Mould cavity pressure can be measured without leaving surface marks on the moulding by measuring the strain on the mould induced by the mould pressure.

Kistler has solved the problem of measuring mould cavity pressure without leaving surface marks on the finished product by measuring the strain on the mould induced by the mould pressure, rather than directly using a sensor on the interior face of the cavity. As the sensors are placed behind the wall of the cavity in the mould or die, the interior of the cavity is left smooth. An added benefit is that the sensors do not influence the temperature field at the mould surface so eliminating another possible cause of surface imperfection.

Although it is recognised that monitoring and control of cavity pressure during the moulding cycle is essential to minimising defects, this has been impossible in the past when surface marks on the moulded part could not be accepted.

The introduction of the new Kistler indirect pressure monitoring technique now allows precision moulded parts, such as lenses, light guides and automotive mouldings with Class A finishes, to be produced more reliably using mould pressure monitoring without surface marking.

* About Kistler Instruments - established in Wintherthur (Switzerland) in 1957, Kistler is represented in over 50 countries and has subsidiaries in Germany, France, Italy, UK, Japan, USA, China, Korea and Singapore.

With a staff of more than 800, the Kistler Group is one of the world's leading providers of dynamic measuring instrumentation.

The Kistler Group achieved turnover of SFR 160 million in the 2005 financial year.

Kistler's core competence is the development, production and use of sensors for measuring pressure, force and acceleration.

Kistler's know-how and electronic systems can be used to prepare measuring signals for use in analyzing physical processes, controlling and optimizing industrial processes, improving product quality in manufacturing and improving performance in sports and rehabilitation.

Kistler offers a comprehensive range of sensors and systems for engine development, automotive engineering, plastics and metal processing, installation technology and biomechanics.

Heavy investment in research and development, 15% of staff worldwide are engaged in research and development, has generated a number of innovations using piezoelectric, piezoresistive and capacitive techniques to provide solutions to numerous force, pressure and acceleration measuring problems.

These innovations include the world's first commercial quartz sensor, two-wire constant current technology to integrate sensors with microelectronic circuitry, high-temperature pressure sensors for use up to 400 deg C and three-component force measuring sensors.

Mould manufacturing to be predictable The development of a predictive mould design and manufacturing system will reduce throughput times and increase right-first-time production.

The development of a predictive mould design and manufacturing system will reduce throughput times and increase right-first-time production. GTMA members and other participants in the T-ForM EU-sponsored thermoforming R and D project recently attended a meeting kindly hosted by JCB at its World Headquarters in Staffordshire, to discuss the progress and direction of the project. A JCB spokesman commented: 'It can only be a good thing in the long term to have the complete spectrum of the industry from materials companies, through toolmakers and moulders, to OEMs around the table and talking to one another.' Paul Tulloch, Business Development Manager, ABCD Plastics, was also enthusiastic, adding: 'It is not often you get the opportunity to sit down with your competitors to discuss genuine concerns within the sector.

This initiative gives us all the opportunity to push the design envelope of the thermoforming process and therefore potentially increase the size of the thermoforming market - which is good for everyone in the industry.' T-ForM, which is being supported by the European FP6 Collective Research programme with a budget of EUR 4.8 million, will assist thermoforming companies, mould makers and design agencies to improve competitiveness through the development of a predictive mould design and manufacturing system, which will reduce throughput times and increase right-first-time production.

At the meeting current work being undertaken at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, including a survey of the SME thermoforming environment, and Dutch research establishment, TNO, which has been developing prototype mould design software, were reviewed.

One of the outcomes of earlier T-ForM project meetings was the expressed desire, on the part of many attendees, for a UK Thermoforming forum, which would provide considerable opportunities and mutual benefit to companies throughout the thermoforming supply chain, from materials suppliers to OEM customers, enabling improved communication and understanding between companies within the industry.

As a result of those suggestions, it was proposed and formally agreed at the TForM meeting at JCB to launch the new Thermoforming Forum, which GTMA has agreed to sponsor and co-ordinate.

As GTMA CEO, Julia Moore explained: 'It made sense for the new forum to be created within the GTMA framework as the thermoforming industry is so closely aligned with our own sector.

Companies interested in joining the T-Form project and the Forum should contact Scott Phillips at GTMA.

* T-ForM participants are as follows.

ABCD Plastics.

Algram Group.

Belgrade Polymer Products.

Cimatron UK.

E P Packaging.

GBW Panels.

J and A Kay.

Linecross.

Midas Pattern Company.

New Pro Foundries.

Plastics Manchester.

Process Plastics.

Senoplast (UK).

Sertec Plastics.

Shelley Thermoformers International.

Surface Generation.

Swanstone.

Techni-form.

TP Group.

Thermoforming Solutions.

Vacform Group (Yorkshire).

W H Smith and Sons (Tools).

VTS Doeflex.

New metal-free dental CAD/CAM system launched by world leader in measurement technologies

Renishaw, a world leader in industrial measurement and CAD/CAM technologies, has announced the UK introduction of its incise metal-free dental CAD/CAM system, the only process available to the dental market that will certify the quality of fit for manufactured ceramic restorations. The development of the incise process has drawn on Renishaw's 33 years of experience in precision measurement, 3D digitising and machining, plus pioneering research into the relationship between the clinical impression and the master model. This has resulted in a system that focuses on the accuracy of crown and bridge framework manufacture at every stage of the process, with a set of incise clinical guidelines helping to eliminate the errors that can arise during the impression and die process.

A key benefit of this emphasis on accuracy is the achievement of improved marginal fit, leading to shorter chair-times for patients and dentists during the final fitment of the crown or bridge, and giving increased resistance to tooth decay and staining, resulting in a longer lasting restoration.

Renishaw's incise process uses zirconia, a strong ceramic material, that also has the key benefit of biocompatibility, avoiding the problems that can occasionally arise with metal crowns whereby reactions with oral tissues cause gum recession and expose unattractive metal collars that are prone to decay collection and staining.

Without a metal core, the incise frameworks also benefit from a more natural, translucent appearance.

At the heart of the process is the incise dental contact scanning system, which a dental labouratory uses to digitise a stone model, which has been formed from an impression of the patient's bite taken by the dentist.

Unlike laser and camera-based systems, the incise scanner is validated to BS EN ISO10360 part 4, an international standard relating to the accuracy of contact scanning systems, giving added confidence in the process.

Data from the scan is then sent electronically to Renishaw's milling centre in Gloucestershire, UK, where the zirconia framework is manufactured.

It is then returned to the labouratory for the application of porcelain and colour-matching, before final fitment by the dentist.

All incise restorations are produced under a BS EN ISO13485 quality system, and every framework is supplied with a certificate of conformance, showing an analysis of fit to the original stone model.

Speaking about the new incise process, Bryan Austin, Director and General Manager of Renishaw's Dental Products Division said, 'Using Renishaw's technology, experience and expertise, our new incise process minimises or even eliminates the errors normally associated with the manufacture of frameworks'.

'Our overriding aim is to supply our customers with precision fit frameworks that eliminate remakes, guaranteeing an easier life for patients, dentists and dental technicians'.

CAM software enables lights-out machining to produce parts for prototypes - with reduced lead-times - of a 'Noddy' pedal car for Premier Pedal Cars.

Delcam software enables lights-out prototypes for 'Noddy' car Omega Plastics, part of the Fitstogether Group based in the North-east UK, used Delcam's Power Solution software to produce parts for prototypes of a Noddy pedal car for Premier Pedal Cars . (PPC). PPC is the brainchild of entrepreneur Stuart Colmer.

He launched the company in 2003 - importing metal pedal cars from China to sell in the UK through toy stores such as Harrods of London.

Mr Colmer soon realised that there was a gap in the market for a new, UK-built product.

He secured the licence to manufacture the Noddy pedal cars in the UK during late 2003.

Omega Plastics joined forces with PPC to work on the project with the Polymer Centre in Teesside and Responsive Engineering of Gateshead.

The combined team worked together on the initial concept using a 'design for manufacture' approach.

Robin Mackie, managing director of Fitstogether, said: 'The toy market place is a new one for us, but I am confident the Noddy pedal car will prove an extremely successful product line for PPC.

This project is evidence of Fitstogether's ability to work in partnership, to make collaboration work and to provide a virtual supply chain to the market.

Through our partnership with Delcam, we were able to use the latest machining strategies available from our PowerMILL CAM software,' he added.

'This enabled us to use lights-out running, which consequently reduces the lead times for our customer and means we achieved our objective of producing finished parts in twelve days.' Following a successful reception for the prototype, another Delcam software user, D and S of Newton Aycliffe, manufactured the tooling for full-scale manufacture.

Film Insert Moulding (FIM) is rapidly becoming an established method of producing high quality profiled or three dimensional parts for a wide range of applications, writes Richard Townsend.

The FIM process offers considerable benefits over conventional methods of component manufacture and in-mould decoration; in particular, it enables the number of process operations and component parts to be significantly reduced, while improving productivity, quality and the functionality and aesthetics of the finished product. These benefits have recently been further enhanced with the introduction of anti-reflective, anti-glare films and by a new generation of metallic and pearlescent inks. The FIM process depends on effective collaboration between screen printers, thermoformers and injection moulders, involving four basic steps: printing, forming, trimming and moulding.

An image is firstly screen printed onto the underside of a special hardcoated film, such as Autotype HiForm; images can be produced either singly or in multiples, for example, up to 80 mobile phone covers can be incorporated in a 1.0m2 sheet of film.

Printed sheets are then transferred to a vacuum, pressure or thermoforming press, where they are formed to the exact shape of the components; the outer side of film thus becomes the outer side of the finished component.

The sheet is then trimmed and individual components die-cut to size.

Each is inserted in a female injection mould cavity, where molten polymer is injected behind the film, bonding the two materials together to create a solid and finished part ready for subsequent product assembly.

The film therefore forms a tough protective skin over the complete surface of the part, which can be shaped extremely accurately, while print definition is normally within +/-0.2mm.

In addition, for products such as mobile phones it is possible to integrate the printed and base-colour case and the clear display window into a single component.

The process depends on the performance of the film and inks, plus exact control of the production systems, to ensure consistent process conditions.

In particular, the films used must offer high levels of surface hardness, to resist surface abrasion, scratching and possible exposure to solvents and cleaning fluids.

They should also be able to withstand yellowing, caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight, have high levels of transparency, so that backlighting can easily be incorporated, and be able to accommodate embossed or textured surface finishes.

The characteristics described above are common to many film materials.

The latest films, however, extend this functionality by combing both anti-glare and anti-reflective properties.

These are essential in all applications, such as automotive instrument panels or PDAs, where screens or displays are used to present information, and have been developed jointly by MacDermid Autotype and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy in Germany, following research into the nano-structures found in the eyes of moths.

These compound eye structures have evolved to collect as much light as possible without reflection, in order to prevent moths being detected by night time predators.

Manufactured using nano replication techniques, the new film is the first of its kind to combine anti-reflective and anti-glare properties on a hardcoated substrate that is both dimensionally stable and easily formable.

This makes it ideal for use in film insert moulding and offers new opportunities for product designers and processors alike, as it reflects less than 1% of visible light, regardless of viewing angle, and eliminates the problems of iridescence and light glare that are often associated with conventional materials.

A further area of development is in the field of specialised inks for the FIM process.

Conventional screen print inks are not generally formulated to withstand the higher temperatures and mechanical stresses generally imposed during thermoforming and injection moulding.

To address this, manufacturers such as Proell are introducing a new generation of solvent based inks that offer superior performance characteristics for printing onto the PMMA and polycarbonate substrates normally used for FIM based components.

In addition, the growing availability of metallic and pearlescent inks is further extending the options for designers, while simultaneously enhancing the ease with which thermoformers and moulders can process materials.

Although these new films and inks do not generally require special handling or processing it is worth noting that the film insert moulding does require careful attention to factors such as tool design, pressure and vacuum settings, the type of resins used, the temperature and pressure of injection, injection gate design and the distance from gate to ink surface, if high quality parts are to be produced.

Film Insert Moulding is an extremely effective process, offering low unit costs, for both low and high volume production, with the ability easily to customise short run components through changes during the screen print stage.

Perhaps as importantly, with the latest generation of inks and resins it gives plastics processors a new range of opportunities in an ever more competitive marketplace.

GE-Plastics has added large part moulding and thermoforming to its Global Application Technology Center that will enable the development of new materials for exterior automotive body panels.

At a recent open house, GE-Plastics announced a major new enhancement to its Global Application Technology Center here that will enable the development of new materials for large parts such as exterior automotive body panels and glazing. GE's investment in a state-of-the-art Krauss-Maffei 2700 MX injection compression molding machine will help the company address customer needs for lighter materials and greater design flexibility in large parts. The KM2700 machine is the latest in an array of technology capabilities and services - ranging from design to processing to analysis - offered through six centers of excellence within the Global Application Technology Center.

In addition to the Krauss-Maffei molding machine, GE plans to install a new thermoforming machine with twin sheet capacity at the Bergen op Zoom facility in early 2006.

'Our continued investment in this facility allows GE to offer customers the best plastics expertise and capabilities in the world,' said Rick Pontillo, general manager Global Application Technology at GE-Plastics.

'The new injection-compression molding and thermoforming equipment are important additions that will save customers time and resources in product development, while helping us create and test new materials for automotive glazing and body panel applications, transportation applications, and much more.' * Advanced molding capabilities - the advanced injection molding capabilities of the new KM2700 MX machine can deliver important benefits to automotive manufacturers and suppliers.

First, injection-compression molding is one of a limited number of processes for creating large, optical-quality parts for automotive glazing, such as moon and sunroofs, which can add design innovation.

Second, the equipment promotes the use of premium lightweight plastic materials in larger parts such as fenders, door skins, and tailgates to reduce weight and improve fuel efficiency.

Finally, large injection-molded parts can enable integration of assembly features and attachment points, reducing system costs.

The new machine will allow GE-Plastics experts to optimise material processing conditions; produce real parts for testing; and validate materials for real applications in terms of impact, paintability, stiffness and strength, surface appearance, and dimensional accuracy.

GE-Plastics resins to be molded using the KM2700 include Noryl GTX resins for fenders, Xenoy resins for body panels, and Lexan GLX resins for glazing, plus a new line of high modulus ductile (HMD) materials that feature proprietary nano-filler technology.

These HMD materials offer the potential to reduce gaps between automotive body panels through increased stiffness and lower coefficient of thermal expansion.

The leading features of the Krauss-Maffei MX-series injection molding machine are high production output and excellent part quality.

For many years Krauss-Maffei has been one of the first-class suppliers to the automotive industry.

The company has extensive expertise in the field of plastic automotive parts.

'This order from GE - Plastics underscores our role as a leading machinery manufacturer for automotive applications in Europe,' said Josef Maertl, chairman of the Krauss-Maffei board of management.

* Next-generation thermoforming - the thermoformer planned for 2006 will be used to develop applications for new GE materials such as high-performance thermoplastics composite (HPPC) for horizontal auto body panels; Rail-Lite composite from Azdel for large semi-structural panels in train interiors; no-paint systems featuring Lexan SLX, Geloy XTW, and Xenoy resin grades; high-heat and flame-resistant resins such as Ultem and Noryl resin grades; and Lexan and Lexan Margard sheet for large glazing applications.

These and other GE innovations address the leading trends in thermoformable materials, including reduced component weight and system cost, long-term durability, and improved styling.

GE's Global Application Development Centers in Shanghai, China; Moka, Japan; Bangalore, India; Southfield, Mich.; and Pittsfield, Massachusetts., as well as Bergen op Zoom, offer customers new process solutions and next-generation technologies.

The Bergen op Zoom facility, established in 1978, provides specialty development and support capabilities in six areas, including automotive glazing and vertical and horizontal body panels, secondary operations, and fluid engineering.

A virtual laboratory connects to the other GE centers to share knowledge and conduct trials in real time.

GE plans to install additional large injection molding machines in the United States and Asia in 2006.

* About GE - Plastics - GE - Plastics is a global supplier of engineering thermoplastics widely used in automotive, healthcare, consumer electronics, transportation, performance packaging, building and construction, telecommunications, and optical media applications.

The company manufactures and compounds polycarbonate, ABS, SAN, ASA, PPE, PC/ABS, PBT and PEI resins, as well as the LNP* line of high-performance specialty compounds.

GE - Plastics, Specialty Film and Sheet manufactures high-performance Lexan sheet and film products used in thousands of demanding applications worldwide.

In addition, GE - Plastics' dedicated Automotive organisation is an experienced, world-wide competitor, offering leading plastics solutions for five key automotive segments: body panels and glazing; under the hood applications; component; structures and interiors; and lighting.

As a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games, GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to a successful Games.

A two-platen press moulds a fixed sidelight of clear polycarbonate overmolded with black polycarbonate bezel - without the cost, complexity or machine size required for rotary tooling.

Milacron is teaming with Exatec to demonstrate at NPE a new process for two-shot molding of automotive windows without the cost, complexity or machine size required for rotary tooling. A Cincinnati Milacron Maxima MG 1100 two-platen press will mold a fixed sidelight of clear polycarbonate overmolded with black polycarbonate bezel. The approach combines Milacron's creative design for piggyback injection units with an innovative mold from Exatec.

Milacron mounts the secondary injection unit on an innovative injection sled directly above the primary injection unit.

The sled is mounted to the stationary platen offering superior alignment.

'Piggybacking' the injection units reduces machine footprint and avoids compromises to the integrity of the stationary platen, pointed out Ron Hertzer, director of technology.

He said: 'There is no impact whatsoever on the compact size of the press, while we're able to eliminate the need for two holes and any effect on platen stiffness.' The integrated molding system at NPE features a Milacron robot for part take-out.

The robot places the part in an inspection box where an imaging sensor measures the bifringence of the part, then places it on a conveyor.

The Maxima is equipped for quick-mold change (QMC) with Staubli magnetic mold clamping system and a tie-rod puller.

About once an hour at NPE Milacron will demonstrate QMC capability.

'The superior parallelism provided by Maxima's direct-acting 'pancake' ram makes it an excellent press for automotive window molding,' said Hertzer.

The direct-acting ram reduces effective platen deflection by 50% compared with typical two-platen designs that build tonnage on the corners, he notes.

The large surface area of the ram distributes clamp force evenly across the back of the die plate, similar to a conventional three-platen machine.

Fully supported strain rods, long guided length, and extra large skates all contribute to superior parallelism and stability.

The short stroke of the pancake ram helps minimize cycle times with full tonnage build in 0.6s, Hertzer notes.

The Maxima design also allows fast breakaway at the end of the mold cycle with full decompression of the clamp and opening of the split nuts during cooling.

'Automotive glazing typically requires an injection/coining process to avoid stresses that can compromise optical quality,' Hertzer explained.

'In the NPE demonstration, the machine closes the mold to within less than 1mm of finished thickness of the part, then the part is filled.

Full tonnage applies compression in the mold in the coining phase.

A retractable core in the Exatec mold pulls back after the clear shot , creating the cavity for shooting the black boarder.

Shot weights are 2.15 lb for primary injection, 8.4oz for secondary injection.

The Maxima MG 1100 comes standard with Milacron's new Mosaic control.

The new control's operator panel is all-sealed, with an embedded operating system that requires no hard-disc drive or back-up power source.

It has extensive capabilities for connectivity and security, with Ethernet LAN and Powerlink, dual USB ports, optional ID card reader, and web-based or network access to process data and machine status.

The 15in touchscreen display includes standard multilingual and inch/metric support, setup wizards and a single-page overview of all critical set points.

The Mosiac control is interfaced with the robot and a particle counter on the oil system.

The Maxima design combines a compact footprint with short cycle time and energy conservation to deliver high-performance molding capability in an economical package.

It can reduce floor space by 10 to 20% over comparable machines.

The Maxima MG 1100 is 10862mm (427in) long x 3518mm (138.4in) wide.

The press can accommodate molds up to 20,240kg (44,620 lb) and 2020mm (115in) thickness, while providing best-in-class minimum mold thickness of 500mm (19.7in) (with ejector system) for exceptional application range.

The Cincinnati Milacron press offers tie-bar spacing of 1550 x 1200mm (61.0in x 47.2in) Accessibility received strong design attention to ensure optimum machine up-time and flexibility.

Complete access to the ejector mechanism, with no ram spacers, reduces set-up time, while full access above the platen enhances robot mounting and other peripherals.

All pumps and motors are positioned on the outside for easy access and service.

* Two-platen design cuts cycle time - available in 11 standard models from 1100 tonf to 4400 tonf, with custom models to 6600 tonf and more, the Maxima MG two-platen machine line uses clever design concepts to improve operator friendliness and productivity, while keeping the machine simple to maintain.

The Maxima design includes the following.

* - Features significant increases in clamp stroke and daylight within a much smaller machine footprint, across the product line.

* Allows faster tonnage build times, with drastically reduced oil reservoir requirements.

* Eliminates the four tie rod tonnage-build cylinders and their associated seals/plumbing common in other two-platen machines; also eliminates potential oil leaks in mold area.

* Offers a wide range of international injection unit sizes from 4880 to 48000, as well as multicomponent, coinjection and Milacron's patented Monosandwich molding.

All position feedback on the machine, including mold height, is via closed-loop digital position control.

Mold height setting with a single transducer on the pancake ram is simpler and more accurate than with four tie rod-mounted cylinders and four transducers, according to Milacron.

The use of a single cylinder for clamp tonnage also reduces machine complexity and service/parts issues.

Because of the minimal clamp-up oil requirement, the Maxima MG 1100 has an oil reservoir of just 2340 litres/618 gal, less than half the size of a conventional hydraulic machine.

7500kN structural foam moulding, wide-platen press will nearly double a company's capacity with twin-mold processing, half the cycle time, 2400 lb/h production and, 250,000 unit a year output.

Venezuela's largest structural foam molder, Industrias Uniplasticas, has ordered an advanced, high-output Uniloy Milacron press to continue 100% per year sales growth for plastics pallets. Uniplasticas, which promotes the plastics pallets as the 'intelligent solution', found the solution to capacity constraints by ordering a new 7500kN (750 tonf), wide-platen structural foam molding press at NPE. Scheduled for February, 2007 delivery, the multimillion-dollar machine will quadruple production output over older presses currently used to mold the high-strength, long-life returnable shipping and storage pallets.

The wide platen allows the press to mount and run two molds side by side, doubling cavitation, said Ed Hunerberg, executive director of Uniloy Milacron's structural foam machinery business, while a 500HP, 2400 lb/h, six-inch extruder provides a 200-pound shot capacity.

Cycle times will be more than halved with the new machine, from 6 min to 2.5 min, as a result of improved mold technology, too.

'Taken together, this machine should produce four times more than one of their existing machines,' he said.

'It is good for 250,000 pallets per year.' Industrias Uniplasticas is a leading producer of industrial-strength plastics boxes, baskets, construction forms, pallets and poultry/agricultural flooring, said Ing Frank Adam Mendoza, commercial manager.

The company is the largest supplier of industrial pallets in Venezuela and Colombia, and also exports to Ecuador, Peru and Costa Rica.

Pallet sales have been doubling year-to-year for the past several years, he said, and the company's goal is to continue growth at that rate.

Sold under the Uniplast trade name, the company's storage and handling products are used by a large, blue-chip roster of international food, pharmaceutical, and personal products companies.

'There are few suppliers of structural foam machines, but only Uniloy Milacron has the resources of a large corporation behind it, and this weighed heavily in our decision, which has been under study for more than 18 months,' said Mendoza.

'Ed Hunerberg and his team have answered many questions for us, not the least of which, was how effective Uniloy would be in installing and supporting a machine in Venezuela.

Meetings with Uniloy structural-foam customers from South Africa to northern Ohio convinced us we were in good hands.' The 7500kN structural foam machine features a 167in wide x 86in tall platen with 137in between the tie-bars.

Uniloy Milacron structural foam presses offer some of the molding industry's most advanced and innovative technologies, according to Hunerberg.

These include: * multi-nozzle programmable, sequential injection with independent nozzle control.

* hot runner/manifold systems.

* highly sophisticated, but user-friendly machine controls and software.

As a low pressure process, structural foam molding makes possible extremely large platen sizes, mold daylight areas, projected mold areas and shot sizes, without attendant increases in clamp tonnage, he noted.

'We are able to produce part sizes that would not be economically viable on an injection molding press, even if you could build one big enough,' said Hunerberg.

'Our presses are being used to mold very large parts, even multiples - such as four 8ft x 4ft parts at the same time.

We offer machines with up to 400 lb shot size and 6000 lb/h output.' Uniplasticas produces the pallets using aluminum molds.

The low-pressure molding permits use of aluminum molds for cost savings of a third or more over tool steel, along with easier mold handling and higher efficiency cooling for faster cycles, said Hunerberg.

In Shanghai, Krauss-Maffei will be launching its new lab facility, which has a PUR mixing and metering system for customer trials and facilities for repairing mixing heads and other components.

At the PU China, September 5 to 7, 2006, in Shanghai, Krauss-Maffei's Reaction Process Machinery Division will be focusing on its competence as a high-calibre system partner for PUR processors. Krauss-Maffei is intent on expanding its solid position in the Chinese market and on penetrating new markets - also in other Asian countries. Concurrently with the PU China, Krauss-Maffei will be launching its new lab facility in Shanghai.

The lab has a PUR mixing and metering system for customer trials and operator training.

It also has facilities for repairing and servicing mixing heads and other machine components.

A pump pool scheme for local customers will minimize time lost for repairs, because replacement pumps are now available immediately from the pool.

Fast and efficient spare parts logistics mean customers can benefit from higher production system availability.

* Complete solutions from a single contract partner - Krauss-Maffei offers complete solutions for PUR processing - from mixing heads and metering machines to foam moulds, punches and cutters.

Deep integration means that the process, the plant and the tooling can be harmonized very early in a project.

Post-mould processing is designed in from the start.

Depending on product specifications, this could mean flexible cutting, using laser and waterjet cutters, punching and milling.

Krauss-Maffei can supply, for example, a system capable of producing a complete instrument panel - substrate, skin and foam infill layer - together with the cutter systems to trim the edges and create apertures in the part.

The PU China is also an opportunity for Krauss-Maffei to demonstrate its competence in special PUR techniques, such as pour spraying and LFI-PUR.

A feature of Krauss-Maffei's LFI-PUR process is that the long glassfibres are wetted with the PUR mix in the mixing head.

The material is discharged into the open mould, the mould closes and the part is moulded under pressure, so that the glass filaments and the PUR matrix bond into a high-strength composite.

Typical applications are producing lightweight, high-strength parts for commercial vehicles.

* Application-oriented spray systems - with its range of application-oriented spray systems, Krauss-Maffei can deliver solutions for a very wide application spectrum.

Its Pegasus mixing head is the answer for spraying smaller volumes, between 10 and 30 g/s.

Pegasus applications include producing high-quality surfaces on automotive door trim and centre console elements.

For bigger volumes, Krauss-Maffei offers PUR Spray Moulding (PSM) systems used successfully in automotive industry applications such as sunroofs and boot covers.

The hard-metal version of the PSM mixing head is capable of processing PUR formulations with up to 70% barium sulphate, for example, to produce acoustic components with a sound-damping PUR layer.

Krauss-Maffei's new Luchs II mixing head offers several striking benefits in manufacturing sandwich products.

Spraying the polyurethane system via a flat-fan nozzle without air infusion results in uniform material distribution, minimal overspray and a defined spray edge.

Three award-winning products created on 10000kN wide-platen presses demonstrated the versatility of multi-nozzle structural foam molding for creating extremely large plastics parts.

Uniloy Milacron demonstrated at NPE the versatility of multi-nozzle structural foam molding for creating extremely large plastic parts by featuring three innovative, award-winning products created on Uniloy Springfield 1000 tonf (10000kN) wide-platen presses. A large children's play cottage, made by Horizon Plastics of Cobourg, Ontario, features two 6.5 x 5ft roof panels and two floor panels molded on a Uniloy 1000 tonf press. Two roof or floor panels, enough for one cottage, can be molded per cycle on the machine's 167in W x 104in H platen.

The cottage's innovative roof design earned top honors at the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) Alliance of plastics processors 2006 conference.

Industry's first collapsible transport container capable of carrying liquids was honored at the 2005 conference.

The Citadel?

Bulk Container from Buckhorn, Cincinnati, features 48in W x 46in H walls molded four-up in a single cycle on a Uniloy Springfield 1000WP press.

Fitted with a disposable plastic liner, the revolutionary container can hold up to 300 gallons/3000 lb of liquid or granular product.

Developed for the food and material processing industries, the Citadel replaces bulk wooden containers, corrugated gaylords, and drums for transport and long-term storage.

Special interlocking lids and bases, molded on the Uniloy press, allow secure stacking up to five containers high.

Buckhorn's 'Center Flow Container', an earlier award winner, was developed for large-scale soybean transport and planting.

Bulk seeds are shipped in the closed containers, then loaded onto a mechanized planter for the actual seeding operation.

Two mating units mating - a 56in L x 45in W x 33in H lower base section and slightly smaller upper section - are shipped filled with seed.

The container holds up to 436 gallons/2500 lb.

of product.

Mounted on the planter, center-flow, interior funnel design enables complete emptying without tilting or jogging.

The lower section has a molded-in hopper with a slide shutoff.

When the container is empty, the upper section can be slid into the lower section to reduce space for return to the seed company.

Both sections are molded on a Uniloy 1000 tonf structural foam press with mold daylight extended to 180in to accommodate the deep-draw molds.

The lower unit requires a 200 lb shot of PE, the upper unit more than 100 lb.

'These products demonstrate the unique capabilities of structural foam molding for creating both very large flat structures and massive, deep structures,' said Ed Hunerberg, executive director of Uniloy Milacron's structural foam and industrial blow molding machinery businesses.

'The structural foam process provides a low-pressure, lower-cost solution to molding large, high-strength, durable parts.

Sanitaryware low pressure casting machine with rotating manipulator and featuring an automatic demoulding manipulator has been conceived for rapid, yet careful demoulding and ware handling.

In deciding to participate in the 20th Tecnargilla ceramic manufacturing and technology exhibition, Unimak Machine Industry Co will be announcing itself with its largest ever international exhibition stand and exciting new systems for the world's ceramic sanitaryware makers. Turkey's leading innovator in the sector has announced that it will show a representative range of machines on its impressive stand at this year's show (28 September to 2 October) in Rimini, Italy, occupying on this occasion just under 130m2. Not only will top management and the export sales team attend, but also the company's engineering team who will be available to take interested visitors through the finer points of each of the machines on view.

Heading the presentation will be Unimak's latest design for the sanitaryware industry - a brand new casting machine with rotating manipulator and featuring an automatic demoulding manipulator.

This development, to be seen for the very first time on open view, is regarded as a welcome addition to (typically) low pressure casting operations and has been conceived for rapid, effective yet careful demoulding and ware handling sequences.

The new manipulator will be powered up for working display during the show.

Alongside this and also functioning will be two new Unimak prototype systems.

The first of these is its Universal Casting Plant which will be shown with a back-to-wall WC fixed on one bench and one-piece (monoblock) WC fixed on the other.

The second prototype is the new casting and handling system developed for the industry's fireclay operations and which pays particular attention to automatic handling of these heavy pieces as well as product improvement.

There is bound to be plenty of interest here, especially on the back of the news that both systems have found favour with major manufacturers and have been the subject of new contracts.

To demonstrate some of the company's other fabrication capabilities, it will show on its stand a 'Chamber Rapid Dryer Section', 'WC Trap Glazing Machine' and a 'Filter Press Slip Pump', again all in operation.

The variety of manufacturing solutions, both on show and illustrated via graphics and video, typifies the company's overall approach to what it encounters in terms of different set-ups and requirements.

'At Unimak, we do detailed analysis work for our customers to decide the best production methods for their individual situation,' explained Burak Selamet, Unimak's chairman since 2001.

'Automation for automation's sake is not the best solution in every case.

The decision depends on the balance of different labour rates and the availability of trained operatives.' Testament to the success of this flexible approach is a trend for the broad-based adoption of Unimak systems in the world's growth areas for ceramic sanitaryware production - North Africa, the Middle East and Gulf areas, the Indian subcontinent and, of course, Turkey itself.

Amongst other things, the management's progressive ideas have seen Unimak grow its export business from a marginal activity in the late 1990s to around 70% of turnover today.

As confidence in the company's ability has grown, so has the factory in Bursa in north-western Turkey.

Over 120 people are now employed there and the expertise - design, engineering and construction - built up to a level where a large range of machines can be manufactured at this 24,000m2 site.

A fine example of this capability was the recently contracted turnkey sanitaryware project in Sri Lanka, which will be commissioned in 2007.

This will this be notable for helping that country in its pursuit of the production of export-quality sanitaryware.

Trialling this type of machinery, as well as assessing different materials, has become easier since Unimak set up its own pilot-scale sanitaryware plant on the Bursa site.

Having recently come on-stream, this facility can now be used to develop slip and glaze recipes and test them in a further move towards maximum optimisation for customer benefit.

Thus, solid background work, attention to detail and a straight approach has come to sum up Unimak's philosophy.

'Our feasibility studies are compiled by people with a background in production who are well aware of production needs,' said Selamet.

'We analyse each customer's actual requirements and offer them what they need.' He said: 'Our philosophy is not to sell equipment just once to a customer with unnecessarily high investment costs, but to build up long-term relationships with them by being honest in meeting their requirements.' * Unimak will exhibit in Hall C3, Stand #26 in the central part of the Tecnargilla exhibition.

Airbus and ESI Group are collaborating in virtual manufacturing using a software program for resin transfer moulding developed from a technique used for the simulation of injection moulding.

Airbus and ESI Group announced their first collaboration in the field of virtual manufacturing. Based upon Airbus' specifications, ESI Group of France has developed PAM-RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding) for CATIA V5, a software program used for the simulation of manufacturing composite components formed by injection moulding. Airbus, the international aerospace group, in its new advanced aircraft programmes, is utilizing composite materials on a large scale.

The use of modern materials and processes is a way to reduce weight, which is the main objective in aeronautics.

However, making thicker, larger and more elaborate composite parts generates new technological challenges.

With these new materials and processes, it is no longer possible to rely on traditional methodologies only in order to design and manufacture these components.

Due to the size of the parts, the traditional trial-and-error approach of tooling manufacturing would lead to unacceptable tooling cost as well as long development lead times and expensive material waste.

Simulation-based design is seen as a way to address these challenges in an economical manner.

The Resin Transfer Moulding process (or RTM) has been used for more than 10 years by EADS, the major shareholder of Airbus, for simulating the injection of parts with resin fibrous reinforcements.

In the last few years, the Centre Commun de Recherches of EADS (EADS CCR), based in Suresnes (near Paris, in France), and ESI Group have collaborated to adapt the capabilities of PAM-RTM to the emerging needs of new aircraft programmes.

PAM-RTM can be used to design and develop new tooling and processes for composite materials.

It checks the mould design and the process parameters in order to make sure that the parts are injected correctly the first time round.

PAM-RTM for CATIA V5 is the result of the first implementation of PAM-RTM capabilities in CATIA V5 in the course of a two-year joint project with Airbus - CATIA V5 being a simulation application for composite parts manufactured using liquid composite moulding processes.

The software takes full benefit of the seamless integration of simulation algorithms within CATIA V5 performed on the native geometry.

This fully integrated application dramatically reduces the simulation cycle time, allowing direct associativity between mould design and simulation results.

It also allows the user to perform injection analysis directly on the CAD model, which ensures a consistent geometric dataflow within an iterative continuous improvement process, resulting in significant time and cost savings.

In the past, such analysis could only be done in an external simulation environment, forcing the user to export the geometric data and leave the CAD environment.

Since the simulation process has now been fully integrated, using CAA V5 architecture and components, PAM-RTM for CATIA V5 presents a common user interface to the designer.

Key advantages are the absence of loss of information due to geometry conversion and transfer, as well as the dynamic communication between design and simulation results.

'The PAM-RTM for PLM version we developed for Airbus is the starting point of ESI Group's collaboration with Airbus to bring virtual manufacturing within the PLM.

Our objective is to support Airbus current, increased use of composite materials through the delivery of physics-based simulation tools, available within the Airbus PLM working environment,' said Vincent Chaillou, president Product Operations and chief operating officer at ESI Group.

Gilles Debril, Airbus Concurrent Engineering/Composite Project manager, added: 'With this application, Airbus is introducing the numerical simulation of manufacturing liquid composite moulding processes.

It is seen as a major breakthrough that will help us to remain at the cutting edge of the technology in the composite material field.' * About ESI Group - ESI Group is a pioneer and world-leading supplier of digital simulation software for prototyping and manufacturing processes that take into account the physics of materials.

ESI Group has developed an entire suite of coherent, industry-oriented applications to simulate a product's behaviour realistically during testing, to fine-tune the manufacturing processes in accordance with the desired product performance, and to evaluate the environment's impact on product usage.

ESI Group's products, which have a proven track record in manufacturing and have been combined in multi-trade value chains, represent a unique collaborative, virtual engineering solution, known as the Virtual Try-Out Space (VTOS), enabling virtual prototypes to be improved in a continuous manner.

By drastically reducing costs and development lead times, VTOS solutions offer major competitive advantages and make it possible to eliminate gradually the need for physical prototypes.

This integrated protocol allows all the company's solutions to work with each other and with applications developed by independent software vendors.

By significantly reducing costs and development lead times and enabling product/process synergies, VTOS solutions progressively eliminate the need for physical prototypes during product development, thus offering major competitive advantages.

Liquid injection moulding produces components - from print to part in 10 days - and is claimed to be ideal For appliance, automotive and general application uses.

The Limfast liquid injection molding is a new service offered by Rubber Industries for molding custom liquid silicone rubber components and bonded Silicone to metal or plastic components, delivered in prototype quantities within 10 working days. Ideal for appliance, automotive, fluid power and mechanical system designers with fast track R and D programs, Rubber Industries' exclusive Limfast service quickly provides prototype quantities. This unique service allows the design engineer to evaluate liquid silicone formulation options for specific color and performance requirements.

It also allows the design engineer to evaluate a product design utilizing production grade tooling and dedicated molding equipment.

Rubber Industries' Limfast molding provides a fast cure and cycle time making it ideal for custom seals, insulators, diffusers, valves, gaskets, bellows and components, to name just a few applications.

The liquid silicone rubber material has low compression set and resists damaging effects of light, ozone and moisture as well as heat for extended wear life.

Rubber Industries offers many liquid silicone rubber grades including UL, oil resistant and high strength.

Virtually any component configuration in any quantity can be Limfast molded utilizing Rubber Industries' large array of automated presses in a full range of tonnage sizes.

Rubber Industries provides cost-effective and dedicated, environmentally controlled molding facilities that meet cleanliness requirements without more costly Class 1000 certification.

Included in its Limfast one-stop molding capabilities, Rubber Industries provides complete material formulation, mold design and manufacture, silicone bonding to metal or plastic, complete in-house cryogenic de-flashing capabilities, component assembly and packaging.

Component designers should note Rubber Industries' mold design system.

This system utilizes a cost saving series of modular mold components whereby customers need purchase only their part's mold cavity, not the entire mold assembly.

Rubber Industries also provides engineering assistance for Limfast component design and development.

An ISO 9001:2000 certified supplier, Rubber Industries has a 37-year successful track record in the custom rubber molding business serving leading OEM manufacturers throughout the United States.

Built around a 300 KN, 6000 punch press, a system at Wilson Tool includes a five tower warehousing system with 110 pallets and a capacity for 900 tonnes of steel sheets 1,500 mm wide by 3000 mm long.

Some two years ago Wilson Tool International of Swindon wereparcelling up for despatch three sets of its patented WilsonWheel Tool System, toolholders and dozens of slitting tools,countersink tools, special form tools, Multi-tools and a host ofstandard punches and dies. The tooling package worth some 80,000(pounds sterling) was destined to fill the 472 stations on a new750,000 (pounds sterling) flexible manufacturing (FMS) for sheetmetal components developed by punch press specialist Pullmax forMidland Sheet Metal of Merry Lees, Leicestershire. Built around a300 KN, 500 hits/min 6000 punch press, the system includes a fivetower Remmert material warehousing system with 110 pallets and acapacity for 900 tonnes of steel sheets 1,500 mm wide by 3,000 mmlong.

The system also includes an ETM extended tool magazine withrobot loading and software for programming and nesting,production scheduling and tool management.

Such was theimportance of the system to Midland Sheet Metal's futureplans that according to Chris Buck, manufacturing manager:'The investment in tooling was high on the critical list tomaximise productivity and gain the most strategic advantage ofminimum manning.

The concept was that the tool set up shouldnever need breaking down, only updating for any totally newcomponents or new tool developments.' One of Midland SheetMetal's major advantages in the market had been a veryeffective cell based production strategy formed around turretpunch presses, press brakes and manual welding booths linked tospecific customers but the management team felt by increasingautomation in the business higher levels of productivity, andhence improved competitiveness, would be achieved.

As a resultand following a year of investigation, Midland Sheet Metalinstalled the largest sheet metal FMS in the UK.

'But moreimportant,' maintains Chris Buck 'is our capability tobe highly competitive on any type of punching job customers canthrow at us giving both efficiency and very cost-effectiveproduction with almost guaranteed quality.' Built around aPullmax 6000 punch press, the system includes robot toolexchange, total material warehousing and material handling fromthe basic sheet to component stacking and disposal of wastage andskeletons.

The new installation is able to provide the sameoutput as four CNC turret punch presses and has allowed 10operators to be moved onto other projects as the system proved tohave the capability to produce parts within two hours that wouldhave previously taken four times as long.

'It's notabout cycle times,' argues Chris Buck, who was responsiblefor selection, justification and commissioning of the system.'It's about planning of material, tooling andprogramming.

If we plan correctly we get utilisation figures of95 per cent and fill a large skip with blanks every 24 hours.

Ifwe don't, the system becomes a white elephant.'Breaking down the justification process he reckons half the yearwas spent on machine details and a massive 40 per cent on toolingselection, development and application.

'So important wastooling on the 'essential to do' list that very earlyon we formed a strategic partnership with Wilson ToolInternational of Swindon that ended up with the 80,000 (poundssterling) tool package being supplied.' Although initiallyother tool vendors were in the running.

Wilson's concept of'partnership' involved a close working relationship tocover the options of what could be made on the system.

Here,development of special tooling, the use of Wilson's patented'Optima' coating, its 2•4•1 tooling system, givingdouble the regrind life, and in-depth training courses involvingtool management, refurbishing and perfecting tool performance,were key elements.

The Pullmax system has a total of 472 toolstations, fifteen positions are available in the machine turretof which four are taken up by Wilson's own Multi-toolsystems able to accommodate six tools each.

Three levels of theextended tool magazine hold 15 punches and dies which arepre-empted and exchanged with the machine turret by the twin-armrobot arm without interrupting the punching cycle.

The turret topunching head exchange takes just four seconds.

Special toolsabound which effectively combine operations.

These are used toproduce knockouts, special forms and progressive louvre toolsplus the patented Wilson Wheel Tool system for 2 mm, 1.5 m and1.2 mm sheet thickness.

In addition, sister tools such as thoseused for slitting enable some 250,000 hits to be performed ineight hours of unmanned running.

Lost time awaiting tooling hassubsequently been eliminated.

During the day the setter checksout the planning order of jobs which can involve up to 40different orders.

The programs are compared against tool listingby the software and the control warns if a tool is not availableor that hit rate required will exceed the programmed tool lifedata.

At night, and through weekends the system runs unattendedand Chris Buck has electronic access to check at any time throughthe Internet the current machine status and even rescheduleproduction if priorities change.

Also via autodialing, if themachine goes into alarm, it will call him on his mobile and if heis not available, transfers the call to the setter's mobilephone to warn of the problem.

The working relationship betweenMidland Sheet Metal and Wilson Tool has proved beneficial foroperational security as all tools are Optima coated which enablestool life between regrinds to be extended by some 500 per cent.As Chris Buck confirms from the tool monitoring software, afterover two years of continuous production, the same tools, althoughreground, are still in use and the previous normal 25,000 (poundssterling) replacement tool bill for some 15,000 hours of punchinghas been reduced to under 2,000 (pounds sterling) with the newway of working.

Chris Buck concludes that as a result of MidlandSheet Metal and Wilson Tool working together on special tools andprototype testing to achieve the most cost-effective method theyare able to target highly efficient 'one-hit' cycleworking.

'Wilson Tool performs a justification service to usfrom our component drawing on any new special tool and works outthe most cost-effective solution.

A prime example is a recentexercise for producing 25,000 point of sale brackets.

From thesupplied breakdown of costs we were able to easily compare toolcost and cycle time for standard tooling against having a specialand to quickly make a decision,' he says.