PLAST 2018 | EXHIBITION REVIEW
in Europe, but there are now some really good servo systems on the market here,” he said. One of the key features is what the company says is a “revolutionary new X-design toggle system that provides vastly increased strokes, tie bar distances and platen speeds in a very compact footprint.” Operator accessability on both the injection and clamp side is also very good. Machines have a new automatic closed-loop filtered lubrication system. The machines feature controls with a 21.5-inch
pylene, polystyrene (in North America), a little PBT, and just a few in bioplastics. Zanetti said Apinat Bio biodegradable thermo- plastic polyester elastomer (TPE-E) meets various criteria for replacing PP. It can be used with moulds originally designed for PP for example, it has the necessary heat resistance, and has a barrier to oxygen that is around seven times higher than PP’s; very important is the fact that Apinat Bio can be considered compostable at part thicknesses up to 1.7 mm. Apinat Bio is based on polylactic acid, PLA, blended with another biopolymer, PBS (polybutyl- ene succinate) and a filler. Neat PLA is usually pretty brittle, featuring limited thermal resistance, toughness and resilience. However, judicious blending and compounding has enabled API to overcome these drawbacks. German compounder Kraiburg TPE also said it
was starting an ambitious campaign to develop custom-engineered thermoplastic elastomers containing variable proportions of renewable raw materials. “Part of the challenge involves taking into account the environmental balance of the materi- als’ whole life cycles, including their impact on ecosystems and people’s health,” said CEO Franz Hinterecker. “It has also become apparent that what our customers expect from the properties of ‘bio-materials’ varies widely depending on the application.” The company has therefore opted for a basically customer-specific approach.
Equipment news Negri Bossi used Plast for the formal launch of its Nova range of injection moulding machines, which replace the ageing (but still highly appreciated, according to CEO Craig Ward) Vectra series. The new machines use modular arrangements of fixed-volume hydraulic pumps with servo drives. “Variable-volume pumps were once more popular
www.injectionworld.com July/August 2018 | INJECTION WORLD 39
HMI that has strong echoes of smartphone screens, including gesture control. The interface is highly customisable. The “Motus” controller will ultimately be available across the full range of Negri Bossi machines.
Nova machines in sT servo-hydraulic and iT hybrid versions are available in 7,000, 8,500 and 11,500 kN, with Euromap classifications 4960, 7460 and 9750. Fully electric Nova eT types, offered in the range 500 to 3,500 kN, are equipped with a new ‘smart flex 2’ locking unit with a different toggle geometry that Ward says “is designed to be coupled specifically with electric closing and to have characteristics optimised to its target market.” One of the NB machines on display was fitted with the company’s own FMC (FoamMicroCell) system for production of microcellular parts. This was first shown at K2016 making parts in liquid silicone rubber, and the company is now also doing experiments with other thermoplastics. The novelty of FMC is that gas is introduced via tiny nozzles all along the plasticating screw. This is said to improve amalgamation of the gas into the melt compared with at least one rival system. The FMC kit comprises nitrogen bottles, a proportionally controlled valve, the special screw, a pneumatic or hydraulic nozzle, and control software. Negri Bossi’s gesture control has similarities with
Left: HMI on Negri Bossi Nova machines has a big screen with gesture control
Left: Coffee capsules in compostable plastics
PHOTO: TRINSEO/API
PHOTO: PETER MAPLESTON
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