thin wall | Update
Stackteck trims 40% from thin wall package weight
Canadian mouldmaker Stackteck has used its proprietary Thin Recess Injection Moulding (TRIM) technology to reduce the weight of a 64oz thin wall IML PP container manufactured by Sri Thai Superware by more than 40% while still meeting the company’s required performance and cosmetic requirements. TRIM technology exploits
the fact that the wall thickness of many thin wall packaging items is determined by melt flow limitations. The TRIM technology thins out defined areas of the part, leaving a continuous network of thicker sections that provide the required strength and allow the resin to penetrate
throughout the moulding. Stackteck claims that TRIM
technology allows injection moulding of parts with L/T ratios of up to 500, compared to the more typical 300 of traditional part designs. Injection speeds and pressures are consistent with standard packaging applications so existing production machinery can be used. For the Sri Thai Superware
project, Stackteck used a TRIM ratio of 90/10, meaning that 90% of the wall of the round container was thinned down. In combination with the rede- signed base and rim, this reduces the weight of the part by 41.3% from 44.1g to 25.9g. The container, which is
decorated on the sides with a
standard PP IML label, is moulded in a 55MFI PP Profax grade from LyondellBasell at a melt temperature of 245˚C. The fill time is 0.2s with switchover to packing pressure made at 98% of fill and retained at 60% of the filling pressure for 1.0s. Stackteck claims its TRIM
technology is suitable for use with a wide range of thin wall containers, including IML, sleeve-decorated and undeco- rated parts. Application is not restricted to new projects; lightweighting of existing packages can also be an affordable option as typically only the core of the mould requires modification to realise a substantial weight saving. ❙
www.stackteck.com
Xiaomi adopts LNP compounds for ultra-slim smartphone
Chinese mobile internet device and smartphone maker Xiaomi selected a range of high performance polymer compounds from Sabic to manufacture its ultra-slim Mi2A device. The company
selected Sabic’s Lexan EXL resin to mould the coloured back casing for the smart- phone, opting for two Thermo- comp grades from the resin maker’s LNP product line for the frame.
46 A standard Thermocomp
grade was used for the main frame component, which required strength, stiffness and impact resistance, as well as suitability for the non-con- ductive vacuum metallizing
INJECTION WORLD | March 2014
and painting processes often used to finish frame components. A Thermocomp
LDS grade was used to allow the phone antenna to be integrated into the device using laser direct structuring. Integrating the
antenna is an essential element in keeping the depth of high end smartphones below 10mm. It also allows more design freedom and sim- plifies assembly. ❙
www.sabic.com
Speck turns to Makrolon
Speck Products is using Makrolon polycarbonate from Bayer Material Science to produce the thin, translucent, clip-on covers it has developed for Apple’s MacBook and MacBook Air computers. Speck’s Mac AirBook
form-fitting hard-shell cases snap securely in place to provide a layer of reliable protection. Available in a variety of colors and finishes, the translucent cases allow consumers to add a splash of color without concealing the Apple icon. Added details, such as vent slots for heat dissipation, ensure functionality is not compro- mised.
Speck selected Makrolon
2407 for the hard-shell component for its combina- tion of performance and mouldability at the thin wall thickness required for this application.
“MacBook products are designed to be lightweight and incredibly thin, so we make our hard shell cases to match,” says Chris Novak, engineering manager, Speck Products. “Many of our larger parts are the thinnest wall possible, and are required to flow over long distances. Bayer’s Makrolon polycar- bonate provides the tight material tolerances and light weight we are looking for.” ❙
www.materialscience.bayer.com
www.injectionworld.com
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