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With the increasing digitalization of injection molding, new process parameters are coming under the spotlight. Engel, together with the Polymer Competence Center Leoben and Montan University Leoben, Austria, is using machine-learning methods to explore the potential of mold breathing for quality assurance in rubber injection molding. This research project was supported by the partner company SKF Sealing Solutions Austria.

Automatic Process Monitoring with iQ Clamp Control and Machine Learning

Spritzgießen

Steuerungen (Hardware und Software)

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

Kautschuk / Elastomere

Mess-, Steuer- und Regelgeräte

Elastomer-Spritzgießen

Industrie 4.0 für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Machine Learning für die Qualitätssicherung

Rubber Injection Molding with  Quality Recognition

Space-saving machine concepts for demanding production environments are booming. A real-life example of a slit micro-membrane for pharmaceutical glass vials shows how intelligent machine functions make an important contribution to supporting machine operators and continuous documentation of the production process.

KraussMaffei Delivers a Customized Solution for LSR Processing

Automatisierungszellen

Mikrospritzgießen

Medizintechnik

Silikonkautschuk

Medizinprodukte

Transparency in Production

A new series of extremely soft TPEs have a soft surface similar to human skin.

Kraiburg TPE Presents Its Next Generation Supersoft TPEs

Thermoplastische Elastomere

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Werkstoffe für additive Verfahren

For Extremely Soft Applications

The flame-retardant dispersion is designed especially for the coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers market.

Flammschutzmittel

Kunststoffhandel

Additive

Songwon Expands its Range of Flame-Retardant Synergists

A year to forget is nearing its completion. To brighten up this dreary fall season without a major event like Fakuma, injection molding machine builders have concocted various strategies.

Injection Molding Machine Builders Are Discovering New Ways to Reach Their Customers

Spritzgießmaschinen, allgemein

Vernetzung / Cloudlösung für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Biokunststoffe

Nachhaltigkeit

Spritzgießmaschinen

Schneidmühlen

What Can You Do at Fall Fairtime,  When There Aren’t Any?

The simple replacement of petroleum-based components with renewable alternatives in a well-established reactive extrusion process is a promising route to more environmentally friendly thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (TPU). However, this requires a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between chemical reactions and material flow within an extruder, as well as a thorough understanding of the effects of heat and shear on polymerization and melt processing.

Production of Thermoplastic Polyurethanes with Reduced Carbon Footprint

Extruder

Polyurethan

Extrusionsanlagen

Thermoplaste

Reactive Extrusion of TPU

LSR optics offers a wide range of applications due to the optical brilliance, the possibility to produce undercut shapes not to mention the competitive pricing. The adhesive surface which is almost impossible to clean however makes the LSR parts vulnerable against contaminations. This characteristic however limits the possible application fields. To overcome this limitation Wilhelm Weber has partnered with Fraunhofer IFAM in a recent research project.

Surface Modification of LSR Components Hinders Adhesion of Dirt

LED / OLED-Systeme und Faseroptik

Lichttechnik

Oberflächentechnik

No Chance for Dust and Contaminations

Increasing demands on component functionality and the need for efficient manufacturing processes are keeping multi-component injection molding squarely in the focus of plastics processing. Not all materials can be processed reliably in the desired combination. The new InMould-Plasma process, which is fully integrated into the injection molding process, facilitates more-efficient production and paves the way for completely new material combinations.

More Material Combinations,  Lower Costs

Mehrkomponenten-Spritzgießen

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Plasmabehandlung

Dichtungsschäumen

InMould-Plasma Streamlines the 2-Component Process and Expands  the Material Spectrum

Not only on Earth do elastomers make an important contribution to everyday life in demanding applications but they are also in demand for satellites or probes. Alongside typical worldly properties such as temperature and chemical resistance, materials deployed in space are subject to other conditions specific to this environment, such as enormous centrifugal and gravitational forces. These place special demands on the polymers we are familiar with.  

Properties of and Demands on Silicone Rubbers in the Space and Aerospace Industry 

Compound

Silikone

Compoundeure

Galactic Compounds 

Keltan Eco is an EPDM rubber manufactured using bio-based ethylene extracted from sugarcane. Depending on the ethylene content of each rubber grade, the proportion of bio-based material ranges between 50% and 70%. 

Bio-Based EPDM Rubber 

Sustainable Ingredients 

While it is not entirely common practice, just about everyone has inhaled before. In modern inhalation devices, sophisticated 2-component parts made of TPE and PP or ABS form the link between the sensitive face and a technical control unit. A look at the product development shows how materials and functionality are skillfully combined.  

The Processor Paritec Combines Materials and Functions in 2-Component Injection Molding 

Polyacrylnitril

Polypropylen

Cleaning the Lungs 

In addition to improved plant technology, new materials are being developed for additive manufacturing processes. These include elastomers which, by their irreversible cross-linking, have a different behavior than thermoplastics. An investigation shows that commercially available silicone rubbers can be processed via additive manufacturing – with high strength in relation to conventionally manufactured silicone rubbers. 

Silicones as a Material Group for Additive Manufacturing on the Test Bench 

Additive Fertigung

Elastomers of the Third Dimension 

During its first appearance at the K trade fair Arlanxeo, a joint venture between Lanxess and Saudi Aramco, has launched a new nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) grade to meet the requirements of high-end customers. Krynac XL 3375 VP is a new pre-crosslinked NBR, specifically developed to deliver high quality products with no compromise on production efficiency. 

For Extruded and Calendered Parts 

Krynac XL 3375 VP NBR 

Once known for rubbers, Lanxess has switched its focus in the last two years to engineering plastics, chemical intermediates and specialty chemicals. This transformation led to the founding of the joint venture, Arlanxeo, that will be celebrating its premiere at the K. The technical achievements are concentrated at present on the automotive industry and on electrical and electronics applications.  

Lanxess Has Undergone Reinvention and Is Presenting itself for the First Time with the  Joint Venture, Arlanxeo.  

Hochleistungskunststoffe

Polyamide

Verbundwerkstoffe / Werkstoffverbunde

Fasern

Restructured and with a New Look 

Efficient bipolar plates are needed for storing electric power obtained from renewable energy sources. While polypropylene makes a suitable matrix material for such plates, the necessary level of conductivity can only be obtained by loading it with up to 80 wt. % graphite. To prevent the compound from embrittling afterwards and to ensure it remains easy to process, a method of improving the impact strength with elastomers has been developed.   

Toughened Thermoplastic Compounds for Manufacturing Flexible Bipolar Plates 

Elektronik

HV-Anwendungen / Hybridisierung / Elektrifizierung

Energiemanagement / Ladetechnik

Flachfolien- und Plattenextrusion

Compoundieren

Flexibilizing Graphite Polar Plates 

In public and domestic drinking water supply and sanitary applications, thermoplastic elastomers are often in continual close contact with drinking water. At these points, they must withstand environmental influences, repel bacteria, and avoid contaminating the water through material wear. The statutory requirements pertaining to this are stringent and vary across the EU. 

Requirements for Thermoplastic Elastomers Used in Drinking Water Supply Applications  

Wasser

Clean Water 

Elastomer materials can be functionalized with adequate additives. By incorporating magnetizable particles, stiffness can be altered or motion may be generated. Electrically controlled mechanical sensors and actuators which are electrically controlled arise from elastomer composites with conductive layers. 

Smart Elastomer Materials with Sensor and Actuator Capabilities 

Antriebe

Sensoren, chemische

Druck- / Kraftsensoren

Kapazitive Sensoren

Magnetsensoren

Elastomers Come to Life 

The lighting industry is going through a technological change – from light bulb via energy saving lamp to the light emitting diode (LED). Especially for high-power LED the limit of the optical materials is reached, which affects the durability significantly. Transparent liquid silicone rubber offers a promising alternative because of its good thermal properties and high UV-stability.  

LED-Lenses Made of Liquid Silicone Rubber for Light Applications in the Automobile 

Optik

Silicone in Automotive Headlights 

At DKT/IRC 2015, DuPont Performance Polymers (DPP) introduced DuPont Vamac VMX5000, a new and commercially available family of ethylene acrylic elastomer (AEM) pre-compounds that extend the upper temperature limit for AEM applications by 15 to 20°C. 

Highly Heat Resistant Ethylene Acrylic Elastomer 

Vamac VMX5000 

Car windows can be framed more economically and more securely with a novel thermoplastic elastomer based on styrene block copolymers (TPS), as opposed to rubber seals. Advantageously, the typically low viscosity of TPS leads to reduced glass breakage and allows thinner glass to be used. 

Novel Thermoplastic Elastomer with Good Flow Behavior and High Surface Finish 

Messgeräte für Viskosität

Oberflächenveredelung

Flexible Auto-Glass Framing 

Only by means of consistent research and development work, is it possible to meet the high quality demands placed on technical elastomer products (TEP). Hereby, detail solutions can make the decisive difference, with which the continually increasing demands can be fulfilled. This was the motto under which the raw materials producers for the rubber industry presented their new and further developments at the K 2013. 

Elastomers: The Key to Success Is Found in Details 

When athletes go all out, their shoes must also be in good form – and the materials they contain really have to show what they are made of. The stresses generated by running, for example, can be three times greater than the runner’s body weight. Sports shoes with midsoles produced from modern high-performance rubber serve as a buffer between the runner’s feet and the hard running surface. Lanxess AG, based in Cologne, Germany, has developed an ethylene vinyl acetate rubber, known as Levapren, with a special structure that enables it to meet all the requirements of leisure and sports shoes. 

Every Step of the Way 

Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Rubber 

A new, multi-purpose adhesive and sealant for use in the household appliances, automotive and electronics industries has been developed by Wacker AG, Munich, Germany. Sold under the name Elastosil N 9111, the product is a tin-free, one-component silicone rubber. This vulcanizes at room temperature in the presence of atmospheric moisture and is characterized by excellent heat stability and good mechanical properties. The new adhesive thus constitutes a tin-free alternative to conventional room-temperature-curing, one-component silicone rubbers. Such RTV-1 silicone grades are widely used for bonding, sealing and coating. They are now indispensable in many industrial sectors, such as construction, automotive, household appliances, electronics and textiles. 

Making Seals Faster 

Elastosil N 9111 

Drive specialists require connecting and coupling elements that are as lightweight as possible. A good example of this is the Carbotorq coupling manufactured by Geislinger GmbH in Hallwang, Austria. This elastomer coupling has composite membranes on both sides, which form the mechanical interface with the drive train instead of the usual steel disks. The design makes it possible to achieve a weight saving of up to 50 %. This torsionally elastic, high-tech component has excellent damping properties and is virtually maintenance-free. It is produced on a WKP 12500 S type vacuum chamber press from Wickert Maschinenbau GmbH in Landau, Germany. 

Elastomer Couplings with Composite Membranes 

Pressen von Kunststoffen

WKP 12500 S 

“While the plastics industry, with its thermoplastics, might consider itself sexy, we all know that if you don’t use rubbers, that’s when the trouble starts.” This statement from the management right at the start of the Desma Open House reflects the self-confidence of a sector which organized its rendezvous in the South West of Germany for the seventh time round. Let’s take a look at where the shoe pinches – despite its rubber sole. 

Open House: Peak Load and Peak Performance 

A car speeds far too fast toward the tail end of a traffic jam – a crash is unavoidable. The airbag deploys and should protect the car’s occupants. But if the front-seat passenger is leaning too far forward, perhaps looking for something in a bag in the foot space, the force of the airbag can cause injury. 

Sensors that Can Stretch 

Sensors integrated into the car seat 

Since 1998, Michelin, a French tire manufacturer, has organized the “Challenge Bibendum”, a forum devoted to sustainable road mobility. This year’s event, which had “Mobility Tomorrow” as its theme, took place in late May on the grounds of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin. 

Sustainable Mobility: From the Green Tire to Lightweight Construction 