Wednesday, August 22, 2018
All News
New Cure for the Headaches of In-Mold Labeling/Decorating
September 26, 2017
If you’re an injection molder who wants to increase efficiency in decorating by applying labels or decals in the mold rather than post-molding, you have two choices:  • Option 1. Buy labels on a roll and die-cut them at the press before loading them into the tool. That means you have to gain expertise in diecutting, install bulky
Plastipak Wins Award for Direct Object Printing Technology
September 26, 2017
The patented DOP technology for packaging decoration facilitates rapid label changes & saves on logistical costs associated with physical labels. Thanks to its patented Direct Object Printing (DOP)for packaging decoration, Plastipak Packaging, Plymouth, Mich., won a silver DuPont Award for Packaging Innovation. These awards, now in their 29th
New Hard-Coating Technology for Large, Curved Auto Glazing
September 26, 2017
New plasma CVD coating over a wet coating offers wider design freedom than previous hard coats. Teijin Ltd. of Japan recently announced that it had developed a new hard-coating technology that can be applied evenly on large or complex-shaped polycarbonate automotive windows. The new coating method reportedly achieves abrasion
DECORATING: Grease-Resistant Coding Ink Before and After Printing
September 26, 2017
A new coding ink from U.K.’s Linx Printing Technologies (linxglobal.com); U.S. distributor Diagraph, St. Charles, Mo.) is said to resist grease and oil both before and after printing. Specifically developed for the company’s Linx 8900 Series continuous inkjet coders, Linx Black 1063 coding ink has been shown to adhere to substrates
COMPRESSION MOLDING: Cap Molding & Printing Productivity Is Enhanced
September 26, 2017
The latest developments in packaging machinery from SACMI of Italy (U.S. office in Des Moines, Iowa) include enhanced productivity of its continuous compression molding systems for bottle caps, and a newly enhanced high-speed, digital cap-printing system. In SACMI’s continuous compression molding (CCM)
New Ionomer Decorative Effects Using Hot Stamping
September 26, 2017
DuPont collaboration with Kurz Group leads to golden or metallized effects. A collaborative R&D effort between DuPont Performance Polymers, Wilmington, Del. and the Kurz Group (U.S. office in Charlotte, N.C.), a renowned innovator in hot stamping and cold transfer technology, has led to the “beautifying” of products made of the
VIDEO: Wittmann Battenfeld and Industry 4.0 at Amerimold 2017
September 26, 2017
Dave Preusse’s belief in the connecting power of the Internet of Things (IoT) extends to his own doorbell. Blog Post: 6/23/2017 Tony Deligio senior editor, Plastics Technology Preusse was speaking with Plastics Technology when an alert on his smart watch and smart phone let him know that 900 miles away from Amerimold 2017 the doorbell was
New Robots Made Safer Around People—Without Sacrificing Performance
September 26, 2017
One robot, five levels of safety around people. So-called “collaborative” robots, or “cobots,” have captured the imagination of a number of plastics processors who are looking for automation that can operate safely in close proximity to human workers and doesn’t have to be locked away behind
Sepro Expands Robot Operations in U.S. & France
September 26, 2017
U.S. expansion will allow assembly of large robots. Sepro of France announced a three-phase, $12.3 million expansion plan. The robot maker will expand its French headquarters by 54% and build a new training facility nearby. Both projects are due for completion by summer 2018. In the U.S., Sepro America, LLC, Warrendale, Pa., will more than double
Injection Molding: Suction-Cup Vacuum Monitoring Helps Robots Keep Their Grip
September 26, 2017
Adjustable vacuum monitoring for suction cups is a new standard feature on W8 series robots from Wittmann Battenfeld, Inc., Torrington, Conn. Wear on suction cups and leaks at connection points of vacuum hoses can weaken the robot’s grip on molded parts, potentially leading to a part left in the mold or
Automation: Collaborative Robots Get Vision Capabilities
September 26, 2017
At the recent ATX Automation Technology East show in N.Y.C., Universal Robots USA, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich., showed off several new vision capabilities for its UR “collaborative” robots, or “cobots.” Cameras, software, grippers, force/torque sensors, and a number of other auxiliaries are
Injection Molding: Order Custom Robot Grippers via Online Design Tool & 3D Printing
September 26, 2017
Design and order custom robot grippers to fit your molded part. New Product Post: 8/21/2017 Schunk, Morrisville, N.C., has introduced a web-based 3D design tool for ordering customized robot grippers shaped exactly to match a particular part. The new eGrip tool uses part data uploaded by the customer as a STEP or STL file to
Injection Molding: Custom Dual Degating Station Yields Zero-Vestige Auto Parts
September 26, 2017
FIPA Inc., Cary, N.C., a supplier of robot gripper systems, air nippers, and end-of-arm tooling, recently developed a custom solution for Proper Polymers, part of Proper Group, a custom injection molder and moldmaker in Anderson, S.C. Proper needed a degating station that could provide a perfect flush cut with zero vestige
Injection Molding: Robots Get New Servo Axes And Higher Payload
September 26, 2017
Cartesian servo robots for injection presses of 150 to 400 tons have received several upgrades from Wittmann Battenfeld, Torrington, Conn. Cartesian servo robots for injection presses of 150 to 400 tons have received several upgrades from Wittmann Battenfeld, Torrington, Conn. W821 and W831 robots now carry payloads from 10 to 15 kg (22-33 lb) and
Large-Scale 3D Printing Venture Competes with Injection Molding
September 26, 2017
With 160 FDM printers, a Brooklyn startup offers part runs up to 10,000 units—and soon perhaps 100,000—at prices competitive with injection molding. Voodoo Manufacturing co-founder Jonathan Schwartz with racks holding 160 3D printers, all under central control. Voodoo Manufacturing’s lab is being used to
MATERIALS HANDLING: Custom-Made Tanks
September 26, 2017
ASME tanks from Charles Ross & Son Co., Hauppauge, N.Y., are custom built to serve a wide range of applications and processing requirements in virtually any industry. The pictured 5000-gal stainless steel tank is designed for full vacuum up to 10 psig internal pressure at 200 F in accordance with ASME Code Section VIII, Division 1 latest
MATERIALS HANDLING: Pneumatic Weigh Hopper Has Fill/Pass Valve
September 26, 2017
A new weigh hopper with Fill/Pass Valve for dilute-phase pneumatic conveying systems has been introduced by Flexicon Corp., Bethlehem, Pa.  Suspended from three small-scale load cells, the gain-in-weight hopper reportedly delivers higher accuracy than loss-of-weight systems requiring higher-capacity load cells. Single or multiple hoppers can
MATERIALS HANDLING: Wide-Inlet Bulk Bag Filler
September 26, 2017
A new Wide-Inlet Bulk Bag Filler from Flexicon Corp.. allows rapid filling and passage of large, moist or dense chunks and semi-solid materials into open or duffle-top bulk bags.    The unit features powered height adjustment of the cantilevered fill head to accommodate all popular bag heights, pneumatically-adjustable bag hooks, a roller
New Source for Silo Loaders and Resin-Cleaning Systems
September 26, 2017
ADG Solutions now offers silo-loading and resin-cleaning systems—built by Italy’s Lorandi Silos—to plastics processors that purchase resin in gaylords or super sacks.  ADG Solutions, Tucker, Ga., is now offering silo-loading and resin-cleaning system options to molders and extruders that purchase resin or regrind in
Conveying: Mobile Screen Conveyor For Non-Free-Flowing Materials
September 26, 2017
The new Bev-Con Mobile Flexible Screw Conveyor from Flexicon Corp., Bethlehem, Pa., has a round vibratory screener that removes oversize particles and reduces soft agglomerates before conveying on-size bulk materials from powders and large pellets that flow freely, to non-free-flowing products that pack, cake, seize or smear due to compression or
Keep Dust and Angel Hair Out of Your Process
September 26, 2017
Angel hair, fines, and dust can adversely impact any type of plastics production—from resin manufacturing itself to molding and other processes. Here’s how to solve it.  FIG 1 Pellets sliding and bouncing in a conveying pipe. FIG 2 Friction and heat in a pipe elbow (see red). FIG 3 Plastic skin inside and pipe elbow. FIG
Putting Recycled Plastics to Work
September 26, 2017
Haidlmair discovered that if recycling is done correctly, the difference between virgin and recycled plastic material is minimal. Material for thick-walled, large industrial logistic containers, such as the one pictured in this mold from Haidlmair, makes up more than 90 percent of the total cost to produce the part. This makes it an ideal candidate
P&G Launches New PP Recycling Venture With PureCycle Technologies
September 26, 2017
Patented technology uses proprietary process to remove color, odor and other contaminants from recycled material and produce a 100% “virgin-like” PP. Consumer goods company P&G and PureCycle Technologies will open a plant that will restore used polypropylene (PP) plastic to 'virgin-like' quality with a recycling method that the
Recycling: Improved Melt Filter at Fakuma
September 26, 2017
At next month’s Fakuma 2017 show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, Ettlinger Kunststoffmaschinen GmbH of Germany (U.S. office in Tyrone, Ga.) will introduce its latest-generation melt filters for recycling of contaminated resins. The brand-new models are based on the same rotating, perforated drum as
UK Project Successfully Recycled One Million PVC Gift Cards
September 26, 2017
Having proved the concept, investment in infrastructure is the next step with an eye towards loyalty and hotel key cards next. Gift cards are a convenient present of a choice but they don’t exactly have a great recycling story at end of life. So I read with interest a news release that stated a project in the UK successfully recycled one
New Studies Bode Well for Future of Plastics’ Use Globally
September 26, 2017
Sweeping study looks at production, use and fate of all plastics. In July, the journal Science Advances published a study on the “Production, Use and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made,” by Roland Geyer, Jenna R. Jambeck and Kara Lavender Law, which was heralded by the Plastics Division of the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) as
Recycling: High-Output Filter For High-Contamination Applications
September 26, 2017
The GorillaBelt melt filter from Italy’s Cofit International is now available in the U.S. from Melt Filtration Products, Charlotte, N.C. The unit is for use when processing both post-consumer and post-industrial material. In Europe, the machine has been running at multiple locations on lines with 10-15% contamination rate, running at
Extrusion: Laserfilter Now Suited for PET Sheet
September 26, 2017
The Laserfilter from Erema (U.S. office Erema North America Inc., Ipswich, Mass.) is a continuous filter system with screen fineness of 70µm. Rheological optimization of the breaker plate reportedly offers a “gentler filtration process.” While the filter is said to be well-established among recyclers of PCR, Erema says its
Plastic Bottle Recycling Campaign Reports Tangible Results
September 26, 2017
The campaign in North and South Carolina debuted with a 2% increase in tons of all types of plastic bottles sold by local recycling processors from March to May 2017. We all know the power of marketing and advertising when it comes to B2C-type products but what about for a “call to action?” such as recycling? Well, according to the
Understanding Low-Rate Feeding for Continuous and Batch Processes
September 26, 2017
The example above shows that weight is important to establish your basis, but the actual micro-feeder volume output design (feeding three pellets) will have a greater impact on your true product consistency at low rates. This is the major reason material consistency is so crucial for feeding low rates. FEEDING INTO THE PROCESS Once the material
MATERIALS HANDLING: Blender Upgrades Control, Fine Tunes Mixing and Dosing
September 26, 2017
Conair, Cranberry Township, Penn., has updated its TrueBlend line of gravimetric blenders, introducing the new SmartBlend SB-3 control and undertaking design changes that it says eliminate material losses, optimize critical blends and simplify clean-out and maintenance. The SmartBlend SB-3 control, which supports 16 languages, features a
MATERIALS HANDLING: Blender Automatically Self Cleans
September 26, 2017
Blender’s automated material-cleanout system can complete a material change without an operator. New Product Post: 6/6/2017 Advanced Blending Solutions (ABS), Wallace, Mich., is launching its first automated self-cleaning blender, the Chameleon Simplicity 3000. Material, which is removed from the feeder tray using an automated vacuum system,
Extrusion 2017 Conference: Call for Papers
September 26, 2017
By presenting at the conference you can establish yourself as a thought leader in the world of extrusion. Blog Post: 4/10/2017 Jim Callari Editorial Director/Associate Publisher, Plastics Technology Plastics Technology Magazine is bringing the world of extrusion together in one place, at one time, once more, at The Extrusion 2017 Conference. During
How Low Can Low-Rate Feeders Go?
September 26, 2017
More and more processors are looking for greater precision from their feeding equipment. Here’s what some are doing about it. Plastrac gravimetric Disc Feeders have been modified to run on vertical injection machines performing insert molding at Weiss-Aug’s Surgical Products Div. How many pellets are in 1 g? How many in 0.01 g? Orbetron
PP Compounder Elbows Out Production Snafus
September 26, 2017
Replacing each of the six elbows cost the compounder an hour of downtime plus the cost of labor. The price of buying 72 or more replacement elbows a year ran well into the tens of thousands of dollars. The Plastics Group went searching for a solution, and ended up replacing the six 90° sweep elbows with the
10 Things to Know When Specifying Vacuum Conveying Systems for Powders
September 26, 2017
Vacuum conveying systems for powders and other bulk materials involve a starting point and a destination, avoiding many hazards along the way. Powders are transferred from various sources to the processing line using vacuum or negative pressure. The number one advantage of vacuum conveying is dust control, and in the plastics industry,
MATERIALS HANDLING: Real-Time Pellet Moisture Monitoring and More at K 2016
September 26, 2017
Mini-dryer, upgraded gravimetric blender, and a new mini central conveying system join the Moisture Meter at K 2016. Moretto's new Moisture Meter. Moretto's new XD10 mini dryer. Previous Next Moretto of Italy (U.S. office in Columbus, Ohio) will bring its latest developments in drying, blending, and conveying to K 2016 in Dusseldorf
The Primary Importance of Secondary Equipment
September 26, 2017
Resin drying, resin conveying and process heating and cooling are as vital to the injection molding process as the press and tool, and they get their due at Molding 2017. An entire track and multiple speakers from industry leading suppliers like ACS Group, Burger & Brown Engineering, Inc., Conair, Dri-Air Industries, Inc., Engel Machinery,
Augmented Auxiliaries At K 2016
September 26, 2017
Moretto says the patented measuring technology, dubbed Power Peak, determines moisture levels by sending electromagnetic waves through the resin, with the waves’ amplitude changing depending on the variations in moisture content. The Moisture Meter can measure water in resin down to 15 ppm, and it comes with a standalone controller,
Water Droplets in the Feed Throat
September 26, 2017
I suppose nobody enjoys the details of drying, yet they are critical to the “Three Ps” of injection molding: Processing, part Performance, and Profits. Let me tell you a quick story. Within the last few months, I have come across two cases in which water droplets had condensed in the feed throat and nobody understood where the water
Used Machinery Dealer Expands in Southeast
September 26, 2017
ZAG Equipment has bigger facility in Gibsonville, N.C. ZAG Equipment Sales, Smyrna, Ga., which supplies used and refurbished injection molding and auxiliary equipment, has opened a new facility on six acres in Gibsonville, N.C. Much larger than the original Gibsonville location opened in 2007, the expansion increases the firm’s ability to
Drying: Dryer Upgrades to New, Easier-to-Program Control Panel
September 26, 2017
More intuitive with more information, control panel conveys additional information on a single screen. New Product Post: 7/12/2017 Matsui's MJ5-i series of dehumidifying dryers has a new control panel. Matsui America, Inc. (Hanover Park, Ill.) has an all new control panel on its MJ5-i series of dehumidifying dryers. Matsui reports that the
COMPOUNDING: High-Throughput Polyolefin Pellet Dryer
September 26, 2017
Centrifugal dryer claims highest known capacity for drying polyolefins. New Product Post: 5/31/2017 Gala Industries, Inc. -- a Member of Maag, Eagle Rock, Va., has engineered a centrifugal dryer with the highest known capacity for drying polyolefins. The latest version of the Model 100 dryer has resulted in an increased drying capacity of 150
What You Need to Know About Drying Specialty Nylons
September 26, 2017
• Hot-air dryers are the most effective in removing surface moisture and therefore are suitable for non-hygroscopic polymers such as polyolefins, polystyrene, and PVC.• Desiccant dryers have long been the workhorse for drying resins that absorb moisture, and generally include some configuration of a moisture-removal filter or bed that
DRYING: Vacuum Dryer’s Load Sensors Continuously Control Resin Levels
September 26, 2017
The new VBD300 dryer from Maguire Products, Aston, Penn., has the capacity for general-purpose injection molding applications and low- to mid-throughput extrusion jobs. Throughputs ranging up to 300 lb (136 kg) per hour double the VBD150’s capacity (which proved to have greater capacity in testing after launch) and bring the benefits of
AUXILIARIES: 3D Imaging App Is New Aid to Shopping for Equipment
September 26, 2017
If you’re shopping for materials-handling, drying, blending, and feeding auxiliary equipment, a new app for smart phones and tablets can let you turn 3D images of the hardware around 360° and even examine interior components or material flow through the system. The new Maguire 5D app from
Mixing: Planetary Dispersers with PLC Recipe Controls
September 26, 2017
The PowerMix Planetary Dispersers from Charles Ross & Son Co.., Hauppauge, N.Y. are now furnished with PLC Recipe Controls and are said to deliver superior batch-to-batch consistency in the mixing of high-solids, high-viscosity applications. Two independently-driven agitators—a high speed sawtooth disperser and a low speed planetary
Keep Dust and Angel Hair Out of Your Process
September 26, 2017
Angel hair, fines, and dust can adversely impact any type of plastics production—from resin manufacturing itself to molding and other processes. Here’s how to solve it.  FIG 1 Pellets sliding and bouncing in a conveying pipe. FIG 2 Friction and heat in a pipe elbow (see red). FIG 3 Plastic skin inside and pipe elbow. FIG
Polymer Resources: Compounding's 'Small Big Guy'
September 26, 2017
This compounder combines a service-first, small-company mindset with the technical might of larger companies to carve a niche in engineering plastics. For Scott Anderson, Polymer Resources’ COO, this compounder’s service-first mindset and ability to tailor resins to highly specific requirements give it a competitive edge in the market.
Time to Register for Extrusion 2017
September 26, 2017
The industry’s only conference devoted to all things extrusion is open for business. Columns Post: 7/25/2017 Jim Callari Editorial Director/Associate Publisher, Plastics Technology Registration is now open for Plastics Technology’s third annual conference devoted to extrusion processing. Extrusion 2017 will be held Oct. 18-20 at the