, full format changeover is now 18 minutes “bottle to bottle” for a single operator, instead of 33 minutes for two operators with the previous system.

The Bottle Switch format is available with options and upgrades for all the most recent generations of SBO Universal blow molders, and will be available by the end of 2010 for all SBO Series2 and Combi machines.

Sidel Inc. (Norcross, Ga.); www.sidel.com; 678-221-3087

HOT RUNNERS

Quick-couple actuator eases assembly, maintenance Synventive Molding Solutions has redesigned its QCVG16 quick-couple actuator for simpler installation and maintenance, and also made it available for use with the company’s entire global product line of valve gate hot runner systems.

This new actuator offers numerous advantages for easy assembly, disassembly and valve pin adjustment for moldmakers and molders, including a design that facilitates easy assembly and disassembly. The top clamp plate can be removed without removing the QCVG16 actuator or valve pin, and valve pins can be removed without removing the QCVG16 actuator or top clamp plate.

Also, pin axial adjustment feature permits valve pin adjustment with or without top clamp plate, and an integrated selfbleeding feature reduces installation assembly time and cost by eliminating the need to bleed air from hydraulic lines.

Synventive Molding Solutions (Peabody, Mass.); www.synventive.com; 1-800-367-5662 Precision Mold Supplies Ltd. (Delta, B.C.); 604-943-7702

technology showcase

MATERIALS

Fire retardant TPEs for wire, cable applications Two new low-smoke, zero halogen, flame retardant TPEs from Polymax Elastomer Technology are designed as an environmentally friendly and safe alternative to PVC or halogenated flame retardant TPE for wire and cable jacketing applications.

Available through Alliance Polymers & Services, Maxelast FH7990U and Maxelast FH7990V meet UL 62/1581 VW-1 or VDE H03Z1Z1/HO5Z1Z1 speci-

fications, respectively, and are offered in Shore A hardness grades of 87 or 85.

Unlike PVC, the Maxelast TPE formulations are safe: they’re non-hazardous to the environment, can be recycled, and during burn tests emit no hazardous gases and have low smoke.

Also, the two new TPEs resist cracking at temperatures up to 150∞C/302∞F, have superior resistance to aging and good melt strength to deliver rugged jackets for wire and cable with a smooth surface.

Alliance Polymers & Services (Romulus, Mich.); www.alliance-tpu.com; 734-710-6700

SOFTWARE

Modular, scalable package provides data from all plant floor assets The new Freedom eWARE software suite from e-tekx, a division of MAG IAS, is the first all-encompassing manufacturing data

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Get free information from the companies that interest you most.

Contact the company directly using the telephone number, e-mail address or web site listed below

ONE STOP SHOPPING

Innovative automation and auxiliary equipment — from auto­nomous work cells to central systems. Products include Battenfeld injection molding machines, robots and automation, in-mold labelling, material handling systems including blenders, dryers and loaders, granulators, water flow regulators and mold temperature controllers.

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

BARREL REFURBISHING AND RESLEEVING SERVICES

“Does it pay to overhaul a worn barrel? YES, if you let IMS do it!”

Our full range of barrel enhancements include Relining Barrels up to 8" I.D. and 180" in length (SPE-CIAL 1-2 week RUSH Service available); plus New OEM Replacement and Custom Barrels.

IMS Industrial Molding Supplies 10373 Stafford Road, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023-5296; Tel. 1-800-537-5375 www.imscompany.com/Barrels.htm

www.canplastics.com November 2010 Canadian Plastics 27

technology showcase reporting platform to provide performance, utilization and availability feedback from any industrial asset on the plant floor. eWARE is a modular and scalable software package for data acquisition, condition monitoring, energy monitoring and cell control, capable of generating reports and analytics for maintenance, process optimization and OEE. The new software, which is MTConnect-compliant, can interact with smart phones, tablet PCs and similar mobile devices, displaying machinery status, productivity data and machinery analytics for various systems on a plant network.

The system uses algorithms based on AMT and VDI standards

to categorize time into six different areas: Plant Shut-Down, Scheduled Downtime, Delay Time, Repair Time, Not-In-Cycle Process Time and In-Cycle Time.

Reports available in eLOG include: top 25 alerts, top 25 events, top 25 programs by duration or by count, a daily view of activity over a 24-hour period and a tapestry report for day-by-day or hour-to-hour comparisons.

MAG IAS Canada Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.); www.mag-ias.com; 905-673-7007

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28 Canadian Plastics November 2010 www.canplastics.com

design ideas • new adventures in wires & cables

Ultra-white alternative to black and grey data cables

Renewably sourced wire jackets can take the heat You knew it was coming: renewably sourced polymers have broken into the wire and cable industry.

DuPont Performance Polymers’s Zytel renewably sourced nylon resins and Hytrel thermoplastic polyester elastomer renewably sourced resins are now available and ready for use in products for either insulation and/or jacketing applications, as well as for straight or coiled cables.

“Beyond those materials already supplied to the wire and cable industry, we are continuously developing new materials to meet new and more demanding requirements in terms of temperature and chemical resistance, coupled with good mechanical performance and high extrusion speeds while reducing our environmental footprint,” said JeanMaurice Griffon, wire and cable global marketing manager at DuPont Performance Polymers.

Offering enhanced elastic memory recovery over a wide temperature range, the Zytel and Hytrel renewably sourced materials can be tailored to meet a variety of wire and cable applications, Griffon continued, in industries as wide-ranging as automotive, transportation, robotics and appliances.

“In addition to material supply, DuPont provides assistance for its customers in terms of material selection, process optimization and documentation related to specific end-use requirements,” he added.

E.I. DuPont Company (Mississauga, Ont.); www.plastics.dupont.com; 905-821-5193

Wire manufacturers have long been trying to offer halogen-free, flame retardant cables made for high-end, direct current chargers and data cables in any colors other than black and grey.

But the dream usually short-circuited — until now.

Chiangyu Electric, a leading Chinese wire and cable maker, recently rolled out the first line of ultra-white, custom-colored cables made from Flexible Noryl PVC resin from SABIC Innovative Plastics.

For years, Chiangyu Electric used PVC for its cable products, but was hamstrung in its efforts to substitute a material that not only provided non-halogenated flame retardance but also could be processed on its existing extrusion equipment to keep production costs down. Further hurdles: the material would have to have tensile strength, elongation, flexibility, heat aging, cold bending and custom color.

SABIC provided two new grades of Flexible Noryl resin that fit the bill: WCD801AU, designed for cable jacketing; and WCP821U, designed for molded cable components. Ultraviolet weathering tests performed at the company’s China Technology Center in Shanghai, per the ASTM D4459 standard, resulted in a color shift Delta E value of less than three after 300 hours of exposure to a CWF2 light source.

“Thanks to SABIC’s solution, our customers are very pleased with handsome, ultra-white cables which add a fresh and stylish look to their products, while also giving them extreme high performance,” said Sunny Wu, president, Chiangyu Electric.

SABIC Innovative Plastics (Toronto); www.sabic-ip.com; 1-800-323-3783

Fibre towing cables lighten up seismic research Understanding earthquakes can take you to strange places — like the middle of the ocean, where seismic research vessels constantly deploy measuring devices, sometimes on the ends of towing cables that reach lengths of up to 12 kilometers.

Problem is, towing cables made from traditional steel wire wear out fast, with a typical lifetime of just four to five months.

A new cable made from DSM Dyneema ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibre might just change all that.

Towing cables made from UHMWPE Dyneema fibres have recently been installed on the seismic research vessels “Ranform Sovereign” and “Ramform Sterling”, owned and operated by Norway-based offshore service company Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS).

“Ropes made with Dyneema are very strong, lightweight, resistant to harsh environments and require replacement only every two years,” said Brad Bertsch, mechanical supervisor at PGS. “Also, the low weight and low diameter of the ropes played an important part in our being able to fit greater lengths of rope onto existing winches, and in controlling costs — such as fuel usage — that are associated with towing weight.”

DSM Dyneema LLC (Stanley, N.C.); www.dyneema.com; 1-800-883-7404

www.canplastics.com November 2010 Canadian Plastics 29

view from the floor

Cyber attack, atom bombs and your PLC software

By Jim Anderton, technical editor I suppose it had to happen eventually: computer viruses have morphed from nuisances into real hazards to business data and our personal identities. For plastics processors, the silver lining has always been that the computer power that runs production machinery, PLC’s and more modern integrated PC-based controllers wasn’t affected.

Until now.

The so-called Stuxnet worm specifically infects Siemens WinCC/PCS7 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software, and can reprogram systems and then hide the changes. What does it change? Why? We still don’t know, but the rumours sound like something out of a John LeCarre novel.

Hackers are apparently off the hook, industry experts say, because Stuxnet is too big, too complex and too specific to be the product of some nerdy kid in a university dorm. Beyond that, any theory goes. One thing we do know is that, presently, only Siemens systems are affected. But these are extensively employed worldwide — including in Iran’s nuclear facilities, which raises the question of whether Stuxnet is a cyber attack on the Iranian nuclear program.

Whatever the truth about Stuxnet, the larger point is this: it may be the start of many similar infections. How can we protect against this kind of attack? Mainly by treating our control software the same way we would financials, personal records or any other critical business information. Here are some ideas:

1.

estrict access to production controllers. Sure, it’s great that R your system can download upgrades automatically, but do you have to let software decide who gets into your system? Configure it so that upgrades have to be approved by plant personnel before they’re downloaded. Better still, download patches and upgrades to a USB stick and check them for viruses before loading. Log downloads the same way you’d document changes to a blueprint. Make software backups a part of your PM program, just like greasing bearings or adjusting clearances.

2.

eep several backups of previous configurations. I’ve kept K as many as four USB backups of software, making a copy of each version going back for upgrades/patches. Why? Because you’re certain to have a workable instruction set that predates the infection, allowing you to get your machines up and running even if you have to blow out the entire program set to get rid of a virus or worm.

3.

ontrol USB storage. Use USB memory from different C manufacturers and add a massive, non-pocket-size key fob to backup sticks. I use paint stirrers because they’re easy to label and find on a desk or workbench. The idea is to prevent them from accidentally going into an engineer’s pocket, where they’re used as convenient storage for every other file on his or her PC.

4.

I solate the hardware. I prefer production equipment to have no physical connection to front office computers, no matter how much your IT people say it’s the best/cheapest/most convenient way. In my world, any intranet system controlling production equipment should be accessible by production personnel only, and master processors should be configured to prevent access to Web browsers, email and internal communications software. If someone emails an upgrade, put it on a USB stick and check it for viruses first.

In the end, we’re all stuck with systems that are vulnerable to a certain degree. Stuxnet in specific isn’t the issue here — the very flexibility of modern control software means that one-sizefits-all controllers will eventually accept malware intended for a sinister purpose.

Try telling your customer that the shipment will be late because your press shut down after a cyber attack on somebody’s atomic bomb program. It sounds far-fetched and I hope it never happens, but why roll the dice?

CPL 30 Canadian Plastics November 2010 www.canplastics.com

The Business Acceleration Event for Canada’s Plastics Processing Industry

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