BYK-Gardner USA, a Silver Spring, Md., manufacturer of equipment to measure color, appearance and physical properties, introduced a new portable spectrophotometer for checking color. Called handy-spec, the device features spectral curves, a computer numerically controlled tolerance graph, pass/fail based on tolerances, multiple color scales and color differences, and multiple colorant strength routines.
Another new BYK-Gardner instrument, handy-color, is a portable colorimeter that uses easy-to-understand language such as ``redder,'' ``greener'' or ``lighter'' than a company's standard.
A third device, haze-gard plus, measures transparency by separately measuring total transmittance, transmission haze and clarity.
Dynisco introduces pressure transducers
Dynisco Inc. introduced the PT27X series of pressure transducers for injection molding.
Dynisco, of Sharon, Mass., said the series offers 0.25 percent accuracy for measuring injection and holding pressure during the molding cycle.
Dynisco officials also presented a technical paper on its Intelligent Process Analyzer. The device takes inputs from three measurement instruments - a pressure transducer, position sensor and temperature sensor - and computes a single, dimensionless number.
Dynisco's Model 1400 temperature indicator and Model 1440 temperature controller have become listed with Underwriters Laboratories and Canadian Standards Association.
A Dynisco company, Kayeness Inc. of Morgantown, Pa., said it has added model 8052M to its line of Galaxy V Capillary Rheometers. The new unit offers high-speed, high-force operation for use with a wide range of materials. It has a maximum force of 2,000 pounds at a maximum speed of 24 inches a minute.
RJG system monitors processing plantwide
RJG Technologies Inc. of Traverse City, Mich., showed its DH1 Hydraulic Single Unit DART system for plantwide process monitoring.
The system tracks information from as many as 128 machines. Each DART unit can record 15 parameters including integral and peak pressure measurements, machine timing and process profiles. More parameters can be added by connecting additional DART units to the machine.
Software simulates compression molding
Moldflow Inc. of Shelton, Conn., announced that Moldflow, GE Plastics and Ford Motor Co. recently completed the first phase of a research program to develop software to simulate the injection/compression molding process.
GE Plastics and Ford are now testing the Moldflow software. Most often used in automotive molding, the injection/compression process is used to make low-stress parts, thin-walled parts and parts with good surface finishes, especially in large molds. The mold remains slightly open at the start of injection. Plastic is injected and the mold is then closed to the end of the cycle.
Also at ANTEC, Moldflow announced its software will be compatible with the next versions of Windows software, called Windows 95 and Windows NT.
Windows NT is designed for use by engineers.
Hunkar controller has protable model
Hunkar Laboratories Inc. of Cincinnati showed a portable version of its Smart Box controller, which can be moved from machine to machine.
Hunkar said some processors are using the Portable Machine Analyzer to qualify new injection presses before accepting shipment.
Hunkar also showed the new SPC-PRO IV software, which graphically tracks each cycle on a screen, clearly showing how consistently the machine runs.
The company has made its Expert-Manager software easier to use. The touch-screen gives a plant manager a view of what type of problems are happening at each machine and plantwide.
New software tracks resin information
Resin database supplier Ides Inc. of Laramie, Wyo., has introduced an expanded version of its Prospector software.
Prospector Plus allows users to store in-house resin information along with the Ides commercial database of some 20,000 materials. The company said Prospector Plus was developed with a consortium of processors and resin suppliers.
Users can define new property fields and add virtually any type of plastics property. For example, results of the charpy impact test could be listed as a defined property where multiple values of the test could be entered at various temperatures.
Briefly. . .
Solomat Partners L.P., a Stamford, Conn., maker of thermal analysis instruments, thermal stimulated current spectrometers, differential scanning calorimeters and software, has changed its name to TherMold Corp. ... ANTEC '95 marked the first trade show exhibit for Bovram Screen Changers Inc., a new company in Duluth, Ga. Bovram shared a booth with Maag Pump Systems of America Inc. of Matthews, N.C.
