The Wilhelm Böllhoff GmbH & Co. KG employs Arburg’s ALS host computer system as a uniform MES at locations all over the world. Not only all their injection molding machines are networked with information technology via ALS, but hundreds of machines and turnkey systems for metalworking and assembly, as well. Some 3000 injection molds are also managed. This generates transparency in everything from order planning and process optimization to maintenance.

The process status of every machine can be viewed via the ALS terminal

Böllhoff Uses ALS as a Uniform Global MES for Injection Molding and Metalworking

Spritzgießen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Spritzgießmaschinen, allgemein

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Spritzgießmaschinen

Big Data für die Qualitätssicherung

Industrie 4.0

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

Qualitätssicherung Kunststoff

Qualitätssicherung

Energiemanagement

Energieeffizienz

Completely Joined to the Host Computer System

DSM Engineering Materials increases its high-performance materials production capacity at its Jiangyin plant in Jiangsu Province, China. Work on an additional compounding line began in February 2022, with completion expected in 2023.

DSM Engineering Materials expands its high-performance materials production capacity at its Jiangyin plant in Jiangsu Province, China.

Polyethylen

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Thermoplaste

Polyamide

Production Expansion in China

The Chinese automotive manufacturer Geely will in the future use a polyamide 6 (PA6) from Lanxess for front-end (FE) carriers in its vehicles.

The front-end carrier for vehicles by the Chinese manufacturer Geely will be made of a PA6 from Lanxess in the future. © Lanxess

Kfz-Elektronik

Elektronik

Technische Kunststoffe

 PA for a Front-End Carrier

Vehicle weight reduction requirements today pose great challenges not only to automotive manufacturers and suppliers but also to material producers. The materials used must cut weight while at the same time withstanding the mechanical and chemical stresses encountered in service. This can be achieved, for example, with blends of polyamide and polypropylene. These blends also offer other useful advantages.

Fig. 4. Test bars after contact with a calcium chloride solution. The grey points indicate degradation. The bars made from the PA+PP blends show basically no degradation, unlike those made from PA.

16:9

Blends of PP and PA Reduce Weight and Improve Chemical Resistance

Blend

Polypropylen

Lighter Together

Most of the energy in a crash is absorbed by metal parts. A new additional polyamide (PA) crash absorber has for the first time been integrated into the front end of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The advantage is that an additional loadpath could be added without significantly increasing the mass of the car.  Close cooperation between the project partners and the use of suitable simulation tools were key to successful realization of this project.

As part of the safety concept in the front end of the latest S-Class, Mercedes-Benz uses a crash absorber made from polyamide.

Crash Absorbers made from PA for the Front End Carrier of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Kfz-Sicherheit, passiv

Kfz-Systeme

Kraftfahrzeugtechnik

Accident Protection with Plastics

Electric-vehicle makers looking for fresh impetus are turning to thermoplastics, as these can be used to  improve the safety, performance and sustainability of the vehicles. Initial application areas for manufacturers can be found in a multitude of components ranging from battery cases to busbars, cooling lines and seals. Things become very interesting when material suppliers offer support in the form of CAE and injection molding analyses.

Thermoplastics play an important role in the batteries of electric vehicles. They help to keep battery temperatures in the optimal range for a long service life and high performance. 

Improving the Performance of Electric Vehicles with the Right Materials

Elektromobilität

Mobilität

Electric, Environmentally Friendly, Thermoplastic

The rising voltages in electric vehicles are creating higher requirements on insulation materials. This is why PEEK is increasingly used for this purpose. A problem with this high-performance polymer used to be its adhesion to the secondary insulation material. An epoxy resin now promises to solve the issue.

Due to higher voltages, manufacturers are increasingly using PEEK as insulation material for electric motors.

Partner for PEEK

Elektromotoren

Antriebe

Polyetherketon

Hochleistungskunststoffe

PEEK and Epoxy Provide Efficient Insulation for High Voltage E-Motor

The conditions in electric vehicles place high demands on the materials used. Therefore, automakers and suppliers must resort to expensive, high-performance plastics. For many applications, cost-effective alternatives are plastics whose properties have been greatly improved by means of treatment with high-energy electron beams.

Fig. 1. Crosslinked engineering plastics can be used for many different applications in electric vehicles.

Irradiation Crosslinking Replaces High-Performance Plastics with Cheaper Polymers

Strahlenvernetzung

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Electron Booster for Electric Vehicles

For the successful implementation of electromobility, not only the vehicles but also the associated charging infrastructure play a decisive role. Various technologies are currently used to charge electric vehicles.

For the electronics of charging stations, Wevo offers temperature-stable adhesives and potting compounds based on silicone, epoxy resin and PU.

Silikone

Harze, Epoxid

Duroplaste

Polyurethan

Klebstoffe

Verbindungstechnik Verfahren

Chemisches Fügeverfahren

Protection of Sensitive Charging Electronics

Alternative powertrains, autonomous driving and the urge for more sustainability impact the vehicle design and driving experience.

 The USB connector system enables space saving of up to 60 %. The used PBT allows tight tolerances regardless of the ambient conditions.

Polybutylenterephthalat

Steckverbinder

Elektromechanik

Smaller, Faster, Lighter

The 35th International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries, Chinaplas 2022, scheduled to be held from 25–28 April 2022 at National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai will be postponed.

Due to Covid Chinaplas 2022, scheduled to be held from 25–28 April 2022 at National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, will be postponed.

Verbände, Institutionen, Messen

Dienstleistungen

Postponement of the Fair Trade Show

Sabic presents a special blend that helps prevent unpleasant noise in automotive interiors. The new LNP Lubriloy N2000 compound, is based on polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and offers both molded-in color capability and paintability.

The new compound helps prevent buzz-squeak-rattle (BSR) noise in automotive interiors, such as mirror housings and trim, cupholders, button guides and heating-ventilation-air conditioning (HVAC) frames. © Sabic

ABS / ASA-Kunststoffe

Polycarbonat

Less Noise, More Design Freedom

JEC World 2022 will take place from May 03 to 05 in Paris Nord Villepinte with an interesting conference program.

The conferences program will be available for free to all registered participants, in two Agoras (Hall 5 and Hall 6) and also online via JEC World Connect.

Composite-Halbzeuge

Halbzeuge und Zwischenprodukte

Kunststoff-Halbzeuge

Anlagen zur Composite-Herstellung

Harzsysteme für Composite-Herstellung

Conferences Program

Easy-to-maintain and sustainable materials add value to customers.

Third “Automotive Interior Survey” shows: Easy-to-maintain and sustainable materials add value to customers.

Internationale Wirtschaft

Wirtschaft

Third “Automotive Interior Survey” Conducted

This year, for the first time, the SKZ is organizing the conference „Plastic Films in Mobility“. Kunststoffe international asked Dirk Pophusen, the conference director, about the new features and the highlights of the event.

The front module of the BMW iX is a highly integrated component. Among other things, foil technology is used for the manufacturing.

Folientechnik (IMD, IML, FIM, u.a.)

Streifinger, Florian

Folien

Films, BMW and China

The materials manufacturer has set itself high targets for making production and products climate neutral.

Already in 2021, Covestro cut specific greenhouse gas emissions, those generated per metric ton of product produced, by 54 percent compared to 2005 and thus overachieved its previous sustainability target set for 2025. Covestro has now defined a further bold target: the Group aims to become climate neutral and achieve net zero emissions by 2035 for scope 1 and scope 2. On the path to achieving this goal, the company plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions from its own production (scope 1) and from external energy sources (scope 2) by 60 percent (base year 2020) to 2.2 million metric tons by 2030. In addition, indirect greenhouse gas emissions from upstream and downstream processes in the value chain (scope 3) will be further reduced. Covestro intents to announce a reduction target for this by 2023.

To achieve net zero emissions, Covestro anticipates dedicated investments of an accumulated EUR 250 million to EUR 600 million by 2030, resulting in lower operating expenses of expected EUR 50 million to 100 million annually due to growing energy efficiency. On its path to achieve net zero emissions, Covestro also expects an increase in operating expenses in the magnitude of a low three-digit million EUR amount annually. These cost assumptions are based on the historic experience that prices for fossil-based energies are lower than prices for renewable energies.

How Covestro Intends to Achieve its Goals

<ul><li> Production processes will be improved further and energy efficiency enhanced to achieve even more sustainable manufacturing. One focus is on reducing nitrous oxide emissions. That will be possible through greater use of innovative catalyst technology. In addition, production plants can be controlled more efficiently thanks to further digitalization of the facilities and the use of digital technologies, while processes can be optimized using digital simulations. Digital technologies also help collect and track emissions data throughout the value chain.</li><li>Covestro’s production sites worldwide are to be gradually converted to renewable electricity. That includes the use of offshore wind power, backed for example by a supply agreement with the energy provider Ørsted, which will cover 10 percent of the electricity required by the company’s sites in Germany from 2025 on. Onshore wind energy will also be used, for example under the power purchase agreement with Engie, that covers 45 percent of the electricity needs of the Covestro site in Antwerp, Belgium. About 10 percent of the electricity Covestro needs in Shanghai, China, already comes from the solar parks of Datang Wuzhong New Energy Co. In addition to the existing cooperation models with power suppliers, further agreements are being planned in order to achieve a net zero carbon footprint.</li><li>Steam is an important energy source for chemical production processes. Converting steam generation from fossil to renewable energy sources is a challenge that Covestro intends to solve by various routes. To this end, the company is looking into the use of biogas and green natural gas as an energy source to generate renewable steam. Green hydrogen and green ammonia or green electricity could also be used as energy source for steam generation.</li></ul>

A Climate Neutral Version for Every Product

Focused on customer centricity, Covestro is already expanding its portfolio of climate neutral products continuously. Urbanization, for example, increases the focus on constructing new energy-efficient buildings and renovating old ones. Large quantities of MDI are used worldwide as a raw material for making rigid polyurethane (PU) foam, a very effective insulation material for buildings and refrigerators. Now Covestro has added a climate neutral MDI to the product portfolio. 40 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent could be saved by using PU insulation. The new MDI types are climate neutral from the cradle to the gate thanks to the use of precursors from ISCC Plus-certified mass-balanced organic waste and residual materials.

Another groundbreaking example for sustainable products is Covestro’s world first climate neutral polycarbonate, made using raw materials from mass-balanced organic waste and residual materials as well as renewable energy. With the increasing trend of electromobility and the regulatory push for electric vehicles (EV), charging systems need to grow continuously, too. Using the climate neutral polycarbonate for EV charger could enable savings up to 450 kilotons CO2 equivalent by 2030. Covestro’s climate neutral polycarbonate is being shipped to customers since 2021.

Covestro AG  

https://www.covestro.com

2022-03-25 Covestro

Umweltmanagement

Kreislaufwirtschaft

issue 09/2022

issue 08/2022

issue 07/2022

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