TECHNOLOGY | PACKAGING
decrease part weight and reduce energy consumption. The company says that TecoCell is a new generation of patented, eco-friendly, chemical foaming agents that excels with packaging applications. TecoCell’s chemistry yields the smallest cell size and finest surface appearance achievable
Above: Margarine tub produced using Trexel’s thin wall moulding technology
through chemical foaming. Unlike tradi- tional endothermic chemical foaming agents which have two reaction temperatures, TecoCell’s single reaction temperature takes place in a narrower region of the barrel and allows for a more consist- ent foaming process with a wider process window, it says. All ingredients and by-products are inert, benign and FDA approved for food contact. Green- house gas emissions are reduced through a combination of density reduction (lower part weight) and less energy consumption (lower viscosity and clamp force). Additional benefits include warp, sink, void reduction and up to 30% faster cycle times. TecoCell can be easily adopted on most existing packaging products without changes to the equipment or tooling. MuCell P-Series, introduced in 2018, provides
lighter, lower-cost and more sustainable thin wall packaging. The MuCell physical foam process has mainly been used by automotive, technical and consumer product injection moulders. The chal- lenge of expanding MuCell’s use into thin-wall packaging centred on the need to precisely dose N2
Tip Dosing Module (TDM). This was introduced in 2019 to lower the cost of retrofitting MuCell onto existing injection moulding machines and increase throughput. The TDM module can be applied as a bolt-on addition to an existing barrel in place of the standard end cap. The bolt-on module includes the MuCell gas injector and a wiper/mixing section. The design of the wiper/mixing section is opti- mised to generate a homogenous solution of dissolved N2
and melt which is critical to the as a super critical fluid at fast cycle times. For the
same reasons that thin-wall packaging applications require specialised high speed injection moulding machines, they also necessitate fast MuCell gas dosing systems. Since its introduction, the company says that
MuCell P-Series has demonstrated its abilities in demanding thin-wall applications with L/Ts exceeding 300 and wall thickness as thin as 0.20 mm (0.008 inches). It has been validated that the use of MuCell P-Series on existing packaging products provides 30% reduced clamp tonnage, 12% lower injection pressure, 14% weight reduc- tion and 7% cycle reduction. These improvements not only reduce the cost of existing products but also provide opportunities to enable new packag- ing designs with greater L/T and geometries not possible using conventional moulding. Use of smaller presses and reduced wear and tear on the mould are additional benefits resulting from the 30% reduction in clamp force. Trexel adds that the MuCell P-Series can now be combined and enhanced with its Screw
32 INJECTION WORLD | July/August 2019
formation of uniform cell distribution and high quality foam structure in the moulded part. “Trexel is the first to offer both chemical and physical foaming solutions,” says Devellian. “Dec- ades of experience provide the knowledge base to recommend the optimal foaming process to maximise sustainability objectives. On-going developments are focused on introducing new grades of TecoCell chemical foaming agents including a low cost, high performance, agent that provides ‘Class A’ surfaces for packaging applica- tions and a new satellite system product option for MuCell physical foaming that lowers capital invest- ment cost for multi-machine MuCell operation.” As a direct result of ever-changing consumer demands, Husky Injection Molding Systems sees a number of trends in packaging. “These include the need for more flexibility and easier changeover of tooling, and the ability to get to market faster in order to satisfy the demand for more stock keeping units [SKUs – distinct products on store shelves],” says Henry Zhang, Director, Marketing and Market Intelligence. “We also see increasing need for the better protection of sensitive products and smaller packages, due to the growing health and wellness focus of the market. The industry is always looking for ways to produce more premium packages that stand out on store shelves and that have an improved user experience due to the increasing choices available today,” he says. “The market has changed and continues to
change. We see how dynamic the consumer goods sector has become and there are a variety of trends that directly affect the plastics industry. These include a greater focus on sustainability, an aging population and the desire for healthier options, more urbanisa- tion and a new generation of shoppers, who are doing more
Left: Isometric view
of Trexel’s new screw tip dosing module (TDM) technology
www.injectionworld.com
PHOTO: TREXEL
PHOTO: TREXEL
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