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

In the second part of the series the digitalization applied in injection molding was presented with examples. The quality of the granulates used, produced in the upstream compounding process, is an important influencing factor via the viscosity. Can consistent granulate quality be achieved through the use of digitalization in compounding? Does comprehensive data recording bring with it further use cases, and what special attention must be paid to a continuous process? The Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences presents the first results of internal projects.

Alex Ramsauer (left) and Prof. Daniel Schwendemann from IWK take a critical look at the data analysis.

16:9

Part 3 of the Series: Digitalization in Compounding

Spritzgießen

Industrie 4.0 für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Compoundieren

Every Unit Counts

Evonik is expanding its portfolio of polyamide 12 compounds for insulating electrical conductors with the product Vestamid LX9050 OR.

Busbars insulated with the new RAL 2003 signal orange colored material can be used at elevated operating temperatures up to 125 °C.

Compound

Polyamide

Additive

Improved Fire Protection for High-Voltage Batteries

With a newly developed process from Entex it was possible to compound an injection grade compound of PLA with a 50 % wood flour content.

The PLA compound with 50 % wood flour content was successfully produced on Entex’s planetary roller extruder

Compounding PLA Formulations with a 50 % Wood Flour Content, without Premixing

Extruder

Biokunststoffe

Kunststoff

Extrusionsanlagen

Direct to Highly Filled Bioplastics

Compounder Mocom will be showcasing products made from 100  % post-consumer recycled materials (PCR) at the Fakuma.

Compounder Mocom will be showcasing products made from 100 % post-consumer recycled materials (PCR) at the Fakuma

Automotive

Messe Fakuma

Compoundeure

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Kunststoff-Rezyklat

Made Entirely from PCR

Lehvoss will be coming to Fakuma with compounds for lightweight construction applications, including those intended to serve as metal substitutes.

Lehvoss will be coming to Fakuma with compounds for lightweight construction applications

Technische Kunststoffe

Faserverbundwerkstoffe

Replacing Metals with PPA Compounds

Based on interviews in industry, this article describes a common understanding of the most important use cases. The results capture the current direction in the plastics industry.

Part 1 of the Series: Use Cases Based on Strategic Priorities in Plastics Processing

Strategie und Organisation

Implementation of Industry 4.0 in Injection Molding and Compounding

The MRS multi-rotation system enables even the smallest particles to be homogeneously incorporated into polymer melts.

Evacuation in the MRS section: the MRS multi-rotation system removes from 3 to 250 l of water per hour from the polymer in less than 6 s

Cascade Extruder with Multiple Screw Devolatilization System for Compounding

Neither Shaken nor Stirred

To extend the range of polymer powders for selective laser sintering, Paderborn University in collaboration with the Maag Group has developed an extrusion line that can produce round particles with good flowability.

The extrusion line to manufacture powder for selective laser sintering of plastics is in the Paderborn University laboratory

Research Project to Manufacture Powder for Selective Laser Sintering of Plastics

Selektives Lasersintern von Kunststoff, Metall, Keramik

Additive Fertigung

Perfectly Round

Polymers distributor K. D. Feddersen will be presenting various new materials at the Fakuma trade-show which it will be sharing with other companies in the group.

M Vera bio-based compounds are also suitable for food contact

Elektromobilität

Wide Range of Materials at a Shared Booth

This time around, polymers distributor Albis will be focusing on sustainable products and will be presenting materials based on recycled products or renewable resources aimed at various industrial sectors.

Albis will be presenting materials based on recycled products or renewable resources

All Things Sustainable

Brüggemann and Grafe developed a color masterbatch for polyamides, which, even after 1000 hours’ service at 130 °C, still retain their warning effect without darkening.

Injection-molded and extruded polyamide components for E-mobility are typical applications for the color-stable and cost-effectively processable eOrange masterbatches jointly developed by Grafe and Brüggemann

Masterbatches

Orange Retains its Warning Effect

Bipolar plates are one of the key components of fuel cells and redox flow batteries. They consist of plastics compounds highly filled with electrically conductive materials. To save space, cut costs, and reduce weight, there is increasing demand for the production of thinner plates without compromising robustness and service life. This can be achieved using modified polymers. With a new technology, bipolar plate films based on these modified polymers can be processed as coils.

The modified polymers enable films to be processed  as coils

Modified Conductive Compounds Make It Possible to Manufacture Bipolar Plates from a Bipolar Film Coil

Brennstoffzelle

Brennstoffzellen

Folien

Ultrathin Bipolar Plates for Fuel Cells

The quality of final products can be increased by using measurement technology for monitoring production processes. Interest in it is increasing especially for compounding. There are various existing methods of non-destructive testing that can also be used inline in the manufacturing process. The different methods are suitable for different applications: an overview of the current capabilities and limitations of the various inline methods.

Fig. 2. Dependence of measurable ultrasonic amplitude (extinction coefficients) of filler content and the accompanying median size of chalk particles in plastics compounds: By using such databank-integrated calibration curves, both of these quality relevant features can be quantified inline by ultrasound

Inline Testing Methods for Monitoring Processes

Messtechnik

Mikrowellenmesstechnik

Kunststoffverarbeitung

Transparency in Compounding

Polymers can be protected against relevant microorganisms with a single antimicrobial product.

The antimicrobial protection of the new Sanitized product is permanently effective, even after weathering

Additive for Plastic Surfaces

Medizintechnik

Protection against Microorganisms

The so-called M·Vera grades can be processed in the injection molding process and in the extrusion process.

Application example of environment-friendly cosmetics packaging

Bio-Fed’s Contribution to the EU Green Deal 2030

Sustainable PLA-Based Compounds

The company presents new formulas of structural thermoplastic materials reaching 414 MPa tensile strength.

A bracket made of the new structural thermoplastic compounds

MCAM about its KyronMAX Structural Thermoplastic Compounds

Harze

Kunststoff-Erzeugung

Thermoplaste

Expanded Resin Formulations

Thermoplastic compounds with integrated electrical conductivity offer a potential solution to resolve EMI, EMS and electrostatic discharge challenges. These thermoplastic materials can deliver the appropriate level of electromagnetic shielding for electronics, while providing freedom to design complex geometries and opportunities to streamline processing by avoiding secondary operations.

SEM analysis illustrates inferior dispersal (above) and good dispersion (bottom) of conductive fibers in molded polycarbonate parts. The distribution can be optimized by appropriate processing parameters and injection molding machines (PC resin)

Ensure the Electromagnetic Compatibility of Wireless Devices with Special Plastics

Polycarbonat

Medizinprodukte

Well Protected against  Electromagnetic Interference

Thanks to the composition of new formulations the company has been able to create color-intensive and heat-stable masterbatches.

Brilliant color results thanks to newly developed color formulations, also for high-temperature applications

20:7

Masterbatches for High Temperature Polymers

Farbstoffe und Pigmente

Stabilisatoren

Brilliant Color Results

The patent on the operating principle of the co-kneader was applied for three quarters of a century ago. Compared to other extruder technologies, it features a clearly higher mixing effect while it processes the raw materials gently. Current applications for its further development range from reactive, shear-sensitive plastics to the compounding of high-performance engineering plastics.

Looking into the process chamber of the current generation of Compeo type co-kneaders we see the position of the stationary kneading pins in the barrel that comb the kneading flights of the modular screw

Gentle Compounding with High Mixing Effect and Good Scalability in the Co-Kneader

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Aufbereitungsmaschinen

The One that Shears, Splits,  and Folds Material

Thanks to its special working principle, the co-kneader fulfills top mixing requirements. Until now, however, its design could not be based on simulation. Systematic investigation together with analytical and numerical models overcome this hurdle and provide the basis for computer-aided optimization.

A look inside the co-kneader whose behavior when processing polyethylene and polystyrene was simulated

Predict Co-Kneader Behavior Efficiently with Procedural Understanding

Mischer

Spritzgießsimulation

Understanding Kneading Holistically

Starting immediately, ips Intelligent Pelletizing Solutions GmbH & Co. KG, Niedernberg, is also supplying systems for the production of long fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (LFT). For this, the company is delivering complete systems from a single source ¿ from planning through construction to commissioning ¿ just as for strand and underwater pelletizing systems. 

Intelligent System Concept for the Production of LFT Pellets 

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Faserverarbeitung

Pultrusion

Granulieren

For Heavy-Duty Structural Components 

The mechanical properties of plastic compounds are an important quality criterion. At present, however, they can only be determined by laboratory measurements with a time delay. Online measurement procedures during compounding save time and prevent errors during the production process. A research project shows how the impact strength and hardness of the compound strand can be measured online.

Fig. 1. Illustration of the online measurement approaches (right) and based on the standard measurements (left) for Shore hardness (top) and Izod impact strength (bottom)

Recording of Mechanical Properties during Compounding

Verbundwerkstoffe / Werkstoffverbunde

Industrielle Messtechnik

Fertigungsmesstechnik

Inline- / Online-Messsysteme

Determining Mechanical Properties  at Every Stroke

As expected, the K 2019 displayed a wide range of machine technology and complete system solutions for plastics recycling. At least since the trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany, it has become obvious that industry today can offer solutions for closing the plastic cycle.

Complex chain: recycling materials (such as these shredded and washed fishing nets) have to pass through several stations, beginning with collecting and sorting, before they can be mechanically recycled