LIQUID SILICONE RUBBER | MATERIALS
chanical properties and can be easily coloured. Elkem introduced three LSR materials at Chinaplas 2023 that advanced eco-friendly, lighting or compatibility requirements. Its Bluesil LSR 6700 is said to be a groundbreaking material for optical components that significantly expands the boundaries of lighting to better meet customer needs and expectations. Bluesil SAS-9650-XY is a new LSR material that enables the flexible, efficient combination of silicone rubber with various thermoplastics, which reduces costs while allowing for the moulding of part designs with a rigid-soft mixture. Bluesil LSR 9350 XY is an eco-friendly LSR product free of two-stage vulcanisa- tion. It embodies the company’s low-carbon and sustainable strategy that provides a more efficient, energy-saving, and greener process for clients. Shin-Etsu Chemical announced it developed a silicone film-forming emulsion for fiber treatment applications that it claims is an industry first. The product is a low volatile organic compound emulsion that reduces unwanted low-molecular weight siloxanes, which was not possible in existing silicone film-forming emulsions, the company said. Shin-Etsu says the silicone film-forming emulsion does not require the addition of a metallic curing catalyst, and only by drying does it form a silicone film. This approach ensures the safety and health of people and the environment. The emulsion product will be used as a binder in medical agents, such as anti-microbial agents, and topcoat agents for resin-moulded products, the company says. Dow has expanded its Silastic injection mould-
ing portfolio of LSR materials with a low density, low viscosity, lightweight grade for food contact and other consumer applications, including dosing valves, closures, dispensers, seals, gaskets. Its Silastic 9250-40 LSR is optimised for improved processing, performance and recyclability and designed specifically for the moulding of closures and dispensers in a wide range of consumer packaging applications. Material characteristics include a low compres- sion set that allows for reliable sealing, while its high resilience delivers superior dispensing performance when valves are produced with the material, compared to existing solutions, especially for inverted packages in food applications. The white, low viscosity Silastic 9250-40 LSR helps fabricators improve processing compared to standard materials while utilising established injection moulding machinery. The low density of the material, having a specific gravity of 0.97, allows the material to float versus a standard LSR grade during recycling, where the material can be
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split from higher density plastics in a gravity separation process. The recyclability of the material allows fabricators, brands, and consumers to stay aligned with regulatory mandates and their own sustainability objectives. Silastic 9250-40 LSR meets the requirements of BfR XV recommendation and FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 standards for food contact. LSR dosing equipment, moulds, and runner system supplier Elmet incorporated two of its latest technologies in an LSR production cell for food and beverage cans lids for the first time at the K show as part of a collaborative project with injection machine supplier Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, weigh cell equipment maker Mettler Toledo and LSR supplier Shin-Etsu Chemical. Dubbed Smartcaps, the collaborative project
created a system that manufactures four different covers for beverage and food cans. The Smartcaps concept collectively achieves a previously unachiev- able level of accuracy in the reproduction of part weights. The accuracy of the injection process is documented by a weighing cell, and a laser marks the finished Smartcaps to ensure optimal traceability. The four different can lids produced serve as coverings for customary beverage cans for soft drinks, energy drinks and various alcoholic bever- ages. One is designed for customary food cans made from sheet steel. That covering protects the contents of the food can from insects and keeps the opened cans fresh in the refrigerator, Elmet says. The production cell is comprised of Elmet’s
Smartmix Top 7000 Pro dosing system, responsible for precise and reliable dosing of material and additives. Elmet’s all-electric Smartshot E valve- gate cold runner system conducts the material from the dosing unit into an Elmet injection mould. The parts are moulded on an all-electric IntElect injection press from Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. A
Below: Red LSR Smartcaps were shown by Sumitomo (SHI) Demag at K2022 in collaboration with Elmet, Toledo and Shin-Etsu Chemical
July/August 2023 | INJECTION WORLD 41
IMAGE: D ELDRIDGE
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