SA Plastics, Composites & Rubber

Credit insurance:

Provider’s view

Ren-Flex starts

up8

Reduce your electricity

costs64

Biogas from

spaghetti?100

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PLASTICS CONVERTERS ASSOCIATION (PCA) & PLASTICS INSTITUTE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA (PISA)

Technical hints:MOULD SAFETY

Like a second

skin!

BREAKTHROUGHBY SES

SERVO

IT’S A FIRST !TRITAN COPOLYESTER

ALLOWS DESIGN FREEDOM

re-SHAPE your thinking

Tritan™ retains the versatility of copolyesters. But it also can offer unexpected advantages,

including higher temperature resistance, easier processing and higher impact resistance.

Tritan™ reshapes your expectations of polymers. The unique properties of Tritan™

deliver performance that is often superior to other clear thermoplastics, such as

polycarbonate (PC). Areas of potential advantage include ease of processing and lower

levels of residual stress, as well as clarity, toughness and chemical resistance of the

finished products.

For more info call 0800 006772 or visit www.plastichem.co.za

Markets include: Houseware / Small Appliances / Medical packaging / Infant care / Sports bottles / Bulk water bottles

Tritan™ BPA-free copolyester will surprise you. It’s a significant and welcome breakthrough

that helps you differentiate your products through design and performance.

TRITAN™ is a registered Eastman Chemical Company product.

RELLOY S.A.(Pty) Ltd

27 Mopedi Road, Sebenza, Edenvale, Johannesburg, South AfricaP O Box 8190, Edenglen, 1613, Johannesburg, South AfricaTel: +27 (011) 452-3724 Fax: +27 (011) 452-4722KwaZulu Natal : Adele Eksteen 083 395 2136 Cape : Enrico Anelli 082 465 7639

email: [email protected]: www.relloy.co.za

The PTA utilises temperatures hotter than the ��

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This unit delivers the latest technology in microplasma welding.

Relloy have been aligning themselves with the latest developments in the European

market in order to provide European quality in the South African market.

Summit Publishing cct: +27 (21) 712 1408

f: 086 519 6089c: +27 (82) 822 8115

e: [email protected] Suite 42, Private Bag X16,

Constantia 7848, Cape Town, South Africa70 Newton Drive, Meadowridge, Cape Town

www.saplastics.co.za

GAUTENG Lowrie Sharp

t: (011) 793 4691f: (011) 791 0544c: 082 344 7870

e: [email protected]

KZN Lynne Askew

t: (031) 764 2494f: (031) 764 0676


Europe & UKEddie Kania

RGH International, High Peak, Englandt: +0944 1663 750 242


Printed by: Tandym Print, Maitland, Cape Town

SA Plastics Composites + Rubber Technology is published six times a year and focuses on these industries in South

and southern Africa. We welcome news, articles, technical reports, information in general and photographs about

events and developments related to the plastics industry. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. Views expressed are not necessar-ily those of the Plastics Converters Association, Institute of

Materials or Association of Rotational Moulders either.

Copyright: All rights reserved.

ISSN number: 1684-2855 (ISDS Centre, Paris)

Summit Publishing: CK 9863581/23

VAT reg: 4600187902

Plastics Institute of Southern Africa

PET Plastic Recycling South Africa

Plastics Federation of SA

Association of Rotational Moulders of South Africa

Plastics Converters Association

Institute of Materials

Publisher: Martin Wells([email protected])

Editor: Tessa O’Hara([email protected])

Editorial assistant: Heather Peplow([email protected])

Financial manager: Lisa Mulligan([email protected])

Designer: Bronwen Moys (Blinc Design)

PVC cling fi lm articlegenerates controversyTHE article in our last issue about PVC and the plasticisers and additives employed created some controversy. A large amount of attention has been focused on PVC cling fi lm in the public media and it’s been blamed for a variety of health problems, but you need to ask if the castigation of PVC cling fi lm has been exaggerated? There are so many ar-eas of modern life besides which can cause health problems.

Some positive points have come out of the ‘debate’ so far, specifi cally that the heating of PVC fi lm when in contact with foodstuff is unadvisable. Due to the com-plexity of the situation, we are on advice, not publishing our follow-up report here, but will do so in October.

All risks: Check your insuranceMOST of us know by now of the dangers of cable theft, but losses incurred could be substantially more than just that of the cable ... and which quite possibly are not covered by your insurance. Two Cape Town converters re-ceived such an unwelcome surprise recently. Damage to stalled equipment and circuit boards, possibly caused during repair work, after cable leading to their plants was stolen, resulted in signifi cantly higher claims – which were not covered in the ‘All risks’ section of their insurance policies.

So it may be useful to simply check with your insurance company or broker whether you are effectively covered. Do it now!

Caution necessaryPREVAILING market conditions have placed most manufacturers under pressure and most of us are looking at ways at improving systems and effi ciencies, but spare a thought for those with high debt levels. Being cautious is obviously necessary, but nothing would happen if we all practised extreme caution all the time. Tempering caution is sometimes necessary to get a business operation going, but this should become less necessary as a business matures. Unfortunately this does not always apply, and the current climate has badly exposed some over-optimistic businessmen. In one case we celebrated an MBO at a packaging manufacturing business … until we heard what fi nancial committees the buyers faced. With large sums coming off the bottom line every month, there was little chance of success. The business has since crashed and burned. Most of us will sympathize, but also remember that optimism and reliable fi nancial planning are at opposite poles.

BY THE WAY . . .

There are so many areas of modern life besides which can cause health problems.

Plastics|SA, supported by the paper and packaging industry and under the auspices of PACSA and the Waste Management Plan developed by the Recyclers Action Group (RAG), has launched a new student design competition aimed at

improving the transportation of recycled materials in urban and rural environments. Although this photo is just an example of what’s possible, try and come up with a solution that is suited to southern Africa.

More info at www.plasticsinfo.co.za

… IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING

TO SAYLook at the bright side: if you

have some gem of wisdom to

impart, please write to us at

[email protected]

… for large injection moulds, extruders, rollers, autoclaves and other processing equipment

set-point and actual value

indicating elements

heating contactor

made of non-rusting materials, hence long service-life

REGLOPLAS

High-performance temperature control units

Type 90 Smart

Temperature control units for water up to 90°C

JENOWILL SERVICES

Type 150 Smart

Temperature control units for oil up to 150°C

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2012

Contents

See page 52 for more information

ON THE COVER

JOBURG-BASED snapp Design’s ‘splay’ salad servers are the fi rst plastic injection moulded product designed by the company. By using the extruded form of Plasticine and manipulating it and separating the blended profi le forms into tines, snapp were able to create an intriguing and functional utensil. Snapp approached Plastichem for their expertise and technical knowledge. The appropriate material that was defi ned is a fi rst for snapp and for South Africa as this particular thermoplastic has never been used commercially here before.

Find out more at www.saplastics.co.za

88

72

18

6814

283033

44

46

52

108

112

INDUSTRY NEWSServo breakthrough by SES

World PVC markets recoverThailand’s PTT builds ties with African convertors

ASSOCIATION NEWSARMSA: Rotation 2012 in September

IOM: Tangential mixer technology developmentsPISA: Cape toolmaking training programme

FEATUREMore than just PE & PP produced in Middle East

TRAINING50 year old research helps create

new separation technique

DESIGNTritan thermoplastic copolyester from Eastman

DIARYEvents coming up in 2012

SPORTSSolar Impulse to attempt fl ight to Africa 92

Volume 10 No 4

COM

MEN

T

LIKE anything else, this publication is changing with the times.

We have somewhat unexpectedly become the recipient of interest from some service suppliers to the industry. That’s not to say we have not attempted to solicit information on topics which we believe are relevant to the manufacturing environment. These par-ties are offering to supply columns to us about industry matters, which has led to a slight change in focus for us, as we go about producing a publication which is relevant and useful to you.

In this issue we complete a series of articles about Competition Law from Adams & Adams, the Pretoria attorneys, that has proved highly interesting (page 48). You literally cannot afford to be in manufacturing – or let’s even say operation – if you are not relatively well informed about competition legislation (and specifi cally anti-competitive behaviour). You could get caught up in affairs that are beyond control, or – even worse – be put out of business by anti-competitive behaviour.

And we have more for you!

Technical ‘hints’We are fortunate this issue to be able to begin a series of ‘Technical Hints’ columns from some of the experts in the industry. It’s not often that the ‘experts’ are happy to impart with info, partly because they tend to be very practical people and don’t in the fi rst place consider themselves to be ‘experts’. There are important areas of the industry where we can all improve, however, and that is the goal of this series.

We begin with a short column about mould safety from Bob White of Principal Plastics of Port Elizabeth

(page 20). The points Bob mentions are simple and easy to comprehend, and worth pursuing in your fac-tory. Minimising the risk of injury to your workers is very important: besides injuries and trauma to staff, such events can hold up your whole operation.

Credit insuranceWhile on the subject of risk, in this issue we are also publishing the fi rst of a series of columns from Coface South Africa, one of the top providers of credit insurance to industry (page 50), about this vital topic. Paul Jooste of Coface explains the logic and strategy applied. We hear of suppliers sustaining credit failures with alarming regularity, even after practicing caution. Coface is a specialist in this area, and the points raised by Jooste could thus prove useful to you.

Momentum from sportsThe Olympics will be a thing of the past by the time this reaches you, but South Africans – and all Africans for that matter – were buoyed by some positive interna-tional performances by our people on the eve of the event. It’s ironic that success or failure on the sports fi elds is now regarded with such prominence, when the same (success or failure) applies to most of the rest of us virtually every day.

There are important areas of the industry where we can all improve, however, and that is the goal of this series

SHORT SERIES COLUMNS

4 AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2012

Plastics|SA’s new name and branding is becom-ing more visible. The previous entity, the Plastics Federation of SA, did not capture the imagination … specifi cally of consumers. Although it was mainly a name change to Plastics|SA, the industry’s ‘new’ association is proving to be a more holistic model and, in the name of our ubiquitous material(s), is be-coming far more visible. The photo here was taken at World Oceans Day in KZN in June

THIS ISSUE

Articles on competition law, credit insurance, technical hints for your benefi t

TO INFORM Martin Wells, Publisher

cool houses love energy billsBASF’s construction solutions and energy-efficient materials are more cost-effective than conventional insulating systems and materials, and have a much higher insulation capacity. So, thanks to products like Neopor® and Elastopor®, houses stay cooler in the summer and waste less energy. Saving on emissions means saving on bills? At BASF, we create chemistry.

www.basf.com/chemistrywww.basf.co.za

Servo breakthrough

THE process of assembling and more re-cently building its own injection machines has had an unexpected spin-off for SES: it has developed a system which allows for a single servo motor to accomplish two movements during machine ‘dead’ time.

Servo motors are expensive and can be diffi cult to operate, but the SES break-through allows for users to gain more performance per motor. Using a single servo motor with a servo pump, Karl Seidel and the technical service team at SES developed a system that can achieve parallel movement with separate speed and pressure from the one motor.

The system allows users to gain more usage per servo motor. According to Karl,

the breakthrough has created “the plat-form for the next development”.

Additional tasks that can be performed by the confi guration include:• ejector while opening;• core pulling with mould movement.

Johannesburg-based SES, which is the SA agent for injection machine manufacturer Ferromatik Milacron, has also become one of SA’s leading machine refurbishers, particularly of the older Fer-romatik modules, and in 2010 it introduced its own machine, the ‘SKR’. Activity at the SES workshop in Wadeville has at times bordered on the feverish, with ‘hands-on’ MD Seidel and Daniel Roode constantly looking for ways to improve technology

INDUSTRY NEWS

BOXMORE COMPLETES MCG CLOSURES PURCHASEBOXMORE Plastics has completed its purchase of the MCG Closures business in a transaction valued at over R100-million, mark-ing the start of a new phase for the business.

Boxmore has been in operation in South Africa since 1996, when it was established by its Irish parent. The company was subse-quently bought by Chesapeake of the USA. A management buyout backed by Investec group took place in 2010, in terms of which the business has since been SA-owned. It manufactures preforms and blown bottles at plants in Harrismith, Cape Town and Mauritius, and needed the additional closure capacity to support those products.

The MCG operations, in Samrand and Cape Town, manufacture an estimated 2.5 billion closures p/a. These businesses are to trade as Boxmore Plastics Closures. Boxmore group currently supplies about 1.4 billion preforms. www.boxmore.co.za

KENIPLAS NOW AGENT FOR ADDITIVES SUPPLIER LIBERTY, OF INDIAKENIPLAS of Johannesburg has been ap-pointed as the exclusive agent and distributor in Southern Africa for the full range of polymer additives manufactured by Liberty Chemicals of India. Liberty Chemicals is a leading manu-facturer and exporter of polymer additives consisting of internal and external lubricants, functional additives, antistatic additives, processing aids, pigment wetting agents, dispersants, synthetic waxes and polypropyl-ene clarifi er.

Liberty’s pigments, fi llers or other additives are used in the production or processing of PVC, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, PS, ABS, EVA, PA, PC, ABS, PMMA or PET, and in fact in virtually any other polymers – in master-batch or compound form in the injection, extrusion or blow moulding processes.

Capacity at Liberty’s state-of-the-art manu-facturing facility is approximately 6000 tons per annum, which is high for such specialised materials.

The company is ISO 9001:2008 certifi ed.www.libertychemical.com; www.keniplas.co.za

EH WALTON CLOSESE H Walton, one of the oldest and largest privately-owned printing and packaging companies in South Africa, has gone into liquidation. Based in Port Elizabeth but selling nationally, was established in 1845, when it printed the local newspaper. It had made sig-nifi cant investments over the last few years, estimated at over R22-million, in order to be more competitive and the announcement of closure in April came as a surprise. The com-pany employed about 450 people in PE.

BASF OPENS NIGERIA OFFICEBASF has opened a new regional offi ce in Lagos to serve customers in Nigeria and the other West African countries, further increasing its presence in the growing African markets. The company’s target is to more than double sales in Africa by 2020.Sales, excluding oil and gas, were around €1-billion in 2011.

JUST BRIEFLY


Auto component supplier wins series of supplier awards

PRINCIPLE Plastics, one of the top automo-tive component manufacturers in the Eastern Cape, has been receiving recognition for its high-level supply. It has won three ‘supplier of the year’ awards in recent months, from Behr Climate Control, General Motors and VW.

That’s a just reward for the team assembled by Bob and Niko White, the father and son outfi t who run the business in Markman Town-ship, Port Elizabeth.

Principle was started by Niko White in late 2004, when moulding operations began with just two machines. At that stage, operating from Neave, the company did not have the capacity to supply automotive contracts and survived on small custom contracts, but how things have changed! Niko was later joined by Bob.

The demise in late 2009 of what was Ariston Plastics, where both Bob and Niko had previ-ously worked, presented an opportunity for Principle: it moved from Neave to the Ariston site at Markman and quite literally took over where Ariston had left off, resuming supply to

for Principle PlasticsHAT-TRICK

Bob and Niko White have been putting lessons learned over many years to good

effect at Principle, the main result being the company’s growing ability to supply

automotive OEMs in a convincing manner

by SESJohannesburg machine builder develops new servo system

AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2012 7

www.sescc.co.za

Daniel Roode and Karl Seidel of SES with one of the com-

pany’s SKR injection moulding machines with the new single servo motor system; SES has also designed its own control

panels to accommodate the new software features it offers.

With the new SES system, mould heater settings are

included with the mould setting data, which makes it easier for

the setter to switch moulds and be back in operation sooner

the OEMs. Although getting the business to settle down was challenging, the Principle team haven’t looked back since.

JIT isn’t realisticPart of Principle’s approach has been to move away from the just-in-time (JIT) strat-egy widely practised in the automotive sector. JIT implies that the de-sired part arrives at the auto assembly line at just the right time, but according to Bob, it was, ironically, having the effect that parts were only being manufactured on a JIT basis too. This resulted in numerous mould changes being necessary. The analysis they applied, in cooperation with their automo-tive customers, meant they had to have a • PRINCIPLE PLASTICS, PHONE 041 461 2952.

Tug o war! This is what staff at Principle Plastics in PE do during their lunch break … err, not quite, but the production team did celebrate their most recent supplier award in a competitive way

CLEAN-UP YOUR ACT!THIS year’s Clean-Up SA week takes place from 10-15 September, when you have a chance to help improve the public image of plastics by getting involved in clean-ups and other environmental activities.

Find out more at: www.cleanup-sa.co.za; www.recyclingday-sa.co.za

SACU-INDIA TRADE DEAL: ALL QUIETTHE Department of Trade and Industry has made no decision on the proposed SA Commercial Union-India trade agreement. The Indian Government had requested that plastics, chemicals and cosmetic goods from India either be exempted from import duties or get preferential rates. Local companies involved in those sectors, not surprisingly, reacted negatively to the proposal. A survey was conducted by the DTI, where manufactur-ers were requested to list objections by 12 April, and – although it’s not known how many reacted – the DTI had made no decision by the end of July.

MBO AT JOJOA CONSORTIUM consisting of key manage-ment members, RMB Ventures, RMB Corvest, Pan-African Private Equity Fund 1 and the Oppenheimer family’s Stockdale Street private equity vehicle have concluded a management buyout of JoJo Tanks.

JoJo Tanks is South Africa’s leading manu-facturer of roto-moulded polyethylene tanks used for rainwater harvesting and general liquid storage. www.jojotanks.co.za

better knowledge of their customers’ needs, which required experience and very specifi c analysis.

“JIT isn’t realistic,” said Bob.“We have to have

a stockholding, and building that up has allowed us to have more consistent production runs. At the same time, it’s also allowed us to

react quickly in the unexpected ‘X’ factor situations,” said Bob.

Principle has also focused a lot of re-sources on training, and conducts in-house training on a weekly basis.

Our approach has been to move away from the

just-in-time (JIT) strategy widely practised in the

automotive sector.

and develop systems that are suited to South African conditions.

The process has been partly driven through SES’s coopera-tion with a top Austrian automation systems developer. B&R Industrie-Elektronik is a master at electronic control technology, said Karl, and working with them has enabled SES to cross-refer in ‘real time’ and hence pursue these challenges at a higher level. Karl says, however, that the servo development is unique to SES.

JUST BRIEFLY

World PVC markets recoverINTERESTING statistics about trends in the global PVC market were presented at the Sun Ace Group annual board meeting in Japan recently.

World demand for PVC reached a record high of 36 million tons in 2011, showing a recovery from the previous high of 35 million recorded in 2008, before the global fi nancial crunch. Another very noticeable trend was the slow-down in growth in China, which in 2010 showed a dramatic increase of 17% – that declined to a more manage-able 7% increase in demand last year.

The fi gures were presented by Mitsubi-shi Corporation at the Sun Ace Group meeting in Tokyo in June. Mitsubishi, which trades in excess of 1million tons of PVC resin annually, is one of the Sun Ace Group shareholders.

Gary van Eyk of Sun Ace South Africa, a leading supplier of additives, processing aids and manufacturer of stabilizers to the vinyls sector across sub-Sahara African markets, represented the local interests at the board meeting.

The observation drawn by the Mitsubi-shi analysts is that the PVC sector is set to grow globally at an estimated 3% rate in 2012, and into the near future.

“Whilst the Sun Ace Group does not trade in PVC resin, the insight into world markets, trends and trade balances directs our resources and focus into markets and applications that benefi ts our

business internationally,” said Van Eyk.“Mitsubishi Corporation is a key partner

to our business and strategy,” he added.The decline in PVC consumption in

North America, which has in recent years become a nett exporter of PVC resin, together with the decline in Europe has been counterbalanced by major demand increases in the Asian region. Other

markets showing particularly strong demand include Russia and Turkey. Consumption in both Russia (at 1,11 million tons in 2011) and Turkey (920,000 tons) exceeds total an-

nual demand for the African continent, estimated at 872,000 tpa.

Outside of South Africa demand in Af-rica is highest in Algeria and Nigeria, both of which exceed 100,000 tpa. Although demand for PVC is increasing steadily in Africa, by comparison it equates to approximately only a third of the Central and South American demand, where 2,6 million tons was used in 2011 represent-ing approx 25% growth over the past four years in that region.

The inference of the Mitsubishi fi gures is that although consumption of PVC in Europe and North America has declined, total global consumption is still increas-ing – and this is creating opportunities for global scale manufacturers, particularly those in the USA.

www.sunace.co.za

Sun Ace board members hosted at Mitsubishi Corporation head offi ce in Tokyo, Japan, recently include Hanada-san of Mitsubishi, Ian Lilja (MD of Sun Ace Australia), Gary van Eyk (MD Sun Ace South Africa), Dr Ettore Nanni (CEO Reagens Europe) and Hamdan Al Hamdan (MD Sun Ace Saudi Arabia)

INDUSTRY NEWS


I WAS ONCE TOLD that when you are a printer you don’t exploit words that would try and convince potential customers of the print quality you promise ... if you are in printing, quality is the norm!

“However, producing a quality print at a world standard is defi nitely an accom-plishment and doing this successfully on a BOPP/polypropylene material is defi nitely amazing,” said Albe Naudé, COO of Ren-Form, owner of the new IML producer Ren-Flex, of Johannesburg.

Ren-Flex has commenced production of IML, shrink-sleeve and wrap-around labels at its plant in Selby, Eloff Ext, Johannes-burg. The entire factory is dedicated to plas-tic products only. Utilizing state-of-the-art printing equipment (it operates a 9-colour Drent-Goebel UV offset printing press, built in Korea) with off-line rotary die cutting capability gives Ren-Flex an advantage.

The management personnel is headed by Patrick Munyembate (managing) and Vijay Gramoney (technical), both previously

The observation drawn by the Mitsubishi analysts is that the PVC sector is set to grow at an estimated

3% rate in 2012, and into the near future.

36 million tons global consumption in 2011 is highest ever

High precision Drent-Goebel UV press used to make in-mould labels

manufacturer Ren-Flex starts up

IML

delivers learning material to rural KZN schoolsMORE than 2 000 children from 12 schools in the rural KZN south region recently received educational material delivered to them by Lanxess employees and other partners during this year’s annual Rally to Read event. The material, which included 50 box libraries, sports equipment, educational toys, school bags and stationery, was delivered after a team of Lanxess employees together with other corporate partners travelled over 350km from Durban to rural KZN South. McCarthy car dealership, one of the major sponsors of the rally, provided the team with off-road

Lanxess


www.lanxess.com

MEMBERS of the international management team of Petzetakis group of Greece held a press conference at PlasticsSA in Midrand in June at which they outlined a strategy to revive Petzetakis Africa. The focus of the event appeared to be to map out a course to appease creditors.

Activity at the Petzetakis plant, which had been one of the biggest pipe manufacturing businesses in southern Africa, has been at a standstill since February 2011, and staff have departed.

Dr Mohamed Hammound of Concritech of Australia, which has since bought a stake in Petzetakis, led the presentation. Concritech is involved in major international construction work, including several projects in the Middle East. George Petzetakis, chairman and CEO of Petzetakis in Greece, was also present.

Dr Mohamed Hammoud, group MD of Concritech (Australia); George Petzetakis, CEO of AG Petzetakis group of Greece; attorney Kevin van Huyssteen; and Aris Sarlis, sales manager at Petzetakis in Greece

Attempt to refl oat Petzetakis

vehicles for the trip. According to Lanxess representative for South Africa, Dr Karl-Rudolf Gassen, the initiative is one that Lanxess South Africa is privileged to support as it responds to a tangible socio-economic need in the country.

www.ren-form.co.za

employed by FIMA. Critical product issues experienced before will be avoided by implementing the experience gained over the years, including but not limited to static, fi lm densities and product behaviour in dif-ferent environments.

Ren-Form has since its establishment in 1989 been a highly successful printer of commercial forms that has since evolved into the digital print-on-demand and highly sophisticated security printing areas. Due to Ren-Form’s revolutionary and technologi-cal vision, it was only a natural migration to apply technological excellence onto different substrates and markets, added Naudé.

As the fi rst IML products rolled off the

production line, quality in print, fi nished size and presentation was noted as impressive. End users, injection moulders and graphic designers will be excited to meet the team and expand on their current capabilities.

• REN-FLEX, PHONE 011 499 1207.• PARENT COMPANY REN-FORM ALSO PRINT

LABELS AND TICKETS FOR AIRLINES, THE LOTTO AND PRODUCTS FOR A VARIETY OF SA’S TOP BRANDS, INCLUDING MTN AND STANDARD BANK.

The Ren-Flex team includes MD Patrick Munyembate,

print manager Dwayen du Sart and technical director

Vijay Gramoney

Schober die-cutter for the production of the IML products; IML label fi lms are typically about 60 microns thick

Excellence keeps good company

Tel: +27 11 452 6940 | Fax: +27 11 609 5960

email: [email protected] | www.plasticolors.co.za

M A S T E R B A T C H P I G M E N T S L I Q U I D S A D D I T I V E S

PLASTICOLORS

Established 1976

Extraordinary[PlastiColors now offers Hubron Black Masterbatch in partnership with Banbury Chemicals]

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96C

Innovation. Agility. Focus. In keeping with our emphasis on

customised solutions, Plasticolors now offers world-class

Hubron Black Masterbatch in convenient, smaller quantities.

As leaders in masterbatch, pigments, liquids and additves, our

single-minded pursuit of perfection in colour will keep your

business in the black.

Consistent black masterbatches

from

Accurate dosing machines

from

Purging compound

from

PET Colours (microgranules)

from

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HOLLAND COLOURS

Consistent and quality masterbatches from

Head offi ce Cape Town offi ce

“CLEVVA is a viable alternative, one that can be used by small, medium and large businesses to capture the decision-making logic of their experts in a way that really helps inexperienced and under-trained staff to perform like experts,” he added.

Falkenberg explained that this new breed of technology guides staff through key activities, asking the right questions, and offering the right solutions, no mat-ter what the situation. CLEVVA allows companies to capture the expert logic required to analyse various challenges, and then provides inexperienced sales staff with an expert guide. All the user needs to do is answer the questions; the rest is taken care for them.

Guides staff through key activitiesFlipping open his iPAD, Falkenberg dem-onstrated how anyone could effectively sell a wide range of technical fl ooring products without requiring any product knowledge. The system guides the needs analysis, recommends the right products, cross sells related products and allows you to generate the quote or order right there and then.

“The technology works with any form of mobile technology, including laptop com-puters or smart phones and integrates seamlessly with your existing fi nancial and CRM systems. Sales and support teams can now perform with the comfort of having all the business intelligence and expertise at their fi ngertips”, he

CLEVVA… from novice to experienced, quicklySOMERSET West-based CLEVVA, a hosted Software As-A-Service (SAAS) business, may just have cracked the proverbial code when it comes to overcoming human short-comings, and lack of business and product knowledge with the help of mobile technology.

Launched in April this year, CLEVVA is a mobile technology which essentially automates all standard operating pro-cedures and gives the user access any-where, anytime, enabling them to access information that allows for consistent decision-making and implementation, considers all variables and if necessary, guides them through diagnostics.

The key to CLEVVA lies in being able to capture the knowledge held in a few experts’ minds and organise it so that new and existing staff can use it.

We asked Ryan Falkenberg, co-founder of CLEVVA, how this can be done without new or existing staff having to personally learn through years of hard-earned experience and training courses. And how do you ensure that when your key experts retire, the business does not feel the pain?

Falkenberg explained that previously answers lay in offering more training, more documentation and more coach-ing. “We used a variety of systems to manage this journey in the hope that we could limit the risk of inexperienced staff in our business. This includes using vari-ous e-learning and knowledge manage-ment systems. In truth, none of these attempts have really worked, and even with the availability of mobile technology, research has shown that staff members don’t often access these systems while they work.”

explained. Before it had even offi cially launched

or raised its public head, CLEVVA had already received international recog-nition for its ability to transform and revolutionise the traditional approach to business. It was recently selected as a high impact South African business by Endeavor in 2012, a global non-profi t organisation that identifi es and supports innovative, high-growth entrepreneurs in emerging markets such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, India, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey. It has also successfully signed up clients in various fi elds and industries, including FMCG, fl ooring, building and construction and even commercial banks and local government and service delivery compa-nies are eager get in on the action.

“Because CLEVVA makes it easy to capture the decision-making capability of an organisation’s few experts, staff can successfully be performing activi-ties in a very short time that previously required a number of years of experience to tackle. That means business can now scale their expertise without the long lead times of training and experience on the job. People can achieve more, with less risk and less training. Now that is a game changer”, said Falkenberg.

Mobile ‘hands-on’ coach offers the right solutions, no matter what the situation


INDUSTRY NEWS

www.clevva.net

CLEVVA is the brainchild of brothers Ryan and Dayne Falkenberg (right) and their

business partner Mark Pederson. These three successful entrepreneurs have already made

a name for themselves internationally, each in their own areas of specialization and focus,

but have now pooled their resources to deliver a home-grown solution for companies and the

fi rst of its kind in the world

southern Africa market, was presented by PTT and its suppliers at the Hyatt Re-gency Hotel in Rosebank, Johannesburg, on 31 May.

The aim of the seminar, which was attended by convertors from across southern Africa, was to show PTT’s com-mitment to the local market as well as for their sales and support team to familiar-

ize themselves with the regional market, said Trevor Moroney, local manager for Emeraude group.

PTT’s additional objective was to inform converters

of the new range of bio polymers it sup-plies through its investment last year in NatureWorks group, the USA/German manufacturer of PLA-based and other naturally sourced polymers.

PTT’s present output fi gures are formi-dable, including 1.2 million tons per annum of PP 800,000 tpa of HD 400,000 tpa of linear-low 300,000 tpa low-density and 90,000 tpa of polystyrene.

Figures like this give PTT global supplier status, and the PTT team are backing that with a service oriented strat-egy. It would appear that the series of seminars and visits to customer markets

Thailand’s PTTbuilds ties with African convertors

UNTIL quite recently most South Africans’ only connec-tion with Thailand was through highly popular Thai cuisine.

Now we’ve found out what their secret recipe is: not only are they good cooks, they’re also very successful business-men who have a habit of implementing their strategies very effectively.

One of the best examples of Thai business acumen is the PTT group, the country’s lead-ing petrochemical business. PTT, the Petroleum Authority of Thailand, has been in operation since 1978, sourcing feedstock from their own gas reserves in the South China Sea. It has been increasing polymer produc-tion steadily: PTT Polymer Marketing Company currently supplies about three million tons of a range of polyolefi ns per annum.

It has become a leading supplier to convertors across Africa through its dis-tributor, Emeraude group of France. For its Africa business, Emeraude operates offi ces in Johannesburg, Algiers, Cairo and Lagos; servicing the African markets from its regional HQ in Dubai.

One of PTT Polymer Marketing’s strategies is to host regional seminars in its export-destination markets. The seventh such seminar, in this case for the

have enabled PTT to react effi ciently to market trends: it has consistently introduced grades for specialised ap-plications, the most recent being a new HD grade for caps and closures. It has likewise tweaked material grades for roto moulding, monofi lament production and thermoforming applications.

PTT’s interest in Africa is based on the expectation that polyolefi ns demand is growing signifi cantly: for example, stats suggest that an estimated 800,000 tons of HDPE will need to be imported into Africa this year alone. Demand for LDPE, LLDPE and PP appear to be large too. The PTT strategy is based partly as a result of the West-inspired oil embargo of Iran. Since the Iranians have been major suppliers of oil and polyolefi ns into Africa, that the shortfall will have to be obtained from somewhere else.

PTT’s most recent introduction is a new range of bio polymers, using naturally sourced materials. A show of hands re-vealed that very few in the audience had previous experience of processing such materials, but in spite of this apparent lack of experience, the PTT speaker said it was clear that anti-plastic campaigns had occurred in many countries and sug-gested that it would be unwise to ignore

3-million tpa polyolefi ns supplier hosts get-together


INDUSTRY NEWS

PTT to commence manufacture of

NatureWorks range of naturally sourced polymers in Thailand

Tonnages

PE / PP market analysis

‘Bio’ polymers

21 3

1. PTT president Supachoke Liamkaeo, visiting from Bangkok, fl anked by Plastic-sSA CEO Anton Hanekom and Emeraude SA’s Trevor Moroney, host of the seminar

3. Emeraude team – Trevor Moroney of Emeraude SA and Emeraude group’s CEO, Umar Rafi que, who is based in Dubai. Emeraude’s head offi ce is in Paris

2. Charles Muller of Astrapak, Lloyd Sharp of Unique Engineering, Zev Koffl er of Rand Plastics and Lowrie Sharp of SA Plastics mag were at the seminar, and not in rush to leave afterwards either


www.pttplc.com

this trend. The campaigns against plastic bags, including levies and even bans, have led to a reaction from global brand owners, one of the most obvious presently being Coca-Cola group’s PlantBottle™ resins.

PTT made a major investment in world leading bioplastics manufacturer Nature-Works last year and is working towards supplying the family of renewable Ingeo™ biopolymers made from plant sources, the main application to date appearing to be thin-wall packaging containers and fi bres.

A result of the NatureWorks investment is that a world-scale PLA plant is to be constructed by PTT group in Thailand.

PTT is currently also involved in a ‘bio chemical’ venture with Mitsubishi of Japan, as a result of which it is currently involved in the construction of a ‘Bio-PBS’ manufacturing unit in Thailand. So it’s clear that this is becoming a major focus for the group.

www.emeraude-international.com

EMERAUDE is a global distribution compa-ny which sources plastic raw materials from major petrochemical companies worldwide, and distributes these to customers around the world. Its head offi ce is in Paris and it operates offi ces in Dubai, Johannesburg, Algiers, Cairo, Lagos, Lahore and Shanghai; enabling it to sell effectively in Europe, Africa and Asia.

The group has been in operation for over 25 years and is now supplying polymers to

customers in over 50 countries.While providing fi nancial security and

volume ratability to upstream producers, Emeraude provide its customers with a reliable, effi cient and regular supply of an extended range of plastic raw materials.

In South Africa, Emeraude is headed by Trevor Moroney, operating from an offi ce in North Riding in Johannesburg.

ABOUT EMERAUDE

Rothenberger donates plastic welding machineROTHENBERGER Tools South Africa has donated a P160B plastics pipe welding machine to Plastics|SA to train the industry’s future pipe welders. According to Steven van Zyl, national sales manager at Rothenberger SA, the donation is seen as an investment in the future of the plastic pipe industry.

“Specialist engineers (beyond fi rst degree) are reportedly not produced in a quantity that is suffi cient for the growth of the plastics industry. Similarly, at an operations level, plastics pipe welders and fabricators are also in short supply due to new competency demands arising from innovation and technological development. The avail-ability of trained and experienced ther-moplastics welders remains of critical importance to the industry”, he said.

Manjary Subiah, regional training manager (Gauteng) for Plastics|SA, said the P1608 pipe welding machine would be used in the Thermoplastic Fabrication training.

Anton Hanekom, executive director (Plastics|SA), Steven van Zyl, national sales manager (Rothenberger), Rose Diedericks, head of maintenance (Rothen-berger), Leigh-Ann Ackerman, inventory & marketing manager (Rothenberger), and Isaya Mtshweni, technical trainer (Plastics|SA) with the P160B which Roth-enberger donated to Plastics|SA

The PTT Polymer Marketing team at the SA seminar included Thaiyaphat Jittiborripat (sales manager, Polymer Marketing DMCC); Chaipat Komolchaiamorn (GM Polymer Marketing DMCC); Narongchai Pisutpunya (executive vice-president: commercial & marketing, PTT Polymer Market-ing), who was the main speaker; Supachoke Liamkaeo (president, PTT Polymer Marketing); Ms Somsri Phanichrungruang (vice-president: export sales, PTT Polymer Marketing); and Raqchao Chaowaraq and Apirasak Tregasonnoppamas (PTT area sales managers for the non-Asia region)

www.rothenberger.co.za

www.plasticsinfo.co.za

54

4. Don Nellmapius and Jan Kruger of Pandrol with Brad Jay of Advanced Polymers and Tommie Mostert, also of Pandrol. Pandrol is a leading supplier to the railways and mines

5. Les Whittal of Advanced Polymers, the Innoplus™ PE ex-stock distributor in South Africa, and Martie Weitsz of Emer-aude SA and national secretary David Rule

INDUSTRY NEWS


SARS demands back-paymentfor bag levy from ziplock importers

Demands of over R6-million could fi nish off suppliers

SA REVENUE Services (SARS) sprung a nasty surprise on ziplock bag importers recently, demanding back payment of the plastic bag environmental levy from a number of suppliers. Both the Cape companies confronted face demands in the region of R6-million each.

The demands are for the payment of the 4c per bag levy on imported shipments of ziplock bags – specifi cally bank bags – dating back to 2009 and possibly before. Such fi nancial demands would badly jeopardize the future of both these enterprises.

Part of the problem for the companies recently confronted by SARS lies in the defi nitions in the Act, namely that the ‘fl at bags’ were imported under a different tariff heading. It appears that the ‘fl at bag’

reference was added during the drawing up of the original legislation, in 2002, at the time aimed at shopping bags. The distinction drawn was that shopping bags are regarded as ‘secondary’ packaging – namely for use by consumers to carry other purchased

items – as opposed to ‘primary’ packaging, used for the specifi c transportation of goods. In the case of the ziplock bank bags, the use would be to carry coins.

Importation of ziplock bags has been a trend for some time, due mainly

to the fact that, since the manufacturing process is relatively slow, some of the SA suppliers have not been able to develop an economically feasible model for their production.

The Cape Town companies were confronted by agents from the SARS

offi ce in East London, and a senior SARS subsequently said the ziplock bags were not levieable, but the sword of Damocles still hangs over the two companies, both of which also manufacture fi lm and various other bags.

Sequel to 2002 legislationThe scenario is a sequel to the plastic bag legislation of 2002, when the levy was introduced as an environmental measure aimed at reducing plastic bag litter and intended to help boost recycling of bags. The fact that very little environmental work was ever completed appears to have had little bearing on the taxation authorities.

Besides that, the entity created to manage the process, Buyisa e Bag, failed to achieve the objectives set out and was shut in June last year. Buyisa had apparently received an estimated R65-million over the duration of its existence, but had not succeeded in its objectives. Total income generated from the levy is estimated at R150-million a year.

Part of the problem for the companies recently

confronted by SARS lies in the defi nitions in the Act, namely that the ‘fl at bags’ were imported

under a different tariff heading.


How successful has the launch of these containers been, in terms of market penetration? We have seen successful launches of several brands locally and for export in 750ml. Several customers have used our bottles including brands such as Backsberg, Boland, Simonsvlei and most recently Van Loveren. These 750ml bottles are available in many of South Africa’s major retailers, while the 187ml bottle has been successfully used on local fl ights such as SAA and international airlines. We have recently launched our new 1 litre bottle.

By how much have volumes increased? Volumes have increased by 350% from 2011.

Have there been any new/further technology advances? Since 2011 we started to use recycled content (r-PET) in our products. Currently 25% of the bottle is made-up of r-PET and together, with our partners, we are looking into ways of increasing this percentage.

Big growth for PET wine bottlesTHE potential benefi ts of PET packaging for wine have been under the spotlight since the introduction of the new contain-ers, in competition with the traditional glass bottles, in 2010.

Among the most common questions di-rected at Mpact Plastics group, which was one of the fi rst to introduce the containers, by consumers centred on whether the “the quality will be the same”.

According to Jonathan Musikanth of Mpact, it has been proven that the PET bottle does not affect the quality and taste of the wine in any way. The design prevents the absorption of oxygen into the bottle, giving the wine a shelf life in excess of two years.

In economic terms, plastic wine bottles are on average eight times lighter than a traditional glass bottle. A PET bottle weighs 50g compared to its glass counter part’s 400g. This is an important ad-vantage, meaning that up to 36% more product can be transported from a manu-facturing plant to a retail outlet because the bottles require substantially less space and trucks can be fully loaded.

We asked Musikanth how the new containers have been faring:

350% increase achieved

www.mpsa.co.za

The Wine & Spirit Board approved the use of PET for South African Wine of Origin certifi cate use in 2010, when one of the fi rst varietals introduced was the ‘TreadLightly’ range of wines from Backsberg of the Western Cape

OUR WINNING FORMULA SETS US APARTCarst & Walker has developed sustainable partnerships with leading international suppliers and valued customers for more than 70 years. We offer a comprehensive product portfolio, together with supply chain management, financial and technical support to the Rubber and Plastic industries.

Within the Polymers Division, the following business units provide the customer with the ultimate polymers solution:

ELASTOMERS PLASTICS & COMPOSITES FILLERS & ADDITIVES AUXILIARIES & SERVICES ANCHOR CHEMICALS

Johannesburg:Bill Taylor Jenny WarnerKevin ClarkTel: +2711 489 3600Fax: +2711 489 3601

Durban:Jaco SmithRon DunwoodiePaul RoseTel: +2731 313 8500Fax: +2731 313 8518

Website:www.carst.co.za

Cape Town: Tel: +2721 506 4560Fax: +2721 506 4561

Port Elizabeth: Kathy GardeTel: +2741 397 3600Fax: +2741 397 3601

A HOBART COMPANY

• ACM• CR• EPDM• Epichlorohydrin• FKM• HNBR• HTV Silicone• IR • NBR • NR• PVC/NBR Blends • SBR & BR

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• Aluminas• Antimony Products• Blowing Agents• Carbon Blacks• Flame Retardants• Hydrocarbon Resins• Magnesium Oxide• Masterbatches• MC & PE Waxes• Mineral Fillers• Peroxides• Process Aids• Rubber Chemicals• Silanes• Silica• Sulfur• Zinc Oxide

• Curing Bladders• Machinery• Other Services• Release Agents• Release Liners• Spares

• Anti-tack• Bonding Systems• Coated Powders• Factice• Masterbatching• Process Aids• Toll Manufacturing

SOUTH AFRICAPolymers Division

customized solutions

innovativetechnology

world class

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leading international

manufacturers

Waste not, want notNAMPAK Flexible says it is currently producing some exciting results in the multi-layer plastics recycling arena through projects that focus on absorbing plastic waste from their operations.

Nampak Flexible recently activated a unique sorting and streaming system for all of its post-industrial waste to allow maximum recovery and reprocessing back into products through various technologies and processes. One process makes material available to NGOs where it is ‘up-cycled’ into a range of products that can be produced for customers. Examples of such products include bags, bowls, collapsible bins, benches and pallets to mention but a ‘few’.

Nampak Flexible is even using

Victor Stiehler of Hestico, supplier of machines, ancillary equipment and com-ponents to the plastic, rubber & packag-ing industries, elaborates: “The tooling industry is busy growing slowly but surely, however it will still take a while before it gets to the level that it can and should be at. The fact that the big OEMs go over-seas to have tooling made there, rather than here, is a problem. The toolmakers in South Africa must rebuild trust with their customers so they can build tools for them again.”

Star Tooling is another exhibitor that believes AfriMold will add value to both the industry as a whole and to its business

hopes to boost

industry growth

KEY role players in South Africa’s tooling, precision engineering, mould making, de-sign and application development industry are looking to the annual AfriMold trade fair to play an important role in supporting, growing and developing their industry.

The annual AfriMold trade fair takes place from 10-12 October at the Gal-lagher Convention Centre in Midrand.

Stakeholders are unanimous in their support of the fair and believe it will give a boost to an industry that, like so many others in this economy, is experiencing slow growth and could use international exposure and input to enhance its com-petitiveness and relevance.

www.afrimold.co.za

www.nampak.com

AfriMold

technology to reprocess its own waste for reuse internally by making pallets that are currently being used in the company’s warehouses as an alternative to wooden pallets.

But the recycling of this waste is not just an environmental issue; there are social and economic benefi ts for NGO’s and local communities too.

Nampak Flexible is also looking ahead at opportunities to supply schools with injection-moulded chairs produced from post-industrial fl exible waste; the company is already involved with a similar project supplying kids tables and chairs to crèches in the local KwaZulu-Natal area.

Nampak Flexible KZN recently initiated their BAG4LIFE project and teamed up with the well-known Hillcrest Aids Centre. The fi rst customer to participate in this project was Unilever; the result is highly creative, hand

crafted and versatile bags that simultane-ously promote some well-known brands and

generate an income for those affected or infected by HIV or AIDS. This particular proj-ect creates employment for talented crafters

who benefi t directly from their work

in particular. Says the company’s Chris Schmid, “I think there is potential at a fair of this nature for industry players to iden-tify and meet the correct partners, should this be the objective.”

Several industry players are also look-ing to AfriMold to support their initiatives to enter into joint ventures and partnerships with foreign companies.

Toolquip and Allied’s Maurice Lock-wood points out that the main benefi t of exhibiting at AfriMold is “because it is aimed at a specifi c area of the industry”. The company will be using this uniquely targeted opportunity to exhibit a CNC machining centre, Baty 3D vision master camera based inspection equipment, CNC training simulator and small tools at AfriMold.

The AfriMold conference, which runs alongside the exhibition and is presented by the Tool Making Association of South Africa (TASA), will address the role of science in elevating current practice to the domain of leading economies. The conference will bring to its delegates a high level of technical knowledge, together with important issues such as production management; intellectual property and registered designs, effective business and legal contracts; global competitiveness; training; skills development; and employ-ment creation.

Stakeholders believe fair will boost industry’s international exposure

INDUSTRY NEWS



INDUSTRY NEWSTECHNICALHINTS

MOULD SAFETY:Inter-related settingsneed to be consideredBY BOB WHITE, PRINCIPAL PLASTICS

MOULD SAFETY, a very important part of set-ting moulding machines, is often neglected because it’s misunderstood.

Mould crashes are expensive and usually avoidable. To achieve optimal mould safety on machines, a number of inter-related set-tings need to be considered:

1) Position: To identify the correct position for the mould safety phase to begin, close the mould slowly and stop where you consider the safety zone should start. For instance, where angle pins enter slides, or where a part that hasn’t fallen out fully could jam. Input this position.

2) Pressure: Close the mould with the lowest possible pressure in the mould safety zone. This might sound obvious, but it’s surprising how many machines are not set properly in this zone. To ensure lowest possible closing pressure is set, it might be necessary to increase mould safety timer temporarily.

3) Speed: Set an appropriate closing speed. Closing too fast may not allow the machine time to react if there is an obstruc-tion, and damage may occur even at low clamping pressure.

4) Timer: Set the timer to be just a fraction of a second longer than the actual clamp-ing time (in mould safety zone) needed. Some make the mistake of setting this timer according to the total mould closing time, which of course is much longer.

5) Re-check: Once all the above has been set, check again, as each adjustment affects the other settings.

To help explain mould safety on the shop-floor, ask whether the Setter would rather be pushed against a wall by a charging elephant, or a mouse?

Also, how long would he like the charging elephant to press?

Happy moulding!

Student design competition will explore rural transportCompetition focuses on transportation of recycled materials in urban, rural areas

AS PART of the International Year of Energy and the German South African Year of Science, Plastics|SA, supported by the paper and packaging industry and under the auspices of PACSA and the Waste Management Plan developed by the Recyclers Action Group (RAG), has launched a new student design competition aimed at improving the transportation of recycled materials in urban and rural environments.

The competition is open to stu-dents at Tshwane University of Tech-nology, University of Johannesburg and Wits Engineering Faculty.

The objective is to ensure that the recovery of plastics packaging materials for recycling increases and to promote separation at source from households.

POLYCO, Plastics|SA and the Plastics Institute of SA (PISA) are sponsoring the Student Design Competition 2012. Entries should be submitted by 30 September and the winners will be announced in October at the Afrimold Exhibition at Gallagher Estate. It is envisaged that the winning concepts will also be exhibited at Euromold in Frankfurt in November.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films (IST) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (IVI) will provide students with the opportunity to engage with institutional specialists should their technologies be identifi ed for incorpo-ration in the concepts.

Concepts for mobilityAccording to Douw Steyn, Plastics|SA sustainability director, there is a major need in the devel-oping world in general and South African rural areas in particular, for a mode of transport for the rural poor to collect recyclable material and transport this to the collection station or depot, such as buy-back centres of recyclables.

“The SA plastics industry has made major inroads in the collection of plastic waste material and has


Is this a winning design? Entrants in the student design competition are encour-aged to come up with concepts for mobil-ity, be it human, electric, biogas or solar powered which could be a radical game changer in the developing world

established a recycling industry to keep these materials out of the waste stream. The project needs to be extended to the rural areas to prevent pollution and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to establish them-selves, providing this vital service to the community,” he adds.

Steyn said that entrants are en-couraged to come up with concepts for mobility, be it human, electric, biogas or solar powered which could be a radical game changer in the developing world. The liberal use of plastics is encouraged, specifi cally if the concept mitigates mass manufac-ture and it needs to be light weight in construction.

“We encourage the lateral thinkers to analyse the problem and propose workable solutions. Clearly, athletics and functionality play a role, and the winners will differentiate their designs from the mundane!”

The following must be incorporated in the students’ overall project design and product: The use of plastics or

plastics composites A mode of transportation

capable of rural mobility Energy effi cient Lightweight but capable of

transporting up to 150kg Capable of mass manufacture Aesthetically appealing Must help plastics recycling

recovery

Poor understanding of the dynamics of the

mould zone can be extremely dangerous


INDUSTRY NEWS

Maritime open house 2012

EDM Shop showSURE First of Taiwan, principal of EDM

Shop, is developing some very impressive high-speed metal cutting machinery. EDM

hosted an open house show in July at which the new Sure First CM-565 system was

demonstrated: the machine can cut steel at astonishing speeds of up to 30,000rpm.

Fine detail fi nishing work was being conducted on an injection mould at the show.

www.edmshop.co.za

High speed cutter – Agenderen Govender of Aztech, who demonstrated some of Delcam’s control and cutting solutions, and Les Porter of EDM Shop, with the high-speed Sure First cutting machine

Les also hosted Shane and Brandon Myburgh of Bellefi eld Tooling at the EDM/Weltec open house show in Chamdor in July

Shows off A-to-Z blow moulding expertise, solutions

MARITIME Marketing held its ‘open house show 2012’ at its premises in Kyalami Business Park recently, showing off its comprehensive blow moulding solutions and expertise.

Maritime has upped its supply to the blow moulding sector specifi cally with the recent addition of ISBM specialist John Craw to the team. John joins a blow

moulding team already comprising Joe Spohr and Clive Corder. The trio operate from different basis – Spohr from KZN, Corder from the Cape and now Craw from Midrand – but also bring different specialities to the forum: Corder and his team specialize in machine building and also sell the machines of SIKA of Taiwan, which are becoming increasingly popular,

and Spohr has long-time international experience of extrusion blow moulding. Craw, formerly at Nissei ASB, is one of the leading injection-stretch blow moulding experts in SA who has also been involved in this sector across Africa over the past two decades.

Together this team knows what works best in Africa!

John Craw, who has recently joined Maritime Marketing, at the show with Stella Davis and Colin Fawkes of Castelco

Fritz Strydom jnr and Fritz Strydom snr of Blomo Plastics with Jo Spohr of Maritime; Blomo manufactures children’s bicycles and polycarbonate water dispensing bottles

Paul Visagie and Henk Visser of Mpact group with Bart Schurink of Maritime

Jeremy Mackintosh of Polyoak group fl anked by Clive Corder and Jo Spohr of Maritime

Peter Cawcutt and Clive Rautenbach of B&I Polycontainers

John Craw and Yunis Khan of Mykas Plastics

MBSA’s products stem from a deep appreciation for art and a passion for creating colour in a responsible manner. That’s why MBSA is the only South African masterbatch manufacturer to hold all ISO accreditations for food safety, health & safety, environmental and quality management systems.

MBSA takes pride in investing in local talent, promoting some of South Africa’s most promising artists and their projects.

Contact MBSA for your colouring needs. We guarantee to match your expectations.

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267C

Masterbatch SA creates, manufactures and supplies masterbatch, pigments and performance enhancing additives to the plastics industry.

‘Goldfi sh’ 2012 by Neil Pauw of The Parlotones

Continental Compounders‘Quality in the making’

Agreement with Fainplast Italy to supply specialised halogen free, cross linkable, vulcanisate compounds & elastomers

INDUSTRY NEWS


CONTINENTAL Compounders is in its 8th successful year of compounding PVC and has grown to become the largest PVC compounder in Sub Saharan Africa, supplying South Africa and deep sea export customers with over 22 000 tons per annum.

Customer service and product quality is of utmost importance to Continental and they have invested in a new specialised technical service laboratory for product testing and new product development for both local and international customers.

One of the founder members of SAVA (Southern African Vinyls Association), Continental fully supports the compelling drive towards international best practice for PVC products and processes. These include: Safe use of additives, notably Heavy

Metal Free (HMF) stabilisers and pigments Expanded recycling capacity and

programmes Development of new and sustainable

applications in PVC.“Europe’s Vinyl Plus and the Australian

Vinyl Council have helped our industry to understand the future challenges and prospects in PVC. It is now up to us to raise our game and achieve those impor-tant standards and growth potentials,” said Continental Compounders MD, George Dimond.

“We have appointed a new and young executive management to enhance our

existing experience in the organisation. Wayne Mollison, Bsc (Eng) (Mechanical), has been appointed works director and Desiree Naidoo heads up our fi nance and administration. Rodger Petre has an expanded role with his team in sales, mar-keting and technical service,” he added.

Dimond said that Continental’s Paris-based export agent, Snetor Chimie, have assisted in developing Continental’s export platform into 25 countries primarily in Africa. Recently the expansion into South American markets has presented exciting export opportunities.

During 2012 the addition of three compounding lines will enhance the PVC compound capacity to over 30 000 tons. Continental has signed a technical and supply agreement with Fainplast Italy to supply the industry sectors with special-ised Halogen Free (HFFR), cross linkable and vulcanisate compounds and elasto-mers. These products will be stocked and supplied in South Africa to meet local and

international standards.“These ambitious plans exist to give a

quality product and service to our loyal cus-tomer base and keep Continental’s competi-tive edge in the industry,” said Dimond.

www.compounders.co.za

Continental Compounders’ crew – back: Hugh Hansen, Darren Van Rooyen, Brendon Soobramoney, Melanie Jones, Kholeka Mavundla, Karin Walters, Griffi ts Ngobese, Chuck Ramnath, Rodger Petre. Front: Chantell Vieira, Slie Nene, Jerusha Keenan, Wayne Mollison, Desiree Naidoo, Meloshnie Daniel

Continental Compounders have invested in a specialised technical service laboratory for product testing and new product development for both local and international customers

MERSETA aims to train skills which add most value

THE sector’s training authority, the MERSE-TA, is conducting a study of the industry aimed at improving the grant system and incentivising companies to train skills which will add the most value. The project is being managed by Plastics | SA

“It’s a follow-up to the previous study on value chains and jobs in the industry,” said Christoph Vorwerk, who is leading the project.

“This is to ensure that we get better data

from the industry in the workplace skills plans they submit to MERSETA. It will be done through email surveys and regional workshops to assist companies to complete the forms.”

A focus group session with some senior and infl uential industry captains is to be conducted too, in order to establish what the trends are and analyse how these will affect skills needs in the industry.

“Based on the above, the chamber will

be better positioned to design a grant system to incentivise the industry to train those skills which will add the most value. Also, the data on jobs will be used for a career guidance project,” said Vorwerk, who has been involved in industry training since the time of the PITB (Plastics Industry Training Board) in the 1990s.

He is being assisted by a skilled researcher.

• CONTACT CHRIS ON [email protected]

New project plans to improve grant system

A MEMBER OF

INDUSTRY NEWS


THERE’S a secret place at high-density polyurethane manufacturer General Plastics’ plant in the USA where no-one but employees sworn to secrecy is allowed.

That’s where the company formulates its highly specialised PU foams, materials that are used in some extremely high-tech and high-performance components.

With a history dating back to 1941, General Plastics (GP) makes highly spe-cialised foams for the aircraft, composite lay-up tools and cores, marine, medical, thermal insulation, solar/wind energy, sport and other sectors. One of its most unusual products is Last-a-Foam® materials for insulation of nuclear containers, possibly one of the most demanding applications for foam yet.

GP began as a manufacturer of preservative coatings for wood and other organic materials and later expanded into fabricating phenolic-resin-impregnated composites for aircraft and commercial uses. It subsequently began producing coatings for fi re hoses, through which it became involved in polyurethanes. Com-pany founder LW Schatz saw an opportu-nity in specially formulating of PU material. It began manufacturing foam blocks which could be used for a wide array of aerospace applications, and then began fabricating parts for high-performance structures. The latter is what attracted the attention of Graham Blyth of Aerontec of Cape Town: he noticed that GP had a grade of rigid or fl exible PU foam for applications which in some cases were

Kirk Lider (right) of General Plastics of the United States and the company’s new SA agent, Graham Blyth of Aerontec, with samples of some of GP’s wide range of foams. Blyth saw ex-amples of components made with the American manufacturer’s specialised foams and realized these fi lled a need in the local market, leading to Aerontec’s appointment as local agent

USA’s new composite jet fi ghterA prototype of the United States’ new jet fi ghter, the F/A-37, underwent catapult fi t checks for aircraft carrier launch recently. Offi cially known as the ‘Air Vehicle Number 1,’ the plane makes extensive use of high-tech composite solutions to reduce weight and improve performance. Although specs are classifi ed, the super-cruise stealth fi ghter/bomber/interceptor is believed to be Mach 3.5 (top speed in the Mach 4 range) capable with a range of approximately 4000 nautical miles (about 7400kms)

outlining how GP’s foam structures have become increasingly application specifi c. For example, it produces a foam for ice hockey sticks which have to absorb high impact hits, rigid PU board for the fl ight deck of the new Boeing 777 plane (GP material is Boeing-specifi ed) and high-tem-perature tooling boards. In some cases the foams are integral skin, in other supplied in block forms.

With this kind of specialization, it is necessary for GP to keep its proprietary formulae confi dential, hence the secrecy practised in the mixing section of its plant.

GP currently employs over 150 skilled professionals at its plant in Tacoma, Wash-ington state, on the west coast of the USA. It produces high-temperature and industry standard tooling boards, thermal insulat-ing bearing blocks, fl exible seals, nuclear containers and a variety of aerospace and military custom applications.

Today its focus is on solving problems for customers through unique products and chemical technology.

Foundry pattern; certain of the GP foams can withstand

high temperatures up to 200ºC and can, for example,

be used in autoclaves

From far left:

Solar powered vehicle using GP foams; Mould for solar vehicle, also produced with a GP foam; Boeing MEFA (manufacturing engineering fabrication aid)

PU foam formulator keeps it secretpreviously unserviceable for the material, including composite core, blast mitigation, solar energy, signage, tooling and moulds and other markets.

Kirk Lider, head of sales & marketing at the USA company, recently visited South Africa as a guest of Aerontec and outlined some of their technology advances.

“We take the stress out of it,” said Lider,

www.aerontec.co.za

www.generalplastics.com

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ARMSA’S annual rotational moulding con-ference, Rotation 2012, takes place at the Zebula Golf Estate & Spa near Bela Bela in the Waterberg from 7-9 September.

ARMSA has been in existence since 1992 and its Rotation conferences have been held virtually annually since. The conference includes a ‘Product of the Year’ competition for roto moulding companies and a Student Design Competition, which has been held since 2000.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Chairman Clive RobertsonE-mail: [email protected]: 082 880 4976

Association of Rotational Moulders of Southern Africa

www.armsa.co.za

Secretary Anlé van NiekerkTel: 082 782 0413Fax: 012 666 8062E-mail: [email protected]

ASSOCIATIONS AFFILIATED TO ARMSA THROUGH ARMOAssociation Francophone du RotomoulageAssociazione Italiana Stampaggio RotazionaleAssociation of Rotational Moulders AustralasiaAssociation of Rotational Moulding Central EuropeAssociation of Rotomoulders IrelandThe British Plastics Federation Rotational Moulders Group

Rotation 2012 in September

www.zebula.co.za

Winner! – The winner of last year’s ARMSA Product of the Year competition included CHM Plastics of Johannesburg with its cable runner board solution, a component used to run electrical cables across thoroughfares to protect against damage from passing vehicles or, in the case of pedestrian traffi c, for the safety of humans or animals. An ad-ditional challenge was to mould the base of the component in a PVC plastisol, to give it fl exibility. www.hickley.co.za

Water saving shower – Neil Grantham of the Univer-sity of Johannesburg won a Student Design award in 2010 for his ‘Eco Splash’ entry, a rainwater collection device which, when placed alongside a house, doubles up as a shower. The other benefi t of the system is that the water drains into the garden

State-of-art roto guideROTATIONAL moulding is a very competitive alternative low-pressure, high-temperature manufacturing method to blow moulding, thermo-forming and injection moulding for the manufac-ture of hollow plastic parts.

The book is authored by Prof Roy Crawford and Mark Kearns, who have been regular visitors and presenters at ARMSA’s Rotation confer-ences in Africa.

It offers designers the chance to produce relatively stress-free articles with uniform wall

thickness and potentially complex shapes. This second edition of the very popular ‘Practi-cal Guide to Rotational Moulding’ describes the basic aspects of the process and the latest state-of-the-art developments in the industry.

It is completely revised and is extensively illustrated.

Besides those who work with roto moulding equipment, the guide will also be of interest to students of polymer processing.

It retails at €70.

www.polymer-books.com

The roto guide is a soft cover

publication; a quick glance revealed that the authors,

Crawford and Kearns, have

confronted some com-

plex roto challenges

Patience Nchenche of Versapak Harare and chair-

person of new Polystyrene Packaging Council in

Zimbabwe, Range Dadirai, operations director of

Versapak and Adri Spangenberg, director of the

Polystyrene Packaging Council SA

THE Polystyrene Packaging Council (PSPC) has been invited by Versapak in Ha-rare to assist with the setting up of a similar industry body to oversee the recycling of

polystyrene in this neighbour-ing country.

According to PSPC director Adri Span-genberg, the Zimbabwean government and environmental organizations have begun putting pressure on local industry to address their polystyrene litter and recycling issues.

Apart from spelling out the importance of creating a sustainable and responsible polystyrene recycling forum and offer-ing advice on the best investments to be made into infrastructure, the PSPC was also invited to offer advice on how to correct misconceptions that surround polystyrene and the importance of ongo-

ing consumer education. A joint working group, represented by

many of the Zimbabwean polystyrene industry’s role players, has already been established. A steering committee is driv-ing the process forward and has taken on the responsibility of developing a strategic business plan that will be presented to the stakeholders.

“They have identifi ed various objectives they would like to achieve during the short to medium term, such as investigating the pelletizing of polystyrene and the use of polystyrene in building projects. Zimbabwe is hoping to achieve PS recovery rate of 20% of total volume per annum and to set up a recycling programme fi rst in Harare, followed by the rest of Zimbabwe. However, they are kickstarting their short-term activities by introducing the PSPC’s cooking bag project (in which recycled polystyrene is used for cooking bags) to

local communities, as well as the success we’ve achieved with the Breadtags for Wheelchairs project”, Adri added.

Polystyrene recycling takes off in Zimbabwe with SA help

www.polystyrenepackaging.co.za

Accelerate Design of Pretoria won the bronze awards in the Product of the Year competition in 2011 for its roto moulded beehive. www.accelerate.co.za


THE ability of rubber mixing spe-cialist Farrel to achieve a major performance boost in its Ban-bury® compounding equipment was illustrated in a presentation by Ian Latchem at an IOM³ func-tion in Port Elizabeth in June.

Latchem, who is based in the UK, worked in South Africa with Carst & Walker as a service engineer in the 1980s, servicing Farrel equipment and later as a product manager representing numerous rubber related manufacturers. He subsequently returned to the UK and joined Farrel, inventor of the Banbury® mixer. Farrel has since become part of Harburg-Freudenberger Mixing Group (HF Mixing Group), which was formed following the merger of some of the top mixing equipment companies in the West, including Farrel, Harburg-Freudenberger and Pomini.

Carst & Walker is the SA agent for HF Mixing Group, which is the second largest mixing equipment manufacturer in the world, after Kobe of Japan. It has developed a reputation for focusing on continued R&D partnering with major rubber producers.

Ian’s presentation was effectively a report on the technology progress made in the last few years – and signifi cant advances have been made. Most of the research work is conducted at HF Mix-

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Tangential mixer technology developments

New IOM³ national committeeANDRÉ Cornelius of Orchem Trading is the new chairman of the Institute of Materials in South Africa.

The new IOM³ national executive committee comprises Jaco Smith as vice-chairman (also KZN chairman); Coen Burger (Eastern Cape chairman); Spike Taylor (Northern branch chair-man) and Georg Cronje (also Northern branch), as treasurer.

The new secretary is Wendy Knott-

Craig, in what is now an appointed role. Since Richard Blyth left the position about two years ago, the secretarial functions became part-time jobs of NEC members, so it’s hoped this will assist in improving the service to IOM³ members.

André takes over as chairman from Hans Strydom, who did an excellent job during his tenure – in spite of the chal-lenge of opening his own business, Rub-ber Nano Products, during the period.

ing Group’s impressive new technology centre in Freudenberg, Germany, where a range of equipment has been installed specifi cally for R+D both in house and as a facility for our customers to develop their products and process methods from laboratory stage through to automated production runs.

Even-speed rotorsNew developments include even-speed NST rotors: four wings on the rotors are specifi cally designed each with a specifi c function to optimise distribution and disper-sion, eliminating the need for the old-fashioned 2-wing friction ratio rotors. The development also improves batch to batch repeatability and speeds up mixing, tem-perature control has been improved with force tip cooling that improves effi ciency in silica/silane compounding by drastically reducing heat buildup.

The end frame has been redesigned, vastly improving access to dust rings. Dust seals now have three cylinders per seal giving an equal pressure distribution over the seal face for improved performance, the drop door is now wider, which allows for faster discharge, enhanced cooling and virtually eliminates material hang-up. Hydraulic hoppers are standard being accurate and reproducible. Intelligent ram control – variable ram speed and posi-tion controller eliminates need for a ram sweep, thus saving time and energy.

The bottom weight has been changed from V bottom to keel-shaped, assisting in distributive movement of material, which also has the result of improving repeat-ability and predictability in compounds. The new ram unit also reduces noise. New crack-free and corrosion-resistant hard facing extends lifespan particularly when processing silica reinforced compounds.

The fi nal result of all this activity is an increase in productivity and a reduction in compounding cost.

• THANKS TO CARST & WALKER FOR SPON-SORING THE FUNCTION (C & W IS THE SA AGENT FOR FARREL, HF MIXING GROUP).

www.farrel.com

New HF rubber mixers achieve major output increase

The speaker, Ian Latchem (right) of HF Mixing Group, following the presentation in Port Elizabeth with IOM³ Eastern Cape chairman Coen Burger and Dr Kathy Garde of Carst & Walker, who hosted the function

‘French letters and fl at tyres’ at Foundation Lecture in OctoberTHE IOM³ Foundation Lecture for 2012 is to be delivered by Dr Chris Woolard, of the Sasol Advanced Fuels Laboratory at UCT, at Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg on Thursday, 11 October.

The title of his presentation is ‘French Letters, Flat Tyres and Fuel-Rubber Barrier Materials: Research and Application’.

Chris is leader of the Sasol Advanced Fuels Laboratory at the University of Cape Town and principal scientist for Sasol Technology.

The dress code for this main event of the IOM³ calendar is formal or lounge suit.

For more information, contact Wendy Knott-Craig on [email protected] or 073 201 8699.

National ChairmanAndré Corneliusp. 071 682 [email protected]

Vice-chair/KwaZulu-NatalJaco Smithc. 082 808 [email protected]

Institute of Materials: Southern Africa Region

Eastern CapeCoen Burgerc. 082 456 [email protected]

SecretaryWendy Knott-Craigp. 073 201 [email protected]

www.iom3.co.za www.iom3.org

NorthernSpike Taylorp. 011 928 4172c. 082 456 [email protected]

Medium sized machines for small narrow-necked bottles up to wide-mouthed jarsASB-70DPH / ASB-70DPWModerate investment costs & mould changeover times, with huge production versatility. Targeted at the medium to large bottle and jar market, while the double row preform configuration is suited for high scale production of bottles under 700ml capacity.

Entry level machine ideal for small bottle production with exceptional capabilitiesASB-50MBAn all-time favourite which is continually upgraded for improved versatility and productivity. Over 1,500 units delivered in the first 9 years of production.

Small and medium bottle productionPF6-2B / PF8-4BCapable of moulding containers up to 1.5L (PF8-4B) and 3L (PF6-2B). Optional neck orientation or preferential heating systems expands the capabilities for extreme oval designs. The PF8-4B is ideally suited to 500ml water or sports drinks containers, while the PF6-2B is ideal for containers in the 1.5L to 3L range.

Preform production for small and medium bottlePM-70/65NII / PM-70/111NIdeally matched to the CM and HSB machines for production of hot fillable PET bottles. Also suited to any general moulding operation for a range of performs from 0.3L up to 5L, neck sizes up to 48mm (thread diameter) and from 8 to 24 cavities.

Leader in PET Technology

The histories of Nissei ASB and PET containers have been tied together, as will their future be. Back in the early days of injection stretch blow moulding (ISBM), Nissei ASB was a pioneer in the field and PET was just becoming established as the material of choice for beverage and foodstuff containers. Today, both Nissei ASB and PET remain firmly at the forefront of the injection stretch blow moulding industry. As for the future, no one can predict which direction the industry will take, but there is one thing you can be sure of – wherever it goes, Nissei ASB will be right there at the front continually innovating for tomorrow…

NISSEI ASB SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD97 Sovereign Drive, Route 21 Corporate ParkNelmapius Drive, Irene Ext 30 0062P.O. Box 11785, Centurion 0046, South AfricaTel: +27 12 345 4924 Fax: +27 12 345 5667E-mail: [email protected]

NISSEI ASB PTE. LTD.85 Science Drive # 01-03 The CavendishSingapore Science Park 1 Singapore 118259Tel: (+65) 6778 4633 Fax: (+65) 6778 9440E-mail: [email protected]

More than one step ahead

ASB-50MB

ASB-70DPH / ASB-70DPW

PF6-2B / PF8-4B

PM-70/65NII / PM-70/111N

Simplify your business, and remember to have fun!

ASSOCIATION NEWS

Observations of business in California and cruise on carrier

KEEP your business simple, and remem-ber to leave time for fun!

That was the unexpected (but impor-tant) message from Steve Mountain in his address at the AGM of the PISA Western Cape branch on 26 June.

Formerly MD of Plastamid, the material supply business, Steve had taken ‘early retirement’ some years ago and set up a consultancy business, covering mainly the chemical and manufacturing industries. That’s also given him the opportunity to observe business strategies from a dis-

tance, something which he has long been interested in.

He was able to take the process inter-national during a recent three-month visit to California in the USA, where he made ad hoc observations of American business strategies. In Steve’s view, the Ameri-cans have got a positive attitude towards running businesses. A lot of middle-aged businessmen as well as start-up busi-nesses have had to come up with novel strategies since the fi nancial downturn of 2008. Stationing a few machines adja-cent to retail outlets to make packaging containers on demand is, for example, now considered a very viable solution in the state. And many small businesses are now active in the wind and solar energy sector, with photovoltaic solutions being the pre-ferred choice. California, incidentally, has a similar climate to that of South Africa, with a lot of sun and wind!

Californians appear to approach training with enthusiasm and possibly even more enthusiasm towards applying those skills actively, says Steve. A business-minded culture prevails: in fact, it’s generally ex-pected that young people in California will start businesses … and if it fails, the ethos is to put that behind you and start again!

Steve Mountain (right), the speaker at the Western Cape AGM, with Dudley Flugel of Nedbank, sponsor of the evening, and branch chairman Billy Macmillan

The American system, says Steve, makes it easier to get started. But the opposite side of the coin is that it’s also easier to get fi red. By that he means that “accountability” is a recognised aspect of industry in the USA: meaning that if you don’t measure up you’re probably going to get the chop! But, rather than dwell on the losses, the culture suggests it’s prefer-able to avoid the labour legislation route, get into business and, just as importantly, make sure you’re having fun.

With that aspect in mind, Steve also managed to get a berth on the USS Carl Vinson, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the United States Navy’s 5th Fleet, on a cruise from Hawaii back to San Diego on the US west coast. Besides enabling Steve to tick one more item off his ‘bucket list’, this gave him the opportunity to view the Americans’ awesome fi repower.

• SHOULD READERS WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRESENTATION AND EXPERIENCE, STEPHEN CAN BE CONTACTED AT [email protected] OR 083 255 7068.• THANK YOU TO NEDBANK FOR

SPONSORING THE FUNCTION.

The pride Americans take in their armed forces is possibly diffi cult for people in South Africa to comprehend, but the scale of armaments isn’t. The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, which Steve Mountain joined for a 5-day cruise in the Pacifi c, has a staff complement of over 5000 and carries over 70 warplanes … plus its accompanying fl eet includes a nuclear-powered submarine (which leads the sailing formation) as well as a number of destroyer and attack craft. Steve was able to witness the simultaneous launching of planes (where a plastic coupling on the catapult drew his interest, but which he wasn’t able to learn anything of); a sound barrier-breaking fl yby; the tense moments of return landing … and was also roped in for fi refi ghting drill.


Don’t forget PISA Northerns’ golf day!PISA Northern branch will host a Golf Day on 21 September at Blue Valley Golf and Country Club, Midrand. Members will be provided with more info nearer the time. If you have any queries, contact Lowrie Sharp, tel: 011 793 4691 or [email protected]

PISA KZN’s annual golf day was once again a resounding success, with Team GVR coming out tops and Designa following close behind.

1. Proving their prowess on the golf course were the GVR team, Gordon Manning, Vernon Raath (sponsor), Gary Raath, Les McClurg and Garth Taylor

2. Second-placed team were from Designa, Ryan Sutherland, Brett Aitken, Justin de Neef and Christian Matthews

THERE’S good news emanating from the Western Cape Tooling Initiative (WCTI), which is one of the Regional Tooling Initiatives (RTI) involved in the training of toolmaking apprentices around the country.

Together with the National Tooling Initiative (NTI), the WCTI has succeeded in drawing a full complement of students to participate in the pilot Tool, Die and Mouldmaking Toolmaking Apprenticeship Programme being conducted at Northlink FET College at Wingfi eld in Cape Town.

The WCTI, which has offi ces at Northlink FET College, is presently engaged with the third year of the 4-year apprenticeship programme, with the fi rst students expected to qualify as Toolmakers at the end of 2013.

Since the shortage of toolmakers for the plastics as well as toolmaking sectors was highlighted a number of years ago, compa-nies have feared that the situation would not improve. These suspicions were laid to rest, however, by John McEwan, CEO of the WCTI at a joint PISA/TASA (Toolmaking Association of South Africa) function held at the college in June.

McEwan, along with a group of the lectur-ers, outlined the details of the Apprentice-ship programme as well as the progress made at the Northlink FET College which can boast expansive facilities along with a wide range of well-maintained equipment on which students can undergo technical train-ing. There has been a relatively low dropout rate of 16% from the programme so far, with

A tour of both the impressive training facility and Northlink College at Wingfi eld was conducted after the talk; over 12,000 students are enrolled at the college, where a wide range of training is conducted

63 students now in their second and third years, which is a good indicator of the suc-cess of this skills development initiative.

FightbackThe tooling industry in South Africa has been subjected to intense pressure for an extended period, dating back to even the 1980s, leading to the recent critical short-age of skilled and qualifi ed toolmakers, engineers, designers and artisans. The lack of capacity development has been worst felt in the automotive sector, where the number of toolmakers employed in South Africa has fallen by as much as 80% since 1990.

TASA, working together with the TDM (Tool, Die and Mouldmaking) sector, has succeeded in slowly turning this situation around. TASA initially succeeded in obtain-ing funding from government, which allowed

for the capacity expansion (particularly of facilities for training such as at the WCTI), and now we’ve seen

the progress made at a centre such as the WCTI.

Possibly the most notable aspect of the process has been the involvement of toolmaking companies. These businesses have been employing trainees on an in-service basis (between training modules), virtually as the original apprenticeship system used to work. This has given these young individuals the opportunity to gain practical experience and see a future for themselves in the industry.

Several of Western Cape’s top toolmakers

present at function

John McEwan, CEO of the WCTI (second from right), who hosted the TASA/PISA event, with (from the left) Marthinus van Wyk of the Western Cape govern-ment; Alan de Cerff of Expertool, who is also chair-man of the WCTI; Billy MacMillan, chairman of PISA Western Cape; and Richard Carter of PISA/TASA

www.ntipweb.co.za


• THE WCTI IS A SECTION 21 (NOT FOR PROFIT) COMPANY FORMED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TASA AND THE WESTERN CAPE GOVERNMENT. SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS EXIST IN THE OTHER PROVINCES, OPERATING IN CONJUNCTION WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

THE 40th annual general meeting of the PISA KZN branch was held on 12 June, and it was appropriate that the focus was on the devel-opment of Durban and the KZN province as a whole as the speaker was Andrew Layman, CEO of the Durban Chamber of Commerce. With a Master of Commerce degree specialis-ing in local economic development, Andrew writes columns for the ‘Natal Mercury’ and the ‘Witness’ newspapers. He was principal of Alexander Boys School in Pietermaritzburg prior to joining the Durban Chamber. An-drew’s predictions for KZN for the near future are that the province’s economy will grow and be of interest for business investors, especially if the proposed dugout harbour for container ships goes ahead as planned.

PHO

TO: J

OH

N M

ARTI

N

FOCUS ON KZNECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Cape toolmaking training programme shows results

21

PISA KZN golf day 2012

Andrew Layman, CEO of the Durban Chamber of Commerce, received a gift from KZN branch chairman Garth Taylor following his presenta-tion at the Westville Country Club on 12 June

PHOTOS: JOHN MARTIN


PLASTICS|SA encouraged South Africa’s youth to recognise their importance in the global 2012 theme Youth: the Next Wave for Change on 8 June, World Oceans Day.

“As one of the signatories to the Plastics Industries’ Global Declaration on Marine Litter, Plastics|SA is involved in this exciting campaign which seeks to fi nd solutions to the growing problem. We are purposely including our nation’s youth as we pave the way for generations to come”, said Anton Hanekom, executive director of Plastics|SA.

Plastics industry representatives from across the world met in Dubai in November last year to create a global action plan for solutions on marine litter. 56 Plastics indus-try organisations around the world adopted the “Declaration for Solutions on Marine Lit-ter” which also identifi ed about 100 projects to be carried out in 32 countries, including South Africa.

Plastics|SA annually coordinates volun-teer initiatives such as South Africa’s partici-pation in the International Coastal Clean-Up Day. Plastics|SA embarked on two new

initiatives during World Environment Week to raise public awareness of ocean health: World Ocean Day celebration on 8 June 2012 and Beach Clean Up on 10 June.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Plastics|SA hosted a World Oceans Day celebration at the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Beachwood Mangroves in Durban on 8 June. The day showcased the results of the ‘Mayday for Rivers’, an epic walk down the entire length of the uMngeni River, from source to sea, which started on 1 May by mem-bers from DUCT (Duzi-uMngeni Conservation Trust).

Various schools from the area, organisa-tions and members of the plastics industry took part in the day’s events and were inspired by the 12 year old Plastics|SA youth ambassador and ‘Aqua Angel’, Nikita van der Merwe, who recently embarked on rowing on rivers and dams around KZN in her kayak to raise awareness of water pollution.


Next wave for changeASSOCIATION NEWS

Deaf students offered bursaries for training in compositesPLASTICS|SA, together with training partners Whisper Boat Building Academy (WBBA) and the Marine Industry Association of South Africa are inviting deaf students to apply for merSETA funded bursaries that will allow them to train in the art of working with composites during the period 13 August – 14 December 2012.

According to Jo Fitzell, regional training manager for Plastics|SA in the Western Cape, this will be the third intake of students who are deaf or hard of hearing. “The deaf

students who graduate from this course offer a sought after skill that allows them to work in a variety of fi elds in the plastics industry, ranging from working as laminators for boat builders, to swimming pool constructors, canopy constructors and other composite fi elds”, Fitzell says.

The Whisper Boat Building Academy was founded by Peter Jacops in 2004 as a non-profi t organization to teach deaf students from the townships the art of boat building. Training takes place with the help of a full-

time sign language interpreter and consists of class-room based theoretical training at the Plastics|SA offi ces in Maitland, com-bined with practical workplace experience, presented as individual skills programmes, offered at the new Whisper Boatbuilding facilities in Epping Industrial.

• FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SMS 072 8363998 OR CALL 021 591 5512, OR VISIT WWW.PLASTICSINFO.CO.ZA

The clean up group from Hosaf Fibres, surrounding schools and the community

Douw Steyn (Director Sustainability: Plastics|SA) and Belinda Booker (Petco) with Wayne Munger (Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife) in front of one of the kayaks donated by Plastics|SA to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s honorary rangers. The rangers make full use of the kayak in their regular cleaning and monitoring of the Umgeni River mouth and Beachwood Mangroves

Nikita van der Merwe (Aqua Angel and youth ambassador for Plastics|SA Cleanup and Reycle 2012) with other young friends clean-ing the mangroves

Ocean and water health under the spotlight on World Ocean Day

[email protected], [email protected] and [email protected] (Cape Town)


IN A MOVE to ensure consistent high quality of welding and introduce transpar-ency and accountability in the industry, the Installation and Fabrication Plastics Pipe Association (IFPA) has issued all of its welders with identifi cation stamps.

According to IFPA Chairman, Mike Smart, its welders were required to be recertifi cated before they were issued with their unique stamps.

“The annual recertifi cation of welders was instituted by the Plastics Federation

(now Plastics|SA) in 2000 in an effort to better en-

sure quality of practical

work. How-ever, in Sep-

tember 2010 it has been de-

cided that IFPA members would

have the benefi t of only having to

recertify their welders once in a three year

renewal cycle, while non-IFPA members

would be required to cer-tify their welders annually”,

says Smart.As part of IFPA’s mandate

and mission to ensure that its members adhere to the Association’s objectives of ensuring consistently high standards of plastic pipe fabrication and installation, they felt it necessary to also develop a mechanism whereby a welder could be traced back to every weld he has ever done. A Welder Identifi cation System was implemented by Plastics|SA and IFPA in 2010.

“Since then, every IFPA welder has been issued with a unique number, printed on an identifi cation card, along with his photograph. Each IFPA Member Compa-ny is expected to compliment the system of traceability with the use of a stamp on each weld, displaying the IFPA company number, the unique welder number and the IFPA logo”, Smart explains. The stamp is made of special hardened steel and can be used next to a weld if the weld surface is too small.

Members are tasked with the respon-sibility of ensuring the stamps made for their welders are kept up to date; to verify the specifi c discipline that the welder has been qualifi ed for and control employee activities such as moonlighting. These are not the responsibility of IFPA.

Concludes Jan Venter, CEO of SAPPMA: “IFPA is an initiative of SAPPMA and was formed with the view to expand regulation of the Plastic Pipe Industry in Southern Africa. We fully support and endorse this programme that proves our commitment to go further on the quality value chain. This move has also been welcomed and applauded by customers who appreciate the level of transparency and accountability we try to introduce and maintain in this highly specialised industry”.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

IFPA uses identifi cation stamps to ensure quality installations

Heavy metal free!

LEAD has been eliminated from all locally-manufactured plastic pipe products and all plastic pipes manufactured by the South-ern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) are guaranteed to be free of heavy metals.

“We embarked on this journey in 2006, as a voluntary policy of heavy metal free stabilizers for the manufacture of PVC pipes. The reason for the initiative was based on health and environmental con-siderations and we are immensely proud of having reached our goal of eliminating all lead stabilizers from SAPPMA mem-bers’ piping products fi ve years ahead of the anticipated European Union (EU) tar-gets”, said Jan Venter, CEO of SAPPMA.

As a member of the Southern African

Welder Identifi cation System allows for a welder to be traced back to every weld he has ever done

SA pipe industry 100% lead-free

A closer look at the IFPA welder identifi ca-tion stamp

DirectorJan Venterp. 012 548 0149c. 079 506 0484e. [email protected]

SecretaryLouise Mullerp. 012 548 0149c. 082 417 2977e. [email protected]

Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA)

www.sappma.co.za

Vinyls Association (SAVA), SAPPMA was also one of the signatories of the Associa-tion’s Product Stewardship Programme – a voluntary programme aimed at ensuring that all heavy metal additives (primarily lead) are removed from their workplace environments.

SAPPMA members have replaced lead with calcium/zinc and organic-based

A welder applies his unique IFPA identifi ca-tion stamp after completing a weld

stabilizers that are non-toxic to humans. Calcium/zinc stabilizers have been used in PVC applications for more than 25 years and, in addition to being non-toxic, they are essential elements to the human body. Organic-based stabilizers are predominantly based on uracyl technology and are heavy metal and odour free, and approved for potable water and food contact applications.

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ASSOCIATION NEWS

‘Pipe VI’ conference in SeptemberSAPPMA’S 6th annual conference will take place on 18 September at the Bytes Conference Centre in Midrand. This year’s Pipe VI Conference will focus on the importance of pipes in water distribution and will attempt to help design engineers and specifi ers to make an informed decision when selecting material and products.

Dr Anthony Turton, an independent consultant and previously associated with the CSIR and the University of the

Orange Free State, has been invited as keynote speaker. Individuals interested in presenting papers at the conference

are invited to submit their particulars and abstracts to Louise Muller at [email protected] before 30 June. Early bird offer to delegates: R750.00 for SAPPMA members and R1500.00 for non-members for all bookings before 31 July.

More information and electronic registration forms available on the SAPPMA website:

Dr Anthony Turton

www.sappma.co.za

3rd Revision of SAPPMA technical manual now availableTHE Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturer’s Association (SAPPMA) has published and released a third revision of its Technical Manual, aimed at assisting engineers who are involved in the plastic pipe industry to make informed decisions.

“The purpose of this manual is to provide basic, relevant information and the guidance needed to ensure that plastic pipes for water supply and waste-water disposal applications are correctly specifi ed and selected”, explained SAPPMA chief executive offi cer, Jan Venter.

Although this manual does not attempt to replace published text books and codes on the subject, Venter said that it is a basic guide to the use, selection and specifi ca-tion of these products. It covers the differences between the various types of plastic pipes and the basic procedures for determining product size, strength and material properties for a range of applications.

The latest revision also includes sections on hot and cold water plumbing pipes, HDPE fabricated fi ttings as well as the jointing of HDPE. For a limited period copies of the publication have been made available to design and civil engineers free of charge via SAICE and as a service to the industry.

“Poor quality plastic pipe is not necessarily obvious from a visual point of view, which makes it even more important for design engineers or specifi ers to apply all available precautions in the selection of manufacturers, suppliers and installers”, Venter said, adding that pipe manufacturers and installers who are members of SAPPMA and IFPA are subjected to additional quality control measures over and above the national standards.

• THE TECHNICAL MANUAL COSTS R150 AND CAN BE BOUGHT BY CONTACTING LOUISE MULLER ON [email protected]

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INDUSTRY NEWS


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Gravimetric drying hopper offers energy reduction & control

THE Gravi-Dryer technology is a new range of energy effi cient materials han-dling equipment from machinery group Labotek. The technology has been under development since 2007 and recently came to the market as a successful result of close partnerships with several plastic processors.

The system is based on the Labo-Net fi eld bus control technology, combined with load cell systems and air fl ow regulation on each drying hopper connected. A gravimetric drying hopper is capable of tracking the fi ll-ing and discharge of plastic raw materials via the ‘gain in weight’ and ‘loss in weight’ principles, in the most energy effi cient way available.

The Gravi-Dryer has accuracy of +/- 0.5% and enables full control and tracking history of the individual material consump-

tion for each drying hopper. This ramps the airfl ow up and down according to the actual material consumption. Further-more the fi lling of a drying hopper via the ‘ramp-up’ principle eliminates the risk of

over-drying the raw materials.

When material usage is lowered, the central desiccant dryer will perform automatic adjust-ment of dry air fl ow

through the built-in frequency control. The Gravi-Dryer then stores processed data for corporate material throughput management. The online consumption of each material type is stored and is easily retrieved through the inbuilt hard drive. The current load of each drying hopper is shown on-screen and gives the operator the possibility to connect either more or less process equipment as required.

The fi lling of each Gravi-Dryer is fully

automated and adjusted according to ma-terial usage without any manual interfer-ence. The Labo-Net control has auto-mated self-learning logic and monitors any variation to the material usage, correcting parameters accordingly if required.

In addition to developing new technol-ogy Labotek also serve the industry with systems and solutions in storing, convey-ing, drying, dosing and mixing, gravimetric blending, central feeding, and crystalizing.

Labotek A/S was founded in 1943 and is 100% Danish-owned, with its headquar-ters in Frederikssund, Denmark. Today, Labotek is one of Europe’s leading produc-ers of ancillary equipment and centralized systems for the plastics industry.

• LABOTEK IS REPRESENTED IN SOUTH AFRICA BY CABLETECH MARKETING

www.cabletech.co.za

Gigantic glowing fi sh sculptures made from recycled PET bottles are making Rio de Janiero’s beaches even more of an attraction than they usually are! The scales of the epic sculptures are made by lining up hundreds of empty clear plastic bottles, giving the fi sh a shimmer day and night. The glowing installations appear on the popular Botafogo Beach as part of the Rio +20 conference. The sculpture, created for the UN Conference of Sustainable Development (Rio +20), brings awareness to both the importance of recycling, and its relationship to marine life.

The system is based on the Labo-Net fi eld bus control technology, combined with

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hopper connected.

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A STATE-OF-THE-ART laser machine capable of building complex three dimen-sional objects out of fi ne metal powder – microscopic layer by layer – was unveiled at Stellenbosch University in May.

Known as the M2 LaserCusing System, the machine has been imported from Germany at a cost of R5-million, funded by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA). The only one of its kind in the country, the system has been installed at the Institute of Advanced Tooling (IAT), hosted within the Rapid Product Development Laboratory in the university’s Department of Industrial

TECHNICAL

‘Selective melting and micro-welding by laser’ at Stellenbosch University

Engineering.The IAT is an initiative of the Department

of Science and Technology, implemented through the TIA. It has branches at Stel-

lenbosch University, Tshwane University of Technology and the Walter Sisulu Univer-sity. The TIA goal is to stimulate technological

innovation in South Africa. The M2 LaserCusing System’s primary

application is the production of complex tooling inserts for metal moulds used in various industries. Moulds are routinely employed to manufacture products made from a variety of substances, such as

plastic, glass and metal. In addition, the machine can also be used to manufacture advanced metal components for utilisa-tion in the aerospace, automotive, medical and dental industries. This wide range of applications facilitates synergies between numerous research, development and industrial projects.

“This machine can produce components that cannot be made in any other way. It allows for complete design freedom. What-ever can be imagined, can be built with this system,” said Professor Dimitri Dimitrov, head of the Rapid Product Development Laboratory at Stellenbosch. He also acts as mentor at the IAT.

One of the machine’s major advantages


3D objects out of metal powderUnique laser system can build

Complex parts with extremely fi ne detail and tolerances are achievable. These parts were produced during the commissioning of the machine. The part on the right is about 30x30mm and 40mm high. The small gaps are 1mm to 2mm and even less in some places. None of the parts are bigger than 60mmx60mm. However, the build possible on the machine is 250x250x280mm

Primary application is production of complex

tooling inserts for moulds


is that it can process a wide variety of metals, such as aluminium, stainless steel, various hot-work tooling steels, titanium, cobalt-chrome and nickel-based alloys.

Dimitrov pointed out that although the ma-chine can build 3D metal objects, it should not be confused with 3D printing.

“This system also uses an additive pro-cess, but it is not the same as 3D printing. In printing, a substance is laid down layer by layer, and an object is built up by using binder liquid jetted by a printing head. With this machine, metal powder is fused by laser. It is basically selective melting and micro-welding by laser.”

The system was developed and made by Hoffman Innovation Group AG, a lead-ing German tooling producer. The term LaserCusing is made up of the letter ‘C’ from ‘concept laser’ and the word ‘Fusing’ for ‘complete melting’. The manufacturers describe the system as ‘the technology of the future’.

The metal powder used in the system www.sun.ac.za

Inserts for this mould, produced on the system, would have been extremely diffi cult to produce with existing technology; the mould is being used to produce a cutlery drainer rack

The M2 LaserCusing System can produce complex structures by fusing very fi ne metal powders at high temperatures of about 1000ºC

consists of extremely fi ne granules of 20-40 microns each. The laser fuses them at temperatures of above 1000°C. And it does so in very thin layers of 20-30 microns each. The system will be used for advanced re-search purposes by post-graduate students at SU and IAT tooling engineers. In addition, the system will service the tooling industry, which will help create employment opportu-nities and stimulate economic growth. The system can provide a productivity improve-ment for various moulding and casting processes of about 30% through cycle time reduction.

“The SSME sector now has access to an advanced manufacturing capability for the production of complex tooling inserts and other objects. Before, they would have had to go overseas; now they can do it right here. Local industry has already shown

signifi cant interest in this advanced technol-ogy,” said Dimitrov.

The funding application to the TIA was supported by the Tooling Association of South Africa (TASA), which recommended the equipment to support the industry through cutting edge technologies.

The advantages that the system brings to the industry and research community alike are in line with the objectives of Stellenbosch University’s HOPE Project, which uses the institution’s academic and research excel-lence to tackle developmental challenges in society.

• INQUIRIES: MIKE SAXER, [email protected]

WHEN the polymer industry was started in the Middle East in the 1980’s it was to take advantage of the readily available feedstocks that were a by-product of oil production, namely ethylene. Today polyethylene and polypro-pylene account for almost 90% of the plastic produced in the Middle East.

However, the slate of new feedstocks that are becoming available from the new petrochemical complexes are diversify-ing the range of polymers produced in the region. And even if only 10% of the millions of tons of polymer produced annually are not polyolefi ns, it is still a lot of polymer!

By far the largest of the non-polyolefi n polymers produced is PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Just three plants (in Oman, Saudi Arabia and U.A.E.) produce more than 2 million tons per year and planned expansions and debottlenecking will increase that total further by 2013. There is also a 420 000 tpa plant scheduled for start-up at the end of 2012 in Egypt and plans for another 800 000 tpa plant in Saudi Arabia was announced last year.

The most visible use of PET is packag-ing: water, fruit juice and carbonated soft drink bottles, thermoformed trays, barrier fi lms and blister packs. Not surprisingly these are also the main uses in the Middle East. But PET, when it’s not ‘PET’, is ‘polyester’ made into fi bres. Some of the polyester is used in the region to make carpets, textiles, nonwoven fabrics and tyre cords although polymer chips are also exported.

But, unlike most other polymer produced in the Middle East and exported, not all the PET that is exported from the region is ex-ported as a raw material – PET and APET sheet for packaging is exported globally. In fact Octal Petrochemicals in Oman is the largest producer of PET clear rigid sheet in the world.

Surprisingly PVC is not produced in large quantities - only about 500 000 tpa in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, although both emulsion- and suspension-PVC is produced. Most of the PVC used in pipes, membranes, wire and cables is imported into the region although vinyl chloride monomer (used to make PVC) is produced in Qatar and exported to Asia.

Polystyrene is produced in Saudi Arabia and there is also a plant under construction in Egypt. The polystyrene (GPPS, HIPS and EPS) is used mostly to make thermoformed and injection moulded packaging and houseware in the region. Another styrenic polymer, ABS, will also be produced in Saudi Arabia from 2014 on a new 200 000 tpa plant.

Another family of polymers due to be pro-duced in Saudi Arabia in the near future are elastomers and synthetic rubbers. In 2015 a 400 000 tpa plant comes on-line producing a range of butadiene rubbers (used in tyres and gaskets) and EPDM (used in seals, membranes and automotive applications).

With the acquisition of GE Plastics in 2007, SABIC became one of the major world producers of engineering polymers with a range that included ABS, polycarbon-ate, acetal (POM) and polyamide. Prior to the purchase of these manufacturing assets SABIC didn’t produce any of these poly-mers although a polycarbonate plant, which has since started production, was planned for Saudi Arabia. Polycarbonate is used in

applications as diverse as electronic com-ponents, light housings and skylights, all of which are manufactured in the Middle East. Polycarbonate is also used in optical media – CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs - which is a small application in the region and grades for these uses are exported from the area.

Not all the planned new polymer plants are the mega-scale plants usually associated with the region. SABIC has announced plans to produce acrylic (PMMA) for the construc-tion, appliance and medical device market on a new 50 000 tpa plant. PMMA is also used in skylights, signs and glazing and is used extensively in the region and so it is expected that a signifi cant portion of the new plant’s production will be used in the Middle East.

Another polymer that SABIC is due to debut Saudi production in 2013 is acetal (POM) which is widely used in moving parts where its dimension stability and wear resistance are valued. As for polyamide: the Chevron Phillips joint venture in Saudi Arabia has announced plans to produce PA 6,6 and SABIC has also expressed their interest in building capacity in Saudi Arabia – but for now the ‘nylon bag’ at the supermarket is still polyethylene!

NIALL CAN BE REACHED AT: [email protected]

FEAT

URE


The most visible use of PET in the Middle East is packag-ing: water, fruit juice and carbonated soft drink bottles, thermoformed trays, barrier fi lms and blister packs

BY DR NIALL MARSHALL

Largest non-polyolefi n polymers produced is PET - three plants produce more than 2 million tons a year

PRODUCED IN MIDDLE EASTMORE THAN JUST PE & PP

Dr Niall Marshall was for-merly based in Johannesburg where he worked with Sasol and Ciba. He subsequently moved to Bahrain in the Middle East and joined Ever-

spring Middle East, one of the largest manu-facturers of polymer stabilisers, and X-ponent Three, which supplies a complementary range of additives and pigments and provides techni-cal and business consulting services


BASF Polyurethanes has appointed Christian Mirangels as the new managing director for South Africa. He takes over from Andrew Bailey, who has been appointed

MD for business development at BASF West Africa, after 11 years with the SA business.

Mirangels has been with BASF Poly-urethanes for over 17 years and has held senior positions in a number of successful entities, including BASF Polyurethanes Turkey, where he too was MD. He will focus on the overall operations of the South African systems house with a strong focus on business development within South and Sub-Saharan Africa of projects in selected industries.

Rob Harris has moved to Botswana, where he has joined Chloride Exide Botswana. He was formerly at Pi Shurlock in Port Elizabeth, one of SA’s top battery manufacturing businesses.

Erica de Jager has joined Zanogen Machine Knives. Erica’s main area of focus is customer relations management. Erica will be focusing on relation-

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ship building with Zanogen’s customers and also on improving overall customer service.

Plastics|SA has made three new appointments at its head offi ce in Midrand, Johannesburg:

Dianne Blumberg has been appointed online editor at Plastics|SA. Although Dianne has managed to juggle her duties as PA to the execu-tive director with those of

updating and maintaining Plastics|SA’s websites, the recent launch of its new online and social media campaigns has necessitated the need for a full-time online editor.

Jacques Lightfoot has been appointed sus-tainability manager at Plastics|SA. Jacques’s career in the plastics industry began in 2000 when he started working

in the family business, Light Enterprises (now called RNL Plastics). For the past fi ve and a half years, Jacques has been the technical training offi cer at Plastics|SA.

Amos Velaphi Mkhonto has been appointed as technical trainer at Plastics|SA. Amos com-pleted his National Higher Diploma in Polymer Tech-nology in 2000 before he

kicked off his career in the plastics industry as a setter at Megapak in Olifantsfontein. Before joining Plastics|SA, Amos worked for Polyoak Packaging in Germiston.

Keith Reading has been appointed technical sales and services director at Mouldplas Marketing, in charge of the Wittmann Battenfeld section of the business. Keith started his

plastics career with GF Plastics 15 years ago before moving on to Hestico where he gained invaluable technical experience on Arburg and Wittmann machinery, as well as Uniloy blow moulding machines, assisting with some of the industry’s larg-est installations and rebuilds to date. Keith moved on to PMS Plastics with Phillip Maye where his technical know-how was strengthened even further. Concorde Plas-tics was next on Keith’s journey where as technical manager he learned more about IML and became familiar with the medical and tooling sectors.

PEOP

LE

CHEMISTS from Stellenbosch University were inspired by 50 year old research to develop a new process to make the separation of xylene, a chemical which is derived from crude oil, faster and more energy effi cient. It could benefi t the produc-tion of pigments for the paint industry, fungicides, polymers and various types of plastics used today.

Dr Matteo Lusi, who until recently was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science carried out the research, along with Prof Len Barbour, South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) chair in Nanostructured Functional Materials at Stellenbosch University (SU).

The work was re-cently published in the top chemical journal Angewandte Chemie, and was also high-lighted in news articles in Chemistry World, the news magazine of the Royal Society of Chemistry as well as Chemical and Engi-neering News, published by the American Chemical Society.

By using host-guest chemistry, they are able to very selectively separate the isomers of xylene as part of its purifi cation process.

Xylenes are benzene derivatives, with three possible isomeric confi gurations,

TRAI

NING

Process could make separation of xylene faster, more energy effi cient

namely ortho, meta, and para. Together with ethylbenzene, they constitute the so-called C8 aromatic compounds derived from crude oil. These serve as the building blocks for the industrial scale synthesis of many important chemical compounds needed to produce polymers, resins, pigments, fungi-cides and motor fuel.

Prof Barbour explained why current industrial methods are all very slow and en-ergy-intensive and require many separation steps. “It is currently extremely diffi cult and expensive to separate these three isomers from one another, because they have such similar physical properties, and even share almost the same boiling point,” he said.

They based their work on research done more than 50 years ago on how to separate xylenes from the liquid phase by using enclathration by octahedral metal complexes. Clathrates are intermediate be-

tween mixtures and true compounds. These porous compounds are formed when the small molecules of one substance fi ll in the holes in the structural lattice of another solid substance, for instance the sulphur dioxide molecules in ice crystals.

Back then, these so-called Werner clathrates were deemed too costly as a separation technique, because it involved

dissolving a host in the liquid and the forming crystals before the extraction of the product could take place. The technique has, how-ever, since been used in chromatography to analyse mixtures of gases, liquids and dissolved substances.

Dr Lusi and Prof Barbour have now simpli-fi ed this separation method by using a nickel-based metal complex as their host structure, and exposing the polycrystalline material to xylene vapour. It allows them to separate the three different xylene isomers much faster and more effectively, all in one process.

“This method seems promising to imple-ment in industrial scale applications, such as pressure swing adsorption (PSA) processes that use a substrate with prioritized selectiv-ity,” he explained.

Their fi ndings have been patented, with the help of the University’s INNOVUS offi ce. “Now it’s up to the engineers to prove that it can be used in a large scale production process,” Prof Barbour added.


Prof Len Barbour Dr Matheo Lusi

Could benefi t the production of pigments for the paint industry,

fungicides, polymers and various types of plastics

used today.

yr

new separation techniqueold research helps Stellenbosch chemists create

+27 (0)31 765 5720

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A NEW training provider, DMP Training, has started in KZN – focussed specifi cally on training for the plastics industry.

DMP is the progeny of Moses Mnyakeni, who has been involved in the industry since 1986. Moses spent the early part of his career as a trainer with the then Plastics Fed-eration in Johannesburg, moved to Durban in the late 1990s as a trainer with the Federa-tion in KZN and subsequently switched to the blow and injection moulding business.

Experience gained in the converting sec-tor has honed his skills, but Moses realized recently it was “necessary to go with my heart

DMP Training starts in KZN


Polymer scientist POLYMER scientist Prof Bert Klumperman had every reason to feel like a proud father at the recent graduation ceremony at Stellenbo-sch University when four doctoral students whose research he had supervised over the past few years all received their PhD degrees.

Dr Njabu Gule, Dr Rueben Pfukwa, Dr Nathalie Bailly and Dr Osama Bshena were all guided through their PhD years by Prof Klumperman, holder of a South African Research Chair (SARChI) on Advanced Macromolecular Architectures in the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science.

Dr Bailly worked in the fi eld of anti-tumour drug delivery. She developed a delivery vehicle consisting of an amphiphilic block copolymer. In vitro tests show very promising results in the uptake of the drug-loaded copolymer assemblies by tumour cells.

Dr Gule helped to develop the nanofi bres used to develop the

Stellenbosch University Water Institute teabag water fi lter. Antimicrobial polymer nanofi bre technology developed by Dr

Bshena and Prof Klumperman could potentially be used in the air fi lters of hospitals to curb the spread of bacteria.

Dr Pfukwa worked on the hierarchical self-assembly of novel para-aryltriazole helical foldamers.

Dr Njabu Gule, Dr Rueben Pfukwa, Dr Nathalie Bailly and Dr Osama Bshena with their supervisor, Prof Bert Klumperman, holder of a South African Research Chair (SARChI) on Advanced Macromolecular Architectures in the Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science

www.dmptraining.co.za

[email protected]

Moses Mnyakeni provides full training service for setters, operators

celebrates PhD ‘quadruplets’

and do what I love and enjoy the most, which is skills development”.

“With the skills and experience I have developed over the years I believe I will be able to make a positive contribution to the skills development of employees within the SA plastics industry,” said Moses.

DMP provides • certifi cate plastics manufacturing

from NQF 2-4;• setter/operator courses for raw materials;• setter/operator courses for blow moulding,

extrusion, injection moulding, rotational moulding;

• thermoplastic welding.

Besides training at its centre, Moses also offers on-the-job training at manufacturing businesses.

DMP IS BASED AT WEARCHECK HOUSE, 16 SCHOOL ROAD, PINETOWN; PHONE 031 701 7628.

Training in action – Moses Mnyakeni of DMP Training engages with students, helping to open career paths for aspirant trainees in KZN

LEGA

LGETTING IT RIGHT

Contact: Derick LabuschagneTel: 011 979 2766Fax: 011 979 2424

Email: [email protected]


The Competition Act:different levels of the supply chainRelationships between parties on

Minimum resale price maintenance an absolute prohibition

By Abena Danso, attorney in the Adams and Adams Competition Law Practice Group ([email protected])

www.adamsadams.co.za

SECTION 5 of the Competition Act controls the relationship between parties that operate on different levels of the supply chain. This relationship is described as a ‘vertical relationship’ as it is usually a top-down relationship e.g. an input supplier and a manufacturer; manufacturer and wholesaler, etc.

Section 5 prohibits agreements between parties in a vertical relationship if the agreement substantially prevents or lessens competition in a market, unless a party to the agreement can prove that there is a technological, effi ciency or other pro-competitive gain resulting from that agreement that outweighs the effect. Unlike section 4, which controls the relationship between competitors and has a number of absolute prohibitions, section 5 has only one absolute prohibition - the practice of minimum resale price maintenance (MRPM).

MRPM refers to any practice by an upstream supplier to maintain or control the minimum price at which its product can be resold - in essence MRPM is vertical price fi xing. A supplier who specifi es the extent to which a distributor may discount goods is also guilty of MRPM.

Where price lists are published by upstream suppliers to downstream distributors, the price list must contain the words “recommended” to negate any inference to MRPM. An upstream supplier e.g. a manufacturer or input supplier may recommend a price at which its products may be on-sold, provided it is clear

to the reseller that the recommendation is not binding on it and it will not face repercussions as a result of failing to sell at the recommended price.

The enforcement of MRPM can be achieved directly or indirectly. A supplier may, for example, restrict supply of a particular product to a distributor if the distributor sells at prices below the prescribed price. The restriction of supply by the supplier is aimed at penalising the distributor for not selling at, or above, the prescribed

price and is a contravention of section 5. A supplier would also be contravening the Act if it incentivises adherence by a distributor to prescribed resale prices by, for example, offering additional discounts or rebates to distributors that sell at, or above, a prescribed price.

The reason commonly given by suppliers for wanting to engage in resale price maintenance relate to the protection of the

product’s brand value and image. Although brand protection is certainly a genuine goal, fi rms need to fi nd other means to protect the value of their brand.

Firms who contravene section 5 face the risk of either having an administrative penalty being imposed on it (which can be up to but not exceed 10% of the fi rm’s annual turnover in South Africa and its exports from South Africa in the preceding fi nancial year), and/or the fi rm may be required to unravel the agreement.

The reason commonly given by suppliers for

wanting to engage in resale price maintenance relate

to the protection of the product’s brand value and image.

LEGAL

Adams and Adams, a full service law firm and the largest Intellectual Property (IP) law firm in Africa, provides services for all aspects of Competition Law, including advisory opinions, mergers and acquisitions and litigation in South African and Africa. Adams & Adams also provides highly specialised dispute resolution services in a broad spectrum of practice areas with a focus on contractual and commercial litigation, personal injury and medical negligence claims, employment, administrative law, consumer protection, banking and insolvency.

Adams & Adams also contributes to a number of multi-jurisdictional publications concerning IP, pharmaceuticals and Competition Law and its members are regularly asked to speak at conferences and seminars on these topics. The firm currently services an extensive client database, which include innumerable national and international corporates, boasting many of South Africa’s leading entities and multiple Fortune 500 companies.

This relationship is described as a ‘vertical relationship’ as it is usually a top-down relationship e.g. an input supplier and a manufacturer; manufacturer and wholesaler, etc.

Firms, who take part in any of the following activities, may be at risk of falling foul of section 5:

the fi rm has implemented measures which attempt to control the price at which products are resold by its distributors and or retailers; the fi rm publishes price lists and if its distributors do not adhere

to the price lists proceeds to terminate distribution and/or sale agreement agreements it has concluded with the “defaulting” distributor; and the fi rm concludes exclusive distribution agreements.

CONTACT US: JAC MARAIS / PARTNER: COMPETITION LAW PRACTICE [email protected] ALEXIS APOSTOLIDIS / PARTNER: COMPETITION LAW PRACTICE [email protected]

CONTACT US:

Standex Engraving South Africa | P.O. Box 83, Umlaas Road, 3730

Tel: 031 785 1247 | E-mail: [email protected]

THE ONLY INTERNATIONAL MOULD TEXTURING COMPANY IN SOUTH AFRICA

www.mold-tech.com / www.standex-engraving-design.com


ABOUT ADAMS & ADAMS

www.adamsadams.co.za

AfriTrade now sales rep for GEC

GLOUCESTER Engineering Inc (GEC) has appointed AfriTrade as their new sales representative in South Af-rica. AfriTrade will also represent GEC in the neighbor-ing countries of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

AfriTrade has been involved with the plastics industry for 12 years. Prior to fi lling their new role with GEC, AfriTrade has successfully represented Kabra Extru-siontechnik, Vihan and Prasad, amongst others. The company was started by Neil Smith, who has over 25 years of experience in the plastics industry. AfriTrade has a sales and service offi ce in Cape Town and is in the process of opening offi ces in Johannesburg and Durban.

“We believe that the hiring of AfriTrade will help us increase market penetration for GEC in South Africa and the surrounding countries,” said Simon Jay, EMEA Sales Director for GEC. “In addition to expanding our business, we of course look to AfriTrade to provide excellent ser-vice and support to our existing customers as their local contact point and representative.”

• AFRITRADE TEL: 076 163 9627 OR EMAIL AT [email protected]

About Gloucester Engineering Co.Since its inception in 1961, Gloucester Engineering Co. Inc. has been a global leader in advancing quality and production limits in the plastics extrusion and converting market. GEC offers a range of innovative system and component solutions, for both new lines and retrofi ts, that provide customers a competitive edge in applica-tions that include blown and cast fi lm extrusion, foam and sheet extrusion, bag making and extrusion coating equipment.


FEATURE

The Coface Group, a worldwide leader in credit insurance, offers companies around the globe solutions to protect them against the risk of fi nancial default of their clients, both on the domestic market and for export. In 2011, the Group posted a consolidated turnover of € 1.6 billion. 4,600 staff in 66 countries provide a local service worldwide. Each quarter, Coface publishes its assessments of country risk for 157 countries, based on its unique knowledge of companies’ payment behaviour and on the expertise of its 250 underwriters. In France, Coface manages export public guarantees on behalf of the French state. Coface is a subsidiary of Natixis whose share capital (Tier 1) was € 16.4 billion end December 2011. In South Africa, Coface provides credit protection to clients. Coface South Africa is rated AA+ by Global ratings.

ABOUT COFACE

now cause 30% of company liquidations

Debtor defaults PARTONE

COFACE South Africa, which has an international presence in over 100 countries, says debtor defaults now contribute to approximately 30% of company liquidations in SA.

Providing credit is risky. Companies need to carefully evaluate new customers and existing customers before providing credit or increasing credit limits.

“For exporters, it is even more diffi cult collecting from debtors. Language barriers and different business cultures are making it diffi cult to collect overdue accounts, not to mention the cost of procuring a reliable attorney,” says Coface South Africa senior manager portfolio business, Paul Jooste.

Some countries do not operate on a standard 30-day credit period for example. In contrast to larger fi rms, smaller companies won’t have a presence in an overseas country where they are trading or the resources to employ a local lawyer.

To ensure an objective assessment, companies should use a number of methods to determine whether a company is a credit risk:

Verifi cation of information with a third partyThis includes all publicly available information about the importer, including the balance sheet and income statement; court judgment information; press and media archives; confi rmation of registration

www.cofaceza.com

details from the registrar of companies or legal identifi ers, and checking information held by credit bureaus. Because companies outside South Africa can be more problematic, using an international service provider with a worldwide database is an asset.

Added value informationTo obtain a more up-to-date picture, ask the customer receiving the exports if it would be willing to submit its fi nancial statements for assessment under a confi dentiality agreement. Companies are generally happy to provide accounts

or monthly management information for assessment on this basis, although a refusal should not necessarily generate a negative conclusion.

Shared information from policy holdersCredit risk assessment is a continuous cycle. This is because the level of risk attached to a transaction can change in the course of just a few weeks. Therefore, the evaluation of overdue accounts is critical. This information can be used to refi ne credit assessment and, if appropriate, reduce exposure to risk.

These suggestions are critical to good risk management when trading on credit, but can be time consuming. Credit insurance companies have extensive experience in determining the level of risk

attached to a particular trading partner and will back their assessment with their own money by providing debtor cover.

Most organisations are more willing to provide fi nancial information to a credit insurer than to the supplier themselves, due to their concern of the supplier’s pricing policy should they see their profi t margins, amongst other reasons.

Credit insurance removes the task of an exporter having to check their client’s credit worthiness and, in the case of a default, collecting the money in a foreign country. Most local credit insurers do not have access to international credit information as would an international provider. They will also not have a presence or collection capabilities in that country.

Credit insurance removes the task of an exporter having to check their client’s credit worthiness and, in the case of a default, collecting the money in a foreign country

BY PAUL JOOSTE, COFACE SOUTH AFRICA


Marine debris body to advice Plastics│SAPLASTICS│SA has held its fi rst meeting of the newly formed Scientifi c and Technical Advisory Panel on Marine Debris.

The Marine Debris Panel was created to look into the issue of persistent plastic debris in the coastal and marine environment and will advise Plastics│SA’s Sustainability Council and other stakeholders on awareness and research concerning marine debris in South Africa.

“The problem is gargantuan and due to the unseen scale of the issue at sea it needs more attention in South Africa as our partners in other countries have already stepped up the effort to address this issue,” said John Kieser, Plastics/SA environmental manager (coastal provinces).

“Most people are only aware of the issue when it is on the coast, but it is a fraction of the amount of plastic already at sea. This dovetails into Plastics│SA’s other efforts to increase recycling of plastic products in South Africa and to design material not just for recyclability, but also in such a way that the packaging or parts of it does not become an entanglement problem. What is also clear is that by focusing on the concern at sea, the matter of littering further inland is also addressed in a way.”

The Marine Debris Panel consists of two focus groups, Technical (awareness and monitoring) and Scientifi c: John Kieser – Plastics|SA (technical and

scientifi c) Prof Peter Ryan – University of Cape Town

(scientifi c) Prof Colleen Moloney – University of Cape

Town (scientifi c) Prof Henk Bouwman – University of North

West (scientifi c) Ted Knott – Wildlife Environmental Society of

South Africa (technical) Michelle Wcisel – Dyer Island Conservation

Trust (technical) Wilfred Chivell – Dyer Island Conservation

Trust (technical) Douw Steyn – Plastics/SA (technical) Wayne Munger – KZN Wildlife (technical) Dr Brent Newman – CSIR (scientifi c)


DESIGN

IT’S A FIRST !Tritan thermoplastic copolyester from Eastman has never been used commercially in SA before

JOBURG-BASED snapp Design is an award-winning distinctive lifestyle brand which aims to highlight contemporary design in South Africa by producing innovative products.

“The possibility of having a subtle impact on humanity through inspirational products was our motivation when we created our own brand,” said Jonathan Fundudis, owner and head designer at snapp Design.

When Jonathan and business partner Renko Nieman, with qualifi -cations in industrial design and mechanical engineering respec-tively, formed snapp, their quest was encour-aged by the process of discov-ery, redefi ning products through new understandings yet remaining true to self.

“With our background in industrial design, the development of our ‘splay’ salad servers was a milestone for our company as it was the fi rst plastic injection moulded product we produced,” said Fundudis.

Designed by David Holgreaves, an industrial designer who works for snapp Design, the inspiration behind the salad servers was derived from the material that was initially used to explore various concepts, Plasticine.

“By using the extruded form of Plasticine and manipulating it by creating a gentle ‘s’ curve and separating the blended profi le forms into tines, we were able to create an intriguing and functional utensil to mix and serve salad,” said Holgreaves.

Once the development of the product was completed, snapp approached Plastichem for their expertise and technical support and set a brief to explore plastic polymers with which to produce the salad servers. The appropriate material that was defi ned is not only a fi rst for snapp but a fi rst for South Africa too, as this particular thermoplastic has never been used commercially here before.

A copolyester called Tritan from Eastman, supplied locally by Plastichem,

Intriguing and functional utensil to mix and serve salad.

By using the extruded form of Plasticine and manipulating it by creating a gentle ‘s’ curve and separating the blended profi le forms into tines, snapp Design were able to create

an intriguing and functional utensil to mix and serve salad


was the suitable solution. Wizard Plastics was commissioned to do the converting and found the copolyester effortless to process.

“We felt Tritan ticked all the boxes for the specifi ed requirements of ‘splay’: the fi rst being that it is FDA-approved as the product comes into contact with food, as well as being BPA-free. Secondly, for the convenience of the user, the material is dishwasher safe. From an aesthetic point of view, it has a clear base: therefore we are able to achieve vibrant colours from added pigments as well as giving us the option of being glass-clear with a high gloss fi nish.

Because of the intricate design where the tines split off from the handle, the inherent toughness of Tritan prevents any potential breaking of these delicate structures.

“A material that has certainly added value to a simply beautiful product where functionality and aesthetics blend to create something special, it may be a fi rst for both companies locally – yet I’m positive it wont be the last,” added Fundudis.

Eastman Tritan™ copolyesterTritan™ builds on the versatility of its predecessors - including clarity, toughness and chemical resistance – to create a new standard for consumer and commercial housewares and sports bottles.

It’s natural to compare Eastman Tritan copolyester with polycarbonate (PC) because of its heat resistance advantages over traditional copolyesters.

However, Tritan offers a variety of processing, performance and sustainability advantages over PC – and other clear polymers such as SAN and SMMA – in a variety of housewares

applications. Eastman Tritan copolyester provides a unique balance of these properties, allowing you to create differentiated products with compelling value: glasslike clarity, toughness, chemical

resistance, processibility, hardness, BPA-free, tintability, surface gloss, strength, heat resistance, economics, design fl exibility.

Because of the intricate design where the tines

split off from the handle, the inherent toughness of Tritan prevents any

potential breaking of these delicate structures.

PLASTICINE was formulated by art teacher William Harbutt of Bathampton, in Bath, England, in 1897. He wanted non-drying clay for use by his sculpture students. Although the exact composition is a secret, Plasticine is composed of calcium salts (principally calcium carbonate), petroleum jelly and long-chain aliphatic acids (principally stearic acid). It is non-toxic, sterile, soft, malleable and does not dry on exposure to air. It cannot be hardened by fi ring; it melts when exposed to heat and is fl ammable at much higher temperatures.

Commercial production started in 1900 at a factory in Bathampton. The original Plasticine was grey, but the product initially sold to the public came in four colours. It was soon available in a wide variety of bright colours.

The original Plasticine factory was destroyed by fi re in 1963 and replaced by a modern building. The Harbutt company continued to produce Plasticine in Bathampton until 1983. It is currently made in Thailand.

What is Plasticine?

www.snappdesign.com

www.plastichem.co.za

www.eastman.com

www.wizard-plastics.com

snapp Design:

Plastichem:

Eastman:

Wizard Plastics:

“The possibility of having a

subtle impact on humanity through

inspirational products was our motivation when we created our

own brand.”

Chips have no chance with closed cable carrier by Tsubaki Kabelschlepp

WOOD, metal or plastic chips entering into the cable space of cable and hose carriers can quickly result in costly problems. Carri-ers wear faster, the service life of the routed cables and hoses is shortened, and the availability of the entire machine or system is jeopardized. Tsubaki Kabelschlepp has developed an impressive solution for these types of environments with their cable car-rier TKA55. The closed plastic cable carrier was awarded the Eco-Link label of excel-lence, and fulfi ls the very strict environmen-


All-round protection for lines and hoses

tal compatibility standards of Tsubaki Group.An optimized sideband and a cover

contour with minimized gap dimensions effectively prevents functional faults caused by chips and dirt entering into or sticking to the cable carrier. The compact new cover design fi ts seamlessly into one another and reaches over the sidebands to form a compact, closed unit. They offer secure hold even under severe mechanical stresses, e.g. when used with hydraulic lines. The smooth, dirt-repellent contour of the side-

bands with their encapsulated stroke system prevents the intrusion of any foreign bodies. The covers can be opened and removed easily on the inside or outside to load the cable carriers. The interior of the TKA55 can be modularly partitioned with various divider solutions for even cable distribution.

The optimized geometry of the chain links and a triple encapsulated stroke system allows the TKA55 to span extensive unsup-ported sections. The integrated gliding surfaces make the cable carrier the ideal

PRODUCTS

Solvay launches radio visible Zeniva® PEEK for implantable medical devices

www.solvayspecialtypolymers.com

Thermoplastic biomaterial for x-ray, CT & MRI imaging

SOLVAY Specialty Polymers USA, LLC, has expanded its range of Zeniva® polyethere-therketone (PEEK) resins for use in implant-able medical devices. A new radio visible PEEK-based material, Zeniva ZA-520, provides image contrasting capabilities for optimal visualization with x-ray, CT, and MRI imaging systems.

Zeniva PEEK is one of the four high-performance polymers that comprise the company’s family of Solviva® Biomaterials available for use in implantable medical devices. New Zeniva ZA-520 compound, which contains an image contrast additive, offers medical device companies all the performance benefi ts of Zeniva PEEK along with enhanced radio visibility.

Zeniva ZA-520 compound provides visibility of an implant without the artifacts

that are common with competitive metallic-based materials. The new compound is available in resin (for injection moulding) and rod stock which can be high-precision machined for production of a full range of sizes and confi gurations.

Zeniva PEEK offers numerous advan-tages over metals like titanium and cobalt chrome for applications such as interver-tebral devices. The material offers many important benefi ts including biocompat-ibility, chemical inertness, and a modulus of elasticity that is close to that of bone. Based on biocompatibility testing to ISO 10993 standards, Zeniva PEEK demonstrates no evidence of cytotoxicity, sensitization, irrita-tion, or acute systemic toxicity.

New Zeniva ZA-520 compound, which contains an image contrast additive, offers medical device companies all the performance benefi ts of Zeniva PEEK along with enhanced radio visibility

The perfect fi tTHE features of Kraiburg’s Thermolast® K thermoplastic elastomer compounds make them ideal for a wide range of applications: not only are they suitable for all methods of processing conventional plastics, but are also soft to the touch and feature maximum adhesion for virtually unlimited freedom of design and function.

This was important when deciding to use them in the earpieces of the new Uvex ‘pheos’ safety spectacles: the goal of the development engineers was to introduce lightweight safety spectacles with a sporty design that offer optimum protection and high wearing comfort. The spectacles get their stylish design from the two-coloured, highly functional earpiece concept with TPE

The combination of features achieved by Thermolast® TPEs from Kraiburg, achieving a lightweight but strong structure, signifi cantly increases the acceptance for wearing safety

spectacles, making them a valued and attractive article of everyday use at the workplace

compounds.Innovative POM (polyoxymethylene)

adhesion technology on the earpiece ends ensures that the spectacles are comfortable even when worn for long periods; anti-slip components provide for a secure fi t.

The Thermolast K compounds used for the spectacles withstand all infl uences of the work environment, such as weather, UV radiation and scratches. Also, they pose no health hazard whatsoever to the wearer: the TPEs are free of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalates and allergens and are RoHS and REACH compliant.

• UVEX, WITH ITS HEAD OFFICE IN FÜRTH, GERMANY, SUPPLIES INTERNATIONALLY. THE PHEOS SPECTACLES WERE DEVELOPED IN THE USA.www.kraiburg-tpe.com

www.uvex.com

BRONCO Wine Co., Ceres, Calif., a major supplier of varietal wines, is estab-lishing a strong position in the single serve, 187ml wine category with the adoption of lightweight PET bottles from Amcor Rigid Plastics. Bronco, the fourth largest winery in the U.S., recently made a major packaging switch from glass to further penetrate the retail and airline markets and capitalize on PET’s glass-like clarity, portability, sustainability advantages and reduced cost.

A unique barrier coating technology developed by Germany’s KHS Plasmax GmbH affords the 187ml PET container an extended shelf life. KHS Plasmax® Silicon Oxide (SiOx) barrier coating is a glass-like material which seals the container from the inside to protect the contents from oxidation. This ultrathin (less than 100nm) material is transparent and resists cracking, abrasion and delamination. It does not degrade over time nor limit the storage time for empty bottles. The barrier coating is easily removed during the recycling process and does not contaminate the recycling system.

LIOTTA dessert sauces are fi lled while hot, which places high demands on its packaging. A new 800ml bottle manufactured by the Austrian packaging specialist Greiner Packaging International meets these demands. The company opted for Greiner Packaging International and its Carinthian location of Wernberg. Since this spring, extrusion-blown bottles with a volume of 800ml have been supplied to Liotta from Wernberg. The new packs are made from PP specifi cally developed for the hot fi lling process. The core of production at Liotta is a fully-automatic, microprocessor-controlled unit that combines effi ciency, hygiene and accuracy. At the begin-ning of 2012, the company was certifi ed in accordance with the IFS (International Food Standard). All production processes are monitored at relevant check-points according to the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) concept, and verifi ed. Greiner Packaging International also runs an HACCP programme.

Lightweight 187ml PET wine bottlesFilling hot dessert sauces

Chip-tight to the end – The closed cable and hose carrier TKA55 by Tsubaki Kabelschlepp effi ciently protects hoses and lines right up to the connection area from intruding chips and dust.

The encapsulated triple stroke system of the TKA55 allows for extensive unsupported sections.

Best foot forwardInnovative prosthetic foot wins medical design award

AN innovative and affordable prosthetic foot, made with DuPont™ Hytrel® won the gold award in the rehabilitation and assis-tive-technology products category at this year’s Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA), a prestigious design competition for the medical technology industry.

The Niagara Foot is an affordable, ef-fective and fi eld-adjustable prosthetic that enables improved mobility for people who have lost lower limbs. The foot, in its next generation, is named the Rhythm Foot.

“The Rhythm Foot shows that high-per-formance and life-enhancing benefi ts can

The Rhythm Foot is an innovative and affordable

prosthetic made with DuPont™

Hytrel®

solution for long travel lengths. Integrated noise damping ensures that the cable carrier is running silently and with low vibration at all

times. The closed cable carrier by Tsubaki Kabelschlepp is available in six interior widths between 50 mm and 175 mm.

• KABELSCHLEPP IS REPRESENTED BY MAGQUIP IN SA, PHONE 011 473 2521


www.broncowine.com

www.amcor.com

www.greiner-gpi.com

be delivered through materials science,” said Diane H. Gulyas, president, DuPont Perfor-mance Polymers.

DuPont received a 2012 MDEA certifi cate as supplier of the material used to produce the Rhythm Foot. The fl exibility and durability of Hytrel, a polyester elastomer, is essential to the foot’s superior function and energy return. The foot anatomically mimics biological foot action and its affordability means it is poten-tially accessible to many more people.

The ability to easily adjust the foot to fi ne tune its performance makes it dramatically different from existing dynamic prosthetic feet. www.dupont.com

The foot is intended for use as a perma-nent option or as an interim prosthesis for the shower, swimming or for post-operative use.

Sealed Air selectsCardia sustainable resin

PRODUCTS

LEADING global protective packaging manufacturer Sealed Air has selected Cardia Biohybrid™ sustainable resin for its new Fill-Air R5® infl atable packaging fi lms.

The fi lms are used in protective air-fi lled cushions and in ‘void-fi ll’ applications (as used in containers, for example), and need to achieve excellent sealability to ensure good air retention while protecting the packaged goods in transit. Besides that, the fi lms must achieve high-speed processing on the Sealed Air range of Fill-Air® systems as well as.

Cardia Bioplastics, based in Australia, has been selling its polymers international-ly. Dr Frank Glatz, the Cardia group’s MD, said the goals were to reduce the need for petroleum-based resins and maintain the packaging integrity of the Fill-Air® fi lms.

David Weiss, business manager for Sealed Air said: “We focus on the total life cycle of our products and the products we protect. Our strategy involves under-


www.cardiabioplastics.com

www.greiner-gpi.com

standing the beginning and end of life, in addition to the performance during use. The new Fill-Air R5 fi lm addresses all of these areas.”

The new fi lm is designed for use on the Sealed Air Fill-Air 2000 and Fill-Air Cyclone® packaging systems to quickly create air-fi lled cushions for void-fi ll appli-cations. These systems are fast and easy to operate, delivering air-fi lled cushions on demand for excellent protection and effi cient void fi lling, while reducing material and shipping costs.

Cardia Biohybrid resins combine renewable thermoplastics with polyolefi n material to reduce dependence on fi nite oil resources and to reduce carbon footprint. The renewable material is derived from corn crop grown for industrial use that will be replenished in the next growing season.

Biohybrid resin – Sealed Air group is now using the Biohybrid™ polymers from Cardia Bioplastics in its range of Fill-Air R5® fi lms used in air-fi lled cushion and void-fi ll applications

FURNITURE fi ttings specialist Armac Martin’s sales orders have risen steeply since installing an Objet24 Desktop 3D Printer at its facility in Birmingham, UK.

“Since the introduction of 3D printing we are turning more of our customers’ ideas into new products and as a consequence we are winning more orders for our factory,” confi rmed Paul McGrail, Armac Martin MD.

Armac Martin designs and manufactures furniture fi ttings, many of which are bespoke designs specifi ed by customers. The Objet24 Desktop 3D Printer, used to test new designs and produce product samples for customer approval, is enabling Armac Martin to save costs and service customers faster according to McGrail:

Samples are with customers up to four weeks faster than before, sometimes in just a couple of days from the initial discussion. The company has also saved on tooling which would normally be required to produce the samples in metal.

Objet ups furniture fi ttings output

www.objet.com

Two Objet 3D printed prototypes (left) with the original Armac Martin door handles (right)

Armac Martin boosts product range, wins orders with Objet Desktop 3D printer

Sleep tight!A COMPLETELY new and thoroughly effective sleep and regeneration therapy has been introduced with the ‘inPulser’ by the German company Infrasonics. Greiner Assistec (Austria), a Greiner Packaging International division, produces the core element of this system – the Neurostimulator. Eurofoam – also from Austria – produces the pillow it is completed with. Bayer 04 Leverkusen and the German Aerospace Authority tested and were convinced by its effect. Infrasonics commissioned Eurofoam to produce the sound pillow. Europe’s market leader in the production and processing of fl exible polyurethane foams is well-known as a specialist for power napping solutions. Greiner Assistec scored top points in this project, in particular with its competences in plastics injection moulding, adhesive bonding and assembly. The housing for the loudspeaker system was designed in two parts comprising of a top and a lower shell. Both parts can be produced in a single injection moulding process using a single tooling unit.

Eyes forward!

INTERMESTIC Inc., of the USA, a spe-cialty retailer of eyewear and accessories, has chosen tough, lightweight Ultem polyetherimide (PEI) resin from SABIC’s Innovative Plastics for the frames of its new line of Zoff SMART eyeglasses.

The tailored, aerospace-grade Ultem resin material solution helps meet Japa-nese consumer demands for fresh, new eyewear styles with exceptional long-term performance and feather-light comfort; by allowing Intermestic to eliminate titanium and aluminum from the material selection process.

The Ultem resin also provides excep-tional fl exibility, fl ame retardance, and re-sistance to chemicals, heat and ultraviolet

(UV) light, as well as greatly expanded design freedom, which enabled Intermes-tic to create stylish, eye-catching frames for sophisticated consumer appeal.

Ultem resin delivers a broad range of desirable performance properties for eye-glass frames. The material offers elasticity coupled with resistance to deformation, allowing the frame to be bent easily yet returned to its original shape.

Zoff SMART frames made with Ultem resin meet the Japan Standard As-sociation JIS B 7285 standard, whose testing includes 20 000 bending repeti-tions (opening and closing the frame). The SABIC resin’s dimensional stability ensures that the lenses are retained in

the frame, while heat defl ection at high temperatures protects the frames even when left on a car dashboard in hot sun.

In addition to its intrinsic light weight of up to 50% vs. metal, Ultem resin is suit-able for precision thin-wall moulding down to 1.2 mm, cutting weight even more. The weight of the Zoff SMART frame is 9.4 g without the lens, which compares very favourably to metal frames typically weighing around 20 g. The material can be custom coloured to provide a wide range of aesthetic effects.

Zoff SMART frames made with SABIC Innovative Plastics’

Ultem resin meet the Japan Standard Association JIS B

7285 standard, whose testing includes 20 000 bending

repetitions

www.sabic-ip.com

How to reduce noise from polymer roof sheeting

A READER inquired about the problem of noise produced by the expansion and contraction of polycarbonate sheet in exterior applications. When exposed to sunlight, PC sheet

produces creaking sounds as it expands while heating up and again as it contracts later in the day. We asked Colin Coetzee, former CEO of Ampaglas, SA’s leading manufacturer of

polycarbonate sheeting, about this problem and he confi rmed that the question was valid: PC expands and contracts at about 3 to 4x that of steel (polyethylene sheet has even more pronounced behaviour, being a factor of 5-6x that of steel). Even steel roofs make a noise

in hot and cold weather, said Colin. The only way to resolve this is to make sure the screws have expansion allowance (holes must be at least 3mm oversized) and screws are not to be

over-tightened with an expandable (PE or PU type) closure. Coetzee has now retired from the industry and moved to Robertson in the Western Cape.


PRODUCTS

for future generations

Maxx Corporate Communications©

The Phoenix, symbol of rebirth and

renewal, harbinger of a 21st Century

message – regenerate, renew, recycle.

From the ashes of the discarded, we at

PhoenixPET create new raw materials,

giving without taking. Constantly scanning

the horizon for opportunities to rejuvenate,

and using innovative processes to minimise

environmental impact, our commitment

to quality and sustainability is evident

in our recycling plant – the fi rst in the

world to be certifi ed by the British Retail

Consortium (BRC). Suitable for all your

PET packaging requirements.

A product of Contact Details: Tel: +27 11 865 [email protected]

www.phoenixpet.co.za

Spring element made of low-emission resin acts as buffer during steering column adjustment

PRODUCTS

BUFFER-stops made of the low-emission grade DuPont™ Delrin® 100PE acetal resin cushion the impact when mechanically-ad-justable steering columns, from ThyssenKrupp Presta of Eschen, Liechtenstein, reach full horizontal adjustment.

Decisive factors in its specifi cation were the material’s compli-ance with stringent emission levels demanded by some of Ger-many’s automotive OEMs for interior applications and its steel-like springiness. The material is also characterized by its vibration damping effect, its high notched impact strength and very good sliding properties.

The buffer-stop, injection-moulded in Delrin 100PE, takes up very little installation space with its 14 mm x 9 mm x 6 mm dimen-sions. Held by a rivet, it slides during adjustment of the steering column on metal guide rails until they reach their limit at the end of the adjustment range. Although the associated jolt may in some cases be hard, two small springs on either side of the buffer-stop are enough – thanks to the high stiffness and elasticity of the ma-


Cushion the impact!

When the steering column, supplied to a German automotive manufacturer as a complete system by ThyssenKrupp Presta, reaches full horizontal adjustment, then a small spring element, made of the low-emission grade DuPont™ Delrin® 100PE, cushions the impact. The emission level of volatile substances from this injection-molded part is below the particularly strict levels set by the German automotive industry

Testing by the SGS Institut Fresenius GmbH in Germany, in accordance with the VDA standard 275, confi rms that all three low-emission grades of Delrin® meet the demanding emission requirements of the world’s major automotive manufacturers. (PHOTO: DUPONT)

www.dupont.com

When the heat is on!HYDRAULIC & Automation Warehouse (HAW), a member of the Hytec Group of Companies, stockist of a wide selection of hydraulic hose, fi ttings, valves and hydraulic accessories, is now offering Fire Sleeve hose protection to the local market.

Fire Sleeve hose protection conforms to the aviation grade 1072 and features a braided structure, instead of knitted structure. Fire Sleeve offers continuous thermal protection of hoses, cables and electrical wiring from temperatures up to 260°C, and short-term protection up to 1200°C.

Extremely fl exible and conformable throughout its temperature and size range,

Fire Sleeve is highly resistant to hydraulic fl uids, fuels and lubricating oils.

Due to the properties of Fire Sleeve, it is capable of shedding molten metal splash and may also be used for insulating hot oil, steam and other hot pipe surfaces, thereby reducing energy losses and at the same time, offering burn protection to personnel.

Fire Sleeve is suited to a variety of industrial applications and can accommodate the bundling of cables, hoses and electrical wiring, providing excellent thermal protection and abrasion resistance.

HAW carries large stocks of Fire Sleeve in all sizes and it is available from any HAW or Hytec branch.

• TEL: 011 281 3800, RICHARD VAN ROOYEN, HYDRAULIC & AUTOMATION WAREHOUSE

Fire Sleeve is suited to a variety of industrial applications and can accommodate the bundling of cables, hoses and electrical wiring, providing excellent thermal protection and abrasion resistance

terial – to cushion the impact both mechanically and acoustically. As a direct benefi t of the excellent sliding properties of Delrin acetal resin, the buffer-stop will continue to move easily, softly and virtually inaudibly on the guide rails for the entire lifetime of the vehicle.

These high-precision parts that are characterized by their variable wall thicknesses, are produced in 16-cavity hot runner moulds and kept within a tolerance of just ±0.05mm.

The combination of high elasticity and stiffness as well as excellent sliding properties make Delrin acetal homopolymers a material of choice for applications requiring low weight and where elements are required to absorb high forces, levels of deforma-tion and impact, as well as to continuously move both smoothly and quietly.

IDC – a new path to developmentSince 1940, the Industrial Development Corporation, South Africa’s

largest development finance institution, has helped to build the

industrial capacity that fuels the country’s economic growth, by

funding viable businesses.

As the government’s key partner in revitalising the economy, the

IDC focuses on priority economic sectors that offer the greatest

potential to unlock job opportunities.

Our vision

To be the primary driving force of commercially sustainable industrial

development and innovation to the benefit of South Africa and the

rest of the African continent.

Our mission

The Industrial Development Corporation is a national development

institution whose primary objectives are to contribute to the

generation of balanced, sustainable economic growth in Africa and

to the economic empowerment of the South African population,

thereby promoting the econoomic prosperity of all citizens. The IDC

achieves this by promoting eentrepreneurship through the building

of competitive industries annd enterprises based on sound

business principles.

What we do

Through partnership, the IDCC provides funding in support of

industrial capacity developmment by:

Proactively identifying annd funding high-impact projects

Leading the creation of vviable new industries

Using our diverse indusstry expertise to drive growth

in priority sectors

Taking up higher-risk fuunding in early-stage and

high-impact projects

What we offer you

The IDC assists start-up and existing businesses with a minimum

funding requirement of R1 million and a maximum of R1 billion.

Funding is offered across its mandated sectors under the following

Strategic Business Units:

Agro-Industries

Chemicals and Allied Industries

Forestry and Wood Products

Green Industries

Healthcare

Information and Communication Technology

Media and Motion Pictures

Metal, Transport and Machinery Products

Mining and Minerals Beneficiation

Strategic High Impact Projects and Logistics

Textiles and Clothing

Tourism

Venture Capital

Special funding schemes are available that address transformation

d t i l d l t (TES) t i itand entrepreneurial development (TES); topping up equity

contributions from entrepreneurs (TES & RCF); and sector-specific

schemes (horticulture, forestry, clothing and textiles, hospitals).

The IDC Gro-e-Scheme provides funding for projects from R1 million

to R1 billion at prime less 3% for up to five years.

The IDC’s business support programme addresses non-financial prog

support to entrepreneurs. Assistance is provided with capacity eneur

building to improve project viability.mpro

If you have a project that can contribute to building South Africa’s you

industrial capacity and creating jobs, visit in www.idc.co.za to find out

how the IDC can help build your opportunity.

Chillibush6703IDC

Telephone: 086 069 3888Email: [email protected]

To apply for funding online visit www.idc.co.za


TPV medical elastomers

A SERIES of thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) elastomers spanning a wide range of hardness levels exhibits high purity and resilience for replacing rubber in medical applications and provides performance and processing advantages over other thermo-plastic elastomers (TPEs).

Medalist® MD-200 Series elastomers range from ultra-soft 15 Shore A com-pounds to 80 Shore A grades, avoid the need for pre-drying because they are non-hygroscopic and have a light natural colour that allows effi cient use of colorants. The compounds contain none of the extractable heavy metals commonly used in the curing of thermoset rubber. Because they exhibit lower oxygen absorption than non-vulca-nizate TPEs, they give greater protection

to pharmaceutical contents when used in seals or gaskets for vials.

Medalist MD-200 compounds show greater resilience than other TPEs, perform well in high-temperature end uses and are more chemical-resistant. Most grades in the series adhere well to polypropylene in over-moulding.

Used commercially as a replacement for thermoset rubber in syringe stoppers, Medalist MD-200 compounds meet the requirements of ISO 7886 for single-use hypodermic syringes and exhibit a low co-effi cient of friction for consistent travel force in glass and polypropylene barrels.

• ADVANCED POLYMERS REPRESENTS TEKNOR IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

Low compression set in rubber-replacement applications like stoppers, seals and gaskets

www.materialscience.bayer.com

A NEW thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) developed by Bayer MaterialScience together with the BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing in Berlin, Germany, shows that plastics can also have a memory.

Parts made of such a plastic can be tem-porarily reshaped and fi xed in this shape. When heated to a certain temperature known as the switching temperature, they ‘remember’ their original shape and return to it virtually unchanged. In the case of the new product Desmopan® DP 2795A SMP, the switching temperature is approximately 40°C. The abbreviation SMP stands for the English designation for such plastics: Shape Memory Plastics.

“Given this special property, there are vir-tually no limits to the potential applications for the plastic,” said Jürgen Hättig, head of Business Development for TPU at Bayer MaterialScience. “We can imagine applica-tions in areas ranging from mechanical en-gineering and the automotive, textile, sports and leisure industries to toy manufacturing and aerospace engineering.”

Possible applications include the easy repair of damaged bodywork parts using a hair dryer, remote temperature sensors, artifi cial muscles, hinges, self-loosening screws, packaging and shrink tubing.

The new material could prove useful e.g. in product and brand protection applications. The BAM has used the TPU product to develop labels with engraved and coloured quick response (QR) codes. The codes can only be read if the labels are in their permanent shape. The labels are thus very well suited as a means of storing information to mark and identify prod-ucts in a way that is very diffi cult to counterfeit

Self-erecting fi lm tunnels & counterfeit-proof labelsThe two partners recently submitted a patent applica-tion for a possible applica-tion in the area of functional fi lm tunnels and self-erect-ing structures. Film tunnels in a fi eld act like green-houses and accelerate the growth of lettuces and vegetables so that these can be harvested sooner than is possible if allowed to mature in the classic manner under the open sky.

This is an opportunity for the new shape memory polymer. Profi les made of the new TPU plastic that have tempo-rarily been brought into a fl at shape are fastened to the transparent fi lm. After the fi lm has been laid on the bed, all that’s left to do is to heat the profi les to the switching temperature. They ‘remember’ their bent, permanent shape and pop up to form a half-tunnel, lifting the fi lms with them.

The new material could also prove use-ful in product and brand protection applica-tions. BAM has used the TPU product to develop labels with engraved and coloured quick response (QR) codes. The codes can only be read if the labels are in their

permanent shape. Because the TPU material is free from

plasticizers and antihydrolysis agents, it is also suitable for food contact applications. It also boasts all the typical advantages of TPU, such as high abrasion resistance, fl exibility and good chemical resistance.

Shape memory polymer developed from thermoplastic polyurethane

A plastic that remembersPRODUCTS

www.teknorapex.comwww.medalistmd.com

a brand of maag group



Joesten InternationalP.O. Box 32081540 BrakpanSouth Africa

[email protected]. +27 (11) 915 3269F. +27 (11) 915 3267


Power factor correction can save electrical energy costs and free up electricity supply capacity

Reduce your electricity costs and free up capacity

Power Factor Correction:TECHNICAL

BY ERIC SOLOT: ALPHA POWER SOLUTIONS CC JOHANNESBURG Power factor correction of inductive loadsAn inductive load, such as a motor, draws current from the

supply, which is made up of resistive components and inductive components.The resistive components are: Loss current (small); Load current

The inductive components are: Leakage reactance current (small); Magnetizing current

All current will cause losses in supply and distribution systems. A load with a power factor of 1.0 results in the most effi cient load-ing of the supply and a load with a power factor of 0.5 will result in much higher losses in the supply system. A poor power factor can be the result of a signifi cant phase difference between the voltage and current at the load terminals.

Poor load current phase angle is generally the result of an induc-tive load such as an induction motor, power transformer, lighting ballasts, welder or induction furnace. A poor power factor due to an inductive load can be improved by the addition of power factor correction.

A poor power factor can also be caused by a high harmonic con-tent or distorted/discontinuous current waveform. A distorted current waveform can be the result of a rectifi er, variable speed drive, switched mode power supply, discharge lighting or other electronic load. The power factor of a load with a distorted current waveform requires a change in equipment design or expensive harmonic fi lters to gain an appreciable improvement.

Up until fairly recently, the return on investment for power factor correction equipment in commercial and industrial

applications was unacceptably long for most company.Avoidance of wasteful electricity demand and consumption was in the past not given the attention it deserves and energy effi ciency has only very recently become a strategic objective for most companies. The signifi cant electricity tariff increases introduced in recent years have made investments in power factor correction very attractive for most commercial and industrial consumers.

What is power factor?Power factor (also referred to as cosine phi) is the ratio

between the active load power (KW) and the apparent load power (KVA) drawn by an electrical installation. It is a measure of how effectively the current drawn by the load is being converted into useful work output.

1

2

3

The current due to the leakage reactance is dependent on the total current drawn by the motor, but the magnetizing current is independent of the load on the motor. The magnetizing current will typically be between 20% and 60% of the rated full load current of the motor.

The magnetizing current is the current that establishes the fl ux in the iron and is very necessary if the motor is going to operate. The magnetizing current does not actually contribute to the actual work output of the motor. It is the catalyst that allows the motor to work properly. The magnetizing current and the leakage reactance can be considered passenger components of current that will not affect the power drawn by the motor, but will contribute to the power dissipated in the supply and distribution system.

In the interest of reducing the losses in the distribution system, power factor correction is added to neutralize a portion of the mag-netizing current of the motor. Typically, the corrected power factor will be above 0.95. Some municipalities penalize consumers with a poor power factor by charging them for excessive kvarh consumed (>30% of kWh consumed during the same period) and by doing so encourage them to reduce wasted energy by applying power factor correction.

Power factor correction is achieved by the addition of capacitors in parallel with the connected motor circuits and can be applied at the motor (static power factor correction) or at the distribution panel (bulk power factor correction).

The resulting capacitive current is a leading current and is used to cancel the lagging inductive current fl owing from the supply to the inductive load.

Figure 1 – Power triangle

COSӨ kW PFkVA

= = kVA

kW

kvar

Ө

PIU

P

U

I

180° 360° 540° 720° wt

Figure 2 – Phase angle

Figure 3 – Current vectors

MagnetisingCurrent Motor Current

Work Current

Figure 4 – Power factor correction current vectors

MagnetisingCurrent

Motor Current

Work CurrentCapacitor Current

Line Current

www.alphapowersolutions.co.za

Tel: +2711 615 4640 • Fax: +27866 542390Cell: +2772 546 5185E-mail: [email protected]

www.alphapowersolutions.co.za

REDUCED PROFITS

CAPACITY LIMITS

INCREASED BILLS

Help your clients reduce their maximum electrical demand with our trusted products and services.

• 24 month guarantee on our product range• The possibility to enter into service contracts• We provide training if necessary• Free audits of electrical installations• Flawless aftermarket service• A stock of spare parts and complete assemblies• Estimated ROI is between 6 – 18 months

MAXIMUM DEMAND EFFICIENCY


References: [1] Wayne, S., ”Power Factor Correction: a guide for the pant Engineer”, Eaton Corporation, June 2006, pp 3-18. [2] Lex Electrix, www.lexelectrix.comBibliography: Wakileh, G.J., Power system harmonics, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 2001

Bulk power factor correctionWhen bulk power factor correction is applied, the power factor

of the total current supplied to the distribution board is monitored by a controller which then automatically switches capacitor banks in a fashion to maintain a power factor better than a pre-set limit (typically between 0.95 and 0.98).

Eric Solot, author of this report, holds a Master of Applied Engineering (Electrotechnology) from the University College in Ghent (Belgium). At present he is the managing director of Alpha Power Solutions, which specialises in power factor correction and harmonic fi ltration, based in Johannesburg

3.1

Static power factor correctionAs a large proportion of the inductive or lagging current on the

supply is due to the magnetizing current of induction motors, it is easy to correct each individual motor by connecting the correction capaci-tors to the motor starters.

3.2

Ideally, the power factor should be as close to unity as possible. There is no problem with general correction operating at unity (even though this is usually not the most cost effective target power factor), but correction should not be applied to an unloaded or lightly loaded transformer. If correction is applied to an unloaded transformer, you create a high ‘Q’ resonant circuit between the leakage reactance of the transformer and the capacitors and destructive high voltages can result.

With static correction, it is important that the capacitive current is less than the inductive magnetizing current of the induction motor. In many installations employing static power factor correction, the correction capacitors are connected directly in parallel with the motor windings. When the motor is Off Line, the capacitors are also Off Line.

When the motor is connected to the supply, the capacitors are also connected providing correction at all times that the motor is connected to the supply. This removes the requirement for any expensive power factor monitoring and control equipment.

PART II OF THIS ARTICLE, FOCUSSED ON INDUSTRIES THAT BENEFIT MOST FROM POWER FACTOR CORRECTION, WILL BE PUBLISHED IN OUR NEXT ISSUE.

Figure 5 – Bulk power factor correction

Figure 6 – Static power factor correction

PMS PLASTICS recently installed an LG850, LG550 and LG350 injection mould-ing machines at First National Battery in East London.

The LG850 and LGH550 are the ‘M’ Series – two platen energy saving models. The two platen machines with a highly accurate hydro-mechanical locking system provide high effi ciency and low running costs. The machines require 26% less space, less hydraulic oil and with the easy to maintain LG unique clamping mechanism, it enables the clamp pressure to increase via four short stroke high pressure clamp-ing cylinders, improving cycle times due to short pressure build up times. The four short stroke clamping cylinders are situated in the stationary platen.

The HICOM 5000 closed loop controller provides statistical process control with a se-lection of 10 parameters for last 100 shots, a self-diagnosis alarm and monitoring, internal memory and external access through USB, as well as ethernet access.

“The on-time delivery was followed up with a site visit by the competent commis-sioning team who ensured a quick and smooth start-up of each machine and pro-

EQUIPMENT


www.pmsplastics.co.za

Stuart Sutherland (PMS Plastics technician) with happy First National Battery clients Clint Liebrum (technician), Martin van Rensburg (production manager) and Elvis Sakuba (plant manager) where three new LG injection moulding machines were recently installed

vided the necessary training of the machine operators and maintenance teams. These machines are well suited to our high volume moulding requirements,” said Martin van Rensburg of First National Battery.

PMS Plastics has represented LG in South Africa for 15 years. The Korean-man-ufactured LG machines are becoming well

liked in the SA market for their high quality, reliability, user friendly operation and cost effi ciency.

LG supply full electric machines up to 550 tons and hydraulic machines with servo driven pumps up to 3 000 tons clamping.

Multotec install LG850 injection moulding machineMultotec’s John Keegan and Wolfgang Langenstein with Peter Wolber of PMS Plastics at Multotec where an LG850 ton injection moulding machine was recently installed by PMS Plastics. The high-tech LG850 ton injection moulding machine is designed and supplied with a 1 300 ton injection unit to achieve a 9kg shot weight in polyurethane with a special screw design for this application to prevent frictional heat and degradation of the material. This is the third LG installed by PMS Plastics at Multotec for the production of polyure-thane components for the mining industry locally and abroad. Wolfgang Langenstein of Multotec said that the high accuracy and reliability of the LG machines met the specifi cation demands required on their polyurethane products, many of which have large metal inserts which are overmoulded. He added that PMS Plastics are the ideal partners for the supply of their machine requirements because of their technical expertise, exceptional back-up and after-sales service.

www.pmsplastics.co.za

High end performance with a small footprintThe Objet30 Pro is a 3D printer that combines the accuracy and versatility of a high-end rapid prototyping machine with the small footprint of a regular desktop printer and unique capabilities, including the industry’s highest level print resolution and seven different 3D printing materials.

In fact, the Objet30 Pro is the world’s only desktop 3D printer capable of printing in clear transparent material, high-temper-ature resistant material and polypropylene-like material. Featuring a compact built

tray size of 300 x 200 x 150 mm, the Objet30 Pro is ideal for the rapid prototyping needs of companies producing consumer goods and electronics and medical devices, as well as Rapid Prototyping service bureaus and design consultancies.

Built with 7 materials – 12-year-old Sebastian O’Hara displays the model car built with 7 different Objet materials on the Objet30 Pro. Each part was

printed separately so the car could be built as a kit.

www.objet.com

LG injection moulding3 newmachines at First National Battery

Brand-New Premium Injection Moulding Machines All Electric Injection Moulding Machines

UNIQUE Two-Platen Injection Moulding Machines Toggle Injection Moulding Machines withEnergy-saving Servo System

PROGRESSIVE Components, a lead-ing global supplier of mould components for production tooling, has introduced an electronic mould monitoring device called the CVe Monitor™.

This mould management device moni-tors more than just mould cycles complet-ed. It gathers specifi c data which can either be viewed by toggling through the mould monitor’s onboard display screen or by downloading the information by connecting the monitor to a PC via the monitor’s mini-USB port.

The following data is shown on the display and can be toggled by pressing a button on the CVe: total cycles cycle time: life of the tool cycle time: past 25 000 cycles activity percentage: life of the tool activity percentage: past 25 000 cycles

The monitor includes a resettable cycle count meter that can be used for short run verifi cation of cycles versus parts manufactured.

Maximum utilization of the monitor’s full potential is attained when information is

New CVe monitor for tracking mould activityMould management device provides useful insights into mould’s performance

EQUIPMENT


With the new CVe and On Demand Software, various reports can be generated which provide useful insights into the mould’s performance

downloaded. This allows various reports to be generated which provide useful insights into the mould’s performance.

To access this facility, the ‘On-Demand’ software needs to be downloaded. This software is provided free of charge with the purchase of each monitor.

The software’s reporting capabilities mean that users can generate and save reports locally or on a network. Users also have the option to send emails to manage-ment, customers or OEM’s when the re-ports are run. The reports are saved in both encrypted Excel and PDF formats. The reports use data from the CVe to provide weekly views of the mould’s performance, including the cycle times, up and down times for the life of the tool and the last 25 000 cycles.

An important feature is that mould drawings, along with any other relevant documents, can be stored on the monitor’s 2 GB internal fl ash drive. This means that wherever in the world the mould is, there is a complete record of its history, as well as making all technical drawings easily accessible to whoever may need them. Confi dentiality is protected by means of

a password control feature. This is of im-mense benefi t to OEM’s who use different moulders to produce their goods.

To facilitate ‘retro-fi tting’ the CVe requires the same pocket size as the popular part-ing line mechanical CVPL CounterViews and it has a battery life of 50 000 hours (5 years).

The software works with Windows XP or Windows 7 platforms and can be installed on any computer in the plant. The user of the software needs to register and will receive a username and password to run the software throughout the company. • View the new YouTube video at:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5_9icvkLaE&feature=plcp

• FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT MOULD & DIE SOLUTIONS AT TEL: 021 555 2701

www.m-d-s.co.za

www.procomps.co.za

moulds & components

runnerless solutions

die sets

surface fi nishing

customized solutions

www.dmeeu.com

Delivering Superior SolutionsSupplying the industry’s broadest range

of general mould components

www.m-d-s.co.za

Contact: Mould & Die Solutions

P.O. Box 669, Edgemead 7407, Cape Town, South Africa

Tel: 021 555 2701 | Fax: 021 555 2707 | [email protected]

Plastics_SA_210x297mm_Aug.indd 1 7/5/2012 11:00:46 AM

WILVIC Plastics, a Battenfeld customer of long standing based in Krugersdorp, relies entirely on Wittmann Battenfeld for high-tech applications.

Established in 1993, Wilvic Plastics is a producer of complete system solutions in plastics, ranging from product design, pro-totyping and in-house mould making up to mass production of the plastic components. Its main outlets for the products are in the mining industry, with renowned customers such as Caterpillar, but some components are also sold to the automotive, security, irrigation and sanitary installation industries.

The main market is the US market, with roughly 60% share of total sales. The remaining sales are realized primarily in the domestic market and in Australia. The company’s production fl oor space is 2 400 m², with an additional 700m² taken up by in-house mould making and 800m² for offi ce space. The company is owned by the Bogdanovic family and employs 43 associates.

Wilvic’s top priorities in manufacturing its products are high standards of quality and precision. The company is striving for com-petence and top performance in all areas, whether it is customer relations, continuous innovation based on latest trends in the industry, or production processes. State-of-the-art technology is used in all areas, too, from product development and mould making to injection moulding.

Wilvic processes high-quality polymers. Many of the components are fi berglass-reinforced. The high quality of the raw material used ensures that the products meet the most stringent demands in terms of moisture absorption, abrasion resistance or thermal resistance.

For 2013, the ISO-9001-certifi ed com-pany is now seeking environmental certifi -cation as well. This will make Wilvic one of the fi rst injection moulding plants in South Africa to obtain such certifi cation.

Wilvic manufactures its high-tech prod-ucts with a total of 34 injection moulding machines, most of which are from Witt-

Wilvicuses Wittmann Battenfeld machinesWilvic Plastics manufactures high-tech products with 34 injection moulding machines, most from Wittmann Battenfeld

EQUIPMENT


Wilvic manufactures high-tech products with a total of 34 injection moulding machines, most of which are from Wittmann Battenfeld

mann Battenfeld. Bogdan Bogdanovic, the company’s managing partner, has divided his production programme into ‘high-tech’ and ‘low-tech’ sectors. Battenfeld machines are used exclusively in the high-tech sec-tor. The newer machines all come from Wittmann Battenfeld’s hydraulic HM series, with clamping forces ranging from 110 to 180 tons.

“For our high-tech sector, Wittmann Battenfeld is defi nitely our fi rst choice,” said a satisfi ed Bogdanovic.

In view of rising energy costs, Wilvic will focus more on energy-effi cient produc-tion in future and is considering the use of machines from Wittmann Battenfeld’s

ServoPower series. These are hydraulic machines incorporating a highly dynamic servo motor with a substantially higher degree of effi ciency and an internal gear pump with fi xed displacement, instead of a three-phase motor with constant speed and an adjustable axial piston pump. In this system, the delivery is regulated exclusively via the motor speed and it is possible to set the optimal speed required for every operating point.

Edmund Kirsch, area sales manager at Wittmann Battenfeld, Stephan Janse

van Vuuren, production manager at Wil-vic Plastics, Barend Bogdanovic, plant

manager at Wilvic Plastics and Keith Reading, sales director with Mouldplas

www.wilvic.co.za

www.wittmann-group.com

VISIT US AT

AFRIMOLD 10 -12 OCTOBER

2012

Affordable Technology for Packaging


EQUIPMENT

& innovative technologieschallenging applications

Every aspect of injection moulding technology and automation solutions highlighted

www.engelglobal.com

THE international injection moulding industry gathered in Austria on 13 and 14 June for the Engel Symposium 2012 in St. Valentin and Linz. With challenging applications and innovative technologies showcased on 18 exhibits, presenta-tions on the megatrends of the future in injection moulding, an exhibition by partner companies, and the HL Awards Ceremony 2012, the Engel Symposium is a highlight of the year.

More than 2 700 guests from 35 countries visited the exhibition which covered automotive, technical moulding, teletronics, packag-ing and medical business units.

This was the fi rst time that Engel dem-onstrated the Dolphin process for manu-facturing premium automobile interior parts with a ‘Softtouch’ surface at its large-scale machine factory in St. Valen-tin; the fi rst series production application had not been launched until autumn last year. More than anything else, the size

machine for maximum precision require-ments in technical moulding. This was topped off by giving visitors a peek into the future of automotive lightweight construc-tion in the production of brake pedals using an innovative insitu polymerisation technology on a prototype machine.

of the Engel duo 1500 combi M injection moulding machine and its high degree of automation and process integration impressed the visitors.

No less impressive was the production of extremely thin-walled and at the same time highly decorated laptop covers in a clean room, the high degree of integration offered by a production cell for manufac-turing lamp housings including a bead

seal on a minimal footprint, and the two-metre tall mould for manufacturing wringing forks for fl oor mops using the Engel gasmelt process, which can be implemented on a comparatively small Engel victory injection

moulding machine with a clamping force of just 500 tons thanks to the use of tie-bar-less technology.

Two machine types celebrated their fi rst airing at the symposium: the electri-fi ed variant of the Engel duo large-scale machine, Engel e-duo, and the new, all-electric Engel e-mac injection moulding

THE ENGEL HL Awards 2012 were presented in June against the backdrop of the Engel Symposium 2012. This year’s prize winners leveraged the benefi ts of tie-bar-less technology, mainly to achieve greater cost-effi ciency in production. The HL Awards in Gold, Silver and Bronze went to Volkswagen in Wolfsburg/Germa-ny, O.C.S.A. in Creazzo/Italy and Anton in Zalaegerszeg/Hungary.

The HL Awards are Engel’s acknowl-edgement of excellent applications with Engel tie-bar-less injection moulding machines. The tie-bar-less technology that Engel introduced to its Victory series of machines more than 20 years ago not only supports particularly effi cient produc-tion concepts, but also inspires more and more users to develop totally new process ideas. This year’s jury members closely

scrutinized the deployed technologies, the progressiveness of the applications and the economic benefi ts compared with legacy machines. The jury comprised Prof Dr Christian Bonten, head of the Uni-versity of Stuttgart’s Institute of Plastics Technology (IKT), Thomas Bründl, CEO of starlim/sterner in Marchtrenk/Austria, and Joachim Rönisch, the publisher of K Magazine, Hanover.

Innovative applications on tie-bar-less machines

More than 2 700 guests from 35 countries visited

the exhibition which covered automotive, technical moulding,

teletronics, packaging and medical business units.

ENGEL HL Awards 2012

ENGEL SHOWCASES


Engel e motion 100 T

Engel viper 90

Engle e-duo 500

Medical applications

Thin-walled

laptop covers and Kindle eReader

covers produced using Engel technology

Engel s-duo 700

Brake pedals produced using an innovative insitu polymerisation technology on a prototype machine

MEDICAL

Engel e-victory

120 combi

AUTOMOTIVE

TELETRONICS

PACKAGING

Caps and buckets made using Engel technology

EQUIPMENT

Twice as fast as the competitor It’s not just in the automotive indus-

try, but also in packaging that fast cycle times are a precondition for good competitive ability. Tie-bar-less technol-ogy inspired mould maker and injection moulder O.C.S.A. from Creazzo/Italy to create a unique mould design. Thanks to it, O.C.S.A. produces coffee capsules for

SILVER AWARD

Multiple, optimum use of tie-bar-less benefi ts

The HL Award 2012 in Gold went to Volkswagen who used the benefi ts

of tie-bar-less technology in two different ways in the production of components for fuel fi ller door modules for the Golf, Golf Estate and Golf Plus models. Firstly, the extremely large moulds use the whole of the mould fi xing platens’ surfaces and even protrude beyond them at the sides. Secondly, the large grippers on the han-dling robot can reach into the mould space without interference. Both factors ensure that the production cell has a minimal

GOLD AWARD

Volkswagen uses the whole of the mould fi xing platens’ surfaces. This factor ensures that the production cell has a minimal footprint.

Clamping force of 400 tonnes instead of 600 The HL Award 2012 in Bronze went

to Anton in Zalaegerszeg/Hungary. Thanks to tie-bar-less technology, Anton

can now position no less than four injec-tion units on a machine with just 400 tons clamping force, while at the same time combining multiple-component injection moulding with insert-placing technology.

BRONZE AWARD

Thanks to tie-bar-less technology, Anton can now position no less than four injection units on a machine with just 400 tons clamping force, while at the same time combining multiple-component injection moulding with insert-placing technology (PICTURE: ENGEL)

footprint. At the same time, free access for the robots considerably reduces the cycle time.

The award-winning production cell comprises two tie-bar-less injection moulding machines – ENGEL victory 750/400 tech and ENGEL victory 1050/400 tech – and two Kuka KR 60 multiple-axis robots. To produce the in-serts for the fuel fi ller doors, fi rst the base body made of 30% glass fi bre reinforced

espresso machines by illycaffè twice as fast as its competitor, and was thus able to secure contract awards for more of illycaffè’s projects.

The core of the capsule, the polypropyl-ene and TPE coffee holder, is injected on an Engel victory 1350H/200W/220 combi machine in a 32+32x rotary plate mould. The key to reducing cycle times is cooling the hard component. To accelerate this process, in-house mould making replaced

The Engel victory 1050H/330W/200V/400 combi is used to produce hous-ings for electric manual tools by Anton’s largest customer, Bosch. After an Engel viper 20 linear robot has insert-placed the metal inserts into the 2+2x rotary plate mould, the left and right housing shells are fi rst injected from green PP GF30. Following this, the mould rotates to a second position where the three following components are applied in a single step using corepulls:

fi rst the red Bosch label (PP GF30), then black, and fi nally grey TPE S on the handle surfaces. Anton requested quotations for various injection moulding machine types for the mould, which measures 1250 x 910 x 900 mm. Legacy machines were planned with clamping forces between 600 and 800 tons. With the tie-bar-less 400 tons Engel victory machine, Anton not only saved on cost of investment, the smaller machine also offers savings in ongoing operations.

polypropylene is injected. The second machine then adds an EPDM seal. Technologically, a very challenging combination of materials!

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the cooling water supply hoses with thicker pipes. They jut out upward through the mould area and are directly connected to the cooling unit. Because there are no tie-bars in the way, the pipes can easily follow the motion of the rotary plate.

Tie-bar-less technology inspired O.C.S.A. to create a unique mould design. Thanks to it, the injection moulder produces coffee capsules for espresso machines by illycaffè twice as fast as its competitor. (PICTURE: ENGEL)

74

ENGEL HL Awards 2012

KRAUSSMAFFEI Berstorff is offering even more effi cient wear resistance for all parallel and conical twin-screw extruders with the plasma powder arc welding process (PTA) for coating the top-root edges of counter-rotating twin screws.

“By using the plasma powder arc welding process, we can minimize the naturally occurring adhesive wear in counter-rotating twin-screw extruders and increase the ma-chine service times enormously”, stressed Dr Liebhold, head of extrusion technol-ogy at KraussMaffei Berstorff. “A software developed specially for this application permits continuous welding even with in-cline changes in the fl ights to be coated and welding of the runouts depending on the selected screw geometry”, he explained.

The system is designed for machining screws with diameters ranging between 43 and 184 mm. Counter-rotating twin-screw extruders transport the material almost completely in the axial direction in an en-closed chamber system.

The speed and pressure conditions caused by the system result in a so-called

calendar effect with fl ow conditions in the comb-out area of the screws. In both the solids and melt handling areas, this calendar fl ow under high surface pressures leads to adhesive wear effects resulting from the screw shafts being pushed apart, and the screw shafts can only support themselves on the barrel. As a result of this abrasive wear mechanism, permanent damage can be caused during manufac-turing to screws and barrels, which can sometimes lead to a complete failure of the system.

Optimized welding process param-eters such as the current in relation to the screw outer diameter and the customized composition of the fl ux powder ensure the production of PTA-molybdenum hard facing that is practically free of cracks with the lowest possible dilution especially in the outer areas of the weld.

KraussMaffei Berstorff also offers a PTA-produced high-wearing surface coating for all parallel twin-screw extruders with tungsten-carbide reinforcement. Tungsten-carbide coatings are used for heavy adhe-

sive wear, for example for the processing of natural fi bre composites for decking profi les. As a result, the KraussMaffei Berstorff twin-screw extruders for WPC processing achieve much higher service times compared with standard machines which, depending on the formulation and correct operation of the machines, can add between 12 000 and 20 000 operating hours.

• PLASTIC & CHEMICAL TRADING CC ARE THE SA AGENTS, TEL: 011 483 3015

www.kraussmaffeiberstorff.com

Effi ciencies in raw material identifi cationPLASTICS fundis gathered recently at a workshop presented to showcase the abili-ties of a handheld plastics analyzer. Hosted by United Spectrometer Technologies, the workshop focused on the next generation of handheld spectrometers that can be used for raw materials identifi cation.

Michael Gallagher, product and applica-tions specialist with Thermo Fisher Scientif-ic shared best practices using cutting edge

technology to achieve effi cient raw material identifi cation in a GMP environment.

The Thermo Scientifi c microPHAZIR PC is a handheld NIR material analyzer designed for rapid onsite plastic material identifi cation. The 1.25kg analyzer is battery powered and completely self-contained for portable analysis and is ergonomically de-signed for the expert and non-technical user alike. The handheld unit can identify most

common plastic types, including PLA, PET, PP, PS, ABS, PI, PSO, PE, PPS, TPV, PTT,PC, PMP, PBT, PA (nylon), PETG, SAN, EVA, PB, PPO, CA, PMMA, PUR, PI, PVC, PLA, Ionomer, Styrenic terpolymer, Elastomer, POM, Nylon and ABS.

www.ustech.co.za

EQUI

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handheld NIR material

analyzer designed for rapid

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identifi cation

United Spectrometer Technologies MD Jacques le Roux with Thermo Fisher Scientifi c’s Anna Tshwene and guest speaker Michael Gallagher

Alan de Haas and Donnevan Espag of Mpact Recycling attended the workshop

Nilesh Ozarkar (Extrupet recycling), Steve Benjamin (remade recycling) and Vasant Aher (Extrupet recycling) were also there

76

resistance in twin-screw extruders

Effi cient wear

Plasma transferred arc welding system and traverse

and axial closed system with counter-rotating twin-screw extruder

Minimize naturally occurring adhesive wear in counter-rotating twin-screw extruders, increase machine service times greatly

A-PETwhere quality is action

THE Danish robot arm UR5 from Universal Robots recently won an international robot competition at the largest global automa-tion exhibition ‘Automatica’ in Germany. Hundreds of companies in Europe and Asia use the innovative robot from Univer-sal Robots to automate their production.

In a cutthroat competition with robots from Japan, USA, Germany and England, the UR5 robot from Danish Universal Robots has now been elected as the world’s most innovative robot. The award is also recognition of the record growth that the company behind the new fl exible robot arm has obtained since 2008.

An expert jury from the two international

robot organizations, The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, paid tribute to inventor, Esben Østergaard, by handing him a statuette for Invention and Entrepreneurship in Robotics and Automa-tion Award.

The UR5 is safe, user-friendly and fl exible because it can work side by side with employees, increasing effi ciency. The jury did, however, also stress the fact that Universal Robots has made it possible for small and medium-sized companies to au-tomate production, because the UR robots are both reasonable in price and easy to implement in production.

Robot wins global prestige award

Inventor, Esben Østergaard, who won the Invention and Entrepreneurship in Robotics and Automation Award

for the robot arm UR5 he designed for Universal Robots

Makes it possible for small and medium-sized companies to automate production

Global breakthroughIn 2011, Universal Robots really had their breakthrough when the company sold 400 robots globally. This year, the robot producer expects to at least double sales.

The name of the company behind the innovative robot in itself explains why the robots are so popular. The robots are universal in the sense that everybody is able to use them all over the world and for all kinds of automation tasks, and that is exactly what one of the inventors, Esben Østergaard, set out to do.

• UNIVERSAL ROBOTS IS REPRESENTED BY PLASQUIP IN SOUTH AFRICA.

www.universal-robots.com

All-round successMOTAN-colortronic has made another invest-ment – this time in the enhancement of the Luxor series of dryers. The drying bin access door is now rounded, aligned with the outer contour and the radius of the drying bin respectively. In addition, the insulation of all thermal sections of the drying bin has been reengineered. These design improve-ments apply to all drying bins between 100 litre and 2 400 litre capacity.

With the new design the possibility of mate-

www.motan-colortronic.de

the door – is made of a temperature-resistant insulating material which is several centimetres thick. As an encapsulated insulation pack, it her-metically seals the cavity between the inner and outer wall of the drying bin. The door hinges are adjustable to guarantee hermetic sealing – with-out any loss of heat – and can be turned 180° in two stages. The fi rst 90° closes and locks the door; the second stage seals the door.

• PLASQUIP IS THE SA AGENT FOR MOTAN-COLORTRONIC

The door hinges on the newly designed Luxor dryers are now adjustable to guarantee hermetic sealing – without any loss of heat. (PHOTOS: MOTAN-COLORTRONIC)

78

rial hang-up in the bin has been com-pletely eliminated as there are no edges, recesses or indentations where material can get trapped. Faster material change-overs are possible as there is no need for elaborate cleaning. The 2mm thick stainless steel drying bin surface in contact with the material is glass pearl-blasted and smooth. Laser welded joints with totally fl at weld beads and point connections support an even, fast and clean trouble-free mate-rial fl ow.

The fully insulated drying bin – including

MIDRAND-based TDM Solutions has in-troduced the ZW3D 2012 all-in-one, CAD/CAM solution to South Africa. ZW3D 2012 has over 180 000 users in 80 countries worldwide. And at a fraction of the expect-ed costs, more design and manufacturing companies in SA can access this powerful integrated CAD/CAM solution.

Unlike other packages on the market ZW3D 2012 Premium Edition offers a full solution, solid design, assembly design, hybrid design, drafting design, reverse engineering, core & cavity design and sheet metal. Included is 2-axis lathe and 3-axis surface machining modules. An optional module can be added if multi-axis machining is needed.

ZWsoft who publish ZW3D 2012 has had over 100 new features added and 140 improvements on its predecessor. ZW3D 2012 is easy to use and comes with ‘Show-n-Tell™’ tutorials which help to shorten the learning curve and reduce training costs.

ZW3D 2012 can import all major CAD fi le formats including SolidWorks, NX, Ca-tia V4 & V5, Inventor, Pro/E, IGES, STEP, STL, DXF & DWG. ZW3D 2012 can also export Parasolid & 3D-PDF formats.

ZW3D 2012 can be used in any indus-try that requires design and manufacturing

All-in-one affordable CAD/CAM solutionEQUIPMENT

capabilities. Typical industry sectors would be tool die & mould, small engineering shops, reverse engineering agencies, industrial design companies, the mining sector and educational institutes.

ZW3D 2012 is available for a free 30 day trial. A student version has also been launched, giving students the ability to

improve their CAD/CAM skills, which can only help with their future employment opportunities.

• TEL: TDM SOLUTIONS AT 011 805 9627

www.up.ac.za/chemengUniversiteit van Pretoria • University of Pretoria • Yunibesithi ya PretoriaPrivaatsak • Private Bag X20 Hatfield 0028 • Suid-Afrika • South Africa • Afrika BorwaTel: +27 (0) 12 420 4111 • Fax: +27 (0) 12 420 4555

Take the first step on the road to innovation!

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By specialising in Advanced Materials and in particular Polymer Technology, prospective students are assured of study leadership by acclaimed academics with strong research records in their fields of expertise.

Lectures are presented in block format to accommodate students working full time. A wide range of post-graduate modules are available, including:

• Chemical Product Design • Polymer Materials Science• Polymer Processing• Polymer Additive Technology• Fluoromaterials Science• Carbon Materials Science and Technology

Through the Institute of Applied Materials (IAM), students have access to excellent facilities for their postgraduate training.

The Department of Chemical Engineering offers research opportunities towards masters’ or PhD degrees for suitable candidates. These include:

• MEng/PhD (Chemical Engineering) • MSc/PhD (Applied Science)

Enquire about the availability of bursaries.

Course brochures can be downloaded from the websites of the Institute of Applied Materials (www.iam.up.ac.za) and the Department of Chemical Engineering (www.up.ac.za/chemeng).

The Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Pretoria offers honours degrees (following on bachelors’ degrees) that will prepare materials scientists, engineers and polymer technologists to play an active role in the commercial world and the field of applied research.

For more information please contact: Prof Walter Focke • Email: [email protected] • www.iam.up.ac.za

www.tdmsolutions.co.za

Photo realistic CAD rendering of a crankshaft using ZW3D


AT NPE 2012, Kreyenborg Plant Technology of Germany dis-played its latest addition to their IRD technology, the IR Batch, which uses very effi cient short-wave infrared radiation instead of hot air as a heat source.

For several years now, Infrared-Drum Dryers have proven themselves as superior technology in many PET applications. Advantages include energy effi ciency, short residence time and fl exibility through its abil-ity to handle various material forms and properties. Last but not least, ease of op-eration and reliability of crystallization and drying are advantages reported most often by IRD customers.

IRDs are often used in PET applications such as cast fi lm, thermoforming sheet, strapping and recycling production.

Continuous Kreyenborg IRDs are also successfully installed as crystallizers of colour masterbatch. Normally, companies using continuous IRDs in PET masterbatch are running large quantities and do not change the colour very often. The smaller model IRD-A is also used as a crystallizer for quantities up to 150 kg/hr. Frequent colour changes require adaptations to en-able proper and suffi cient cleaning as well as quick start up times.

Often, colour masterbatch companies are asked to deliver hundreds of different colours and sometimes very small lots.

Thus, conventional, agitated mixing crystal-lizers were not reliable, as the start-up of such systems with amorphous material is a defi nite challenge. These conventional systems were originally built for semi-continuous silo-type ‘FiFo’ principal working crystallizing jobs in the injection moulding in-dustry. In these semi-continuous processes, the start-up of the system is not an issue, as crystallized material for the start-up process is usually available.

When these systems are started with amorphous MB, the material tends to clump

in the cone due to poor agitation in this area which often results in broken or jammed mixing elements. As a result, the system has to be completely disas-sembled, cleaned,

and fi xed, and in these cases the small lot of MB material is negatively affected, unable to be sold at a higher price.

These issues do not exist when IRDs are used for crystallization.

Most colour masterbatch companies are interested in a system for crystalliza-tion of colour masterbatch off-line. The market mainly asks for small quantities and throughputs. Different colours, different loads of colour, and the fi nal converting application for the masterbatch require differ-ent processing conditions for the crystallizer. Due to their reaction to heat, IR radiation in particular, some colours can be heated quickly over the glass transition point while others require a very gentle and rather long

Crystallization of PET masterbatches

heating process in this part of the processing window.

A small IRD-A type for small throughputs offer little options to adjust the process accord-ing to various MB types. It offers only one temperature zone and a limited drum rotation speed adjustment.

Even larger machines of an IRD-B type offer a maximum of three different tempera-ture zones for running a temperature profi le but only a small process window for the drum rotation speed as well. Therefore, the amount of mechanical mixing energy cannot be varied through the length of the drum.

Materials which are diffi cult to heat up can really challenge the processing limits of such continuous IRDs. Such diffi cult materials may include specifi c colours and/or PET copolymer types for special applications. The IRD may not offer enough residence time or mechani-cal mixing energy to produce perfectly crystal-lized granules, for example ‘twins’ of granules which were melted together can exist.


EQUIPMENT

IR Batch, more than just a perfect crystallizer

IRDs are often used in PET applications such as cast fi lm, thermoforming

sheet, strapping and recycling production.

Example of a continuous working IRD with 2 temperature zones

Processing sequence of the IR Batch System

Conventional crystallizer with limited agitation in the lower cone


Challenging applications no problemThese really challenging applications can be perfectly crystallized in the IR Batch. As opposed to the continuous working IRD types, the IR Batch operates in a discontinuous or batch principle. A defi ned batch size is fed into the drum and then heated up by a preset temperature profi le to the crystallization temperature while the drum is rotating. After fi nishing the crystallization, the material is discharged by a counter-rotational movement of the drum. Once emptied, the machine is ready for the next crystallization cycle and can be fed with new material again.

The discontinuous process has some important advantages for materials which are diffi cult to crystallize. As it is not directly linked to an inline process, the drum rota-tional speed can be increased as high as possible to achieve an excellent mixing of the pellets during the critical crystallization phase.

The typical sequence is a fast heating of the PET Masterbatch in the beginning. Therefore the drum rotation is relatively slow and the IR radiator power of the system is higher. Once the material gets to the criti-cal crystallization temperature of between

104°C and 135°C, the speed of the drum is increased to a much higher rotational speed to avoid any clumping of the material and assure a very good cross mixing of the material. After the material is through this critical section, the radiator power or heat can be increased again to fi nish the crystalli-zation process, meanwhile the drum rotation can be slowed down again. Typically this crystallization process is fi nished after 15 – 20 min, depending on the material.

After fi nishing the process, the IR Batch will automatically discharge the drum and begin the sequence again by refi lling the drum. A pneumatic slide gate will open the dosing hopper and new material will be loaded into the drum. While the crystal-lization/heating process starts again, the machine will meanwhile refi ll the dosing hopper for the next cycle. With the operation of the IR Batch running automatically and in a closed loop, the throughput rate (i.e. for 14kg/15min) will result in a total average throughput of 54kg/hr.

The automatic refi lling as well as all relevant parameters for the different temperature ramps is fully integrated in the state-of-the-art Touch Screen control. Once parameters and temperature profi les are

found for a specifi c material, theses settings can be saved as recipes in the control system.

A common side-effect of highly-fi lled masterbatches is the electrostatic loading of the pellets. In order to avoid sticking from electrostatic effects, Kreyenborg Plant Tech-nology developed a special Masterbatch Package for the IR Batch which includes an ionization unit to neutralize electrostatic loadings within the material.

Besides the critical behaviour of highly-fi lled or modifi ed PET masterbatches, the cleaning of processing equipment can be one of the most important and time consum-ing details. The IR Batch can be opened completely, and the Infrared module slides out on a separate frame. The drum with the simple mixing elements has no hidden spots and can be cleaned easily with a vacuum cleaner or compressed air. This enables the operator to have a very quick change from one material to another.

Variables drum speed, radiator power and process time in the IR Batch process, total process time 17 minutes Easy access to the drum for cleaning purposes

Automatic refi lling of the machine

www.kreyenborg.de

WITH its new Multi-Touch polishing stack, battenfeld-cincinnati, Bad Oeynhausen/Vienna, has developed an optimal solution for fi lm producers who are not prepared to compromise on fi lm quality even at high line speeds. Thanks to an absolutely innovative concept, a high degree of transparency, excellent fl atness and an extremely even fi lm thickness can now be achieved for a great variety of materials, such as PS, PET or PP, as well as EVA or laminated products.

As is the case in all sectors of the extrusion industry, outstanding effi ciency in the production process is also a must in fi lm extrusion today. The demand is for higher and higher output with optimized product quality. Criteria such as transpar-ency, high gloss and fl at-ness are vital factors especially in the production of packaging sheet for thermoformed prod-ucts. At the same time, fi lm and sheet producers want to be able to respond as fl exibly as possible to the diversity of incoming orders.

The main idea in the design of this new polishing stack was derived from the as-sumption that infi nite line speeds could be realized with an infi nite number of gaps for fi nal calibration. In the Multi-Touch pol-ishing stack, this idea has been put into practice with a two-roll polishing stack for preliminary calibration, followed by three,

fi ve or seven rolls for fi nal calibration. The fi rst two rolls come with a large

diameter to minimize defl ection. They are followed by smaller rolls to achieve fl at, stress-free fi lm and sheet. In contrast to the well-established, conventional three-roll polishing stacks, the Multi-Touch polishing stack provides absolutely even, consistent contact between the fi lm and the rolls even at maximum line speeds, which ensures optimal cooling of both sides of the fi lm.

The greater number of post-cooling gaps provides a reliable means to even out fi lm thickness tolerances. In this way, fi lm can be produced with maximum transparency, excellent fl atness with only few orientations, and a uniform thickness profi le.

Thin-walled chill rolls with small roll diameters are used to facilitate easy handling, with a simultaneous increase in cooling performance. They offer the same hardness and line load capacity as con-ventional rolls, yet operate signifi cantly more effi ciently.

The fi rst Multi-Touch polishing stack has been up and running on the produc-tion fl oor of a major German fi lm producer since autumn 2011. The polishing stack is now available with up to 7 post-cooling chill rolls for outputs of up to 3 600 kg/h for PP.

No compromise!


EQUIPMENT

Optimal contact between rollers and fi lm yields improved transparency

www.battenfeld-cincinnati.com

The new Multi-Touch polishing stack from battenfeld-cincinnati yields excellent fi lm quality attributes together with high output

POLYMER INDUSTRIES of Alabama, USA, one of the fastest growing polyolefi n sheet

manufacturers in the world, has recently installed a new sheet line from Davis Standard

of the USA to produce HMW (high molecular weight) HDPE, PP, pipe-grade HDPE and LDPE

sheet. Polymer Industries is one of the only suppliers in the industry to offer 3.7m-plus

wide HMW sheet as well as equal sales in both HDPE extruded sheet and UHMW pressed sheet.

The new Davis-Stanard system produces HMWHDPE sheet at rates of 635kgs/hour for

making commercial dump truck liners. The system features a 200mm Thermatic® air-cooled

extruder, DSB® barrier screw with cavity transfer mixer, temperature control panel, screenchanger package and 4,1m) EX-M-PLAR® sheet rollstand

system. The EX-M-PLAR gives the ability to achieve exacting sheet thicknesses with an

individual roll drive system and motorized gap control. Most of the sheet coming off the line is

produced in 12mm thicknesses. www.polymerindustries.com www.davis-standard.com

On the left is fi lm produced with a Multi-Touch polishing stack. On the right is fi lm produced with a conventional polishing stack

3.7m wide HMW sheet

FOOD company Stute Nahrungsmittel-werke in Paderborn, Germany, is rigor-ously pursuing its eco-friendly strategic thrust. After investing in three wind farms, a biogas system and several solar power installations that together cover more than 30% of Stute’s own energy requirements, this privately owned company will in future also be able to completely recycle PET material.

The beverage plant will commission Germany’s fi rst PET recycling line from Krones in August. The SuperClean-PET-fl ake process is able to produce fl akes at a high degree of purity, which can be directly used for making new bottles. Conventional processes, by contrast, require additional steps for creating food-grade recyclate.

Stute plans to feed back both PET bottles and preforms into its bottle produc-tion operation. This also includes bottles that have already come into contact with product. The recycling process washes and decontaminates the rejected PET,

guaranteeing its suitability for future food-grade applications.

From the recycling line directly into the injection-moulding machineThe PET materials waiting to be recycled are fi rst comminuted and then fed to the washing system’s storage silo. The PET recycling line is made up of the following main components: washing module, de-contamination module, plus the peripherals.

The line is installed on two different levels: the washing module and the decon-tamination module are spatially separated, with the latter located directly next to the existing injection-moulding machines for producing preforms.

The decision in favour of Krones was an easy one for Stute, since Krones is the only manufacturer able to offer a complete system, from container feed right through to the fi nished, decontaminated fl akes from a single source, thus reliably eliminating any interfacing problems.

Closed-circuit recycling

EQUIPMENT Krones’ SuperClean-PET-fl ake process is able to produce fl akes at a high degree

of purity, which can be directly used for making new bottles

From container feed right through to fi nished, decontaminated fl akes from a single source

In response to market trends, Stute is shifting its container priorities, pro-gressively away from carton packaging and towards PET containers. Stute has meanwhile been operating 13 PET lines in its Paderborn facility. Since 2009 Stute has rigorously opted for Krones’ technol-ogy when it comes to new investments. To start with, there was its fi rst PET-Asept variant, which was followed by two lines with a Contipure preform decontamination feature. Thanks to the innovative preform decontamination feature, consumption fi gures for both energy and media have been signifi cantly reduced as compared to container treatment.

In mid-2012, what will then be the fi rm’s fourth Krones line will start operation – this one, too, a PET-Asept line. There are plans for further investments with Krones to replace some relatively old lines.

www.krones.com

Intelligent control

Participants at the Illig open house show were especially interested in the demonstration of the new Intelligent Control Concept which allows utilization of the entire potential of today’s servo-driven thermoformers to the full extent

THE new Illig Intelligent Control Concept was a main feature at Illig’sOpen House hosted at Heilbronn in May where more than 200 guests had the

opportunity to gain insight into technology and performance of current Illig automatic roll-fed machines.

The Illig Intelligent Control Concept (Illig IC) is a modular design allowing the user to make optimum use of the various possibilities. The compatible

modules are geared at improving productivity and reproducibility, as well as the availability of a thermoformer and/or a complete thermoforming line.

Using the TermoLineControl module, all machine components of the production line can be called up and programmed centrally on the touch

panel at the forming station. At the same time various auxiliary functions are available for process optimization and reduction of tool installation times.

To improve process reliability, a compensation control balances the effects of changing environmental infl uences during ongoing production. Using the

new sas-up® (self-adaptive start-up) module results in a considerable reduc-tion in material consumption during start up and commissioning of new tools.

The Illig Intelligent Control Concept (ILLIG IC) is rounded off by interlink-ing a production line with the NetService. In this way service engineers from Heilbronn can look into all line components via internet, diagnose errors and

correct setting-related malfunctions rapidly.www.illig.de

84

A PLASTIC compound from BASF has, for the fi rst time, found use in the charge-air section of a commercial vehicle. The charge-air duct on the DD13®/DD15® truck engines is one of the fi rst large production applications for the new polyamide (PA) grade Ultramid® A3W2G6.

The multifunctional oil intake mod-ule is also manufactured from a BASF polyamide. The designation DD13/DD15 covers a range of high-performance truck diesel engines with a displacement of about 13 and 15 litres, respectively.

Compared to its aluminium predecessor, the lightweight charge-air duct made from the BASF polyamide is 1.8 kg, or 50 %, lighter.

The high heat-aging resistance of the polyamide 66 specialty Ultramid A3W2G6 is confi rmed by its performance in pulsat-ing pressure tests of the component at 140°C. The charge-air duct must survive 3 000 hours of pressure fl uctuations be-tween 0.4 and 3.5 bar.

The oil intake module on the DD13/DD15 is made from Ultramid® A3WG7 and, in addition to the oil intake connection and oil supply line, incorporates an inte-grated check valve. In the component test, the aged material has to withstand over

Lightweighting in trucksFirst truck charge-air duct in Ultramid

10 million oil pressure pulsation cycles be-tween 5 and 13 bar at 120°C. In long-term testing of the check vale, 500 000 cycles must be withstood in the presence of a sharp oil mixture that contains not only aged engine oil but also fuel components.

www.ultramid.de

Smoothly does it

TRELLEBORG seals are helping ensure smooth lifting operations for the world’s largest crane vessel as it goes about its business of installing production equipment for deepwater oil and gas fi elds.

The crane vessel is Heerema Marine Contractors’ Thialf, a huge semi-submers-ible barge equipped with two super-cranes.

Underwater operations mean that the hook assemblies are exposed to seawater. Measuring more than six meters in height, each four-prong hook assembly rotates

is stick-slip-free, thus allowing smooth tran-sition from a stationary state to movement. In addition, it is a long-lasting material that displays excellent chemical resistance and fl uid compatibility.

MAT

ERIA

LS

on a massive roller bearing packed with lubricating grease.

Trelleborg’s seals are required to protect the bearing from seawater and resulting corrosion and wear to the metal parts, while allowing the smooth rotation of the hook shaft.

The solution chosen was Trelleborg’s Turcon® Roto Glyd Ring®, which is widely used in other industries. An unusually large size was required, with a diameter of 1.8 metres.

The Turcon Roto Glyd Ring is a seal made of Trelleborg’s proprietary PTFE (polytetrafl uoroethylene) based material. The characteristics of PTFE have won it wide use in industrial applications, espe-cially in environments where movement is involved. It has a low friction coeffi cient and

Double-acting seals on crane hook are answer for world’s largest crane vessel

The charge-air duct made of heat-stabilized Ultramid A3W2G6 (left) and the multifunctional oil intake module for the DD13 and DD15 truck engines are manufactured by ElringKlinger for Detroit Diesel Corporation, the American truck engine and component manufacturer in the Daimler Group. In both cases, lightweight plastic components replaced the considerably heavier metal counterparts

Ultimately, a truck is expected to drive about 1.2 million km. In this part, substitu-tion of Ultramid for metal and the high degree of functional integration resulted in cost and weight reductions of 0.8 kg, or 50 % per part.

www.trelleborg.com

As pressure from liquids such as sea-water or oil increases, the pressure with which the O-Ring pushes the PTFE seal onto the counter sur-face also increases, thus ensuring that the seal remains tight

86

The Turcon Roto Glyd Ring PTFE seal is energized by an elastomer O-Ring


THE University of Pretoria’s Institute of Applied Materials (IAM) has been tasked to bring existing technology residing at the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation Limited (Necsa) in the fi eld of PTFE, PVDF, FEP and PFA to the University of Pretoria in order to develop a fl uoro-polymer capability for local industry.

Prof Philip Crouse who heads the research chair at IMA says that South Africa has fl uorspar resources to last 300 years and the technical know-how and commercial expertise to support full scale benefi ciation of this mineral.

Mineral benefi ciation has been identi-fi ed as a national priority to create em-ployment and to drive economic growth in South Africa. In support of government policy, the SARChI Chair in Fluoroma-terials at the University of Pretoria’s Institute of Applied Materials (IAM) has been researching the benefi ciation of fl uorspar as part of government’s Fluorochemical Expansion Initiative (FEI).

According to Prof Crouse, South Africa has the world’s second largest fl u-orspar (CaF2) deposits but has exported up to 95% of this high-potential mineral in the past, despite considerable fl uorine-related scientifi c and technological expertise existing locally. To supply the rapidly growing local and export market, the main barriers to market entry, namely

the ability to produce hydrogen fl uoride and fl uorine gas, have long since been crossed by the local nuclear industry and partnerships have been established with several international companies.

Exciting developments in dealing with PTFE scrapThe SARCHI Chair in Fluoromaterials: Science and Process Integration was es-tablished in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Pretoria in 2007, and has been functioning under the IAM umbrella since 2010.

One of the most recent research highlights has been in the way industry deals with polytetrafl uoroethylene (PTFE) scrap. PTFE, often better known by its DuPont trade name Tefl on, which is non-reactive, has a very low coeffi cient of friction, a very high maximum working

temperature and is water repellent.

This is partly because of the strength of its car-bon-fl uorine bonds. The material has many industrial applications and is often used in con-tainers and pipes

for reactive and corrosive chemicals. PTFE in general is not melt-processible and products are cut from large blocks. The scrap produced in the process could not be reused up to now. The Fluoro-materials Chair at IAM has very recently developed a process, an extension of work originally done by Necsa-Pelchem,

www.aim.up.ac.za

Fluorochemical researchsupports SA’s benefi ciation strategy

Prof Philip Crouse who heads the research chair at the University of Pretoria’s Institute of Applied Materials

University of Pretoria tasked to develop a fl uoro-polymer capability for local industry

MATERIALS

Most of the research conducted is aimed at developing the

South African chemical industry, with a particular focus on conversions, raw material supply, polymer modifi cation

and product design for polymer systems and materials

through which PTFE scrap can be pro-cessed and reused as fresh resin.

In the process, scrap from this highly versatile material is thermally cracked to produce the constituent monomer in suffi cient purity to be directly polymer-ized - without any additional distillation or further purifi cation steps. The virgin resin has been sintered successfully; in other words, it has been heated to form a co-herent mass without melting it. While the process still needs further tweaking, the fi rst results of this technique developed by post-graduate students of IAM have proved to be highly exciting.

www.ultradur.de

Laser transparency for engine coolingTHE new Ultradur® LUX is being used in an air fl ap control unit, an unusual serial application in automotive construction. Motor developer Precision Motors Deutsche Minebea (PM DM), based in Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany, is using this highly laser-transparent and easily laser-weldable BASF plastic from the PBT family to make the housing cover of its novel control module. This small actuator consisting of gears, an electric motor and an electronic unit serves to control the air fl aps in motor vehicles, thus contributing to better aerodynamics and lower CO2 emissions. The highly laser-transparent PBT Ultradur LUX accounts for stiffness and dimensional stability, even in damp environments. The product’s key characteristic is its high transparency toward near-infrared light in the 800 to 1100 nm wavelength, precisely the crucial range for pen-etration laser welding. The improved transparency to laser light means that this material can be welded faster than other PBT grades available on the market. The processing window is considerably wider and the risk of damage to the material is much lower. The grade used here, Ultradur LUX B4300 G4, is reinforced with 20% glass fi bres.

TEL: +27 (0) 11 462 2990

FAX: +27 (0) 11 462 8229

e-mail: [email protected] MACHINERY (PTY) LTD

SALES AND TECHNICAL

STAFF VACANCIES

CONTACT US NOW!

SABIC’s Qrystal high-clarity PPs save time, energy

Designed with unique fl ow behaviour to produce parts faster, lower energy consumption

MATERIALS

TO MEET the need of converters for ma-terials that deliver better fi nished products and that can be produced cost-effectively, SABIC has developed two new high clar-ity SABIC® PP Qrystal polypropylenes. These random copolymers, typically for injection moulding, were specially designed with unique fl ow behaviour, providing processors with the fl exibility to produce parts faster and with lower energy consumption.

SABIC PP QR674K, with a melt fl ow rate (MFR) of 40g/10min, was typically developed for more sensitive food contact applications, owing to its improved orga-noleptic performance (low odour). Typical target applications are caps and closures, houseware, kitchenware and food/non-food containers.

SABIC PP QR678K, with its high MFR


SABIC’s Qrystal® polypropylene grades achieve new levels of optical performance ... as well as energy savings for converters

www.sabic.com

of 80 g/10 min, is better suited to produc-tion of parts with complex shapes and/or long and narrow fl ow paths. Customer trials have shown around 15% higher fl ow than a standard PP random at the same MFR level, allowing machines to run at lower processing temperatures and 15% faster cycle times, potentially decreasing production costs.

SABIC has a broad package of PP random copolymers that provide solutions for a wide range of applications, provid-ing a combination of good transparency with lower conversion costs. The SABIC PP Qrystal range, which was launched in 2010, now comprises four grades, with MFRs ranging from 25 to 80 g/10 min.

All SABIC PP Qrystal grades can be processed at much lower temperatures than many other commonly used copoly-mer polypropylenes from the market, lead-ing to signifi cant reductions in cycle time and energy consumption, as a sustainable solution to decrease the moulded article carbon footprint. They also have a good balance of impact strength and stiffness and enable customers to produce parts with no loss of transparency or aesthetics.

The SABIC PP Qrystal grade family is produced both in Europe and the Middle East and can be delivered globally.

SACMI, SIPA collaborate in preform closure project

SIPA (Zoppas Industries Group) and Sacmi, two of Italy’s most innovative companies operating in the packaging sector, have combined their skills in the search for a new solution in the combination of PET preforms and closures that provides advantages for processors and end-users alike.

The collaboration, which has been given strong backing from the two companies’ managements, headed by Enrico Grib-audo (SIPA) and Giuseppe Lesce (Sacmi) respectively, combines SIPA’s substantial experience in the development of preforms, with that of Sacmi in caps and closures. A combined development team incorporates a level of technical competence considered unrivalled anywhere in the world.

The fruit of this collaboration is a new solution – with the acronym S.U.P.E.R. – featuring a special combination of preform neck fi nish and lightweighted caps that solves several key problems associated with the operation of a cap on the neck of a PET bottle, with results previously not thought possible.

S.U.P.E.R. stands for Sustainable, Unique, Productive, Easy, and Reliable – the fi ve key benefi ts of this innovative solution: Sustainable, because the closure will be lighter than the average of alternatives on the market today, reducing the processor’s consumption of raw materials and energy; Unique, because this is a proprietary solu-tion, protected by patents, that will provide benefi ts exclusive to those who adopt it; Productive, because it reduces the time and cost of equipping production lines – when switching between containers for various types of products, including water, soft drinks, and aseptically fi lled drinks, very little modifi cation is required to lines for either preforms or closures (the latter produced with SACMI’s compression pro-cess, which already offers reduced tooling times and high production speed); Easy, because the solution provides the consumer with a bottle that is easy to open. The guaranteed positive LB angle – the leak angle is greater than the bridge-break angle, a feature not available on the market today with current closure solu-tions – gives the perception of a closure that is very easy to open; Reliable, because the special tamper evidence system provides an immediate breakage of the security strip, rendering the bottle secure, with no risk of blow-off.

www.sacmi.com

Features special combination of preform neck fi nish and lightweighted caps

ecoSTABTM

LEAD-FREE STABILISERSTomorrow’s PVC Solutions Today from Sun Ace

for PA12 extruded, injected components

Allows emergency medical personnel quick access to treat wounds

TECHNYL eXten alternative to PA12 with grades for tubing, fl exible hoses, injection moulded parts

www.rtpcompany.com

www.iconinjectionmolding.com

masterbatch saves lives!

The Rip Shears Firefl y – RTP Company supplied a phosphorescent glow-in-the-dark colour masterbatch that combines with the reinforced nylon compound during moulding

WHEN the inventors of the Rip Shears* Ripper received feedback from medics in the fi eld that their life-saving product would be even more effective if it glowed in the dark, they and co-developer ICON Injec-tion Moulding (based in Phoenix, Arizona, USA), sought assistance from custom compounder RTP Company because of their expertise with visual effects.

Attached to a standard pair of trauma shears, the Rip Shears Ripper allows emergency medical personnel to quickly slice through multiple layers of clothing,

equipment and body armour to access and treat wound sites. While medics loved the snip and rip performance of the product, a glow-in-the-dark version would allow even faster usage at night or in low light conditions.

“This was a very specifi c request; we hadn’t done a glow-in-the-dark product before,” explained Steve Kleitsch, ICON’s co-owner. “But, we were aware of RTP Company’s expertise with visual effects, so we brought them in for assistance.”

The Rip Shears Ripper uses an RTP

200 Series glass fi bre reinforced nylon 6/6 compound. It provides the stiffness needed to allow the blade to stay on track and fl ow through fabric cleanly. If the plastic were to fl ex, even slightly, bunching of the fabric could slow down the ripping process.

For the glow-in-the-dark version, called the Rip Shears Firefl y, RTP Company sup-plied a phosphorescent glow-in-the-dark colour masterbatch that combines with the reinforced nylon compound during mould-ing. Advanced glow-in-the-dark technology imbues the material with an ‘afterglow’ effect that lasts for up to 8 hours, which is about 10 times longer than traditional GITD technologies.

“RTP Company got the glow-in-the-dark effect and product performance right on the fi rst try, right out of the gate,” said Kleitsch. “The inventor loved it and we began production immediately.”

TO bring high-performance, economi-cal solutions to the automotive and the manufacturing industry quickly in the midst of the PA12 crisis, Rhodia Engineering Plastics, member of the Solvay Group, is proposing its Technyl® eXten PA6.10 prod-uct as a drop-in solution for a variety of applications where PA12 is typically used.

Rhodia’s application experience to date, developed in partnership with its customers since 2010, show that Technyl eXten PA6.10 is a versatile alternative to long chain polyamides such as PA12. For many existing PA12 applications, Rhodia brings a true drop-in solution that will do the job. That’s more important than ever as PA12 supplies continue to tighten.

“Compared with PA12, Technyl eXten grades offer customers a range of techni-cal and cost-benefi t advantages, in addi-

tion to their environmental performance,” said Pierre-Emmanuel Lucas, new busi-ness project director for Rhodia Engi-neering Plastics. “Working closely with our customers, we have the ability to provide a quick solution for many different applications where PA12 is now used, and where supplies of that material are in jeopardy going forward,” he added.

Introduced to the market in 2010, Technyl eXten grades are available for both extrusion and injection moulding and are specifi cally suited to the manufacture of fl exible tubes for the transportation and industrial industry, and glass reinforced moulded parts such as fi ttings and adapt-

ers for the engine fuel systems market. In addition, it is partially based on raw materials from natural origin and shows an improved environmental profi le.


Injected turbo air duct in

Technyl HP

Blow moulded turbo air duct in Technyl B2

www.rhodia.com

‘Drop-in’ solution

Glow-in-the-dark

MATERIALS

Cost-effective alternatives for insulation and jacketing

New application of medical compounds from KRAIBURG TPE

MATERIALS

TWO Flexalloy® PVC elastomer com-pounds from Teknor Apex Company provide manufacturers of charger cable for electric vehicles (EVs) with cost-effective alternatives in terms of both insulation and jacketing.

The new compounds are Flexalloy 89504-90, a 90 Shore A formulation for insulation, and Flexalloy 9610-78 for jacketing, with Shore A hardness of 78. The materials exhibit brittle points of -46 and -38ºC, respectively, and are both rated for a maximum continuous operating temperature of 105ºC (typical physical, electrical and fl ame properties appear in the accompanying table).

Unlike standard fl exible vinyl, Flexal-loy compounds are based on ultra-high molecular weight PVC resin. They exhibit improved toughness, abrasion resistance and low temperature properties and pro-


www.teknorapex.com

www.kraiburg-tpe.com

www.envases-matriplast.com

vide elastomeric resilience and resistance to compression set, according to Mike Patel, wire and cable industry manager for the Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex in the USA. The compounds can be processed on standard PVC equipment.

“Teknor Apex developed these two new Flexalloy products especially to meet the requirements of UL Type EVE for the high production volumes and rugged end use performance posed by EV charger cable,” said Patel. “They provide cost-effective alternatives to premium-priced elastomers such as TPUs.”

• THESE TEKNOR APEX MATERIALS ARE SUPPLIED IN SOUTH AFRICA BY ADVANCED POLYMERS.

Tough PVC elastomersfor electric vehicle charger cable

Resealable closure for infusion bagsCOMPOUNDS from the Thermolast® M product range of the German TPE specialist Kraiburg TPE will soon be used in medical products made in Bolivia: Matriplast S.A. based in La Paz will use this advanced product to manufacture high-quality infusion bag closures for the South American market.

Matriplast produces closures for infu-

sion bags that are made from the special medical series Thermolast M. These materials are certifi ed for medical applica-tions in most countries. In addition, they can be processed very effi ciently and hy-gienically. The TPEs can be sterilised in hot steam up to 135°C and are available in hardness grades between 35 and 45 Shore A. They also have resealing prop-

erties which makes them ideal for use in infusion bags: As the TPE diaphragm is extremely elastic, it immediately seals the septum when the infusion line is removed from the bag.

When push comes to shoveIn contrast to a conventional septum made in rubber, TPE has the added advantage that it can be processed by two-component injection moulding bonded with PE and PP. There is thus no need for the manual assembly of the rubber bag closures, so time and money can be saved while the risk of non-conforming bags is minimised.

The new solution also does away with costly storage of the closure components and contamination of the septum is simply impossible. While rubber components always pose a risk of contamination with potentially hazardous substances produced in the chemical reaction, such contamination cannot occur with thermoplastic elastomers, as they are not cross-linked.

Bolivian company Matriplast produces closures for infusion bags that are made from the special medical series Ther-molast M from Ger-man TPE specialist Kraiburg TPE

MBT South Africa

For all your Polymer Raw Material Requirements

HDPE LDPE LLDPE PVC PETPS ABS PP

Rob Wainright 082 801 7373 Carlotta Stafford 082 600 7403

Lance vd Merwe 082 901 0477 Paul Gripper 082 456 6659

Helga Classen 083 769 4543

Unit 14, Eastwood Office Park, 11b Riley Road, Bedfordview.

PO Box 751775, Gardenview 2047, South Africa.

Tel: 27-11-455 2889

Fax: 27-11-455 2937

www.mbtsa.co.za

Cape Town Office

4 College House

Village Walk

Parklands

Tel: 27-21-556 7787

BOREALIS, a leading provider of chemical and innovative plastics solutions, is extend-ing the high-level protection benefi ts of its Borcoat™ steel pipe coatings to Europe’s longest offshore natural gas steel pipeline, Nord Stream. The advanced performance www.borealisgroup.com

www.eurocopter.com

www.borouge.com

www.nord-stream.com

offered by Borcoat will help secure the integrity of the pipeline over its minimum 50 year service life.

Nord Stream is a steel pipeline project routed under the Baltic Sea, designed to transport natural gas a distance of 1 224km from the Russian city of Vyborg to the European exit point in Lubmin, near Greifswald, Germany. Each pipe string requires approximately 100 000 12-metre long pipe sections.

To meet the tough performance criteria, Nord Stream AG selected the Borcoat bimodal, a three layer HDPE system with increased fusion bonded epoxy (FBE) primer thickness. It provides the mechani-cal strength necessary for pressurisation to 220 bar and to resist external pressures at depths down to 110 metres.

The system comprises a fi rst base layer

Borealis coating protects Nord Stream gas pipeline

Eurocopter delivers fi rst A350 XWB passenger door

of fusion bonded epoxy (FBE) coating, then a layer of Borcoat ME0420, a maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene adhesive giving a strong bond to the FBE, followed by Borcoat HE3450, a black bimodal HDPE.

A ‘rough coat’ of Borealis’ RM7405, a black PE ground material grade, was applied to the topcoat while still hot. This rough surface enables a stronger bond to the 60-110mm concrete coating to increase the weight of each pipe to around 24 tons and ensure its stability when laid on the seabed.

EUROCOPTER is producing the carbon fi bre composite passenger doors for the Airbus A350 XWB aircraft at its Donau-wörth, Germany, facility.

The A350 XWB passenger doors are the fi rst for a commercial aircraft to be made entirely of carbon fi bre reinforced plastic (CFRP).

The development and manufacture of aircraft components is another mainstay of Eurocopter’s activities in Germany, which complements our helicopter produc-tion. The A350 XWB’s door systems demonstrate our innovative strength and international competitiveness in the fi eld of carbon fi bre technology.

Series production is handled at Euro-copter’s Donauwörth site in a new building designed to meet the exacting require-ments of automated production methods

and quality control at high production rates.Eurocopter currently has approximately

250 employees working on the A350 XWB passenger door programme’s design, development and production. Series pro-duction eventually will involve more than 400 employees.

Total value of the A350 XWB door systems to be provided by Eurocopter is nearly €1.5 billion, which includes the cargo doors subcontracted to partners in South Korea.

Five cargo doors already have been delivered. A total of seven door shipsets for the A350 XWB are slated for delivery in 2012 – each composed of four pairs of passenger doors, two cargo doors and one baggage door.

Every year, the Donauwörth site produces more than 4000 passenger and

The A350 XWB passenger doors are the fi rst for a commercial aircraft to be made entirely of carbon fi bre reinforced plastic (CFRP)

cargo doors for various aircraft types in the Airbus product line.

96www.lanxess.com

High-tech products for green mobility

CUSTOMISED polyamides and polyesters for sustainable mobil-ity concepts and colorants for plastics were the focal points of Lanxess’ exhibition at INTERPLASTICA 2012 in Moscow.

Lightweight nylon composite sheets that can be used alone or together with metal sheet in plastic or metal composite designs (hybrid technology) could reduce component weight by another

10% compared to aluminium sheet hybrid designs. Lanxess develops together with its partners in the automotive industry

new applications for high-tech plastics. Nylon composite sheet hybrid technology is ideal for automotive light weighting. In many

cases in terms of cost-benefi t aspects it provides an alternative to thermosetting plastics, which are reinforced with continuous carbon fi bres. Components that Lanxess considers possible to

produce directly using polyamide 6 in nylon composite sheet hybrid technology include lightweight front ends, car seats, seat

cross-members, airbag housings and brake pedals.

MATERIALS

supports environmental goals

www.borealisgroup.com

Productivity, environmental advantages for converters within a one-material solution

(PH

OTO

: WO

LF P

LAST

ICS)

New high stiffness PP


BOREALIS has launched a unique, high stiffness polypropylene (PP) grade Bormod™ BH381MO to support manu-facturers of industrial pails in meeting their increasing sustainability and product quality goals.

New heterophasic copolymer Bormod BH381MO uses Borealis Nucleation Tech-nology (BNT) to achieve a one-of-a-kind balance of excellent stiffness, fl ow and impact. The PP grade has a melt fl ow rate (MFR) of 35 that behaves like traditional MFR 45 grades. At the same time its stiff-ness level (tensile modulus) of 1700 MPa is more than 150 MPa higher than stan-dard MFR 30 grades, yet with the same impact performance of softer grades. The higher stiffness performance is maintained in high temperature environments.

The combination of characteristics allows for lower processing temperatures and lower injection pressure including the ability to fi ll more complex parts. It also supports easier de-moulding. This creates a spectrum of productivity and associated environmental related advantages for

converters within a one material solution, including: between 10-20% reduction in cycle

time with shorter cooling times possibilities for downgauging and

weight reduction energy and cost savings through

low temperature processing and low injection pressures as well as faster cycles reduced carbon footprint from

less energy consumption good stacking and drop

performance for fi nished pails of all sizes

In addition to large containers and pails for food, paint, DIY and other consumables, Bormod BH381MO is suitable for other packaging applications where high stiffness with good impact and good fl ow is required, e.g. thin walled packaging, houseware and transport packaging.

NEW LIQUID vehicle technology (LVT) de-veloped by Clariant Masterbatches appears to eliminate many of the problems that have prevented wider use of liquid colour and ad-ditive concentrates in extrusion blow mould-ing of polyolefi ns (high and low-density polyethylene and polypropylene).

Initial testing in monolayer containers shows that these highly compatible sys-tems allow for higher pigment loadings and lower usage rates, while practically eliminat-ing past challenges related to screw slip-page. Improved resin compatibility results in stronger weld lines in the fi nished container as evidenced by scores in standard burst and compression-loading tests.

“Extrusion blow moulders and brand owners in the personal care and household products markets often fi nd liquid master-batches to be an attractive alternative to solid concentrates,” said Raymond Sloan, head of liquid colour, Clariant Master-batches North America. “However, until now, use of liquid colour has been limited in blow moulding of polyolefi n resins because many liquid based carrier systems (includ-ing mineral oil) would not incorporate well

New liquid colour technologyfor polyolefi n blow mouldingLiquid vehicle technology ideal for monolayer extrusion blow moulding

with the resins. It was pigment friendly, but not resin friendly.”

The new Clariant masterbatches use a liquid vehicle system that incorporates suspension aids and binders to allow for higher pigment loadings and (in most cases) lower usage rates. Additional components enhance fl ow and make for dramatically faster colour changes. Benefi ts include: Improved weld-line strength. Previ-

ous carriers had a tendency to rapidly bloom to the surface of extrusion blow moulded containers, interfering with seam re-welding. The new Clari-ant liquid products appear to actually assist in the formation of a strong seam. Better processing

characteristics. The new Clariant liquid colours have a posi-tive effect on material

Moulding future growth

fl ow in the extruder. Reduced screw slippage leads to improved mixing and more complete dispersion and less streaking. It also results in processing temperatures as much as 17°C lower and, therefore, less cooling is required. Faster colour changes and greater

productivity. The Clariant LVT prod-ucts tend not to adhere to metal surfac-es and, in fact, can act as a cleansing agent, removing deposits left behind by other colorants. Colour changes that might typically take several hours with solid pellet colorants can now be com-

pleted in just minutes with the new

liquid colours from Clariant.

www.clariant.co.za

MOULD Release agents are essential products in the design and manufacture of any pre-shaped part – whether it be rubber, plastic, thermoplastic or an advanced composite.

Mould release agents form a coating on the mould, allowing the part being moulded to be released quickly and easily. Conventional mould release products have no chemical interaction to the mould surface and release by transferring some of the mould release product to the part surface. Additionally it requires frequent re-application, typically after every release. These release agents are referred to as sacrifi cial mould release agents.

Semi-permanent mould release agents differ from conventional

www.loctite.co.za

Henkel produces a range of semi-permanent mould release products for the advanced composites, polyester and rubber industries under the Frekote brand

sacrifi cial mould release agents in that they allow multiple releases with a high quality fi nish, reliable release performance, low mould build-up with low or no transfer of the release agent onto the moulded part.

Henkel produces a range of semi-permanent mould release products for the advanced composites, polyester and rubber industries under the Frekote brand name that offer multiple releases per application.

Within each of these classifi cations there are products to meet a wide variety

of application needs such as gloss fi nish levels, slip properties, temperature considerations and material usage. In addition, the products can be wiped on or sprayed on and both water and solvent-based formulae are available.


MATERIALS

ATHLETES throughout the world spent a great deal of time preparing for this year’s Olympic Games in London. More than just effi cient technique is required for a runner to achieve peak performance; natural motion and a comfortable fi t are also important.

The new ‘adipure’ line of training shoes from adidas supports natural running through a rolling motion over the metatarsus and forefoot. The shoes also satisfy runners’ other requirements, thanks not least to the upper material of the shoe, which envelops the foot seamlessly like a second skin. It owes its unique properties to a textile coating based on a polyurethane dispersion from Bayer MaterialScience’s Impranil® range.

The textile coating is noted in particular for its high resilience. It is vital for the runner that it is applied precisely to the upper material at the points where the foot needs support. There, the coated material braces the foot but also offers it enough freedom to stretch. As a result, it makes a decisive contribution to the runner’s perfect natural running experience.

Impranil® coating opens door to innovations in adidas running shoes and sportswear

When it came to designing the coating, the adidas experts drew on the results of measurements obtained with the help of sensors placed on runners’ bare feet. The application of the coating provided the designers with almost unlimited design scope. Furthermore, the process protects the synthetic upper because the shoe is not subjected to any thermal stress during production.

Impranil® dispersions are waterborne and completely cosolvent-free. Textile coatings formulated with them retain their excellent properties after machine washing and drying. Stress-strain tests provide impressive proof of their high resilience.

Like a second skin!

Welltec Plastics has theinjection moulding machines to

meet your requirements.

Excellentprices onexistingstock


www.adidas.com

The new ‘adipure’ line of training shoes from adidas owes its

unique properties to a textile coating based

on a polyurethane dispersion from Bayer

MaterialScience’s Impranil® range


Biogas from spaghetti?TECHNICAL


It looks like a bunch of spaghetti strands or a paintbrush, but is in fact a bundle of highly selective polyimide hollow fi bres in Evonik’s new Sepuran membrane module

The common separation methods such as pressurized water scrubbing, pressure swing adsorption, and amine scrubbing have considerable disadvantages: They need comparatively large amounts of energy as well as auxiliary materials and chemicals. Wastes and wastewater are generated that must be treated and disposed of. Further, the biogas after up-grading is usually at low pressure. Before it is fed into a medium-pressure grid, it needs to be compressed to 15-20 bar by, for example, an additional compressor.

Conventional upgrading plants are there-fore usually cost effective only for raw biogas quantities signifi cantly in excess of 500 standard cubic meters per hour (Nm³/h). This usually makes them unsuit-able for decentralized energy supply with a large number of relatively small plants.

Evonik Industries has developed a technology for cost- and energy-effi cient separation of CO2. What appears at fi rst sight to be a bunch of spaghetti strands or a paint brush is in fact a bundle of highly selective membranes made up of multiple cylindrical polyimide hollow fi bres. These are used in the new hollow fi bre membrane modules of Sepuran Green.

Highly selective membranesPolyimides are high performance poly-mers with high pressure and temperature resistance. Sepuran relies on a specially optimized form of Evonik‘s proven and tested polyimide family. The membranes have consistently high selectivity and are particularly suitable for separation of CO2 and methane.

How does the membrane work?Gas molecules are different sizes and have different solubility in polymers. The biogas to be cleaned is introduced under high pressure at one end of the mem-brane. The CO2 molecules are smaller than the methane molecules and also

Evonik membranes upgrade biogas

BIOGAS is an eco-friendly energy source that is becoming increasingly important in today‘s energy supply. But an extensive upgrading and purifi cation process is required before biogas is fed into the natural gas grid. New and highly selective polymer membranes from Evonik convert raw biogas simply and effi ciently into highly pure biomethane. This increases yield and conserves valu-able resources.

According to the Renewables Global Status Report (GSR) 2011, renewable

energies today account for about 16% of global energy consumption; by the year 2050, this fi gure could rise to more than 50%.

Biogas is produced by fermentation of biomass, an organic substance consist-ing of, for example, plants, liquid manure, or effl uent sludge. But in addition to the methane energy source, raw biogas also contains carbon dioxide (CO2) and other trace gases. Because CO2 is not com-bustible, it lowers the calorifi c value of the gas and must therefore be separated out.

Biogas is produced by fermentation of biomass,

an organic substance consisting of plants,

liquid manure, or effl uent sludge.

more soluble in polymers. As a result, they pass through the micropores of the membrane much faster and are sepa-rated from the methane.

CO2, water vapour and traces of am-monia and hydrogen sulphide are drawn off at the low-pressure side (from the lateral opening depicted in the diagram), while the methane collects at the other end of the membrane, the high-pressure

side. The methane-rich gas is directly drawn off at the high-pressure side and needs no further compression for feed-ing into the grid. This saves the costs of an additional compressor. Further, the biomethane produced in this way can be used even by small plants and therefore allows decentralized supply of energy.

In a test plant in Neukirchen an der Vöckla (Austria), Evonik‘s experts have

been putting the production modules through their paces since early 2011. Their experience so far is that the new Sepuran Green membrane modules are a robust and simple tool for gas purifi ca-tion. The methane of the raw gas can be cleaned to a purity higher than 99%.

www.corporate.evonik.com

Biogas is produced by microbial fermentation of sustainable raw materials like corn, or from effl uent sludge or liquid manure. Following separation of various minor components like water vapour, hydrogen sulphide, and particularly CO2, the biogas can then be used in the gas grid, in combined heat and power plants, and at fi lling stations

SOLID EDGE - NX - Creo - SolidWorks

Integrated with d CAD systems:

Design in 3D, Analyze in 3D


Car part weights could be cut in half


Structure of a foamed part (Photo Mecaplast, MPPR001)

process will use newly-developed com-pounds that contain little or no talc.

Instead, they incorporate new reinforcing fi llers that not only yield improved surface quality but also help reduce part weight by as much as 7%, without loss of mechanical properties. The new compounds, which are based on PP impact copolymer and are be-ing developed exclusively for Mecaplast, also have very good fl ow properties. Melt fl ow index is over 50 g/10 min. This is critical for the success of the Plume process.

The Plume processIn the Plume process, material is injected into a mould with moving walls that are initially in the forward position. Once all the material has been injected, and the skins of the part have solidifi ed, the walls retract. This lowers the pressure in the mould cavity, and chemi-cal blowing agent, until now dissolved in the melt, comes out of solution in the areas of the part that are still fl uid to create a cellular structure that fi lls the newly created space. The foaming process on its own (disregard-ing compound formulation) enables a weight reduction in the part of at least 30%, com-pared to a conventional solid moulding.

Cemef will look at melt rheology and its ef-fects on the process and it will also carry out analysis of the microstructures created by the chemical foaming. IMP-UJM will study the mechanical behaviour of parts made under various conditions.

Mecaplast plans to trial the process on two components, a tailgate interior trim and exterior beltline mouldings. The beltline mouldings will be produced in two versions, one with a grained surface that will require no painting and another that will be paintable.

LEADING automotive plastics compo-nent supplier, Monaco-based Mecaplast, believes it can cut the weight of interior and exterior trim parts by between 30 and 50% by using a newly patented injection mould-ing processing technology in combination with novel polypropylene compounds.

Mecaplast has numerous production facilities across France as well as in Europe, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, China and India, is about to embark on a French government-sponsored project called Plume (French for feather) to industrialize the process, which relies on a combination of moving mould cores, a chemical blowing agent, and light-weight reinforcing fi llers. The project starts in September, and will run for two years. It will have a total budget of €2.4 million.

The project will also involve the participa-tion of several other French companies: compound producer Sumika Polymer Compounds (a Sumitomo Chemical Group

company) based in Saint-Martin de Crau; mould-maker Cero, in Nantes; polymer sci-ence research laboratory IMP at the Univer-sity of Saint-Etienne; and Sophia Antipolis-based Cemef, a research laboratory from Mines ParisTech, associated with CNRS, with expertise in process simulation.

“Incorporation of parts made by the Plume process could lead to a total vehicle weight reduction of between 5 and 7kg,” said Elsa Germain, research and innovation engineer at Mecaplast. “This will have an important knock-on effect on fuel consump-tion, with resulting carbon dioxide emissions falling by around 0.5-0.7g/km.”

The process is similar to one already used in Japan for production of parts used by such automotive companies as Honda and Toyota. However, that process has some limitations, especially in terms of surface fi nish, since the parts are made with talc-fi lled polypropylene (PP). The Plume

BASF TO BUILD BUTADIENE EXTRACTION PLANT IN ANTWERPBASF plans to build a butadiene extraction plant at its Verbund site in Antwerp, Belgium. The plant will have an annual production capacity of 155,000 metric tons and is scheduled to start up during 2014. Butadi-ene is a simple conjugated diene with the formula C4H6. It is an important industrial chemical used as a monomer in the produc-tion of synthetic rubber.

The decision has been made in light of the

AROUND THE WORLDincreasingly tight supplies of butadiene on global markets. In recent years, the volumes of butadiene available on the market have declined sharply. At the same time, demand from the tire industry and other industries has been rising. This has led to a consider-able increase in prices. www.basf.com

HANWHA AZDEL INVESTS $20 MILLION IN NEW PLANT FOR LWRT COMPOSITESTHE Hanwha Azdel division of Hanwha L&C Co., Ltd. of Seoul, South Korea will expand its SuperLite® lightweight reinforced thermoplastic (LWRT) composite product line with a $20-million investment that will be used to construct a new plant in Bugang,

South Korea. Scheduled to come on stream in 2014, the facility will be located inside Hanwha L&C’s existing Bugang Plant #2, home to the company’s existing glass-mat thermoplastic (GMT) composite production plant. Both facilities will service global au-tomotive, heavy-truck, recreational-vehicle, and industrial customers with production operations in Asia. www.azdel.com

BASF INVESTS $2.7 MILLION IN FRX POLYMERS BASF Venture Capital has invested $2.7 million in the advanced materials company FRX Polymers, Inc. The investment is part of a series B fi nancing round of $26.7 mil-

www.mecaplast.com

WORLD NEWS


lion. FRX Polymers develops and produces innovative, non-halogen fl ame-retardant polymers. www.basf.co.

AZELIS SELLS THERMOPLASTICS BUSINESS TO GAZECHIMCHEMICALS distributor Azelis is selling its thermoplastics business to Gazechim Plastics as part of plans to focus on specialty chemicals and ingredients. Gazechim is based in France and has annual turnover of €340m.

Azelis still has the materials pigments and additives business which supports the polyvi-nyl chloride, and polyurethane businesses, as well as other plastic polymer producers,

compounders and master batches. The project only concerned Azelis activities in Europe and the company will continue with its thermoplastic polymer business in its Indian and Chinese operations. In a statement, Gazechim says the deal will allow it to spread its plastics capabilities out of France and across Europe.

PURAC’S 75 000 TON LACTIDE PLANT IN THAILANDPURAC has successfully completed the construction of its new 75 000 ton/year lactide plant in Thailand. The construction of this €45 million state-of-the-art plant started in March 2010. At the moment the plant is being

commissioned and the fi rst test runs have already been fi nalized. Several batches of high quality Puralact® lactides have been produced and actual deliveries to customers started early 2012.www.purac.com

HUSKY SELLS INJECTOPLAST TO ALPLAHUSKY Injection Moulding Systems has completed the sale of Injectoplast, the former closure injection moulding operation of KTW, to Alpla Holding GmbH (A-6971 Hard, Aus-tria). The sale agreement was announced January 24, 2012. Injectoplast was a division of KTW, a closure mould maker Husky acquired in early 2011. www.husky.ca

www.plasticsindustry.org

Big Amcor on-site plant at Pepsi in USA

AMCOR Rigid Plastics, one of the world’s leading producers of rigid plastic packaging, opened its new on-site bottle manufacturing

operation at PepsiCo’s Gatorade production facility in Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, USA, in June. The new in-line operation is

expected to produce approximately 650 million hot fi llable PET bottles annually.

Previously, the Mountain Top Gatorade facility had purchased hotfi ll PET containers from merchant suppliers. On-site bottle

manufacturing is a highly effi cient and sustainable business model for beverage makers, according to Larry Weber, general manager of Amcor Rigid Plastics’ North America. Beverage companies like PepsiCo can gain major sustainability benefi ts and eliminate ex-

penses associated with shipping, including unnecessary handling, secondary packaging and freight costs. Amcor has strong expertise

in running on-site manufacturing operations with seven similar hot fi ll facilities located at beverage fi lling plants throughout the USA.Amcor received strong backing and fi nancial support from state

and local agencies including approximately $100,000 in grants for site development and employee training.

Amcor Rigid Plastics’ new in-line operation in the USA is expected to produce approximately 650 million hot fi llable PET bottles annually

www.amcor.com

Recycling at NPE2012 collects twice as much

FOR fi ve days in April, the NPE2012 international plastics exposition transformed

the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Florida into a virtual manufacturing

city, generating many tons of industrial scrap in addition to packaging and other post-

consumer waste. None of it, however, ended up in landfi lls, according to the OCCC and

SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association, which produces the triennial NPE. Final fi gures

provided to SPI by Maine Plastics, Inc., the offi cial recycler for NPE2012, indicate that the

production scrap generated by machinery operated on the show fl oor by 56 exhibitors

participating in the ‘NPE Recycles’ programme amounted to 118 tons. This was more than

double the 57 ton total for NPE2009, where 45 exhibitors participated.

Plastic fantasticModern lightbox – Decorating the interior of our habitat has been a creative activity of ours ever since we’ve started living in caves. Now, interior design has become not only a profi table business, but also a form of art. Using roto-moulded plastic, this seamless cube has many uses. A stool, an end table or nightstand, or an attractive lamp, the Light-box can add a cubical glow to any space big enough for an 45cm cube. The product supports up to 90kg.


Octal PET system cuts cost of scrapTHE new direct-to-sheet process (DPET™) from OCTAL eliminates fi ve energy-intensive stages of the conven-tional sheet production process (pelletizer, SSP, compactor, dryer and extruder). In the new system the PET melt arrives at the calendar stack heated to the proper temperature and does not have to be dried and re-melted from the granular form. The system also offers absolute traceability as the resin is constrained to one source - providing the origin of the resin.

The uniformity of the sheet has allowed

THE new unique direct-to-sheet process (DPET™) from OCTAL

Nordenia USA opens BIG plantNORDENIA USA, a specialist manufacturer of high-quality fi lms, took occupation of its new 17,000m² premises in Hubble Creek, Jackson, Missouri, on 27 June. The plant houses extrusion, printing, bag-making and ancillary equipment in a €3.5 million (the building is leased). Nordenia USA, in operation since 1989, is part of the Nordenia group is based in Greven, Germany “The new plant will enable us to increase our fl exibility with regard to our customers and will strengthen our competitive position,” said Ralph Landwehr, CEO of Nordenia International AG. Its most important products are elastic dia-per components, for which the Nordenia is a global market leader, FlexZiBox® bags with four sealed edges, NorDiBag fl exible packaging, and stand-up pouches.

www.nordenia.com

OCTAL to design a winder that constructs precision rolls with unnoticeable weave and near perfect formation. Thermoform-ers benefi t from this advantage by being able to minimize side trim. DPET is manu-factured to a typical caliper variation of +/- 1%, allowing thermoformers to specify a thinner sheet and still achieve package performance in fi nished trays.

DPET can be run at a 10% faster cycle time and at temperatures up to 5 degrees lower than conventional APET, while still retaining clarity and gloss.

PTi sells sheet line to TurkeyASERPET of Turkey, a PET recycler and manufacturer of PET sheet roll stock, has purchased a high-performance sheet extru-sion line from Processing Technologies International (PTi) of the USA. Aserpet, a recycler of PET fl ake for the packaging industry, purchased its fi rst sheet extrusion line to support its entrance into the packaging industries. The PTi coex line, which runs 750kg/hr of PET, also includes a roll stand, winder, and stacker. The machine is up and running at the Aserpet facility in Gaziantep.

Aser Tekstil was established in 1971 for the purpose of manufacturing kilim yarn. It started to manufacture jute yarn in 1985 and ‘fancy’ yarn in 1996. It started to make PET fl ake recovery in March 2007 and built the Aserpet facilities in Ga-ziantep on 7500m² closed and 8000m² open area to handle its current capacity of 520 ton/month.

www.aserpet.com.tr www.ptiextruders.com

WORLD NEWS

www.octal.com

www.mondigroup.com

www.nordenia.com

Mondi buys Nordenia groupNORDENIA International AG, a multinational manufacturer of consumer packaging solutions and hygiene components, was sold to Mondi Group in July for €655 million, subject to the approval of competition authorities and customary closing conditions. The completion of the acquisition is expected in the fourth quarter of 2012.

It is planned that the existing Nordenia

management team will lead the combined consumer packaging business unit from its current headquarters in Greven, Germany.

Nordenia group sales increased by 9.9% in 2011 to € 881.0 million, the sales volumes increased year on year by 1.4% to 244 670 tons. The adjusted EBITDA (adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and other extraordinary expenses and income)

amounted to € 101.1 million. For the year ended 31 December 2011,

Mondi Group’s consumer packaging business generated revenues of €281 million, EBITDA of €30 million and return on capital employed of 17%.

Perspex INSIST

INSIST on it by name.

Last year we became bigger when XPS joined our family, and, as you may have heard, we are NOW in a position to offer a vastly improved quality product right now! Therefore we now offer our customers the trusted Perspex brand, made to global standards and access to global technologies and innovations.

We now also supply Polygal Multiwall Polycarbonate!

086 090 [email protected] | [email protected] | www.xtruded.co.za

PerspexSA

halo-media.com | PER-040

set of challenges in SA

I most sincerely thank Dave Ransom for his response. He has helped to point out the complicated situation with trying to train the members of an industry in South Africa.

The whole point of the creation of the initiative to link education and training to BBBEE is to create funding from which to provide the best and most appropri-ate interventions that will lead to a better educated workforce in the rubber industry. The proposal is based on a holistic view of the industry and in no way meant to deni-grate the efforts made by individual private agencies to provide a training service.

We would not even be talking about this issue if the current service providers had the support and the capacity to educate and train the substantial numbers that are currently employed in the Industry on a long term basis. I am the fi rst to acknowl-edge the positive efforts made by the

Training raises complicated

LETTERS

Response to ‘Letter to the Editor’ by Dave Ransom in June/July 2012 issue:


two private companies mentioned and, when still in business, I made use of their services.

However, we are not talking about rub-ber skills training only. We need to be able provide the resources to educate and train all of the members of a substantial industry from shop fl oor to senior management, if we are to survive and prosper as a defi ned industry. National education, whether we like it or not, is based on national struc-tures. They are the best we have and are the legal basis for the development of education and training courses that will lead to qualifi cations that are portable and recognised within general industry in South Africa. This is the rule for national qualifi cations that qualify for substantial SETA grants and funding.

This effort by the IOM³, as the only professional body in the industry and trying to make a difference, is to create the facili-

ties for members of the rubber industry to educate and train their staff. The services of the private companies mentioned would be expected to be an integral part of this process. The scope of the vision, however, is to provide opportunities for education and training that are far greater than those currently being offered.

In my opinion, a broader view has to be taken if we are to retain anything of a vi-able and progressive local industrial rubber industry in the face of the competition com-ing from the developing world. Just take a look at what was 20 years ago and what is now. We can no longer compete in mass markets and so specialised niche markets are the only opportunity left. The success criteria in a niche market are service and expertise. Have we got them?

Dave Duncan

INTERNATIONAL Newsletters Ltd has released a new ‘International Buyers Guide for the Technical Textiles Industry,’ available online.

Freely available to users, the guide lists more than 1000 suppliers, manufactur-ers and service companies and research institutes from around the world, classifi ed by activity and country in a fully searchable and interactive format. It will prove an in-valuable source of information for potential

www.theplasticsmarketplace.com

IF YOU’RE looking for a one-stop shop for all your plastic scrap needs, then take a look at The Plastic Marketplace. Here you can contact both buyers and sellers immediately. You can also make contact with other members via live chat, skype, instant message, email and phone, eliminating the chance of missing out on material you locate.

Theplasticmarketplace.com also has plans to host a virtual tradeshow each quarter. The tradeshow will provide you access to hundreds of customers and vendors without having to leave your offi ce. You can converse with exhibitors (real-time), display your company’s products and services and attend conferences and seminars without any travel expense at all. You will be able to invite your customers and enjoy all the benefi ts of a tradeshow at a fraction of the cost.


USEFUL INFO ON THE INTERNET

THE second in a series of online predictive modelling tools from DuPont Packaging promises to simplify tie-layer material selec-tion, a critical step in multilayer packaging design.

“Selecting the right co extrudable adhesive ensures dissimilar polymers bond – and stay bonded from manufacturing through con-sumer use,” said Barry Morris, PhD, DuPont Packaging technology fellow.

“In today’s world, designers have hundreds of options and their performance varies based on the packaging structure’s manufacturing process, the contents of the packaging, the environment that the packaging is exposed to – selecting the right adhesive is critical; it doesn’t have to be frustrating.”

DuPont, which supplies the world’s broadest range of specialized co-extrudable adhesive resins, offers the DuPont Tie Resin

www.intnews.com/TTIBuyersGuide

customers searching for new partners, suppliers, manufacturers, end-users, or support services.

All entries include company name, contact details and activity. Companies can also choose to highlight their entries with logo, company description and live website links.

FREE ACCESS BUYERS GUIDE FOR TECHNICAL TEXTILES

www.dupont.com

PLASTICSMARKETPLACE

Selector as the fi rst step in selecting the best resin. Users start by identifying two materials to be joined together and the Selector pro-vides a short list of recommended grades of DuPont tie resins grouped by type of extru-sion process. The Selector includes links to data sheets for recommended grades, to other relevant literature and to a customer service contact for sample ordering and inquiries.

Its database includes more than 40 grades of DuPont™ Bynel® coextrudable adhesives plus several grades of DuPont Elvax® EVA copolymer and DuPont Nucrel® acid copolymers.

“Identifying the right candidates early in the design process can help avoid expen-sive, iterative trials and, of course, costly errors late in the process,” said Morris. “It’s also a global tool with answers tailored to special needs in each region.” The Tie Resin Selector is the latest addition to a suite of tools that DuPont uses with its customers to help optimize packaging structures and processes. Two of these are now available on the web; the other is the DuPont™ SAVE tool for calculating total packaging cost using alternative sealants.

“DuPont computer modeling and simula-tion tools save development costs and time by helping our customers identify cost-effec-tive material combinations and processes,” said Mike Hiteshew, DuPont Packaging global eMarketing leader. “Stay tuned for more web-based tools in the future.”

Drawing from an extensive mix of adhesives, sealants, modifi ers; barrier and peelable-lidding resins, DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers works with customers around the world on packaging initiatives that help protect the product, environment, improve shelf appeal, convenience and re-

This meat packaging example illustrates the complexity of today’s packaging and the role tie-layers play in bonding dissimilar materials

New on-line modelling tool simplifi es tie layer selection

‘How valuable is your time?’duce cost in the food, cosmetics, medi-cal products and other consumer goods and industrial packaging industries.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bring-ing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company be-lieves that by collaborating with custom-ers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help fi nd solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people ev-erywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit


plastics & rubberProtecting

THE worldwide market for stabilisers and other additives which protect plastics from degradation when exposed to heat and light will achieve revenues of almost US$4.8 bil-lion by 2018 forecasts Oliver Kutsch, CEO of Ceresana Research. According to the new study of Ceresana, the Asia-Pacifi c ac-counts for about half of all demand, followed by Western Europe and North America.

Heat stabilisers are mainly needed for construction materials made of PVC: More than 85% of all stabilizers sold during 2010

were used in profi les, pipes, and cable jackets. The market for light stabilizers is growing worldwide. Particularly HALS

(Hindered Amine Light Stabilizers), used in products made of polypro-pylene or polyethylene, will see great increases in demand. Ceresana Research anticipates that the Asia-Pacifi c region will continue to strongly infl uence the stabilizer market over the next years. In addition, South America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East register above-average growth rates of 3.5% to 4.7%.

The study summarizes the most important facts on the different types of heat and light stabilizers on 567 pages. The global market is analy-sed in detail, above all the 17 countries with the largest demand. Most important application areas, such as pipes, fi lms, and elastomers, are examined one by one.

THE BOPP fi lm industry continued to show robust growth during 2011 with de-mand advancing by 5.5% compared with 2010 to top 6 million tons for the fi rst time, according to the latest report on the global BOPP fi lm market from AMI Consulting. Demand growth was slightly down on 2010 which had been the bounce back year from the fi nancial crisis for most markets around the world.

Global demand is increasingly being driven by developments in Asia, particu-larly in China, India and Indonesia. With over 60% of BOPP usage occurring in food packaging, it is the growth in demand in these countries for an ever-widening variety of packaged foods sold through supermarket outlets that is one of the main drivers for this material. With large, youth-ful and growing populations, increased urbanisation and rising incomes it is the developing markets of Asia that will continue to underpin growth in BOPP fi lm demand.

AMI’s analysis shows that China alone now accounts for 40% of global production

Asia’s middle class driving BOPP fi lm markets

www.ceresana.com

www.amiplastics.com

THIS comprehensive book provides up-to-date information on the developments in the fi eld of biopolymers. Close attention has been paid to include all the important aspects that are necessary to understand the fi eld.

The book introduces the reader with the progress in the fi eld, followed by outlining its applications in different areas. Different methods and techniques of synthesis and characterization are detailed as individual chapters. Various mode and mechanism of degradation of materials will be discussed. There is a dedicated chapter on industrially available biopolymers and their applications as well as a chapter detailing the ongoing research, current trends and future challenges.

Unlike other books, this book consists of information that is useful for students who are interested in biotech and polymer research. Each chapter will explain the science and technology from the inception to advance state of the art available to date. This book will also be useful for the researcher involved in the high-tech research as it will provide them the up-to-date information available in this fi eld.

Biotechnology in biopolymers

www.polymer-books.com

and demand and on its own accounted for 2 percentage points of the global growth achieved in 2011. It accounted for 95% of all new capacity installed in 2011. Although production has and will continue to be primarily to serve the domestic market, the volume of output now is such

that even modest export volumes have the potential to disrupt other markets. Chinese exports, which AMI estimated were 6% of production in 2011, are largely targeted at neighbouring Asian countries, but material can turn up in any part of the world from time to time.

AMI believes the BOPP fi lm market has the potential to continue growing at a strong rate of 6-7%/year over the next fi ve years. This would add another 2.3 million tons of demand. As was seen in 2011 the strongest growth is likely to continue to be in India, driven by the development of the organized retail sector opening up to foreign investment; China, driven by government initiatives to increase domestic consumption and raise living standards of its rural poor; and the Middle East and Africa, driven by general economic growth within this resource rich region.

BOPP fi lms - the global market is a de-tailed market report from AMI Consulting.

BOOKS


THE theme of lightweight construction, which is growing in importance, is the focus of the Arburg display at the FAKUMA show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, from 16–20 October.

One exhibit is of the new ‘long-fi bre direct injection moulding’ process developed with German Plastics Center SKZ in Würzburg. The process allows inline feeding and enables longer fi bres than ever before to be processed, so that lightweight injection moulded parts with thin walls and high strength can be produced.

Particle-foam Composite Injection Moulding (PCIM) is a joint project with Krall-mann and Ruch Novaplast in which a foamed part is combined with plastic for the fi rst time. The two components are bonded, so that there is no need for subse-quent assembly steps and a fi nished part is produced in a single step. This pro-duction of composite components made from particle foam and injection moulded plastic opens up a whole fi eld of new options for the electric mobility, lightweight construction and insulation sectors.

Production effi ciencywith Arburg at FAKUMA

2012 EVENTS

‘HOW TO CONVINCE INVESTORS TO SUPPORT THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF YOUR PRODUCTS’A NOVEL competition is being held as part of the Global Polymer Innovation Expo (GPIE) conference/exposition to in Columbus, Ohio, USA, from 26-29 August: the ‘RAPid Impact 2012’ competition is aimed at teaching researchers the ‘art of crafting scientifi c messages for lay people’. The event promotes the mentoring and development of students and post-doctoral scholars in the polymer fi eld.

Polymer students are invited to team with a ‘principal investigator’ to enter RAPid Impact. Participating in RAPid Impact will “hone the skills necessary to commu-nicate complicated topics to fi nancial decision makers with the goal of convincing investors to support the commercialization of their products”.

GPIE features the six key areas of polymer growth

from the Ohio Polymer Strategy Council’s 2011 Roadmap:

For conference details and keynote speakers, visit www.GlobalPolymerInnovationEXPO.com.

SPE AUTOMOTIVE COMPOSITES CONFERENCE

hibition takes place from 11-13 September at the MSU Management Education Center in Troy, Michigan, USA.

Now in its twelfth year, the SPE ACCE event has become the world’s leading forum for automotive com-posites and draws exhibitors, speakers, and attendees from 15 countries on fi ve continents.

“With the global automotive industry growing again after several diffi cult years, and with a host of tough new

emissions and fuel-economy standards looming for the industry to meet, interest in lightweight materials like polymer composites is at an all-time high. Fortunately, the composites industry has a broad portfolio represent-ing a wide range of cost, performance, and processing options from which to choose.

“Whether automakers are working on low volume/performance platforms, or high volume/economy plat-forms, they will fi nd materials and process options that will meet their needs. And the best way to keep on top of the very latest technology innovations in this fi eld is to

the 2011 and 2012 SPE ACCE conference chair.www.4spe.org

PHOTOVOLTAIC MATERIAL PERFORMANCE IN ARIZONA SUNARIZONA is regularly selected for weathering testing of photovoltaic materials and modules owing to its dry, sunny climate. It is also one of the optimum locations for solar energy farming. In view of this, the next AMI international conference on Plastics in Photovoltaics

www.arburg.comProduction effi ciency through process integration:

Arburg is presenting a production cell with inline printing for the manufacture of individually decorated

plastic parts at Fakuma in October

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Pioneer Industrial Corporation www.pioneer-industrial.com

Ocean Plastic Intertradewww.rotoplanet.netwww.tradeprojects.net

Thai show at CTICCTRADE between South Africa and Thailand has increased exponetially over the last few years, and some of the Thai manufacturers took advantage of that momentum by participating in the Thailand Trade Show at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in June.

Opportunities exist to cooperate with Thai manufacturers, to supply products not manufactured locally or to export to Thailand.

2012 will be held on 19-20 September in Phoenix, AZ, USA. The event starts with a review from Professor Dauskardt of Stanford University on the challenges for plastics in photovoltaics, followed by Solaria describing research data from polymer aging studies. www.amiplastics.com

MEDIPLAS 2012MEDIPLAS, to be held in Birmingham, UK, from 25-26 September, is a uniquely focused event for the highly specialised area of manufacturing plastic parts for the medical industry. The exhibition will cover all areas of the medical plastics supply chain.

It differentiates itself from general plastics shows, as it brings to the forefront aspects and considerations of medical device manufacturing that do not feature in production for other industries. It is also distinct from existing medical device events because it specialises in plastics – the new material of choice as biocompat-ible plastics and polymer compounds continue to replace metal and ceramics in the medical industry.www.mediplasuk.com

KENYA ELECTRONICS SHOW IN OCTOBERThe 16th ITELEXPO Kenya International Trade Exhibition on IT, Electronics and Telecom will be held in Nairobi from 6-8 October. The event will present over 10,000 products, equipment and machinery from over 30 countries. The number of exhibitors and visitors in 2012 is expected to rise by at least 20% since an aggressive campaign has been launched. Trade visitors from all over East & Central African countries are being invited directly and in collaboration with several regional trade bodies in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Mozambique and Congo. www.expogr.com

PETPOINT 2012NürnbergMesse and Messe München GmbH teamed up for the fi rst time at Brau Beviale for PETpoint 2011. Following on from this successful premiere, PETpoint – the PET segment at drinktec, the World´s Leading Trade Fair for Beverage and Liquid Food Technology – will be putting in another appearance at Brau Beviale in 2012 from 12-13 November. www.drinktec.com/en/Home/PETpoint


DIARY

Starlinger Recycling celebrates 25yrsSTARLINGER recycling technology invited players throughout the value chain of the plastics industry to celebrate 25 years of Starlinger recycling equip-ment at an open house event at its premises in Austria in June. The event featured technical pre-sentations and live test runs on plastics recycling lines at the factory in Weissenbach, Lower Austria.

Highlights included demonstrations of the recoSTAR PET 330 iV+ and recoSTAR universal system. The recoSTAR 330 is currently the biggest PET bottle-to-bottle recycling line of its kind in the world. The recoSTAR 165 VAC was shown repro-cessing fi lm, fi bre and nonwoven scrap material.

www.starlinger.com

BRICS forum at SAITEX

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1. Jingdong Rubber of China, which has been manufacturing rubber sheeting and related products since 1985, exhibited at

SAITEX www.jingdongrubber.com

2. Seen on the Lumoss Mouldings stand were Sally Anne Phora, Belinda Tverdon

and Christopher Edgar www.lumoss.com

3. Cheri Scholtz of PETCO and Lisa Parkes, the PET organisation’s new

commercial director, visited David Drew of the Boxmore stand

www.boxmore.co.za

4. Evernu Plastics of Durban exhibited its range of domestic/home items at SAITEX

www.evernu.co.za

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THE vast, largely untapped potential for BRICS# intra-Africa trade received a boost through the newly-launched BRICS Africa Export Import Forum, which ran alongside SAITEX (the Southern African International Trade Exhibition) at Gal-lagher Convention Centre in Midrand in July.

The BRICS Africa Export Import Forum is the only event that is dedicated to showcasing the range of services and support available for BRICS trade into and around Africa trade.

In addition to the exhibition element, a number of co-located events designed to stimulate trade were staged. The Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce

and Industry (JCCI) in association with BRIC trade consulates and the Depart-ment of Trade and Industry convened a series of trade opportunity presentations and seminars aimed at opening dialogue between trade representatives from BRIC countries and African business visitors.

Each BRICS country was assigned four presentations aligned to ease of con-ducting business in that country, invest-ment opportunities, export opportunities and import opportunities.

# BRICS is an international organisation of leading emerging economies arising out of the inclusion of South Africa into the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) group in 2010.

www.exhibitionsafrica.com


DIAR

Y

COMPOSITES EUROPE 2012CARBON fi bre reinforced plastics (CFRP) will be a focus at this year’s Com-posites Europe trade show, with the competence networks of CFK Valley Stade and Carbon Composites eV (CCeV) taking part.

CFK Valley Stade will be exhibiting at the show on 9-11 October in Düs-seldorf, Germany, with a joint stand of its own for the fi rst time this year.

Three months before the start of the fair, organiser Reed Exhibitions Deutschland said practically all the big names in the European composites industry had already booked stands – from the fi ve major CFRP producers to the leading specialists in technology and automation.

This year, the themes of automation and serial production of composites will be highlighted.

Now in its seventh year, Composites Europe 2012 is co-located with the Aluminum World Fair. More than 1300 exhibitors from more than 50 coun-tries are expected at the combined event. Composites Europe 2012 will host 400 of these companies.

• AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE AVK (FEDERATION OF REINFORCED PLASTICS), GERMANY, WILL AGAIN PRECEDE COMPOSITES EUROPE 2012. CONFERENCE TOPICS ON 8-9 OCTOBER WILL INCLUDE THE GLASS REINFORCED PLASTIC (GRP) AND CFRP MARKETS, CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS FOR SERIAL PRODUCTION, AND SOLUTIONS FOR JOINING, REPAIR AND SIMULATION.

www.composites-europe.com

PLUMBDRAIN AFRICA: 15-18 AugustNasrec, Expo Centre, Johannesburg: www.interbuild.co.za

EUROMOLD BRASIL: 20-24 August: Joinville, Brazil: www.euromold.com

INTERPLAST BRAZIL: 20-24 August: Joinville, Brazil: www.messebrasil.com.br

GLOBAL POLYMER INNOVATION EXPO: 26-29 AugustColumbus, Ohio, USA: www.globalpolymerinnovationexpo.com

PROPAK WEST AFRICA: 4-6 SeptemberEko Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria: www.propakwestafrica.com

SPE AUTOMOTIVE COMPOSITES CONF: 11-13 SeptemberMichigan, USA: www.4spe.org

PLASTICS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS 2012: 19-20 SeptemberArizona, USA: www.amiplastics.com

TAIPEI PLAS 2012: 21-25 SeptemberNangang Exhib Hall, Taipei: www.taipeiplas.com.tw

MEDIPLAS: 25-26 September: NEC, Birmingham, UK: www.mediplasuk.com

ARMO 2012 (ROTO MOULDING): 30 Sept-2 OctLyon, France: www.armo2012.com

TIRE LABEL LEGISLATION & MARKETING: 3-4 OctoberLe Meridian Hotel,Brussels Belgium: www.tllm-conference.com

ETECH AFRICA EXPO: 1-5 OctoberInt’l Conference Centre, Harare: [email protected]

INDPLAS: 5-8 October: Calcutta, India: www.indplas.in

ITELEXPO KENYA 2012: 6-8 October: Nairobi, Kenya: www.expogr.com

INT’L AVK CONFERENCE: 8-9 October: Düsseldorf, Germany: www.avk-tv.de

WASTECON 2012: 8-12 October: ELICC, East London: www.wastecon.co.za

BRITYREX INTERNATIONAL 2012: 9-11 OctoberManchester, UK: [email protected]

DUBAI PLAST PRO 2012: 15-17 OctoberRaffl es Hotel, Dubai, UAE: www.cvent.com

AFRIMOLD 2012: 10-12 OctoberGallagher Conv Centre, Midrand: www.afrimold.co.za

MULTILAYER PACKAGING FILMS 2012: 16-18 OctoberMaritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany: www.amiplastics.com/Events

FAKUMA 2012: 16-20 OctoberFriedrichshafen Exhibition Centre, Germany: www.fakuma-messe.de

POLYOLEFIN ADDITIVES 2012: 23-25 OctoberMaritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany: www.amiplastics.com

AGRICULTURAL FILM 2012: 6-8 NovemberMadrid, Spain: www.amiplastics.com/Events

DRINK TECHNOLOGY INDIA: 6-8 NovemberMumbai, India: www.drinktechnology-india.com

PACKTECH INDIA: 6-8 November: Mumbai, India: www.packtech-india.com

PETPOINT: 12-13 NovemberBrau Beviale, Nürnberg, Germany: www.drinktec.com

PETNOLOGY EUROPE 2012: 12-13 NovemberNuremberg, Germany: www.petnology.com

COMPAMED: 14-16 November: Düsseldorf, Germany: www.compamed.de

WIND TURBINE BLADE MANUFACTURE: 27-29 NovemberMaritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany: www.amiplastics.com

FIRE RESISTANCE IN PLASTICS: 27-29 NovemberFire Resistance Conference: www.amiplastics.com

EUROMOLD 2012: 27-30 November: Frankfurt, Germany: www.euromold.com

THIN WALL PACKAGING: 3-5 DecemberMaritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany: www.amiplastics.com

PVC FORMULATION 2013: 12-14 MarchHilton Hotel, Düsseldorf, Germany: www.amiplastics.com

PROPAK AFRICA 2013: 12-15 MarchNasrec, Johannesburg: www.propakafrica.co.za

GREEN POLYMER CHEMISTRY 2013: 19-21 March Maritim Hotel, Cologne, Germany: www.amiplastics.com/events

With 350 exhibitors and more than 7 000 visitors at the last event in 2011, Composites Europe is one of the leading fairs for the sector

www.intersolar.de

Intersolar Europe

Automation & serial production a focus at

SABIC Innovative Plastics was a leading partici-pant at the Intersolar Europe conference/exhibi-tion in Munich in June, showcasing its growing port-folio of specialty thermoplastics designed to support major trends in solar applications. Highlighting the applications on display was the solar industry’s fi rst polycarbonate building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) panels for roofi ng, cladding and glazing, which illustrates the company’s continuing commitment to advancing customer’s sustain-able energy generation through more effi cient solar power.


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Solar Impulseto attempt fl ight to Africa

SPORTS

SOLAR Impulse, the innovative solar-powered airplane, is to attempt its longest fl ight, from Switzerland to Africa. The aircraft uses technical expertise, high-tech polymer materials and energy-saving lightweight materials from Bayer Material-Science, an offi cial partner to the visionary Swiss bid to fl y night and day around the world without fuel.

The testing 48-hour journey of over 2 500 km, which will cross the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean and end in Morocco, follows successful test fl ights including Solar Impulse’s fi rst international


fl ight, from Switzerland to France and Bel-gium, in 2011. The fl ight will be excellent training for the round-the-world trip planned for 2014.

Project originators Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg will take turns to fl y the aircraft, with a scheduled intermediate stopover near Madrid, Spain to change pilots.

The trip will coincide with the start of work in Morocco’s Ouarzazate region to construct the largest solar power plant ever built. The Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN) is leading the implemen-

Longest fl ight planned for manned solar plane

tation of the integrated Moroccan Solar Plan, which aims at developing a minimum power capacity of 2 000 MW by 2020.

Leverkusen-based company Bayer MaterialScience became an offi cial partner of the Swiss Solar Impulse project in 2010. Since then, more than two dozen researchers have been working at the company’s laboratories in Leverkusen, Dormagen and Krefeld-Uerdingen on ideas for lightweight construction and energy effi ciency. Material solutions are, for example, part of the plane’s pilot cabin, the wings and the motor gondolas.


High-tech on the soccer pitchHigh performance materials for fast, robust & precise soccer ball

Solar Impulse, the innovative solar-

powered airplane, is to attempt its

longest fl ight, from Switzerland to Africa

THE games at the European Soccer Championship will be played to the rhythm of the ‘Tango 12’, a cutting-edge synthetic ball that is fast, robust and precise. The adidas ball sports a new design and is based on proven materials from Bayer MaterialScience.

The surface texture of the offi cial European Championship ball feels like denim, allowing for better ball control. The shell is made up of fi ve layers with a total thickness of 1.1 mm. These layers make the European Championship ball robust and accurate. The middle layer – an Impranil® foam containing millions of gas-fi lled microcells – is responsible for the optimal contact of the ‘Tango 12’ to the foot. The upper layers protect the foam from external infl uences and help keep the ball looking new longer.

Another specialty material from Bayer MaterialScience is used for a patented thermal adhesive layer that makes the ball virtually impermeable to water. Even

in heavy rain, its weight increases by no more than 0.1%, which means that the players are able to control it better.

The ball’s name and design are every bit as traditional as its insides are modern. The Tango debuted at the 1978 World Championship in Argentina, and its suc-cessors provided for plenty of goals at subsequent championships in the 1980s.

The new ball sports the classic black and white design updated with colourful accents. The host nations’ national colours – red and white for Poland, yellow and blue

for Ukraine – have been immortalized in the triangles. Another unique feature is that unlike its predecessors, it does not have a glossy surface – matte balls are currently in vogue.

Bayer MaterialScience’s involvement in sports goes beyond soccer. Safer, more stable, faster – sports equipment such as skis, snowboards and inline skates also benefi t from high-tech plastics. This also applies to other sporting goods. Raw ma-terials from Bayer MaterialScience can be found in goggles, helmets and shoes.

www.materialscience.bayer.comFive layers of the high-performance material Impranil from Bayer MaterialScience make the “Tango 12” accurate and robust

“more than just a chemical supplier”

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