Canadian Plastics February 2014

CanadianPlastics www.canplastics.com

FEBRUARY 2014

INJECTION MOLDERS’ BENCHMARK SURVEY

What’s On Their Minds?

GET SHREDDED WITH THE LATEST SIZE REDUCTION EQUIPMENT SECRETS TO A BETTER INJECTION MOLDING PURGE WHY 3D PRINTING MIGHT JUST CHANGE EVERYTHING

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contents

Canadian Plastics FEBRUARY 2014 VOLUME 72 NUMBER 1

LOOKING BACK...

Number of the month:

$13.75*

* Average hourly operator wage in a Canadian injection molding shop, excluding benefits. (See pg. 14)

in every issue 4 Editor’s View: The free trade winds are blowing 5 Ideas & Innovations: Brace yourself for custom, 3D-printed casts 6 News: • Nova Chemicals details plans for multiple projects in Sarnia region • Arburg building new U.S. headquarters in Connecticut • Ontario molder Quality Model expanding operations in South Carolina • Supplier News & People 9 Executive’s Corner: Get ready for CETA 30 Technology Showcase

5

©Karen Struthers/Getty Images/Thinkstock

It paid to be Canadian way back when.

Statistics provided by SPI Canada (the predecessor to today's Canadian Plastics Industry Association) showed that Canadians were getting a veritable bargain from their membership dues in the organization, the November 1967 issue of Canadian Plastics reported. According to SPI Canada head Ron Evason, the average Canadian SPI member-company's dues in 1967 were $400 per year, which was one-half of the $800 per year paid by U.S. companies for membership in the SPI's American branch.

11

20

cover story 11 INJECTION MOLDERS’ BENCHMARK SURVEY: What’s on their minds?

Manufacturing is hot again after the freeze of the Great Recession, and our latest injection molding survey is your chance to measure your temperature against the competition.

Buying intentions, utilization rates, markets served, operator wages — it's all inside. features 16 SIZE REDUCTION EQUIPMENT: Get shredded!

If you can produce it, you'd better believe these units can reduce it — and fast. Here's a look at what's new, now.

20 3D PRINTING: Growing layer by layer We don't throw the word "revolutionary" around very often, but when it comes to 3D printing — which offers molders the chance to make quality parts without a mold — it might even be an understatement. Here's a look at how it works, and what it can — and for the moment, can't — do.

34 Plastics Data File 37 Advertising Index 37 Classified Ads 38 Technical Tips: How to obtain even wall thickness in extrusion blow molding (it ain’t easy)

26 PURGING COMPOUNDS: Tips for injection molders Yes, purging an injection molding press can be time-consuming; and yes, that lost production time can cut into your profits.

But since the alternative is shipping off-spec parts to your customers, you really don't have an alternative. So you might as well do it right.

Visit us at www.canplastics.com www.canplastics.com February 2014 Canadian Plastics

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editor’s view

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.

The free trade winds are blowing

I

t’s taken for granted in certain circles that the loss of jobs, notably in manufacturing, is a direct result of free trade.

Most recently, for example, NDP leader Thomas Mulcair claimed Canada suffered from so-called “Dutch Disease” because of a focus on resource exports, which pushed up the value of the Canadian dollar and undermined manufacturing by making exports more expensive.

The decline in semi-skilled, high paying jobs in Canada has occurred for a number of reasons, chief among them high relative labor costs, lack of business investment, and a mismatch of skills to available jobs. And if it’s any consolation, it’s not just a problem in Canada: Job losses in manufacturing are happening in virtually all advanced economies.

A better question is how are nations reacting to this challenge?

In the U.S., despite the hammering of the Great Recession, the manufacturing sector has actually been stable for decades, accounting for 11.8 per cent of jobs in 1987 and 12.4 per cent in 2012.

In Germany, manufacturing represents a quarter of the economy, and the country has quietly become the world’s second-largest exporter after China.

Germany’s exports have contributed two-thirds of the country’s economic growth over the past decade, and have grown its GDP per capita at a faster rate than that of any other major industrialized country.

Similar situations exist in other European countries such as Switzerland and Denmark, and they attribute their success in large part to free trade, not in spite of it.

In Canada, meanwhile, the reality is less rosy. Canadian firms have been slower to penetrate global markets, having for years relied on the U.S. as the no-brainer destination for exports and source of capital and investment. Another part of the problem, as recently published papers by Statistics Canada make clear, is that small 4

companies account for a substantially larger proportion of the economy in Canada than they do in the U.S. It sounds kinda quaint, but small firms produce less than half from their labor than what larger enterprises do, and — unable to exploit the scale economies associated with size — therefore possess a productivity disadvantage relative to their larger counterparts.

What’s a good solution? Free trade.

Properly implemented, free trade provides a vital framework for Canadian firms to pursue opportunities abroad.

And unless you’ve been banged up in solitary confinement for the past few months, you know that a seismic quake is about to shake up Canada’s trade landscape, in the form of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union. Suffice it to say that, once ratified, it’ll be a significant step forward for Canada’s international trading relationships — probably the biggest since NAFTA. But don’t take my word for it; for more on the CETA trade pact and its implications, consult an article by tax and fiscal policy expert John Whitehead on pg. 9 of this issue of Canadian Plastics.

Not to steal John’s thunder or anything, but an opportunity such as CETA comes along once in a generation, so let’s make the most of it.

On a different note, it has been brought to my attention that, in the raw materials handling equipment cover article in our October 2013 issue, I misquoted some information generously supplied by one of the contributors, who was not given the chance to check the material before the issue went to press.

I thank him for bringing it to my attention, and regret the errors. Canadian Plastics strives to give the most accurate and comprehensive information in every article we write. Thank you to all who participate to make this a stronger industry.

Mark Stephen, editor

www.canplastics.com EDITOR Mark Stephen 416-510-5110 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: mstephen@canplastics.com ART DIRECTOR Andrea M. Smith PRODUCTION MANAGER Steve Hofmann 416-510-6757 E-mail: shofmann@bizinfogroup.ca PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER Phyllis Wright SENIOR PUBLISHER Judith Nancekivell 416-510-5116 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: jnancekivell@canplastics.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Greg Paliouras 416-510-5124 Fax: 416-510-5134 E-mail: gpaliouras@canplastics.com CIRCULATION MANAGER Anita Madden 416-442-5600, ext. 3596 Fax: 416-510-6875 E-mail: amadden@bizinfogroup.ca EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Tim Dimopoulos VICE PRESIDENT, CANADIAN PUBLISHING Alex Papanou PRESIDENT, BUSINESS INFORMATION GROUP Bruce Creighton HEAD OFFICE: 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto ON, M3B 2S9. 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 newspapers and business-to-business information services.

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mstephen@canplastics.com

Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

CPLFeb2014 p04 Editorial.indd 4

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ideas & innovations

Photo Credit: Heal.X Innovation

Brace yourself for custom, 3D-printed casts

I

f you’ve ever had a fractured limb, you know how unpleasant a cast can be. They’re bulky and uncomfortable — not to mention a blank canvas for embarrassing sketches by family and friends. But a Toronto start-up is using 3D printing to revolutionize the way fractured bones, as well as sprains and other similar injuries, are healed.

Inspired by an accident in which he broke his hand and had to wear a bulky fibreglass cast that interfered with his daily life, Mandad Tabrizi founded Heal.X Innovation, a company that designs customized, 3D-printed bonefracture braces that are less itchy, more stylish, cheaper, and more conducive to healing than traditional casts.

“The core idea behind the system was to think about patients as people with behavioral needs throughout the course of their treatment,” Tabrizi said.

“Although some of the materials used in casts have changed over time, the technology itself has remained the same for 300 years, along with such unfortunate side effects as odor, muscular atrophy, nerve damage, and a very intimidating cast removal method.”

Until now. Based on a X-ray that acquires a 3D model of the injured limb, a Heal.X cast is created on a 3D printer, at a hospital, using a medical grade resin with antibacterial properties, and then adhered to the body with a long-term adhesive. Over time, as the swelling reduces and certain areas require less support and more mobility, the cast itself can evolve through design variations. “A

patient will receive check-ups, and in that check-up would be 3D-scanned and fitted for a new 3D-printed cast,” Tabrizi said. “This also enhances the psychological sense of healing, as over time the cast becomes smaller and smaller.”

The end result is a casting system that allows its owner more freedom and security as they travel down the road to recovery. “The casts are designed to allow the broken limb to swell naturally, without compression, as part of the healing process, a freedom traditional casts don’t offer,” Tabrizi explained.

“It’s a particularly useful technology for children, whose bones continue to grow while fractured.”

Currently in the process of patent-

ing the Heal.X system and further testing materials, Tabrizi sees a variety of markets for his custom designs. “Since the hospitals take longer to adopt new infrastructure for these types of treatments, currently we are commercializing our wrist bracing system through two different paths,” he said. “First, we’re marketing through sport clinics to be used on professional athletes. Second, we’ll have a simpler version of our first brace available for less complicated injuries, such as sprains and carpal tunnel syndrome.”

Call it one of the better breaks a patient will have had lately.

CPL Heal.X Innovation (Toronto); www.healxinnovation.com; 647-886-4460

www.canplastics.com February 2014 Canadian Plastics

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news

NOVA CHEMICALS DETAILS PLANS FOR MULTIPLE PROJECTS IN SARNIA REGION

Pipeline progress to supply ethane to Nova’s cracker in Corunna, Ont.

N

ova Chemicals Corporation has spelled out some of its plans to move ahead with the second phase of its “Nova 2020” growth strategy in Ontario.

According to Calgary-based Nova, the next phase of the Nova 2020 strategy, anticipated to take place over the 2014 to 2018 time frame, will concentrate on “several cost-effective expansions and upgrades to our existing facilities in the Sarnia, Ont. region.”

These include expanding the Corunna, Ont. cracker ethylene manufacturing capacity by approximately 20 per cent; pursuing a debottleneck at the Moore, Ont. low-density PE line; and pursuing a retrofit of the Moore high-density PE line.

“These projects are intended to build on the impact of the Corunna cracker conversion to utilize up to 100 per cent natural gas liquids to enhance our capabilities to meet growing and more sophisticated customer demands,” Nova said.

Work also continues to progress on other projects within the first phase of the Nova 2020 portfolio, Nova said, including revamping the Corunna cracker facility to utilize cost-competitive natural gas liquid feedstocks, with project completion tar-

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geted for Q1 2014; the continued accumulation of ethane from the Marcellus Shale Basin in local Sarnia storage for introduction as a Corunna feedstock; and building a gasphase PE reactor at the company’s Joffre, Alta. facility, to provide customers with a complete set of LLDPE offerings

by Q1 2016. According to Nova, consumption of the first barrels of ethane sourced by the company from the Marcellus Shale Basin began in Demember 2013.

The cracker and PE projects could cost more than $300 million, Nova said.

Nova is also continuing to evaluate options for a second facility for dual-reactor solution polyethylene technology, also known as Advanced SCLAIRTECH Technology. The facility “could be located in Ontario, the U.S. Gulf Coast, or elsewhere in the world, and would be implemented in the final phase of the Nova 2020 growth strategy,” Nova said.

“We are excited to move forward with the next phase of growth for our Eastern Canada olefins and PE assets, building on the imminent completion of our Corunna feedstock conversion project,” said Nova CEO Randy Woelfel.

“We believe phasing of implementation of the Nova 2020 projects is the optimal path forward to maintain Nova’s financial strength and optionality while recognizing the market challenges for project implementation.”

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SUPPLIER NEWS — Resin supplier Simcoe Plastics Ltd. is the new Canadian sales agent for Michigan, U.S.-based plastics distributor Plastics Plus Inc. Plastics Plus offers the following brands in its “Marquee Partner” program: Asahi Kasei, Kolon, Mitsubishi, Lucent, Invista, LG, SABIC (PP and TPO), DIC (PPS), Flint Hills Resources, United Soft Plastics, and Vi-Chem (PVC, TPE, TPV, TPO — for which Simcoe Plastics is already an agent). Simcoe Plastics is headquartered in Shanty Bay, Ont. The company currently serves automotive, custom molding, construction, consumer product, and recreational product markets.

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news

ARBURG BUILDING NEW U.S. HEADQUARTERS IN CONNECTICUT

ONTARIO MOLDER QUALITY MODEL EXPANDING OPERATIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA

O

Arburg executives (including Friedrich Kanz, second from right) and architectural and construction managers dig in at the new Rocky Hill site.

Photo Credit: Arburg Inc.

G

ermany-based injection molding machine maker Arburg Inc. has broken ground on its new U.S. headquarter offices in Rocky Hill, Conn.

The new location — which will have showroom, training, and machine and spare parts warehouse capabilities — is less than six miles from Arburg’s existing facility in Newington, Conn.

Arburg owns both locations and has had a U.S. presence since 1991. Arburg expects to occupy the new single-story, high-bay 26,545-square-foot building in about one year.

“The new building to house Arburg’s U.S. headquarters represents a further important milestone for our activities here in the U.S.,” Arburg president Friedrich Kanz said in a statement. “There will be an extensive warehouse area for Allrounders which will merely require customer-specific adaptation prior to their rapid delivery. With a 38 tonne gantry crane, the necessary logistics will be provided for all machine sizes and large unit numbers. Moreover, there will be a large centralised spare parts warehouse for all Allrounders on the U.S. market in order to ensure even faster deliveries.”

The showroom will have space for up to seven Allrounder injection molding machines, the company added, which will be available for customer mold testing, production-specific cell development, and training purposes.

Arburg has existing U.S. technology centres in Elgin, Ill., and Irvine, Calif. Currently, 65 employees work at the company’s three locations.

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nt.-based custom molder Quality Model Ltd. has announced a US$3 million expansion to its facility in Orangeburg, S.C. The investment for the company’s subsidiary Quality Model South Carolina will also create 26 new jobs, according to a news release from the office of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

Quality Model is headquartered in Tecumseh, Ont. Since the Orangeburg County facility opened in 2005, Quality Model has invested more than US$13 million and created 75 jobs in the community, the press release noted.

Quality Model specializes in serving the power sports, industrial, automotive and aftermarket, and lawn and garden industries, through injection molding, design, tool building, manufacturing, secondary assembly, and painting.

“Since our move into South Carolina, our Orangeburg facility has become a key business unit within the Quality Model group,” said Bill Szekesy, president of Quality Model South Carolina. “The expansion of the facility is needed to support our Southeastern U.S. customer base.”

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news

PEOPLE — Auxiliary equipment manufacturer Advanced Blending Solutions LLC (ABS) has named Paul Carter as sales manager for Canada and the Northeastern U.S. Carter is based out of Toronto. ABS has also appointed Jim Livermore as chief operating officer.

Menominee, Mich.-based ABS is the North American distributor for Italian auxiliary equipment maker Moretto.

— Injection molding machine maker Engel North America, headquartered in York, Pa., has named Jeff Hershey to the new position of marketing manager of its North American medical business unit; and Anthony Thompson as marketing manager of its North American packaging business unit.

— Peabody, Mass.-based hot runner Rotogran Jan 12-AB-CPL 2/15/12 11:52 AM Page systems maker Synventive Molding Solutions has named Steven Gayfer as vice president and general manager for North America.

Paul Carter

Jim Livermore

Jeff Hershey Anthony Thompson Steven Gayfer

— Material supplier Teknor Apex Company, headquartered in Pawtucket, R.I., has named Christopher Morehouse as a market manager for thermoplastic elastomers in North America; and Mike Patel as director of marketing and business development for its vinyl division.

— Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based custom color and additive supplier Americhem Inc. has named John Deignan as president.

— Madison Heights, Mich.-based mold technology supplier DME Company has named Dean Froney as vice president and general manager for the Americas.

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executive’s corner

Get ready for CETA

By John Whitehead, Earnscliffe Strategy Group

WHAT’S GOING TO CHANGE?

Over 99 per cent of tariffs on industrial goods will drop on the day that CETA comes into force. Autos, ships, and certain other goods tariffs will be subject to a phase-in, but for almost everybody else tariffs will be gone immediately.

Just as important for many businesses, the agreement reduces a number of non-tariff barriers to trade. The deal also includes the first regulatory cooperation chapter in any Canadian free trade agreement. For businesses that need to send specialists to support sales of products or equipment, or senior staff to support business operations on a temporary basis, both the EU and Canada will make “temporary entry” of intracorporate transferees easier.

In addition, CETA establishes a process for mutual recognition of qualifications (for example, engineers, archi-

tects, and the medical professions) and establishes procedures through which Canada and the EU can request that each other’s technical regulations be considered as equivalent. These are progressive developments that should provide Canadian exporters with considerably easier access to the EU market. Of course, the reverse will also be true.

WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

While CETA isn’t yet final, the agreement in principle addresses the more contentious aspects of the deal. Canada’s Trade Minister Ed Fast said last fall that he expects the deal to be completed and ratified within 18-24 months, suggesting that in the first half of 2015 we should be ready for it to come into force.

At the same time, the EU and U.S. are negotiating their own free trade agreement. Talks began in earnest this past summer and, if successful, could constitute the single largest trade agreement ever achieved. For the moment, Canadian businesses retain a first mover advantage with the EU — although for how long is anything but certain. While it took Canadian and EU negotiators four years to reach an agreement in principle, U.S. discussions could be far more complex and time-consuming — or could defy expectations and be concluded relatively quickly. But however the timing of the U.S./EU discussions works out, Canadian business leaders need to start now to take advantage of the window of opportunity, for however long it remains open.

In short, Canada’s trade relationships are evolving quickly and significantly. As a small but advanced economy, it’s vital that Canada is a part of these new arrangements. Opportunities such as these tend to come along only once in a generation.

The Government of Canada believes that 80,000 net new jobs will be associated with the new opportunities arising from the CETA deal, and there will

almost certainly be winners and losers as a result. For those in Canada’s plastics industry, it will be important to monitor the finalization and launch of CETA, as well as to understand the opportunities — and risks — that the deal creates. CPL As Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for policy and strategy with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, John Whitehead was the province of Ontario’s lead negotiator in the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union.

He joined Toronto-based Earnscliffe Strategy Group as a senior consultant in 2013. He can be reached at 416-214-6425, Ext. 229; or jwhitehead@earnscliffe.ca. Visit www. earnscliffe.ca for more.

CLICK ON...

PLASTICS TV

CAN

T

he Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union (EU) is a significant step forward for Canada’s international trading relationships. An agreement in principle was announced in October 2013, putting Canada well on its way to completing its biggest trade agreement since the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994.

The EU generates almost a quarter of global GDP, and remains the planet’s single largest marketplace. EU member countries generate almost US$17 trillion of GDP, and the region is home to some 500 million consumers and some of the most advanced and successful companies on the planet. For the EU, trade in goods exceeds trade in services by about three times. The dominance of the goods trade should be of particular interest to the Canadian plastics sector; the sheer size and importance of the EU’s market create significant new opportunities for businesses to further expand and diversify their export markets.

for interviews with industry experts, coverage of plastics industry events, and more!

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14-01-23 8:57 AM

injection molders’ benchmark survey

©Karen Struthers/Getty Images/Thinkstock

What’s on their minds?

Manufacturing is heating up again after the freeze of the Great Recession, and our latest injection molding survey is your chance to measure your temperature against the competition. Buying intentions, utilization rates, markets served, operator wages — here’s what the respondents are thinking.

BY THE NUMBERS

By Mark Stephen, editor

Average number of employees per shop

63

Average amount of resin consumed at plant (lbs)

748,280

Average hourly rate paid to machine operator, excluding benefits

$13.75

Average total revenue in 2013

$3,667,300

F

or the past few years, the Canadian Plastics injection molders’ surveys have been at least semi-unpleasant reading experiences. Charting an industry in free fall, they reflected everything from declining utilization rates to freezes on equipment purchases. Now, as Canada comes out of the worst economic downturn since the Depression, it’s the manufacturing sector that leads the way. Are injection molders sharing in the recovery? Let’s try to get into our respondents’ heads.

SETTING THE STAGE Right off the bat, there’s some good news: Almost 60% of respondents this year said

they worked in an I/M shop with 50 or more employees, with 17% working at facilities with 250 or more workers. This holds steady compared to last year’s survey results, and seems to show a sustained recovery from the employee downsizing that many companies underwent during the dark days of recession.

Seventy-eight per cent of respondents to this year’s survey worked in shops that had either an ISO or QS9000 standard, a bump from the 60% reporting the same last year; and with another 10% of respondents saying their shops are in the process of becoming certified, this shows an improvement well beyond the 51% that had

The Injection Molders’ Benchmark Survey was sent to 650 people at injection molding shops throughout Canada during December 2013 and January 2014, with one survey going to one respondent per facility. We received 28 completed surveys. Because not everyone answered each question, the percentage values in the charts and tables might be given as a percentage of the respondents to that question, with the number of respondents given in parenthesis, for example (n=26). We thank the participants.

www.canplastics.com February 2014 Canadian Plastics

CPLFeb2014 p11-14 InjMoldSurv.indd 11

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injection molders’ benchmark survey

(n=28)

PURCHASING PLANS FOR 2014 (%)

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

MARKETS SERVED

BY YOUR PLANT

60

Yes Yes

Automotive 60%

No No

50

Don'tknow know Don’t

Consumer goods 43% 40

CanadianPackaging Plastics26.1% 1/2 pg 4c horizontal

30

Electronic 26.1% 20

Medical 21.7% 10

Construction

17.4%

41.2 17.6 41.2 0

Other 17.4%

Injection Molding Machines (n=24)

58.8

5.9

35.3

Auxiliary Equipment (n=24)

29.4 35.3 35.3 Linear Robots (n=24)

5.9

52.9 41.2 Articulated Robots (n=24)

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injection molders’ benchmark survey

one or the other standard two years ago.

As always, the majority of respondents this year — 82.4% — work in Ontario, but we also heard from Quebec (11.8%) and Saskatchewan (5.9%).

AT YOUR SERVICE

Probably to the surprise of no one, our surveys over the past few years have recorded a steady decline in the number of shops molding automotive parts. In 2009, the majority of our respondents, for the first time, reported consumer goods as their main market served; two years later, that number had grown to over 65% of respondents. Whether it signals the full-bore return of the auto industry or not, auto parts molding has come out on top among respondents last year and this year. Sixtyone per cent of respondents serve the auto market this year, with 43.5% doing consumer goods molding. Additionally, 26.1% of respondents this year make parts for the electronic industry, 26.1% make parts for packaging applications, 21.7% make parts for medical or health care applications, and 17.4% mold parts for construction. You’ve probably heard the hype that surrounds medical parts molding — and we all know molders who describe themselves as interested in getting involved — but the percentage of respondents that actually manufacture medical parts has remained virtually unchanged over the past three surveys. If this means anything, it shows that it is, indeed, one tough market to break into.

The number of exclusive captive molders, meanwhile, is also holding steady: Almost 9% of respondents this year said their shops were exclusive captive molders, on par with the 10% of respondents saying the same last year, but down from 15% in 2011. The largest numbers this year identified themselves as custom molders doing some proprietary work on the side (34.8%) and exclusive custom molders (34.8%).

Captive molders doing some custom work (13%) and exclusively proprietary molders (8.7%) make up the rest.

compared to 2012, 23.5% described it as the same as last year, 17.6% said it was up by between 1% and 5%, and 17.6% reported a bump of between 6% to 10%.

Even with nearly one-quarter of the shops holding steady, it’s still good news, as it reinforces similar improvements reported by our respondents last year, after a whopping 77% of respondents reported a sig-

nificant business downturn in the dark days of 2010. Furthermore, 22.2% of respondents this year anticipate a business volume increase of more than 10% during 2014, and 61.1% expect business to either remain the same or improve by up to 10%.

Doing the math thusly, we see that 16.7% expect their business to decline in the next 12 months, which is more than the zero

TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY Whatever they’re making, business for most our respondents is picking up.

Twenty-nine per cent said business volume improved in 2013 by more than 10% www.canplastics.com February 2014 Canadian Plastics

CPLFeb2014 p11-14 InjMoldSurv.indd 13

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injection molders’ benchmark survey

AVERAGE MACHINE UTILIZATION RATE (%)

30

WHAT THEY’RE DOING IT WITH

(n=24)

25

20

15

10

5

0

16.7

22.2

27.8

11.1

11.1

11.1

0

90-100%

80-89%

70-79%

60-69%

50-59%

40-49%

< 39%

nitely on the hunt for new linear robots, but only 5.9% are looking for six-axis robots.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE?

who expected a drop in the 12 months to come last year.

Utilization rates are really spiking upwards. Way back in 2009, an anemic 4% of respondents reported utilizing more than 80% of their machines; last year, a relatively healthy 14.7% hit the same mark; and this year it reaches near-Olympic athlete healthiness, with 38.9% utilizing more than 80% of their machines. Another 38.9% from this year’s group had a utilization rate of between 60% and 79%, which is also better than the 20% hitting this same rate 12 months ago.

“

Almost 60% of respondents this year said they worked in an I/M shop with 50 or more employees, which holds steady with last year’s figure.

Maybe a sustained recovery is really happening.

“

So far, so good, but here’s the (maybe literal) million-dollar question for the machinery suppliers: Will this improvement whet the processors’ appetites for new equipment? The signs seem favorable. Almost 42% told us their shops planned to buy injection molding machines in 2014, and 53.8% of these said they’d be on the lookout for new units versus 38.5% willing to consider either new or pre-owned machines. Last year, only 29.2% of respondents said they were planning on buying new I/M machines. Additionally, 41.2% of this year’s respondents said they were unsure about adding any kind of molding machines during the next 12 months, but didn’t rule it out.

On the auxiliary equipment front, it gets better still.

Approximately 60% of respondents this year plan on buying auxiliary equipment during 2014; of these, 29.4% are defi-

As interesting as they are, purchasing plans and stats about machine utilization only tell part of the injection molding industry story. Take wages, for instance. According to last year’s survey results, the average hourly wage paid to a machine operator was $15.06, excluding benefits — a big dip from previous years that almost certainly reflected the impact of the Great Recession. So how did wages in 2013 compare?

Not great, at least from the workers’ perspectives. Averaged out, the decline continues, with the hourly machine operator wage registering at — ouch! — $13.75. In some ways, then, it seems the cut backs keep cutting back.

CPL

WHAT CATEGORY BEST DESCRIBES YOUR PLANT? (n=26) Custom molding with some proprietary 34.8% Exclusively custom molding 34.8%



14

©Aurelio Scetta/Getty Images/Thinkstock

According to our survey, commodity and engineering resins still make up the vast bulk of what’s being processed at Canadian plants, with 78.3% of respondents using commodity and 69.6% using engineering resins. But specialty materials and biopolymers have their customers, too: 30.4% of respondents mold at least some parts with the former, and 13% report using the latter.

Exclusively proprietary 8.7%

Captive molding with some custom 13% Exclusively captive molding 8.7%

VIEW SURVEY RESULTS ONLINE

If you’re curious, the complete 2013 Injection Molders’ Benchmark Survey results are available at: www.canplastics.com/survey/archives/ IMSurvey2013.pdf

Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

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The latest size reduction equipment

©Aurelio Scetta/Getty Images/Thinkstock

size reduction equipment

If you can produce it, you can bet they’ll reduce it.

VERSATILE GRANULATORS WITH SMALL FOOTPRINTS

BESIDE-THE-PRESS OR CENTRAL GRANULATOR

New NCF series super-tangential granulators from Conair have footprint dimensions at least 30 per cent smaller than many other granulators with similar capabilities.

Four different models feature eight inch (203 mm) diameter rotors, in widths of 10, 14, 19 and 24 inches (240, 360, 480 and 600 mm), and deliver standard maximum throughputs ranging from 150 to 450 lbs (68 to 205 kg). The smallest unit is powered by a five hp motor, and the three larger sizes have 7.5 hp motors with options to 15 hp. Standard rotor speed for the NCF 810 is 260 rpm and standard speed on the larger models is 400 rpm, although 260-, 400- or 840-rpm can be specified on any of the granulators to increase capacity, improve regrind quality, and/or minimize energy consumption.

The super-tangential chamber design ensures that the rotor grips bulky scrap on the downward stroke, drawing it into the knives and preventing it from bouncing on the rotor.

Standard tangential and straight-drop infeed configurations are also available.

The Conair Group (Cranberry Township, Pa.); www.conairgroup.com; 800-654-6661 D ier International Plastics Inc.; (Unionville, Ont.); www.dierinternational.com; 416-219-0509 I ndustries Laferrière (Mascouche, Que.); www.industrieslaferriere.ca; 450-477-8880

Wittmann’s flexible new MC 33 granulator is designed to function equally well beside-the-press or in a central role, and can handle demanding work in the complete areas of injection molding and blow molding.

The tough steel construction makes the MC 33 ideal for all in-line recycling of sprues/runners, PET preforms during mold start-up, and many other high-powered applications. The granulator comes with a compact footprint, 7.5 kW power, and high throughput capacities of 100 kg to 150 kg per hour. The machine is easy to operate, and the functional design allows for a quick and smooth cleaning procedure. The infeed hopper is a doublewalled steel construction, thereby significantly reducing noise levels. For cutting, Wittmann has chosen hardened cutting tools made from quality steel alloys to guarantee a long service life. The MC 33 collection bin has been designed with a 360° swivelling outlet, and allows for vacuum connection from any direction for more efficient vacuum unloading.

Wittmann Canada (Richmond Hill, Ont.); www.wittmann-canada.com; 888-466-8266

REDESIGNED PURGING RECOVERY SYSTEM Maguire Products Inc. has revamped its Purging Recovery System to make it possible to increase throughput by up to 20 per cent while also producing finer and more uniform granulate with less dusting.

The knives in the rotor planer are now 40 per cent smaller, while their number has increased from eight to twelve. As a result, the planer produces smaller chips that are more easily and uniformly size-reduced by the secondstage granulator. The more efficient cutting also yields less dust.

Additionally, the cutting chamber of the second-stage granulator has been redesigned to increase the flow of air generated by a blower.

The material in the granulator is therefore cooled more effectively, 16

preventing melting, and is also evacuated from the cutting chamber more rapidly.

These enhancements make possible finer granulate, with minimum hole sizes in the screen of the second-stage granulator reduced from 0.375 inches (9.52 mm) to 0.250 inches (6.35 mm). The company has also replaced the previous one-piece screen with a three-piece screen, making it easier and less expensive to replace.

Maguire Canada/Novatec Inc. (Vaughan, Ont.); www.maguirecanada.com; 866-441-8409 Barway Plastic Equipment Inc. (Vaudreuil-Dorian, Que.); www.barway.ca; 450-455-1396

Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

CPLFeb2014 p16-19 SizeRed.indd 16

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size reduction equipment

EFFICIENT SHREDDING OF WIDE RANGE OF PLASTICS

INTEGRATED METAL DETECTION BOOSTS GRANULATOR PRODUCTIVITY

New from Vecoplan LLC, the V-ECO 1700 shredder is designed for companies that want to reuse their material coming out of production, as well as plastic recyclers that are focused on efficient shredding in the most economical way.

The machine optimizes the cutters and the counter knives to deliver a homogenous particle structure combined with high throughput and less wear. The cutters are usable four times, and are easy to change.

The frequency-controlled motor transfers the entire torque from the motor over a belt to the rotor. The energy-saving drive concept is flexible on speed, and is well protected against tramp metal. The new rotor design, in a W-shape, is well-suited for shredding various kinds of plastic materials, such as film, mixed plastics, containers, textiles, and much more.

The machine floor is designed to lift up and the screen basket to swing down for good accessibility. Tramp materials are easy to remove, counter knives and cutters are easy to change, and the screen size is changeable within minutes.

Vecoplan LLC (Archdale, N.C.); www.vecoplanllc.com; 336-861-6070 Greg Parent; 416-678-0154

The patent pending Integrated Metal Detection (IMD) system from low-speed granulator specialist Mo. Di.Tec offers the ultimate in cutting chamber protection.

As soon as a metal part is detected (by contact between two areas of the cutting chamber), the granulator rotor stops within 40 milliseconds. The operator will read at the same time, on the LCD screen of the electrical cabinet, the corresponding malfunctioning message — a feature that offers significant savings in the repair cost of the cutting chamber, press screw, and mold; and also maintains productivity, since production has to be stopped only during cutting chamber cleaning.

IMD is available as an option on Mo.Di.Tec’s Goliath Plus (pictured) and Titan Plus granulators. It’s available in two versions: with an electrical cabinet run by an automatic cycling (including ABS system), or by an electronic card.

Mo.Di.Tec (Vienne, France); www.mo-di-tec.fr Auxiplast

Inc. (Ste-Julie, Que.); www.auxiplast.com; 450-922-0282

“OPEN HEARTED” SHREDDER OFFERS EASY ACCESS

HEAVY-DUTY PIPE SHREDDERS ARE QUIET, EFFICIENT

Rapid Granulator is currently expanding its shredder platform, to reach more applications and customer segments. The new Raptor Series is offered as a complementary range to the existing GranuMATIC series, and will fill a number of current application gaps and add innovative features to the shredder range.

“One of the biggest developments for us is the ‘open hearted’ design,” said Bengt Rimark, Rapid’s global sales and marketing director. “In less than 70 seconds, the operator can open up the whole shredder with the integrated hydraulic system and get direct access to all core components in the machine, which drastically simplifies cleaning, service, and maintenance.”

The new Raptor series will initially be based on five models, all of which are modular-based and can therefore be tailored for specific applications — for example, the rotor can be equipped with different cutting technologies, depending on the application, including the “PowerWedge” rotor designed specifically for film or monofilament applications.

Rapid Granulator Inc. (Cranberry Township, Pa.); www.rapidgranulator.com; 724-584-5220 Dier International Plastics Inc. (Unionville, Ont.); www.dierinternational.com; 416-219-0509 DCube (Montreal); www.dcube.ca; 514-272-0500

HOS heavy-duty pipe shredders from Herbold Meckesheim USA are designed to smoothly and efficiently reduce large, thick-wall plastic pipes to chips approximately 2.4 to 3.9 inches square.

Available in five sizes, the shredders can process up to about 3,400 lbs per hour, and can handle pipes as large as 9.8 feet in diameter.

A high-torque hydraulic ram holds a horizontally oriented pipe against a moving cutting plate studded with blades. As the vertical cutting plate travels back and forth across the end of the pipe, it slices off chips. The chips then fall onto a conveyor belt, which can transport them to a cutting mill for further size reduction.

The grater-like design means the blades of an HOS shredder wear much more slowly than those of a typical heavy-duty pipe granulator, and the unit uses less energy and requires less maintenance. HOS shredders are even suitable for such abrasive materials as fibreglass-reinforced piping. The units produce little noise, and each model is equipped with a covered feed trough.

Herbold Meckesheim USA (Slatersville, R.I.); www.herboldusa.com; 401-597-5500

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Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

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size reduction equipment

INNOVATION AND CUSTOMIZATION IN DUST SEPARATION Designed to provide constant and quality regrind, Piovan’s SP 2500 machine is a proven solution for effective dust separation, initially developed for one specific recycling application and eventually utilized widely, even for de-dusting raw materials.

“The SP2500 is fed by means of a screw conveyor unit that isolates the process of grinding from that of de-dusting,” said Fabio Bello, head of Piovan’s granulation business. Equipped with two filter stations — F1 and F2 — to guarantee complete powder collection, a dust-free environment, and a high level of cleanliness of the outlet air, the system is also equipped with integrated PLC control and field sensors to provide user-friendly operation along with safety and efficiency.

“Material passes through a metal detector and feeds into the Piovan RS series granulator,” Bello said. “The regrind is collected in a flow bin with maximum and minimum level control; the screw conveyor transfers the regrind to the SP2500, which removes dust from the regrind; air and dust are blown into a cyclone separator unit; and the air is then filtered at the dual stage station before outgoing.”

Piovan Canada (Mississauga, Ont.); www.piovan.com; 905-629-8822

REDESIGNED RECYCLING MACHINE SERIES Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen GmbH has re-engineered its S:GRAN series recycling line to be even more energy-efficient and user-friendly.

Along with an improved, modernized look, the redesign was intended to enhance process stability and increase performance.

The efficiency of the drive train has been increased by the utilization of frequency inverters as a standard feature, the electrical switching cubicle has been fitted with air conditioning, and the shredder knife redesigned in order to allow for multiple usage.

Additionally, reduced standstills, and thus increased machine availability, have been achieved through the systematic use of greater machine component accessibility, which facilitates servicing and cleaning.

NGR Next Generation Recycling Machines Inc. (Norcross, Ga.); www.ngr.at; 678-720-9861 A uxiplast Inc. (Ste-Julie, Que.); www.auxiplast.com; 450-922-0282

SHREDDER HANDLES ALL PLASTICS The new WLK series shredder from Weima can shred all kinds of plastic, especially hard and resistant materials such as lumps, pipes, or automotive parts; and also blow molded materials like PET bottles, PE/PP bottles, buckets, and cans.

Material is fed into the newlydesigned “pipe spacer” hopper, which makes it possible to shred large parts without bridging. The ram that pushes the material against the rotor is guided by a segmented floor. The feed motion is loaddependent to prevent an overload of the shredder.

The basic models of the WLK series (WLK 800, 1000, 1500 and 2000) are equipped with energy-efficient electronic drives.

Also, a gearbox suspension developed in-house leads to smoother shock absorption, thereby reducing maintenance costs.

As a result of a swiveling screen basket, it’s also easier to get access to the rotor, making preventative maintenance simpler and more cost-effective.

Another improvement is the revised counter knife system: The counter knives can now be rotated to extend their life cycle. In addition, the enhanced cutting geometry leads to energy-efficient shredding and minimum wear costs.

Weima America Inc. (Fort Mill, S.C.); www.weimaamerica.com; 888-440-7170

HEAVY-DUTY GRANULATOR Available in 30hp and 40hp, the WO-1430 HD granulator from Rotogran Inc. is designed for hard work: With a 14 inch by 30 inch throat opening and nine rotor knives, the unit is capable of a throughput of between 800 to 1,200 lbs per hour.

“The unit has a heavy-duty tangential back plate — thicker than normal — with a reinforced cutting chamber,” said Mike Cyr, Rotogran president. “It has a soundproof hopper, soundproof solidly welded frame, and solid knife seats — the place holders for the knives on the rotor are one solid bar going right across, to provide more inertia to the rotor. The micro adjustable bedknives are totally hardened and precision ground D2 tool steel.”

The WO-1430 HD comes standard with twin custom solid steel flywheel, an oversized rotor shaft, oversized piloted flanged bearings, and easy access to the chamber and screen.

Options include extra sound insulation, profile or pipe feed entry, adjustable current sensitive relay, a spare screen, and spare bed and rotor knives.

Rotogran International Inc. (Toronto); www.rotogran.com; 905-738-0101 CPL www.canplastics.com February 2014 Canadian Plastics

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3D printing

LAYER BY LAYER:

RISE 3D PRINTING THE

By Mark Stephen, editor

OF

S

ometimes layering can take a long time — as in millions of years. Take rocks. They’re stacked in layers containing fossils, with the oldest fossils at the deepest layers and the most recent near the top. For scientists and archeologists, it can yield a great snapshot of the Earth’s timeline, but don’t hold your breath waiting for that layering to occur.

Here’s a better way of layering, at least for the manufacturing world: 3D printing (also called additive manufacturing), a process that builds layers to create a three-dimensional solid object from a digital model. To print a 3D object, virtual models from CAD or animation modeling software are taken and “sliced” into digital cross-sections for the 3D machine to successively use as a guideline for printing. During the print process, the 3D printer starts at the bottom of the design and builds up successive layers of material until the object is finished. One big advantage of this technique is its ability to create almost any shape or geometric feature.

It’s not exactly a new technology — the first 3D printer dates back to the mid-1980s — but the cost of 3D printing in the past was expensive and the process tended to be only used by large corporations. The recent development of smaller printers (desktops, even) has made the technology more affordable and accessible to small and mid-sized businesses, however. The result has been as revolutionary for parts makers as the discovery of the first dinosaur fossil was for archeologists way back when. Today, 3D printers are used to create anything from a new toy or motorcycle part to manufacturing prototypes for testing purposes and small-scale commercial production runs. “Before 3D printers existed, creating a prototype was time-consuming, expensive, and required skilled workers and specific machinery,” said James Janeteas, president of additive manufacturer Cimetrix Solutions Inc. “Instead of sending modeling instructions to a production company, advances in 3D printing are allowing businesses to in-source prototype production on a regular basis.”

20

Plastic parts made without a mold?

You’d better believe 3D printing will revolutionize the industry. Meantime, here’s what it can do for you right now.

The Arburg Freeformer component carrier in action.

Photo Credit: Arburg Inc.

Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

CPLFeb2014 p20-23 Additives.indd 20

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THE BASICS OF ExTruSIOn Learn the ABCs of...

successful extrusion at this full-day workshop Applicable to all extrusion processes (including pipe, profile, film, sheet, compounding, extrusion blow molding) Instructor Allan Griff literally “wrote the book” on extrusion and is the author of “Plastics Extrusion Technology” and “The Plastics Extrusion Operating Manual”. He has extensive experience in extrusion education and has given over 400 public and inhouse seminars since 1979.

Workshop topics include: Extrusion expert Allan Griff, has over 50 years experience

• the ten key principles of extrusion • Basic plastics chemistry • extrusion hardware – the parts of the machine and their function • Factors affecting output rate • operation and troubleshooting • common problems in extrusion and how to avoid them thursday, April 10, 2014 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. humber institute of technology & Advanced learning 203 humber college Blvd. (hwy. 27 & Finch. Ave.) toronto, on M9W 5l7

Cost: $199, including lunch and a course manual Organized by:

Canadian Plastics For detailed information and registration, check www.canplastics.com/thebasicsofextrusion/ or call 416-510-6867 Sponsored by:

Basics of Extrusion Fp Ad.indd 1

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3D printing

While 3D printing technology is used for both prototyping and distributed manufacturing for a wide range of applications — architecture, construction, engineering, fashion, footwear, and jewelry industries, to name a few — it’s particularly well-suited for plastics processing, and seems poised to catch on like wildfire.

A January 2014 study by market research firm The Freedonia Group projects that world demand for 3D printing will rise by more than 20 per cent per year between now and 2017, with plastics — in particular ABS, PLA, and nylon — accounting for the majority of materials demand (See sidebar below).

Small wonder, then, that machinery makers are already on board. Arburg Inc. threw its hat into the ring in late 2013, for example, with its new Freeformer additive manufacturing system that produces parts using liquid droplets from standard resins, including engineering resins. “Arburg recognized the potential offered by 3D printing many years ago, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that the market is now demanding it,” said Dr. Oliver Kessling, Arburg’s department manager, plastic freeforming.

“The Freeformer processes standard — and therefore low-price — plastic granulates such as ABS, PC, PA or TPE. Further materials are possible, depending on the process parameters, and will be specified together with the customers.”

So why, exactly, is the market demanding it? For one thing, 3D printing is a mold-free manufacturing process, thereby doing away with the time, expense, and potential hassles involved in developing mold tooling. Enough said.

Second, the technology can be used by any halfway modern plastics processor. “Any molder making plastic parts with 3D CAD software — of any make, from any vendor — as their source is a good potential user of additive manufacturing,” said Doug Angus-Lee, rapid prototype account manager for 3D printing with Javelin Technologies. “Construction of a model with contemporary methods can take anywhere from several hours to several days, depending on the method used and the size and complexity of the model. Additive systems can typically reduce this time to a few hours. And while traditional techniques like

$5 BILLION DEMAND FOR 3D

World demand for 3D printing is projected to rise more than 20 per cent per year to US$5 billion in 2017, according to a new study from The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm.

Plastics will continue to account for the majority of materials demand, but faster growth is projected for metals, based on their greater strength and resistance, as well as rapid gains in markets such as aerospace. Global demand for software and other 3D printing products, such as 3D scanners, will grow in line with the overall average, supported by ongoing needs for tech­nological updates and upgrades, the study said.

Some of the fastest growth will be seen in the medical and dental market, with especially good opportunities expected in dental applications such as braces, prostheses, crowns,

22

injection molding can be less expensive for manufacturing polymer products in high quantities, additive manufacturing can be faster, more flexible, and less expensive when producing parts on an individual basis or in a small series, whether for short runs, to prove out a part, to get customer approval on a part prototype, or to produce a part to help support tool design.”

Moldmaker Compact Mould Ltd. currently uses two 3D printers to satisfy these last two demands. “We use additive manufacturing to help our clients develop their products,” said executive vice president Gaston Petrucci. “Some products can be proved from a drawing or from an image that can be rotated on a computer screen, but more and more customers want a prototype they can hold in their hands without having to invest in the tooling to create it. We manufacture bottle prototypes that our customers can use to get approval from their own customers for large-scale production with a full production mold. It’s a complement to our main business at present, but one that’s becoming increasingly popular.”

On a related note, it’s a little known fact that the molds themselves can be created with 3D printing — although these should be used sparingly. “Molds formed by additive manufacturing aren’t going to replace steel or aluminum molds, because you’re not going to get 10,000 parts from them, but they’re useful for making 20 or 50 good parts for prototyping, in that the mold cost is much less than cutting it from steel and the turnaround time is much faster,” said Doug Angus-Lee. “Because of the heat and pressure that the mold has to tolerate, we use a non-porous, digital ABS-like material that has good heat and pressure properties for 3D-printed molds. A sturdier alternative is combining a steel or an aluminum mold base with 3D-printed mold inserts.”

WHIPPING WARPING Getting back to the production of plastic parts, another advantage of 3D printing is that, in addition to eliminating the mold, it removes a problem that has bedeviled traditional plastics processing since forever: post-mold warping and/or shrinkage. “Because the plastics material is applied in controlled layers rather than

PRINTING BY 2017

bridges, dental aligners, and models for dental restoration procedures. Other leading markets for 3D printing products include consumer products, automotive, and aerospace, with the latter expected to see above-average growth. For instance, in 2013 General Electric announced plans to use 3D printers to produce fuel nozzles for its next-generation jet engine.

The U.S. will remain by far the largest national 3D printing market in the world, the study continued, accounting for 42 per cent of global sales in 2017. In developed areas such as the U.S. and Western Europe, 3D printing market value will be supported by the growing presence of metal-based 3D printers for the production of finished parts, as such systems are significantly more expensive than plastics-based 3D printing systems. Rapid gains are also expected in China, where most applications centre on design, sample testing, or prototyping.

©Getty Images/Thinkstock

PERFORMING WITH PLASTICS

Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

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chillersinc_Innovation_Sentra_08052013:Lay chillersinc_Innovation_Sentra_08052013:La

3D printing

ON A WING

(no prayer required) UK fighter jets have flown for the first time with parts made using 3D printing technology. Aerospace parts maker BAE Systems said the components — metal rather than plastic, alas — were successfully used on board Tornado aircraft which flew from the firm’s airfield at Warton, Lancashire, in December 2013. The company said its engineers are using 3D technology to design and produce parts which could cut the Royal Air Force’s maintenance and service bill by over £1.2 million over the next four years.

injected all at once, additive manufacturing doesn’t encounter issues relating to warping and shrinkage,” said James Janeteas. “The build envelope in a 3D printer is a precisely controlled temperature environment that creates a very stable part. Accuracy is to within one thousandth of an inch, and the finished part stays that way.”

Additionally, some additive manufacturing techniques are capable of using multiple materials in the course of constructing parts; some are able to print in multiple colors and color combinations simultaneously; and some also utilize supports when building. “Supports are removable or dissolvable upon completion of the print, and are used to support overhanging features during construction,” Janeteas said.

Nor is part size an insurmountable hurdle.

“There isn’t always one additive manufacturing machine that’s large enough to produce a single, solid part, but it’s customary in our industry to break down the large assembly,” Janeteas said. “To produce an automotive fascia, for example, the molder breaks the CAD file into segments, 3D prints those segments, and then bonds them together with adhesives and/or mechanical fasteners.”

Finally, don’t be surprised if your design team develops a serious crush. “3D printers make the jobs of designers and part concept teams much easier by allowing them to validate, support, and prove out concepts very early on, using a desktop printer,” said Doug Angus-Lee. “It allows them to design better products, period.”

some of these same part designers. “Additive manufacturing removes all of the restrictions and limitations that designers have lived with for decades — they can now do anything they want, but some have a hard time accepting that,” said James Janeteas. “Frankly, some designers don’t know how to design for additive manufacturing, and this remains one of the industry’s challenges. Hopefully, as future generations of designers graduate and enter the workforce, they’ll be better prepared to understand and use the technology.”

And as you’ve probably guessed by now, both fast and large-scale part making are nonstarters. “3D printing is not efficient for making large quantities of parts, or for rapid part production,” said Doug Angus-Lee. “The cycle times are obviously much longer than with injection molding — up to 12 hours for a single part, running overnight.”

Materials remain problematic, as well. “The industry is limited to a certain palette of materials that we can print in, so we can’t do everything that every customer wants — we can’t print in Delrin, for example,” Angus-Lee continued. “For simple part prototyping, however, we can usually create a material that will satisfactorily mimic an end-use material, and the palette range is always expanding.”

In the end, you can bet a 3D-printed house on one thing: We’ve barely scratched the technology’s surface. “The bulk of what has been done with 3D printing to date has been in finding ways of replicating traditional ways of manufacturing traditional products in a more efficient fashion,” Angus-Lee said. “Its real potential lies in doing things that can’t be done through traditional means.”

And we won’t have to wait millions of years to find out what they are.

CPL RESOURCE LIST Arburg Inc. (Newington, Conn.); www.arburg.com; 860-667-6500 Dier International Inc. (Unionville, Ont.); www.dierinternational.com; 416-219-0509 DCube (Montreal); www.dcube.ca; 514-272-0500 Cimetrix Solutions Inc. (Oshawa, Ont.); www.cimetrixsolutions.com; 800-298-6437 Compact Mould Ltd. (Woodbridge, Ont.); www.compactmould.com; 905-851-7724 Javelin Technologies (Oakville, Ont.); www.javelin-tech.com; 877-219-6757

THE HURDLES All of which isn’t to say the technology is perfect, or perfect for every manufacturing scenario. One current handicap involves at least

CPLFeb2014 p20-23 Additives.indd 23

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purging compounds

CLEAN UP Purging tips for injection YOUR ACT molders

By Mark Stephen, editor

W

hat with the expense of lost production time and scrap resin, purging an injection molding press is about as pleasant as brushing and flossing. But just as necessary.

You don’t wanna flash a stump-toothed grin at friends and family, and you don’t wanna ship streaked or specked parts to your customers. So despite the hassles, purging is vital to running a smooth operation.

But commercial purging compounds are a little trickier to apply than toothpaste. For one thing, there are mechanical-type purging compounds and chemical-type purging compounds, to name the two most common. With both, though, it’s all about maximizing the compound’s scrubbing/cleaning capabilities. So whether you’re new to the purging world or merely in need of a refresher, here are some tips for getting clean that can be used universally across purging compound categories.

1

STANDARDIZE YOUR PROCESS

Good injection molders — even mediocre ones, for that matter — know their cycle times to a fraction of a second, know their melt flow rates backwards and forwards, et cetera. But are they as knowledgeable about their purging? Don’t bet heavy.

“Even very good molders don’t always standardize their purging processes, meaning the amount of material used can vary by machine, by shift, and by the person performing the purge, usually because it isn’t treated as a priority,” said Joseph Serell, vice president with Sun Plastech Inc., a manufacturer of Asaclean purging compound. The end results are wasted material and inef26

fective purges. “A molder should measure every aspect of the purge, and then — following the instructions of the purging manufacturers — develop procedures and stick to them, tweaking them slightly for specific processes,” Serell continued. “Use a little less compound to determine if it still brings an effective result; if so, that’s your new amount. The goal is to use as little material as possible to achieve the desired result.”

And that established protocol applies for maintenance, too.

“The easiest and most basic way to reduce scrap and downtime is to have a protocol established to clean the hopper and conveying system of the previous production color,” said Jeff Lewis, sales manager for Slide Products Inc. “Often, a previous color will hang up in the hopper or conveying system and be slowly released into the press, resulting in contaminated parts. In years past, molders could dedicate machines to non-cosmetic black parts, and if they had black specks, nobody cared; today, they have to change out that machine from color to color, running clear and white parts, which are very unforgiving. There has to be a cleaning protocol, and everyone on the shop floor has to follow it.”

2

Photo Credit: Arburg Inc.

Yes, purging an injection molding press, whether for color changes or removal of carbon, can be timeconsuming. And yes, it can cut into your profits. But since the alternative is shipping off-spec parts to your customers, it’s not a step you can afford to skip. So you might as well do it right.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT PROCEDURE

We don’t have to tell you that this is related to the first point — you don’t want to standardize the wrong process, do you? “Selecting the right procedure is as important as selecting the right purge product,” said Nancy Mitchell, technical product manager for Shuman Dyna-Purge. “A case in point is the DynaPurge ‘Quick Color Change Procedure’ for transitions from a

Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

CPLFeb2014 p26,28 Purging.indd 26

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purging compounds

dark to a light color. This procedure is a continuous process and utilizes a pre-determined amount of purge. The purge is introduced when the resident resin is in the feed throat; the operator continues to make parts until the purge becomes apparent and, therefore, no longer starves the screw of the resident resin; the next color resin is introduced when the purge is in the feed throat, and the process continues until the resin is free of purge.”

In one instance, Mitchell continued, a Tier 1 automotive molder reduced the amount of purging material by 50 per cent, saved over 30 lbs of production resin, and improved their changeover time to 23 minutes by changing their procedure.

Also, there are some best practices and troubleshooting tips to keep in mind beyond the set of basic purging procedures. “First, when performing a mechanical purge, use maximum safe screw speed while purging and while displacing the purging compound,” said Joe Serell. “Second, use maximum safe back pressure while purging and while displacing the purging compound. And third, keep the screw completely forward while purging; this ensures that the front end of the barrel, where color and carbon deposits tend to be a problem, receives maximum agitation.”

3

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE

All purging compounds have temperature limits and temperature recommendations, and molders should be fully aware of these.

Temperature ranges vary from compound to compound, but

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here’s a good general purging rule: “When performing a dark to light color change, increase the temperature of the nozzle and hot runners in all zones,” said Christie Giles, CEO of World Class Technologies LLC, which represents the Magna Purge product line. “The amount by which to increase the temperature depends on the application, which should be discussed with the purging compound representative. The reason for increasing the temperature is to more thoroughly melt the dark color, reducing its viscosity and making it easier to remove from the press.”

4

KNOW YOUR RESINS

Sure, life would be a lot simpler if all resins were equally easy to purge. Too bad it doesn’t work that way. Some materials, of course, are indeed relatively simple to remove.

“Basic polypropylenes and HDPEs are materials that have a good melt flow, don’t thicken during processing, and are therefore relatively simple to purge from the machine,” said Christie Giles.

It gets tougher from there. “High-temperature resins like PEEK, Ultem, and liquid crystal polymers are often processed in the 700°F range — or low 400°C — and some purging compounds cannot handle those temperatures,” said Joe Serell. “PVC is also a difficult resin to purge, as it carbonizes easily and tends to get sticky.” Irritatingly, this stickiness can cause a second problem. “After a molder purges PVC, the material itself sometimes has trouble removing the purging compound because it’s so soft,” Serell said. In this sense, PVC reveals the other half of the purging equation — the half that tends to get overlooked. “It’s not too difficult to remove most resins, but the question then becomes can you then remove the purging compound with the next processing resin?” Serell said.

Other resins, while not difficult to purge in and of themselves, can be problematic for other reasons. “Polycarbonate degrades fairly easily, which means that it tends to develop black specks,” Serell continued. “And since polycarbonate parts are often optical or transparent, black specks of any kind are an automatic reject even if they’re not on the surface. It’s a material that, quite particularly, has to be properly purged.”

Finally, there’s an unexpected silver lining in the increasingly popular lines of glass-filled resins. “Many molders assume that glass-filled materials are difficult to purge, but they’re actually self-cleaning to an extent, in that the glass can act as its own scouring agent on the screw,” Serell said.

In the end, purging compound suppliers are in business to make money, but most — and certainly the good ones — don’t want to sell more product because of poor practices among the molders. “We want to sell the amount that’s required, to repeat customers,” said Jeff Lewis. So if you’re really interested in cleaning up your act without cleaning out your bank account — and taking the best care you can of your equipment in the process — check with the supplier to make sure you’re getting the most for your hard-earned bucks.

CPL RESOURCE LIST Shuman Dyna-Purge (Buffalo, N.Y.); www.dynapurge.com; 866-607-8743 Slide Products Inc. (Wheeling, Ill.); www.slideproducts.com; 800-323-6433 Sun Plastech Inc. (Parsippany, N.J.); www.asaclean.com; 800-787-4348 World Class Technologies LLC (Midway, Ky.); www.magnapurge.com; 859-226-0036

Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

CPLFeb2014 p26,28 Purging.indd 28

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Imagine what you could save in recovered purgings across your entire operation. You could easily pay for this unit itself within the first year. The Maguire Purging Recovery System runs about $31,500. Prior to this, size reducers would commonly cost about $150,000 per unit. So don’t throw away those purgings in some landfill, regrind them, recover those resin costs. It’s a new way to find money (savings) within your current system. A small outlay with a quick payback. And it’s the right thing for the environment.

The Purging Recovery System (PRS-20) is a unique, yet simple two-

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With nearly 150 patents in the U.S. and internationally, Maguire is committed to developing unique products and systems for plastic processing. It’s backed by a five-year warranty for your protection. This is another way that Maguire helps you find new profits in your plant.

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technology showcase

AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT

Upgrades software and new material dispense options for blender Maguire has unveiled a series of improvements to its Weigh Scale Blender (WSB).

An upgraded gravimetric gateway networking software, the new G2 Version 5, increases the capability of manufacturers to monitor plant-wide or even multi-plant operations by accessing the blender network via a PC server. The software enhancement addresses the need for more data to facilitate cost savings through increased control, and for greater documentation of process conditions. G2 software provides thorough material-usage reports; displays alarms from anywhere in the network; downloads and updates recipes in specific machines from remote locations; and monitors inventory levels, providing alerts to reorder raw materials. The Version 5 increases the capability for live monitoring of material consumption by authorized parties, and includes such standard updates as compatibility with Windows 8.

Also, a new dispense device has been added for dispensing ingredients from the hopper bins of the WSB to the weigh chamber: the carousel valve, which mimics the action

of a vibratory feeder to make possible accurate dosing of difficult ingredients at very low rates. The new device can dispense masterbatches and additives at rates less than one gram per second. And like the other dispense devices available for the Maguire WSB, the new valve has a modular interface that enables it to be exchanged with another device.

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

Plastic Equipment Inc. (Vaudreuil-Dorian, Que.); www.barway.ca; 450-455-1396

Bendable probe sees all BinMaster Level Controls has developed a bendable capacitance probe designed to fit in tight spaces or in vessels where obstructions prevent the installation of a straight probe.

This probe can be bent to avoid obstructions in a vessel while still allowing adequate probe surface area to confirm the presence or absence of material. Mounted on the side of the bin, the bendable probe can be used in a wide range of solid materials or slurries. One common application for the bendable probe is

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technology showcase for high and low level detection in smaller mixers or containers used in food processing plants.

The bendable probe offers interference-free, fail-safe operation and “Quick-Set” calibration. BinMaster capacitance probes provide interference-free operation — working far below the RF level of 9 KHz at just 6 KHz — and will not interfere with two-way radios or other equipment operating in the radio spectrum.

Standard capacitance probe features include a triplethread, screw-off cover that allows easy access to internal components; and an FDA-recognized powder coat finish.

This housing also has dual conduit entries to simplify wiring and installation. The dual time delay feature allows the user to set flexible time delays up to 30 seconds for covered and uncovered conditions.

Binmaster (Lincoln, Neb.); www.binmaster.com; 402-434-9102 C ancoppas Limited (Mississauga, Ont.); www.cancoppas.com; 905-569-6246

A simpler vacuum conveying system Combined Schenck Process Group members Schenck AccuRate and Mac Process have released the new MoveMaster Vac vacuum conveying system, designed to offer a cleaner oper-

ating environment for handling both raw materials and finished products.

Made for batch dilute phase conveying, direct loss-in-weight feeder refill, and integrated volumetric feeding and conveying, key components of the MoveMaster Vac system include pick-up and reception points which are modularly designed with dust-proof seals and quick release clamps to simplify cleaning. Complete units can be disassembled in minutes.

Modular construction also means changing process needs can be easily accommodated by simply replacing the relevant standard components from a wide range available.

The MoveMaster Vac is intended for sanitary applications with easy-to-clean surfaces and contamination-free transfer of materials, but is robust and durable enough to withstand the rigors of conveying materials that are corrosive and hazardous found in many industrial processes. A wide range of powders, pellets, and additives can be accommodated at rates up to 4,400 lbs per hour and temperatures to 110°F. A selection of three unit sizes are available with the new MoveMaster Vac system that include 10, 35, and 80 litre

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When color or material changes are critical, entrust your most difficult purging needs to Dyna-Purge, the industry leader for over 30 years. We offer the most effective products, outstanding customer service and technical expertise, ensuring you have the best results every time. Request a free sample of Dyna-Purge today and see for yourself.

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technology showcase Precept International Inc.

capacities, as well as bag or cartridge filter media and feed bin pick-up options to meet most application needs.

Schenck AccuRate (Whitewater, Wis.); www.accuratefeeders.com; 800-558-0184 F iring Industries Ltd. (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.); www.firing.com; 905-688-0962 W estern Process Equipment (Calgary, Alta); www.westernprocessequipment.com; 403-216-3835

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PET preform machine allows quick mold changes

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EXTRUSION

New biaxially-oriented sausage casing line Macro Engineering & Technology Inc. has developed a new high speed co-extrusion line for producing biaxially-oriented (biax) sausage casings.

The line can be configured to produce co-extrusion casing structures up to 11 layers using nylon, PE and EVOH.

www.heubachcolor.de

32

At the end of 2012, Athena Automation Ltd. announced a partnership with Italian packaging solutions specialist SIPA SpA to build a line of automated PET preform injection equipment. New from Athena Automation — for SIPA — the XForm 150 tonne PET preform injection molding machine is designed for molders who need to make a variety of preform types, and is well-suited to the production of wide-mouth jars.

The 150-tonne clamp accepts molds up to 48 cavities, including legacy molds, and an innovative post-mold cooling system improves cycle time. Changing the tooling for the robot and cooling station takes only about 15 minutes, and a complete mold and tooling change can be performed in approximately one hour.

The XForm 150 is a two-platen machine that uses 30 per cent less floor space than other systems in the market. With an electric and servo-hydraulic axis combination, the show system achieved energy consumption of under 0.2 kWh per kg. Athena’s hybrid platform is also targeted at other markets beyond PET, such as closures, medical, and other packaging applications.

Athena Automation Ltd. (Vaughan, Ont.); www.athenaautomation.com; 905-265-0277

Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

01_14 CP.indd 1

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technology showcase It can also be extended to allow processing of structures with PVdC. It produces casings with width calibers of 80 to 120 mm, and thickness ranging from 40-50 microns. The line operates at speeds up to 170 meters per minute.

The line can be readily converted to produce films for barrier shrink bag production, and includes a primary bubble-forming section with a vacuum calibrator, orientation section with infrared (IR) sectional heaters, and an IR annealing oven. The bubble diameters in each section are precisely measured and controlled to ensure consistent production quality.

Since operation of the line is complex, Macro has incorporated an advanced control system to assist operators. The control system contains recipes for automatic ramping up (and down) of the line speed with simultaneous adjustment up to 30 process parameters.

Macro plans to add automatic gauge control to the system by 2015.

Macro Engineering & Technology Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.); www.macroeng.com; 905-507-9000

High output with low energy consumption

The new conEX series of conical twin-screw extruders from battenfeld-cincinnati is designed to offer high output with optimal energy performance.

The conEX extruder series comprises four models with screw diameters ranging from 38 to 72 mm. The screw geometry has been optimized so that increases in output of up to 10 per cent have now become possible in both pipe and profile extrusion (for pipes up to 550 kg per hour, for profiles up to 280 kg per hour).

The conEX models reach a high level of energy efficiency through a complete barrel insulation system. It includes the proven barrel insulation in the feed and degassing zones, and thermal separation between the metering unit and the barrel feed opening by means of an insulating plate. An improved vacuum aggregate, pumps with reduced water volumes, and a new vacuum filter complete

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www.canplastics.com February 2014 Canadian Plastics

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technology showcase with filter sump also contribute to saving energy. Maintenance-free, energy-efficient AC drives for all extruders, Intracool screw tempering, and the air-power cooling system of the barrel are included as standard.

Due to their minimal footprint, conEX extruders are also well-suited for use as co-extruders. Piggyback configura-

tions and space-saving lateral configurations are easy to implement thanks to a flexible machine frame design. battenfeld-cincinnati (McPherson, Kan.); www.battenfeld-cincinnati.com; 620-241-6843

ROBOTS & AUTOMATION

Energy-efficient robot, plus new control system

plastics data file Wittmann Innovations

Innovations — Wittmann’s quarterly newsletter — 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.

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The new W833 pro robot from Wittmann is designed for injection molding machines with medium clamping force, up to 650 tonnes.

Consistent application of lightweight construction technology for the axes, combined with the drive concept Wittmann developed especially for linear robots, makes the W833 dynamic, while maintaining low energy consumption at the same time. The resulting minimal use of moving lines for energy transmission and interconnection further extends the service life of the equipment.

Also, holding brakes with an automatic test function are built into all of the main axes as standard equip-

annoUncing Windsor Mold

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October 23, 2014 Ciociaro Club, Oldcastle, ON. A tabletop show and dinner.

Show hours: 2-7 pm Dinner: 7-9 pm

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Keynote dinner speaker: automotive market expert, Laurie Harbour, Harbour Results Inc. Windsor Mold Expo will attract regional buying influences from Southwestern Ontario and Michigan – moldmakers, molders and OEMs. The co-located show Metalworking Manufacturing & Production Expo will attract manufacturers, job shops, maintenance, tool rooms, automotive, transportation and tool & die making professionals.

Why YoU should exhibit

• Meet face-to-face with YOUR customers, at a time when the moldmaking market is on the upswing.

• Promote your products to an engaged audience.

• FREE admission invitations to over 20,000 professionals, through the mailing lists of Canadian Plastics magazine, Canadian Metalworking magazine, and Canadian Association of Moldmakers.

• FREE PARKING and convenient location near a concentration of mold shops encourages attendance.

Organized by Canadian Plastics

Endorsed By:

Sponsored By:

For details on exhibiting, please contact: Judith nancekivell, senior publisher Tel: 416-510-5116 E-mail: jnancekivell@canplastics.com greg paliouras, associate publisher Tel: 416-510-5124 E-mail: gpaliouras@canplastics.com

CanadianPlastics 34

Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

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technology showcase ment, thereby allowing electrical power consumption to drop almost to zero, and further increasing safety while the robot is at rest.

In addition, a new robot control system, the R8.3, makes it easy to set up a robot without the need for formal programming. The current evolution of the R8.3 places particular emphasis on user-friendly operation along with easy communication and interaction with the injection molding unit. It was also designed to be as straightforward as possible for new users to learn to operate. For that reason, the text editor — proven effective for many years — has been retained, but is now assisted by a powerful, graphics-based programming aid: the new QuickNew assistant, which makes it possible to generate a complete programming sequence in just seven steps.

Wittmann Canada (Richmond Hill, Ont.); www.wittmann-canada.com; 866-466-8266

MOLD TECHNOLOGY

Cooling channel technology can save time, money

guidance, and attachment elements.

Using the Z99 permits a reduction in the number of cooling channels, since it’s no longer necessary to have a cooling channel in an additional plane. If the CoolCross is used in thicker plates, the installation depth can be selected on a variable basis.

Hasco Canada Inc. (Toronto); www.hasco.com; 888-244-5110

Quick-change system cuts tooling costs Speed is essential in today’s competitive global economy, and the MUD quick-change molding system from DME Company is designed to be save valuable time.

Featuring companion insert molds that can be switched easily in less than five minutes by one person, MUD helps plastics manufacturers dramatically reduce the time and cost — by up to 66 per cent — associated with tooling downtime.

This fast and easy system for mold set-ups and changeovers works in just a few quick steps: loosen four clamps, disconnect heating or cooling lines, and slide the insert mold from the quick-change frame.

MUD also allows unlimited design latitude. Insert molds can be engineered for parts that require stripper plates, sleeve ejection, single or double cam action, hydraulic, mechanical or pneumatic cylinders — virtually any feature desired, including three- and four-plate designs.

DME of Canada Ltd. (Mississauga, Ont.); www.dme.net; 800-387-6600

The new CoolCross Z99 from Hasco is designed to open up a range of new possibilities for the user, including time and cost savings, when it comes to designing cooling systems for injection molds.

The CoolCross allows for cooling channels crossing each other on the same plane in a flexible and inexpensive manner without any major outlay on production. CoolCross permits a homogeneous temperature distribution at the core or insert, as well as constant cavity cooling on all four sides for the full duration of the injection molding cycle. It also prevents hot spots.

In addition, 100 per cent protection against rotation (achieved through a locking mechanism) trad compe up cred prevents the unintended etito it on rs’ un its closure of the cooling channels.

Different independent cooling circuits cross each other on the same plane, making it possible While others are just discovering brushless motors, we’ve been perfecting them to incorporate small plate thicknesses and inexpensive accessory compoHamilton Plastic Systems Ltd. nents in the mold design.

Mississauga, Ontario 1-800-590-5546 By reducing the plate www.hamiltonplasticsystems.com thickness, use can be made of shorter nozzles,

$250

HAMILTON

BRUSHLESS LOADER TECHNOLOGY

www.canplastics.com February 2014 Canadian Plastics

CPLFeb2014 p31-37 TechShow.indd 35

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SOFTWARE

Instant inspection status updates speed re-mastering process

Renishaw’s Equator comparative gauging system now includes new process monitoring software that displays measurement results of inspected features — as well as the measurement history of each feature — instantly via a monitoring window added to the shop floor user interface.

The intuitive Organizer front-end software works with Renishaw’s comprehensive MODUS program to allow operators to manage the re-mastering process based on temperature limits, number of parts, or time since the last master.

A status bar graph shows inspection results for the last part measured as a proportion of tolerance either side of nominal. Operators can configure the system to set extra warning limits on part features, beyond the pass/fail tolerance limits already set by the inspection program, allowing them to take action before a process reaches 100 per cent of tolerance. The bar graph turns orange at the warning limit; and if the pass/fail tolerance is exceeded, the bar turns red and re-mastering is enforced with an onscreen message to the operator.

One of Equator’s key strengths is that it can operate in factories with wide temperature variation, due to its ability to cope with changes in shop floor temperature by employing the traditional method of comparing production parts to a reference master part and re-zeroing the system with an inspection routine on the master part. This re-mastering is as swift as measuring a production part, and immediately compensates for any change in the thermal conditions of the shop floor environment.

Renishaw (Canada) Ltd. (Mississauga, Ont.); www.renishaw.com; 905-828-0104

Canadian Plastics February 2014 www.canplastics.com

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technology showcase

SHOP FLOOR

New digimatic calipers set new standard A new series of cost-effective standard digimatic callipers from Mitutoyo are equipped with the same AOS (Advanced Onsite Encoder) induction type encoder used in top-of-the-line ABS Coolant Proof Calipers.

Thanks to the adoption of the electromagnetic induction type ABS encoder, these calipers can be used without concern for contamination on the scale face during measurement. The ABS

(Absolute) scale requires no origin-setting after power-on, and also has no limit to response speed.

The latest machining technology ensures that the slider provides smooth, stable, and comfortable operation, and the high-contrast LCD display with font height of 9 mm makes for easy viewing of measurement results, while delivering a battery life of approximately 3.5 years.

These newest calipers are available up to an eight inch/200 mm range, with or without SPC data output.

Carbide-tipped jaw models that are well-suited to the measurement of rough-machined work pieces, casting, and grindstones are also available.

Mitutoyo Canada Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.); www.mititoyo.ca; 905-821-1261

To place your classified ad here, contact: Greg Paliouras, Associate Publisher at 416-510-5124 or gpaliouras@canplastics.com

MATERIALS

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MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

advertising index Advertiser AceTRONIC Arburg Athena Automation Ltd. Auxiplast Inc. Basics of Extrusion seminar Canadian Plastics CanPlastics TV videos Chillers Inc. Conair CPA Canada DynaPurge

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Website

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www.acetronic.com www.arburg.us www.athenaautomation.com www.auxiplast.com www.canplastics.com/thebasics ofextrusion

IMS Ingenia Polymers Corp.

Maguire Products Canada Mo.di.tec NGR – Next Generation Recycling Machines Inc. Novatec Plastic Process Equipment, Inc. Rocklin Manufacturing Co. Rotogran International Scott’s Directories Vecoplan, LLC WEIMA America Inc. Windsor Mold Expo Wittmann Battenfeld

17 5 29 24-25

www.imscompany.com www.ingeniapolymers.com www.maguirecanada.com www.mo-di-tec.fr www.ngr.at

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www.canplastics.com

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www.chillersinc.com www.conairgroup.com www.channelpa.com www.dynapurge.com

Engel Canada Inc. Hamilton Plastic Systems

10 35

www.engelglobal.com/na www.hamiltonpsl.com

HEUBACH GmbH

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www.heubach.de

30 27 39 31 8 36 12 28 34 15

www.novatec.com www.ppe.com www.rocklinmanufacturingco.com www.rotogran.com www.scottsinfo.com www.vecoplanllc.com www.weimaamerica.com www.windsormoldexpo.com www.wittmann-canada.com

www.canplastics.com February 2014 Canadian Plastics

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technical tips

How to obtain even wall thickness in extrusion blow molding (it ain’t easy)

By Ottmar Brandau, Apex Container Tech Inc.

I

n the extrusion blow molding (EBM) process, a hollow tube of molten material (called a parison) is extruded out of a head and through a male and female part, commonly referred to as pin and bushing or mandrel and die.

It might sound simple, but a whole host of factors must come together to let this parison inflate into a part of even wall thickness in both the axial and hoop direction. The melt coming from the extrusion screw must be homogeneous; the heat in the head must be even; the parison must be straight and have even wall thickness; the parison wall thickness must be programmed to reflect the container geometry; all parisons in a multi-cavity system must have the same length; if the container is oblong, the parison wall thickness should reflect that; and venting must be sufficient to avoid any air entrapment.

Let’s examine each factor in turn.

EBM extruders should have an L/D ratio of 24:1, 22:1 for heat-sensitive materials like PVC. EBM materials have a ve r y low melt flow index compared to injection molding, and generally need longer residence time to properly melt. Barrier screws with or without end mixers have become very popular lately. Parisons are easier to control when they run at the lower end of the temperature range and modern screws allow this to happen.

If the parison has a warmer and colder side, the warmer side will always blow into a thinner wall. Even parison heat is therefore paramount. Heater bands should not be aligned along the head — it might look pretty when they are, but it leaves a slightly cooler area in the same parison part. All thermocouples must have good contact with the metal of the head, distributor, and extruder.

While the pin is always stationary horizontally, the die is moveable and must be adjusted so that the parison runs straight. If it “hooks” to one side, the parison will be thin on that side, and the die must be moved in that direction. In a perfect world, a straight running parison guarantees even parison wall thickness. However, because of slight temperature and pressure differences in the head, the parison may run straight with uneven wall thickness. This can be tested by squashing the end of the parison as it comes out of the head and letting head support inflate it. The warmer and/or thin side will inflate more, and this is easily observed by the development of the inflating bubble. In this case a compromise must be struck between a straight and even parison if there is no time to investigate the reason for this discrepancy.

Almost every EBM machine now uses a wall thickness controller or programmer that changes the die gap during extrusion to reflect changing container geometry and/or counters the propensity of the parison to sag under its own weight. On

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shuttle EBM machines, it can be a challenge to correlate particular points on the container with the parison programming points.

Why? Because there’s a distance between the top of the parison and the die bottom, depending on the distance between head and knife. Operators should use the “marking” feature of the programmer that increases or decreases wall thickness dramatically for suspected points and lets them see the result in the container.

This helps greatly in optimizing overall wall thickness.

When there’s more than one cavity, parisons must have the same length or else the programmed parison points don’t end up in the same spot on the container. Parison length can be adjusted with either temperature or chokes in the distributor between extruder and head. The former method must be used with materials like PVC — which doesn’t allow for chokes — but otherwise is not recommended, as it introduces variation in parison temperature that will affect shrinkage.

Oblong containers will have thinner walls in the far container sides as the parison thins out during inflation. To counter this, parison wall thickness can be increased in those areas that will form these far sides. This is mostly done by cutting pockets into the die after the parison has been marked to find the proper parison locations. Because of weight swell of up to 200 per cent, these cuts must be done in increments, as they may have a large effect on the container. Two or even three iterations can be necessary to get it just right. Companies that sell die sets often have experience for common bottles that allows them to get it right the first time.

The mold halves contain air when they’re closing, and this air must have a way out — otherwise entrapped air prevents proper distribution and cooling of the plastic. All molds have a surface texture tailored to the material being molded; polyolefin molds are sand-blasted, for example. The texture allows the air to move behind the inflating parison towards the mold faces where vents with a depth of approximately 0.05 mm (0.002 inches) allow escape. Special geometries, such as handles, may also require hole or corner vents that are increasingly cut with lasers instead of drill bits.

In summary, many parameters have to come together to yield perfect containers. It’s not easy, so don’t be surprised that operators need training and experience to master the art.

CPL

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Ottmar Brandau is the founder of OB Plastics Consulting (now Apex Container Tech Inc.), and has trained machine operators and engineers online and in-house around the world. His latest book, “A Practical Guide to Extrusion Blow Molding,” can be found at www.blowmolding.org/shop. He can be reached at 705-429-1492, or info@blowmolding.org. Also, visit www. blowmolding.org.

Canadian Plastics Februray 2014 www.canplastics.com

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