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On-Site
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Tekni-Plex has evolved into a
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a wide range of extrusions for a host
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By Jim Callari
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30

K 2016 Report: Auxiliary Equipment 36 Augmented Auxiliaries 4 FROM THE EDITOR

at K 2016
Incremental improvements to 6 STARTING UP
existing technologies combined
with altogether new advances at CLOSE-UP
the giant show.
10 Additive Manufacturing
By Tony Deligio
Senior Editor
KNOW HOW
14 Materials

K 2016 Report: Hot Runners & Tooling
18 Injection Molding
44 Hot Runners & 3D-Printed 23 Extrusion
Molds Headlined at K Show
26 Tooling
Automotive was a key focus
for hot-runner developments.
3D-printed plastic prototype tools KEEPING UP WITH TECHNOLOGY
were another highlight. 56 Injection Molding
By Matt Naitove
Executive Editor 56 Additives

57 Extrusion

57 Blow Molding

58 Compounding

K 2016 Report: Resins & Additives
50 New Resins & Additives 58 Recycling
Galore at K 2016
A wide range of interesting devel- YOUR BUSINESS
opments in materials technologies 61 Resin Pricing Analysis
were sprinkled in with some
63 Plastics Business Index
intriguing announcements of
new ventures at K 2016. 64 Market Watch
By Lilli Manolis Sherman
67 Marketplace
Senior Editor
72 Processors Edge

PTonline.com Plastics Technology 1

 ptonline.com @plastechmag

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 From The Editor
Injection Molding Done Right
Looking to improve your molding operation? Who isnt? Weve
got you covered: Attend the Molding 2017 Conference in April.
If you own or manage or work at an injection molding plant
theres likely a few things that keep you tossing and turning at
night as you try to figure out how to make
your business more profitable. Heres my
list of questions you might be asking your-
self that might be disturbing your slumber:
Are you up to date on the important
precepts of scientific molding? Are you
making the most of technology available
in robots and automation? Whats all this
business about Industry 4.0 and predictive
maintenance, and how can they be used
Jim Callari
Editorial Director
to improve your business? Are there new
technologies available that you need to
know about? Whats going on in materials
and additives that can pack more properties into your parts? Are
your materials-handling, drying, and cooling practices helping or
hindering your operation? Are you losing orders and wondering
what your competitors know that you dont?
Likely theres lots more, but weve got you covered. On April
3-6, Plastics Technology will be holding the 27th annual Molding
Conference at the Sheraton/Le Meridien Hotel in Charlotte, N.C.
Its tailored 100% for injection molders and addresses a broad
range of topics and issues in molding for medical, automotive,
packaging, electronics, and other markets.
In each issue of this magazinein print and onlinewe try to
bring you practical, hands-on information about technology that
you can use right now to improve the efficiency of your operation.
It is, we think, what distinguishes us from other magazines in this
field, and its a vital one. And we take that concept one step further
by positioning our two yearly technology conferencesthis one
and our annual event on extrusionas the pages of the publi-
cation coming to life. Molding 2016 set an all-time attendance
record in its 26th year; and Decembers Extrusion 2016 conference
4 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
drew more than 400 people. So it seems pretty clear to me that this
concept is striking a chord with our audience.
Molding 2017, if youll pardon the clich, will be bigger and
better than ever in year 27. The technical program, meticulously
crafted by my edito-
rial colleagues
Matt Naitove and Are you losing orders and
Tony Deligiowho wondering what your compet-
have a combined itors know that you dont?
60 years of experi-
ence reporting
on injection molding technologywill consist of more than 60
presentations covering almost everything that goes on in a molding
plant. If youre in the business of injection molding, your copy of
this magazine was packaged with a brochure packed with all the
details about this conference. Check it out. You can also point your
browser to moldingconference.com for the same details. And from
that site you can point and click to register for the conference and
arrange for your hotel accommodations.
But wait, theres more (yeah, another clich). Remember the
part above about practical, hands-on information and the pages
of the publication coming to life? Well, have you ever met anyone
quite as lively as John Bozzelli? On Monday April 3, from 1-5 pm,
Bozzellia scientific molding guru and the author of Plastics
Technologys Injection Molding Know How columnwill be holding
an injection molding workshop at the Polymers Center of
Excellence, a short distance from the hotel. And after the
official program ends on April 6, there will be one more live
demonstration, at RocTool in Charlotte, which has some
innovative tooling technology for producing high-defini-
tion parts that youll be able to see up close and in person.
I started this column with a list of questions that
could be rolling around your mind and keeping you awake at night.
Join us at Molding 2017, April 3-6 at the Sheraton/Le Meridien Hotel
in Charlotte, N.C. You might find yourself having a far easier time
falling to sleep at night afterward.
FOLLOW US
@plastechmag
@jimcallari
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 T ECHNOLOG Y A ND INDUS T RY NE W S
Star ting Up
News in LSR Molding at K 2016
One of the more unusual liquid silicone molding demonstrations at K 2016
was molding a two-color LSR-on-LSR egg cup using an Arburg machine with
just a single barrel and a single LSR pump. The technique was
demonstrated by LSR materials supplier Momentive Performance
Materials Inc., Waterford, N.Y. (momentive.com). The pumping system
from Elmet of Austria (Lansing, Mich.; elmet.com) supplied the barrel with A
and B components of Momentives Silopren LSR 2670, plus a white colorant.
A T-coupling
diverted a side
stream of the
two compo-
nents plus a
yellow colorant
to a second
static mixer and
a side-mounted
pneumatic piston pump. The latter delivered the smaller yellow shot. Then the
rotating core on the 4 + 4 cavity tool (also from Elmet) indexed the part to the
second cavity where the larger white shot was added. Using one pump and
injection barrel, instead of two of each, reduced cost and footprint.
The mold and process were designed with the aid of Sigmasoft Virtual
Molding simulation from Sigma Engineering GmbH (Schaumburg, Ill.; 3dsigma.
com). Simulation helped determine the filling time, injection pressure needed,
and the optimal material grade. Sigmas highly
developed LSR simulation can show such details
as air temperature at the vents, formation of flow
lines during fill, and percent cure to indicate when
parts can be ejected.
Meanwhile, Elmet introduced its TOP 5000 P
pumping system, which makes loading drums
faster and easier through access from the front,
both sides, and even at 45 angles. This is said
to be valuable for cleanroom applications, where
space is limited. Open-access design also makes
the system easier to keep clean.
Also new is a step-by-step instruction guide on
the touchscreen, which minimizes the amount of
operator training necessary. Other new features
include automatic air venting from drums, and
piston pumps that provide pulsation-free meter-
ing. A new static-mixer unit uses clamps instead
of threads, so there is no risk of damaged threads. Theres no more need for a
large wrencha simple wrist action with a special tool is sufficient.
6 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
Copolyamide Promotes
Bonding of Metal to
Plastic In Hybrid
Overmolding Process
At the recent K 2016 show in
Dusseldorf, a new one-step
process for forming,
overmolding, and
bonding nylon to sheet
metal was demonstrated at the
booth of Wittmann Battenfeld
(U.S. office in Torrington, Conn.;
wittmann-group.com). The key to
the process is a copolyamide hot-
melt adhesive called Vestamelt
Hylink from Evonik High-Perfor-
mance Polymers (Parsippany, N.J.;
evonik.com). It promotes chemical
bonding between metals and vari-
ous nylons. In so-called hybrid
parts where plastic is overmolded
onto sheet metal, this bond-
ing agentapplied to the metal
sheet via coil coating or spray-
ingcan avoid the need to design
mechanical locks between the
two materials. Vestamelt Hylink
was introduced at K 2010 but was
used for the first time in produc-
tion in 2013.
Originally, forming the coated
metal sheet was a separate
operation from overmolding and
bonding. But R&D at the German
Institute for Plastics Process-
ing (IKV) in Aachen developed a
method of forming the coated
metal in the injection mold
during the same cycle as over-
molding. This was demonstrated
at K with a cup-shaped part over-
molded with Evoniks Vestamid
Terra HS1850, a biobased nylon
610 with 30% glass fiber.
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 T ECHNOLOG Y A ND INDUS T RY NE W S
Star ting Up
New Kind of Lenticular Sheet Arrives
A new supplier and processing method for lenticular sheet
have made their debut. 3D technology leader Jade Phototech
announced it has partnered with custom processor Lindar Corp.
in a joint venture whereby Lindar will produce PET micro-optical
sheet under the brand name Optica. Lindar (lindarcorp.com)
recently commissioned an extrusion line from SML in Austria (U.S.
office in Gloucester, Mass.; sml.at) at its plant in Baxter, Minn.,
that was designed by Jade Phototech specifically for this prod-
uct. The move marks Lindars foray into extrusion; it had been
exclusively a thermoformer focused on food containers, paint tray
liners and heavy-gauge parts, says Dave Fosse, dir. marketing.
Lenticular sheet is used to create a 3D motion effect for
packaging, point-of-purchase displays, labels, ID cards, and a
range of other applications. While there are a number of extru-
sion processors supplying sheet of this
kindwhich is flat on one side and has
tiny lenses, or lenticules, on the other that
are imparted by an impression rollerthe
Optica sheet production process is report-
edly more repeatable and efficient, gener-
ates less scrap, and can be printed using
flexographic printing technology, believed
to be a first for lenticular material. Says
Fosse, This is a game changer in the
motion-graphic market. This provides very
high-resolution print quality and guaran-
teed consistency across the entire width of
the sheet, from 8 to 33 mils thick.
Once the lenses have been extruded
either into roll stock or sheets cut to size
the images are printed directly onto the
material. This causes the image to pop with 3D graphics, morph-
ing graphics, flip graphics, and up to 24 frames of motion graphics
being viewed through the lenticules, the companies explain.
Jade Phototech (jadephotech.com), Norcross, Ga., has
numerous patents on the process. Bruce Hinkel, president of
Oil Additive Helps Hydraulic Presses Save Energy
Injection molding presses and other plastics machinery can operate
more efficiently and save energy with a hydraulic oil additive from
Evonik of Germany (U.S. office in Parsippany, N.J.) Evon-
iks Dynavis technology involves formulating oils with its
Viscoplex family of polymer-based viscosity-index improv-
ers. Normally, hydraulic equipment works at optimal efficiency when
the oil is within a particular temperature range. Oils formulated
with Dynavis technology (which has been licensed to a number of
hydraulic oil suppliers around the world) extend that high-efficiency
temperature range: They both flow better at low temperatures and
remain more viscous at higher temperatures. When such oils are
used in injection molding machines, the press uses less drive energy,
and the oil does not get as hot and withstands shearing forces
better. Until recently, Dynavis technology has been used mainly in
construction equipment. Tests in injection machines were released
by Evonik in 2015. Dynavis technology was tested on a Boy Machines
35-ton press and an Engel 120-ton machine. Comparisons with stan-
dard hydraulic oils showed energy savings of 6% to 10% with Dynavis.
800-334-8772 dynavis.com
8 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
the company, says only a few aspects of the extruder and die are
unique to this technology. As for the PET used to produce the
sheet, Hinkel would only remark that the company resisted using
additives, and that the secret sauce that makes Optica sheet
unique can be generally explained by greater control over material
melt point, melt pressure, and intrinsic viscosity.
Adds Dr. Bill Karszes, Jade Photechs CEO and the machines
lead designer, Jade Photech has taken a systems approach to
producing more cost-effective and attractive 3D images. We have
designed and built a process to produce the most uniformly
consistent micro-optical material available in the market. Now our
partnership with Lindar has furthered our goals by utilizing their
manufacturing expertise and experience. The material has been
successfully printed and has proven to be cost-effective.
Karszes and Jerry Nims, chairman of sister company Photon
3D, are considered pioneers in the development of 3D technology.
Among other things, they jointly developed/patented the 3D depth
of field and control of the parallax, which was the basis for viewing
analog 3D images without glasses.
B&P, Littleford Finalize Union
B&P Process Equipment and Systems LLC, and B&P Littleford
Day LLC, two suppliers of machinery for plastics mixing and
separation, merged to form B&P Littleford LLC on Jan. 1. The
new entity will be headquartered in Saginaw, Mich., the loca-
tion of B&Ps newly renovated technical center that offers
equipment testing and R&D. The companys other facilities
are in Fort Mitchell, Ky., and Houston.
B&P Littleford will produce systems for batch and
continuous mixing that include various mixers, extruders,
co-kneaders and centrifuges, as well as related equip-
ment for drying and reacting. Well-known trademarks of
the company include Baker Perkins and Littleford Day.
Says Laurence Slovin, CEO, Together we will offer the
most mixing solutions of any company. Our customers will
benefit from extraordinary levels of equipment diversity,
technical and industry expertise, and reliabilityall of this
with the convenience of working with one manufacturer.
989-757-1300 bplittleford.com
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 A DDIT IV E M A NUFAC T URING
Close-Up On Technolog y
K 2016 Proves Additive
Manufacturing Has
Staying Power
Plastics Technology Staff Report
Going back three years to the K 2013 show in Dusseldorf, arguably
the biggest showstopper then was the world debut of the
Freeformer machine for additive manufacturing from
Arburg (U.S. headquarters Rocky Hill, Conn.; arburg.
com). Fast-forward three years to Octobers K 2016
show, and the evidence is clear that this technology is not a
passing fancy. This time it wasnt just one exhibit that generated
excitement around additive manufacturing (aka 3D printing), but
a slew of innovations from a range of suppliers.
Here are some highlights based on reporting from Executive
Editor Matt Naitove and Senior Editors Lilli Manolis Sherman
and Heather Caliendo.
WORLD FIRST FOR SILICONE RUBBER
The German parent of Wacker Chemical Corp., Adrian, Mich.
(wacker.com), presented what it called the first industrial 3D
printer for silicones, the ACEO Imagine Series K, which was
operating at its booth throughout the show. The company says
Stratasys showcased 3D-printed plastic tooling
for injection molding (photo), blow molding,
thermoforming, and composites prepreg fabrication.
10 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
During K, Wacker
showcased the
first industrial-
scale 3D printer for
silicone rubber.
that silicone experts developed a unique system solutioncon-
sisting of material, software, and hardwareto open up new
opportunities for industries such as healthcare, automotive, and
electronics. ACEO tech-
nology uses a drop-on-
demand method. The The ACEO Imagine Series
printer head deposits K from Wacker is billed as
tiny silicone droplets on first industrial 3D-printer
a substrate. In this way, for silicone rubber.
the workpiece is built up
layer by layer. The sili-
cone is formulated so that the droplets flow together before the
curing process begins, which is activated by UV light. The droplets
and layers produce a homogeneous workpiece, which the com-
pany claims does not differ much from injection molded parts.
With the aid of water-soluble support materials, it is also possible
to create overhang materials and internal lattices.
ACEO technology can be used to make parts and assemblies
with complex geometries, as well as impossible products that
could not previously be produced, explains Bernd Pachaly, head of
Wackers silicones research and responsible for the ACEO team.
Wacker is currently building its own technology centerthe
ACEO campusnear its main site in Burghausen, Germany. In
the future, customers will be able to test their own product ideas
in an Open Print Lab.
3D-PRINTED PLASTIC MOLDS
Stratasys, Eden Prairie, Minn., a leading supplier of 3D-printing
equipment and materials, devoted its exhibit almost entirely to
displays of plastic tooling and parts made from it. The exhibit
also featured Stratasys new Polyjet J750 printer, which can print
up to six different colors or materials at the same time. It does
that by dispensing droplets of different colors or materials on
top of each other, inkjet style, so they mix before being hardened
(crosslinked) by UV light.
The capabilities of 3D-printed plastic tooling are best illus-
trated by what molders are doing with it. According to Gil
Robinson, Stratasys sr. application engineer, they are running
nylon, polycarbonate, acetal, PPE alloys, and PPSeven some
PTonline.com
 Close-Up On Technolog y

glass-filled gradesas long ADVANCES IN 3D

as injection temperatures PRINTING MATERIALS
remain below 300 C (572 F). ABS specialty compounder Elix
The number of shots that Polymers made its debut at the K.
can be achieved depends on The Tarragona, Spain, company is
the material and the part. developing advanced versions of
Robinson said the printed Solvay Engineering Polymers showcased a ABS specifically for 3D printing
3D-printed functional air-intake manifold
tooling inserts can last for using Fused Filament Fabrication
designed for the Polimotor 2 racing-car project.
five to 20 parts in nylon or (FFF). Elix (elix-polymers.com) is
PC, 50 to 100 parts in poly- seeking materials that will produce
olefins, and up to 700 to 800 shots in acetal. The more complex parts with better mechanical properties, including good impact resis-
the geometry, and the thinner the walls, the shorter the tool life. tance, low warpage, strong dimensional stability, and high resolution.
Stratasys (stratasys.com) showed at K that printed plastic Solvay Engineering Polymers, Alpharetta, Ga. (solvay.com),
molds can also be used to prototype blow molded bottles and ther- showcased a 3D-printed functional air-intake manifold designed
moformed shapes. In the case of thermoforming, a different type for the Polimotor 2 racing-car project. It is produced with the
of Stratasys printer, using the FDM process of extruding and fusing companys Sinterline Technyl nylon 6 powder on an SLS (selec-
thin plastic filaments, produces a porous mold that needs no tive laser sintering) machine. The company printed the part with a
drilling of vacuum holes. Other exhibits displayed printed plastic 30% weight reduction by applying Solvays predictive simulation
layup tools for vacuum bagging continuous-glass composites. In package, MMI Technyl Design, for the first time. That lightweighting
one case, soluble material was used to print a core for laying up a contributed to the goal of designing this engine to weigh 138-148 lb,
composite tube with curves and bends. The printed core could be 90 lb less than a standard production engine today.
washed out after curing the carbon-fiber/epoxy part. (See also this Covestro, Pittsburgh (covestro.com), also touched on interesting
months report on hot runners and tooling news at K.) 3D-printing technology applicable to several industries. Within athletics,

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the company discussed opportunities in footwear, with Covestro
officials seeing that market as the most rapidly developing in terms
of commercial additive manufacturing. At this time, Fused Filament
Fabrication (FFD) is being applied with TPU and PC filaments.
Topas, Florence, Ky. (topas-us.com), discussed commercial
strides in 3D printing with its Topas cyclic olefin copolymer (COC).
Dolomite Microfluidics, also of Florence, Ky., developed a new 3D
printer, the Fluidic Factory, for making prototypes of fluidically
sealed devices such as chips, sensor cartridges, fluid manifolds,
valves, and connectors. The company opted to use a filament
of Topas COC, a polymer frequently requested by biologists and
which has great acceptance in the microfluidic industry.
A. Schulman, Fairlawn, Ohio (ashulman.com), also discussed its
progress toward commercialization of its Shulasint nylon 12 powders
for SLS additive manufacturing, with samples exhibited at the show.
Polyscope (U.S. office in Novi, Mich.; polyscope.com), is devel-
oping filaments for FDM 3D-printing technology. To be launched in
the first half of 2017, the initial offerings will include ABS, which the
company says surpasses existing ABS filaments in terms of dimen-
sional stability and interlayer adhesion. Filaments for use with SLS
technology are also being explored. In collaboration with AIMPLAS
Plastics Technology Centre in Valencia, Spain, early functional parts
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A DDIT IV E M A NUFAC T URING
NEW 3D-PRINTING PROCESS FOR AIRCRAFT
A new collaborative development among Airbus Group Innovations
(Suresnes, France), LSS Laser Sinter Service (Holzwickede, Germany)
and Lehmann & Voss & Co. (Hamburg, Germany) was announced at
K 2016 for the new ThermoMELT 3D printing process to be commer-
cialized by Airbus (airbusgroup.com). This technology is said to
reduce the cost of production with high-performance polymers
and to allow new high-performance polymers to be usedby low-
ering sintering temperatures. German service bureau Rauch CNC
(cnc-manufaktur.com) will also join this collaboration as a partner
for testing ThermoMELT to ensure it fulfills market requirements.
ThermoMELT allows the production of parts using high-
performance materials in slightly modified commercial SLS
machines. These modifications will provide better thermal and
laser control to the system. ThermoMELT is said to significantly
reduce thermal aging effects during the manufacturing process,
increasing recyclability and reducing costs compared with
standard additive-manufacturing techniques.
LOOKING FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING NEWS AT K 2016?
Visit the K 2016 Zone at ptonline.com/zones/k-2016.
1976 2016
 Know How
MATERIALS
PART 2
The Need for Generalists
Problem-solving requires a team that combines people having
academic credentials with others who have hands-on experience.
There is a large gulf in the plastics industry between those profes-
sionals who are classically trained in an academic environment
and those who gain their experience in industry. Both arenas have
value, but they are very different, and the
manner in which people learn in these two
settings is also very different.
It is the rare individual who
has the opportunity to gain a
significant amount of experi- practical level to ensure proper functioning of a product.
ence in both settings. Those
who do stand out, like the late,
By Mike Sepe great Myer Ezrin, Stephen Driscoll at Univ.
of Mass.-Lowell, and design consultant
Glenn Beall, are all reminders of how versatile a professional in
the world of plastics can be. But these examples are few and far
between, and their numbers are dwindling.
No one can be an expert in everything. Even in the relatively
small piece of the known world that polymers represent, there is
an enormous amount to grasp. Complicating this picture is the fact
that many people active in the plastics industry had no intention of
The
Specialist
vs.
The
Generalist
going into plastics and did not train for it. If you poll a representa-
tive cross-section of people at any trade show or technical confer-
ence, you will find people with degrees in mechanical engineering,
electrical engineering, chemistry (often not polymer chemistry),
material science (usually all about metals), computer science,
14 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
and economics, to name just a few. If any of these people have an
advanced degree, it is just as likely to be an MBA as anything else.
If you put enough of these people of varied backgrounds in
the same room with the right corporate climate, you have an
outstanding problem-solving team. Unfortunately, it takes an inor-
There is virtually no guidance on what is needed on a
dinate amount of managerial talent and focus to keep such a group
focused and functioning. Instead, things tend to devolve into the
silos that we all say we abhor, and individually we tend to proceed
down career paths that become increasing narrow and out of touch
with colleagues who do not look, think, and act just like us.
The result of all thiswhen it comes to the analytical-services
companies that are often responsible for identifying the causes
of a problemis that despite all the impressive equipment,
the years of formal education, and the advanced degrees, we
often come up short. Take a common problem that is
responsible for many product failuresan excessive
decline in the average molecular weight of a polymer.
Molecular weight is the fundamental property on which
polymer performance is based. Unless the molecules
are of a certain minimum size. it is not possible to
achieve the chain entanglement that is the source of
the unusual set of properties that polymers offer. Once
this minimum molecular size has been established,
increases in molecular weight provide further improve-
ments in performance.
In almost every polymer family there are commercial
products that span a range of average molecular weights.
While the actual molecular weights are not often
talked about, measurements such as melt flow rate and
intrinsic viscosity provide a relative assessment of average molec-
ular weight. Polycarbonates, for example, may have melt flow rates
as low as 1 g/10 min (high molecular weight) to as high as 80 g/10
min (low molecular weight). The high-molecular-weight materials
are used to make products where long-term durability is needed,
PTonline.com
 M AT ERI A L S

while the low-molecular-weight materials go into intricate shapes significance of the measurements that are taken and reported.
with low mechanical demand, such as optical storage media. For example, the analyst may report that the melt flow rate of the
Each commercial grade of material is made to a certain target raw material is 15 g/10 min and the MFR of the molded part is 30
molecular weight. If we assume that g/10 min, without commenting on
the person selecting the material whether or not this is an appropriate
has made a good choice, a part If molecular-weight testing is outcome. Molecular weight is covered
properly molded from that material performed, the next hurdle is extensively in the textbooks on
will perform as intended. However, getting someone to interpret polymers. There are discussions on
improper processing can cause the results so that a decision primary and secondary methods of
excessive reductions in the average can be made on whether the measurement and the chemical reac-
molecular weight of the polymer. This change in molecular weight is tions by which appropriate molecular
can result in a loss in ductility as well part of the problem. weights are achieved.
as reductions in long-term perfor- But there is virtually no guidance
mance characteristics such as fatigue on what is needed on a practical level
resistance and environmental stress-crack resistance. Therefore, to ensure proper functioning of a product. That information has
molecular-weight testing should be part of any product-failure come from a vast amount of practical experience gained through
investigation. But this step is often bypassed in favor of more empirical testing, and that work has not been incorporated into the
complex testing that does not address this particularly impor- formal texts that are used in the academic arena. So a student
tant characteristic. If it is performed, the next hurdle is getting
someone to interpret the results so that a decision can be made on KNOW HOW MATERIALS
whether the change in molecular weight is part of the problem. Learn more at PTonline.com
A common complaint on the part of clients who receive Get more insights on Materials from our expert author:
lab results is that there is little or no explanation regarding the short.ptonline.com/materialsKH

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 Know How

pursuing an advanced degree in polymer chemistry can read thousands of words about the lated physical properties to average molec-
topic of molecular weight and study all the appropriate equations without ever encoun- ular weight and have observed that product
tering a discussion about the quantitative relationship between average molecular weight performance begins to decline when this
and product performance. point is reached.
When addressing a large group of technical people who work for a major resin And yet I have seen many test results
supplier, I put the question to them of what represents the maximum allowable decline that report molecular-weight reductions
in average molecular weight from raw material to fabricated part. They answered imme- of 20% to as high as 50% and there is not
diately and almost unanimously that the maximum allowable reduction is 10%. How do one word regarding the implication of this
they know this with such certainty? Because they have done the work. They have corre- finding regarding the performance of the
part. There is so little formal treatment
of this topic that a colleague of mine was
involved in a legal case some years ago
where their tests showed a 50% reduction
in the molecular weight of the polymer and
brought that to trial as evidence of a major
problem with product performance. When
the expert for the opposing side testi-
Advanced Plastic s Education & Training fied that this level of change in molecular
weight was not problematic, an extensive
literature search found nothing on which
to base a rebuttal of that claim. As a result,
the case dragged on for weeks and cost all

Learn from the best

involved a great deal of money while the
smoking gun sat unnoticed.
It isnt that the knowledge is not out
there relating molecular weight to perfor-
mance. There are hundreds if not thousands
of professionals in the industry who can
connect the dots between a large reduction
in average molecular weight and a product
failure. But they are not usually the ones
doing the lab testing and writing the reports.
Someone with both an academic under-
standing and the practical experience, or a
team that contains both the highly trained
analytical chemist and the field person with
practical know-how, is needed to draw the
John John Michael appropriate attention to the problem.
Bozzelli Beaumont Sepe Next month we will look at some other
instances of missed opportunities brought
about by an overly narrow focus.

www.AIM.Institute or 1-866-344-9694 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mike Sepe is an indepen-

dent, global materials and processing consultant
whose company, Michael P. Sepe, LLC, is based in
Sedona, Ariz. He has more than 40 years of expe-
rience in the plastics industry and assists clients
with material selection, designing for manufac-
turability, process optimization, troubleshooting,
and failure analysis. Contact: (928) 203-0408
mike@thematerialanalyst.com.

16 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

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 Know How

INJECTION MOLDING
Analyze Moisture
Before Processing
If you want a stable process
and parts that function
properly, you must monitor
the water content of the
resin before molding.

When presenting training seminars, I encourage attendees to ask
questions. I even offer rewards for participation. During my December
class, this question came up: What is the
difference between moisture-specific and
weight-loss moisture analysis? It stunned me,
as I never had thought to explain ita
foul-up on my part. It is an important ques-
tion, as it has to do with drying plastics to
make acceptable parts from moisture-
sensitive resins. It is critical in under-
standing the tests you use for moisture
By John Bozzelli
analysis at your shop. Why is this so?
Resin drying is a crucial part of
most molding operations. It has been a topic of several articles by
fellow Plastics Technology columnist Mike Sepe, and by frequent
PT contributor and drying expert Pete Stoughton, and by me. We
write about drying because many of the part problems we deal with
are a result of improper drying. These problems include process
variations, premature
part failures, returned
If you do not dry resins
parts, lawsuits, etc.,
correctly the moisture will
all of which add up to
react with (chop up) the
significant dollar losses.
polymer chains.
Profits suffer and you
as a processor pay the
price in time and sweat to remake all those parts to fill the orders.
Moisture analysis is central to knowing if the resin is dried properly.
You know that certain hygroscopic resins such as nylon, PC, and
PET have to be dried before processing. The resin manufacturers tell
you to dry it and provide a maximum level of moisture appropriate
for correct processing. Unfortunately the reason why drying is so
important is sometimes overlooked. So to ensure we are on the same
Gravimetric moisture analyzers are a common and
relatively inexpensive means to determine the
percentage of moisture in resin. The instrument is
essentially a sensitive balance contained within an
oven. It is not, however, moisture-specific and its
measurements can be distorted by other volatiles
in the plastic. (Photo: Teel Plastics)
page, the principal reason you need to dry these plastics is to prevent
degradation of the polymer chains through hydrolysis. Yes, splay due
to moisture is an issue but it is not the gorilla, it is a side issue.
If you do not dry these resins correctly, the moisture, even at
extremely low levelsabove about 200 ppm for many resinswill
react with (chop up) the polymer chains. Chopped-up or short polymer
chains mean molecular-weight degradation that causes the problems
previously stated. To provide a perspective on how small 200 ppm
is, let us talk in terms of a very dry martini: 200 ppm would mean 200
drops (about 10 g) of vermouth in 13 gal (50 liters) of gin or vodka. That is
indeed a dry martini. So when we analyze a resin sample for moisture,
we are looking for a very small amount of water. This tells us that our
analytical method must be accurate down to very low levels of moisture.
How accurate? For example, 200 ppm is equivalent to 0.0200%.
That is 0.02 lb (a mere 9.1 g) of water in 100 lb (45,360 g) of resin.
My old pal, Crusty Sr., says he can tell if the resin is wet: Just look
for splay on the parts or bubbles in the purge. Sorry, these levels of
moisture will not produce splay because the water is consumed in
the hydrolysis of the polymer chains. Parts will look great, but
KNOW HOW INJECTION MOLDING
Learn more at PTonline.com
Get more insights on Injection Molding from our expert
authors: short.ptonline.com/moldingKH. To learn more
about moisture testing, go to short.ptonline.com/teel-test.

18 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

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 INJ EC T I O N M O L D IN G
Know How

the molecular weight is compromised and the parts will fail when stressed. Neither the
operator nor quality control will see any visual hint of a problem.
Therefore, we are back to the requirement of analyzing for moisturei.e., testing the

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resin before processing. And, by the way, please understand that if you do make parts with
wet resin and find out afterwards, you cannot grind up the parts and redry the resin to
fix the problem. The resin properties are destroyed and the material must be discarded,
burned, or sent back to the manufacturer. Further, do not blend it with good or virgin
material to make parts; they too will have reduced physical and chemical properties.
Unfortunately, a low dewpoint on the dryer does not guarantee dry resin. To know
the proper moisture level before processing, you must use a moisture-specific (not a
weight-loss) test method. Why, and what is the difference?
Lets start with the explanation of weight-loss testing. Weight loss involves getting a
sample of resin from the dryer or hopper and it placing on a pan, which is heated during
the analysis. After you load the pan with pellets and before the heating begins, the instru-
ment weighs your sample. Then the once you push start, the pan is heated to a tempera-
ture specific for that particular resin. As the resin is heated, the moisture and anything
else that is volatile at the test temperature vaporizes and leaves the sample. The sample
gets lighter as volatiles are driven off.
So how does the instrument know how
If you make parts with wet
much of the weight loss was water and how
resin and find out after-
much was other volatile components such
wards, you cannot grind
TRADITIONAL as mold release, stabilizers, antistats, or any

SIDE-ACTION VS. SIDE-ACTION up the parts and redry the

SYSTEMS SYSTEMS other additives that may be in the polymer?
resin to fix the problem.
ES
! Mold OPEN
S! It doesnt. Often, when you heat up a resin
Y Core Out
YE
you can smell it. Water has no odor, so you
! are detecting something else that vaporized. Therefore, if your sample weighed 50 g with
ES
Mold CLOSED
CANT DO IT!
Y Core OUT
0.0200% water content, there would be a mere 0.010 g of moisture to volatilize. A dollar bill
! weighs a gram so this is only 1/100 of the weight of a dollar bill. Additives, if present, are at
ES S!
Mold CLOSED
Y Core IN
YE higher levels. Therefore, you can imagine how easily other volatiles could skew the analysis.
S! Against FULL A moisture-specific analysis starts the same way: You obtain an appropriate sample
Core PRE-LOADED

YE Injection Pressure CANT DO IT!

and weigh it. Then the sample is put into an apparatus where it is usually heated, similar
to weight-loss analysis. Again, moisture and other volatiles are driven off, but under a dry
nitrogen atmosphere. The big difference is that there is a special detector sensing these
volatiles and it only measures the amount of moisture vapors coming off, not any of the
other volatiles. We get an accurate account of how much moisture is present, nothing
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Bottom line: If you want a stable process and parts that function properly, you must
monitor the water content of the resin before processing. Moisture/water reacts with certain
resins and breaks down the molecular weight through hydrolysis. Analysis must be mois-
ture-specific so you know whether the resin is properly dried. I will admit that moisture-
specific methods are more expensive than weight-loss methods, but we have no choice.
We need better technology for moisture analysis. There ought to be a technology that
allows us to place a small probe in the feed throat that lights up green if the resin is dry and
red if it is too wet. It would be nice to if it could handle larger samples and provide results

pfa-inc.com
N118 W18251 Bunsen Drive
in less than 60 sec. There are, in fact, at least two instruments that are relatively new on the
market and whose suppliers promise those very benefits (see short.ptonline.com/moisture).
I myself dont have sufficient experience with them to comment on their performance.
Germantown, WI 53022
(262) 250-4410
Fax (262) 250-4409 Designed &
Made in USA ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John Bozzelli is the founder of Injection Molding Solutions (Scientific Molding)
KOR-LOK , Hydra-Latch and Hydra-Jaws are trademarks of PFA, Inc.
in Midland, Mich., a provider of training and consulting services to injection molders, including LIMS,
2016 PFA, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
and other specialties. Contact john@scientificmolding.com; scientificmolding.com.

20 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

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 Know How
EXTRUSION
Dont Build In Melt-Temperature Variations
Its not unusual for polymer to exit the extruder with
a uniform melt temperature, only to be fouled up by
downstream flow pipes and the like. Heres how to avoid this.
Quality extrusions are judged primarily by their dimensional
tolerances. Getting consistent tolerances requires steady output
and uniform melt temperature
throughout the extrudate. This yields
uniform flow, drawdown, and shrinkage.
Its not unusual to have a relatively
uniform melt temperature leaving the
extruder and/or screen changer and
then have a substantial temperature
difference built into the melt through
By Jim Frankland the flow pipes and other downstream
apparatus leading to the die. The longer
the downstream apparatus and the lower the flow velocity, the
more variation that can be built in.
In a previous column (March 2010) I discussed the degradation
that can occur due to low flow velocity. The same factor can build in
variation in melt temperature, which influences die-flow stability,
particularly in thin cross-sections and thin coextrusion layers.
These variations are often blamed on poor screw design, and opera-
tors typically respond by increasing screen-pack density. But that
approach actually adds to the melt temperature, reduces the output,
and offers no improvement. Sometimes it makes matters worse.
Figures 1-4 show flow velocity in a round flow orifice. The
output in any area is proportional to the velocity, so what is really
revealed is the variation in output across the cross-section.
What you CANT SEE
will hurt you.
@plastechmag
Polymer flow is always laminar or layer-like because of the high
viscosities, so pressure flow in a round pipe is essentially in concentric
rings around the center. The highest flow always occurs in the center
of the pipe, with decreasing flow velocity as the distance increases
from the center. Since the polymer sticks to the walls of the orifice,
the velocity is zero at the walls and maximum at the center. The hotter
polymerhaving a lower viscositymoves to the geometric center of
the flow area, where shear stress from the drag on the walls is minimal.
Figure 1 shows an ideal flow velocity. The flow approaches plug
flow, and the velocity is pretty uniform, although still zero at the
walls. This is an ideal design but cannot always be implemented for
a variety of reasons. Figure 2 shows a more typical situation, where
the flow orifices are oversized to control pressure or the output is
reduced for other reasons. Figure 2 is what would be expected in an
isothermal condition at about half the potential for plug flow.
In Fig. 3, the orifice walls are at a substantially lower temperature
than the melt entering the orifice. This results in a more concentrated
center flow with a higher velocity, and a larger area of the orifice
filled with slower to very-slow-moving polymer. This results in a
greater variation of melt temperature entering the die and is a poor
operating choice. This is often a result of assuming the melt can be
cooled in that way, but that either has no effect or actually increases
the melt temperature because of the increased pressure drop due to
the reduced flow area. Polymers are excellent insulators, and trying to
cool them in laminar flow at the wall is very ineffective.
turn
page
Plastics Technology 23
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 Know How

Flow Velocity in a Round Orifice

These four
figures show
flow velocity in a
round flow orifice.
The output
in any area is
FIG 1 FIG 2 FIG 3 FIG 4 proportional to
the velocity, so
what is really
revealed is the
variation in
output across
the cross-section.

Figure 4 is a condition where the wall is at an equal or higher
temperature than the melt. Any maintenance or even slight heating
of the melt near the wall reduces the viscosity near the wall and the
overall shear stress in the melt flow, which enlarges the flow area.
Personally, I find that setting the flow pipes and downstream
apparatus 10 F higher than the melt temperature exiting the
extruder is a good starting point, until more information is avail-
able. The more uniform the flow, the more consistent the melt
temperature. It is important to minimize variation in temperature
through the extrudate, as variation will affect the die flow and
dimensions of the final part. A lot of this can often be mitigated
by use of a static mixer, which should always be located as close
to the die as possible so that no further variation can be built in
after the mixer. Of course, proper design and thermal control of
the downstream apparatus is a solution in itself that provides a
narrow window where operation is near optimum.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jim Frankland is a mechanical engineer who has
been involved in all types of extrusion processing for more than 40 years.
He is now president of Frankland Plastics Consulting, LLC. Contact
jim.frankland@comcast.net or (724)651-9196.

In the DARK
You never know when your
conveying pumps are about to fail...

no pellet flow
no material
at the press

low oil
bearing failure

turn
page

@plastechmag Plastics Technology 25

 Know How
TOOLING
PART 2
Hitting the Numbers
The shrinkage factor is one of the most critical numbers to hit.
In part one of this series, I focused on critical dimensions, dimen-
sional tolerances, moldability, functionality, and material options,
all of which can make you miss your
numbers. Here, Ill address the big ele-
phant in the room: Who specifies and is
accountable for the shrinkage factor?
The shrinkage factor is one of the most
important numbers to hit. It can cause
lost profits, high scrap rates, and heated
discussions between the customer, the
By Jim Fattori tool maker, and the molder. In my 40 years
in the injection molding business, I have
not experienced one occasion in which the customer has specified
the shrinkage factorunless the customer was also the molder.
Material suppliers cant be held accountable for specifying the
shrinkage factor. There are too many variables over which they
have no control. In addition to the part thickness, flow length,
and gate size, processing parameters such as melt temperature,
mold temperature, fill time, hold time, hold pressure, cooling time
(actually cooling rate), and backpressure all have an effect on how
Relative Shrinkage of Filled and Unfilled Materials
Unfilled Materials
Due to Pack
Gate Pressure and/or
Crystallinity
Cavity Size Molded Part Size
Glass- or Fiber-Filled Materials
Due to Fiber
Gate
Orientation
If the material is glass or fiber filled, the anisotropic shrinkage
will be less than for unfilled materials, but the difference
between the two directions is considerably greater and the
directions are reversedmuch less shrinkage in the direction
of flow and much more perpendicular to the direction of flow.
much a part will shrink. The supplier has technical data sheets,
which arent all that technical. They typically give a shrinkage range,
not a specific value, such as: Molding Shrinkage: 0.004 to 0.006
in./in. as per ASTM D955. Those values are based on the shrinkage of
26 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
a 5 in. test bar, edge gated on the end. Unless youre molding
-in.-thick test bars gated on the end, the shrinkage range specified by
the material supplier can only be used as a reference.
The tool maker doesnt have much control over the molding
parameters, either. Thats why most tool makers ask the molder to
specify the shrinkage factor. An experienced molder deals with a
lot more molds and materials then a tool maker does, and will have
a better prediction of the results. The molder can also suggest the
gate location or the use of multiple gates, particularly if the part is
large or made of a glass-filled material.
If the molder has a tool with a similar part design, sample it in the
material for the new job. Its a quick and inexpensive way to estimate the
shrinkage values. Take several measurements in both directions and at
various depths. The formulas for determining the shrinkage values are:
Shrinkage Ratio = (Steel DimensionPart Dimension)/
Steel Dimension
Shrinkage Percentage = (Steel DimensionPart Dimension)
x 100/Steel Dimension
The second largest attribute affecting material shrinkage is wall
thickness. Ask the material supplier if he has a graph showing wall
thickness vs. shrinkage factor. You might get lucky. Many suppliers
have graphs showing wall thickness vs. flow length or cycle time, but
only a few will have one for shrinkage. Uneven walls have uneven
shrinkage, which is one of the primary reasons for sink marks and
warpage. Coring out a part to obtain a uniform wall thickness is essen-
tial to hitting the numbers and avoiding a host of other problems.
The largest attribute that effects shrinkage is obviously the material
itself. Amorphous materials, such as PS, ABS, PC, and PVC, shrink a rela-
tively small amount and for the most part shrink isotropically (uniformly
in all directions). If, for example, the specified shrinkage ratio range was
0.004 to 0.006 in./in. and the wall thickness of the part was between
0.060 in. and 0.120 in. and uniform, a molder might suggest using 0.004
in./in. for the thinner part, or 0.006 in./in. for the thicker part, and
hes probably going to be pretty accurate. If hes a little off, its probably
because he didnt account for cavity pressure. Parts will shrink less
in thin and well-packed areas, such as near the gate. They will shrink
more in thicker and under-packed areas, such as at the end of fill.
If the material is semi-crystalline, such as PP, PE, PBT, POM (acetal),
or PPS, the shrinkage factor needs serious consideration. Crystalline
materials shrink much more than amorphous materials and they
PTonline.com

shrink anisotropicallymore parallel to the
direction of flow and less perpendicular to
the direction of flow. The shrinkage factor is
now shrinkage factors. Using the average of
the two values will probably make the part
out of spec in both directions.
Understanding the characteristics of the
molding material is paramount to hitting
the numbers. For example, if the material
is PEEK or PPS, depending on the wall thickness, mold tempera-
ture, and cooling rate, these materials can be either amorphous
or semi-crystalline, which will affect the mechanical properties,
chemical resistance, and dimensional stability.
If the material is glass or fiber filled, the anisotropic shrinkage
will be less than unfilled materials, but the difference between
the two directions is considerably greater and the directions are
reversedmuch less in the direction of flow and much more perpen-
dicular to tflow. This is when the job often gets scary and the odds of
molding a perfectly flat or concentric part are almost impossible.
On rare occasions, the tool maker may adjust the steel after the
first sampling to compensate for shrinkage-induced warp. This
warp compensation is humorously referred to as windage, but
on occasion can actually work.
In the KN W Avoid unplanned downtime with Prophecy PumpSense
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@plastechmag
TOOLING
This part bowed outward so much, a convex windage rib
was machined into the mold by the amount of the bow. The
rib straightened out after the part was ejected and cooled.
If you are concerned about hitting the numbers, suggest having
a flow analysis performed. Flow-analysis software programs have
greatly improved over the years. Predictions of the fill pattern and
gas-trap and weld-line locations are usually very reliable. While the
shrinkage and warpage modules of the software may not be perfect,
if done right they can give a good indication of what the outcome
will be. The best results are obtained when the rheological data used
in the simulation is exactly the same as for the grade of material
being molded. If youre a captive molder specializing in a particular
type of product such as electrical connectors, and you frequently
use a specific grade of material, ask the material supplier to pay for
Measures & Predicts:
Filter Condition
Vacuum Analytics
Oil Condition
Bearing Condition
Pump Health
www.novatec.com
Plastics Technology 27
 Know How

his material to be tested specifically for flow simulation. This can Another alternative is to make one of the cavities in a multi-
cost a few thousand dollars, but material suppliers often agree to cavity mold out of a soft or non-heat-treated steel. This would be a
do it since it can be used for all of their customers. Be proactive, prototype cavity. After determining the ideal sizes on the prototype
because this testing can take up to two months to perform. cavity, the roughed-out production cavities can then be completed.
To avoid the possibility of garbage Prototype parts can also be used for testing and
ingarbage out results, the molder should marketing purposes before the expensive produc-
specify the process parameters, such as fill Understanding the tion mold is completed. Hopefully the customer
time, melt temperature, mold temperature, shrinkage char- will agree with one of these approaches, because
etc. The molder and tool maker should review acteristics of the they offer an excellent probability of hitting the
and discuss the results of the simulation molding material numbers, and the tool maker picks up another
together. You may decide a different gate is paramount to mold or cavity set to build. The elimination of a
location, a second gate, a thicker wall, a flow hitting the dimen- stressful situation is also a welcome bonus.
leader, or some stiffening ribs would help sional numbers. So what happens when the steel dimensions
hit the numbers and reduce the differential are correct based on the prescribed shrinkage
shrinkage and resulting warpage. factor but the parts are still out of spec? Despite
Prototype or pre-launch molds are excellent at honing in what you might read in some textbooks, blogs, or internet searches,
on the bi-directional shrinkage factors. They are also great at there is no hard-and-fast rule. My experience has been that it
validating the cooling efficiency, vent locations, gate size, and depends on a combination of three factors: 1) Who hired the tool
cycle time. If the production mold has numerous cavities and is maker? 2) What is their business relationship? and 3) What is the
expected to produce millions of parts, many companies actually cost of any additional changes? The answer to question 3 is the most
require a prototype tool be made to verify their return on invest- influential. A toolmakers not going to argue about a few dollars, but
ment. The prototype and production molds can be made somewhat if the cost is significant, the other two factors come into play.
concurrently, so as not to drastically increase the lead time. If the molder hired the tool maker, he usually pays for any dimen-

TEN YEARS OF SUCCESSFUL TECHNOLOGY

Haitian Mars II 67 to 3,709 U.S. tons

The Haitian Mars II sets new standards in repeatability, accuracy, precision One of the reasons Suri
and energy savings with its servo-hydraulic drive system. High-performance Industries is able to
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part production. An extremely affordable price contributes to profitability. price point is 21 Haitian
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learn more about why. Manning, South Carolina
facility.
Ramesh Suri, President
Absolute Haitian 508-459-5372 216-452-1000 www.absolutehaitian.com Suri Industries

28 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com


sional changesespecially if he prescribed
the shrinkage factor. Most molders under-
stand the tool makers position. They know
its only fair to pay for these changes. But
some molders dont play fair. Thats when it
comes down to the business relationship.
The tool maker may decide to eat the costs
in the hope of future business, or he may
go to the other extreme, holding the mold
hostage and demanding payment in full for
its release. If a dispute occurs, negotiating
the amount of tweaking and/or the extra
cost is often the best solution.
If a third party, such as an entrepreneur,
hired the tool maker, he seldom pays for
any additional dimensional changes. In
his mind, he hired the tool maker to build
a mold to produce a part according to his
drawing. Failure to meet that obligation
can quickly turn ugly. I have seen several
brand-new cavity and core sets tossed in the
garbage to avoid expensive attorneys fees,
and I have received numerous molds pulled
from other tool shops by their disgruntled
owners. This is why its so important to
discuss any concerns with the customer up
front and add a line item on the quotation
for the possible cost and lead time of any
size adjustments after the initial sampling.
Even if the part design is fairly simple,
if the tolerances are tight and the material is
semi-crystalline or glass filled, the customer
should be informed of your concerns. If
hes not happy about it, offer some of the
options mentioned here and remind him
that everyone will have the same problem.
Youre just being professional and letting
him know the reality of the situation up
front. Another tool maker or molder might
surprise him with the bad news three
months from now, after the mold is built
and sampled. Nobody wins in that scenario.
Lastly, dont forget that parts made from
some semi-crystalline materials like PE, PP,
or acetal will slowly continue to shrink for
weeks before reaching their final size. Wait
at least 24 to 48 hr before performing a full
article inspection. Conversely, nylon parts
will continue to grow and get stronger as
they absorb moisture until they reach their
@plastechmag
TOOLING
saturation point. Nylon parts need to be water conditioned for a few days before taking any
measurements or performing any functional testing.
Our business is full of risks. The more steps we take up front to minimize these risks,
through the joint collaboration of the concerned parties, the more competitive and profit-
able we will be. And those are the most important numbers to hit.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jim Fattori is a third-generation injection molder with more than 40 years
of molding experience. He is the founder of Injection Mold Consulting LLC, and is also a project
engineer for a large, multi-plant molder in New Jersey. Contact jim@injectionmoldconsulting.com;
injectionmoldconsulting.com.
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the elbow wall. pellet surfaces.
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Plastics Technology 29
 On-Site Tekni-Plex Wayne, Pa.

By Jim Callari,
Editorial Director

Extrusion
Powerhouse
Does it All
Tekni-Plex has evolved into
a technically diverse global
supplier of a wide range of
extrusions for a host of markets,
many of which are regulated.

Tekni-Plexs Tekni- Ask management of Tekni-Plex to explain their business, and be prepared for an answer that covers
Films business a wide range of plastics (and rubber) processes that serve high-endand usually regulatedcus-
produces monolayer
and coextruded films tomers in medical, pharmaceutical, personal-care, household/industrial chemicals, and food and
and laminates for beverage markets. This global processors business was founded in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1967 and
pharmaceutical and expanded by building a new plant in Somerville, N.J., in 1970. Some 50 years and 140 patents later,
other applications.
Tekni-Plex is headquartered in Wayne, Pa. (tekni-plex.com), as a global processing enterprise with
2600 employees, 30 manufacturing plants, 13 of them ISO certified, with eight ISO Class 8 clean-
rooms and $672 million in annual sales. Sales were up last year by 5% from 2015.

30 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

 Tekni-Plex
On-Site
Throughout its history, the firm has grown primarily through Costa Rica, Natvar recently started up a new micro-bore extrusion
acquisition, notes Paul Young, CEO. Its currently owned by New line producing catheters. These are high-precision tubes with ID
York private-equity firm American Securities, whose holdings also tolerances of 0.005 in. Natvar also produces cardiovascular
include Advanced Drainage Systems, the worlds leading producer of tubes, bubble tubing, and multi-lumen tubing. All five facilities
corrugated HDPE pipe. American Securities acquired Tekni-Plex in have ISO-certified clean rooms. Natvar sources roughly 90% of its
2008 from Oaktree Capital, compounds from Colorite.
another private-equity firm. Tekni-Films: With manufacturing plants in North America and
Our overall business
Tekni-Plex is no Europe and a contract-manufacturing facility in South America,
structure looks compli-
stranger to leading posi- Tekni-Films produces monolayer, coextruded, laminated, and
cated, with six different
tions, says Young, coated barrier structures that are used for thermoformable blister
business that operate
pointing out that all of its packaging, IV bags, and medical trays. Tekni-Films recently
independently and
business units are number installed a copolyester sheet line at its ISO-certified plant in Holland,
have their own leader-
one or two in their respec- Ohio. The line produces proprietary sheet as an alternative to
ship teams. But one of
tive fields. These include: PETG for thermoformed medical trays and other applications, says
the things that ties it
Stephen Penn, Tekni-Films global general manager. The line
all together is polymer
Colorite: With two plants produces sheet thicknesses from 5 to 60 mils.
technology.
in the U.S. and one each in Tri-Seal: This business is a leading global manufacturer of clo-
Europe and China, Colorite sure liners and seals for glass, metal, and plastic containers. Tri-
has been in business for more than 50 years, furnishing medical- Seal has eight plants around the world, including four in the U.S. It
grade compounds. Its formulations are based primarily on PVC, but produces seals for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetic,
of late it has been doing more in TPE. Colorites compounds are used household/ industrial, and agri-chemical products. Among the
by injection and blow molders and extruders to produce such prod- technologies it uses are PE foam sheet extrusion, and laminated
ucts as hemodialysis tubing, blood bags, chemotherapy drug- paper, plastic, and foil structures for induction heat-seal liners.
delivery bags, endotracheal tubes, and oxygen masks. Its PVC com- Action Technology: A global leader in aerosol and pump-dis-
pounds range in Shore A hardness from 40 to 98, and from 60 to 80 pensing components, Actions product line includes aerosol and
Shore D. They can be formulated dip tubing; nozzle-extension tubing;
phthalate-free with DINCH, DEHT, swab-stick shafts; and food spreader,
and other plasticizers. Its high- ice-cream, frozen-dessert, and lol-
performance PVC compounds lipop sticks.
consist of families that are self- Dolco Packaging: The leading U.S.
frosting, radiopaque, and ultra- manufacturer of PS foam egg cartons,
high molecular weight. Its Cellene Dolco also makes mushroom tills,
line of TPE compounds is fur- apple and pear trays, and industrial
nished in Shore A hardnesses from and custom packaging. Lately Dolco
20 to 95 and Shore D from 35 to 60. has been doing more in PET for egg
All of Colorites four plants are cartons and mushroom tills. Plans
ISO:2008 certified. Production is are in the works for a second PET
supported by R&D Tech Centers sheet line in Holland for the Dolco
in Ridgefield, N.J., and Belfast, business. Dolco has five U.S. plants
Northern Ireland, which have iden- where it operates extrusion and
tical lab-scale sample equipment. Colorite is Tekni-Plexs compounding high-speed thermoforming lines
Natvar: With two U.S. plants and business, producing primarily PVC-based along with silkscreen printers.
compounds at four ISO:2008 plants.
three abroad, Natvar makes single-
and multi-layer medical tubing from
PVC, PE, TPE, TPU, and other materials. It recently launched the THE BRAIN TRUST
LipoPath shatter-resistant, hydrophilic, coextruded copolyester Most of these businesses rely on PVC to some degree, and Young is
capillary tube and a PE/TPU insulin-delivery tube. LipoPath tubes bullish on the future of the material for his businesses, environ-
are a clear alternative to glass and plastic hematocrit tubes that mental challenges notwithstanding. Our PVC business is growing,
require plasma and heparin coatings. The tubing line features a he says. That said, we are constantly exploring new technolo-
coextruded outer layer and a proprietary inner layer. At its plant in giesand materials across all of our businesses. We have $30 million

@plastechmag Plastics Technology 31

 On-Site Tekni-Plex

earmarked for capital expenditures in this fiscal year alone. In cases

Big markets for Tekni-Films PVC-based films are blister
packages for pharmaceuticals, sheet for medical-device
trays, and flexible films for pharmaceutical fluid bags.
where customers are looking for new solutions, well work in col-
laboration to create them.
A key to this strategy can be
We will be a leader
found in Holland, Ohio. Thats where
in creating and
Tekni-Plex built its Global Technology
commercializing
Center in 2011. Our overall business
new materials,
structure looks complicated, but
technologies, and
one of the things that ties it all
products utilizing a
together is polymer technology. At
network of highly
the tech center, 20 engineers and
efficient facilities
technicians in polymer science
around the world.
help form the technology backbone
for all business units. They partici-
pate in meetings with customers and suppliers, manage the companys
intellectual property, and ensure Tekni-Plexs global regulatory compli-
ancewhich is crucial, since more than half of its products go into
markets that are regulated by one government agency or another.
We handle a lot of different projects in Holland, says Young.
Well have customers come to us with an idea for a package that
must perform in a certain way or protect a drug or medicine to a
particular degree, and well figure out how to do it. Sometimes the
project will be driven by one of our six businesses. On one occasion,

32 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

 On-Site Tekni-Plex

for example, we were not getting the perfor-

Tekni-Plexs Natvar business
focuses on high-end, tight-
tolerance medical tubing.
mance we wanted in a foamed PS produce
tray, so we tweaked the formulation by adding
some specialized PS to solve the problem.
Young, who started in plastics in the
1980s with Owens-Illinois in Toledo, Ohio,
was appointed CEO of Tekni-Plex in 2008. At
the time, he worked with Oaktree Capital
and was among the team advising the
company to purchase Tekni-Plex. His first
order of business was to reorganize the
leadership team with the main objective
of adding talent. Several new leaders were
promoted from within the ranks, and others
were brought in from Youngs network.

Extruder Rupture Disks (Burst Plugs) Expansions of existing plants, establishment

of new plants abroad, and acquisitions have
Provide emergency relief from pressure build-up continued under his leadership.
Instantaneously rupture at a set pressure Our vision is to be a trusted global partner
for our customers, he says. We will be a
Melt Pressure Transducers & Transmitters leader in creating and commercializing
new materials, technologies, and products
Multiple styles available to suit your application utilizing a network of highly efficient facili-
High Accuracy Transducer is rated at ties around the
0.5% / 0.25% combined error world. We will
be an employer
Stainless Steel sealed construction of choice for
people who value
Gentran Equivalents safe, collabora-
tive, challenging,
Available and rewarding
work. And we
will continue to
focus on innova-
tion. Today, it
Paul Young, Tekni-
means providing
Plex CEO (left); and
Stephen Penn, global world-class
g.m. of the Teki-Films materials science,
business.
advanced devel-
opment, and
superior engineering and processing capa-
bilities. This expertise enables us to deliver
products that deliver a broad range of perfor-
mance attributes.
Continuous investment in R&D and a
determined focus on innovation has led to
smarter, safer packaging, dispensing, and
tubing products and technologies. We guide
our customers through material selection,
and as their needs evolve, we can create
novel solutions to meet them.
34 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com
 K 2016 REPORT

Augmented
Auxiliaries
At K 2016
Incremental improvements to existing technologies
combined with altogether new advances at the giant show.

Online, real-time Auxiliary equipment suppliers at K 2016 were as eager as many others to tie their show
sensing of moisture display to the Industry 4.0 buzz sweeping the show; and while for most the correlation was
in pellets is possible
somewhat of a stretch, a handful brought truly connected products to
with Morettos new By Tony Deligio,
Moisture Meter (seen Senior Editor Dsseldorf. In addition, beyond some incremental advances, suppliers
in background under took big steps forward in several new technologies, including inline
the hopper and above
moisture measurement for dryers, controlled conveying of materials, and extremely pre-
the feed throat).
cise dosing. This article summarizes developments not previously featured in the
September show preview, and new information on some previously mentioned products.
Italys Moretto (U.S. office in Columbus, Ohio, moretto.com) showcased its Eureka
Moisture Meter, an in-line, real-time moisture analyzer at K (see Jan. 16 Starting Up).
The system, which reportedly features measuring accuracy down to 3 ppm, samples
the moisture levels inside plastic pellets at the base of the drying hopper every 2 sec.

36 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

 Auxiliar y Equipment

Moretto says the patented measuring technology, dubbed Power

Peak, determines moisture levels by sending electromagnetic
waves through the resin, with the waves amplitude changing
depending on the variations in moisture content. The Moisture
Meter can measure water in resin down to 15 ppm, and it comes
with a standalone controller, including 7-in. color touchscreen.
Users select the material to be run, as well as the ppm range,
from the devices database of resins, which Moretto is working
to expand. The control then sends the necessary parameters to
the moisture meter for automatic configuration.
One controller can manage up to six Moisture Meter devices
and connect wirelessly to a printer for hard-copy reports. The
controller also has Ethernet and USB connections, and is compat-
ible with MOWIS, Morettos modular control platform.
Two sizes of the Moisture Meter are available, the MMB 12 and
MMB 22, with capacities ranging from 6 kg to 1500 kg/hr (13 lb
to 3300 lb/hr). Installation options include above the machines
feedthroat or below the dryer.
At the show, Gene Flockerzi, general manager for Moretto in
North America, said there were 20 of the units in the field, with
plans to be in North America soon. The technology should be of
particular interest to markets like medical and automotive where
process verification,
including certification of
Conairs R-PRO has seen Motans coupling table has an RFID sensor that
the materials moisture
the most success with knows when a line is connected and whether
level, is required. its connected to the proper resin source.
filled materials, including
Danish firm Labotek
glass-filled PP and nylon,
A/S (distributed in disc itself has small holes to hold the pellets, and an optical sensor
as well as resins with
the U.S. by Romax ensures a pellet is present. The same venturi-generated air stream
high mineral content.
Inc., Louisville, Ky.; is then used to discharge the pellet. There are three discs available
romaxinc.com), threw with holes measuring from 1 to 3 mm to accommodate different
its hat into the inline moisture-measurement ring with the intro- material sizes. Hopper volumes range from 500 to 1000 ml, with
duction of its Moist Control technology, which it says can be throughputs from 0 to 4 pellets/sec. A stepper motor positions the
positioned below the dryer hopper or above the machine. Labotek disc, which in injection could feed 3 pellets/shot, for instance, or
officials said Moist Control borrows public technology from the request pellets multiple times per second in extrusion.
concrete industry to measure moisture levels inline. Movacolor used K 2016 to introduce the technology to the broader
processing world and said there were 10 of the devices already in
NEW BLENDING TECHNIQUE COUNTS PELLETS operation. Plans are in place to commercialize it by midyear at the
Dutch firm and dosing-equipment specialist Movacolor (mova- latest. The device, which measures 200 mm long and 100 mm high,
color.com) displayed new technology for processors seeking to will target precision injection molding markets, including medical,
mix in less than 35 g/hr of special additives. Moving beyond volu- automotive, and electronics, as well as low-rate extrusion.
metric and gravimetric technologies, Movacolor introduced what
it called optometric dosing in a system that it says uses vision to SPECIALIZED FEEDING & BLENDING
count individual pellets with 100% accuracy. Process Control, Atlanta (process-control.com), introduced an
Called the MCNexus, the ultra-compact system features a enhanced line of its X-Series continuous gravimetric blenders for
body thats 3D-printed to include a built-in venturi chamber. loss-in-weight dosing of liquid peroxides in crosslinked polyeth-
Movacolor says 3D printing also allows custom sizing of the unit,
which fits directly onto the flange of an extruder or injection LOOKING FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT NEWS AT 2016?
molding press. The venturi is used to create a vacuum and suck
up pellets as needed, which are than fed onto a dosing disc. The Visit the K 2016 Zone at ptonline.com/zones/k-2016.

@plastechmag Plastics Technology 37

 K 2016 REPORT
ylene (PEX-A) processes. The company says The main agitator runs near the
that compared with dosing volumetrically, feed modules flat bottom to assist
gravimetric feeding allows liquid dosing of filling of the feed screw, while the
the peroxide in one common recipe, either auxiliary agitator supports product
in percent or parts per hundred, together flow at the lower end of the exten-
with the bulk components used in the For dilute-phase sion hopper. The Simplex FB can be
conveying, Coperions
process. The blender also adapts to new Gamma-Bend NT operated either as a loss-in-weight
changes in extruder output, including at deflector elbow is said or volumetric feeder. If speci-
startup and shutdown, to ensure the recipe to prevent formation fied as a loss-in-weight feeder, it
of angel hair.
and extrudate remain in specification. comes with VKN weighing modules
Dosing rates can go down to 40 g/hr. that can be placed underneath
The blender is also outfitted to handle the feeders feet or directly on the
peroxides unique requirements, including special surface treat- mounting floor. Installation is eased by the hoppers modular
ments for the gear pumps, stainless-steel construction for any design, and all shaft seals feature a one-seal concept for quick
surfaces that contact the liquid, and a 3D agitator to better maintenance. The system is suited to feeding plastic flakes,
homogenize the bulk components and the liquid. The area that cellulose, hemp, glass/carbon fibers, and other virgin or recycled
receives the peroxide also has a safety encapsulation, including materials for plastic film or compounding applications.
thermal insulation, and all hoppers are purged with inert gas. The
peroxide section is cooled via a water-to-gas heat exchanger. KINDER, GENTLER RESIN CONVEYING
Coperion K-Tron, Sewell, N.J. (coperionktron.com), showed an When it initially launched at NPE2015 (see July 15 report), the
Electronic Pressure Compensation (EPC) system for its high-accuracy R-PRO conveying system from Conair, Cranberry Township, Pa.
loss-in-weight feeders. The main (conairgroup.com), was focused primarily on lower end of the
advantages of the new system speed spectrum for its patent-pending conveying technology that
Optometric dosing
include improved accuracy keeps pellets intact by moving them at velocities ranging from
uses vision to count
and reliability as well as lower
individual pellets
initial cost and easier installa-
with 100% accuracy.
tion compared with traditional
mechanical pressure-compen-
sation systems. Coperion K-Tron has developed a clever but simple
electronic solution for accurate and steady pressure compensation
in feeder hoppers and outlets. The modular design incorporates
pressure sensors and electronics tailored to interact smoothly with
Coperion K-Trons KCM feeder control system. Retrofitting options
for existing feeders are available. EPC can be installed on a majority
of Coperion K-Tron gravimetric feeders.
For high-rate applications, Coperion K-Trons new Smart
Flow Meter provides high-accuracy feeding at high feed rates of
up to 200,000 L/hr (7000 ft/hr). In addition to a lower purchase
cost than a large loss-in-weight feeder, the Smart Flow Meter
offers lower maintenance costs and reduced headroom.
Schenck Process, (Kansas City, Mo.; schenckprocess.com) intro-
duced a loss-in-weight feeder specifically designed to handle light
and fluffy materials, typical of recycling, for example. The Simplex
Flat Bottom (FB) is a high-capacity stainless-steel feeder that uses
a bottom-driven vertical agitator and an auxiliary agitator to feed
materials like chopped polypropylene or PET film to an extruder.

New MCNexus optometric dosing unit, shown here by

Movacolor Managing Director Gerhard Dersjant, targets
processors looking to blend in additives at rates below 35 g/hr.

38 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

 K 2016 REPORT
230 to 1200 ft/min, vs. the 4500 might run full-out nonstop on
to 6000 ft/min typical of con- older systems. A sensor measures
ventional high-speed con- the velocity of the resin plugs
veying. Doug Brewster, product in the line, recording the speed
manager for conveying, told and allowing the operator to set
Plastics Technology that while the system to the lb/hr needed.
much slower conveying speeds If I can get job done at 30 Hz,
are important for materials with Brewster said, theres no reason
high glass or mineral content, if to run at 60 Hz. Conair also
processors can get to slightly updated its FLX-128-plus work-
higher middle speeds, theyll horse conveying system control
get greater throughput while to be able to operate R-PRO.
still avoiding angel hair. Italys Piovan (U.S. office
Brewster said R-PRO has in Woodbridge, Va., piovan.
seen the most success with filled com) launched its own tech-
materials, including glass-filled nology to help molders move
PP and nylon, as well as resins Schencks new Simplex Flat Bottom (FB) loss-in- materials prone to angel hair.
with high mineral content. weight feeder is specially designed to handle light The new Vacu-Pulse dense-
or fluffy materials, like those found in recycling.
R-PRO has been shown to phase vacuum-conveying
reduce or eliminate angel hair in system, which was designed by
LLDPE, HDPE, and PET. In operation, the system also offers energy Piovan company Penta, also moves material slowly, using a lower-
efficiency, according to Brewster, with operators able to dial in the pressure vacuum system to convey resin as opposed to the high-
amount of power needed for the task at hand versus a pump that pressure compressed air normally used in dense-phase conveying.
 Auxiliar y Equipment

In addition, it is constructed with conventional 50-mm (approxi- from sliding against the exterior wall. Minimal contact with the
mately 2 in.) diam. pipe, while 3-in. pipe is normally the smallest elbow wall also reduces the formation of dust significantly.
that can be used in dense-phase conveying. Coperion says the elbow can be used universally in conveying
Coperion presented for the first time its newly developed systems; there is no buildup of product cushions, so it consistently
deflector elbow, called Gamma-Bend NT, for dilute-phase pellet empties with no residue, which is a critical feature for product changes.
conveying. Labotek promoted a new synchronous conveying technology
The deflector that allows multiple lines to run simultaneously. Called Labo-Sync,
elbow report- the technology works in series so that if one pump breaks down,
edly prevents another kicks in. This way, constant vacuum is maintained and
formation of multiple machines can receive material simultaneously. At the
angel hair, K, the system was shown using four clear lines conveying four
which would different-colored pellets. There are two pumps in the system and
otherwise the standard is to have three lines with one blower for each line and
be generated a capacity of 6600 lb/hr per line.
particularly in For scenarios where dust and angel hair are unavoidable,
right-angled Pelletron (U.S. office in Lancaster, Pa., pelletroncorp.com) once again
direction featured its C-20 DeDuster, which launched at NPE2015 (see July 15
changes. report), for dedusting of material at the point of use. A level sensor
The special has been added so that it can shut itself off when enough dust accu-
Wittmann Battenfelds new 4.0 Router geometric mulates. On its larger dedusting system, aimed at resin producers,
promises automatic recognition design of the Pelletron has added automated inlet deflectors, which allow it to
and configuration of machinery
components within a work cell.
bend keeps meter flow. The unit could be placed under a silo, where in the
the pellets past a rotary valve may have been used. An actuator monitors the

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 K 2016 REPORT
Motan worked with deflectors position, which can be dialed in for smaller (MetroConnect U) or coded version
KraussMaffei to show increments and set to certain positions based on flow. (MetroConnect C); the uncoded version
how its dryers could Also on the conveying front, Motan-Colortronic can be retrofitted to a coded version at any
communicate directly (Plainwell, Mich.; motan-colortronic.com) displayed a time. The system uses RFID technology
to a KM injection new, patented coupling table with a sensor that can as a contact-free identification process,
molding machine. determine if the right line is hooked up to the right consisting of a data-storage transponder
material. If its on the wrong one, material will not and a read/write sensor. The coupling
convey. Beyond peace of mind, the new MetroConnect system is controlled, monitored, and
U/C coupling system for pneumatic conveying systems provides material tracking and configured with the MetroConnect controls.
validation where process certification is required. Its available in either an uncoded
INDUSTRY 4.0 CONNECTS AUXILIARIES
Industry 4.0 moved from a buzzword to
tangible, if limited, displays of connectivity
Complete Blown Film between disparate pieces of equipment,

X-DIE
including products from different manufac-

THE
turers. In those instances, collaboration was
required between the machinery manufac-
turer and the auxiliary supplier, but the fact
& High Performance that this actually happened in advance of the K

V-RING
show points to where the industry is headed,
with some already moving down the path.
Motan worked with KraussMaffei
(Florence, Ky., kraussmaffeigroup.us) to
show how its dryers could communicate
directly to a KM injection machine. At
Motans booth, a wall display featured a
KM control on one side with a Motan dryer
control on the other, while in the middle
a screen displayed the cyber-mechanical
connection that is the hallmark of Industry
4.0. Motan noted that the machine was
communicating directly to the dryer
without the use of a host, for real machine-
to-machine communication. In practice,
this could allow an injection press to tell a
dryer to slow down if, for instance, setup
was taking longer than usual and over-drying
became a danger. Conversely the dryer could
communicate to the machine that it only has
enough material for another hour of molding.
Motan featured similar connectivity
between its equipment and a molding machine
at the booth of Sumitomo (SHI) Demag
(Strongsville, Ohio; sumitomo-shi-demag.us).
In the latest update of its El-Exis machine line,
THE BLOWN FILM EXPERT S Sumitomo Demag equipped the machines

ALPINE AMERICAN with an OPC-UA interface, which is becoming

the communication standard in Europe for
machine-to-machine Industry 4.0 interface.
www.halpine.com T: (508) 655-1123 F: (508) 655-9337
A Sumitomo representative noted that the

42 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

 Auxiliar y Equipment

K display is just the start for integrating to 6 years old. TSM noted that the platform was currently undergoing beta testing at a U.S.
peripherals, with automation up next. operation of a large, multinational company. TSM believes processors will see the value in
At Piovans booth, chief marketing officer its offering due to the fact that blenders control all the raw materials in a plant.
Giorgio Santella discussed his companys Wittmann Battenfeld (Torrington, Conn.; wittmann-group.com) has long touted the
Win Factory 2.0. At present, Santella said interoperability of its various lines of equipment, and it used K 2016 to push that connectivity
three Piovan products have the prerequisites even further by introducing the Wittmann 4.0 Router. Described as a link between a compa-
for cyber-physical connectionsconnec- nys network and a machine cell, the router automatically senses when devices like robots,
tions where integral controls and outside flow controllers, temperature controllers, and blenders are connected, prompting them to
networks monitor and control physical configure automatically. The integrated OPC-UA server requires no network adjustments for
processesbut in the future all will. additional devices; only the router itself needs to be defined within the broader network.
In temperature control, Piovans Digitemp
Evo-TCU can modulate to the capacity
needed, thanks to a digital compressor that
can range from 10% to 100% operation in
1% increments, with the machine commu- Move up to a
nicating via an OPC-UA protocol.
Also offering cyber-physical opera-
higher level of control
tions is Piovans Genesys high-efficiency
dryer designed for PET preform molding,
which launched in 2010. At the show,
Piovan showed a unit with 20 kg/hr (44
lb/hr) capacity, but only 5 kg/hr (11 lb/hr)
of resin was being used, so it automati-
cally adjusted its settings. Santella noted
that it wasnt just communicating but
also analyzing process data and automat-
ically adapting based on that data.
Piovans Quantum E gravimetric batch
blender for extrusion also was put forward
as an example of Industry 4.0. Piovan
showed a QE6 blender, with throughput
capabilities of 600 kg/hr (1322 lb/hr).
Normally, as feed amounts drop, mixing
and accuracy can suffer, but Piovan says
A higher level of control
the Quantum line understands the
amount of material taken out and adjusts
mixing for better homogenization.
Upgrade to Athena. Get the hot runner
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system manufacturer TSM of Ireland (U.S. At Athena, we know you need to operate your hot runner systems
office in Marietta, Ga.; tsm-controls.com), with a surgeons precision for best results. Thats why we engineer
introduced its Insight platform, which products like BEDROS. Compact. Robust. With more functionality
allows users to stream production data NO W than standard medium-sized multizone runnerless controls. You
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@plastechmag Plastics Technology 43

 K 2016 REPORT

Hot Runners & 3D-Printed

Incoes new DF 12
nozzle is designed
for automotive
molds requiring very

Molds Headlined at K Show long nozzles in tight

installation spaces.
No wiring is exposed
inside the mold.

Automotive was a key focus for hot-runner developments.

3D-printed plastic prototype tools were another highlight.

Hot runners and controls, 3D-printed tooling, standardized mold components, and new developments in mold
heating and magnetic clamping constituted much of the tooling-related news at K 2016 in Dusseldorf. The show
was short on truly novel developments in hot runnerswith one exceptionbut numerous
By Matt Naitove
incremental advances were on display. Much of what was new there was reported in the months
Executive Editor
leading up to the show or in reviews of other shows such as Fakuma 2015 and NPE2015. Without
repeating previous headlines, this report is devoted to new and enhanced products not covered previously and
to additional information gleaned at the show on some previously announced develoments.

44 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

 Hot Runners & Tooling

PRINTED PLASTIC MOLDS SHOW PROMISE HOT RUNNERS & CONTROLS

Skeptics about the idea of molding plastic in plastici.e., One of the more unusual hot-runner developments at the show was a
3D-printed plastic tooling insertssaw their most convincing evi- special nozzle for large parts that reportedly can handle more melt
dence at the booth of Stratasys, Inc., Eden Prairie, Minn. (stratasys. volume with less shear than conventional nozzles. Developed by
com). That exhibit featured numerous examples of what Stratasys Austrian moldmaker Haidlmair
customers are doing with printed plastic tooling for injection (North American plant in Concord,
molding, blow molding, thermoforming, and composites fabrica- Ont.; haidlmair.us), it draws on the Life of 3D printed
tion. The main emphasis was on injection, where the message was companys experience in extrusion plastic molds
that you can mold anything from polyolefins, styrenics like ASA, flat dies for film and sheet. Called depends on the
and TPE to engineering materialsnylon, PC, acetal, 30% glass- the Flat Die Unit (FDU), it is an open part complexity,
filled Noryl (PPE alloy), and even 40%-glass PPSas well as very nozzle that abandons the usual round wall thickness,
complex shapes involving side actions, numerous ribs, internal and opening for a wide slit in which the and material
external threads, etc., with todays 3D-printed tools. The main limi- melt flows over a triangular shape being molded.
tation is that injection temperatures need to be below 300 C (572 F). resembling the profile of a flat die
How many shots the plastic tools are good for depends on the mate- (see October Starting Up for an initial
rial being molded and the partthe more complex the geometry report). The FDU was shown in action at three machine suppliers
and the thinner the walls, the shorter the tool life. Tool life can boothsMilacron, Wittmann Battenfeld, and Stork of The Netherlands.
range from as few as five to 20 shots to as many as
700 to 800 shots, even with engineering resins.
These results have been obtained by customers
using Stratasys Polyjet inket-style printers, that
dispense droplets of liquid acrylic photopolymer,
which are quickly hardened with UV light. The most
popular tooling material is what Stratasys calls digital
ABS. Its not a polymer grade as such, but a blend that
is formulated on the machine during the inkjet depo-
sition process. Multiple heads on the Polyjet machine
can dispense different colors or materials in the same
spot, so that they blend before being hardened. In this
case, droplets blend two Stratasys materials, chosen
for heat resistance in one case and toughness in the
other, so as to mimic ABS properties.
Because the plastic tooling inserts are poor heat
conductors and have no internal cooling, the molds
were cooled with air between cycles, which can be
as long as 100 sec for an acetal part. Stratasys says a Haidlmairs new FDU nozzle for large parts
university has printed mold inserts with conformal resembles a sheet die in spreading the gate out
into a wide slit, reducing pressure drop and shear
cooling channels and that the results are encouraging.
on the melt. Here are six FDUs installed in a mold.
Stratasys showed at K that printed plastic
molds can also be used to prototype blow molded
bottles and thermoformed shapes. In the case of thermoforming, Haidlmair presented several comparisons of molding parts with
a different type of Stratasys printer, using the FDM process of the FDU vs. conventional open round nozzles. In one case, an FDU
extruding and fusing thin plastic filaments, produces a porous 58 mm long x 0.5 mm wide provided 5.9 times the flow volume of a
mold that needs no drilling of vacuum holes. Other exhibits 2.5-mm round nozzle with approximately equal shear rate. Because
displayed printed plastic layup tools for vacuum bagging glass- the FDU gate is only 0.5 mm wide, it allows for faster gate freeze
fabric composite prepregs. In one case, soluble material was than the round nozzle. In another case, one FDU molded a 500 g
used to print a core for laying up a composite tube with curves PP part with the same fill rate and shear rate as two 2.5-mm round
and bends. The printed core could be washed out after curing nozzles, but at 5-10% lower cycle time. Haidlmair claims that the
the carbon-fiber/epoxy part. (For more details, see Dec. 23 blog, lower shear provides less stress on the melt and more uniform fill
short.ptonline.com/stratasys.) temperature than conventional nozzles.

@plastechmag Plastics Technology 45

 K 2016 REPORT
3D printed injection core and cavity for electronic
components, made by Robert Seuffer GmbH in Germany,
using Stratasys digital ABS photopolymer.
The FDU is still developmental and is currently available
only with Haidlmair molds. The company hopes to make it fully
commercial this year. It is also working on an FDU 2.0 version for
2017 that will leave less gate vestige and have faster cycles.
In other hot-runner news, Gunther (U.S. office in Hoffmann
Estates, Ill.; gunther-usa.com) has updated its OktaFlow multi-
tip nozzle for side gating with improved sealing. Its available in
radial or linear versions for up to 128 cavities.
Hasco of Germany (Fletcher, N.C.; hasco.com/gb) introduced
Vario Shot nozzles in the 61 series for manifold applications and
62 series for single-nozzle systems. New pressed-in heater in the
brass body is said to provide better heat transfer,
while the titanium head has low heat transfer.
Novel hot-runner
The units boast larger flow channelse.g., 5
nozzle for big
mm (up from 3.5 mm) on a 25-mm head diam.
parts makes a
The nozzles are suited to shots from 30 g to 23
long slit gate.
kg. A new thermal hot tip is designed for PC and
acrylic optical products. Nozzle lengths are 56
to 300 mm. Also new is a pair of economical G 1250 controllers for
small systems with one or two zones (digital LED readout).
HRSflow of Italy (Byron Center, Mich.; hrsflow.com) offered
another impressive demonstration of its FLEXflow servo-driven
valve-gate line for sequential or cascade molding of large, cosmetic
automotive parts. Korean molder Woojin Plaimm produced a PC/
ABS vehicle front grille for chrome plating, which requires very high
surface quality. Most remarkable was the use of a family mold with
11 separate parts, with a size ratio of 20:1 between the largest and
smallest parts. Formerly, it required separate molds to produce all
the different shot weights and still meet the surface demands for
chrome-plated parts. With FLEXflow sequential valve gating, one
mold and filling process balanced the melt flow to fill all the different
shot weights in the same period of time and with the required quality.
A new control option for the FLEXflow system is called FLEXflow
One. It eliminates the need for a standalone controller. Instead, a
tablet-like touch pendant (or External Smart Interface, ESI) is used to
program, in multiple steps, the needle stroke, position, and velocity
of every nozzle in a mold; these settings are saved on a memory card
in a driver module mounted on the manifold. The ESI is not needed
46 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
again until the user wishes to modify or change the setup.
Heitec Hot Runner Technology, represented here by Technoject
Machinery Corp., Bolton, Ont. (technoject.com), introduced a very small
(11-mm diam.) nozzle with fully soldered construction that report-
edly eliminates any air between components and provides a very
narrow processing window. In addition, the company brought out a
new control for needle drives that uses twin servo motors to profile
opening/closing speeds. It also stores operating recipes for different
molds, and programmable limits on needle force will signal an alarm
if pin movement is obstructed. A spokesman said that when running
highly filled materials, the system can be set to stop pin movement
before the final increment of closing position in order to reduce wear.
Among several announcements by Husky Injection Molding
Systems, Bolton, Ont. (husky.co), was the Ultra Helix 350 valve-gate
nozzle, a new smaller size (0.35 in. OD), added to previous models
(0.5 and 1 in.) introduced at NPE2015 (see July 15 report). Husky
claims both unmatched gate quality and the longest gate life of
any valve gate currently available.
In addition, Husky is offering its Ultra Side Gate in a new inline
configuration with two or four tips (vs. the previous star pattern).
Also new is the Lucent system for automotive lighting. The angled
manifold can carry hydraulic or pneumatic valve gates. It can
be made in all stainless steel. The Ultra Seal and collar control
compression within the nozzle to prevent leaks.
For automotive molds requiring long nozzles
but tight installation spaces, Incoe, Troy, Mich.
(incoe.com), showed its new Direct Flow DF 12
nozzle (valve gate or open tip) with 12-mm flow
diam. Its reduced outer dimensions and simpli-
fied mold cutout are based on the patented
MultiPower heater, which offers two heating zones for nozzle lengths
up to 600 mm. It features no exposed wiring inside the mold. A DF 8
version is in development, and more sizes are promised.
Mnner, one of three hot-runner suppliers in the Barnes Group
(U.S. office in Lawrenceville, Ga.; maenner-group.com), showed off a
more compact, second-generation e-plate actuator for all valve pins
in a mold simultaneously. A servo-driven cam provides two-speed
closing. Optimum gate quality is said to be provided by retracting
the pins a tiny bit after closing.
The other news from Mnner is a custom mold-validation service
for tools that it builds. This can include qualifying the mold design
based on the original drawings, qualifying the molds cooling capacity,
design-of-experiments (DOE) tests to find optimal running conditions
and define the process window, and a final acceptance run of parts that
are sent to the customer with a quality-measurement report. Mnner
currently has customers in medical/pharmaceutical markets using
this service and others coming in packaging and personal care.
Mastip of New Zealand (Slinger, Wisc.; mastip.com) has come up
with a new conductive hard tip for its nozzles to resist wear from
highly filled materials. The G5 tip utilizes a special grade of carbide
PTonline.com

and a TiN coating to achieve 60-65 Rc hardness. It is accompanied
by the H5 nut, or gate insert, composed of a new grade of steel.
Milacron, Cincinnati (milacron.com), showed off the latest
Mold-Masters Dura+ automotive lens systems, introduced at
Fakuma 2015 (see Jan. 16 report), which boast new gate styles
and increased number of temperature zones on the manifold.
Milacron also showed off its Mold-Masters Summit stainless
hot runners (introduced at NPE2015) and Sprint system for caps,
with new color-change tips (see
November Keeping Up). Its brand-
Valve-gate needle control and
new Max servo controller is gaining
servo control of electric mold
more mold functions, such as
movements are key trends.
hot-runner and water temperature
control, in addition to control of
servo axes such as valve gates (see October Starting Up).
PSG Plastic Service GmbH in Germany (acquired last year by
Meusburger, which has a U.S. office in Charlotte, N.C.) exhib-
ited new two-piece manifolds that are vacuum brazed or diffu-
sion welded. These manifolds allow for smooth bends in melt
channels, rather than sharp, gun-drilled corners, so as to elimi-
nate hangup zones and permit easier color changes. PSG also
showed its new PipeLine manifold system for hydraulic valve
Printed plastic blow mold for a PET bottle thermoformed part (right). The tool is inherently
made with Stratasys Polyjet system.
gates. Its designed to utilize one circuit to actuate multiple valves,
and it uses the oil, instead of water, for cooling as well.
PSG also had new developments in controls. Its varioFill
sequential valve-gate system, which requires manual setting of
proportional valves, has been supplemented by the VCON elec-
tronic system, which offers two-speed opening and a sensor in the
nozzle head that senses the arriving melt and passes on the signal
to open the nozzles. The varioFill system also has been enhanced
with a slow opening setting to avoid hesitation marks in sensitive
products such as optical parts. And PSGs new profiTemp+ hot-
runner controller has a touchpanel and is much more compact
@plastechmag
Hot Runners & Tooling
than previous versions with multiple digital zone readouts. The
new version comes in models for six to 24 or 48 zones. A new app
for mobile devices allows users to view the controller display on
their device and to make setting changes remotely.
Synventive Molding Solutions, Peabody, Mass. (synventive.com),
another member of Barnes Group, introduced its SVG+ sequential
valve-gating control system. It includes valve-pin monitoring via
hall-effect sensors so you can check pin movement from outside
the mold. A monitoring box with LCD
shows opening times for two select-
able zones (of 24), while status lights
provide real-time indication of open,
intermediate, and closed positions
The system uses Synventives SynCool
3 waterless, self-cooling actuators (hydraulic or pneumatic). A
handheld pendant is available to display pin positions and opening
speeds. It clips onto the machine with a magnet.
Thermoplay of Italy, another Barnes Group sister company (repre-
sented by Alba Enterprises, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; albaent.com),
introduced the F 011 mini valve-gate nozzle for small parts like caps
and cosmetic items. It has an 11-mm diam. and 13-mm minimum
pitch. Its available with pneumatic or hydraulic actuation, cylin-
drical or conical pin,
and length from 56 to
106 mm. Also new is a
special high-pressure
valve-gate nozzle for
fast cycles in thin-wall
packaging. It offers
improved sealing to
compensate for high
injection pressures, a
wider melt channel for
faster injection, better
thermal exchange
Stratasys FDM-printed tool (left) for between pin and cavity
plate for faster cooling
porous, so no vacuum holes are needed.
of the gate area, and
mechanical clamping
even when not thermally expanded in case of accidental cold startup.
The design is available for FN and DN nozzles and for pneumatic or
hydraulic actuation.
Top Grade Molds, Mississauga, Ont. (topgrademolds.com),
has a new, large single valve-gate nozzle for packaging and pails
that provides 50% more throughput than its previous model. The
company also showed a new, patented dynamic nozzle seal that is
a three-piece assembly with two degrees of freedom to move while
maintaining a seal. Its for screw-in nozzles, which can skew as they
expand thermally. This design floats the nozzle inside a lock nut so
that it always remains straight, the company says.
Plastics Technology 47
 K 2016 REPORT
Series, V3 L controller (free-standing on a wheeled
base) for up to 96 zones. It has a 10-in. color touch-
screen as standard and provides easy access to the
electronics through lift-out card racks. Coming early
this year is an M Series V2 XL version with up to 168
zones and optional 10- and 15-in. touchscreens.

MOLD HEATING DEVELOPMENTS

HRSflow demonstrated balanced filling of this vehicle front
grille in a family mold with 11 pieces differing in volume
by up to 20:1. Companys FLEXflow servo-driven sequential
valve-gating system filled all cavities in the same time
period with quality sufficient for chrome plating.
In hot-runner controls, the news from Gammaflux, Sterling,
Va. (gammaflux.com), is the firms first integrated combination of
its G24 temperature controller and its SVGC sequential valve-gate
controller in a single console for up to 48 zones. New features
include ability to monitor temperature, flow, and pressure of
water in the mold, Industry 4.0 compatibility, improved early leak
detection, improved Mold Wizard (v. 2.0) to aid setup and configu-
ration, communication with the Kistler cavity-pressure moni-
toring system, and ability to control up to four different molds
simultaneously. The company is also working on a servo control
system to handle multiple mold functions.
S.i.S.E. of France (Atlanta; sise-plastics.com) introduced its M
RocTool of France (Charlotte, N.C.; roctool.com)
specializes in rapid induction heating of molds for
hot/cold (variotherm) molding and composites. In
the past six months, it has built test tools to
examine how different materials respond to this
type of heating: Can it make parts stronger by elimi-
nating weld lines and stresses? Can it allow parts to
go thinner? Can flow lengths be increased? RocTool
has been comparing induction and conventional
mold heating with a range of materials and sub-
jecting test parts to a full range of mechanical
testing. RocTool is building a database that currently includes at
least 30 materials. (See also October Starting Up.)
A different hot/cold heating approach called the Z-System
for partial dynamic temperature control was introduced by
Hotset of Germany (Swainsboro, Ga.; hotset.com). Intended for
local heating of specific areas of the mold, the concept involves
placing electrical heaters in pockets machined behind the
cavities. This is said to achieve heating rates of 25 to 60 C/
sec. At relatively low cost and low energy consumption, this
approach is said to have all the benefits of variotherm molding
erasing weld lines, enhancing gloss, and improving thin-wall
molding. It is designed for relatively small parts.

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48 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

 Hot Runners & Tooling

HIGH-PRODUCTIVITY TOOLING
Stackteck Systems Ltd., Brampton, Ont. (stackteck.com), showed off
its latest TRIM (Thin Recess Injection Molding) design for a single-
serve PP yogurt cup. Compared with a standard weight of 6.1 to 6.2
g for a 300:1 L/T cup, the new version weighs only 5 g. Stacktech
uses modeling software to thin out the bottom of the cup while
using thin ribs as flow leaders to the sidewalls. The TRIM design
also thins the top quarter of the sidewall to 10 mils vs. 14 mils for
the lower portion. The result cuts weight but retains good topload
strength and a smooth inner surface for spoonability.
MAGNETIC CLAMPING ADVANCES
Tecnomagnete of Italy (Sterling Heights, Mich.; tecnomagnete.com)
highlighted two improvements to its IPC magnetic clamping
system: a new touchscreen and an interface to injection machine
controllers (Engels among them) that transmits data on the actual
magnetic holding force and can automatically adjust clamp
opening force for smaller molds.
MOLD COMPONENTS
Cumsa of Spain (Troy, Mich.; cumsa.com) has extended the size
range of its double-rack lifter system for releasing undercuts. The
new smallest size is the DR 16 (16-mm nut that holds the two legs)
and the new largest sizes are the KR58200L and KR76200L (58- and
76-mm nut). Also new is the ability to cool the angle pin all along its
length by means of a heat pipe.
New from Hasco is the Z 1897 SmartLock, said to be the first to
combine the advantages of a slide retainer and a limit switch. It report-
edly offers precise end-position control, continuous monitoring of the
end position, and friction locking and electric position sensing.
Meusburger of Austria (Charlotte, N.C.; meusburger.com) intro-
duced a number of new components:
E 3330 and E 3360 compact slide units with DLC coating for
wear resistance;
E 1522 and E 1524 ejector-set accelerators, which provide addi-
tional stroke;
DLC-coated flat (E 1820) and round (E 1840) latch locks;
Expanded range of hydraulic cylinders with up to 200-mm stroke;
HSS ejector pins with high-temperature resistance and DLC-
coated ejector blades;
E 1352 flat-face centering unit with a round fitting.
Progressive Components, Wauconda, Ill. (procomps.com), has
added a press maintenance module to its CVe Live mold monitor.
The new module allows for manual input of data on press main-
tenance and on which presses a certain mold runs best. Also new
are user alerts by email or text. (See Sept. Keeping Up for a new
screw-in USB mold-memory device from Hasco.)

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@plastechmag Plastics Technology 49

 K 2016 REPORT

New Resins & Additives

Galore at K 2016

A wide range of interesting developments in materials

technologies were sprinkled in with some intriguing
announcements of new ventures at K 2016.

Potential A broad range of new materials and additives were featured at K 2016, ranging from novel
applications for engineering resins and thermoplastic composites to specialty polyolefins, as well as stabi-
Solvays Technyl
4 Earth, a nylon lizers and other additives to boost performance of materials. Key
By Lilli Manolis Sherman
66 recycled from Senior Editor target markets include automotive, packaging, electronics, building/
airbags, include construction, healthcare, sports, and other consumer goods. And as
automotive air
always at the big show, there were some intriguing business announcements:
filters, electronic
components, and
consumer goods. Celanese Engineered Materials (U.S. office in Irving, Texas;
celanese.com) is entering the TPE business via the acquisition of Italys So.F.TER., and
will also expand its engineering plastics portfolio with So.F.TER.s reinforced PP, nylons
6 and 66, PBT, PC/ABS, ABS, PC, PS, SAN, and PPE compounds.
Celanese also announced its entry into the PEEK market with a special high-flow
product. Celanese says it plans to use its LCP expertise for complex PEEK geometric
shapes targeting underhood automotive and electronics applications.

50 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com


SABIC (U.S. office in Houston; sabic.com) confirmed that it is
evaluating building a petrochemical and derivatives complex
including polyolefinseither in Texas or Louisiana, in conjunc-
tion with an ExxonMobil affiliate.
SABIC also announced that by end of this year, it will produce
glass-reinforced acetal for global applications in automotive,
building/construction, and more.
Italys Radici Group Performance
Plastics (U.S. office in Wadsworth, Ohio; Celanese is entering the
radicigroup.com) highlighted further TPE business via the
expansion of its nylon business in acquisition of So.F.TER.
North America and Europe though its and also making its entry
acquisition of Invistas Engineering into the PEEK market.
Polymer Solutions unit (Wichita, Kan.),
which produces Torzen nylon 66 rein-
forced, filled, toughened, and flame-retardant compounds.
Solvay Specialty Polymers (Alpharetta, Ga.; solvay.com) said it
expects to increase global capacity for its high-performance
sulfone polymersUdel PSU, Radel PPSU, and Veradel PESU
by over 35% in the next five years through optimization of U.S.
and Asian plants.
SPECIALTY NYLONS SHINE
Solvay Engineering Plastics unveiled Technyl 4 Earth, a 100%
post-industrial nylon 66 sourced from auto airbags. It is enabled
by a patented technology capable of separating the nylon from the
airbags silicone. The material reportedly has properties equivalent
to virgin nylon 66. Potential applications include automotive air
filters as well as electronic components and consumer goods.
The company also launched Technyl REDx, a new high-
heat nylon 66 based on a patented technology that eliminates
the need for heat stabilizers. This material transforms when
exposed to heat during use from a thermoplastic to a thermoset
with enhanced properties. The crosslinking is irreversible, so
parts made of Technyl REDx cannot be remolded under standard
conditions. The material sports temperature resistance of 220
C, approaching that of PPA (220-240 C) and surpassing standard
nylon 66 at 190-200 C. Processability is said to be akin to a typical
nylon 66 with excellent flow.
As previously reported (see September show preview), both
BASF and DSM Engineering Plastics (U.S. office in Troy, Mich.;
dsm.com) launched new high-performance PPAs for automotive
applications. BASFs new Ultramid Advanced N was used in the
complex and compact electronic assemblies of the Hyndai RN30
concept car highlighted at the show. The resin can also be used in
structural parts near the engine and the gearbox.
Similarly, DSM showcased some target applications
including powertrain, transmission, chassis, and thermal-
management components, for its new Stanyl ForTii Ace. This is
DSMs third-generation polyamide 4T and is touted as the first
@plastechmag
Materials & Additives
PPA to be positioned to replace die-cast metals and costlier engi-
neering resins like PEEK.
The BASF/Hyundai concept car also featured BASFs Ultracom
thermoplastic composites, first launched at K 2013, the result of
BASFs alliance with TenCate and Owens Corning. Ultracom laminates
are based on woven fabrics and unidirectional tapes impregnated
with BASFs Ultramid nylon or Ultradur PBT
resins. In the concept car, Ultracom was
featured in parts with complex geometry
such as the injection molded seat shell and
pan, making the seat lighter while main-
taining optimum strength and rigidity.
A third new family of PPA resins was
launched by the Radici Group. Radilon
Aestus T is said to deliver not only the
highest temperature resistance, but also high flame resistance and
chemical resistance, especially to aggressive fluids. Other key char-
acteristics include: high melting temperature and heat-distortion
temperature; excellent resistance to prolonged aging in air and a
glycol-alcohol-gasoline blend; and good flowability, allowing for
BASFs Lumina
Royal Dragon
Gold effect
pigment boasts
the highest
lightness and
strongest sparkle
for yellows and
greens.
very thin-walled parts. Markets include automotive fuel connec-
tors and thermostat housings; water/plumbing fittings; beverage-
dispensing equipment; and electrical/electronic components.
Teknor Apex, Pawtucket, R.I. (teknorapex.com), showcased
its new nylon 612 extrusion compound for automotive cable
jackets. Approved by GM and Chrysler for heat-stabilized nylon
612, Chemlon 890 HNT001 boasts better chemical resistance than
nylon 6 and reportedly has greater stress corrosion resistance
when exposed to aggressive chemicals or mechanical stresses. It is
currently used in brake jacketing for a U.S. OEM, having passed the
cable suppliers heat-aging test of 135 C for 168 hr.
LOOKING FOR MORE MATERIALS NEWS AT K 2016?
Visit ptonline.com/zones/k-2016 and
short.ptonline.com/2016mats
Plastics Technology 51
 K 2016 REPORT
As previously reported, other new
specialty nylonsincluding high-flow, flame-
retardant, and micro-bead and hollow-bead
reinforced compoundswere showcased by
Lanxess (U.S. office in Pittsburgh; lanxess.
com), Houston-based Ascend Performance
Materials (ascendperformancematerials.com),
and So.F.TER. (U.S. office in Lebanon, Tenn.;
softergroup.com).
A reportedly first-ever flexible PPS for cable ties was unveiled by Celanese.
MORE NEWS IN ENGINEERING RESINS
Particularly for automotive/transportation
applications, new PC PC/ABS, PC/PBT resins (previously reported)
continue to make a splash. For example, Covestro (U.S. office in
Pittsburgh; covestro.com) showcased new Makrolon PC grades in a
range of emerging applications. They were featured on the electric
concept car at the show, including its wrap-around PC glazing.
Also on this concept car was an entirely new lighting
concept, the key to which is seamless integration of the PC body
with the PC lighting structure. Also, an interesting holographic
lighting function in the
rear of this vehiclean
Solvay expects to boost extremely thin design
production of its sulfone with PC LED backlights,
polymers by 35% in the was said to be a first.
next five years. Covestro also show-
cased a new process of
making steering wheels
instead of spray painting, they injection mold the PC or PC/ABS
part and in the same mold inject a PUR coating.
SABIC also sported PC glazing for automotive rear windows,
carbon-fiber-reinforced PC/ABS for transportation applications,
and new PC copolymers for injection molding aircraft-interior
parts. The company showcased a new Scania big-rig truck that
features 30 different applications utilizing SABIC materials.
52 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
Among them are a Cycoloy PC/ABS instrument panel, Xenoy PC/
PBT upper side-step panel and mud guards, and Stamax long-glass
PP storage boxes, mounting panes, and guide rails. SABIC also
showcased PC sheet for the healthcare sector.
In the electronics arena, Covestro featured its newly devel-
oped continuous carbon-fiber sheet impregnated with PC,
demonstrated in next-generation laptop housings. Flextronics
formed the composite sheets.
Spains Elix Polymers (U.S. office in Weston, Fla.; elix-polymers.
com) showcased new specialty ABS, including high-heat grades and
a new generation of plateable grades for automotive. The company
also showed new blends of ABS with biopolymers and natural fibers.
Solvay featured a newly modified version of Ryton R4 40% glass-
filled PPS for an injection molded impeller and stator isolator of the
electric pump of the Polimotor 2 all-plastic race-car engine.
Celanese unveiled what is said to be the first flexible Fortron
PPS for cable ties for materials handling, agricultural equipment,
and automotive. It is positioned to compete with nylon cable ties
by offering better heat resistance.
Ineos Styrolution, Aurora, Ill. (styrolution.com), unveiled what
is believed to be the first styrenic-based thermoplastic composite,
said to exceed the mechanical properties of composites based
on nylon 6 or PC. Based on a modified SAN, Stylight composite is
PTonline.com

offered with glass or carbon-fiber fabrics
for aesthetic/semi-structural as well as
structural applications in automotive,
truck interior and exterior panels, seat
structures, and center consoles. Stylight
grades are offered as semifinished ther-
moplastic sheets, ready for processing
via thermoforming and overmolding. The
company also offers three glass-filled ABS/
nylon 6 grades and one ABS grade for back-
injection or overmolding of Stylight parts.
The BASF/Hyundai RN30 concept
car featured complex and compact
electronic assemblies made of new
Ultramid Advanced N PPA.
NEWS IN POLYOLEFINS
New and improved polyolefins and poly-
olefin elastomers (POEs) also made their
debut. For example, Dow Chemical,
Midland, Mich. (dow.com), introduced
Agility EZ 7000, a new LDPE for extrusion
coating that boasts the highest melt
strength available in such a material. Dow
also highlighted new Engage XST, the latest
metallocene POE designed for use as an
impact modifier in automotive TPOs. Its
already used in bumpers and airbag covers.
Braskem (U.S. office in Philadelphia;
braskem.com) unveiled a high-gloss HDPE
for injection stretch-blow molding. It
boasts 80% higher gloss than competitive
grades without sacrificing properties, plus
excellent scratch resistance. This HDPE
can be molded as the outer layer of HDPE
bottles from very small sizes up to 5 liters.
Also new from Braskem was Flexus Cling,
its first cast cling-film grade, which now
completes the companys LLDPE portfolio.
Braskem also launched high-melt-
strength PP for foams. This HMS-PP is touted
for its excellent chemical and temperature
@plastechmag
Materials & Additives
resistance and ability to produce low densities that approach those of automotive PUR foams.
It was slated to be used in a door-liner application before 2016s end, and will be in a head-
liner application, replacing a phenolic resin, this year.
As previously reported, other new polyolefins were launched by ExxonMobil Chemical,
SABIC, Borealis, and Nova Chemicals.
NEW ADDITIVES
Additives launched at the show included stabilizers for automotive PP and TPO and other
applications; pigments and colorants; chain extenders; laser-marking additives; slip and
anti-scratch additives; and thermally conductive fillers.
BUNTING
No Metal. No Doubt.
FF Series Drawer Filter
When it comes to magnetic systems, theres more than meets the eye.
From detecting and separating the smallest flakes of metal, Bunting Magnetics makes magnetic
products and systems the plastics industry has come to trust. Take for example our FF Series
Drawer Filter. What makes this Bunting different?
Temperature-compensated, Rare Earth Magnets for superior high temperature operation
Drawer gasket resists heat aging and compression set offering greater durability
A broad Line of Manual or Pneumatic Cleaning Options to fit any application
In-stock and ready to ship
In all of our products, we begin with the end in mind. We start with better components, innovative
design and finish production with superior attention to detail. Whether you need individual
components or complete, custom systems, we will purify your product, protect your brand and
make your plant more efficient.
Dont just remove metal, remove all doubt.
Call us at 800.835.2526 or visit buntingmagnetics.com
Designed Manufactured In The USA
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8008352526 buntingmagnetics.com
Plastics Technology 53
 K 2016 REPORT
Stabilizers and antioxidants: Solvay Specialty Chemicals fea-
tured its new Cyasorb Cynergy Solutions V Series stabilizers for
automotive TPO. They are said to protect against UV light, extreme
temperatures, and other environmental factors. Other new stabi-
lizers (see September show preview) included Tinuvin 880 HALS
from BASF (Florham Park, N.J.; basf.com), a novel, long-lasting and
thermally stable UV stabilizer; and Songxtend 2124 from Songwon
(U.S. office in Houston; songwon.com), which provides long-term
thermal stability for glass-reinforced PP interior components.
Proprietary heat stabilizer technology for use with recycled
materials was unveiled by Brueggemann Chemical (U.S. office in
Newtown Square, Pa.; brueggemann.com). These Baeropol T-Blends
are metallic stearates aimed primarily at polyolefins but also look
54 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
What is believed to be the first styrenic-
based composite, said to exceed mechanical
properties of composites based on nylon 6 and
PC, was launched by Ineos Styrolution.
promising for PS, nylons, and acetals. These stabilizer
blends reportedly can reduce or totally eliminate the
need for phosphite. Unlike phosphites, the T-Blends
have no solubility limitations and thus no tendency to
plate out or form gels in high-speed extrusion.
Addivant, Danbury, Conn. (addivant.com), unveiled
new hindered phenolic antioxidants for HBCD-free
flame-retardant EPS. Lowinox XPS 162 boasts 50%
better stabilization and 10 times less discoloration.
Also new is Lowinox Fast CL antioxidant, said to
boost productivity of XLPE power-cable lines at lower
cost. Addivant also showcased new Ultranox 800 phos-
phite antioxidant, which boasts cutting-edge color and
process stability with enhanced cost savings for PP compounds.
Pigments/Colorants: BASF Colors & Effects showcased new
Lumina Royal Dragon Gold EH 0908, a brilliant green-shade gold
mica effect pigment. It is said to offer the highest lightness and
strongest sparkle in styling for yellows and greens, and to extend
the color-space potential of high-chroma shades for packaging,
consumer electronics, household appliances, sporting goods, and
other specialty applications.
PolyOne Corp., Cleveland (polyone.com), launched a new
colorant technology developed with Germanys Merck KGaA that
allows plastics processors to create flat surfaces that appear to have
depth and structure. IM3D technology creates a 3D impression in a
PTonline.com
 Materials & Additives

single step during injection molding, versus for PP: Incromold K, said to reduce scratch visibility and whitening in PP impact copo-
the several processing steps previously lymer; and Incroslip G, a stable product said to exhibit excellent anti-scratch properties in
required to generate such a surface effect. PP homopolymer with an added benefit of improving mold release.
Also showcased by PolyOne was
the new Impress family of ultra-glossy Thermally conductive fillers: Martinswerk, a Huber Engineered Materials company,
metallic colorants, available in solid or a Atlanta, (hubermaterials.com), showcased its new Martoxid series of heat-conductive,
liquid form. They reportedly enable pack- alumina-based fillers designed to improve compatibility of filler and matrix resin. They are
aging manufacturers to realize unlimited said to allow for high loadings to transfer heat away from electronic parts made from a
combinations of color and gloss to create wide range of thermoplastics. (See Keeping Up for more additives news at K 2016.)
packaging with a brilliant, attention-grab-
bing appearance free of flow lines. These
colorants are well suited to packaging
made with PET, PC, and ABS processed on
standard blow molding machinery.
PolyOne also launched new grades of
its OnCap laser-marking pigments that
reportedly achieve good marking with the
newest, fastest laser-marking equipment
for wire and cable.
The Pellbow
As previously reported, several other
novel pigments were showcased by Modern
to optimize
Dispersions, Inc., Huntsman, Clariant, and your conveying
Lanxess Rhein Chemie Additives. system
Elix Polymers Chain
showcased extenders, com-
new high-heat patibilizers:
ABS and a new Vertellus

generation of launched three

plateable ABS. new ZeMac mas-

terbatches: Extend
L65 and L68 are
chain extenders and branching agents that
convert low-relative-viscosity (RV) nylon to
branched high-RV nylon with better
st
thermal and mechanical performance than Reduced du Better systems for
linear nylon. Meanwhile, new Extend P62 is t rea m e r s
said to be the only product in the market + No s brilliant products
and higher margins.
able to smoothly compatibilize nylon and
Le s s m aintenance
recycled PET to reduce material costs. =
tion costs
Slip and anti-scratch additives: Dow
and produc
Corning, Midland, Mich., (dow.com), intro-
duced a high-molecular-weight, long-chain,
non-migratory silicone slip agent developed
specifically for LL/LDPE films for form-fill-
seal food packaging. The company will soon Learn more:
launch a silicone-based slip agent for BOPP.
Croda (U.S. office in Arlington, Tex.; croda. www.pelletroncorp.com
com) launched two anti-scratch additives

@plastechmag Plastics Technology 55

 Keeping Up
With Technology

INJECTION MOLDING

ADDITIVES

Flame-Retardant
Clay Synergists Reduce
Smoke Production
An extended range of high-performance
Medium-Pressure Machine clay-based flame-retardant synergists were
showcased at K 2016 by Tolsa
For Large Solid or Foam Parts Group of Spain (U.S. office in
Suwanee, Ga.). Said to deliver
Wilmington Machinery, Wilmington, N.C., has developed an 800-ton, two- reduced smoke production, the
platen press with two-stage (screw/plunger) injection and 44-lb shot capacity new Adins Clay synergists are primarily aimed
that offers flexibility for either solid or structural-foam molding. It offers at PVC and rubber systems.
twice the tonnage of a typical foam press and around twice the injection Adins grades are based on the companys
pressure, as well. At 10,000 psi injection capability, Wilmington calls this a new technology using natural silicates, offering
medium-pressure machine. It also has an injection rate of 20 lb/sec, about tailored performance benefits, improved
twice the usual for structural foam. processability, and reduced cost. They are
It can utilize standard hot-runner molds for solid foam molding (perhaps also said to help meet new stringent demands
with a little chemical blowing agent to prevent sinks); or it can use an for smoke performance through use of more
external nozzle manifold for structural foam with direct gas injection. Hot stable coatings than competitive clays.
runners offer faster changeover and setup for short runs of solid parts; Combining halogen or non-halogen flame
while an external nozzle manifold permits easier cleaning when running retardants with Adins in PVC significantly
100% recycled resins that may be prone to contamination that can clog hot- reduces heat release and smoke generation.
runner nozzles. Tolsa says its flexible technology facili-
The new MP800 press has bimetallic barrels for both screw and plunger, tates modification of the sepiolite clay to
electric drive on the extruder, servohydraulic drive on the plunger and clamp, meet OEM requirements in terms of heat and
and Allen-Bradley controls. Clamp speed is 2000 in./min. The clamp design smoke performance. In PVC, the clay can be
is said to be unusual in that both the mechanical locking and high-pressure modified to attain good dispersion and inter-
cylinders are mounted on the moving platen rather than on the fixed platen. action with the polymer.
910-452-5090 wilmingtonmachinery.com 678-957-0886 tolsa.com

Newest MacroPack-FP Die

Fastest Purge Time
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Up to 13 layers
Up to 30 layers Mississauga, ON, Canada

1(905)507-9000 I sales@macroeng.com I service@macroeng.co I www.macroeng.com

56 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com


EXTRUSION
Extrusion Line Control
Designed for Industry 4.0
The BCtouch UX is a new extrusion
control platform from Battenfeld-
Cincinnati, McPherson, Kan., that
supports efficient production planning
and preventive maintenance, and fulfills
future requirements for connectivity with
servers and mobile appliances. In this
way, it also provides the prerequisites
for comprehensive process data acquisi-
tion and evaluation, and for vertical
integration according to the Industry 4.0
concept, the supplier says.
The user interface offers multi-
touch zoom, move, and slide functions,
similar to smart phones or tablets. In
addition to
the central
operating
terminal,
additional
terminals
can be
integrated
along the
line. Thanks
to a new
type of
cockpit
view, the
process
status
of the entire line can be viewed at a
glance. Design of the overview page
and navigation through the menu
are customized according to the line
configuration.
All process parameters are monitored
centrally. This enables line operators
to carry out energy monitoring and to
calculate energy diagrams over time and
on the basis of freely selectable produc-
tion parameters. This makes it possible
to find an operating point where the
line can be run with optimal resource
efficiency in terms of both material and
energy consumption. Since mainte-
nance intervals for all line components
are recorded in the control system, it
supports the necessary preventive-
maintenance actions, thus increasing
line uptime and overall efficiency. All
line and process parameters can be
centrally tapped by an ERP system.
620-241-6843
battenfeld-cincinnati.com/usa
@plastechmag
NE W PRODUC T S FOR PL A S T IC S PROCE S SING
BLOW MOLDING
New Software Optimizes
PET Bottle Crystallinity
At the recent K 2016 show in Germany,
Agr International Inc., Butler, Pa., intro-
duced PET bottle optimization
software that maximizes
crystallinity without sacrificing
clarity. The concept is to find
the lowest preform blowing temperature
possibleto induce maximum crystallinity
and performance propertieswithout
causing pearlescence that clouds the
bottle. Newly commercial, Agrs CrystalView
software (previewed in developmental form
at NPE2015) uses a set of vision compo-
nents mounted inside a reheat SBM unit.
As bottles exit the mold, CrystalView scans
every bottle for the onset of pearlescence,
which it can detect well before the human
eye can perceive it. Its an automated,
hands-free means of optimizing PET
bottle properties without overstretching.
According to Agr, bottle makers often run
a little warmer than necessary to prevent
pearlescence. With CrystalView, the system
automatically reduces preform processing
temperature by as much as 10 C (18 F),
with these benefits:
Topload increased by up to 17%;
Volume expansion (creep) reduced
by up to 38%;
Shelf-life increased by up to 10%;
Burst pressure increased by up to 17%;
Oxygen transmittance reduced by
up to 7%;
Squeeze resistance increased
by up to 7%;
Energy consumption reduced by 7-10%.
CrystalView is available as an add-on
option to Agrs Process Pilot automated
SBM machine management system,
including retrofits to existing systems.
724-482-2163 agrintl.com
Plastics Technology 57
 Keeping Up With Technolog y
ADDITIVES
Light Blocker for
Dairy PET Bottles
At K 2016, Holland Colours (U.S. office in Richmond, Ind.)
launched its third-generation Holcomer UV light blocker specif-
ically formulated for UHT (ultra-high-temperature)
monolayer dairy PET packaging. Holcomer III report-
edly allows for 100% UV blocking and up to 99.9%
visible-light blocking in a monolayer PET bottle, but with signif-
icantly lower costs. Holland says this more economical version
of Holcomer can help brand owners save money compared with
carton packs or three-layer HDPE bottles. Available in a highly
concentrated solid form, Holcomer III is also said to provide
high-gloss finishes and no deformation or delamination.
765-935-0329 hollandcolours.com
58 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
COMPOUNDING
Redesigned Line for Cable Compounds
Buss (U.S. office in Carol Stream, Ill.) has updated its MX 105
compounding line for processing highly filled or crosslink-
able, halogen-free, flame-retardant (HFFR) cable compounds.
A simplified design gives this system, capable of up to 3306 lb/
hr, a particularly advantageous price-performance ratio without
compromising on functionality or product quality. Buss has also
made the machine quieter and more energy efficient.
The MX 105 is the mid-range model of the MX series, avail-
able with a
processing
length of 15:1
or 22:1 L/D,
and can be
fitted with two
or three feed
hoppers. The
hinged process
section now
opens even
wider to 120, providing unprecedented accessibility and further
enhancing ease of maintenance and operation. The MX series
comes with Siemens Simatic-S7 or Allen-Bradley controls.
For processing semi-conductor compounds or carbon-black
masterbatches, the discharge extruder can be replaced with
a melt pump. The redesigned discharge extruder, with a fully
retractable pelletizer, features a greatly reduced footprint. The
discharge screw is now electrically heated and air-cooled, which
is simpler, safer, and more reliable than the previous oil heating
system. Moreover, a screen changer can now also be retrofitted.
The pelletizers three-blade knife arm ensures excellent
cutting quality at moderate speeds. The new arrangement of
the knife drive improves accessibility, simplifies operation, and
boosts operational reliability in this area too.
630-933-9100 busscorp.com
RECYCLING
Technology Eliminates PCR Smell
Recyclers of post-consumer plastic waste often deal with mate-
rials containing migrated substances from food, cosmetics, or
detergents. Volatile organic residues of monomers
and products of oxidation, hydrolysis, and decompo-
sition can cause unwanted smells in recycled pellets.
To combat that, Starlinger of Austria (parent of American Star-
linger-Sahm, Fountain Inn, S.C.) introduced at K 2016 technology
that significantly reduces the smell during and after recycling
and allows recyclers to upcycle their end product. The method
works without additives, reportedly achieving excellent resin
quality with improved smell on a permanent basis.
The odor-reduction process consists of three steps: material
preparation in the Smart feeder, where the material is
heated and homogenized; the C-VAC degassing module with
300% increased melt surface for highest possible degassing
efficiency; and the Smell Extraction Unit, which gives the
regranulate the final touch.
864-297-1900 starlingersahm.com
PTonline.com

Suppliers Team Up on
RECYCLING
Integrated Recycling, Compounding
Erema (U.S. office in Ipswich, Mass.) and KraussMaffei Berstorff (Florence, Ky.)
announced at K 2016 a partnership whereby Erema will supply its Intarema
recycling technology for KraussMaffeis re-compounding tech-
nology. That technology uses one extruder to melt the reclaimed
material before it is compounded on a second extruder. Since the
integrated process is a single line in a tandem arrangement, the material
does not need to be heated repeatedly, which saves energy, minimizes shear
stress produced during
plasticating, and gives
substantially improved
material quality.
The perfect port-
folio combination of
both partners clearly
demonstrates that
integrated recycling and
compoundingor rather
re-compoundinghas
become a key element of
our strategic orientation,
says Peter Roos, presi-
dent of the Extrusion
Technology Segment of
the KraussMaffei Group.
In the first quarter of
2017, the first line, rated
for outputs between 300
and 1000 kg/hr (661 to
2204 lb/hr), will be avail-
able for customer trials.
978-356-3771 erema.net;
859-283-0200
kraussmaffeigroup.us
NORTH AMERICAS LEADING TECHNOLOGY
HVTSE DRYER-LESS EXTRUSION SYSTEMS
M-ATEX Die Splitting TITAN Plus Control
Support Automation
High vacuum
twin screw extruder
by Bandera
HVTSE Model 5 Zone Temp Station
170mm/42D w/3500
Co-extruder
World Class Sheet Extrusion Systems
Model GCH841830
Horizontal Five Chrome
Roll Stand
Processing Technologies International, LLC | 2655 White Oak Circle Aurora, IL 60502 | Tel: 630.585.5800 | Fax: 630.585.5855
@plastechmag
NE W PRODUC T S FOR PL A S T IC S PROCE S SING
RECYCLING
High-Performance
Rotary Shredder
The V-Eco rotary shredder series from Vecoplan
LLC, High Point, N.C., processes a broad
spectrum of recyclables, including
all types of plastics, films, fiber,
paper, cardboard, and textiles. Intro-
duced at K 2016, the rotary shredder features an
inclined cutting-chamber floor that works with
a ram to ensure continuous feeding. A variable-
frequency inverter drive (VFD) eliminates
gearboxes and fluid couplings, matches rotor
speed and torque to load characteristics, and
senses tramp metal and stops automatically.
The unit is equipped with W Rotors that
have a cutting geometry to shred both flexible
and fibrous, or rigid and bulky, materials,
delivering particle consistency, maximum
throughput, and minimal heat buildup. Single
or double rows of bed knives are said to
increase the shredding surface, producing
smaller particles, for maximum screen
throughput and minimum processing time. The
knives are externally adjustable for quick and
easy maintenance of cutting tolerances on thin,
flexible materials like films and fibers.
A hydraulic lift-up cutting-chamber floor
provides safe and convenient access to the
cutting chamber at the push of a button. A
drop-down screen carriage delivers fast and
easy screen changes, with quick access for
cutting-insert rotation or replacement, as well
as other maintenance.
336-252-4462 vecoplanllc.com
100% Flake Capability A/B/A Co-ex
Structure
Dual Payoff Lamination Cell Film Access Hatchways
Plastics Technology 59
 Keeping Up With Technolog y

RECYCLING RECYCLING

Machine Builders Join

Forces on PCR PET Sheet
At K 2016, Next Generation Recyclingmas-
chinen GmbH (NGR) of Austria (U.S. office in
Norcross, Ga.) and Kuhne GmbH
of Germany announced they will
team up on building systems
for producing virgin-quality PET sheet from
PET waste. The integrated system consists
of a shredder-feeder-extruder combination
for melting the plastic; NGRs P:REACT unit
for improving the quality of PET by raising
its I.V.; and a tight-tolerance sheet line
Single-Shaft Shredders Are from Kuhne. Both PET sheet processors and
Compact, Easy to Maintain thermoformers may benefit from this collab-
At K 2016, Weima Maschinenbau GmbH in Germany (U.S. office in Fort Mill, S.C.) oration. Initial tests have far exceeded our
presented its all-new WKS single-shaft shredder series with 1400, 1800, and 2200 mm expectations for sheet quality, says Hubert
working widths. These machines were specially designed for shredding Armbruster, managing director of Kuhne.
voluminous plastics objects, tear-resistant fibers, and film. Instead of a The shredder-feeder-extruder combina-
horizontal ram, the new series has a swing-ram guided on rolls. This tion can convert any form of input material
is what makes the shredder very compact and easy to maintain. It also allows a into high-quality melt, the suppliers say.
more aggressive material infeed. The low feeding height of only 2.2 m (7.2 ft) enables This makes it possible to use low-cost
users to fill the hopper via conveyor belt, forklift, or by hand. All WKS shredders can PET skeleton scrap, sheet production
run stand-alone or as part of a multi-stage plantfor instance in a recycling line scrap, bottle flakes, or even fibers. PET
including an extrusion system. melt is decontaminated in P:REACT (for
803-802-7170 weima.com food-contact uses) and the I.V. value is
restored to the desired level. This means
all the material requirements are on hand
for producing PET sheets that have tight

GIVE IT TO
I.V. tolerances on par with virgin material,
says Josef Hochreiter, CEO of NGR. For
customer trials, a system from the P:SHEET

ME STRAIGHT
series is available at NGRs technical center.
678-720-9861 ngr.at
+49 (0) 2241 902 0 kuhne-group.com

WE DO! ADDITIVES

CONCOR TOOL STEEL LINED High-Performance Stabilizers

BARRELS - NEW AND RELINED For Polyolefins Outdoors
A new line of stabilizers said to deliver
exceptional UV and long-term thermal
stability to PP and other polyolefin parts
used in outdoor building and construction
applications has been added to the propri-
etary Cyasorb Cynergy Solutions portfolio of
Solvay Technology Solutions, Woodland Park,
N.J. (formerly Cytec Industries).
The new B Series stabilizers are suitable
for use with neat and reinforced thermo-
plastics, and reportedly will not contribute
to blooming or delamination in painted
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Email: sales@concortool.com olefin roofing shakes, solar shingles, siding,
www.concortool.com shutters, and geomembranes.
973-357-3100 solvay.com

60 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

 YOUR BUSINE S S
Resin Pricing Analysis

Prices Bottom Out for Polyolefins;

PET, PS, PVC Move Up
Flat or falling prices have turned upward for all five commodity resins.

Globally rising feedstock costs and, in some cases, favorable resin

export opportunities for domestic suppliers, along with better managed Market Prices Effective Mid-January 2017
production output, spikes in domestic Resin Grade /lb
By Lilli Manolis Sherman
Senior Editor demand, and planned maintenance
POLYETHYLENE (railcar)
outages are reversing 2016s flat-to-down-
LDPE, LINER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85-87
ward resin pricing trajectory. This appears to be true for PP in the longer LLDPE BUTENE, FILM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71-73
run, as well as for the near-term prospects for PE, PS, PVC, and PET. NYMEX FINANCIAL FUTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
These are the views of purchasing consultants from Resin FEBRUARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
HDPE, G-P INJECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87-89
Technology, Inc. (RTi), Fort Worth, Texas (rtiglobal.com), CEO
HDPE, BLOW MOLDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77-79
Michael Greenberg of the Plastics Exchange in Chicago NYMEX FINANCIAL FUTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
(theplasticsexchange.com), and Houston-based PetroChemWire FEBRUARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45.50
(petrochemwire.com). HDPE, HMW FILM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90-92
POLYPROPYLENE (railcar)
Polyethylene PE PRICES BOTTOM OUT G-P HOMOPOLYMER, INJECTION . . . . . . . . . . . 60.5-62.5
NYMEX FINANCIAL FUTURES . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.25
Price Trends Polyethylene prices dropped 2/lb in late
FEBRUARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.50
December, following Novembers 3 drop, IMPACT COPOLYMER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62.5-64.5
LDPE
but all indications were that they had
DEC JAN POLYSTYRENE (railcar)
reached bottom. In fact, suppliers came G-P CRYSTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88-90
out with a 5/lb increase for this month, HIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94-96
2/lb though it may not be implemented on PVC RESIN (railcar)
schedule. The move is viewed by Mike G-P HOMOPOLYMER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77-79
LLDPE Butene Burns, RTis v.p. of client services for PE, PIPE GRADE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-78
DEC JAN
as common practice among suppliers PET (TRUCKLOAD)
who are looking to shortstop any further U.S. BOTTLE-GRADE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55.50
2/lb decline and as a hedge against uncer-
tainty caused by factors such as crude-oil
HDPE prices, export opportunities (particularly noted, It could add a little fuel to the fire before a glut of resin
Injection
to China), and unplanned production from planned production expansion hits the market in spurts
DEC JAN
disruptions in the winter months. throughout 2017. Burns points out that, unlike PP (see below),
One thing is fairly certain: If oil prices PE production output has not been curtailed nor is it likely to be.
2/lb remain at current levels above $50/
bbl, there will be upward pressure on
HDPE global PE prices. The Plastics Exchanges PP PRICES REACH BOTTOM
Blow Molding
Greenberg reported at years end that Polypropylene prices generally dropped 6/lb in December4 in
DEC JAN
PE spot prices had firmed up across the step with propylene monomer which dropped to 31.5, and 2
board, with limited availability of generic shed from suppliers margins. The latest drop followed the
2/lb prime resin. Similarly, PetroChemWire November 8 decrease, bringing PP prices to a very competitive
(PCW) reported that December saw low. However, those prices may have bottomed out, leading to
HDPE HMW slowed domestic prime market sales and good probability of an increase within this first quarter, according
DEC JAN
limited spot availability, as surplus inven- to Scott Newell, RTis v.p. of PP markets.
tory was targeted for export. Commenting As 2017 rolled in, PP suppliers clearly took steps to balance the
2/lb on the February 5 increase, Greenberg market in their favor, while reducing prices to levels that made

@plastechmag Plastics Technology 61

 YOUR BUSINE S S
Resin Pricing Analysis
Polypropylene it difficult for PP imports to compete.
Price Trends Suppliers sought to address the domestic
supply glut in the fourth quarter by
Homopolymer drastically throttling back production
DEC JAN to lows of 80.6% capacity utilization,
taking 100 million lb of PP capacity out
6/lb of the market in one month, according
to Newell. Polypropylene prices will
Copolymer follow the monomer, for which there is
DEC JAN upward pressure, partly from the rallying
of oil prices, he said. It is unlikely that
6/lb suppliers will part with any more of their
margins as they did in the fourth quarter.
Newell sees suppliers as having positioned themselves for what
could turn out to be a good demand year for domestic PPone
resembling 2015 more than 2016.
Newell, Greenberg, and PCW indicated that this projected
upward trend was already seen in secondary markets, with
less material availability and spot prices risingno longer
with a 10/lb discount from contract prices. Spot PP prices
continued to recover into year-end as fresh railcars were virtu-
ally non-existent. Special year-end deals were not as plen-
tiful as in years past, reported Greenberg as January loomed.
These sources concede that if suppliers continue curtailing
production and selling well offshore, new margin-expanding
increases could be in the offing.
PS PRICES UP
Polystyrene prices were flat in December, but a change was
underway. Late that month, PCW reported on 6/lb increases
for all PS grades announced by two suppliers, effective
January 1. By the first week of last
Polystyrene
month, a third supplier took similar
Price Trends action, according to Mark Kallman,
GPPS RTis v.p. of client services for engi-
neering resins, PS, and PVC.
DEC JAN
While Kallman expected PS prices
to move up last month, he ventured
3-6/lb
that actual implementation could be
as low as 3/lb. His reasoning: January
HIPS
benzene contracts settled upward from
DEC JAN
Decembers $2.35/gal, but unevenly,
with some suppliers adding 32 and
3-6/lb others 40 to previous tabs, which
translates into around 3-4/lb addi-
tional PS production cost. Still, he noted that this is a slow
season for PS demand in key markets like recreation and
construction, which can help offset some of that nominal
increase. On the other hand, factors in suppliers favor
62 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
include a tightly balanced styrene monomer market and rising
feedstock costs across the globe.
PVC PRICES ON THE WAY UP
PVC prices were flat in December, as they were for eight of the 12
months of 2016. Despite slow seasonal demand, PVC suppliers issued
increases of 4/lb for February 1. How much
gets implemented and when was to be deter- PVC Price
mined to some degree by the December eth- Trends
ylene contract price, which was still unsettled Pipe
in the early part of last month. A key indica-
DEC JAN
tion that ethylene contracts would settle
higher was that spot ethylene prices had
been trading upward through the last part 2-4/lb
of December and into January, according RTIs
Kallman. He ventured that the PVC increase Gen. Purpose
would end up within the 2-4/lb range. DEC JAN
While Kallman characterized domestic
supply/demand as balanced, he noted that 2-4/lb
there are some PVC plant maintenance turn-
arounds planned in the first quarter both domestically and in Asia,
which could serve to create export opportunities for domestic suppliers.
PET PRICES UP
Domestic bottle-grade PET prime resin prices in December aver-
aged 55.2/lb, up 0.76 from November, based on PCWs Daily PET
Report. (That price represents a delivered Chicago basis.) On
January 6, the price moved up to 55.5/lb as a result of strong
domestic demand, according to Xavier
Cronin, senior editor for this PCW report. PET Price Trends
Meanwhile, DAK Americas, with produc-
Bottle Grade
tion facilities in the U.S., Canada, Mexico,
and Argentina, issued a 5/lb increase on
DEC JAN
its prime PET resins, effective January 1.
Imported prime PET averaged 50.5/ 0.76/lb
lb in December, the same as in November.
(This represents a delivered, duty-paid U.S. port basis.) These
imports were up 10.7% through October 2016 vs. 2015. In October,
imports came from 31 countries.
M&G Chemicals 2.4-billion lb/yr PET plant under construction
in Corpus Christi, Texas, is on schedule for startup at the end of next
month. According to PCWs Cronin, an M&G spokesman confirmed
last month that the company will use all PTA produced at the giant
plant (about 2.86 billion lb/yr) internally to produce its PET.
QUESTIONS ABOUT RECYCLED RESIN PRICING?
Read the latest on recycled PET prices at short.ptonline.com/rPET
PTonline.com
 YOUR BUSINE S S
G ARDNER BUSINESS INDE X: PL A S TIC S

Decembers Index49.4
The overall processing market is growing, though
custom processors had a slower fourth quarter.
At 49.4, Gardners Plastics Business Index revealed that the Processing plants with more than 250 employees contracted
industry contracted for the second month in a row in December, for the third time in four months. Facilities with 100-249
albeit at a slower rate than in employees were flat after four months of growth. Companies
November. In general, the industry with 50-99
has trended up since July. employees
Plastics/rubber processors have Plastics processors have contracted
experienced strong growth in four of experienced strong growth in for the
the last five months. However, custom four of the last five months. second
processors contracted at an accel- month.
erating rate for the third month in a Processors
row. Among major end markets, auto- with 20-49 employees contracted for the first time since August.
Steve Kline Jr. motive grew strongly for the second Processors with fewer than 20 employees expanded for the first
Dir. Market Intelligence month in a row. The electronics index time since January 2015..
increased
for the third time in four months. But
the medical index remained weak.
New orders and production Plastics Industry Business Index
contracted for the second month
70
in a row. The backlog index, while
continuing to contract, jumped
Values above 50 indicate growth
significantly in December. The index
reached its highest level since January 60
2015, which was the last time backlogs
increased. Employment contracted
after two months of growth. The Dec.
50 2016
export index was just below 50 for the
Index
third straight month. Supplier deliv-
49.4
eries continued to lengthen but at the
slowest rate since August. 40
Material prices increased at an
accelerating rate in December. The index
was at its highest level since October Values below 50 indicate contraction
30
2014. Prices received increased for the
JAN 14

JUL 14
JAN 12

JUL 12

JAN 15

JUL 15
JUL 11

JAN 16

JUL 16
JAN 13

JUL 13

third time in four months. The rate of

increase was the fastest since October
2014. After a huge jump in November
due to the election results, the future
business expectations index was unchanged in December.
The Southeast was the fastest growing region for the second
consecutive month. It has grown for the last eight months. The
Northeast has grown in three of the last four months.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Steven Kline Jr. is part of the fourth-generation
ownership team of Cincinnati-based Gardner Business Media, which is
the publisher of Plastics Technology. He is currently the companys director
of market intelligence. Contact: (513) 527-8800;
email: skline2@gardnerweb.com blog: gardnerweb.com/economics/blog

@plastechmag Plastics Technology 63

 YOUR BUSINE S S
MARKET WATCH

Where Is the Medical Market Headed?

Data suggests industry is concerned about future healthcare legislation.

We last looked at the medical industry in June 2016. A lot has hap-
pened since then. We had an election where the Affordable Care
Act (aka Obamacare) was a significant
Steve Kline Jr.
Dir. Market Intelligence topic of debate. Should it be modified? If
so, then how? Or, should it be scrapped
altogether? With Donald Trump winning the election, there has
been talk that the Affordable Care Act will be repealed, even if the
Trump administration and the Republicans have nothing signifi-
cant with which to replace it. As a result, theres an important ques-
tion mark around the future of medical manufacturing.
With all that as a backdrop, lets take a look at the data and see
what it says about the direction of medical manufacturing.
Real Medical-Care Spending. In 2016, real medical-care spending
(i.e., adjusted for inflation) continued on its pace of large increases
that it had been on since early 2014, which was most probably due
to the Affordable Care Act. But after the first quarter and as the
election drew near, real medical-care spending flatlined. This
showed up in the annual rate of change in medical-care spending
(the orange line on the chart). As absolute spending on medical
care flatlined, the rate of growth decelerated significantly. While
the annual rate of growth remained strong compared with the last
decade, it is likely that it will continue to slow in the first half of 2017
as it approaches the historical average growth rate.
Medical-Equipment Production. Medical-equipment production
tends to lag medical-care spending by 12-18 months (matching up
the peaks and troughs between the orange and blue lines). With the
dramatically accelerating growth in real medical-care spending in
2014 and 2015, it therefore came as no surprise that medical-equip-
Growth in medical-equipment production
should continue through at least the first
quarter of 2017 and maybe well into the second
quarter. But changes in medical legislation are
likely to have a significant impact on the trend.
ment production increased dramatically in 2016. It fact, 2016 was the
strongest period of growth in medical-equipment production since
2007. The rapidly accelerating growth in medical-equipment produc-
tion should continue through at least the first quarter of 2017 and
maybe well into the second quarter. But changes in medical legisla-
tion are likely to have a significant impact on the trend.

Gardner Business Index. The medical

Real Medical Care Spending Leads Medical Equipment Production
future business expectations index
15 15 barely increased at all in November and
12 12 actually declined in December. This is
interesting because it is different from
Medical Equipment Production,

9 9
Real Medical Care Spending,

almost every other industry the Gardner

12-Mo. Rate of Change
12-Mo. Rate of Change

6 6 Business Index tracks. In almost every

other industry, the future business
3 3
expectations skyrocketed in November
0 0 on the heels of Trumps victory and
-3 -3 then took a smaller step up in
December. This shows the medical
-6 -6
industry is somewhat concerned about
-9 -9 the future direction of legislation.

-12 -12 ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Steven Kline Jr. is part

of the fourth-generation ownership team of
-15 -15 Cincinnati-based Gardner Business Media,
Jan 02

Jan 12
Jan 04

Jan 14
Jan 96

Jan 06

Jan 16
Jan 00

Jan 10
Jan 98

Jan 08

which is the publisher of Plastics Technology.

He is currently the companys director of
market intelligence. Contact: (513) 527-8800
Real Medical Care Spending Medical Equipment Production email: skline2@gardnerweb.com
blog: gardnerweb.com/economics/blog

64 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

 SAVE THE DATE
June 14-15, 2017
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CO-LOCATED WITH:

PRESENTED BY:
 MARKETPL ACE

This is Plastics Technologys online listing for plastic processing equipment

builders, material suppliers, auxillary manufacturers and more.

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Managing molds
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The HammerTek
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Canon offers custom mold making solutions. Contact us at
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WWW.PPE.COM
With a continually expanding range of products,
PPE is the largest supplier of molding accessories
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@plastechmag Plastics Technology 67

 MARKETPL ACE

PROGRESS THROUGH INNOVATION PET RESIN MARKET

Complete overview of the
company, its history and
the relentless product
developments that have
made it the leading
manufacturer for plastics
You can get copies of literature from processors worldwide. Its
suppliers listed on these pages by innovative products
sending an e-mail to the address include injection molding
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Or, where provided, contact the auxiliary equipment .
company by phone or fax. Torrington, CT info@wittmann-ct.com
With a PET Resin capacity
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DRY-CONVEY-BLEND-EXTRUSION SINGLE AND TESTERS

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www.novatec.com/about
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Baltimore, MD sales@novatec.com S. Hackensack,
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Provides all the benefits of
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Plastrac Inc. manufactures
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68 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017 PTonline.com

 CL A SSIFIEDS

MATERIALS WANTED/FOR SALE

PURGING COMPOUNDS

High Performance
Liquid Purging Compound
Use Less, Get Better
Results
More Cost Effective
Than Pellets
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@plastechmag Plastics Technology 69

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 ADVERTISERS INDE X

Absolute Haitian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Dri-Air Industries Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Pelletron Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

www.absolutehaitian.com www.dri-air.com www.pelletroncorp.com

Advantage Engineering Inc. . . . . . . . Inside Front Engel Machinery Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 PFA Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
www.advantageengineering.com Cover www.engelglobal.com www.pfa-inc.com

AEC Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Entek Extruders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Plastic Process Equipment Inc. . . . . . . . . Inside

www.aecinternet.com www.entek.com www.ppe.com Back Cover

Arburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Foremost Machine Builders Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Plastrac Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

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Canon Virginia Inc. ............................3 Leistritz Extruder Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Schenck Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 15

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Chem-Pak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Macro Engineering & Technology Inc. . . . . . . . 56 TempTek Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

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Conair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40, 41 Novatec Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 25, 27 Wittmann Battenfeld Inc. . . . . . . . . . Back Cover
www.conairgroup.com www.novatec.com www.wittmann-group.com 12, 13

Concor Tool & Machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Pallmann Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

www.concortool.com www.pallmannindustries.com For additional product information, refer to
this companys Advertising/Data Sheets in
Davis-Standard LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 PCS Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 PLASTICS TECHNOLOGYs 2017 PROCESSING
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SALES OFFICES PLASTICS TECHNOLOGY (ISSN 0032-1257) is published

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@plastechmag Plastics Technology 71

 PROCESSORS EDGE
AUTOM ATION PL A STIC S CORP. AUROR A , OH.
Energy Consumption Made Visible
Molder adds system that allows it to track energy usage in nearly real
time and is now using less power, despite increased production.
Unlike other variable costs like labor or materials, for most pro-
cessors the only visibility they have into their power usage is
when they tear open the monthly utility bill.
By Tony Deligio
Add a shift, and youre going to notice more
Senior Editor
people on the shop floor. Run more material, and
expect to see more railcars or gaylords coming through the plant.
But use more energy in a given month, and unless youre keen
enough to hear additional motors kicking in, youll be none the
wiser until you pay the power company.
That was Automation Plastics Corp.s relationship with its
power usage until it contracted with energy-intelligence software
and services provider EnerNOC of Boston, Mass. (enernoc.com).
Based outside Cleveland in Aurora, Ohio, Automation Plastics
(automationplastics.com) serves a variety of industries as a custom
molder, with runs ranging from small, high-cavitation compo-
nents for aerosol containers to large, thick-walled components for
the natural-gas industry.
As Automation Plastics changed the makeup
of its 33-machine fleet, EnerNOCs energy-
intelligence software showed the company the
energy-efficiency gains it made in real time.
Operating 33 machines ranging in clamp force from 38 to 500
tons, Automation Plastics 50,500 ft2 operation is big enough to
make keeping tabs manually on energy usage difficult, but small
enough to feel the impact of any wasted power.
72 Plastics Technology FEBRUARY 2017
EnerNOCs service involves installing a pulse meter that takes
readings directly off the facilitys main power meter. These readings
are then sent via a cellular
connection to EnerNOCs
Were using less energy,
cloud-based software, which
were running more
interprets the data and
production, and weve got
allows users like Automation
more going on than we
to assess usage and set
did five or six years ago,
alarms in real time. That
and were still paying the
immediacy has an obvious
same amount of money
benefit, according to Jerome
for our electric bill..
Smith, Automations sales
and engineering manager.
You get that information nearly real time, Smith says, not
when you get the next bill. Otherwise, its 30 days later and you
realize, Hey, we used 10% more energy this month, and we ran fewer
machineswhat happened? This way, you can find out in real time
when its going on and maybe nip it in the bud.
For Chris Miller, manufacturing engineer at Automation Plastics,
a deeper dive into EnerNOCs readings has become part of his regular
routine. Ive got it on my calendar on Outlook to go in every Monday,
and just kind of review, Miller says, noting that alerts are sent for
anything requiring immediate attention. I can see if theres any
funny stuff going on or if things seem pretty normal.
After several years of accessing EnerNOCs data, Automation
has used the insights it offered into its power usage to revamp its
machine fleet. In particular, seeing the energy usage of all-electric
and hybrid machines vs. hydraulics has created a huge incentive
to replace our equipment and update our facility, Miller notes. The
firm has replaced hydraulic machines with all-electrics and hybrids.
Were using less energy, were running more production and
weve got more going on than we did five or six years ago, Miller says,
and were still paying the same amount of money for our electric bill.
In terms of operations, Miller notes that EnerNOC has made
Automation Plastics much more vigilant in its shutdown proce-
dures now that it can see, for instance, the effect of leaving a blower
on over the weekend. From a management perspective, it has
made energy usage more palpable to the molder.
One thing EnerNOC does do is make you a lot more analyt-
ical about how your plant is running, Miller says. You learn
whats going on.
PTonline.com
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Ensinger Putnam,
Putnam, CT

See what our customers have to say:

What swayed the team most of all, beyond the quality of the product, was the ability to have all the equipment
related to an injection molding cell manufactured by one company. This makes the line of communication very clear.

Another key consideration was Wittmanns commitment to this region. They have much bigger training facilities and
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A third consideration was the user friendliness of Wittmann Battenfelds controls. Our people find them more intuitive
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As for performance, a customer saw a test run from our Battenfeld 110 and said he had never seen such repeatability.

WITTMANN BATTENFELD, INC.

One Technology Park Drive | Torrington, CT 06790 West Coast Tech Center Midwest Tech Center
Tel: 860 496-9603 | info.us@wittmann-group.com Corona, CA | Tel: 860 496-9603 South Elgin, IL | Tel: 847 531-0015