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Fakuma 2018) On the 'Road to Digitalisation' with Arburg

At the Fakuma 2018 Arburg will offer trade visitors a chance to experience the future of injection moulding, both digitally and in reality, on the "Road to Digitalisation". The Arburg experts will be on hand at a number of stations to guide trade visitors along the path towards future-proof and efficient plastic parts production. "Our 'Road to Digitalisation' is a bold and practical statement of the approach we want to take with our customers in order to stay on the road to success in the future digital era," explains Michael Hehl, Managing Partner and Spokesperson for the Management Team. "Road to Digitalisation": on the path to success with Arburg The focus at the trade fair is on digital transformation, an area in which Arburg leads the industry. One of the company's objectives is the "smart" machine, which monitors its own processes, controls them adaptively and actively supports the operator in every situation. Arburg has created new assistance packages for this task, which will be presented at six stations. The new Gestica control system and the Selogica ND (new design) will also be presented as well as the potential of augmented reality (AR) for the "smart" service and the Arburg host computer system ALS, which is the central building block of Industry 4.0. For even greater customer proximity, Arburg is strengthening its range of services and will present a first insight into a new customer portal at the Fakuma 2018. Further Highlights The Arburg Turnkey Control Module (ATCM), a data collector for complex turnkey systems from Arburg, will be presented for the first time as well as the 'Packaging' version of the Allrounder 820 H in new design. Further highlights will include a practical example of Industry 4.0 and LSR processing for the production of micro components. All the exhibits will be on view in the new colour scheme.Arburg presents the future of injection moulding in practice with the "Road to Digitalisation".● Hall:A3 Booth:A3-3101ARBURG GmbH + Co KGTel: +49 7446 33-3463vsusanne_palm@arburg.comwww.arburg.com

Aeyoung Park 2018-10-16

Fakuma 2018) Wittmann Battenfeld to unveil new Vpower vertical molding machine

▲ VPower 160 vertical molding machineWittmann Battenfeld will present its new vertical molding machine Vpower at the Fakuma fairgrounds. With this machine model, the company is now also offering its vertical machine series in the PowerSeries design.The prototype of the new VPower was shown for the first time in June of this year to customers and business partners. At the exhibition, the functionality of the new VPower will be demonstrated with a VPower 160/750 featuring a rotary table 1600 mm in diameter.The new VPower stands out primarily by its high energy efficiency, compactness and user-friendliness. The machine’s generously dimensioned rotary table is powered by a servo-electric drive as standard and laid out for short rotation times. It offers flexibility, as the injection unit can be converted from vertical to horizontal and vice-versa, even after commissioning.Moreover, the absence of a central tie-bar enables central media supply from below through the rotary table or the installation of a compact rotary manifold. Thanks to its open design, the machine is well suited for the integration of automation systems with insert feeding and finished part removal functions.▲ EcoPower-90-DemozelleOther highlights offered by Wittmann Battenfeld at the event will include a working EcoPower Xpress 160/1100+. This series of Xpress machines in the lower clamping force follows the initial all-electric, high speed models launched in the 400-500ton range.The EcoPower Xpress is a high-speed, all-electric high-performance machine, which is of interest mainly for thin-walled applications in the packaging industry. At the exhibition, the machine will produce a polypropylene lid from a four cavity mold, decorated with Wittmann’s own IML technology.Furthermore, the Combimould technology will be shown to visitors on a machine from the servo-hydraulic SmartPower series. The full extent of Wittmann 4.0 integration will also be demonstrated on an EcoPower 90/350, in which the Unilog B8 control system the robot is integrated, together with all connected peripheral appliances.Source: CPRJ International

Aeyoung Park 2018-08-20

Ocean Cleanup uses plastics to remove plastics, litter, from the Pacific

- The Ocean Cleanup has successfully tested a free-floating system to collect ocean plasticsThe Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit group trying to tackle plastic pollution with technology, says it has successfully tested a free-floating system to collect marine debris from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and will deploy it in early September.The Rotterdam, Netherlands-based group designed a passive system with two main components both made of plastic. There's a long "floater" of flexible high density polyethylene pipe and a polyester woven skirt attached below it.The system was designed so that the buoyant and flexible HDPE pipe bobs atop the Pacific Ocean to keep garbage from flowing over it, while the drag on the skirt, which is tapered, forms a U-shape that captures plastic floating at or near the surface.Imagine a giant Pac-Man powered by winds and waves gobbling up the plastic in its path, said Boyan Slat, the 24-year-old founder and CEO of the Ocean Cleanup.Most marine life is expected to swim underneath the system, which was dubbed Wilson in a nod to the personified volleyball friend of actor Tom Hank's straVnded character in the 2000 movie "Castaway."The pilot test for Wilson was conducted with 120 meters of Agru XXL pipe and 72 meters of skirt or screen that is 3 meters deep at the center. The system was assembled with clamping brackets in Alameda, Calif., then pulled by boat through San Francisco Bay for 1,200 nautical miles to the trash vortex in the Pacific Ocean, between California and Hawaii.The largest of the five zones where plastics accumulate, the North Pacific garbage patch is said to be twice the size of Texas and holds 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic that entered the ocean mostly through rivers. That's 250 pieces of plastic for every person on the planet. Fishing nets make up 46 percent of the gyre and 20 percent came from the 2011 tsunami in Japan, according to scientists with the Ocean Cleanup, who also say much of the plastic is rigid PE and polypropylene.A two-week test of the collection system's durability and hydrodynamics was done in May. Some results were shared on social media in July, including the system withstanding 5-meter waves and forces of the ocean."The recently completed tow test was a crucial milestone on the road to deployment of the world's first ocean cleanup system," the Ocean Cleanup said in a Facebook post about the test validating the system's seaworthiness.Agru commented: "Great to see our XXL pipe in action! It is flexible like a snake and will withstand even the harshest sea conditions."Produced in Charleston, S.C., by Agru America Inc., XXL pipe is available with outer diameters up to 2,500 millimeters (98.4 inches) and lengths up to 600 meters (1,968 feet) for on- and offshore applications. The pipe can be extruded into Charleston Harbor, and when capped at the ends is buoyant for towing by tugboat to customers around the world for mining jobs and coastal projects like cooling water intakes for power plants and seawater desalination plants.The Ocean Cleanup envisions a fleet of 60 plastic-culling floaters that are 600 meters long each and equipped with solar power lights, cameras, sensors, anticollision beacons and satellite antennas to communicate their locations and gather performance data, including an alert that the U-shaped center is full. An online summary of primary components says pipe with a 4-foot diameter will be used.In optimal conditions, every week, 1 metric ton of plastic debris will accumulate in front of the system. Garbage-hauling vessels will arrive periodically to pick up the plastic and take it to land for recycling into products like sunglasses, backpacks, headphones and watches.The Ocean Cleanup says this full-scale fleet could pick up 50 percent of the Pacific garbage patch every five years. The plastic returned to shore for recycling will be sold to business-to-consumer companies and that money will go toward cleaning up the other gyres in the South Pacific, North and South Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean.The floater pipes, too, could be recycled after their estimated 20-year service lives.If the Ocean Cleanup can deploy fleets into every gyre, and if efforts of source reduction continue on land, the group says it should be able to remove 90 percent of ocean plastic by 2040.▲ This woven polyster screen is an important component of The Ocean Cleanup system. Attached to the buoyant "floater" of polyethylene pipe, the drag on the tapered screen forms a U-shape retention area that captures plastic floating at or near the surface.Creating a 'coastline'The principle behind Wilson is simple, according to an Ocean Cleanup video: "Create a coastline where there are none, concentrate the plastic and take it out."Both the debris and the free-floating removal system will be carried around by the currents, automatically drifting to the areas with the highest plastic concentration. But only the pipe-and-screen system is propelled by the waves and wind, giving it an edge on speed over the garbage. The system moves faster than the plastic trash and can capture it.The tapered screen, which is deeper at the center of the floater than the edges, naturally forms a U-shape that collects debris in the center like a funnel.In a July 21 update, Slat said, "Although there is a fair chance this won't be the last iteration of our ocean cleanup technology, we have high confidence that it addresses the stability issues and that this will be the design responsible for collecting the first plastic from the Great Pacific garbage patch later this year."The group's original plan was to moor a 60-mile floating boom to the sea floor and guide plastic to a mechanical extraction system, such as a conveyor belt. The debris would then move to a platform with a storage hull and processing equipment, like a shredder, on a solar-powered deck. Every 45 days or so the debris would be hauled to land and converted into energy or recycled.However, the group decided against one massive cleanup system fixed to the seabed and switched to the plan of a fleet of smaller free-floating systems.The screen then became a focus after a prototype of polyester fibers covered by a layer of TPU tore and delaminated. The group changed to a strong polyester fabric in a geotextile-based screen design."The fibers of the fabric are grouped in bands, which means the load will always be spread across many fibers, making tear propagation unlikely," Slant explained in a website update earlier this year. "As an added safety feature, the strong-lines themselves act as an additional rip-stop mechanism as well. The upside of this design is that it solves all the failure mechanisms we previously encountered. It is, however, more complicated, requiring many interfaces in the shape of stitches."The screen will gather plastic fragments just millimeters in size to 10s of meters in size like huge ghost nets.Then what?The Ocean Cleanup estimates that a plastic extraction vessel will travel to the floaters every six weeks to collect marine plastics from within the retention system. The area will first be scanned for large fish, sharks and sea turtles with an underwater camera. If a living marine mammal or sea turtle is found entangled in a derelict net or debris, a disentanglement procedure may be initiated depending on safety and weather conditions and the species involved.The system also may be equipped with pingers to deter marine mammals and green flashing lights to deter sea turtles.When the area is cleared of marine life, a net will be towed by the main vessel and closed slowly. The catch will be transferred on board to a brailer with fine mesh to collect macro- and microplastics. Any living small fish and other organisms will be manually separated, if possible, documented and released back into the ocean.The extracted plastic will be deposited in open-top containers with drainage holes and commercial-grade filters to retain microplastics. The plastic will then be shipped to a drop-off point in the San Francisco Bay area, moved to labeled containers and taken to a recycling site, where it will be pretreated to remove biomass and inorganic fractions. Nonplastic debris and plastics not suited for mechanical recycling will be subject to thermal recycling.The target date for deploying Wilson is Sept. 8.- Relative Video -

Aeyoung Park 2018-08-10

Let's not take sides: No one supports ocean pollution

We can add the G7 group of industrial nations to the list of organizations pushing for improving plastics recycling and reducing production of single-use plastics.Five of the G7 member nations signed a non-binding Ocean Plastics Charter on June 9, after a meeting in Quebec. While the United States and Japan did not sign, they haven't spoken out against it. Even the footnote apparently added by the United States notes that it "strongly supports healthy oceans, seas and resilient coastal communities."Put it this way: Politicians are smart enough to know not to come out in favor of polluting oceans.The bottom line for plastics processors is simple: Product bans are now mainstream. Globally, that's obvious. All sorts of plastics bans are sweeping Europe and the United Kingdom, and they may be spreading. Just a few weeks ago, on June 5, World Environment Day, the United Nations environment agency released a report saying bans and taxes on single-use plastics can be effective for combating plastic litter.In the United States, bans used to be a fringe issue, proposed in a handful of environmentally active cities and counties. Now they're popping up everywhere, and we'll be seeing more in the coming years.It's interesting that the plastics industry and the governmental leaders pushing for bans sound so much alike. Both sides are saying that plastics play an important role in the economy. Both acknowledge that there's a major problem with plastics in the environment, that it's rapidly getting worse and that action is needed right away.Both say they want to make decisions based on science. Both talk about the importance of bolstering plastics recycling, improving waste management and educating the public.Both sides have even established goals that sound pretty similar, too. The G7 charter calls for recycling and reuse of 55 percent of plastics packaging by 2030 and 100 percent recovery of all plastics by 2040. The American Chemistry Council's plastics division wants to reuse, recycle or recover all plastics packaging by 2040.Everyone seems to want what's best for the environment. So where's the debate, exactly? The tough part will be the details. Do we get to those goals through voluntary measures and more recycling? Or through product bans and producer responsibility?If we all take a step back and look at the big picture, does it matter? I think the recipe that would work best takes some ingredients from each approach.A final word goes to all the plastics industry readers who don't make single-use plastics, so they may think this debate doesn't apply to you. Think again. You can and should be involved.At a minimum, make sure your company is a member of Operation Clean Sweep. Environmental groups are watching to see which plastics factories are discharging excessive plastics into waterways. If you're not being a good steward, you will eventually be targeted.If you can do more, set a "zero net waste" goal. Get involved in local beach or waterway cleanups. Work with designers to make sure the products you make are easy to recycle. Work with recyclers to make sure you're recycling all your scrap and using recycled content when you can. Check out the Plastics Industry Association's "This Is Plastics" website for information and advice.Don't let this become an industry vs. environment debate because that isn't necessary; everyone is on the same side. The plastics industry is full of environmentalists who are proud of what they manufacture and want to leave the world a better place.The leaders of the United States and Japan may not completely comprehend that yet, but they'll come around.

Aeyoung Park 2018-07-05

NPE 2018) NPE2018: The Plastics Show Kicks Off Record-Breaking Show In Orlando

Attendees from Around the World Convene to Uncover All that Plastics Has to OfferNPE2018: The Plastics Show officially kicked off today. The Opening Ceremony included remarks from Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs, Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) President and CEO William R. Carteaux, PLASTICS Chair of the Board of Directors Wylie Royce and NPE2018 Chair Glenn Anderson. Bigger and better than ever, this year’s show will complement the business transactions and relationships made on the show floor with educational opportunities for attendees. New to NPE® are the Plastics Leadership Summit and Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit, two co-located educational events for sustainability and C-suite executives, respectively. “We’ve intentionally designed programming for attendees who’ve expressed interest in expanded educational opportunities at NPE. We’ve created the Plastics Leadership Summit and co-located the annual Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit to bolster on-site learning,” said William R. Carteaux, president and CEO of PLASTICS. “We also announced a 100 percent waste diversion goal to further our industry’s commitment to the environment.” This week, more than 2,100 exhibiting companies will showcase innovations in plastics in the 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space on the tradeshow floor. An estimated record crowd – including more than 11,000 international attendees representing the plastics industry from 110 countries – will make connections that will bolster their businesses and strengthen the global plastics supply chain. The triennial trade show’s theme is “We’ve got it covered.” Over the next week, attendees in Orlando, Fla. will uncover innovation, business intelligence and opportunity, as they gain exclusive access to the people, processes, science and ideas that are shaping the future of plastics. Over the next week, attendees can visit the many expanded offerings at NPE including: Nine specialized education programs- 3D Printing Workshop, presented by Additive Manufacturing Media and Plastics Technology- Agricultural Plastics Recycling Conference (APRC)- ANTEC®, sponsored by the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE)- Bottle Zone Technical Forum, hosted by: PETplanet and the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT)- Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) Conference- Plastics Industry Insights, presented by IHS Markit- Plastics Leadership Summit, presented by PLASTICS- Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit, presented by PLASTICS- Seminarios Latinoamericanos, presentados en Español, presented by Technologia del Plastico and El Empaque+Conversion Twelve technology zones- 3D/4D Printing- Bottle Zone- Business & Finance- Flexible Vinyl- IDSA Design Center- Material Science- Medical Parts Processing- Moldmaking- Processors- The Manufacturers Association for Plastic Processors (MAPP) Pavilion- Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit- Thermoforming For more information on NPE2018: The Plastics Show, or to register, click here.

Aeyoung Park 2018-05-08

NPE2018) The Plastics Show Is The Largest In Show History

NPE 2018 re-opens with the biggest show spaceThe Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) producers of the triennial plastics tradeshow NPE today announced that 1.2 million square feet on the NPE2018: The Plastics Show exhibit floor has been sold to exhibitors, making it the largest NPE in show history. With the May 7–11, Orlando, Fla.-based show being just a little over one month away, the exhibits are currently tracking 75,000 square feet – and counting – requested and sold over that which was requested of NPE2015. To date, 2,150 exhibitors have secured space to showcase the plastics industry’s most innovative products and technologies. “We are thrilled to announce that our exhibit floor is in such high demand that we’re already breaking show-defining records. And we’re still providing exhibitors the space they’re seeking to showcase their companies and products at the world’s premier plastics show, so our numbers will continue to grow,” said Susan Krys, vice president of tradeshows and marketing at PLASTICS. “We predict that this pre-show momentum will continue, making NPE2018: The Plastics Show one of the largest industry gatherings ever.” In addition to the trade show floor, historically one of the biggest draws, NPE2018 is packed with learning opportunities for everyone in the plastics industry, from the shop floor employees to sales managers to CEOs. There are opportunities to learn from thought leaders sharing leadership best practices, as well as content experts showcasing plastics innovation in various areas from bottling to recycling. NPE2018 will feature new educational programs, including:3D Printing Workshop, presented by: Additive Manufacturing Media and Plastics TechnologyBottle Zone Technical Forum, hosted by: PETplanet and the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT)Expert Super SessionsPlastics Leadership SummitRe|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit Returning educational programs at NPE2018 include:Agricultural Plastics Recycling Conference, newly co-located with NPE2018: The Plastics ShowANTEC®Carpet America Recovery Effort, newly co-located with NPE2018: The Plastics ShowPlastics Industry Insights—IHS MarkitSeminarios Latinoamericanos, presentados en Español To register for NPE2018: The Plastics Show, scheduled for May 7–11, 2018 in Orlando Fla., visit NPE.org/attend. Follow PLASTICS on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for the latest #NPE2018 news and insights.

Aeyoung Park 2018-05-04

NPE 2018) NPE2018 Announces Expert Super Sessions On Industry 4.0 And Other Trending Topics

Plastics Industry Experts Present their Thought Leadership at NPE2018: The Plastics Show The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) today announced Expert Super Sessions, a new educational component of NPE2018:The Plastics Show which will provide a forum for plastics industry experts to give an insider’s look into the latest technical insights and innovations driving next-generation trends and solutions in plastics manufacturing. Topics will include hot-button industry issues and emerging trends such as Industry 4.0, innovative approaches to sustainability and the implications of automation and the internet of things on plastics companies. “We are giving NPE2018 attendees expanded and improved opportunities to learn from peers and thought leaders, maximizing their experience in Orlando. Expert Super Sessions were re-named for the NPE2018 show to reflect their true purpose – to give plastics experts a forum to present their industry-changing ideas and insights,” said Susan Krys, vice president of tradeshows and marketing at PLASTICS. “The sessions give attendees the unique opportunity to hear straight from the sources that are shaping the industry.” Expert Super Sessions at NPE2018 include:How Intelligent Robotic Automation Can Improve Your Bottom Line: Presented by FANUC America Corporation, this session explores how intelligent robotic automation will help manufacturers achieve higher productivity.Trends and Material Solutions for the Building & Construction Market: Presented by A. Schulman, Inc., this session explores the latest trends and technologies addressing critical issues in building and construction.Gaining the Competitive Advantage with Industrial IoT: Presented by Oden Technologies, uncover how Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) enables manufacturers to improve quality, eliminate waste and gain a competitive edge during this session.Industry 4.0: Implementing a Smart(er) Factory: Presented by TSM Control Systems US, Inc., hear from TSM and Now Insight about their journey toward smarter factories using IoT technologies.Trends and Material Solutions for the Packaging Market: Presented by A. Schulman, Inc., learn more about packaging trends from optimizing barrier properties for shelf life extension to reducing food waste through smart packaging during this session.Innovative Approaches to Sustainability – A look at hydraulic fluids: Presented by ExxonMobil Chemical Company, this session features speakers from Exxon Mobil and discusses how EVCO Plastics was able to reduce energy consumption on one of its injection molding machines by 3.19 percent. For a full list of Expert Super Sessions available at NPE2018 click here. To register for NPE2018: The Plastics Show, scheduled for May 7-11, 2018 in Orlando FL, visit NPE.org/attend. Follow PLASTICS on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for the latest #NPE2018 news and insights.

Aeyoung Park 2018-05-04

NPE 2018) Chinese toolmakers make trip to NPE under tariff clouds

Chinese toolmakers make trip to NPE under tariff clouds The city of Huangyan, in Jiangsu Province, China, would be unknown to many in the plastics industry for sure but it’s well represented at NPE, with at least six toolmakers making the trip half-way round the world to Orlando. Like many industrial cities in Eastern China, it specializes in a particular commodity—at one point in the 2000s, the self-described China Mold City reportedly fabricated as many as 70% of the injection molds made in China.▲ The city of Huangyan is mold-making central in China. (Photo: Pan Shibo)The six Huangyan toolmakers at NPE: Taizhou Shinywell Mould & Plast Tech Co., Ltd. (S17140), Taizhou Huangyan Jinnuo Mould (S36194); Taizhou Bona Mould (S31075); Taizhou Huangyan Yongmao Mould (S32072); Taizhou Huangyan Yuantu Mould & Plastic (S10151); and Aojie Mould (S17141); may be having second thoughts re their attendance given some time later this year, their molds may be subjected to 25% tariffs. Having said that, their pricing will probably remain competitive given the nonexistence of viable low-cost alternatives with sufficient manufacturing capacity to serve the US market.According to a Chinese supplier of high-end stack molds that will also have a presence at NPE, any tariffs could deter potential US buyers of its molds, but the overall feeling is that “It will not stop those US customers who must have certain molds, especially if there are not many options to source in the US.” The supplier adds: “High end molds like we make traditionally come from Europe or Canada, so our price, even with extra tariffs, is still going to be more than competitive.”The US imported $451,867,108-worth of injection molding tools in 2017 from China. Total imports were valued at close to $2 billion, of which around $950 million-worth was imported from Canada, which is home to the likes of Husky (W1303) and Milacron group company Mold-Masters (W2703). Then follows Japan with $130 million of exported to the US in 2017, and Germany with $108 million. South Korea rounded out the top five with $103 million of exports to the US.Based on average values, it would appear that China and South Korea compete in similar market segments, whereas the other main mold supplying nations participate in the high end of the market.Source: Plastics Today

Aeyoung Park 2018-04-12