French firm seeking shredder distributors
A French company, D4R Cifra, is seeking North American distributors for its new shredder designed for thermoforming waste.
The Brisplast is compact, measuring just 3.3 feet in diameter and 3.3 feet deep. Waste is dropped directly into a mobile steel drum and shredded by a cutting chamber that uses two, twin circular saws.
The shredded material is expelled into a bag that can hold from 1,500-1,760 pounds.
D4R, in Chateau Thierry Cedex, exhibited at the K 2001 show in Germany.
Tel. +33 (3) 2383-8203, fax +33 (3) 2383-8210, e-mail [email protected]
Foremost presents resin blender line
Foremost Machine Builders Inc. of Fairfield, N.J., introduced the next generation of its AccuTrac line of low-cost resin blending systems, with a beefed-up controller, dubbed Model FDP-VI+.
The controller displays more information, allows the user to change configuration of the elements, and simplifies the calibration procedure.
AccuTrac can be operated in one of three modes: gravimetric, manual or volumetric. Throughput rates are as high as 900 pounds an hour.
Tel. (973) 227-0700, fax (973) 227-7307.
Process Control touts easy-to-use screen
Process Control Corp. of Atlanta said its Director series loading panel for central vacuum loading systems has an easy-to-use touch screen.
A single panel can be set up to control multiple vacuum pumps, dust collectors, continuous-run valves and vacuum receivers.
The Director uses the new Allen Bradley MicroLogix 1200 programmable logic controller. The standard configuration can be specified to load up to 30 stations, using one or more pumps.
Tel. (770) 449-8810, fax (770) 449-5445.
Separator removes impurities on plastics
Chicago-based T&T Technology & Trade Inc. said its high-capacity gravitational fines separator, the Fines-Sep Bulk, gently air-washes and separates particles with very high surface areas from particles with very low surface areas.
An optional Static-Sep may be used, depending on the material's electrical property. The module continuously releases free ions into the air stream of the separator. Static-Sep breaks the electrostatic bond between the heavy and the light particulates.
The Fines-Sep Bulk does not use water, moving parts or vibration.
Tel. (312) 266-7141, fax (312) 943-1634, e-mail [email protected] eseparators.com.
Firm unveils smaller heat-staking press
Milford, Conn.-based Sonitek Corp.'s 400 series of heat-staking presses is smaller than its existing line of machines.
Sonitek President Robert Bishop said the heat-stakers have several safety features. New palm buttons help reduce operator fatigue and reduce the chances of getting carpal tunnel syndrome. An integrated two-position pneumatic slide table brings loading, unloading and part assembly away from the heated tool.
Other features include a six-zone temperature control and Thermasoft temperature control software that allows remote control of up to 480 individual temperature zones. If temperatures move outside of a preset range, alarms prevent the machine from cycling.
The 400 series also boasts a quick-change feature for the upper tooling assembly.
The machines sell in the range of $2,500-$4,800, which does not including tooling.
Tel. (203) 878-9321, fax (203) 878-6786.
Parametric develops mold base add-on
Parametric Technology Corp. has created a mold base add-on for its Pro/Engineer, named Pro/Engineer Expert Mold Extension (EMX).
PTC said the software saves mold designers from the time-consuming, repetitive mold detailing tasks. EMX creates automated mold bases and mold components. Operations such as clearance cuts and drilled and tapped holes are automatically performed on neighboring plates and components.
PTC is based in Needham, Mass.
Tel. (781) 370-5000, fax (781) 370-6000.
EAS Mold announces line of die lifters
EAS Mold & Die Change Systems announced a broad line of die lifters to move molds in and out of vertical-clamp injection presses.
The line includes spring-loaded and hydraulic ball-style and roller die lifters. The company in Butler, Wis., offers the lifters in both imperial and metric sizes.
Upon activation, the lifters raise the mold between 0.08 inch and 0.16 inch above the bolster, so the mold can be moved.
Tel. (262) 783-7955, fax (262) 783-9799.
Avalon Vision plugs inspection device
Avalon Vision Solutions LLC's VisionScope inspection device builds on Avalon's expertise with mold protection systems.
By installing a QualityStation next to the injection press, VisionScope also can inspect parts, in addition to monitoring the mold.
Avalon, based in Lithia Springs, Ga., also displayed a standardized vision inspection that is aiming at plastics machinery makers.
Tel. (770) 944-8445, e-mail [email protected]
Watlow introduces nozzles to Europe
Watlow Electric Manufacturing Co. debuted its thick-film hot-runner nozzle and manifold heaters to a European audience.
St. Louis-based Watlow has patented the heating element technology. The company claims the heaters eliminate with hot and cold spots along the nozzles and manifold. The elements also heat up much quicker than standard cable-and-tubular heating devices. The firm introduced the heaters in Europe at K show.
The nozzle heaters boast a very low profile, which allows a much closer spacing between hot-runner nozzles.
The manifold heaters are stainless-steel plates that clamp directly to the outer surface of the manifold. Because the shape of the heater matches the shape of the manifold, the heater can adapt easily to any hot-runner geometry. Also, it eliminates the need to machine grooves into the manifold to hold tubular heaters.
Separately, Watlow was named company of the year by the St. Louis chapter of the American Production and Inventory Control Society. Watlow, an APICS member, earned the award for active participation in APICS' certification programs and educational seminars.
Tel. (314) 878-4600, fax (314) 878-6814.
PMS Systems debuts compact controllers
PMS Systems Ltd., a Hereford, England-based supplier of hot- runner temperature controls, said its K-Series has a cabinet less than one-third the size of earlier models.
Prices start as low as $250 per temperature zone for the hot-runner controller, with color touch screen. The systems include event logging, mold diagnostics and multizone, three-dimensional graph, which can display temperatures ranges within a 24 hour period.
Tel. +44 (1432) 265-768, fax +44 (1432) 263-782, e-mail [email protected]
Firm offers software for cost calculation
A German company recently introduced version 2.0 of its Simcalc cost-calculation software for injection molding.
Simcon Kunststofftechnische Software GmbH said the software can calculate molding job offers or examine offers from suppliers.
Simcalc stores basic data from different production locations, calculates hour rates of the machines and searches for similar parts.
Simcalc includes a module to calculate cooling time and estimate the pressure loss, when figuring out the necessary clamping force to mold a part.
An internal material database with more information on more than 500 materials comes with the software.
Simcon, based in Herzogenrath, Germany, also introduced Cadmould Rapid software for analyzing the mold-filling software. The Windows-based system analyzes a stereolithography file of the part, generated by a three-dimensional computer-aided-design system.
The company also showed mold-filling software for mold designers, called Cadmould Fill.
Tel. +49 (2407) 908-580, fax +49 (2407) 594-53.
