Champions of Waste Separation – But Only at Home

One for residual waste, one for organic waste and then a three-bin system for glass, paper and plastics – there are more trash cans than cook pots in my kitchen. OK, so I haven’t always been so scrupulous about waste sorting, but I pursue it all the more vigorously now; I even wash my yogurt pots.

In the general day-to-day routine, this all works perfectly. But on vacation or business trips, there’s still room for improvement. Yet, there is at least one principle that I stick to even when traveling: refuse doesn’t belong in the environment. Many countries are already implementing waste-sorting-to-go. In Austria and Italy, for example, (my most recent travel destinations) there are even containers for different waste types in public spaces.

Even though we like to call ourselves “champions of waste sorting,” in most German cities you will almost only find residual waste bins – at best. It is hardly surprising, then, that a new trend is growing up in many places: littering – the careless discarding of refuse in public areas. According to a study by Humboldt University, the reasons are convenience, laziness and indifference.

“The fact that these are not disposable products but valuable resources that can be recycled into new goods is not on many people’s radar,” commented the IK Industry Association for Plastic Packaging. This must be deliberately addressed. The Association also recommends more separate collection in public areas. And one or the other of you will know how that works whether you’re at home or on vacation.

<a href="mailto:melanie.ehrhardt@hanser.de">Melanie Ehrhardt</a>

16:9

Melanie Ehrhardt [<a href="mailto:melanie.ehrhardt@hanser.de">melanie.ehrhardt@hanser.de</a>]

Editorial Ehrhardt

Ehrhardt, Melanie

Part 9: Consistent Data Structures for Sustainable Access to Secure Knowledge

In production and research, process data and previously defined quality values are tracked to determine optimization models and pursue consistent quality management. In contrast, data that is not relevant to the specific application is rarely recorded.

In production and research, process data and previously defined quality values are tracked to determine optimization models and pursue consistent quality management. In contrast, data that is not relevant to the specific application is rarely recorded. To ensure long-term access to complete and contextualized trial data, research data management in conjunction with process data acquisition is required and initialized at the IKV as part of the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0.

Statistical design and analysis of experiments are central tools in the engineering sciences. In research as well as in industrial setup-procedures, the influence of specific machine-settings on process and quality variables can be investigated with little experimental and measurement effort. Based on research questions and hypotheses, monitoring variables are defined, such as characteristic values for injection pressure or the machine-side screw-acceleration-curves. Real or simulated trials then evaluate the hypothesis.

Although valid results are generated concerning the parameter space that allow a statement to be made about the initial hypothesis, the data collected also allow a large number of other correlations and dependencies to be analyzed that are usually not the focus of concern in the actual case. The research infrastructure of the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 (PIC 4.0) now shows how the consistency of process-data can be ensured with the aid of structured data-acquisition and digital services in trial and production planning.

The importance of consistent data and reliable data-formats usually raises after a process has been completed. On the one hand, data such as the sensor-signal of a cavity-pressure-sensor, the screw-position of an injection unit or the simulated course of a flow-front-velocity are available, which must first be synchronized and correlated [1]. Different cycle-counters or timestamps may be available in the respective systems. On the other hand, there is also master data on the machine, the mold and the material, a current configuration of the system-technology as well as notes recorded with paper and pen, which are relevant for the significance or the reconstruction of the test series.

If this information gets lost completely or just partially, the results can only be reused to a limited extent outside the specific research-question of concern. Trials with the same mold and the same material even on the same machine must be repeated in case of doubt because, for example, the screw movement was not relevant in previous investigations and was therefore not recorded or there is uncertainty about individual setting values. Data acquisition in PIC 4.0 prevents this by defining a standard dataset that is stored in parallel with focused trials.

Aimless Data-Acquisition,  Unused Data-Graveyards

Consistent data are also important for machine learning methods. Incomplete datasets or those that cannot be unambiguously assigned often limit the direct applicability in industrial production or result in inaccuracy of the derived models [2]. Aimless data-acquisition, on the other hand, leads to unused data graveyards. Setup-procedures open up a good analogy to the experimental trial plans used in research.

Valuable insights into how the setting variables on the production machines depend on each other enable model-based setup-support for consistent quality-assurance. However, the initial challenge is to set up data-acquisition in a targeted manner and to make data available for statistical or data-driven models from the field of artificial intelligence for model-validation long after the original trials. For this purpose, completeness, and the unambiguous assignment of quality variables to setting variables must be ensured.

Increased Efficiency through Standardized Test Planning

Research-data-management covers a broad range of topics. It ranges from the efficient data-acquisition of heterogeneous systems to the fast and simple processing of data into information to the long-term access of generated knowledge while simultaneously linking the relevant data (Title figure) [3]. For the data and information management of a research infrastructure such as that of PIC 4.0, this means specifically keeping track of data from trials consistently and being able to access it beyond the initial research project, for example for model validation in other projects.

The challenge is to keep track of all the process-settings required for reliable reconstruction of the trial data and to assign all the trials to specific trial plans and projects. Two scenarios must be distinguished in the functional sequence for this purpose (Fig. 1). On the one hand, a proactive definition must be made based on the project-specific trial planning, and on the other hand, a retrospective database-query must be made from historical data.

A service platform based on open-source-technologies (ikv-services) developed within the project already supports users in generating statistical experimental designs (Design of Experiments, DoE) in a standardized way [4]. Another module allows the data-acquisition-client (Connector) to be configured by selecting the monitoring variables desired for the particular series of trials (Fig. 2). The Connector queries the monitored quantities and sends the numerical values to an internal broker-network, where they are, among others, stored in a database.

In addition to the individually specifiable target-variables, the set of monitoring variables is expanded by a basic selection that includes all relevant process-settings and helpful measurement-diagrams for screw-movement, even if these are not the focus of the investigations in the specific project. Finally, when the Connector is started, a process-ID is generated that allows data-traces from different devices to be retrospectively assigned to a project. Analog and unstructured data-packages, for example handwritten test-notes or error-logs, can also be attributed to the trials retrospectively.

The second application-scenario concerns the database-query on processes carried out in the past. For this purpose, the database can be searched for the measured variables; however, it is more purposeful to compile the data-traces to the setting-combinations searched for. The concept of the digital shadow developed in the “Internet of Production” cluster of excellence can be implemented and demonstrated close to the application for contextualizing the data within PIC 4.0 [5]. In the form of a further service for the available platform, a functionality is currently being developed that determines and outputs the data-traces of the process-history based on setting-combinations of the process to be defined (digital shadow caster).

With reference to the metadata generated for the processes, as well as the process-ID, corresponding devices and plants can initially be selected as data sources (assets). From these, a user is to define the data sources to be included. Subsequently, the available parameters are to be displayed; the basic configuration is ensured by the trial-planning-scenario. Subsequently, a relevant subset of the data-sets suitable for the intended analysis or model-validation can be exported via an automated database-filter-command.

The need for intelligent filtering techniques arises from the various databases and database-structures that are operated when setting up data-acquisition and for the semantic correlation of individual data-traces. While cycle-related numerical values or character strings can be written into a relational database, metadata (for example master data) on the machine and further equipment used or on the process-configuration are stored in non-relational databases. Since each production system generates its own data traces as a data source, these can each be stored in separate tables in relational databases, while the associated master data can be stored in collections in the non-relational database. The correlation of data traces and metadata can then only take place via unique identifiers such as an order number in an industrial production or the process-ID introduced here.

While the basic collection, storage and archiving of even large volumes of data is no longer a technical problem, it is often still a long way to go before the data can be processed in a targeted manner and any monetary benefit can be generated. The scenarios presented for setting up project-related data-acquisition and retrospective correlation of historical data are intended to generate long-term added value. In addition to the increased transparency and retrievability, this is also expressed in a guaranteed consistency and completeness of the data – for this purpose, further software-services are being developed in addition to the existing ones. In this way, data will also be made usable for answering further questions, such as the transferability of research approaches to different machines and equipment or the processing of other materials.

[1] Hopmann, C.; Bibow, P.: Out of the Shadow into the Light. How the Digital Shadow Enlightens Real Processes in the PIC 4.0. Kunststoffe international 23 (2022) 1, pp. 8–10.

[2] Boureanu, L.: Erfolgreiches Machine Learning dank Datenkonsistenz. Digitale Welt 4 (2021) 3, pp. 68–70

[3] Schmitt, R. H.; Anthofer, V.; Auer, S.; Baskaya, S.; Bischof, C.; Bronger, T.; Claus, F.; Cordes, F.; Demandt, E. I.; Eifert, T.; Flemisch, B.; Fuchs, M.; Fuhrmans, M.; Gerike, R.; Gerstner, E.-M.; Hanke, V.; Heine, I.; Huebser, L.; Iglezakis, D.; Jagusch, G.; Klinger, A.; Krafczyk, M.; Kraft, A.; Kuckertz, P.; Küsters, U.; Lachmayer, R.; Langenbach, C.; Mozgova, I.; Müller, M. S.; Nestler, B.; Pelz, P.; Politze, M.; Preuss, N.; Przybylski-Freund, M.-D.; Rissler-Pipka, N.; Robinius, M.; Schachtner, J.; Schlenz, H.; Schwarz, A.; Schwibs, J.; Selzer, M.; Sens, I.; Stäcker, T.; Stemmer, C.; Stille, W.; Stolten, D.; Stotzka, R.; Streit, A.; Strötgen, R.; Wang, W. M.: NFDI4Ing the National Research Data Infrastructure for Engineering Sciences. Zenodo research shared 2020 (2020), pp. 1–116

[4] Hopmann, C.; Bibow, P.; Seifert, L.; Liu, B.: Adaptable Structures for More Innovation. Flexible Infrastructures Facilitate Access to Innovative Services. Kunststoffe international 23 (2022) 3, pp. 8–10.

[5] Hopmann, C.; Schmitz, M.; Bibow, P.: The PIC 4.0 as Part of the Internet of Production. Kunststoffe international 22 (2021) 2, pp. 7–9.

Structure and interconnection along the information-pyramid subsequently generate knowledge from sensorsignals.

Fig. 1. The two scenarios of targeted data assignment: perspective from experimental design (left) or retrospective via database query (right).

Fig. 2. In the user interface for manual Connector configuration (excerpt), project-specific monitoring variables can be individually compiled.

Name - Hauptartikel

The digital shadow is the core-concept of the Cluster of Excellence “Internet of Production”. It describes a semantic aggregation of relevant data traces from different sources to enable a data-based mapping of an object’s (asset’s) behavior in production.

 Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Hopmann has held the Chair of Plastics Processing as Head of the Institute for Plastics Processing (IVK) in Industry and Craft at RWTH Aachen University, Germany, since 2011.

Pascal Bibow, M.Sc. RWTH, has been working since September 2016 on intelligent production systems at IKV. Since January 2020, he has been Managing Director of the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0;

<a href="mailto:pascal.bibow@ikv.rwth-aachen.de">pascal.bibow@ikv.rwth-aachen.de</a>

Dipl.-Ing. Mauritius Schmitz has been Scientific Director for Digitization and Industry 4.0 since January 2019 at the IKV and has been responsible coordinator of the institute’s research activities in the cluster of excellence Internet of Production.

The construction of the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 is funded by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Das PIC 4.0 is close to completion and the implementation of machine and plant technology is scheduled. In the last article of the series, read about the installed possibilities offered by the PIC 4.0 and its research fields in the future. It appears in one of the next issues.

Read the German version of the article in our magazine Kunststoffe or at <a href="https://www.kunststoffe.de/a/fachartikel/vollstaendige-daten-ohne-wenn-und-aber-2738182" target="_blank">www.kunststoffe.de</a>

Spritzgießen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Messdatenerfassung und -verarbeitung

Software

Qualitätsmanagement

Machine Learning

Datenanalyse

Datenbanken

Industrie 4.0 für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Industrie 4.0

Big Data für die Qualitätssicherung

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

Qualitätssicherung Kunststoff

Qualitätssicherung

IoT-Plattformen für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Färber & Schmid GmbH offers a number of substitutes for the “stalwarts” among solvents. The second part of this series looks at replacing methylene chloride and acetone and removing isocyanate.

Companies are now required under the REACH regulation on chemicals to replace products that are hazardous to employees with environmentally and user-friendly alternatives. Färber & Schmid GmbH offers a number of substitutes for the “stalwarts” among solvents. The second part of this series looks at replacing methylene chloride and acetone and removing isocyanate.

Faced with the narrower classifications and labeling requirements imposed on established solvents by REACH, many users and processors are looking for functional alternatives. Aside from technical functionality, they are usually targeting low toxicity, good environmental properties and workplace health and safety factors. Färber & Schmid offers a range of cleaning products that serve as alternatives to the critical substances.

A supplier of polyurethane anti-wear coatings for dump trucks and engineered materials-handling parts was using methylene chloride to dissolve isocyanate in a repair kit that it shipped to customers seeking to repair damaged areas in a coating.

Air-Freighting Methylene Chloride Is a No-Go Nowadays

The kit is used by numerous international customers, but it could no longer be air-freighted around the globe once methylene chloride was classified as being toxic to the unborn child. Following a detailed discussion with the customer’s application engineer on site, Resin-Clean HPT-D1 was recommended. This specialty product is not subject to labeling requirements and belongs to a new generation of environmentally friendly solvents. Accelerated tests and extensive long-term trials that included adhesion studies were conducted before the product was given the final go-ahead. As a result, there are no longer any issues with getting the repair kit to users around the world.

A processor of polyester polymer concrete was using methylene chloride to purge his mixing screws. Methylene chloride is non-flammable and was previously authorized for use in lines that did not have any explosion protection measures. The new regulations required the processor to find a functional alternative that addressed the issue of explosion protection, while delivering the specified cleaning performance in full. Close cooperation with the manufacturer of the machines in the line led to the use of Resin-Clean EXP-3/M-V2, an efficient specialty cleaning agent that met all of the processor’s requirements. A circulation-tank system was added to the mixing-screw and casting section. This enabled the processor to boost cleaning performance and reduce costs. Compared to the case for methylene chloride, the amount of chemicals used for regular line cleaning is now a fraction of what it once was.

Seeking a Replacement for Acetone – But No Interactions, Please

When planning a new project for a large casting line for polyester and epoxy resins, a manufacturer of semi-finished thermoset articles wanted to spare himself the additional expense of incorporating explosion protection into the line and was now faced with the problem of finding a substitute for the acetone in use up until then. He also had to address the issue of the high levels of fugitive emissions generated from the use of large quantities of acetone annually. The cleaning specifications at the location were very high, because acetone is generally recognized as a very good solvent and is still highly popular throughout the resin-processing industry. As cost efficiency was also key in this case and the prospective cleaning agent was to be recycled by means of distillation, it had to be amenable to distillation yet not interact with the resins during cleaning, downstream storage, and distillation. Resin-Clean HPT-PU 05 met these requirements in their entirety. The line now operates in a zone that does not require explosion-protection measures and to the satisfaction of the user. The Resin-Clean HPT-PU 05 is continuously recycled on a dedicated vacuum distillation unit in a never-ending process. Consumption and associated emissions have been slashed, and this has yielded substantially lower costs in terms of raw materials use and logistics.

Removing Isocyanate Overnight from an Agitation Bath

Owing to a lack of alternatives, a producer in the construction chemicals sector had been cleaning his isocyanate tanks only sporadically by hand, if at all. Over the years, this inadequate cleaning regime had led to considerable layer build-up. During a discussion about a project for cleaning mobile production containers, a comment about stationary isocyanate containers eventually morphed into the dominant topic. It transpired that numerous PUR processors had occasionally also had cleaning problems with isocyanate contaminants in the past and that there was already a highly effective product available for this task. Resin-Clean HPT-73/DB has repeatedly demonstrated in practice that cured isocyanate contaminants can be chemically removed by adopting a coordinated approach to the underlying cleaning chemistry. The production tank was filled with an IBC (1000 kg) of Resin-Clean HPT-73/DB and kept agitated overnight. As a result, the isocyanate contaminants came away from the tank surface over large areas. The cleaning performance of Resin-Clean HPT-73/DB can be boosted, and exposure times shortened, by heating. The user now cleans the container at regular intervals to prevent material build-up. The cleaning agent can be reused several times in this application, and that helps to keep the cost of maintenance cleaning down at a very low level.

Fig. 1. A win-win situation: the mixing screws in this polymer concrete line are now purged with a specialty cleaning agent. This saves costs, protects employees and consumes only a small fraction of the chemicals used previously.

Dipl.-Ing. Holger Schlüter is Head of Division at Färber & Schmid GmbH.

<a href="https://www.faerber-schmid.ch/gb/" target="_blank">www.faerber-schmid.de</a>

The <a href="https://en.kunststoffe.de/a/specialistarticle/replacements-for-problem-solvents-2814476">first part of this</a> series focuses on cleaning equipment used in PUR processing. It appeared in <a href="https://en.kunststoffe.de/a/issue/issue-052022-2824994">Kunststoffe international 5/2022</a>.

Read the German version of the article in our magazine Kunststoffe or at <a href="https://www.kunststoffe.de/a/fachartikel/reinigung-von-produktionsmitteln-2549436" target="_blank">www.kunststoffe.de</a>

Werkzeugreinigung, Kunststoffe

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Werkzeuge für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Reinigung

Betriebsausrüstung / Betriebsmittel

Setting the Course for the  Coming Decades

Statement of the K 2022 Exhibitor Advisory Board

The main topics at the K 2022 will be the circular economy, climate protection, and digitalization. All the while, the companies of the plastics industry are faced with current problems. A timely overview of the market and economy.

The main topics at the K 2022 will be the circular economy, climate protection, and digitalization. All the while, the companies of the plastics industry are faced with current problems posed by Corona, the supply chain, and/or exorbitant prices for raw materials. A timely overview of the market and economy.

Once again, the 22nd Edition of the K in 2022 will present the latest technological developments in materials, machines, processing, as well as molds and dies, plus a multitude of applications for plastics and rubbers, all in comprehensive breadth and depth at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center, Germany, which, as always, is fully booked.

As it did last time, digitalization will play a leading role in all of this. Adjustments in the vital automotive customer market continue to act as a technology driver. The issues surrounding the circular economy permeate all stages of the value chain. Once again, the K will clearly influence and leave its stamp on the roadmap to future development and its limitations.

The Success of Plastics Is Based on their Variety of Application

Packaging for food and convenience goods, as well as the various containers for storage and transport continue to expand. Depending on the region and stage of development, they account for up to half of all applications. Without plastic packaging, it would be logistically impossible to supply the world population of almost eight billion. Plastics are used by structural and civil engineering for the expansion of the infrastructure to supply water, electricity, and gas. They find applications in insulation materials, window frames, and many other areas.

Whereas mobility – from auto production, heavy traffic and rail vehicles to aerospace – accounts for just over 10 % at the bottom line in terms of bulk consumption – clearly lower than for plastics and rubbers – its special demands make it a very essential technology driver. This is also the case, for example, in fields such as electro and electronics, as well as in medicine for sophisticated devices and for applications to the human body. Moreover, very many consumer goods, household items, furniture, toys, or sports and leisure activities of all kinds, can only be realized with polymer materials.

One of the Most Important Branches of the European Economy

In 2020, the plastics industry (production and processing) in the EU27 employed 1.47 million people in almost 51,700 mostly small and mid-sized companies and achieved sales of more than EUR 328 billion – as calculated from Eurostat information by the producers’ association PlasticsEurope. Its value chain makes it the seventh largest branch of European industry – on a par with chemistry and pharmacy. The industry contributed a total of EUR 15.8 billion to the EU’s trade surplus.

According to PlasticsEurope, the packaging branch accounted for 40.5 %, or the greatest share of all plastics materials. The building industry came in second with a share of 20.4 %, the automotive industry was third with 8.8 %, followed by the electrical and electronics industry with 6.2 %, consumer goods, household goods, and sporting goods with 4.3 %, and agriculture with 3.2 %. The share of consumption by all remaining customers including the furniture sector, industry, medicine, and the manufacturers of household appliances, totaled 16.7 %.

Corona: Global Declines in Production und Machine Making

In 2020, nearly all areas of life were affected by the shock of the Corona pandemic. The numerous measures, especially the longer lockdowns in several nations and world regions showed their effect in broad areas of the plastics industry. Many important applications collapsed across the board. Thus, it was no wonder that, for the first time since the worldwide financial crisis of 2008/9, 2020 again saw losses in the consumption and production of plastics and rubbers, as well as in the related machine industry.

The producers’ association PlasticsEurope estimates global plastics production (excluding fibers) for 2020 at 367 million t compared to 368 million t in the previous year and 359 million t in 2018.

China Takes the Lead in World Production and Export

After 20 years of steady growth, the focus of production has clearly shifted to Asia. Today, more than 50 % of all plastics are produced there. China alone, by far the leading country, increased its share last year to 32 % or more than 110 million t. On the other hand, Europe’s share of the market fell again slightly from 17.2 % in 2018 and 15.7 % in 2019 to only around 15 %, or just over 55 million t (2019: 57.9 million t, 2018: 61.8 million t). In 2008, Europe’s share of world production still stood at 25 %. Meanwhile, the NAFTA region held on to its standing with a slight increase to 18.8 % or 69 million t.

The cuts caused by the Corona crisis are also clearly noticeable in the figures for mechanical engineering for plastics and rubber. According to VDMA surveys, the value of global production reached its all-time high of around EUR 36.8 billion in 2018. Due to uncertainties in the automotive industry, it receded slightly to EUR 36 billion in 2019. During the first phase of the Corona pandemic with lockdowns in 2020, the global production value dropped 4.5 % to EUR 34.3 billion.

In 2021, however, production jumped back with a vengeance by over 11 %. Despite renewed lockdowns and the ubiquitous supply chain problems, production reached a new record value of EUR 38.6 million.

Chinese manufacturers are spearheading the development. Following years of unbroken growth, they increased their share of world production to 35 % in 2021 (2020: 34.4 %). That is almost 5 percentage points higher than in 2017. Despite their technological leadership, the share of German machine builders fell to 19.6 %, for the first time in a long time below 20 %. Nevertheless, after a sharp decline in 2020, significant increases were also recorded here.

After a significant slump in 2020, the world market for plastics machines – international trade across the borders of the manufacturer countries – also made a strong comeback in the following year. At EUR 23.7 billion, it almost equaled the top value from 2017. Here it is noteworthy, that German machine engineering had to surrender its long-standing top position to the Chinese manufacturers. After their steady climb over the last ten years, this was of course to be expected. With a 23.9 % share, China now takes first place in exports for the first time. Germany is followed by Japan with 9.1 %, Italy with 8.6 %, and the USA with 4.5 %. With a total of 46.6 % of world exports and a 40 % production share, Europe (EU27+UK) continues to show its traditionally disproportionate regional strength.

During the Corona crisis, those companies naturally held up better whose products are more closely oriented to people’s daily needs. Sub-segments, such as manufacturers of hygiene packaging and medical devices, even experienced a short-term boom. To be sure, most branches had to suffer setbacks. The second and third quarters were downright catastrophic for many manufacturers of technical parts, especially in the automotive supply sector.

Supply Chain Issues Hamper Processing in Europe

According to the German Association of the Plastics Converters (GKV), Europe’s leading plastics processing industry reported a 5.6 % drop in sales to EUR 61.5 billion at the end of the year. The inglorious frontrunners were the manufacturers of technical parts, who suffered 12 % losses. Among plastics for consumer goods, they were less severe at 9 %.

The amount processed fell less sharply by 2.8 % to 14.2 million t. This is due to the volume-intensive applications in packaging and building construction, which mostly use simple and thus inexpensive materials. Despite the diverse instruments for crisis management for the personnel situation, the number of employees fell at the same time by 4.1 % to 322,000 people.

For the following year 2021, however, the GKV reported a rather strong increase in sales, or a 12.6 % increase to EUR 69.4 billion. However, consumption increased at a lower rate than this, by 5.6 % to 15 million t. A large part of the increased turnover is due to sharp price increases for raw materials. Manufacturers of technical parts in particular continue to face enormous pressure for results. After rebounding in the first nine months of the year, the situation deteriorated again in the fourth quarter due to the next wave of the Corona pandemic. Above and beyond this, the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine further destabilized the situation in early 2022.

In addition, the global supply chains – coming mostly from Asia and distributed to other continents – more or less collapsed because main components such as semiconductors were not sufficiently available. To make matters worse, logistics systems were falling apart at the seams, and many European plastics production plants failed simultaneously when restarted after the Corona shutdowns. Consequently, large segments of European processing in particular were faced with empty materials depots, while the prices for plastics exploded to unknown heights. Since important customer industries, such as automotive manufacturing, had to reduce production due to supply chain failures, sales fell on the other side. Since February 2022, the war in Ukraine has further exacerbated these challenges.

In this, for some, dramatic crisis, however, the companies in the industry have proven extremely robust. The financial crash of 2008/2009 and the raw material scarcity of 2015 have apparently led a number of companies to develop appropriate defense mechanisms which are proving their worth. The equity ratios have been improved, the costs are “breathable”, and government is also helping in key areas, especially with personnel costs (short-time work).

Everyone hopes that the Corona pandemic will have run its course in 2022. The global problems of raw materials availability, supply chains, and logistics will be solved step by step – the laws of the market will see to that. Then the plastics world will again concentrate on its own issues in Düsseldorf, Germany, this Autumn. Worldwide representation will perhaps not be quite so complete as it was at previous K fairs, but it will certainly be highly focused.

The circular economy was justifiably the main motto of the last edition of the K in 2019. Thanks to legal requirements and widely varied efforts and initiatives, the recovery rate in Europe (the former EU28 plus Switzerland and Norway) continued its climb. The most important recovery rates in 2018 were energetic use at 42 % and materials recycling with 33 %, whereas some 25 % of plastics wastes went to landfill. Ten years before (2008), 30 % were still being used energetically, and 21 % were recycled, and 49 % went to landfill.

Now, where the packaging recovery (energy recovery and recycling) is involved, all European countries now achieve rates of over 30 %, 17 countries at least 70 %, ten more over 98 % and some even achieve 100 %. In 2018, more plastic packaging material (42.4 %) was recycled than used energetically (38.5 %). Less than ever (19.1 %) still went to landfill.

This topic will thus be treated intensively, but the realization of comprehensive reuse is still in its proverbial infancy. The K 2022 will point out what progress has been made to date and will initiate the course changes necessary for the coming years and decades. Numerous approaches to solutions have been formulated and worked out in detail.

Statement of the Exhibitor Advisory Board

The second part in this series will be about technology und trends – and appear in Kunststoffe international 7/2022. 

<a href="http://k-online.com" target="_blank">k-online.com</a>

Read the German version of the article in our magazine Kunststoffe or at <a href="https://www.kunststoffe.de/a/fachartikel/die-weichen-fuer-die-naechsten-jahrzehnt-2853406" target="_blank">www.kunststoffe.de</a>

Messe K-Kunststoffmesse

kunststoffe-international.com

Digitalisierung

Kreislaufwirtschaft

Preview of K 2022: Kunststoffe Questionnaire on the Situation in Injection Molding Machine Construction

Time to take stock: in what condition and with what agenda is the industry presenting itself after two-and-a-half years of a difficult climate? We have conducted a survey: insights into the dominant themes of the age.

The plastics world stands transfixed by its high mass in October: the K 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany. The masters of ceremony of European injection molding machine manufacturing traditionally have a presence here, with a particularly high rate of innovation. Time to take stock: in what condition and with what agenda is the industry presenting itself after two-and-a-half years of a difficult climate? We have conducted a survey: insights into the dominant themes of the age.

There’s no getting around K 2022. All the participants in the current Kunststoffe questionnaire are agreed. However, this only represents the exhibitors’ points of view. First, the companies are under no illusions that the trade show might take place unaffected by the Covid pandemic. “That is a utopian vision for me. We have had to deal with harsh realities for two years, and a reinvigoration of the pandemic in October is unfortunately very realistic,” said Gerd Liebig, CEO of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag.

Michael Wittmann, Managing Partner of the Wittmann Group added: “The Corona virus will not do us this favor. However, as things stand at present, we can’t foresee how K 2022 will take place as regards hygiene and safety measures. Fakuma 2021 showed impressively that a trade show can offer visitors and exhibitors added value even in times of pandemic and that no video conference in the world is a replacement for a personal visit and first-hand experiencing of machines and equipment.” Klaus Geimer, Deputy Managing Director of Dr. Boy, added: “If global visitor numbers only decline slightly compared to K 2019, and we have such a positive discussion and investment climate as at Fakuma 2021, we can be more than satisfied.”

How Much Is the Covid Pandemic Influencing the Trade Show Planning?

It seems that the companies have factored reduced visitor numbers into their trade show planning. “I’m assuming that fewer visitors will come, especially from Asia, than we have been used to in the past. However, the number of visitors has no influence on our trade show planning,” explained Dr. Michael Ruf, CEO of KraussMaffei. Gerhard Böhm, Managing Director for Sales and Service at Arburg, backs this up: “Our trade show planning will not be affected by this, quite the opposite. Our presence at K 2022 will be bigger than ever.” And Michael Wittmann, too, is making an announcement: “The Wittmann Group will be represented at K 2022 with the biggest booths ever. However, we are calculating in house that the number of visitors will only be about 70 percent of the K 2019 level.”

Dr. Gerhard Dimmler, CTO of the Engel Group assessed the situation similarly: “It is likely that fewer customers will be able to travel from China to Düsseldorf. But we are planning for the K show to take place as we know it, and we look forward to many discussions with international trade show visitors.” Gerd Liebig, too, expects that Chinese and intercontinental visitors will stay away because of the pandemic. “However, this will not affect our trade show planning; after all, the plastics world is looking for answers that will result from changing market conditions – the key words here are: sustainability, recycling and multi sourcing.”

What Marks Has the Corona Virus Left on Companies?

The pandemic has definitively also left marks on companies, not only on workflows. As a new dimension of the work routine, concern about employees’ health is explicitly mentioned. Michael Ruf described the situation in early 2020 as follows: “Like many other companies, we at KraussMaffei also had to play it by ear from the first day of the first lockdown. We intensified communication, developed hygiene concepts, initiated home office solutions, acquired masks and self tests and distributed them to our staff, and later conducted multi-stage vaccination campaigns. With this crisis management, we managed to maintain our production and continue to supply our customers.”

All the participating companies set up home-office working – in the departments where this was possible. However, the actual effectiveness of this measure can only be assessed after a long phase in a “post-Corona work environment,” summarized Michael Wittmann.

But many companies have made a virtue out of necessity and also gained positive insights from this crisis. Less surprisingly, there is one area, in particular, that is affected by this: “Digitalization has progressed faster than would probably be the case without the pandemic, particularly in communication. Virtual discussions and even virtual machine acceptance tests have become a matter of course. Demand for online support and remote maintenance has risen, since our customers have recognized that they can use them to safeguard their productivity and delivery capability even in the event of future crises,” said Gerhard Dimmler. “What we have also learned in the last two years is how important personal contacts are and will remain. The digital possibilities open up big opportunities for more efficiency as well as higher productivity and competitiveness, not as a replacement for but as a complement to the traditional forms of cooperation.”

Gerhard Böhm is in agreement – and sees this confirmed elsewhere. “It is correct that digitalization cannot replace personal contact one-to-one. Our maxim has always been only to use digital tools and formats where they offer genuine added value. But the years marked by the Covid pandemic have confirmed once again that our strategy of manufacturing at a centralized site is absolutely correct.” Klaus Geimer covers a wider scope: In 2019 the industry emerged from an “age hostile to plastics” and in 2020 slid into a completely unpredictable pandemic, characterized internally by staggered working hours for different teams and externally by a significant decline in investment. “From fall 2020, it all turned into an unexpected long-term boom, that is still going on,” said Geimer. But the crisis mode remains: “We have a situation in which we are having to deal with material scarcities, galloping prices and a deficit of technical staff.”

Michael Wittmann added: “Actually, the economic marks left by the pandemic were manageable until the end of last year. The indirect consequences of the pandemic have only emerged this year. The massive disruptions in supply chains and logistics are causing delays in production, and consequently lower sales revenue.”

One Machine Every Nine-and-a-Half Minutes

The companies’ revenue charts show a V-shaped curve in most cases, even though differently shaped. Up to a certain degree, this reflects the importance of the automotive business for individual manufacturers. However, it cannot be seen as more than a trend, since the figures are hardly comparable. Thus, the sales of the Wittmann Group also include a large proportion of the robotics and ancillaries equipment business, and at Arburg, a small portion of the “additive manufacturing” segment. And since its IPO on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, KraussMaffei Company Ltd. has been a conglomerate, consisting of the KraussMaffei Group (incl. Netstal), the TianHua Chemistry Machinery and Automation Research Institute Co., Ltd. and Fujian Tianhua Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. The KraussMaffei Group in turn, which earns around 80 % of the revenue of the stock market-listed holding, earns its cash not only with injection molding machines (approximately half), but also with extrusion and reaction technology.

The undisputed industry leader according to sales and volume is the Chinese injection molding machine manufacturer Haitian, which withdrew its agreement to take part in this questionnaire at short notice. Unlike its competitors, Haitian’s recovery set in earlier and with more verve. In the past business year, sales by the Group were EUR 2.2 billion, corresponding to a rise of almost 36 % compared to the previous year. In this period, only Engel achieved such a leap, though they had lost ground a year earlier. Another surprising fact: according to its own information, Haitian sold over 56,000 injection molding machines in 2021 (over 10,000 abroad for the first time), corresponding to one machine every nine-and-a-half minutes – a historic record for the entire industry.

Are There Differences in the Main Themes for the Trade Show Presence?

A finding from recent years is also that the plastics industry – not just mechanical engineering – is increasing coming under pressure to justify itself. Good balance sheet figures are no longer enough; society demands answers to urgent problems. The focuses of the organizer and ideational sponsor of the trade show, and the exhibitors are therefore set correspondingly.

According to Michael Wittmann, “The focuses of our product presentations go hand in hand with the trade show themes of sustainability, digitalization and the circular economy. We have a modern and very energy-efficient product portfolio and want to present the advantages for the user even better. As a striking representation of energy saving potentials, our machines, and for the most part the ancillary equipment and robots, too, are connected to our Imagoxt measurement system. This provides unfiltered consumption data, detailed information on energy distribution and long-term trends.” In addition, new functions of the HiQ Flow and HiQ Melt assistance systems will be presented, which make an important contribution to the circular economy. From the field of digitalization and future operating systems, the HoloVoice system, a combination of voice and gesture control, as well as production-related “Mixed Reality” applications will be presented.

At Engel, the topics are slightly varied. “Energy efficiency has shifted back into our customers’ focus again, and much more strongly, due to the steep rise in energy and material prices. Demand for all-electric machines is rising. Those who think they are already taking advantage of the full energy saving potential will be surprised at the Engel booth. With a smart cooling solution in combination with digital products, far more becomes possible,” said Gerhard Dimmler. Digitalization is a pioneer for both higher energy efficiency and greater sustainability. With intelligent assistance systems permitting uniformly high product quality, even with fluctuations in the raw material, recyclate can also be used for high-quality products. This would be a prerequisite for closing material loops.

Dr. Boy intends to demonstrate the complex of digitalization and automation by connecting the machine, handling and ancillary equipment to a host computer. For climate protection, the small machine manufacturer refers to the compactness and the small carbon footprint of its injection molding machines. According to Boy, the energy consumption can be displayed and optimized for each partial cycle step. This is supported by a new screen page for a digital water-flow meter. Klaus Geimer added a special aspect: “For environmental protection, we place most importance on avoiding or reducing production wastes. For this, we are showing our small-machine concept, where the nozzle is in direct contact with the part to be molded without a sprue being produced. Alternatively, we offer sprueless nozzles across the entire delivery program.” For processing recyclate, they are presenting an example of the reuse of fishing nets from marine litter.

Arburg is not only dedicating itself to the themes of digitalization and resource conservation on its own booth, explained Gerhard Böhm. “We will also present our “arburgGreenworld” in the VDMA Circular Economy Forum – in a very unusual manner.” Gerd Liebig is somewhat more concrete: “Our visitors can look forward to a large number of innovations about the above-mentioned topics. Thus, we are showing a world innovation in the field of all-electric machines, a fully automated and highly efficient production cell for medical parts, but also individual solutions for automation and digital process monitoring – to name just a few highlights.”

Michael Ruf, on the other hand, is more reserved: “Our main topics are sustainability, digitalization and new technologies. However, we won’t reveal how we address and present them until K. Otherwise it wouldn’t be a surprise.” Although one surprise has already been leaked: KraussMaffei will present a coup on additive manufacturing, and thereby open up a new business field.

How Are We Progressing with the Circular Economy?

Since the topic of the circular economy first came to the fore at K 2019, the political and social pressures to achieve higher recycling quotas have increased. Current events such as the war in Ukraine and the forerunners of the climate crisis are also contributing to a different assessment of how to manage limited resources, and our dependency on them. Many companies are working on solutions to close previous gaps in the sought-after circular economy, and limit the consumption of virgin material.

Gerhard Dimmler sees a risk here: “In view of current challenges, these topics must not be minimized. Ultimately, the circular economy contributes to combating the energy crisis. The aim of treating plastic wastes is to consume less energy than is necessary for manufacturing virgin material.” Reducing the carbon footprint is not a purely technical challenge; rather, it requires close cooperation along the value chain. “This is a matter of information transparency, circulation of information, so to speak. The R-Cycle initiative, which Engel joined in spring 2022, pursues precisely this goal. With digital product passports, R-Cycle creates the basis for a high-quality recycling process by automatically gathering recycling-relevant information during product manufacturing. It is important for us to include consumers from the start in the cycle of information. A great deal of clarification is necessary here, particularly with the topic of packaging,” said Dimmler.

For Gerhard Böhm, there is an important point here: “We machine makers are not the problem, we are a part of the solution as we show the technical possibilities and the resulting business models. Our activities concerning ‘arburgGreenworld’ include both the stable processing of recyclates and solutions for reliably identifying, sorting and recycling post-consumer plastic products, and returning them to the material cycle.”

To use plastic wastes more intensively in the material cycle, the machine manufacturers not only offer the necessary hardware but also a wide portfolio of digital solutions. KraussMaffei makes the same point: “In the past three decades, over a million metric tons of high-quality recyclate have been brought back into circulation thanks to our solutions,” said Michael Ruf. “An example of this: global demand for disposable articles, mainly in the health care sector, is huge, and the products are often only used briefly and not very contaminated. Ideal prerequisites therefore for using them afterwards as raw materials for parts with a longer lifetime. At K 2022, we are presenting technical solutions for this cycle.”

Besides the technical side, there is also a political aspect to this issue. “We reach a limit where the outlay for recycling is more expensive than the manufacture of virgin material. From my point of view this will not be possible without state intervention in the cost structures,” said Klaus Geimer. And Gerhard Dimmler notes: “Technologically, there are no limits to the material cycle. However, it is important that each individual step be economical within the process as a whole. Otherwise the process chain cannot function unbroken. Without economy, there is no ecology.”

“In principle, the processor needs financial incentives to switchover to such materials. The difficulty is, for recycled, as well as compostable, parts, to obtain a part quality comparable to that of virgin material. Everyone involved in the process chain must meet this challenge and solve it jointly,” Gerd Liebig explained, and continued: “As far as we are concerned, we continuously improve our machine control systems and are currently working on a new digital platform that will create data transparency and form the basis for new solutions. This will be presented in more detail at K.”

 Virgin Material Only to Compensate for Shrinkage and Increased Demand

Only the circular economy permits long-term economic growth together with minimization of resource consumption, stresses Michael Wittmann. “That is especially important for Europe, where the extraction of raw materials is limited or encounters societal resistance. Materials must be recirculated as often as possible to limit the use of new raw materials to the inevitable depletion and increased demands. We recognized the importance of this theme at an early stage – for example all our products support the processing, conveying, drying and dosing of regrind.”

As a special variant, Wittmann offers the Ingrinder. This is the compact integration of a G-Max blade granulator or an S-Max screenless granulator into the injection molding machine. Sprues are immediately reground and fed back to the process. With the controlled feed of regrind to virgin material, the Gravimax gravimetric metering unit is also used. “Regrind places particular demands on conveying equipment, since it often contains more dust, which must be removed appropriately. Our Feedmax centralized conveyors will be extended at K with a corresponding model with high dust-removal performance,” said Wittmann.

Which Concrete (Digital) Solutions Are Ready for the Market?

There are numerous approaches for reducing the consumption of virgin material. “It begins with the product design and the choice of an efficient manufacturing process. It is then a matter of achieving acceptable parts as fast as possible during production, and keeping rejects as low as possible. In this context, I would like to highlight the assistants of our Gestica control system, which can be used, e.g., to reduce the setting times and optimize the cycle sequence, as well as optimize the energy efficiency,” sums up Gerhard Böhm. Manufacturing injection molded parts from recyclates is challenging because of the growing bandwidth of the materials and their batches, their different origins and treatment as well as their processing behavior. However, this is not a problem for an appropriately equipped machine – Arburg offers a recyclate package with special software and hardware features for this purpose.

Other manufacturers, for example Engel, KraussMaffei and Wittmann, have comparable solutions in their program – like Arburg not only since yesterday, but the desired plastics cycle gives them a new importance. Since, in order to really close the material loops, according to Gerhard Dimmler, “we must end the currently practiced downcycling and achieve a genuine recycling or upcycling.” This includes, in conjunction with a plasticizing system adapted to the particular material, intelligent assistance systems, be they called iQ weight control, APC plus or HiQ Flow, which identify viscosity fluctuations in the raw material and automatically compensate it in the same cycle.

With one restriction: “Even if the assistance system were able to compensate for very large fluctuations in the quality of the recyclate, it will still be in the interest of the processor, to leave the adjustments of the control parameters within a defined range for critical injection molded parts. It will never be possible to take recyclate that is largely of inferior quality and use it to manufacture mechanical load-bearing parts,” is how Michael Wittmann puts it in a nutshell. “Too much, or inferior, recyclate should be qualified as reject by limiting the control parameters, even if it can be compensated via the process technology.”

Raw Materials Sources and  Design Guidelines

Which brings us to the raw materials source. Setting up a value creation chain for the circular economy with uniform feedstock quality would be to the benefit of everyone involved, stresses Michael Ruf. He refers to a flagship project of efficient recycling that is currently being created in the USA: “The recycling company has a regular supply of large quantities of carpet waste from PP composite material. These high-quality traceable wastes are the backbone of a recycling value chain, which is more effective and more profitable than processing of virgin materials.”

Another example: PET has so far been the only packaging plastic that, as a recycled material, can be processed back into food packaging on an industrial scale. At K, Engel, is presenting the first manufacture of thin-walled containers from rPET on an injection molding machine. Gerhard Dimmler: “That is a world’s first. Only the newly developed high-performance injection unit of the e-speed machine allows PET to be processed by thin-wall injection molding in only one step.” Beyond the bottle-to-bottle cycle, it is now conceivable to establish a bottle-to-cup or even cup-to-bottle recycling. This shows that, besides digitalization, machine and technology innovations continue to play a big role.

Advances in this area are particularly important, since “Packaging and short-lived consumer goods now have the biggest and fastest material loop. A rapid effect can be achieved here, since the products are quickly available again after a short use phase. A key demand lies in the sorting of the material streams – there are a large number of initiatives underway to improve sortability using new identification methods,” said Gerd Liebig.

The automotive and electronics industries, for example, have entirely different prerequisites. In this case, it is a matter of developing and implementing new design guidelines that would simplify separation of the materials at the end of the product‘s life cycle. According to Liebig, “The life cycles of these products are significantly longer, to that the material loop needs to be longer in order to gain momentum – the requirements are, in addition, far greater, since the recyclates must also have a high long-term stability.” Gerhard Böhm agrees, “It is important not to over-fulfill the requirements for the respective product in the selection of plastic and the part design, since that is usually to the detriment of recycling.”

In principle, the industry faces the technical challenge of making recyclate also fit for high-quality parts. “The quality standards for food-grade packaging applications and the adequate and constant sourcing of recyclates from qualified sources remains a critical parameter for the present,” said Michael Wittmann. To use lower-purity recyclates, points out Michael Ruf, it is at least still possible to embed them completely in virgin material using a process technology such as coinjection.

And KraussMaffei is already in the happy position of being able to cover a wide range of this growth market. Extrusion technology, the biggest field after injection molding, already deals with the process steps plasticizing and degassing, as well as regranulation and recompounding. “The biggest advantages offered by KraussMaffei are the different plant concepts for thermomechanical, solvent-based or chemical recycling. Depending on the requirement, we can execute them as stand-alone or cascade solutions,” according to Ruf. “Another benefit is the system solution comprising single- and twin-screw extruder especially for solvent-based plastics recycling. KraussMaffei is the only manufacturer in the world to offer this combination as a one-stop solution.

The participants in the questionnaire are chiefly characterized by a mood of optimism. “Despite the many imponderables, incoming orders have stayed at a consistently high level. This confirms the fact that plastics are simply irreplaceable,” said Klaus Geimer, summarizing his outlook. All the survey respondents can look forward to a high level of incoming orders at least until mid-year. “There is a clear willingness to invest – that is shown by numerous large new projects that we have launched in past months or have already implemented. In addition, our customers are also vigorously manufacturing with their existing machine park,” confirmed Gerhard Böhm. Gerhard Liebig is also optimistic, “We are well prepared and will continue to grow vigorously thanks to the increased interest in sustainable solutions. After all, we were the first in Europe to have developed a complete site in Wiehe from hydraulic to all-electric.”

Expression of their own strength and optimism: investments by injection molding machine manufacturers remain at a high level. A representative comment by Michael Wittmann: “We have made high investments in buildings and new machines in order to expand production and make it more efficient. We are currently building structural extensions at our production sites in Austria, Hungary and the USA. The biggest project is currently that from KraussMaffei: “We will begin relocating to Hannover and Parsdorf near Munich in summer and late fall. The two new factories are a big step into the future for KraussMaffei – indeed the chance of a century, according to Michael Ruf.

In addition, the companies are united by two factors: the recognition of how important training of their own employees is in order to combat the shortage of skilled workers, and the experience that necessity has brought the industry and its suppliers and customers closer together. Lived solidarity and strong loyalty – a conciliatory conclusion after the hiatuses of the last years.

Gerhard Böhm, Managing Director for Sales and Service at Arburg.

Sales by injection molding machine manufacturers in the years 2016 to 2021. However, the figures are not comparable for the reasons mentioned in the text. 

Klaus Geimer, Deputy Managing Director and Head of Administration at Dr. Boy. 

Dr. Gerhard Dimmler, CTO of the Engel Group.

Michael Wittmann, Managing Partner of the Wittmann Group.

Gerd Liebig, CEO of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag.

<ul><li>Gerhard Böhm, Managing Director for Sales and Service at Arburg GmbH + Co. KG</li><li> Dr. Gerhard Dimmler, CTO of the Engel Group</li><li>Klaus Geimer, Deputy Managing Director and Administration Dept. Head at Dr. Boy GmbH & Co. KG</li><li>Gerd Liebig, CEO of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH</li><li>Dr. Michael Ruf, CEO of KraussMaffei Group</li><li> Michael Wittmann, Managing Partner of the Wittmann Group</li></ul>

Read the German version of the article in our magazine Kunststoffe or at <a href="https://www.kunststoffe.de/a/fachartikel/beinharte-realitaeten-2853409" target="_blank">www.kunststoffe.de</a>