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Product news

  RFTrax creates tracking device for rail cars
RFTrax wants to bring GPS to the world of HDPE, PP and PVC.

The Sugar Land, Texas-based firm is marketing its electronic tracking device to a number of rail car markets, including those for plastic resin.

RFTrax marketing director Tom Moccia has a keen understanding of this issue from his days in the plastics industry with GE Plastics, M.A. Hanna Co. and Conoco Inc.

“I know how hard it is to monitor and track plastic rail cars,” Moccia said in a recent phone interview. “Every time we shipped resin by rail, we were losing cars. Customers wouldn’t get their resin on time and there were times when nobody knew where the [resin] cars were.

“So we started to go to trucks [for shipping]. At least then we could say when the material would get there. But truck pricing was very high — 5-6 cents per pound vs. 2 cents per pound for rail. Then customers would buy on consignment and use the rail cars as silos, but that was a big problem because you never knew how much resin they were using.”

Moccia now believes that RFTrax’s Asset Command Unit can solve a lot of those problems. The ACU is a 6-pound electronic device with a chemical-resistant outer housing made of polycarbonate and polybutylene terphthalate. The unit is about the size of a lunchbox — measuring 7 inches by 10 inches with a depth of 3½ inches — and is fastened to the top of a rail car or locomotive.

The ACU has multiple sensors, a back-end database application hosted by RFTrax and a Web portal for customers to view and interact with information about their locomotives and rail cars. RFTrax manufactures the units — and even does its own injection molding — at a plant in Sugar Land.

The ACU “transmits to a private network so you can see where the rail car is at any given moment,” Moccia said. Sensors on the ACU can tell if a car is loaded or empty and also can indicate whether a rail car’s doors have been opened. Technology is in the works that would allow customers to gauge how much resin is left in the car.

To date, RFTrax has sold ACUs for 1,000 locomotives and 500 rail cars. Major railroads are target customers for locomotive units, while shippers — including plastics and chemicals makers — are potential users of rail car units.

Petrochemical makers producing chlorine, fluorine, ammonia and other toxic inhalants already have bought a number of units. Moccia said makers of plastic feedstocks such as benzene also could benefit from the device. The plastic and chemical field holds great potential for RFTrax, he added, since firms in those segments operate about 250,000 rail cars.

Although some railroads currently have radio frequency identification devices on their cars, Moccia said their tracking systems aren’t specific enough, and a signal can be lost if a car goes onto a non-RFID track.

The RFTrax ACU runs on a solar-powered lithium ion battery. Technical marketing director Bob Goertz said the battery’s standard life is three to five years without maintenance. The ACU also can be set to broadcast its location at different intervals, he added. Typically, the ACU sends location messages two to four times per day. RFTrax also is looking to double the unit’s capacity so that it can send 1,200 messages on a single battery charge.

The exterior of the ACU is made of what Goertz called a “third-generation” PC/PBT that’s bulletproof and hermetically sealed. Its normal temperature range can withstand temperatures ranging from minus 13° to minus 76° F.

Initial purchase cost for each ACU ranges from $800-$1,000. Service costs average around $15 per month per car.

RFTrax — which employs 50 at a 30,000-square-foot site in Sugar Land — does not disclose annual sales figures.

The firm is a unit of Fairfield Industries Inc., a Sugar Land-based firm that ranks as a leader in seismic imaging services. Fairfield has annual sales of more than $250 million.

  Sylvin compounds have FDA approval
Sylvin Technologies Inc. has new flexible vinyl compounds for markets where Food and Drug Administration acceptance is required.

The Denver, Pa., firm’s new 2900 series incorporates only ingredients sanctioned for use by the FDA. The grades are available in hardness from 55 Shore A to 90 Shore A.

Grades are in standard clear formulations that can be custom colored. Sylvin said they are well suited to injection molded and extruded products such as appliance parts, tubing and conveyor belting.

Tel. 717-336-2823, fax 717-336-0547, e-mail chris.oconnell@sylvin.com.

  Sunoco Chemicals PP for film applications
Sunoco Chemicals has debuted a homopolymer polypropylene especially suited to film applications.

FF025F has high amorphous content to give it exceptional stretchability, according to the firm. The product is an all-purpose grade that complements Sunoco’s lineup of films with a range of melt flows useful for biaxially oriented PP and for cast film use.

Tel. 412-208-8194, fax 412-208-8205, e-mail ebtownsend@sunocoinc.com.

  Dow olefins free from confidentiality pacts
Dow Chemical Co. has nine developmental-grade olefin block copolymers that no longer are tied down by confidentiality agreements.

To be marketed under the Infuse tradename, they are made using Dow’s Insite technology, which enables olefins to expand into elastomeric markets.

The olefin block copolymers are suited for several markets.

For soft-touch use, they offer processing efficiency and excellent adhesion in overmolding, the company said.

Polyolefinlike proc¼essability suits the block copolymers for health and hygiene uses where high-performance elasticity, cohesion and adhesion at body temperature are key.

They are particularly useful in elastic films and elastic nonwovens, according to Dow.

In liquid packaging they proc¼ess well without the use of oil and exhibit excellent seal properties and organoleptic characteristics, said Dow of Midland, Mich. The grades also find use in adhesives.

Dow’s new products variously have a melt-flow index of 0.5 gram to 15 grams per 10 minutes.

Tel. 989-638-7251, e-mail nelamb@dow.com.

  Rohm and Haas creates vinyl window modifiers
Rohm and Haas Co. has developed a family of several impact modifiers for vinyl window profiles.

The Philadelphia-based company said the new products enable processors to customize their PVC applications for specific performance. One modifier can’t do all jobs and processors don’t all value the same features, Rohm and Haas said.

The new modifiers provide a wider process window based on melt temperature, which can save money and resources, according to the company. Among the new products are Paraloid KM-4400 and KM-5450, each with a different balance of lowest modifier loading, Izod impact efficiency and low temperature impact resistance.

Tel. 215-592-6999, e-mail crobertmartin@rohmhaas.com.

  Invista’s PET includes 20% recycled content
Invista has developed a PET packaging resin that contains 20 percent post-consumer content.

The Wichita, Kan., firm said the new Polyclear Conserve PET resin features exceptional color and clarity. It avoids contamination because the recycled content is repolymerized so that it acts as virgin polymer. The material is not simply a blend of reground recycled flake with virgin resin.

Invista said the material is suited to container applications including bottled water and soft drinks. It complies with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act for certain food-contact use.

The company said it is working to increase the post-consumer content of Polyclear Conserve PET.

Tel. 704-586-7367, fax 704-586-7564, e-mail jeffrey.g.best@invista.com.

  Cerestech presents ‘green’ resin blends
Cerestech Inc. has introduced resin and starch blends that deliver high property retention with a reduced carbon footprint.

Cerestech of Montreal said its Cereloy is based on unique technology from the École Polytechnique of Montreal, the University of Montreal’s Engineering School.

Cereloy uses starches from corn, wheat and tapioca and is suited to film, bags and injection molding products. Products have incorporated as much as 30 percent of thermoplastic and starch blends while maintaining properties, according to the company.

The first commercial product based on Cereloy is a blend of linear low density polyethylene and Cereloy to make can liners. Several other Cereloy grades for film and injection molding also are being launched.

Tel. 514-893-2089, e-mail info@cerestech.ca.

  Thoreson-McCosh installs Siemens PLC
Auxiliary equipment maker Thoreson-McCosh Inc. replaced its 25-year-old machine control system, a proprietary circuit board, with one using microprogrammable logic controls from Siemens Energy & Automation Inc.

Thoreson-McCosh was able to reduce its engineering time and increase the flexibility of its equipment to accommodate the degree of customization in its products. The Siemens Simatic S7-200 controllers also makes it easier to maintain, troubleshoot and do diagnostics.

Thoreson-McCosh manufactures dehumidifying dryers, hot- air dryers, blending systems and vacuum conveying equipment.

“We did not have a PLC in use on our equipment,” said Jerry Muntz, vice president of engineering. “We were using a proprietary board that we developed in the early 1980s. It had evolved over time, and we were working on its third generation when we switched over to the Siemens PLCs.”

Under its old control method, Thoreson-McCosh did not have any historical data to help with preventive maintenance. Also, the machines could not be networked together.

Electro-Matic Products Inc., a supplier of automation components and services in Farmington Hills, Mich., recommended the Siemens Simatic S7-200 to Thoreson-McCosh.

Thoreson-McCosh is based in Troy, Mich. Siemens is in Norcross, Ga.

Tel. 770-871-3993, e-mail mary.ryals@siemens.com.

  Water-based MoldWiz keeps molds clean
Axel Plastics Research Laboratories Inc. has developed a water-based mold release effective for compression and resin transfer molding.

MoldWiz WB-2700 is a 10 percent active product that contains no hazardous materials, according to the Woodside, N.Y., firm. In one case for an aluminum-filled epoxy compression tool, spraying every three to five parts gave a cleaner mold and good release, Axel said.

In an RTM case history, the MoldWiz product replaced a two-component release system in a setup with aluminum molds processing epoxy and vinyl ester resins.

Tel. 800-332-2935 or 718-672-8300, e-mail info@axelplast.com.

  Price-Driscoll creates low-cost product line
Price-Driscoll Corp. of Waterford, Conn., has a new line of mold releases, mold cleaners and rust preventives.

The Value Line series is designed for high performance at economical prices. They are formulated with a nonflammable solvent and contain no methylene chloride.

The series includes silicones, paintable silicones, food- and medical-grade nonsilicones, fluoropolymer dry film and zinc stearate dry powder. Among the new products is Gentle Clean mold cleaner, suited for solvent-sensitive plastics, and Rust Armor rust inhibitor.

Tel. 800-442-3575, fax 860-447-3557, e-mail info@price-driscoll.com.

  VectorJet technology laser marks acetals
Sabreen Group Inc. of Plano, Texas, claims its VectorJet laser marking technology gives unprecedented “dark-on-light” contrast, line edge detail and marking speed on acetals and other types of plastics that are difficult to laser mark.

Acetals now can be used on a far broader range of applications, Sabreen said, even those that require reliable machine vision and micromarking for product security and traceability.

Tel. 972-250-4664.

  Cool Polymers grades offer EMI absorption
Cool Polymers Inc. has introduced advanced thermally conductive thermoplastics for heat sinks and thermal management applications.

The Warwick, R.I., company said the injection molding materials, unlike metal, don’t amplify electromagnetic interference and can be as much as 50 percent lighter than aluminum. They also provide greater design flexibility, the firm said.

The E series grades of CoolPoly are electrically conductive and provide inherent EMI and radiofrequency absorption. D series grades are electrically insulative and produce no signal interference or magnetic coupling, the firm said.

In addition to providing the materials, Cool Polymers offers injection molding services. CoolPoly compounds provide equivalent heat transfer to aluminum parts in typical electronic power and air flow environments. Target markets include electronics, mobile products, medical imaging, appliance and automotive.

Tel. 888-811-3787 or 401-739-7602, fax 401-732-6119, e-mail sales@coolpolymers.com.

  Shopping assistant aids store’s patrons
Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. is deploying a hand-held port¼able shopping assistant, branded easyShop, in about 100 of its 389 stores in New England and Atlantic Coast states.

Quincy, Mass.-based Stop & Shop joined Modiv Media Inc. and Motorola Inc. to launch the next-generation Motorola MC17.

The mobile computer, housed in a polycarbonate/ABS blend, lets shoppers find items, check pricing, identify complementary products and speed up checkout.

Each sleek unit has a PocketBrowser from Motorola sub¼sidiary Symbol Technologies Inc. of Holts¼ville, N.Y., that integrates bar-code scanning, radio-frequency-identification tag reading and mobile printing. List price is $995.

The MC17 has programmable keys, a transistor liquid crystal display and rechargeable lithium-ion battery with eight-hour capacity.

Tel. 631-738-2400, fax 631-738-5990.

  Bayer puts coating on Beijing Bird’s Nest
Bayer MaterialScience AG coating systems will be used on another high-profile Olympic games venue in Beijing — on the immense tangle of steel known as the “Bird’s Nest.”

This is the second of BMS’ Beijing Olympics contracts, and part of the Leverkusen, Germany-based company’s countrywide push to boost sales of its waterborne coatings. In addition to the Bird’s Nest, BMS also has taken on Beijing’s “Water Cube,” a large, opaque building near the city center that is covered in copolymer ethylene tetrafluoroethylene film.

The coating systems rely on water as a solvent to disperse the coating resin. China’s heightened focus on environmental products, and its desire to hold a “green” Olympics in August, has increased demand for such materials, which release fewer volatile organic chemicals leading to the formation of greenhouse gases.

“Emissions reduction and energy efficiency are two important objectives of the Chinese government,” said Michael König, President of Bayer Group Greater China and of Bayer MaterialScience China.

At China’s National Aquatics Center, Bayer is providing 7,233 square feet of coating in the “Bubble Bar” area. The coating systems use materials that include Bayer’s Desmodur and Desmophen, which provide cushioning, sound absorption, cracking bridging and abrasion and impact resistance, according to the company.

Bayer is expanding capacity for such materials at its Shanghai site to accommodate the projects and other markets in China. Bayer also contributed coating to Shanghai’s Lupu Bridge.

BMS’ coatings, adhesives and sealants unit is also ramping up production capabilities with an integrated plant in Shanghai. The new facility will have capacity of 44 million pounds a year and is scheduled to come on stream in the second quarter.

“China is one of the key markets for Bayer MaterialScience,” said Volker Mirgel, BMS senior vice president of the coatings, adhesives and sealants business for the Asia-Pacific region. “The expansions of our production capacity will enable Bayer MaterialScience to offer reliable and long-term supply to its customers in the region and to keep pace with local market growth.”

Tel. 49-214-30-1, fax 49-214-30-96-38810, e-mail info@bayerbms.com.

  PSG’s Kostrate resin is licensed in China
Plastic Selection Group Inc. has signed a licensing deal with PolyOne Corp. to allow PolyOne to make PSG’s Kostrate-brand terpolymer at a plant in Shenzhen, China.

The deal was signed in late 2007, with production beginning shortly after, said Amanda Coulter, sales and marketing coordinator for Columbus, Ohio-based PSG. PolyOne — based in Avon Lake, Ohio — has been the exclusive North American distributor of Kostrate since 2006.

Kostrate is a clear, tough, rigid resin based on butadiene, styrene and methylmethacrylate feedstocks. The material has been competing with polycarbonate — especially since safety concerns arose regarding use of bisphenol-A feedstock in PC production, Coulter said. PSG now is doing “a lot of development work” to replace PC in sports water bottles, she added.

In this area, PSG also is competing with Tritan, a new specialty plastic recently commercialized by Eastman Chemical Co.

Other recent applications for Kostrate include point-of-purchase displays, paper and soap dispensers, housewares and office products. PSG also is developing two new grades of Kostrate for specialty blow molding applications.

The material is “filling the gap” between “brittle clears” such as acrylic, styrene acrylonitrile and general-purpose polystyrene and “engineered clears” such as polycarbonate and glycol-modified PET, PSG officials said.

Privately held PSG doesn’t release sales or production data. The five-employee firm was founded in 1991 by Bill Dickinson, a chemicals industry veteran who had worked with Borg Warner Co. and Ashland Inc. Kostrate is produced on a toll basis by SDR Plastics Inc. in Ravenswood, W.Va.

Most of PSG’s work had been in polymer application and development before Kostrate was first formulated in 2003. Recently, PSG worked on a number of projects with several U.S.-based customers that have molding facilities in China. Kostrate also likely will be available through PolyOne in Europe by the end of 2008.

Tel. 614-464-2008, fax 614-464-1585.

  CeeLite to open U.S. plant
Flat, flexible light bulb maker CeeLite Inc. recently raised $4 million in private equity money to fund the opening of a U.S.-based facility in the Philadelphia-area this year.

The company, which calls itself the world’s first commercial manufacturer of light-emitting-capacitor technology, said Musser Group LLC of Wayne, Pa., leads a group of investors.

“In today’s global economy, it is not often that an American company has the opportunity to bring new manufacturing jobs to the United States,” said CeeLite Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Hayward in a news release.

The company did not release an exact location for the facility, which is expected to open sometime this year.

CeeLite said the opening of a new site will allow its research, development and manufacturing facility in Hsinchu, Taiwan, to focus on an expanding Asian market. Blue Bell, Pa.-based CeeLite employs about 90 overall.

“We have been very impressed by the company and their product’s impact on the green energy and technology market,” said Musser Group founder and Chief Executive Officer Pete Musser. “CeeLite is truly ushering in a lighting revolution, we believe, on how marketers market, advertisers sell and cities light their streets.”

CeeLite signed an agreement in June 2007 with Eastman Chemical Co., of Kingsport, Tenn., to manufacture CeeLite LEC panels using Eastman’s patented encapsulation technology and Spectar copolyester.

CeeLite’s LEC technology provides illumination on a variety of surfaces. Its first marketed product was the flat, flexile light bulb, which ranged in size up to 3 feet by 6 feet. The company uses electrodes to stimulate light-emitting natural phosphors embedded between thin plastic sheets.

The arrangement with Eastman allowed CeeLite to provide more robust LEC panels for outdoor use that can withstand harsh conditions such as moisture, heat and humidity. These panels can be used on buses, billboards, retail windows, street signs and other merchandising avenues.

Eastman’s proprietary method uses its copolyester resin as the transparent substrate to encapsulate a variety of images, textiles, botanicals and natural inclusions along with LEC panels for architectural and surface lighting applications.

Product applications keep growing, according to CeeLite marketing vice president Gabriele Santulli. She said the technology has been used for metropolitan bus advertising in Memphis, Tenn., and for the sound-activated drums of the Red Hot Chili Peppers rock band.

If you’re planning to attend the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, there will LEC signs to show the way.

The LEC technology was named one of Time magazine’s best innovations of 2006.

  Composite ‘melding’ sidesteps autoclaves
An Australian company has secured a U.S. patent on its new process for making high-performance composite parts for aircraft, boats and motor vehicles.

Quickstep Holdings Ltd., based in Fremantle, has been developing its “melding” process for composite production for about six years. The firm announced the U.S. patent Nov. 7.

It already holds patents covering Australia and China.

The melding process — a term derived from a mixture of melting and welding — allows composite components to be joined without using traditional high-temperature autoclaves. Quickstep Chief Executive Officer Nick Noble said an autoclave-based process is the industry standard used to make and join composite components, like carbon fiber, fiberglass or Kevlar, using different resins.

“In the autoclave process you need to heat up the parts to cure them. It’s like baking a cake,” he said.

Quickstep’s melding process does away with autoclaves and, by using different curing rates and precisely controlling temperatures at join sites, can join components faster and seamlessly, without needing adhesives, bolts or rivets, he said. Benefits include reduced production times. Noble said melding takes about 25 percent the time of an autoclave and has capital cost savings and greater design flexibility.

He said the process is in its final development stages. “It’s not being used in production yet, but it’s very close,” Noble said. “Certainly by this time next year it should be in production.”

Possible markets are the automotive, marine and aerospace industries — with aerospace holding the largest potential, he said.

To demonstrate its process, Quickstep has established “showcase sites” in its home city of Fremantle; in Munich, Germany; Manchester, England; and Dayton, Ohio. The Dayton center opened in October last year. Both General Electric Co.’s GE Aviation division and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. are using it to explore the potential of the melding process.

“North America has the world’s largest aerospace manufacturing sector and is the largest global producer of composite materials,” Noble said.

  Schreiner provides IML for containers
Schreiner Group GmbH & Co. KG has introduced its latest radio-frequency-identification in-mold label for injection molded products.

The IML is a good choice for labeling reusable shipping containers for industries such as food, pharmaceutical or general industrial products, the company said.

After being injection molded, the label is protected from external influences by a solid plastic coating. Schreiner said the labeled parts are easier to control and they help optimize logistics.

Schreiner is based in Oberschleissheim, Germany.

Tel. 49-89-31584-5586, fax 011 49 31584-5239, e-mail haeffner@schreiner-group.com.


  Thieme pump can be cast-iron alternative
Reaction injection molder Thieme GmbH & Co. KG is offering an industrial pump with a polyurethane housing, instead of cast iron.

Thieme, based in Teningen, Germany, molds the parts for a German pump maker. The RIM parts are much lighter, with no restrictions on their technical properties. Also, according to Thieme, production and tooling costs are much lower than a cast-iron housing.

The company’s U.S. operation, Thieme Corp., is in St. Charles, Ill.

Tel. 630-513-1666, fax 630-513-1999, e-mail info@thieme-us.com.

  Mold coating lasts for multiple cycles
IFAM, the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Applied Materials Research in Bremen, Germany, together with Acmos Chemie KG, have developed a permanent coating for molds used to make composite aircraft wings and dashboards — which normally have to be “greased” each time, just like a cake tin.

Engineers normally have to apply four to six layers of release agent before they can pour in the mixture of resin, plastic and fiber reinforcements. Solvents are used, which evaporate after application — leading to environmental issues.

“Our plasma polymer coating only has to be renewed after 30 to a hundred cycles — in some applications it even lasts up to a thousand cycles,” said Gregor Grassl, IFAM project manager.

In other news, that last drop of ketchup won’t stick in the bottle, thanks to a joint project by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging in Freising, Germany, and IFAM’s Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart.

The plasma coating is done by placing the plastics in a vacuum, then introducing gases into the chamber and igniting them by applying electrical voltage.

The organizations also worked with the Munich University of Technology, plus several industrial partners.

In another coating application, IFAM has developed a safety label to make shipping boxes for medicines forgery-proof.

Tel. 49-89-1205-1301, fax 49-89-1205-7515, www.ifam.fraunhofer.de.

  Rollguard cradle tabs keeps rolls in place
Rollguard has developed a brand of plastic roll cradles with unique locking tabs. The cradle tabs keep rolls of plastic and paper film from shifting in a truck.

Rollguard is part of Great Northern Corp.’s Specialty Group. The company developed innovative locking tabs on the ends of its patent-pending Thermoformed-brand roll cradles. The tabs keep the cradles locked tightly together when they are stacked back to back.

The Thermoformed cradles are made of high-impact polystyrene.

Cleveland Plastic Films turned to Rollguard when it had problems with its plastic cradles, which sometimes would shift and open up. The Cleveland-based company ships its film across North America.

“When you have rolls of film stacked two layers high, the movement of the truck is going to cause the rolls to move,” said Paul Mirka, purchasing manager of Cleveland Plastic Films. “The rolls have to stay stationary or the roll cradles will open or snap and you’ll have product rolling all over.”

Rollguard worked closely with the Cleveland-based company to develop Thermoformed roll cradles. Cleveland Plastic Films now uses them for its 18-, 20- and 22-inch diameter rolls, which also are strapped down and stretch wrapped.

Rollguard offers roll cradles made from fiber, foam and plastic. Rollguard and Great Northern are based in Appleton, Wis.

Tel. 800-925-2626, fax 920-831-0614.

  Xaloy heating system utilizes less energy
Xaloy Inc. said its new nXheat, noncontact, induction-barrel heating method uses electromagnetic induction, which uses much less energy than traditional heater bands for injection molding.

The barrel is cool to the touch.

The nXheat uses a high-frequency power supply and helical induction coils to generate heat directly within the barrel wall — without coming into contact with the barrel. According to the company, the new heating system has energy savings of up to 70 percent, from heater bands, with a 95 percent efficiency. An additional 35 percent of energy savings come from reduced demand for air conditioning, since the outside of the barrel does not get hot, as well as from reduced peak-power demand.

The nXheat heats up and cools down immediately. It also has more heating capacity, normally about three times higher wattage into the barrel, according to Xaloy.

A stand-alone induction power module runs the nXheat barrel heater.

Xaloy, of New Castle, Pa., also highlighted a new development in downstream extrusion. Pneumatic air now powers the slide plate on Xaloy’s XP air-assisted manual screen changer. The XP uses the plant’s air supply, using no hydraulics or electrical controls. The unit fits extruders of any size, between 60 and 120 millimeters.

Tel. 724-656-5600, fax 724-656-5620.

  Herrmann offering Medialog welders
Herrmann Ultraschalltechnik GmbH & Co. KG has announced an expansion of its headquarters in Karlsbad and introduced a line of ultrasonic welding machines called Medialog.

The welders are designed for medical-device manufacturers and other plastic assembly applications that have special requirements.

Herrmann designed the Medialog machines with a smooth finish and clean room-friendly surfaces to meet lower particle requirements. Incoming air is filtered, and the exhaust air is collected and can be directed through the existing ventilation system.

Medialog welding machines come in two sizes with power up to 5,000 watts. It has welding frequencies of 20, 30 or 35 kilohertz.

The machines also come with a special operator interface, dubbed the FDA System Component, that meets guidelines of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

For the expansion, Herrmann Ultraschalltechnik is investing about 6 million euros (US$9 million) to add a 48,459 square feet of production, research-and-development and office space. It will nearly double the size of its existing plant in Karlsbad.

Construction should be completed by the spring.

In other news, Herrmann recently shared the German Packaging Award from the German Packaging Institute. The award was presented in Nuremberg, Germany, to Herrmann, and to Huhtamaki Ronsberg of Ronsberg, Germany. The companies worked together to develop the Drinkbax, a standup pouch designed to look like a normal aluminum can.

The company’s U.S. unit, Herrmann Ultrasonics Inc., is in Schaumburg, Ill.

Tel. 847-985-7344, fax 847-985-1470, e-mail info@herrmannultrasonics.com.

  Cyclics fuel tanks surpass CARB rules
Cyclics Corp. says it has an executive order from the California Air Resources Board. The order exempts fuel tank rotomolders from expensive fuel permeation testing when they certify the use of Cyclics’ polybutylene terephthalate in tank production.

Cyclics of Schenectady, N.Y., has developed a way of making two-layer fuel tanks for engines with displacements greater than 80 cubic centimeters but with less power than 25 horsepower. Cyclics claims its method surpasses CARB’s standard that mandates permeation of less than 1.5 grams per square meter per day at 104° F. On existing rotational molding equipment a dual-layer fuel tank can be made in a one-step process when CBT pellets are added to the mold with linear polyethylene powder. CBT resin forms an inner layer that boosts permeability protection.

Tel. 518-881-1422, e-mail beth.phelps@cyclics.com.

  KM process paints LFI parts in the mold
Munich, Germany-based KraussMaffei AG is offering a new in-mold painting process, for turning out high-gloss poly¼urethane parts made by long-fiber injection molding.

A paint layer is sprayed directly onto the mold surface. Next, a spray mixing head applies a barrier coating on top of the paint. The LFI layer is poured into the mold, the mold is closed and clamped shut.

Harita Seating Systems Ltd. is using the new painting process making tractor engine covers at its factory in Hosur, India.

In KraussMaffei’s LFI process, the reinforcing glass fibers are wetted with the polyurethane in the mixing head itself.

The company’s U.S. operation is in Florence, Ky.

Tel. 859-283-0200, fax 859-283-0290.

  Supervision connects presses via e-mail
Negri Bossi USA Inc. has introduced its Supervision software, which allows customers’ injection molding machines to communicate machine status via e-mail.

The software can e-mail machine alarms to any e-mail address. Also, the alarms can be transferred as a text message on the customer’s e-mail server, so the message can be sent to multiple users.

Anyone with a text-capable cell phone can be notified immediately of any change in the status of the Negri Bossi press, anywhere in the world. The message can appear in the language designated by the customer.

Negri Bossi USA is in Newark, Del.

Tel. 302-737-8001, fax 302-737-8878, e-mail bill.duff@negribossi.com.

  PlantStar’s system tracks part assembly
Syscon-PlantStar, known for its production and process monitoring systems, has launched a shop-floor assembly tracking system.

The PlantStar assembly system can be used with the SnapShot, Portrait and Panorama level monitoring systems, or as a stand-alone module. Product assembly is tracked by station and by operator.

The customer can design the assembly station layout on the screen. Features include the ability to create a bill of materials requirement for each product. Work orders also can be imported from other order processing systems. Materials can be requested, allocated and even returned to stock.

Syscon-PlantStar is based in South Bend, Ind.

Tel. 574-232-3900, fax 574-287-5619.

  Ampac gets Vega 610 for pouching upgrade
Ampac Flexibles has installed a new Vega 610 pouching machine from Mamata Machinery Pvt. Ltd. at its plant in Cary, Ill.

Mamata, based in Ahmedabad, India, makes the Vega series of flat-bed universal machines, wicketers and pouch makers.

With the machine, Ampac Flexible’s Cary plant has increased its range of pouches from simple three-side seal flat pouches in limited sizes, to unlimited sizes, without the need for new tooling. The Vega 610 also produces stand-up pouches and plowed-in bottoms with zippers and tear notches. The servo-driven pouch maker can run at speeds of 1,500-5,000 cycles an hour.

Ampac Flexibles is the flexible packaging division of Ampac Packaging LLC of Cincinnati.

Mamata USA Inc. provides sales and service in Montgomery, Ala., for the Indian manufacturer.

Tel. 630-801-2320, fax 630-801-2322.

  InfraWeld targeting automotive headliners
Extol Inc.’s InfraWeld uses infrared energy to weld plastic components to the surface of an automotive headliner — an alternative to using hot-melt adhesive in retaining head-impact-criteria components, wiring harnesses and other items on the B surface of headliners.

To prevent marking on the highly aesthetic A surface, the InfraWeld relies on tightly controlled positive air pressure to achieve the force required to executive strong, consistent spot-welds instead of a “punch” or other device to compress and bond the semimolten surfaces.

Extol of Zeeland, Mich., said it makes welding equipment, custom machinery and automated assembly equipment, and also does system integration.

Extol’s partners in the headliner assembly method are Trim¼Quest LLC of Grand Rapids, Mich., which makes overhead systems and poly¼urethane headliners, and Oakwood Group of Dearborn, Mich., which developed Safety Plastic sheet with thermoformed, cone-shaped depressions for auto applications.

Tel. 616-748-5053, fax 616-748-0555, e-mail bill.reed@extolinc.com.

  Danaher controller is extruder retrofit
West Controls Solutions and PMA, both divisions of Danaher Sensors and Controls Corp., are offering a retrofit controls upgrade for extruders.

The easy-to-install controller comes with a touch-screen operator interface and integrated programmable logic controller. Color graphics show all temperature zones, pressure, drives, heating current and melt temperature.

Other standard features include trending, preset timer for temperature zone heating, cold-start prevention recipes, and an Ethernet connection for remote monitoring. Danaher Sensors and Controls is based in Gurnee, Ill.

Tel. 860-235-4248, e-mail paul.banks@dancon.com.

  Brown, DJS produce three-tier line for lids
Brown Machine LLC, which makes thermoforming equipment in Beaverton, Mich., is working with Homer, Mich.-based packaging automation firm DJS Systems Inc., to integrate a servo-actuated trim press with a three-tier lid automation and packaging line.

Brown said this marks the first successful triple-row integration of this type for thermoforming.

“Up until now, most lid production has involved packing by hand,” said Jim Robbins, Brown Machine’s vice president of market. “This partnership offer customers a significant, cost-effective alternative and a tremendous labor reduction.”

Brown supplied the trim press; DJS, the automation system.

The DJS automation uses a servo pusher system to contain the stacked lids through the transfer process. A two-axis robot arm grasps each tier of lids independently and positions them into an indexing conveyor. The lids are transferred to bagging and boxing stations — all at very high speed.

Tel. 989-435-7741.

  PAC 50 film winders offering new design
Davis-Standard LLC’s Blown Film Systems unit in Somerville, N.J., has upgraded its PAC 50 series of surface winders, with a compact hydraulic system using high-speed digital electronics to give lay-on process control.

That reduces blocking at the core.

The new design also has a device to bring the core up to speed before transfer, giving smoother starts on thin, high-speed webs. Another addition: an integrated shaft hoist system so operators can easily return the shaft to the transfer position without lifting it.

Tel. 908-722-6000, e-mail kellerr@bc-egan.com.

  Evacuation system moves regrind, TPEs
Size Reduction Specialists Inc. offers an SRS evacuation system that moves resin and other granulator material in a steady stream at a predictable, high rate of speed.

The firm in East Lansing, Mich., said evacuation system eliminates bridging in collector bins and the need for a vacuum loader. It is especially good when regrinding and moving thermoplastic elastomers, according to SRS.

Tel. 517-333-2605, fax 517-333-8870, e-mail srscorp@srscorp.com.

  Yamaha introduces small Scara robots
Yamaha Robotics of Edgemont, Pa., has introduced a line of small Scara robots with arm lengths ranging from 500-1,000 millimeters. They boast compact mounding bases and a low height.

The robots all have a payload of 44 pounds. A new design couples a spline nut with the R-axis reduction gears, boosting axis rigidity to reduce the high-load moment of the cycle time and reduce vibration.

Tel. 610-325-9940, fax 610-325-9946.

  Nachi 7-axis robot works in tight areas
Novi, Mich.-based Nachi Robotic Solutions Inc. said its Presto MR20 robot has a seven-axis design, to support a payload of up to 66 pounds.

Seven axes, instead of six, allow the robot to closely emulate the motions of a human arm, allowing it to perform more complicated work IN tight work areas.

The wrist torque is two times that of comparable sized robots, Nachi said. The MR20 boasts a horizontal reach of about 50 inches and a repeatability of plus or minus one-tenth of a millimeter.

Nachi said the robot is ideal for machine tending, material handling and case packing.

Tel. 248-305-6545, fax 248-305-6542.

  FIPA gripper removes parts of any shape
End-of-arm-tooling maker FIPA GmbH says its Expander pneumatic gripper expands to fill any shape.

It can handle round holes, rectangular recesses or elongated holes, so the Expander can take parts out of mold that have a variety of recesses but few flat surfaces.

Traditional expansion grippers work with circular recesses, according to FIPA, based in Ismaning, Germany.

First, the Expander is directed into the part. Once inside, pneumatic pistons compress elastomer in the axial direction, so the gripper expands evenly. Also, by regulating air pressure, gripping force can be reduced to gently handle sensitive, thin-wall parts.

FIPA also is a major supplier of vacuum cups for the EOAT industry.

Tel. 49-89-962489-0, fax 49-89-962489-11, e-mail info@fipa.com.

  Enercon is offering heat-sealing system
Enercon Industries Ltd. of Buckinghamshire, England, touts its induction heating equipment that seals foil safety membranes on caps for packaging.

The induction liners are made from aluminum-foil membranes, coated with polymer and attached to a backing material using a wax bond. As the filled container passes under the induction heat, an electromagnetic field creates a low level of localized heat in the foil membrane, which melts the wax bond and the polymer coating.

Richard Bull, Enercon’s managing director, said foil sealing reduces bottle weight, in addition to providing freshness and product safety.

Enercon’s U.S. business is based in Menomonee Falls, Wis.

Tel. 262-255-6070, fax 262-255-7784.

  Cereplast bioresins used for coffee mugs
Cereplast Inc. says its Compostables-brand resins are being used to make promotional coffee mugs by Quickpoint Inc. of Fenton, Mo.

Compostables are starch-modified polylactic acid and can withstand the high temperatures of hot beverages and are microwaveable, according Cereplast, based in Hawthorne, Calif.

“We collaborated with Quickpoint to design and develop a product that could be used like any other mug, but with the advantage of being nearly 100 percent bio-based,” said Cereplast Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frederic Scheer in a news release.

Quickpoint offers the mugs — a traditional mug and a commuter mug — as part of its EcoAd line. The firm specializes in making a range of acrylic promotional items.

Tel. 310-676-5000, fax 310-676-5003, e-mail info@cereplast.com.

  Presma demonstrates all-electric rotary unit
Italian press maker Presma SpA can mold wine corks on an all-electric, rotary-table injection molding machine called the Roto T2/48E, which also features new plasticizing screws.

The press can mold two corks per cycle. Some cycles can run two colors with two different materials. Cycle time range from 1.8 seconds to 2.2 seconds — or 3,000-4,000 corks per hour.

The machine feeds wooden or plastic inserts into the corks to product T-stoppers.

Another press, the GTS 200 BIC, can coinjection mold interior car door handles. The machine features a twin-screw plasticizing unit, which is incorporated into the transfer system, plus a patented coinjeciton nozzle.

A third press, the Modulo 2/100, also offers multishot molding. A takeout device moves the parts from one station to another.

Presma is based in Torba di Gornate Olona, Italy. Its U.S. operation, Presma Corp., is in East Brunswick, N.J.

Tel. 732-390-4599, fax 732-254-3509, e-mail info@presma.com.

  Schütz makes drums via nanotechnology
Schütz GmbH & Co. KG, a global maker of plastic drums and intermediate bulk containers headquartered in Selters, Germany, is opening a 645,000-square-foot factory in Moerdijk, the Netherlands.

It will be the second-largest production site for Schütz, except for the company’s headquarters.

The firm will install three- and six-layer blow molding machinery. The six-layer equipment will enable Schütz to make IBCs with barrier layers, and even electrically conductive containers. The factory also will make polyethylene drums as well as steel drums.

Schütz also has developed a conductive plastic drum using nanotechnology. The F1-Ex-Nano uses carbon nanotubes from Bayer MaterialScience AG of Leverkusen, Germany. Under the process created by Schütz, the drum is plasticized in three layers. The thin outer layer contains the nanotubes, making the drum conductive.

In the future, the company said, carbon nanotubes will be able to fully replace carbon black in the drums. Nanotechnology also improves the drum’s resistance to cold and chemicals.

Tel. 49-2626-77992, fax 49-2626-77365, e-mail dirk-andree.schachtrop@schuetz.net.

  Polyvel concentrates eliminate fogging
Polyvel Inc. of Hammonton, N.J., has developed an anti-fog concentrate for use in polyolefin microwaveable food packaging.

VF150MW meets Food and Drug Administration requirements for exposure to boiling water for certain foods. The concentrate also is highly rated for visual performance for hot food packaging.

Tel. 609-567-0080, e-mail info@polyvel.com.

  Polymics PBIs boast heat, wear resistance
Polymics Ltd. has developed stock shapes based on high-performance engineering polymer, polybenzimidazole.

Celazole PBI is available in a range of rod, plate, disk and tubular bar shapes. They are suited to extreme engineering applications such as semiconductor manufacturing, oil and gas exploration components, and aircraft/aerospace uses.

Polymics of State College, Pa., says PBI exhibits the highest strength and stiffness of any unfilled plastic at temperatures above 400° F. For short durations, the material can withstand temperatures as high as 800° F. Stock shapes exhibit high wear and load resistance at elevated temperatures.

Plate offerings measure up to 10.5 inches by 15 inches and are up to 2 inches thick. Rods are supplied in diameters up to 5 inches and lengths up to 15 inches. Tubular bars and disks are supplied with outer diameters of up to 15 inches.

Tel. 814-357-5860, fax 814-357-5863, e-mail jwarren@polymics.com.

  Sunoco touts clarity of its new PP resins
Sunoco Chemicals has introduced a family of UltraClear polypropylene resins with exceptional clarity and performance.

The new resins provide up to 50 percent reduction in haze in consumer products, housewares and other end uses where clarity is important.

The properties could open up new market opportunities and even allow cost-effective substitution for other polymers like polycarbonate, PET and polystyrene, according to the Philadelphia firm.

The resins are available in two melt flows, 12 and 35 grams per 10 minutes, respectively.

Tel. 412-208-8194, fax 412-208-8205, e-mail ebtownsend@sunocoinc.com.

  Hasco offers various mold components
Hasco Hasenclever GmbH + Co. KG of Lüdenscheid, Germany, introduced several mold-component products:

c Z1050 and Z1060 gate inserts that automatically separate the molding and the sprue during demolding. The gate inserts are easily replaced. Hasco said the inserts are especially suited for parts that are flat or have thin walls.

c A two-stage ejector, the Z1692, has an advancing single stroke and the automatic division of the ejection movement into two separate, consecutive strokes.

c New diverting adapters, Z8052 and Z8053, for cooling circuits in molds. The adapters easily installed, provide cost savings and don’t need long connections channels.

Hasco America Inc is in Arden, N.C.

Tel. 828-650-2600, fax 828-684-7960, e-mail info.america@hasco.com.

  Bayer eco-friendly PC targets thin-wall use
Bayer MaterialScience LLC has added an ecologically friendly polycarbonate to its lineup geared to thin-wall electrical applications.

Bayblend FR3041 has passed UL-94 flame testing of V0 at 0.75 millimeters and 5VA testing at 2.3 mm. It complies with European Union Directive 2002/95/EC on the restriction of certain substances in electric and electronic equipment, and does not have to be separated from collection of electric/electronic waste.

The resin blend is designed for performance in thin-wall uses requiring high impact resistance and high flame ratings. It contains no fillers or chlorinated or brominated flame retardants.

The blend has good chemical and impact resistance and improved hydrolysis resistance and surface appearance, according to the Pittsburgh company.

Tel. 800-662-2927 or 412-777-5200, e-mail pcinfo@bayer.com.

  Vibration controls Brabender’s feeder
Brabender Technologie KG of Duisburg, Germany, offers a DualTray, a vibratory mass-flow feeder.

The DualTray consists of a free-standing mounting base that holds a storage hopper, with a metering feeder mounted on its bottom. Vibration induces flow of material from two or more cylindrical feed modules.

Switching the vibration off instantly stops the ingredient flow.

Brabender Technologie Inc. is in Mississauga, Ontario.

Tel. 905-670-2933, fax 905-670-2557, sales@brabenderti.com.

  ACI Laser offering laser marking device
ACI Laser GmbH of Nohra, Germany, has introduced a compact laser marking device, the DPLFortis Marker.

The company said the laser is suited for engraving time-critical production processes, thanks to its power and speed. Optional attachments include a laser protective housing and rotating axis, a rotating table and the foil-marking unit, FoilStar 300.

ACI Laser also introduced two new work stations that can be customized to specific applications.

Tel. 49-3643-4152-0, fax 49-3643-4152-77, e-mail info@ACI-Laser.de.

  Hekuma machine labels blister packs
Hekuma GmbH, the automation supplier from Eching, Germany, offers a stand-alone machine for labeling preformed PET and PVC blister packaging. It can handle curved blister packaging as well as flat and rectangular packaging forms.

The Blister Decorating Solution machine can apply three-dimensional labels and radio-frequency-identification-tagging labels.

It also allows products to move into “intelligent packaging,” by using labels that measure moisture- and oxygen-absorbent properties, labels that allow shelf-life identification and special labels that have been designed to prevent product copying.

Tel. 49-8165-6333-00, fax 49-8165-633-33.

  Firm debuts system for web inspection
Erhardt+Leimer GmbH of Augsburg, Germany, introduced a web inspection system, Elsis, which the company said improves quality control and boosts productivity in film production and film processing.

Elsis mainly is used with optical films, pharmaceutical films and food packaging.

The company developed lighting systems, for example with light-emitting diodes, that capture even difficult contrasts, to point out defects. Elsis classifies defects according to type and size. A new generation of camera does roll zooms and offers single-roll protocols, extended statistical functions and the identification of repetitive defects.

The company’s North American subsidiary is called Erhardt+Leimer Inc.

Tel. 864-486-3000, fax 864-486-3011, e-mail info-us@erhardt-leimer.com.


  
 
 

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