Injection Moulding Asia Technology News
resin, a new PA66 resin with improved heat ageing properties, which can be positioned in applications that are challenging the limits of conventional nylon 6.6. While approximately 45% of Invista’s PA66 compounded products go into the automotive market, the company also sells to consumer and E&E markets. Since the business was launched in 2009, Invista has used a network of compounders to support its operations. It says this allows it to speed its products to market. Now, with a business presence in the US, South America, Europe and Asia, the US firm is pursuing the second phase of its development: investing in compounding capabilities of its own. It is in the process of building a nylon 6.6 intermediates and polymer plant in the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park with production to start up in phases beginning in 2014.
Large machines for automotive parts
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erman firm KraussMaffei has extended its dual platen machine line with the GX series that features the GearX locking device and the GuideX guide shoe. Available in six machines, ranging from 400 to 650 tonnes, the GX is targeted at the automotive and consumer goods sectors. The company says that with the GuideX guide shoe, forces are ideally absorbed and the service life of the moulds is increased. Besides being an eye-catching design, it allows for platen parallelism due to the stable design. The GearX locking system is arranged in a space-saving way behind the moving mould fixing platen. KraussMaffei says its proven screw system is also installed. It is able to process PC, PMMA, PET, PC/PBT blends and is supported by an in-line injection unit, which has a rotary piston design and transmits force centrally via the injection piston to the screw to allow for precision and reproducibility. This is rounded up by the MC6 control system, equipped with an Eco optimum setting and the new SplitScreen technology that displays production processes. The integrated ProcessDesigner tool presents all current processes in visual terms and enables modifications, depending on requirements, by means of simple drag-and-drop movements or wiping movements.
In the new machine, the GearX locking system is arranged in a space-saving way behind the moving mould fixing platen
A GX 550-4300 was delivered to WAFA Kunststofftechnik in Augsburg in October 2011.
Invista pursues growth in China
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he world’s largest producer of PA6.6 polymer, Invista unveiled its Torzen resin at Chinaplas, with the aim to further expand its presence. This comes against the back of growing company sales in compounding resin while prime feedstock sales in Asia Pacific region have grown several-fold in the past 18 months, says the firm. In order to help its customers simplify their operations, Invista says it has introduced a range of global compounded products to its engineering polymers portfolio, enabling the use of a few products in manufacturing multiple applications. In China, it introduced the Torzen Marathon
Industry News
Yamaha zooms into India
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apanese motorcycle maker Yamaha Motor is building a new assembly plant in Chennai, India, with an investment of US$280 million over five years. It is among the several Japanese companies that are taking advantage of the strong currency to diversify and expand their operations overseas. To start up by 2014, the facility will produce 1.8 million motorcycles/year from 2018.
In lieu with this development, the company, which reported a drop in its January-March quarter net profit of 11.52 billion yen from 13.43 billion yen during the same quarter period in the previous year, predicts that motorcycle sales in India could reach 25 million units/year. It already has a motorcycle parts and assembly plant in Northern India, where it is planning on increasing production from 600,000 units to 1 million by 2018.
Tie-up for carbon fibre
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olymer materials supplier PolyOne has entered into an agreement with Italy-based Xenia Unipersonale in the development and production of carbonfibre-reinforced polymer compounds for metal and thermoset replacement. As part of this cooperation, US-based PolyOne will offer customers design and prototyping assistance to speed their projects to market. Xenia says its carbon fibre-reinforced Xecarb materials are already in use in racing and sport components and in mechanical parts. The product line consists of eight grades, ranging in loading from 2030%, with nylon, TPU, PPS, and PEKK base resins.
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