The newly reconstituted Faraday Plastics has produced a 'technology road map' for low-energy polymer processing industry into measuring and bettering its energy-use performance.

The newly reconstituted Faraday Plastics, the UK's plastics research and development centre, has produced a 'technology road map' (TRM) for low-energy polymer processing that aims to catalyse tbe plastics and rubber industry into measuring its energy-use performance and changing it for the better. Among the recommendations of the TRM report are: * Industry benchmarking and sectoral targets - a programme of market research is recommended to study how energy-efficient (or not) the polymer processing sector is in its current practices. * Heater insulation - a campaign to promote the use of insulation and to save energy wastage and cost in this area.

* Demonstration Unit - establishing a 'show and tell unit' to demonstrate to processors the benefits of energy efficiency * Cost of Ownership Model - establishing a financial model for typical paybacks - so as to incentivise the industry to adopt energy saving measures.

* Training - to be provided in energy measurement and management.

Faraday Plastics director, Richard Simpson notes that 'this is the beginning - not the end - of a very important debate that needs to happen within the plastics and rubber sector on energy -processing.

Not only does the practice make commercial and competitive sense - but energy efficiency is also desirable on environmental and health and safety grounds.' Simpson adds that 'issues such as the climate change levy have put polymer processors more into the 'front line', and have politicised these issues to some degree.

The good news is that moulders who save their own costs through lower energy bills are also making a positive contribution to the environmental health and credentials of their industry.

I urge all involved in processing to read our TRM report and to help us help the sector in implementing its findings.' The Technology Road Map technique - used in this case by Faraday Plastics to create a future scenarios for lower energy technologies - is a high level business tool - developed in industry, management and also politics - to support planning and to help programmes such as national foresight schemes.

In its most basic form, it is a time-based futures chart that includes commercial, legislative and environmental perspectives.

Ideally, the TRM tools allow the user to more completely visualise the evolution of markets and technologies - the linkages and the consequences of certain factors and inputs.

The new Faraday Plastics business plan was agreed in Spring of this year, ensuring further DTI funding for the next three years.

The newly constituted Faraday Plastics gives companies in the UK plastics sector an opportunity to be able to continue to attract plastics technology development funding and access Faraday Plastics initiatives.

Faraday Plastics has also selected a number of priority areas for the next three years: These are energy; recycling and sustainability; nano and smart materials; healthcare and automotive applications.

Faraday Plastics has a new, independent and high profile chairman in Professor Tony Ledwith, former chairman of the EPSRC.

Lord Sainsbury, Government Minister for Science and Innovation recently described Faraday Plastics as having added 'coherence to the disparate and fragmented activities that are taking place in this sector.

It has helped stimulate new products and processes, new patents, and new start-up companies,' said Sainsbury.

The new Technology Road Map on Low-Energy Polymer Processing is available free of charge on application to Faraday Plastics.

When designing conveyor belt chains for high-speed beverage and food processing lines, a company chose a polymer for its high temperature and superior chemical resistance properties.

When Tokyo-based Yamakyu Chain Company was designing conveyor belt chains for high-speed beverage and food processing lines, they chose Victrex PEEK polymer for its high temperature and superior chemical resistance properties. According to Andrew Ragan, Victrex Global Leader polymer slat band chains are proving an ideal fit for the food processing industry where high heat resistance and superior chemical resistance are an essential requirement. Traditionally, this industry has used intermesh, low friction transfer plates made from acetal.

But acetal's operating temperature limit of 176degF (80degC) prohibits its use in high-temperature environments.

Chains made with PEEK polymer, on the other hand, can withstand exposure to temperatures as high as 482degF (250degC).' In addition, the PEEK polymer chains offer superior long-term resistance against detergents such as chlorine and hydrogen peroxide as well as antistatic properties.

Stainless steel has typically been the material of choice for chains requiring high heat resistance.

However, stainless steel chains need lubrication to ensure smooth operation and this creates adhesion problems and product contamination.

'PEEK polymer is naturally lubricious,' says Ragan.

'The chains can run at a rate of 11ft/sec (200m/min) without lubrication.' In addition, the chains are a third of the weight of stainless steel chains.

This allows for motor downsizing that saves power and reduces operating noise.' Yamakyu is a leading manufacturer of slat band chains for conveyors.

The company focuses on offering customers a total solution from chain selection to the design and manufacture of a complete conveyor system to meet individual requirements.

Victrex USA, a division of Victrex plc, is the sole manufacturer and supplier of PEEK polymer worldwide.

The largest plastics track plates yet produced by the industry are intended for the newest sub sea tractor to install interconnecting array cables used to gather power from offshore windmills.

Quadrant Engineering Plastics Products (formerly Erta and Polypenco) recently produced the largest plastics track plates in the industry for the newest sub sea tractor developed by Soil Machine Dynamics. The machine runs on a D6 chain. The sub sea tractor is used to install the interconnecting array cables used to gather the power from offshore wind turbines.

Despite weighing almost 60 tonnes (132,000 lb) when fully loaded, the Nylatrack track plates are able to support and propel the vehicle on the weakest soils typical at wind farm sites.

Nylatrack track plates are cast from a specially modified nylon and can be fitted on various kinds of machines operating on all types of surface.

On paved roads, they cause no damage, and on soft ground, even marsh, they do not sink.

Compared with steel plates, Nylatrack track plates are highly resistant to wear and corrosion, and light in weight - up to 80% lighter, saving as much as 2500kg per machine.

Because of the flexibility of track plates, vibrations are absorbed and the noise of the undercarriage is muffled.

The bending force is absorbed so that broken chains are no longer a problem.

Standard track plates vary in width, weight and chain pitch for machines of up to 30 tonnes weight.

For machines up to 90 tonnes, special plates can be designed.

Different types are available for optimum traction or low surface pressure.

Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products is the world leader in the manufacture of engineering plastics in stock shapes (rod, plate and tube) for machining.

Quadrant EPP also produces custom nylon castings and finished parts and is the sole manufacturer of Extreme Materials with a unique combination of properties: vastly improved wear resistance, better dimensional stability over a wider temperature range, greater strength at higher temperatures and new levels of static dissipation.

Faraday Plastics and Hybridnet held a successful Technology Road Map meeting on the 'Commercialisation of Polymer/Ceramic Hybrids and Nano-Composites'.

Faraday Plastics and Hybridnet (an EPSRC funded network) held a successful Technology Road Map meeting on the Commercialisation of Polymer/Ceramic Hybrids and Nano-Composites. A group of twenty five met at Sheffield Hallam University to map out the future for the sector. Representatives were included from Faraday Plastics, Hybridnet, Sheffield Hallam University, Nottingham Trent University, Surrey University, Brunel University, PowdermatriX, Qinetiq, Linpac, DSTL, Imreys, JCB, Zotefoams, and Faraday ADVANCE.

Major areas of technology and research in polymer nanotechnology were highlighted.

Discussion topics included applications, funding, materials modelling, processing, materials characterisation and industry skills.

In a recent statement Lord Sainsbury, Government Minister for Science and Technology noted that 'Nanotechnology promises huge benefits for the environment and our health and wealth.

Today's investment will help UK companies take advantage of the exciting commercial opportunities offered by scientific advances in nanotechnology.

Some estimates predict a global market in nanotechnology worth over $1 trillion in a decade.

I want to make sure the UK wins a share of this prize with a prosperous, world-class nanotechnology sector in the UK.' Notes from the Faraday Plastics/Hybridnet October 23 TRM material on polymer/ceramic nanocomposites will now be developed into a final document that will be presented at the next Hybridnet meeting to the TRM attendees and other interested bodies on 7th January 2004.

The meeting will be held at Oxford University, Materials Science Park at Begbroke, Oxfordshire and will be organized by Faraday ADVANCE.

Superior hardcoating/scratch-resistant materials and processes will be developed in the UK's Foresight Vehicle research project.

Danielson has reinforced its reputation for breaking new technological ground by playing a central role in a partnership research project that is key to the UK's national automotive R and D programme, Foresight Vehicle. The aim of the project, known as PABS2K, is to develop superior hardcoating/scratch-resistant materials and processes that will meet increasingly stringent environmental requirements and growing expectations for safety, cost, performance and desirability. Danielson, one of five industrial partners involved in the project, will contribute manpower, equipment and materials to ensure background work, sample preparation and testing are completed successfully.

In return, Danielson will be the first European supplier of specialised man/machine interfaces, nameplates, labels and metal-fabricated parts to gain access to the project's findings and resulting technologies.

The three-year project has two main focal points; the continued development of Vitresyn hardcoats - a TWI trademark-registered product - and the establishment of transparent nanocomposites through improved stiffness and increased abrasion resistance.

In particular, Danielson will be involved in the evaluation of improvements to resistance against abrasion and adhesion testing.

Ben Phelan, Head of Automotive Division at Danielson, said the project would benefit a wide range of industries.

'This ground-breaking project will ensure the development of formulae, testing procedures and, ultimately, production processes that can be applied to a number of products, including badges and kickplates.

Danielson's involvement in PABS2K secures our reputation of actively supporting new production techniques and introducing the very latest technologies.' The Polymeric Automotive Body System (PABS) project relies on the development of dual-injection moulding techniques to create tough, adaptable components that comply with Foresight Vehicle's aim of stimulating technologies fit for the vehicles of the future.

Part funded by the Department of Trade and Industry, the programme's key objective is to make a significant impact on the use of energy and the emission of pollutants.

Alan Taylor, Principal Project Leader at TWI, said that along with other project partners, Danielson's involvement was critical to the success of PABS2K.

'Getting a company like Danielson on board was important because of their experience in automotive trims and membrane panels.

We've developed a close working relationship with Danielson and their input has been invaluable.'