issue 03/2022

issue 02/2022

issue 01/2022

About the journal

About the Journal

Contact

Jobs

Media Data

My Login

Subscription

Imprint

Terms & Conditions

Terms and Conditions

Privacy Policy

News

Mobility

Packaging

Medical

Electrical/Electronics

Plastics Recycling

Lightweight Construction

Applications

Standard Thermoplastics

Engineering Plastics

High-Performance Plastics

Elastomers

Thermosets

Additives/Masterbatches

Bioplastics

Composites

Materials

Injection Molding

Extrusion

Additive Manufacturing

Further Processing Methods

Compounding

Composite Processing

Peripheral Equipment

Simulation

Processing

Research & Development

Dissertations

Patents

Journal of Plastics Technology

K-Fair

K 2022

HANSER Fachbuch

HANSER Literaturverlage

Hanser Divisions

Kunststoffe

FORM+Werkzeug

HANSER automotive

QZ Qualität und Zuverlässigkeit

WB Werkstatt + Betrieb

More Technical Portals

Publisher

E-Paper

Newsletter

Deutsch

Service Menu

linkedin

Products

Partners & Associations

Organ

Business Directory

Online Archive

Kraiburg TPE’s latest thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) has been specially developed for consumer and industry applications and contains up to 40 % post-consumer recyclate (PCR). In accordance with standard ISO 14021, the manufacturer recycles materials that end consumers from households and the industry can no longer use for their intended purpose.

The latest solution from Kraiburg TPE makes a post-consumer recycling proportion of 40 % possible. The TPE is partly made from household waste. 

Thermoplastische Elastomere

Compound

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Kunststoff-Rezyklat

TPE with a Post-Consumer Recycling Proportion of 40 Percent

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions has succeeded in combining thermoplastics and elastomers with the necessary strength.

In the Multicomponent Development Center elastomer seals are tested.

Spritzgießen

Kautschuk / Elastomere

Mehrkomponenten-Spritzgießen

Multicomponent Technology Expanded

At Fakuma, Momentive Performance Materials will be showcasing thermally conductive liquid silicone rubber (LSR) grades designed for high-temperature applications.

Processing of the low-temperature-cured LSR will be demonstrated at Momentive’s booth

Silikone

Messe Fakuma

Silikonkautschuk

Thermally Conductive LSR with Short Processing Time

Hexpol TPE, the international polymer compounding group, has expanded their range of Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) materials with recycled content. The new Dryflex Circular TPE grades have been tested for odor and emissions performance in automotive interiors.

Post-industrial waste streams from plastic part production are incorporated into Dryflex Circular TPE materials for automotive interior applications

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kreislaufwirtschaft

TPE Compounds with Recycled Content

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.

The collection and interpretation of process data supports producers of safety-relevant rubber products in ensuring a constant high quality

Automatic Process Monitoring with iQ Clamp Control and Machine Learning

Steuerungen (Hardware und Software)

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

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.

Injection molding and slitting of an LSR membrane for a glass-vial closure for pharmaceutical products make high demands on precision

KraussMaffei Delivers a Customized Solution for LSR Processing

Automatisierungszellen

Mikrospritzgießen

Medizintechnik

Medizinprodukte

Transparency in Production

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

The materials’ substantially reduced tendency to oil out, for example, enables high-quality gel pad applications and optimizes ejection of the finished parts during processing

16:9

Kraiburg TPE Presents Its Next Generation Supersoft TPEs

Werkstoffe für additive Verfahren

For Extremely Soft Applications

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

The company has built up the new flame-retardant synergist portfolio with a view to promoting the growth of halogen-free solutions

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.

Fig. 1. Ingrinder system solution: the sprue picker guides the removed sprue via vacuum conveyance to the integrated granulator

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.

Extruded strand from the continuous synthesis of a thermoplastic polyurethane, containing the new paraformaldehyde-based polyol

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.

Half of the board was treated with VUV while the other half has covered. Afterwards norm dust was applied onto the board uniformly and than knocked off (once) in upright position. The dust sticks to the untreated areas while falls of the treated areas

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.

Demonstration mold for the production of a housing cover by the InMould plasma process

More Material Combinations,  Lower Costs

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 

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 