QVC touts snowplow as innovative product
Television's QVC shopping channel selected a bright-yellow polyethylene automotive snowplow and attachment as an innovative new product from Pennsylvania.
``We were picked for the winter season and will have additional [TV] appearances,'' George Thome Matisz, president of Solotec Corp., said in a telephone interview.
Solotec developed the 43-pound Driv 'n Plow unit for attachment to car bumpers and created an accessory for connecting the plow to bumpers of sport utility vehicles or pickup trucks.
Creative Plastics Inc. of Baltimore rotomolds both the car snowplow and accessory.
In early November, Matisz visited northern Japan to arrange for retail sales through gas station outlets. Two large groups have expressed interest in carrying the products.
Tel. (412) 881-6727 or (888) 765-6832, fax (412) 881-6757.
E-Z Lok thread inserts made for plastic parts
A new line of diamond-knurled thread inserts from E-Z Lok of Gardena, Calif., are designed to replace molded-in inserts and threads in injection molded plastic parts.
The brass, aluminum or stainless-steel inserts can be ``cold installed,'' cutting molding costs and reject wastes caused by misaligned inserts, the firm said.
Tel. (310) 323-5613, fax (310) 353-4444.
Injection molding used to produce ceramics
Arburg Inc. of Newington, Conn., has equipped its Allrounder 320-S machine with hot-runner technology aimed at the ceramic powder injection molding industry.
Arburg can produce sprueless, triangular ceramic cups using this technology, which formerly had been used only in the plastics industry.
Arburg GmbH & Co. is an international manufacturer of small and midsize injection molding machines with clamping forces up to 220 tons.
Fibril structures give parts smooth surfaces
Hyperion Catalysis International Inc. introduced a polycarbonate compound based on its graphite Fibril nanotubes, which give exceptionally smooth molded surfaces in automotive and electronic components.
The Cambridge, Mass., firm said Fibril hollow graphite structures are 1,000 times smaller in diameter than traditional carbon fibers and impart excellent conductivity in thermoplastics at relatively low loadings.
Hyperion's new SR600-PC compound has flexural modulus of 372,000 pounds per square inch, tensile modulus of 334,000 and heat deflection temperature of 264° F.
The compound also has surface resistivity of about 1 million ohms per square and static decay of less than a hundredth of a second.
Tel. (617) 354-9678, fax (617) 354-9691 or e-mail [email protected]
Gauging system offers quick measurements
Packaging Technologies & Inspection of Tuckahoe, N.Y., is offering a new line of automatic vision gauging systems to measure dimensions of molded precision caps and other parts, to keep mold process parameters under control.
The device creates measurements in less than one minute for a multicavity mold. PTI said manually operated optical gauging systems can take as much as two hours to complete all measurements.
Tel. (914) 337-2005, fax (914) 337-8519.
Conductive powders produced for plastics
Nagase America Corp. is distributing a new electro-conductive powder for plastics and other materials.
The New York firm said the powders are based on antimony-doped tin oxide for clear applications and antimony-doped tin oxide on titanium dioxide for opaque, white and colored applications. Nagase said the powders are available in a range of particle sizes.
It can supply particles either in spherical form and in tubular/needle form, the latter providing higher efficiency.
Nagase America is North American distributor for the products made by Ishihara Techno Corp. of Japan.
Tel. (212) 354-3140, fax (212) 398-0687.
HiTech debuts line of vulcanized elastomers
HiTech Polymers Inc. introduced a line of vulcanized elastomers with hardness range of Shore 40A to 58D.
The Hebron, Ky., firm said the thermoplastic vulcanizates can be reinforced with glass fiber to enhance stiffness while maintaining elongation.
Some grades are solvent-resistant and bondable to nylon and all have low set and high elongation.
Tel. (888) 844-8324 or (606) 334-4500, fax (606) 334-4501 or e-mail [email protected]
Australian firm debuts low-cost leak detector
Gecam Industries has introduced a low-cost leak detector for plastic bottles, the 6LD.
Gecam of Sydney, Australia, said the unit can test more than 2,500 1-liter bottles an hour.
The leak detector can be adjusted to test bottles from 100 milliliters to 6 liters. A wide conveyor version is available that can accommodate containers that hold as much as 10 liters.
Gecam said it is looking for sales agents or blow molding machinery manufacturers to market the machines worldwide.
Tel. +61 (2) 9484 1477, fax +61 (2) 9875 3203.
Millennium develops new PE molding resins
Millennium Petrochemicals Inc. developed three new polyethylene rotational molding resins.
Spectratech MPR 12247 is a flame-retardant linear low density PE with UL-94 V-0 flame rating at 0.125-inch thickness. It also has high melt flow and high-impact strength, the Cincinnati, Ohio, firm claims.
Target applications include airplane storage bins, medical device housings and recycling bins.
Two hexene-based high density PEs have high impact strength and stress crack resistance. Petrothene GA 655-662 and 658-662 have a new ultraviolet additive package for improved weather resistance and less yellowing to allow better color blending. Millennium also said they have food-contact approval.
Tel. (513) 530-6239, fax (513) 530-6119.
Eastern Color debuts optical brightener
Eastern Color & Chemical Co. debuted a new optical brightener that is soluble in organic solvents, plasticizers and monomers.
The Providence, R.I., firm said its Eccowhite 2790 is highly effective, produces a neutral cast and has good heat and ultraviolet ability. It is suited to thermoplastics and thermosets. The light yellow powder is based on high- molecular-weight phenolic and stilbene chemistry.
Tel. (401) 331-9000, fax (401) 331-2155.
Filmetrics introduces film-measuring system
Filmetrics Inc. introduced an inexpensive system that measures thin film.
The F20 measures thickness, refractive index and extinction coefficient of dielectric or semiconductor films. The San Diego firm said the F20 is designed for measuring optical coatings, film and layers of materials used to manufacture semiconductors.
Filmetrics said the system can be set up quickly. Measurements can be created with just a few mouse clicks, and they can be easily saved and exported with standard Windows file-saving and clipboard methods.
Tel. (619) 554-0005, fax (619) 554-1311.