The following items were written by Plastics News reporters Tom Ford and Bill Bregar at Plastics USA, held Sept. 12-14 in Chicago.
A new line of hot-runner probes from Seiki Spear System America Inc. features ceramic heaters with printed circuit patterns.
In the SH-1 probes, the design of the circuit pattern printed on the ceramic provides a level of temperature control never before attainable with proportionately wound metal alloy heating elements, the company claims. The SH-1 has a single zone heater of 220-240 volts.
The new ceramic heater is not susceptible to water absorption or oxidation, according to Seiki Spear, based in Camarillo, Calif.
The firm also showed a new topless, single-piece valve gate in its line of Thermo-Mechanical Valvegates. The design provides heat at the gate, but allows heat to be removed rapidly.
Moldflow software features animation
Moldflow Inc. of Shelton, Conn., showed new computer animation on its computer-aided engineering software for injection molding.
The animation shows how plastic will fill the part in real time, or the action can be slowed down and replayed. Animation also improves the designer's ability to visualize warpage and structural analysis. How gas moves through the part, in gas-assisted injection molding, also can be depicted.
System automates materials handling
Denver-based TransLogic Corp. introduced a new automated materials-handling system for injection molding that uses electric track vehicles, which can move tote containers between work stations.
The small carts, which canmove payloads up to 50 pounds, travel horizontally or vertically along an aluminum track. Each cart has a microprocessor that determines the best route to travel.
The system often is suspended overhead to reduce congestion on the factory floor.
The carts automatically unload their cargo. TransLogic said the handling systems are ideal for clean room molding.
Motivair chillers for injection molding
Motivair Corp. of Amherst, N.Y., showed an expanded range of water chillers for injection molding machines.
Capacities are from one-half ton to 50 tons of refrigeration, in air- or water-cooled versions. Other features include an insulated closed-steel tank, galvanized steel housing and a large condenser and increased airflow that permit operation to 105§ F.
Van Dorn Demag has new service center
Van Dorn Demag Corp. of Strongsville, Ohio, announced its latest Customer Service and Demonstration Center, near Charlotte, N.C.
Van Dorn Demag constructed the 10,800-square-foot facility in Mooresville, N.C., to serve customers in the southeastern United States.
It houses four of the company's injection molding machines for demonstrations and mold tryouts. Classes for customers already have begun.
Developers target Plastics USA show
Plastics USA has joined the National Plastics Exposition as a major show for regional economic development agencies, with booths staffed by officials from 30 development authorities and power utilities.
Nearly the entire country is represented, plus Ontario, and Germany.
States with booths include Texas, Florida, Virginia, Tennessee and Utah.
Why Plastics USA?
``For Florida, the Midwest is such a good market,'' according to George Haygood, marketing director for the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
``The plastics industry is the kind of industry we want to target,'' he said.
