Three More Press Makers License MuCell Process.

Three more injection-machine suppliers have taken licenses to sell machines equipped for the MuCell microcellular foam process of Trexel, Inc., Woburn, Mass. The process injects supercritical nitrogen or C02 gas into the melt to create an extremely uniform and fine-celled foam that retains a solid appearance and most of the solid resin properties.

* Battenfeld of America, West Warwick, R.I., and its German parent are licensed to sell new Mucell-capable machines or retrofit old ones. Battenfeld is building a Mucell coinjection machine for its demonstration facility in Germany.

* Husky Injection Molding Systems, Ltd. of Bolton, Ont., can provide MuCell capability on its entire line from 65 to 8800 tons. Although Husky is just beginning to test the technology company officials believe it has huge potential for reducing weight and cycle time in thin-wall containers. To take advantage of the lower clamp pressures required for the foaming process, Husky will increase the tiebar spacing on all MuCell-capable machines up to 1100 tons. The first MuCell press from Husky is an S-Series 175-ton, high-speed packaging machine. It will spend the next six months at Husky's Advanced Manufacturing Center in Bolton, after which it will be moved to Husky's Boston Technical Center for customer trials.

* Japan Steel Works (represented here by JSW Plastics Machinery Inc., Anaheim, Calif.) also can supply MuCell capability on its full line of machines and will market a retrofit kit. Trexel will use a modified JSW 220-ton, high-speed, thin-wall molding machine for demonstrations in Woburn. That J200EL III press is a hybrid with electric-driven clamp and hydraulic injector.

Other press builders that have MuCell licenses are Arburg, Engel, Ferromatik Milacron, and Uniloy Milacron.