Lab extruders cost effective and flexible
Canadian Plastics
In typical Canadian fashion, TDS Technologies Inc. has been quietly producing equipment for the plastics industry for about 20 years. The West Coast company designs and manufactures lab-size extruders...
In typical Canadian fashion, TDS Technologies Inc. has been quietly producing equipment for the plastics industry for about 20 years. The West Coast company designs and manufactures lab-size extruders, classifiers, mixers, pelletizers and other industrial equipment.
One convenient and cost-effective aspect of TDS’ lab equipment line is the interchangeable towers. A single base extruder can be combined with various downstream units to produce blown film, cast film and ribbon or sheet film.
TDS’ standard 1 in. lab extruder has a 24:1 L/D ratio with a high torque AC variable speed vector drive. Temperature range is up to 300C, pressure to 2500 psi.
President Kelly Ready reports that TDS’ lab extruder is often used by compounders and color concentrate houses for quality control and research and development purposes. The company is also working on research projects with the National Research Council’s Industrial Materials Institute in Boucherville, Que.
TDS Technologies Inc.
604/952-0100
New process for carpet-to-plastic bonds
Sonics & Materials CEO Robert Soloff has been granted a patent for a new technology to bond carpet to plastic. The process uses Sonics & Materials’ EH 5020 vibration welder and tooling which incorporates a proprietary coating to grip the carpet and the plastic.
This process is suitable for both backed and unbacked carpet. The use of unbacked carpet may yield savings for the manufacturer.
The process has been used with unbacked carpet to weld an automobile map pocket.
Sonics & Materials 203/270-4600
Twin sheet forming for fuel tanks
A system for manufacturing automotive fuel tanks using a twin-sheet forming method has been devised by Keifel Technologies. It is suitable for forming tanks from high-density polyethylene with an EVOH barrier.
Keifel’s system overcomes the problems of uneven wall thickness due to the deep draw designs by pre-forming with a plug assist. Inserts can be loaded in the tank during forming. Both upper and lower halves of the fuel tank are formed and joined together in one sequence, and the machine design allows loading an insert between the two sheets.
The machines are designed for sheet feed and have heaters to provide rapid heating of the material.
Kiefel reports the advantages of twin-sheet formed tanks are controlled thickness of barriers and the ability to load inserts.
Kiefel Technologies Inc. 603/929-3900
