Technology Showcase (November 01, 2005)
Canadian Plastics
MATERIALS...
MATERIALS
RTP Long Fiber Concentrate has 80 per cent glass loading
RTP Company has introduced a Long Fiber (LF) Concentrate with 80 per cent glass loading, which allows plastics processors to save money on materials costs.
Cost savings result because the increased glass-loading level means less concentrate is needed during blending. And, the blending process is simpler compared with using concentrates with only a 60 or 70 per cent glass-loading level.
Additionally, improved dispersion lets processors blend materials with varying melt flow rates. Processors can also adjust LF glass-loading directly at the machine depending on desired stiffness, impact- resistance and strength.
RTP Company (Winona, Minn.) www.rtpcompany.com; 507-454-6900
Ciba light stabilizer doubles life of flexible PVC
Ciba’s new Tinuvin XT 833 high-performance light stabilizer for flexible PVC provides protection from harmful UV rays, maintaining the material’s initial appearance, tensile and elongation properties, and physical integrity during long-term weathering.
In roofing applications, for example, Tinuvin XT 833 has been shown to minimize discolouration and embrittlement, allowing the membranes to stay impermeable to water.
Tinuvin XT 833 can also extend the life of PVC awning, tents, tarps, canopies, outdoor signs and banners.
Ciba Specialty Chemicals Canada (Mississauga, Ont.) www.cdibasc.com; 905-812-4280
No-mix adhesive laminates ABS, aluminum sheets to PS
Devcon’s Flex Bond Thin Set no-mix structural adhesive is ideal for laminating sheets of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) or aluminum to a polystyrene (PS) core.
Capable of filling gaps as wide as 24 Mils, the adhesive has two components.
The curing cycle does not start until the polymer comes into contact with the activator, so if the methacrylate polymer is applied first, the activator can be sprayed directly onto the polymer a few minutes before mating the surfaces. Or it can be applied to the second surface up to one hour before mating. If sprayed first, the activator stays viable for more than two weeks.
When cured it will have a tensile strength of 6,970 psi and an adhesive tensile shear of 878 psi on ABS, 838 psi on PVC.
ITW Devcon (U.S.A.) (Danvers, Mass.) www.devcon.com; 1-800-933-8266
INJECTION MOLDING
Battenfeld I/M unit has compact design for processing large parts
Battenfeld has recently released a new 550-ton, 2-platen injection molding machine, the HM 2P 550/4500B4, which can mold large parts despite its compact design.
Featuring improved platen design and free platen space for quick mold changes, flexible demolding and easy nozzle access, it also has retractable tie bars, and offers high precision and repeatability for ensuring high quality.
With one cavity and compact high-speed injection units, the HM 2P 550 also consumes relatively little energy thanks to its DFEE pump drive.
Battenfeld Canada Ltd. www.battenfeld.com; 905-670-9384
Vertical I/M features encapsulating inserts
Arburg Inc.’s Allrounder 470 U and its vertical injection molding machine, Allrounder 175 V, made their debuts at Fakuma, held in October in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
The fully-hydraulic 175 V is the first of Arburg’s I/M machines designed for encapsulating inserts to be available as part of the standard model. Offered with a clamping force of 125 tons, and a choice of 30, 70, or 100 series injection units.
With its low table height, the 175 V is designed as a free-space system, which features considerable degrees of freedom around the mold. The machine’s small footprint means it is easily integrated into production processes.
Hamilton Avtec Inc. (Mississauga, Ont); 800-590-5546
EXTRUSION
Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion, B&P team up for WPC extruder
Cincinnati Milacron Extrusion and B&P Process Equipment, jointly developed the TE125-33 co-rotating parallel twin-extruder for wood-plastics composites (WPCs).
Capable of ouputting up to 1,818 kg/hr of finished product, it has a 125-mm bore diameter, a maximum screw speed of 200 rpm and an L/D of 32.5:1. Users can increase overall L/D to 37.5:1 by adding another barrel and screw segment.
The TE125-33 is ideal for processing WPCs due to its medium-torque, low-shear, efficient mixing, melting, devolatilization and high output.
Accuplast Solutions (Kirkland, Que.) 866-630-0808
Guill extrusion dies designed for large profiles
Guill Tool & Engineering Co., Inc.,0 has released the 224 Series of extrusion crossheads and dies, which are designed for profiles 4×8 in. or larger.
Thermoset profiles can be produced with two different polymers because there are no areas in the 224’s flow passages that allow for stagnation, even when two materials are passing through the die.
Additionally, the 224 Series promises finished parts with thinner walls and closer tolerances, saving processors money on raw materials.
Guill Tool & Engineering Co. Inc. (West Warwick, RI); www.guill.com; 401-828-7600
Wayne offers savings with rebuilt extruders
Wayne Machine & Die Co.’s line of rebuilt extruders, Rebuilt-Red by Wayne, cost approximately 35 per cent less than new equipment.
Wayne dismantles any non-Wayne second-hand equipment it receives and uses the working components to build new extruders from the ground-up. New parts are added as needed.
Since no Rebuilt-Red by Wayne is the same, Wayne carefully documents each component; drawings are made as required and a complete bill of materials is developed. This ensures Wayne can provide spare parts, such as screws, barrels and mechanical transmissions to its customers.
Wayne Machine & Die Co. (Totowa, N.J.) www.waynemachine.com; 973-256-7374
BLOW MOLDING
Automa releases two blow molding machines
Electric for screw rotation, but hydraulic for injection, Automa’s I&B 52-3 45-mm injection unit is the first in a new line of injection blow molding machines.
Built with a reciprocating plasticizing screw injection mold clamp with electric movement and controlled by a vectorial inverter, the systems uses an electric brushless servo-motor that opens and closes the mold, and the container discharge station is actuated by an electric motor and a pneumatic position unit. Controlled by an A(3)MC PC-based unit, it features No. 3 mold temperature regulators.
Automa’s latest all-electric extrusion blow molding machine, the APEX AT300DE, has a new clamping design, and electric control movement with final “bumping” mechanism.
Carriage shuttle, blowpin movements and parison thickness regulation are all controlled by electric drive motors.
Features include a clamping force of 40 kN, a 2/90/50 double head for polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), the APEX AT300DE has an extruder size of 60/24D. Comes with a parison hot knife cutter, and a takeout system with vertical movement.
Automa North America (Burlington, Ont.) www.automanorthamerica.com; 800-330-1338
THERMOFORMING
Stiff thermoplastic composite designed for thermoforming applications
Fully recyclable and safer to handle than glass-filled composites, the Moldable Fabric Technology (MFT) from Milliken & Comp
any, is a lightweight thermoplastic composite with high stiffness and two to 15 times the impact resistance compared to other thermoplastics.
Polypropylene-based, MFT preserves its impact resistance properties at temperatures as low as -40C.
Designed for use in pressure thermoforming processes, MFT is between 30 and 60 per cent lighter than homopolymer (HPP), impact copolymer (ICP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), glass mat thermoplastic (GMT), woven glass products, steel and aluminum.
Milliken & Company (Spartanburg, S.C.) www.millikenchemical.com; 864-503-6149
MOLDMAKING
Better analysis tools beef up Moldflow’s Plastics Advisers 7.2
Moldflow Corp.’s Plastics Advisers 7.2, 3D-based plastics flow simulation software includes the Advanced Geometry Adviser, which lets users known early on if their model has potential problems, preventing users from wasting time on advanced modeling or analysis tasks.
The Cooling System Wizard lets users design cooling circuits faster. Users can import multiple cooling channels and simultaneously assign properties among these channels and their intersections.
Other enhancements to Plastics Advisers 7.2 include the ability to determine relative quality of weld line defects and to review multiple result values simultaneously, as well as a mechanism for generating large, naturally-balanced multi-cavity layouts.
Moldflow Corp. (Framingham, Mass.) www.moldflow.com; 508-358-5848
Progressive needle bearing locks withstand demanding mold alignment environments
Wauconda, Ill.-based Progressive Components’ Needle Bearing Locks feature consistent, smooth positioning resulting from the precision needle bearing FrictionFree Technology.
As the locks engage, the bearings provide additional lifting power without metal-to-metal wear.
Available in three sizes of Side Locks, two sizes of Top Locks and two sizes of Metric Side Locks, these products are compatible with other industry standard sizes allowing for retrofitting onto existing molds. CAD geometry is available in multiple formats for those designing new tools. Prices range from US$180 to US$235.
Progressive Components Canada Ltd. (Windsor, Ont.); www.procomps.com; 800 269-6653
Synventive aids multi-cavity molding
Synventive Molding Solutions BV has added two new small nozzles, the 04C and the 06C, and a multi-zone temperature controller to provide injection molders with improved control for multi-cavity molding.
Replacing the CA nozzle, which has been in Synventive’s product line for over a decade, the 04C can be used for processing thermoplastics with abrasive reinforcements. New tip inserts for the direct gating of polypropylene in combination with fast cycle times are also available. The 04C and 06C also include replaceable heaters.
As well, the MultiZone temperature controller is designed for up to 192 zones.
MultiZone can also detect heater, thermocouple and wiring faults and predict heater failures. Users also have the ability to monitor systems remotely via the Web.
Lutek Plastic Equipment Inc. (Dorval, Que.); 888-505-8835
Precision Mold Suppliers Ltd.; (Delta, B.C.) 604-943-7702
TOL-O-MATIC electric servo actuator improves quality of I/M parts
An electric servo actuator for injection molding valve gate control applications, ServoGate, is TOL-O-MATIC’s alternative to hydraulic valve manifolds and hydraulic power systems used for valve gate control and sequencing.
Measuring less than 17.8 x 17.8 cm in size, ServoGate is controlled by TOL-O-MATIC’s Axiom Plus PV brushless servo controller. A threaded rod connected to the valve gate passes through the hollow shaft of the actuator, precisely positioning the gate with speed and precision repeatability over millions of cycles.
ServoGate offers continuous force of 500 lbs., and cycle times shorter than 0.5 seconds for 0.75-in. extension to the 500 lb. seat and retraction. Included is the Microsoft Corp. Windows-based Tol-O-Motion software.
TOL-O-MATIC Inc. (Hamel, Minn.) www.tolomatic.com; 800-328-2174
AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT
Cumberland screenless granulator easy to clean
Cumberland’s latest S Series beside-the-press, low-speed, screenless granulator gives users a choice of cutting chamber size: 10×9 in., 10.5×13.5 in., or 18.5×15.5 in.
Its small footprint, quick-inspect hopper view window and swivel casters make it easy to position in small areas. Interlocking front doors with tool-free access makes the granulator easy to clean and service.
Noise is reduced through the addition of a steel damper plate and an integrated thermostat helps prevent overheating. Two limit switches and an emergency shut off button are also standard, as are a 1 hp, 2 hp or 2 hp, low-speed cycloidal gear motor with a dust-tight NEMA type-12 electrical enclosure and static resistance molded bin.
Cumberland also released its new easy- to-clean A Series line of beside-the-press granulators.
The pivoting rotor and the cutting chamber both open wide allowing the screen to be removed without dropping the screen cradle. The side hopper door also provides another avenue for cleanout.
Other features include an open/solid (O/S) rotor to provide greater inertia, and a thicker cutting chamber material.
Noise is reduced by a double-walled hopper construction and a bulk-filled base. Other standard features include a staggered rotor with four-edged knives, and three- and five-blade solid rotors.
Precision Mold Supplies Ltd. (Delta, B.C.); 604-943-7702
New Tech Machinery Inc. (Brampton, Ont.); 905-456-2968
Gloucester granulator geared for thermoformers
Gloucester-CMG’s GT Series line of granulators is specifically designed for thermoformers.
Available in three-knife and 18-knife staggered rotor configurations, the GT Series can be positioned under-the-press or beside-the-press granulator.
Features include a pivoting hopper, with a drop down screen cradle and a machined, bolted cutting chamber. Easy to set up because of its adjustable knife jig, the adjustable rotor knives let operators easily fine tune knife gaps.
Options include feed-roll infeeds, dancer rolls and custom electrical control systems.
Plascom Machinery Sales & Service Inc. (North York, Ont.); 416-491-8450
Process Control expands family of multi-hopper blenders
Process Control Corp. has added to its Guardian Gravimetric Batch Blender series two new units with capacities of 1.25 kg and 2.5 kg.
Featuring segmented multi-hoppers similar to the larger five kg and 12 kg models, the new blenders feature fast-acting V-gate discharge valves for each ingredient and an integral loading platform. The 1.25-kg model holds up to four ingredients, while the 2.5-kg unit holds six ingredients, and they accommodate throughputs of 177 to 820 PPH.
Process Control’s prior 1.25-kg and 2.5-kg units only had removable hoppers, making them difficult and expensive to retrofit for some applications where vacuum loaders were in place. The new models with their integral loading platforms can be used with existing vacuum receivers and loading equipment, making them cost-effective.
Intrepid Standard Technologies Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.); 905-278-8088
Portable drying, conveying systems
The SDAP Series of portable drying and conveying systems from New Berlin, Wis.-based S
terling are made to provide closed-loop drying with automatic, on-demand conveying to the drying hopper and/or one or two machines.
The SDAP 15-60 cfm integrates a high-efficiency SDAA Series desiccant dryer that generates dry air and comes with touch screen controls that are mounted on a portable platform. A sight glass material receiver is supplied for minimal inventory on the process machine. The SDAP 15-60 cfm provides an operating temperature range of 180F to 300 F.
The SDAP 90-225 cfm dryers have an integrated control interface that provides the status of drying and conveying functions, and also allows simple start-up, shut down and changes of drying and conveying parameters.
CNSmith Plastics Machinery Sales Inc.
(Georgetown, Ont.) www.cnsmith.com; 416-917-3737
AEC introduces new line of granulators
AEC Inc. unveiled a new line of tangential granulators, the Tangential Series, that are made to solve granulation problems by minimizing part bouncing and optimizing material processing for large, bulky parts.
The Tangential Series comes in two models: 2024 and 2036. Each is capable of accepting a wide variety of large/bulky products from injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding and recycle/reclamation industries. Reversible screens offer longer life on a swing down/removable cradle for ease of cleaning, along with a heavy-duty base.
The 40 angled infeed on each unit are sound absorbing and allow for easy hand or conveyor feed options. Other features include bolted and doweled cutting chambers, dual flywheels increasing torque during reclamation, heavy-duty, spherical roller bearings preventing material contamination and a three-knife high-shear.
En-plas Inc.; 416-286-3030