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Industry 4.0 isn’t just for the big guys

By Norbert Sparrow Too often, Industry 4.0 evangelists talk about the “fourth industrial revolution,” as it is often labeled, from the 30,000-foot level, says Ben Hope, who spearheads Industry 4.0 initiatives at factory automation specialist Festo Canada (Mississauga, ON). From that perspective, small to mid-size companies, in particular, may fail to see its relevance to their day-to-day operations. When talk turns to the industrial Internet of things, sensors and big data, “manufacturers can have a hard time seeing how how it affects them. If you’re making money and are productive now, there is not a great deal of incentive to consider Industry 4.0,” says Hope. Here’s the big but: If you don’t start thinking about it, you may find yourself in trouble down the road when disruption sideswipes your business plans, cautions Hope. To start that conversation now, Festo has an advantage, in his view. “Manufacturers are familiar with Festo because we are there with them on the factory floor. We are building things in the physical world, and we can make the link with the digital world in a way that makes sense to them.” The conversation, adds Hope, has to begin with identifying value. ▲ Festo Canada partnered with Québec’s Center for Industrial Research to launch Canada’s first Cyber-Physical Lab. Image courtesy Festo. For Festo, the value proposition starts with condition monitoring, “being able to monitor the condition of various automation components such as the cycle time on a valve, for example, or the electric current in an actuator. With that data, you can perform predictive maintenance.” If machine downtime is something that keeps you up at night, that opportunity can be very valuable, he stresses, and implementing Industry 4.0 doesn’t have to be daunting. Hope recommends initiating a pilot project on one machine to determine if and how predictive maintenance can benefit your organization. Hope also stresses the technology’s value in extracting process information, which can be gleaned by analyzing data captured by sensors. That allows you to identify things in your operation that you may be unfamiliar with or don’t know about as well as highlight weaknesses in your process. “By using sensor data, you can gain access to your entire operation. You can make decisions based on what is really going on, not what you think is going on,” says Hope. The data also can reveal hidden facts about energy consumption, a big-ticket item for plastics processors. “You may know how much energy you’re using, but you often don’t know how it’s being used and how to optimize consumption.” Data analysis can reveal the virtue of scheduling energy-intensive machines to run when energy is a little less expensive or offsetting the equipment so all of the machines are not running at the same time and creating energy surges. types of companies would benefit the most from adopting Industry 4.0 methodology, Hope says size is not as important as the market you serve. “It really affects industries with a short product life cycle—consumer products, for example.” Companies that truly are listening to their customers and are determined to give them what they want when they want it should be early adopters. Consumers are growing accustomed to immediate gratification through exposure to the Internet of things and generalized digitalization. “They want what they want in a reasonable amount of time,” says Hope, citing the car buying experience as ripe for disruption. If you want to buy a car with specific features and are not willing to compromise and drive off with a car on the lot that has some of the add ons you want along with others you could care less about, you might have to wait several months. Companies that can respond to consumer demands in a timely manner will be the winners in the new economy. “They will start the disruption process in their sector similar to what Uber and Airbnb have achieved in their spaces,” said Hope. While Industry 4.0 is a ubiquitous topic at trade shows and industry conferences, adoption in North America is in its infancy. Many people assume that Germany, where the concept was born, is way ahead of us, says Hope, but that’s not necessarily true when it comes to small and mid-size companies. Hope believes that the rate of adoption in that demographic is similar to what we see here. “The market is not pushing for it yet but that will change sooner than many people think, and it will be disruptive,” believes Hope. Festo, which has its global headquarters in Esslingen am Neckar, Germay, was an early advocate of Industry 4.0 and has developed a number of training programs and tools to help companies explore this technology. Some of those tools can be found on the Festo Didactic website. It also has developed a Cyber-Physical (CP) Factory program through which companies can train and up-skill staff on Industry 4.0 practices and technology. Festo Canada recently partnered with Québec’s Center for Industrial Research to launch Canada’s first CP lab, which will allow manufacturers in that region to develop Industry 4.0-related projects. https://www.plasticstoday.com/injection-molding/industry-40-isn-t-just-big-guys/11772196856723

Ms. Kang 2017-06-12

packaging industry towards weight reduction and sustainability in CHINAPLAS 2017

CHINAPLAS2017 to present lightweight packaging solutions from industrial leaders▲The enhanced expandedpolyethylene (EPE) foam solution developed by Dow gives high level of cushion performance and abuse resistance.The enhancedexpanded polyethylene (EPE) foam solution developedby Dow gives high level of cushion performance andabuse resistance. With tailored LDPE/LLDPE blends and exceptional processability, thisnew foam solution achieves new levels of down weighting and downgauging. Savingsup to 15% can be made on raw material costs in unit packaging while providingthe same or better protective performance.In addition, UROLA will be displayinga ROTARY extrusion blown moulding machine which can produce bottles from HDPE(High Density Polyethylene). Bottles produced have a very high consistency, with weight reduction averaging to5% and energy consumptiondecreased by 30%. This technology produces minimum material wastes and occupies very little floorspace without compromise in surface finish, material distribution and consistency. High barrier film and multi-layer co-extrusion technology in CHINAPLAS 2017▲ Theunique additiveBYKO2BLOCK-1200 developed by BYK can achieve a significant improvement in theimpermeabilityof film. BYK will be launchingits newly-developed unique additive BYKO2BLOCK-1200 in CHINAPLAS 2017. This additiveis based on platelet-forming modified clay and was developed especially for usein food packaging films. The separated platelets are distributed equally in thepolymer matrix, thereby reducing the permeability to gases and water vapour. A small quantity of the additive can lead to a significant improvement in the barrierproperty while maintaining stable mechanical properties and transparency.Moreover, it can also improve heat deformability.The PODtechnology, developed by MACCHI SPA, which willbe launched in CHINAPLAS 2017, allows for the production of better, thinner, stronger and cheaper multi-layer PE films. The five-layer structure materials have excellent opticalperformance and can improve appearance and sealing properties. The secondary sandwich layer materialscan provide higher mechanicalstrength and allow easydowngauging.CHINAPLAS2017 to showcase biodegradable plastics in a kaleidoscope ofapplications▲ Taikang POF(polyolefin) heat shrink films, developed by Shandong Taikang Biodegradable Packing Materials Co. Ltd., will debut in the upcomingCHINAPLAS.Taikang POF (polyolefin) heat shrink films, developed by Shandong Taikang Biodegradable PackingMaterials Co. Ltd., will debut in the upcoming CHINAPLAS. It is currently one of the mostadvanced environmental friendly plastic packaging materials with higher tearingsound toughness and high anti-impact strength.REVERDIA will showcase its biosuccinium succinic acid inCHINAPLAS 2017. Biosuccinium is the first non-fossil feedstock derived chemicalbuilding block that allows customers in the chemical industry to choose abio-based alternative with a lower eco-footprint for a broad range ofapplications, from packaging to footwear.Poly propylene carbonate(PPC),developed by Jilin Boda Oriental New MaterialCo., Ltd., is a biodegradable plastic resin of recycled greenhouse gas CO2, andis prepared by polymerization using carbon dioxide and propylene oxide. It can find uses in a wide variety of plastic marketsto replace traditional resins such as PE, PP and PA, providing a new and comprehensive solution to sustainability and plastic pollution worldwide.Professionals from upstream and downstream industries join forces for the future of packaging industry So far, several leadingsuppliers from packagingindustry have confirmed to exhibit in CHINAPLAS 2017, including BASF, DuPont, Dow, Mitsubishi Chemical, Kingfa, Kuraray, Milliken, Clariant, NatureWorks, Arburg, Engel, Tech-long, Han King, Jinming,Jwell etc. Meanwhile, a vast number of leading end-user enterprises have pre-registered to visit CHINAPLAS 2017, including Danone, Coca Cola, P&G, Colgate, Amway,Essel Propack, Bemis, to name but a few.In addition to the cutting edge exhibits on the show floor, the organizerwill also hold three concurrent events: the “2nd Industry4.0 Conference”, “Designx Innovation” and the “3rdMedical Plastics Conference”. What is noteworthy is thatthe “Packaging4.0 Technology Seminar” will be held in the “2nd Industry4.0 Conference” and it will bring advanced technologies in line with Industry4.0 to the packaging industry. Moreover, technical seminars such as “ChinaBlister Industry Technology Summit Forum”, “Barrie Property of Food ContactMaterials Seminar”will also be presented for local and overseas visitors.One-daypasses can be purchased at RMB 30 each, while four-day passes cost RMB 50 each.To enjoy free admission, please pre-register on or before May 9, 2017 at www.ChinaplasOnline.com/prereg. For more information onCHINAPLAS 2017, please visit www.ChinaplasOnline.com.

Ms. Kang 2017-05-12

Smart Manufacturing Technologies to feature in CHINAPLAS 2017 to support E & E industries

CHINAPLAS 2017 will be held on May 16-19 in China Import & Export Fair Complex, Pazhou, Guangzhou, PR China. CHINAPLAS is one of the few trading platforms covering whole production chain of plastics and rubber industries and downstream application sectors, from raw materials to technology and service, from soup to nuts. A vast number of advances and innovations serving the electronics and electrical industries and other downstream industries will be showcased by more than 1,000 materials suppliers and more than 3,400 exhibitors, such as Dow, BASF, DuPont, Polyplastics, Juner, Mitsubishi, SELON, TORAY, FANUC, ENGEL, Haitian, Arburg, and KUKA, etc. A rich variety of advanced additives and processing techniques, including carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin, double shot molding, precision injection molding, nano molding technology and optical molds will be on display, facilitating electronics and electrical industries to reach new highs in intelligentization. “Smart Manufacturing Technology Zone” to present industrial automation solutions CHINAPLAS 2017 will feature a “Smart Manufacturing Technology Zone” to present solutions for industrial automation. Apart from robotic arms, automated systems, controllers, actuators and sensors that were featured in previous editions of CHINAPLAS, visitors will have a chance to experience smart factory solutions. 3D printers, 3D scanners, 3D printing software and 3D printing services will be displayed at the show and some suppliers in “Smart Manufacturing Technology Zone” are putting their 3D technology solutions as a focus of promotion. The exhibits, together with the concurrent event, the “2nd Industry 4.0 Conference”, provide the essentials which facilitate smart manufacturing. It is worth mentioning that the second day of the “2nd Industry 4.0 Conference” is themed “E&E 4.0”. Representatives from Wittmann Battenfeld and Arburg will give presentations on smart manufacturing technology and 4.0 solutions for the electronics and electrical industries. Mr. Anston Tan, principal of German Training Centre for Injection Moulding, will deliver a speech on “Smart People, Smart Manufacturing”. Panel discussion on “Efficient Individualization of Mass Produced Goods” will also be held. In addition, a seminar on applications of plastics in electronics and electrical industries will be held for experts to discuss ways to facilitate the development of consumer electronics and application areas. CHINAPLAS 2017 to facilitate the integration of CMF concept into electronics and electrical industries The concept of CMF (color, material and furnishing) in electronics and electrical industries is receiving unprecedented attentions nowadays. Consumers are more likely to choose products with fashionable appearances, stylish designs and bright colors. To cater for the market demand, a variety of environmentally friendly new materials and processes are utilized to give more attractive appearance, at the same time enabling new features such as easy cleaning, resistance to bacterial attachment and mildew proof. In this regard, visitors of will discover some special materials, such as extra-strong materials, materials for mold-in-color process, materials with high barrier and high transparency, boiling resistance, UV resistance, antibacterial materials, composite and biodegradable materials at the onsite fairground. Apart from new materials, in the concurrent event of “Design x Innovation”, sponsored by BASF, innovative products and prototypes made from advanced materials will also be showcased, including inflation free tires, racing-focused concept car, stylish children's smart toys and hybrid electronic equipment. Some of the exhibits are highlighted below: DuPont™ Zytel® HTNFE170016, revolutionary nylon-based glass fiber reinforced resinDuPont™ Zytel® HTNFE170016 resin, a nylon-based glass fiber reinforced new material, features strength that can overshadow other general engineering polymers currently applied in laptop covers. With DuPont innovative glass fiber orientation technology and its high flowability property, this new material realizes lighter and thinner laptop designs instantly. In addition, it has fundamentally solved the deformation problem, becoming the ideal choice for bigger laptop cover design. Laptop designers can now make designs unrestrained. ECO-COLOR® no flow lines, analogue spraying, stereoscopic aglimmer plastic As a high-performance environment-friendly decoration material, ECO-COLOR® no flow lines, analogue spraying, stereoscopic aglimmer plastic, developed by Shanghai Langyi New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., is widely used in household appliances, automotive interiors and exteriors, packaging and household chemical products. This material can be used for one step forming without spraying paints. The products made will be in bright colors with excellent polishing appearance and the cost will be reduced by about 30%. The material successfully breaks through the "flow mark" technology bottleneck which has troubled the industry for many years, and dramatically reduces the weld line, eliminating the need to modify mould while getting perfect appearance via injection. SPEED high speed injection molding machine from the Chen Hsong Group The SPEED series of small-to-medium-tonnage hydraulic injection molding machines launched by the Chen Hsong Group were developed with high-speed, high-performance and high precision in mind. Each features 1.5 seconds dry cycle and injection speed of 300mm/s. The machine is an ideal option for injection molding of mobile phone accessories, precision electronics and medical consumables at a high speed and a short cycle, and at the same time ensuring high repetition accuracy, stable dimensions, performance and quality. It can sustain long-term large-scale automated production. New 3-color vertical injection molding machines New 3-color vertical injection molding machines developed and produced by Modern Precision Plastics and Mould (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., can produce 3-color at a time. The machines offer high efficiency and quality, while reducing cost and manpower. Multiple functional nano targeted enhancement technologies Tiangang and Tinaco jointly introduce "Nano Targeted Enhancement Technology (NTET)" and a series of innovative solutions to the plastics industry in CHINAPLAS 2017. This technology is based on nano encapsulation technologies which produce outstanding and unprecedented enhancements to plastics in areas like mechanical properties, anti-yellowing, weatherability, mould prevention, high fog applications, and so on. LUXAN K: exceptional gloss for transparent materials The new LUXAN K family provides exceptional luster in transparent foods and cosmetic packaging. It also suits automotive interior trim, household appliances, or sports and leisure goods. LUXAN K is exceptional in its high transparency and brilliance. Combining with dyes in particular, they add value to applications based on transparent resins. And they create both see-through and 3D effects. Meantime, LUXAN K combines extraordinary sparkles with high Chroma and unrivalled color intensity. With LUXAN K, shades such as "Piano Black" obtain an unmatched brilliance and convey a touch of sumptuousness. LUXAN K is approved for food contact. It is suitable for polyolefins, PVC and engineer plastics.

Ms. Kang 2017-05-12

CHINAPLAS, The 3rd Medical Plastics Conference to promote innovations

TheMedical Plastics Conference to return to Guangzhou with advance technologiesand solutionsEntering its third edition, the medical plasticsconference covers topics comprehensively – from new materials applications,such as “Innovative High Heat Polycarbonate for Medical Device ManufacturingIndustry” by Covestro to manufacturing solutions to best practices of end - userenterprises. Some of the heavyweight guests include KraussMaffei, who will talkabout special cleanroom requirement forinjection moulding machines and will feature Netstal turnkey solutions; Arburg will provide information on applications in the medical industry; TianjinPlastics Research Institute will dig into breakthrough technologies of Bioplastics.What’s more, guests from leading end - user markets will share their insightsfrom their viewpoints. For example,Czuba Enterprises will talk about implantable device development - from product design,material selection to production;Bemis will share with audiences their practical medical packaging solutions."Asthe modern society expands the reach of its benefits to the most remote partsof our populated world, medical devices must be able to support healthcaredelivery within the limitations of local infrastructures. Designing ‘intelligent’ medical devices cansignificantly improve the product development lead time and reduce costs. Forexample, specialty implantable device that was designed by polymer chemists,plastics engineers and genetic bio-scientists is used as a virtual internalorgan replacement, and is sometimes called an ‘artificial organ’,” said Mr. LenCzuba, President of Czuba Enterprises. Inc. Cutting-edge exhibits inspire medical industry to growprofitably Davis-Standard,LLC Expands Polymer Lab in Suzhou to Support Medical TubingThe lab features direct-drive 19mm and 24mm single screwextruders, each with a polymer melt pump, a sophisticated three-layer spiralflow tubing die, PLC line control with data acquisition, precision vacuumsizing tank for both rigid and flexible products, closed loop ID/OD control viaan ultrasonic gauging system, a servo controlled combination puller/cuttingsystem, and a transport conveyer with single-zone air eject. It also includes asingle layer tubing line designed specifically for the production of FPVCtubing for IV & fluid delivery applications. Products ranging in size from2mm OD to 10mm OD can be produced with an accuracy of +/- 50 micron at line speedsup to 100 meters per minute.EngelMachinery (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. - Dipchamber molding in a single work stepPitched as a world premiere,Engel will show how drip chamber, with an integrated filter, can be producedusing an Engel e-victory combi injection moulding machine in a single workstep. This unprecedented level of integration significantly improves efficiencywith lower operating cost and decreased contamination risk. It demonstrates arevolutionary way to manufacture multi-component hollow bodies with inlays onan injection molding machine in just a single work step.Shenzhen Chinasound Industrial Ltd. -Thermoplastic Polyurethane ElastomerPolyurethaneelastomer conforms to FDA/USP certification, with above level 3.5 resistancesto yellowing, good compatibilities with human skin, human blood and tissues, allowingit to be made into blood transfusion tubes and micro, biodegradable, flexibleartificial blood vessels that are compatible with blood.PSG Plastic Service Group (Nantong) – Hot Runner SolutionsUtilizing its advanced technology, the company offers effective andhighly reliable solutions for production process to cope with the difficultiesrelating to pouring in hard-to-reach areas, lateral casting, close cavityspacing, wall thickness and dimensional stability: such as 0.5 g plasticpipette and powder inhaler that can automatically match two kinds of rawmaterials and dialyzer shell.Kuraray - Hydrogenated Styrene Thermoplastic Elastomer Kuraray SEPTON™ makes extremely tough,transparent and flexible medical films, adhesives and tubings. As a PVCalternative, Kuraray SEPTON™ is replacing these products as a moreenvironmentally friendly option.

Ms. Kang 2017-05-12

CHINAPLAS 2017 facilitates automotive industry towards lightweighting and smart manufacturing

Newmaterials lead to lighter and stronger automobilesKraiburgTpe (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. will introduce its UV/HF/SFseries in CHINAPLAS 2017. The UV/HF/SF Series is targeted towards automotiveexterior components requiring high UV resistance, perfect surface finish andhigh flowability. It is of easy flowing, exhibits excellent processingbehavior, adheres perfectly to PP with perfect surface finish and is tested accordingto Volkswagen PV3930 for outdoor use. Typical applications include cowls,gaskets, roof rims, water deflectors, window encapsulations and other exteriorautomotive applications.▲ 65% continuous glassfiber reinforced polyamide 6 UD-tape fromCGN Juner NewMaterials Co., LTD. CGN Juner NewMaterials Co., Ltd. will introduceto visitors 65% continuous glass fiberreinforced polyamide 6 UD-tape which features high glass fiber content, highstrength and modularity. The product can be applied in automotive components,such as foot pedals, seat frames, front-endframe, etc.▲ Polyimide fiber fromPolymer Science (Shenzhen) NewMaterials Co., Ltd. PolymerScience (Shenzhen) New Materials Co., Ltd. producespolyimide fiber with a wetspinning two-step production process. Comparedon same molecular structure basis to the traditional one-step productionprocess, it can increase heatresistance by nearly 100 degrees and doublethe strength. The company has overcomethe difficulty of combining heat resistance and processability in the traditionalprocess.SmartManufacturing Technology Zone topromote automotiveindustryIn CHINAPLAS 2017, a “SmartManufacturing TechnologyZone” will also be set up on the show floor,presenting a wealth of cutting-edge exhibits from leadingsuppliers, including Siemens,Bosch Rexroth, Deltacimic Electronics, Enmair, ZhejiangKeqiang, Danfoss, Sodron, LNC, Dongguan STS, Star Seiki and more. Apart fromrobotic arms, automated systems, controllers, actuators and sensors that werefeatured in the previous editions ofCHINAPLAS, visitors will have a chance to witness smart factory solutions. Morecutting-edge technology can be found in the “3D Technology Zone”, where 3Dprinters, 3D scanners, 3D printing software and 3D printing services will bedisplayed.▲ Autodesk Software (China) Co., Ltd. will firstly launch itsMoldflow simulation softwareWhat worth mentioning is that Autodesk Software (China) Co., Ltd. willlaunch its Moldflow simulation software,the most popular injection molding software used by plastics molding industryso far, of which accuracy and solution efficiency is higher. Mesh modelbuilding time can be reduced by 20% with improved quality. With pre-production injectionmolding simulation, potential molding risk can be identified and evaluated, thusoptimizing results.Concurrentevents to inspire automotive smart manufacturingBuilding on the success of thefirst “Industry 4.0 Conference” held last year in Shanghai, CHINAPLAS will onceagain join force with VDMA, the German Engineering Federation, to presentthe “2nd Industry 4.0 Conference”. The first day of the conference (May 16, 2017)is themed “Automotive 4.0”. Representatives from KraussMaffei and Engel will givepresentations on smart manufacturing technology and 4.0 solutions for the automotiveindustry. Shanghai Volkswagen Co. Ltd. will bring smart manufacturing casesharing to audiences. In addition, the key to therealization of “Industry 4.0” and “Made in China 2025”, standardization, willalso be discussed.▲ RN30 Concept Car jointly developed by BASF andHyundai Motor CompanyCHINAPLAS is once againco-present “Design x Innovation” with BASF, the world’s leading chemicalcompany. The theme “Smarter Living” will be demonstrated through “InnoGallery”, ‘Design Forum” and “TRIO”, with “TRIO” represents the cooperationbetween BASF, designers and brand owners. Concept car RN30, an innovation thatcombines key solutions from the chemical industry with purposeful aerodynamicdesign and specialized high-performance technologies and jointly developed byBASF and Hyundai Motor Company, will be showcased in“Design x Innovation”.Answers to the question how plastics can optimize aesthetics, functionality andperformance, as well as creative solutions for smarter living, can be found at“Design x Innovation”. Participants will understand product design, structuraland functional design from new perspectives through the solutions presented fordifferent downstream industries including automotive, E&E, building andconstruction, leisure and lifestyle, etc.

Ms. Kang 2017-05-12

The list of Korean exhibitors in CHINAPLAS 2017

From May 16(Tue.) to 19(Fri.), CHINAPLAS 2017, the biggest plastic and rubber show in Asia, and the 2nd biggest show in the world, will be held in Guangzhou, China. 57 companies from Korea has finished enrollment in the exhibition as of the 4th of April. In the exhibitors' list, there are leading companies such as LS Mtron, an injection molding machine maker, multiple raw material companies like IKP(IL KWANG POLIMER), KOLON PLASTICS, INC., SAMYANG CORPORATION, and DAE HAN ELECTRONIC., LTD., a peripheral producer. Moreover, machinery and material associations are going to join the event.

Ms. Kang 2017-04-11

The key in metal-free, transparent high barrier packaging

China Plastic & Rubber Journal (CPRJ) - Dec 2016 IssueSource:China Plastic & Rubber Journal By Victor Cheng ▲ The pursuit of healthier lifestyle means fewer preservatives are preferred, which leads to the demand for high barrier technology. Demand for packaging materials that provide greater protection to their contents is growing, especially for food & beverage and pharmaceutical products. A variety of functional additives and barrier coating technologies have been commercialized to preserve, protect and optimize product shelf life.Demand driven by megatrends There are a number of reasons contributed to the growth of barrier technology. A growing consumer demand for food and drink products that are perceived to be healthier means less or even no preservatives are preferred. Increasingly urban society and busier lifestyles lead to a strong demand for convenience products such as microwavable packaging, single-serve packs, carry-away packs, resealable packaging, easy to open packs and longer shelf life. A rise in the number of single-person households also increases demand for smaller pack sizes and single portion food packaging. As a result, food is by far the largest end-use sector for functional additives and barrier coatings in plastic packaging, accounting for a projected share of just over 60.0% of market value in 2016, according to Smithers Pira’s data. The global market value of barrier coatings for plastic packaging is projected at US$1.37 billion in 2016 and is forecast to grow at an annual rate of 5.2% during the five-year period to 2021 to US$1.76 billion.Transparency spurs new requirement“The need for barrier films is growing at a healthy pace,” said Robert O’Boyle, Product Manager of Coatings, Sun Chemical. “Consumers will buy what they can see. This has led to the growing trend of transparent packaging that allows consumers to see the actual food. Many natural foods, such as granola, nuts and fruit, require a high barrier film for better protection.”The US-based Sun Chemical Group is the developer of SunBar oxygen barrier coating for packaging films. This water reducible, two parts blendable coating creates a smooth, homogenous, pinhole-free, and flexible layer that can be easily overprinted with inks and laminated to a variety of secondary films. According to the company, SunBar provides good barrier performance and bond strength at up to 75% external relative humidity and up to 100% internal relative humidity, depending on the barrier of the secondary substrate used. It is compostable, chlorine and metal free, and enables lightweight packaging by removing the ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) polymer layers commonly used in barrier films.SiOx getting the nod▲ AmLite Ultra, a metal-free and transparent packaging technology from Amcor.When it comes to high barrier packaging, aluminum is the “golden standard”. Products that are highly sensitive to moisture and oxygen remain hidden from view inside opaque materials, said Marco Hilty, Vice President of Strategy, Marketing and R&D at Amcor Flexibles EMEA. With the launch of AmLite Ultra from Amcor, there is now another option to turn high barrier packaging into a transparent one. AmLite Ultra is the latest addition to Amcor’s existing line of AmLite, metal-free packaging. It offers an even higher barrier, using the company’s Ultra silicon oxide (SiOx) coating, with oxygen barrier levels comparable to that of aluminum. Amcor performed Gelbo-Flex testing on AmLite Ultra and worked with the Consulting & Testing Service Group of MOCON Inc. to evaluate barrier levels after flexing.“Gelbo-Flex testing is a way to evaluate material resistance to mechanical stress, which happens during printing, converting, filling, distribution and handling. This stress can break down barrier by the time the pack reaches consumers. What the tests revealed was very exciting,” explained Andrea Della Torre, Director R&D at Amcor Flexibles EMEA. Both AmLite Ultra and a standard aluminum foil laminate were tested to 100 Gelbo-Flex cycles during which the materials were flexed and stressed. While the aluminum foil laminate started with a slightly higher barrier, the AmLite Ultra oxygen barrier eventually outperformed aluminum by 30% at 100 Gelbo-Flex cycles, according to the MOCON Inc. test result. Amcor said AmLite Ultra also provides a 40% carbon footprint reduction and 21% weight reduction compared to standard aluminum based materials.Low migration, high protection▲ Greiner Packaging develops the award winning ibt technology based on SiOx coating. Using a SiOx coating, Greiner Packaging has developed the award winning inert barrier technology (ibt) that reduces the migration between the filling and the packaging, while at the same time protecting the filling from outside influences like oxygen and moisture. During the coating process, the cups are fed into a chamber where a vacuum is created. Oxygen and gas containing silicon are then fed into the chamber and a plasma is created using an electrode. A coating is created on the cups – described as a “covalent bond” with respect to the sealed inner layer and the plastic. The SiOx layer created in this way is “chemically inert”, minimizing its reaction. This reduces oxygen and hydrogen permeability. Since the barrier layer does not react with any outside influences, it also results in improved aroma protection. For cups, the coating can be applied on highly transparent materials with no impact on its transparency, according to Greiner.“Meanwhile, we have also conducted migration tests with independent expert bodies. In the process, we determined that a migration of media in both directions is greatly reduced at temperatures below 80°C,” said Tobias Strasser, Managing Director of Greiner Packaging Diepoldsau (CH). “We can achieve migration improvement up to eight times better than conventional barrier materials.”Greiner’s ibt packaging technology has won the Swiss Packaging Award, the WorldStar Packaging Award, as well as the World Packaging Organization’s Gold President’s Award. https://www.adsalecprj.com/Publicity/ePub/lang-eng/article-67025037/asid-27/tc-en_CPRJ_EN_20170329/EbookArticle.aspx

Ms. Kang 2017-04-07

Intech, a Korean firm changing the paradigm of the facial mask market

Now it’s time to take a close look at a small but competitive business making a difference for the Korean economy. With repeated attacks of fine dust and yellow dust from China every year, masks are increasingly becoming a necessity for people’s health in Korea. The local dust mask market continues to grow, and has already reached over 15 billion won in size. Meanwhile, a Korean SME is drawing attention with a newly developed mask that’s different from the rest. “Intech” is the first company in the world to have developed a plastic mask made by injection molding, with replaceable filters. Intech’s CEO Lee Chang-sun tells us more. Plastic injection molding may sound hard, but this mask is made of plastic that’s very soft, harmless and eco-friendly. It’s made with the same material that’s used to make the urethane tube in syringes or babies’ teething toys. The mask that I’ve developed comes with replaceable filters. Generally, masks are expensive yet disposable. They usually cost between 3,000 and 5,000 won, and those for kids can cost up to 8,000 or 10,000 won. It’s supposed to be thrown out at the end of the day, but people don’t do that. So, we made the filter in our mask replaceable so that consumers can use high-function masks without the burden of the high price. It’s made with Intech’s original technology. Intech’s mask is not made of cloth or felt, but with plastic. Injection molding is a plastic manufacturing process where plastic is melted and then injected into a mold to form the desired shape. Intech is the first company in the world to use this method to make a mask with plastic that’s harmless to human health. This product is not only convenient to use, but also economical. A filter is attached inside the soft plastic mask with Velcro to block as much as 94% of the ultrafine dust or PM2.5, which was declared a group 1 human carcinogen by the World Health Organization. The mask can be used again repeatedly just by replacing the filter. Intech may have reformed the paradigm of masks, but the company did not start out as a mask maker. Intech was founded in July 2013 to make general consumer goods based on our molding or injection molding technology. I was not a mask maker at first. I started working in the molding industry as soon as I graduated from high school, and have been ever since. I started making masks because I was always interested in it, especially since the SARS scare. That’s why I decided to try developing a mask using the injection molding technology. Intech CEO Lee Chang-sun has been working in the injection molding industry for nearly 20 years, and he had always been interested in developing new items using the injection method. He came up with the idea to make a mask using the technology in the early 2000s when Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS was a major public issue. He founded the company in 2013 with the support of the Small & Medium Business Corporation, and put his thoughts into action. But even if a plastic mask is harmless to the human body, wouldn’t it feel restraining and stifling to wear one so tightly wrapped around one’s face? We designed the mask to completely block any external air pollutants. But we also wanted to make it comfortable for the wearer. We have a patent for valve masks, so with the technology, we made sure that the inhaled air is completely filtered, while the exhaled breath is let out through the valve. That’s why our mask is very comfortable to wear without any discomfort caused by moisture or the wearer’s own exhaled breath, even if they keep it on for a long time. It’s a mask that’s pleasant to wear. Made with the injection molding method, Intech’s mask is designed to fit the Korean facial features, making it sit snugly around the face. But at the same time, it’s not too tight or stuffy to wear. It’s because a valve is built inside the mask to easily and conveniently let out the exhaled breath. Intech named its mask “Hoooah Mask” to represent easy breathing. With its innovative technology and advantages Intech became the first mask maker to earn the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s NET-New Excellent Technology certificate in 2015. It also holds international patents in 11 different countries around the world. However, the market response wasn’t what the company had hoped. There were many complications and many trials and errors. I had been working in the basic manufacturing business ever since I was young, so I was completely ignorant when it came to marketing or designs. So I put my faith in the technology and made the first product, only to be met with very harsh criticism. Intech’s first mask was released in December 2013. Critics said while the mask is very functional, it reminded them of characters from horror films. That’s when Lee joined hands with expert designers. After improving the mask’s structures and remodeling the mold three times, Intech was able to finally come up with a product that would satisfy any consumer with varying shapes, sizes, colors and functions. Once I had the prototype in my hand, I packed my bags and went everywhere I could. I didn’t even know what an exchange rate was back then. I just went in, head first. I learned everything by just running in headfirst, and figuring out later if it was a wall, a door, or a path. Fortunately, I made inroads in Japan, Russia, Vietnam, China, Taiwan and Singapore. It feels like I went pretty much everywhere aside from Europe and South America. Intech released the new product in the international market first in 2015. Currently, it exports to 9 countries. It’s also working on a collaboration project with the global fashion brand Boy London. At home, Intech’s masks will hit the shelves of supermarkets and pharmacies this month. The company, which has changed the face of protective masks, has only just taken its first step. http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/program/program_economysmall_detail.htm?no=10068815

Ms. Kang 2017-04-07