Smaller equipment starred at Plastics USA.

The news was in small injection presses, controls, auxiliaries and components of all types, and even additives.

A new show has to find its niche. And if the first Plastics USA show in Chicago this October was any sign, its niche will be as a showcase for high-tech peripheral equipment, rather than major machinery or materials. With the exception of some introductions of smaller injection presses, the news was found mainly in controls, monitoring, robots, decorating, welding, blending, testing, other auxiliaries and components, and some new additives as well.

SMALL INJECTION PRESSES

Only a few suppliers of injection molding machines at Plastics USA introduced new presses, while several others focused on new or updated control packages.

MIR USA used the show for the North American debut of its line of seven fully hydraulic presses from 28 to 100 tons. The MPO series, introduced in 1991 in Europe, is MIR's first small-press line. Either a high-end Siemens control or MIR's CMO control is available.

Engel Canada, which has offered tiebar-less, hydraulic-clamp machines in 35 and 60 tons, added a 90-ton unit to the line. The ES 90 B-TL is said to be extremely flexible, with the ability to deliver shots from 3.63 to 8 oz. Engel is offering extended platens of 26 x 14 in.

To accompany its new line of small machines (see PT, Sept. '92, p. 21), Van Dorn Plastic Machinery introduced a system designed to simplify molding operations and conserve capital. Van Dorn's new "molding module" consists of a platform and conveyor system connecting four, six or eight machines of up to 100 tons. The platform on which the presses are mounted distributes utilities and other necessary services, including electricity, air, water and materials to the molding machines and auxiliaries. A power cabinet feeds 110-, 230- and 480-volt power to the machines. The module's conveyor system, located at the part-drop areas of the presses, moves the molded parts from the machines to a central conveyor, which is reversible and can deliver parts to either end of the module. Van Dorn says its module can be easily equipped with additional auxiliaries such as quick-mold-change systems, robots and chillers.

A Taiwanese injection machine and mold maker, Chi Lung Sheng Industrial Co. (represented in the U.S. by STL International), introduced its line of small injection presses to the U.S. with literature only. The first CLS machine is due to arrive here next month, a Logic 1/CLS 10 with 16.5-ton hydraulic clamp, 1-oz shot size, computer control, and a footprint of about 6.5 x 3 x 4 ft. CLS says molds can be changed in five minutes. It costs $37,000 FOB Tacoma, Wash.

CONTROLS

Barber-Colman Co. showed off its new MACO 4100 controller, a 20% less expensive version of the MACO 4000 introduced at NPE '91. The key difference is that it has an LCD screen instead of electroluminescent display. Initially discussed at the Cleveland Plastics Fair (PT, June '92, p. 25), the MACO 4100 is designed for users of 50- to 750-ton injection presses who do not require graphic displays. Communication ports, internal SPC, screen printouts, and all other aspects of the controller are identical to the MACO 4000 model. MACO 4100 starts at $8100 for operator station, control rack with basic cards, RS232C communications, 24 inputs and 16 outputs. Newbury Industries is offering the controller as a standard feature on its vertical-clamp insert molding machines.

Boy Machines unveiled "active tolerance monitoring" as an option for its Mipronic microprocessor-controlled machines. The control option gives Boy's 30-, 50- and 80-ton machines the ability to perform quality-control functions while molding parts. If the press produces a part outside the operator-set limits, the "active tolerance monitor" will send a signal to a robotic conveyor or diverter flap to reject the part for later inspection. High and low ranges for as many as 19 setpoints can be set in the standard machine for such parameters as temperature, process times and injection velocity. Options such as cavity-pressure and mold-temperature monitoring can increase the number of monitored setpoints to 52.

Also updating an existing controller was Toyo Machinery & Metal Co., Ltd. of Japan (represented here by Maruka USA). Toyo showed the newest version of its G-2 controller with such added features as a single-page setup screen and ability to monitor as many as 50 different parameters. The new G-2 also includes an extra page of alarms and can produce an alarm history.

Nissei America introduced a new electronic controller for its machines. The NC9000G provides process graphics and includes as standard many features that were optional on previous Nissei controllers. Where earlier Nissei controllers based their injection velocity tolerances on three steps of the injection speed, the NC9000G profiles five steps. Other parameters monitored by the new unit include position, speed and pressure settings for mold opening and closing; ejector position and speed settings; and injection time and pressure.

Omron Electronics showed off its new "fuzzy logic" temperature and process controller. The ES100 1/4-DIN unit is half the cost and size of competing systems, Omron says. The company also showed its E5AF 1/4-DIN temperature controller for the first time at a plastics show. Both units combine fuzzy logic and traditional PID calculations through a reportedly unique auto-tuning function that finds the right proportion of each, from 100% PID to 100% fuzzy. ES100, accurate to |+ or -~0.1% of full scale, costs $895. E5AF, which controls to within |+ or -~0.3% of setpoint, costs $700-$750 depending on port options.

MTS Systems Corp. has developed a new low-cost alternative to its 17-year-old Temposonics "magneto-strictive" position sensor. The new version works on the same principle as the original Temposonics device, which measures machine strokes and platen positions by means of an electromagnetic pulse that travels with the speed of sound down a special alloy rod. The new version has been redesigned for more efficient manufacturability and costs half as much ($350). However, the new control device can only measure stroke distances of under 60 in., whereas the original can measure anywhere from 1 in. to 25 ft with the same precision.

PROCESS MONITORING

A new system for monitoring the molding process was unveiled by T.G. Branden. The Shotscope SR9000 goes beyond the functions of previous monitoring systems offered by Branden and others, tracking and recording as many as 26 parameters and 16 temperatures for every shot, the company says. It gives the molder the ability to see shot profiles in real time at both the machine and at a main terminal, and can compare them with an overlay of the "ideal" profile. The system can also monitor numerous different pressures simultaneously. Other advantages include the ability to extract data selectively at any time, and to monitor parameters of the mold, machine and part. Shotscope SR9000 also has job scheduling and SQC functions.

SINGLE-CAVITY VALVE GATE

A new single-cavity hot-runner valve-gate system from Husky Injection Molding Systems reportedly reduces material usage by eliminating the cold sprue created by direct gating. Designed for single-cavity molds using polyolefins and polycarbonate, the new valve gate uses air instead of hydraulics to drive the valve piston, improving safety and cleanliness, Husky says. Because the heater band and nozzle tip are both accessible and replaceable while still mounted in the press, required maintenance is reduced. Standard nozzle-tip depths from the inside of the stationary platen to the gate range from 5.47 in. to 6.02 in. Customized lengths are also available.

ROBOT NEWS

Among the new robots at Plastics USA was a pick-and-place series from Conair Martin. The new Conair Harmo EX-II series reportedly has the industry's only remotely adjustable vertical and kick strokes, controlled directly from a hand-held controller. Small motors on top of the robot are attached to the controller to change arm settings, eliminating the need for a machine operator to climb on top of the molding press to make manual adjustments. The robots also offer twice the payload capacity of their predecessors, with the ability to hold as much as 4.4 lb.

Pressflow Robots showed a new three-axis robot with a mold-sensing device on its end-of-arm tooling, allowing the robot to seek the mold rather than relying on fixed settings. This feature, Pressflow says, gives its robot more flexibility and increased reliability.

EXTRUSION DOWNSTREAM

Boston Matthews showed a new type of vacuum calibration bath for cooling extruded profiles. The DV1400 is 14 ft long and has 4-in. diam. capacity, 3-hp vacuum pump, and three independent vacuum chambers, which can be individually adjusted. A vacuum is created using a liquid-ring sealed pump instead of a Venturi pump. DV1400 costs about $18,000.

NEW AUXILIARIES ABOUND

Several suppliers introduced new or upgraded auxiliary equipment. In the area of mold-temperature controllers, Application Engineering/AEC, Inc. unveiled a mini mold-temperature unit. The new TDW-M True Temp series has LED display of setpoint and process temperatures and a graphically illustrated panel to display the operating status of power, pump, heater and cooling solenoid. The unit has a mercury heater contactor, leak-resistant pump seals and stainless-steel, Calrod-type heaters.

AEC also introduced a new line of air- and water-cooled portable chillers with what the company says is the smallest footprint ever available to the plastics industry. The new Porta-Kool II series is reportedly accurate to |+ or -~1|degree~ F and has LED display of setpoint and supply temperatures. The control system has graphic display of operating parameters and system status. Capacities range from 2 to 10 tons.

Whitlock/AEC debuted a conveying system control with expandable PLC for control of as many as 36 hoppers. The new VacTrac control system is highly versatile, available in time- or volume-fill configurations; and with or without blowback capabilities to help it meet all material conveying and filtration needs. At the heart of the new controls is a PLC that can manage the flow of material to as many as 36 stations. Because the PLC requires only a single loop of six-wire, low-voltage control cable, it can provide installation savings of as much as 90%, AEC says.

For parts conveying, Dynamic Conveyor Corp. introduced two new part/runner separators for small injection molded parts. One is a lift-pin model, where parts and runners are dropped together into a chute, and the runners are carried away by lift pins. The other is a tumbler-type separator, in which parts and runners are separated in a rotating, tilted cage.

BLENDING TRENDS

There were numerous introductions of blending units--both gravimetric and volumetric. For example, L-R Systems debuted its model WSB-100 for blending material in blow molding coextrusion applications. The system has three gravimetric blenders on a 40 x 60 in. base, with each blender able to mix two materials delivered by vibratory feeders from six PTFE-coated 0.5-cu-ft hoppers atop the blenders. L-R says the system can blend as much as 500 lb/hr and color changes take only 5-10 min. The blenders are said to be accurate to 0.2% batch.

Novatec Inc. showed its newest gravimetric blender, which can handle 250 lb/hr. Cleanout and material changes reportedly take less than 12 min, and the unit can blend as many as four ingredients using vibratory feeders and two load cells. Novatec says the blender is accurate to 0.1% and costs less than $10,000.

Conair Franklin unveiled two new weigh blenders said to have 0.1% accuracy. The Auto Weigh series can handle two to four components at 100 to 800 lb/hr. Their microprocessor controls allow as many as 99 recipes to be stored. These gravimetric blenders cost about $7000 each.

Whitlock/AEC also introduced a new series of blending systems. Called the Precision series, these volumetric blenders are designed to mix up to four components at 30 to 1000 lb/hr for each. Metering accuracy is said to be provided by closed-loop motor controls that accommodate varying loads and fluctuating line voltage.

PRINTING AND DECORATING

The Wagner Co. introduced two new decorating machines. One is a unit that can automatically apply hot stamping or heat transfers to jars or bottles in-line immediately after silkscreening. Called the Finnisseur, it uses a two-head stamping unit to keep up with in-line silk screening equipment. It also uses a spreader unit to split the output from a high-speed screen printer into two decorating lines. A recombining unit brings the two lines back together after decorating, and a flip-orientation station inverts the finished product, open-end up, for inspection or filling.

A hot-stamping machine said to be twice as fast as any other on the market was also introduced by Wagner. The SR3000 is a peripheral decorating press for banding, applying heat transfers, and foil stamping of round or square products. Wagner says it can process 40-60 parts/min. Items between 0.75 in. and 5.5 in. can be decorated.

United Silicone also introduced two new decorating machines. Like Wagner's SR3000, United Silicone's Cosmetica 2000 is a peripheral machine designed for hot-stamp foil decoration of irregularly shaped parts--mostly for the cosmetics industry. Its control system enables rapid changeovers by automatically "learning" new part shapes and does not require tooling swaps or manual program changes when switching applications.

The other new United Silicone machine is a pad printer. Designed for printing on a range of part surface geometries from flat to complex shapes, and on a maximum of 90|degrees~ of the circumference of cylindrical or spherical-shaped surfaces, the new UP 450 can significantly reduce setup time, the company says. The unit's inkwell is covered, reducing solvent evaporation to improve ink consistency; and quick-lock cliche positioning allows cliches to be changed without tools or removal of the inkwell.

Dependable Machine Co. introduced a new uv "spin-cure" system for continuous drying of uv inks. Bottles are loaded into the spin-cure system by hand or automatically from a conveyor. The conveyor passes a variable-speed spin belt, which turns bottles to cure all sides. The spin-cure dryer costs $13,750.

ITALIAN WELDERS ARRIVE

Plastics USA was the North American debut of Eurotron srl of Italy (represented in the U.S. by Mopoll Inc.), a maker of high-frequency welders. Mopoll president Franco Canova says Eurotron is the first on the U.S. market with high-frequency welders that are fully screened to protect workers against radiation. OSHA hasn't required such screening yet, but reportedly will do so next year.

TESTING AND MEASURING

Two companies showed hand-held ultrasonic thickness gauges for materials that haven't been readily measured before. Krautkramer Branson showed a new Model DMP-DL gauge that uses low-frequency ultrasonic probes on only one side of a part. It reportedly can measure materials that don't conduct sound waves easily, such as UHMW-PE, polyurethanes and rubber. The unit can store 1200 thickness readings and send data to a printer or PC. Gauge, probe and carrying case cost around $2900; extra probes cost about $300 each.

Panametrics Inc. also showed a new ultrasonic thickness gauge and data logger in one unit. Model 27DL also uses a special low-frequency transducer and measures from just one side of the material. It's aimed at reinforced plastics and composites up to 2-4 in. thick. With gauge and transducer, it costs about $3000.

Byk-Gardner Inc. introduced a new "orange peel meter," to measure surface waviness. Handheld and battery operated, it reads dark/light patterns on a glossy surface. Stored data can also be downloaded to a PC, and the software allows SPC evaluation. The "WaveScan" system costs $11,500 for instrument, cable, software and case.

Systronics Inc. showed its new in-line, lab-sized gel inspection system for plastic films. The system uses a 2048-pixel line-scan camera and can analyze 20 sq in./sec of film for defects as small as 25 microns, tallying defects by size. The system, said to be 20% less expensive than its competition, costs $60,000.

ADDITIVES NEWS

In a show dominated by machinery vendors, chemical and additive innovations were few. Milliken Chemicals introduced its new Amber ClearTint, the latest entry into the company's line of transparent colorants. The new colorant can provide polyolefin containers with a transparency comparable to glass, Milliken says. Amber ClearTint meets all USP requirements for use with pharmaceuticals. Milliken says several major drug companies are exploring the possibility of using the colorant to replace the cloudy amber bottles in which their products are now packaged. Milliken expects Amber ClearTint to be commercialized by January.

Two new lustrous white pearlescent pigments were debuted by Mearl Corp. MagnaPearl 1000 and 2000 consist of titanium dioxide-coated mica. MagnaPearl 1000 has a particle size of 8-48 microns, while MagnaPearl 2000 is 5-25 microns. Both pigments exhibit a clean, bright white appearance, Mearl says.

Novachem introduced a new purging compound for thermoplastics. New SuperNova is initially offered in two grades: SuperNova for resins processed at temperatures up to 550 F and SuperNova HT for resins processed at higher temperatures. Novachem says the new purging compounds offer processors several advantages, including the absence of powdery residues that can clog screens, hang up in manifolds or dies, and contaminate material-handling systems; no ammonia or acrylic smell; and a GRAS rating from the FDA.