Recycling programme for engineering plastics
22.09.2023
Wherever there is movement in manufacturing, the plastic plain bearings and energy guiding chains from igus can be used. Even in packaging machines, e-chains and plain bearings made of high-performance polymers ensure movement. The products are durable but at some point they also have to be disposed of. igus has set up its own recycling programme for this purpose.
Making the impossible possible: Recycling multilayer packaging
13.09.2023
Was multilayer packaging the Achilles' heel of the recycling industry? Not anymore, according to Krones and their project partners BASF, Südpack, and Tomra. Together, they're unveiling a solution that accomplishes what was once deemed impossible. At the heart of this innovation is a new adhesive that enables effective material separation during the recycling process.
Smart Waste: how AI can increase the recycling rate of plastics
23.08.2023
Nine percent – that is the proportion of all plastic waste that was recycled from 1950 to 2015. This must change urgently. Artificial intelligence can help. EREMA and the Software Competence Center Hagenberg (SCCH) are researching exactly how in a joint project.
"There must not be a cannibalisation of material flows"
16.08.2023
"Unlike mechanical recycling, chemical recycling breaks down these compounds instead of utilising existing polymers as material."
Challenge accepted: PET recycling in Myanmar
10.08.2023
Before new processes are established, an analysis of the current situation is usually carried out. For the recycling of PET bottles in Yangon, Myanmar, the Italian manufacturer SOREMA and the local recycler Commercial Plastics Co. did just that. After conducting washing and recycling tests on bottles collected there, SOREMA designed a flake production line.
Asahi Kasei and Mitsui establish supply and procurement system for bio-methanol
03.08.2023
Asahi Kasei Corporation and Mitsui & Co, Ltd will establish a supply and procurement system for biomethanol produced in the United States. Asahi Kasei plans to use the bio-methanol from Mitsui to produce engineering plastics in Japan with a lower carbon footprint.
BASF breaks ground on polyethylene plant at Zhanjiang Verbund site in China
20.07.2023
BASF has broken ground on a polyethylene (PE) plant at its Verbund site in Zhanjiang, China to serve fast-growing demand in China. The plant, with a capacity of 500,000 metric tons per year, is scheduled to start up in 2025.
"Recyclates from chemical recycling will be more expensive than virgin material"
14.07.2023
Mechanical recycling processes have already matured. Chemical recycling is comparatively young. But will it be able to establish itself?
Breaking boundaries: Delivering gigantic injection molding machines across continents
03.07.2023
8000 tons in weight, a good 30 meters long – how do you manage to ship such a gigantic injection moulding machine across the big pond? In an industry where logistics and size present special challenges, ENGEL has managed to master them with expertise and a cooperative approach.
Productivity management via app: capturing and understanding machine data
21.06.2023
Efficient work only works when everything runs smoothly – also on the shop floor. But how do I know how busy and productive my machines are at the moment? This requires data that reflect reality, but which is often still lacking today. ENLYZE has developed an analysis platform that can close this gap and make production more efficient.
KraussMaffei presents special edition of the CX series
15.06.2023
To mark the 185th anniversary of the company, KraussMaffei is offering a special edition of the CX series with free additional equipment. The additional package with extensive functions reduces operating costs and increases quality in production. The company follows the motto: "RelaCX – it's a CX".
Faster mould set-up – more efficient production
01.06.2023
ENGEL helps injection moulding processors optimize product changeover times through customized training and technologies such as the Setup wizard to achieve higher productivity, lower unit costs and more profit.
First PET Bottle-to-Bottle Recycling Line in Kenya
12.04.2023
Megh Group company T3 (EPZ) Limited is going to install the first PET recycling system for bottle-grade rPET and resin in Kenya and Eastern Africa, a Starlinger recoSTAR PET 165 HC iV+ recycling line, in Athi River just outside Nairobi.
The future of plastics: JKU Linz trains the plastics engineers of tomorrow
01.03.2023
Plastics must be newly thought and designed - that is the credo at the Johannes Kepler University in Linz. From autumn 2023, courses on plastics technology will be offered here. Plastics don't just play a supporting role there, they are the star of the show. Because they are a key factor for both the present and the future.
Covestro and Lanxess cooperate to produce more sustainable raw materials with reduced CO₂ footprint
14.02.2023
Chemical companies Covestro and LANXESS are cooperating in the energy-intensive production of basic chemicals at their Lower Rhine sites in Germany and make them more climate friendly. LANXESS procures chlorine, caustic soda and hydrogen from the ISCC PLUS-certified sites of Covestro in Leverkusen and Krefeld-Uerdingen.
Full speed ahead: Sumitomo (SHI) Demag expands fast-cycle all-electric platform
01.02.2023
Engineered specifically for high volume packaging, medical and automotive applications requiring the highest processing precision in the fastest cycle time, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag is accelerating its global expansion of the IntElect platform.
Sumitomo (SHI) Demag joins the R-Cycle Community
16.01.2023
With 80.000 all-electric machines in operation around the globe, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag’s strong focus is on the sustainable and resource saving operation of injection molding machines in the plastic processing industry.
ENGEL launches Pay per Use
09.01.2023
ENGEL breaks new ground in injection moulding machine distribution. Blazing a trail for its industry, the machine manufacturer now offers its customers a pay-per-use model on top of classical machine purchases. This helps processors to reduce their investment risk while at the same time boosting flexibility in production.
All tidied up: Customizable cleaning solution for light-based 3D printing
21.12.2022
As the saying goes, one cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs – in a metaphorical sense, this is also the case when it comes to the 3D printing process. In most cases, material residue must be removed manually and then discarded. Cubicure delivers a different way that's automated, customizable, and sustainable.
Joining Forces: Fast-as-lightning 3D Microprinting with Two Lasers
19.12.2022
A research team from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the University of Heidelberg, and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) developed a laser printing process that can print micrometer-sized parts within a very short time.
Circular clothing – recycling of polyester-containing textiles
13.12.2022
The overall eco-balance of polyester is better than that of natural fibres like cotton. Nevertheless, textiles containing polyester do not have a good reputation. Today, one property of the material in particular is criticised: it does not decompose naturally. This makes a collection and recycling of such textiles all the more important. But a circular economy for polyester does not yet exist.
Manufacturing solid surfaces with RIM – Arfinio makes it possible
07.12.2022
Something is only impossible as long as you don't try. Covestro has developed the new Arfinio manufacturing technology, the first application to allow reaction injection molding of aliphatic polyurethanes. Joan Miquel Garcia Martinez explains in an interview why this was previously considered unthinkable and why it now works after all.
EREMA Group focuses research and development on circular economy for PET fibres
22.11.2022
With its new business unit "Fibres and Textiles", the EREMA Group is intensifying the development of recycling solutions focusing on PET fibre materials that are produced in fibre production and in further processing steps. In a dedicated fiber pilot plant, a cross-company team is working on recycling solutions for fiber-to-fiber applications.
EREMA: "PredictOn:Drive", a new tool for predictive maintenance
04.11.2022
Real-time visualisation of process and machine data holds great potential for the circular economy as a whole and for recycling processes in particular. At K 2022 EREMA launched "PredictOn:Drive", a predictive maintenance application for its recycling machines.
Machine monitoring: performance data via app at any time
26.10.2022
Steinert.view® is a flexible and reliable monitoring solution for STEINERT sensor-based sorting machines. Performance data collected is visualized in a web app so that operators can see at a glance whether machines are currently producing, whether there are changes in production, or whether there is potential for optimization.
The countdown to K 2022 is on
13.10.2022
The set-up for K 2022 at the Düsseldorf Trade Fair is in full swing. The trade fair's logistics team is making sure that everything runs smoothly. Werner Arnold, Team Manager Logistics, explains in an interview all the things that need to be taken into account until all the halls at K are filled.
A true all-rounder: with two apprenticeships to become a turnkey expert
27.09.2022
Oliver Fuss has completed not one, but two apprenticeships at Arburg: first an apprenticeship as a mechatronics technician and then as a process mechanic for plastics and rubber technology. Now he works in the turnkey division, where fully automated manufacturing cells are designed and built.
Sustainability by digitalization: Inventory machines become capable of communication
13.09.2022
What's old is far from bad. This also applies to machines - however, they are often not capable of communicating. Yet it is precisely this ability that is of interest when it comes to evaluating data or correcting errors. Injection molding machine manufacturer Steinl has found a way to connect even older machines to a communication network.
Climate-neutral with a plan – sustainability in the plastics industry
30.08.2022
Successful business means sustainable business. Because according to KraussMaffei, sustainability has both ecological and economic advantages. Recently, the company reaffirmed its goal of being climate-neutral by 2030. Its strategy includes recycling solutions, energy-efficient construction and heating, and sustainable product development.
Augmented Reality in the plastics industry: individualized instructions for the entire product life cycle
25.08.2022
Individualization is the trend. In the plastics industry, too, more and more individualized machines are coming onto the market. Of course, these machines also require individualized manuals with instructions tailored specifically to them. However, this is not yet a reality today. The AdaptAR project wants to change that – with the help of Augmented Reality and an app.
Saves energy and costs: two-stage process makes plastics recycling more efficient
16.08.2022
In recycling, plastics are usually sorted, cleaned, ground, compounded and regranulated to be reprocessed as regranulate. The material must therefore be melted twice – first for granulation, then for injection moulding. ENGEL has now developed a process in which plastic waste can be processed as flakes in injection moulding directly after grinding. This makes it highly energy-efficient.
Digitization, automation, networking: "We have the whole wide bandwidth!"
09.08.2022
Twenty-year-old Yannick Herzog trained as an electronics technician for automation technology at Arburg and now works in the company's printed circuit board production. Since August 2021, he has been responsible for SPI and AOI for quality control of printed and assembled PCBs, respectively, in a production line. These are used in the control systems of the Arburg machines.
Product development in Alpla's One-Stop Shop
02.08.2022
Those who work meticulously to design a product can hardly await the day they can hold the finished item in their hands. Alpla is a company headquartered in Hard, Austria, that speeds up this process. Customers can convert their ideas into reality and ideally leave Alpla's STUDIOa with a prototype in hand.
The "new KraussMaffei" is to be climate-neutral by 2030
25.07.2022
The KraussMaffei company confirms a sustainable corporate strategy: Climate neutrality in eight years. The consistent focus is on Circular Economy. One of the largest roof-mounted photovoltaic systems in Europe is currently being built at the new main plant in Parsdorf.
North American plastics sector holds steady, while riding a roller-coaster of uncertainty
08.07.2022
The pandemic. Supply chain ruptures. The Great Resignation. China trade tensions. Climate change and extreme weather events. Soaring inflation. Stock market volatility. The war in Ukraine. Seldom in our lifetimes have we experienced such an extended period of disruption and uncertainty.
3D printing for automated pre-assembly of thermoplastic CFRP integral frames
01.07.2022
In the "OSFIT" (One Shot Fully Integrated Thermoplastic Frame) project, automated processes were developed to reduce both the time required and the complexity of the assembly and joining steps in aircraft production.
Using different tools in one flexible thermoforming system
29.06.2022
Thermoforming is a process that requires various tool systems. Unfortunately, if the latter originate from different manufacturers, they often cannot be used together in one system. Illig took on the challenge and came up with a successful solution.
A digital product passport for more sustainability
21.06.2022
The EU's Circular Economy Action Plan stipulates that by 2050 all plastic packaging must be completely recyclable and consist of at least 70 percent recycled material. The majority of plastic waste still ends up in landfills or incinerators – in the worst case, in the environment.
Intelligent software for 3D printing optimises properties of plastic components
06.06.2022
Researchers at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern have developed intelligent software that can adjust parameters such as temperature and printing speed during printing.
Durostone CR permits higher loads and more compact transformer designs
06.06.2022
Röchling Industrial has developed a new glass fiber-reinforced plastic Durostone® CR. "CR" stands for Compact & Resilient. Compared to conventional fiber-reinforced composites, Durostone® CR has a high dielectric strength and a high partial discharge insertion stress.
New cutting-edge thermoplastic materials for the aerospace sector
23.05.2022
In the HITCOMP project (High Temperature Characterization and Modelling of Thermoplastic Composites), thermoplastic materials were investigated in the aerospace sector. The researchers concluded that thermoplastic-based components are more efficient than thermosetting plastic composites in terms of their thermal properties.
Made up out of thin air
19.05.2022
Innovations always emerge from something existing, something tried and tested. Approaching them in terms of their content requires a look at the fundamentals. This is also true for the question of how carbon dioxide (CO2) from exhaust gases can be used for the production of plastics.
Taking the fight to microplastics with lasers
16.05.2022
The newly developed laser-drilled microplastic filter filters out tiny microplastic particles in wastewater. As part of the "SimConDrill" project, 59 million holes with a diameter of ten micrometers were drilled into a filter sheet using a multi-beam process. The process was developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT.
Welcome to the family: COLOMBIAPLAST joins the K Global Gate portfolio
12.05.2022
Training in the plastics industry: technical college and companies get trainees fit for the job
06.05.2022
At 16, did you already know where you wanted to go on your professional journey? With the range of choices available to young people today, it can be difficult to make a decision at first glance. That's why it's beneficial to be taken by the hand and introduced to different professions. Wentus GmbH from Höxter sets a good example.
Brave new world – how design makes the plastics industry more sustainable
29.04.2022
When the first plastic was developed 150 years ago, it was a miracle for people at the time. Around 1950, the material contributed significantly to the economic miracle of the post-war period. Today, in view of the climate crisis, little is left of this image. In its exhibition "Plastic. Remaking Our World", the Vitra Design Museum wants to show how plastic can contribute to solving problems.
Cost-effective, material-saving, local – Ultrathin Coating enables sustainable production of medical protective clothing
25.04.2022
We all remember the beginning of the Corona pandemic: the demand for medical protective clothing increased rapidly, leading to supply bottlenecks. Although the situation has calmed down again, the dependence of companies on global supply chains was exposed. Reifenhäuser is now specifically addressing this problem with its new Ultrathin Coating process.
SWISS equips entire Boeing long-haul fleet with AeroSHARK
11.04.2022
Twelve Boeing 777-300ERs will gradually be fitted by SWISS with the riblet films developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF. The reduced frictional resistance makes the sub-fleet more economical and lower in emissions, thus reducing the environmental footprint.
Change of brand strategy for the WITTMANN Group
04.04.2022
The WITTMANN Group has changed its brand strategy and is aiming for a one-brand strategy instead of the two-brand strategy.
Mobile plastics recycling project wins WDO's World Design Impact Prize
30.03.2022
The Montreal-based World Design Organization has named a mobile, solar-powered, plastic-waste upcycling platform as the winner of its World Design Impact Prize™ for 2021.
Same but different: say hello to the 3D printed trombone
25.03.2022
It looks and sounds like a standard trombone - but is actually lightweight and made of carbon fiber rather than brass metal. To craft the musical instrument using this raw material, additive manufacturing is the right application for success: the process provides great options to manufacture the relevant molds used to build the instrument.
eCampus offers online training for employees in the plastics industry
04.03.2022
Knowledge is power – this also applies to the plastics industry. But training courses cost time and tie up participants, although they are actually needed elsewhere. So that companies do not have to do without employees for entire days during such training courses, the SKZ has developed the eCampus together with Hanser Verlag.
App, AI, data glasses: digital toolbox for the plastics industry is well filled
28.02.2022
We live in a world in which processes are becoming increasingly complex. This also applies to the plastics industry. One way to support people in production with their demanding tasks is through digital tools – and not only on site at the plant, but also remotely. The increasing amount of data also contributes to predictive maintenance of machines.
Breakthrough in separating plastic waste
21.02.2022
With a new technology it is possible to analyse and categorise the type of plastic by using a hyperspectral camera in the infrared area and machine learning. The technology makes it possible to separate plastics based on a purer chemical composition than is possible today, and this opens up for completely new opportunities to recycle plastics.
Digital watermarks: sort post-consumer waste more intelligently
16.02.2022
How can plastic packaging become intelligent? By providing them with digital watermarks that can be read by sorting systems and thus simplify the sorting process. The fact that this technology works was proven in the pioneering HolyGrail 1.0 project with a proof of concept.
Researchers seek to re-use waste plastics to make valuable petrochemicals
14.02.2022
With a new method West Virginia University engineers upcycle single-use plastic packaging into petrochemicals. The produced ethylene and BTX aromatics from plastic upcycling can be used as feedstocks to re-make plastics.
DarWIN research project accelerates multi-manufacturer machine learning
07.02.2022
New AI-based process optimisation tools have been developed specifically targeting injection moulding machines. Plus10 and the SKZ performed a series of thorough AI pilot tests on Sumitomo (SHI) Demag machines.
Jerome Romkey
20.01.2022
President, GN Thermoforming Equipment Co.
Recyclability by Design – Electronics integrated in plastic becomes more sustainable
20.01.2022
The aim of the project ReIn-E project is to develop designs and sustainable materials to enable the recycling of the components.
Bence Körmendi
19.01.2022
Petchem Business Unit Director, MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas Company Plc.
Turning plastic grocery bags into sustainable fuel
17.01.2022
More than 300 million tons of plastic waste are produced annually, which causes serious environmental issues. Consequently, most plastic waste ends up in either a landfill or the ocean. A significant number of plastics break down into microplastics, which are ingested by fish and other marine life causing havoc to marine ecosystems.
Young plastics researchers are on the trail of proper recycling
07.01.2022
The Pöppelmann Research Week on the topic of "Plastics and Recycling" brought young people closer to the topics of plastics and recycling.
Turning a problem into a solution: Wasser 3.0 studies ways to remove microplastics from water without a filter
15.12.2021
Plastic is an important material and a virtually irreplaceable component in many products. However, the breakdown and disposal of plastics after use also goes along with microplastics. At the end of its life cycle, plastic material first ends up in the environment and then comes back to us: a study has found that we ingest about five grams of plastic every week without realizing it.
"The process window is very narrow and must be exactly controlled."
08.12.2021
What are the parameters that actually matter when it comes to wear protection? An interview with Anna Rottstegge, Head of Research & Development at Reifenhäuser Reiloy.
Recycling: PolyWaste technology wants to make the term "plastic waste" obsolete
03.11.2021
It's no secret, and yet the numbers are shocking: less than one-tenth of the total amount of plastic produced to date has been recycled. Currently, the rate is 14 percent worldwide. A full 32 percent ends up in the environment. This urgently needs to change – which is what the Australian company PlasTech Recycling Limited thought as well. And so they developed an innovative technology.
Fraunhofer IGB
Greenhouse gases headed for sustainability: How CO2 is turning into plastic
22.10.2021
Carbon dioxide is driving climate change. To combat it, emissions must be reduced. Fraunhofer researchers have developed an approach to use the climate gas as a raw material for plastics.
Research guides future of plastic waste chemical recycling
18.10.2021
New research from Cornell University aims to ease the process of chemical recycling – an emerging industry that could turn waste products back into natural resources by physically breaking plastic down into the smaller molecules it was originally produced from.
"If you never ask, you'll never know" – traineeship in plastics extrusion
12.10.2021
There is a desperate need for skilled workers in the plastics industry. Yet the industry has a lot to offer. Reifenhäuser GmbH also proves this with its diverse range of training programs.
Electrosynthesis: preventing cathodic corrosion
12.10.2021
Sustainability is an important issue in business and industry these days. Many companies recognize the need to find the best possible climate-neutral solutions for manufacturing their products and reduce their output of pollutants. This means they are looking for manufacturing options that do not require the use of fossil raw materials.
Simply more: Allrounder More! More space, modularity, and ease of use with multi-component injection moulding
28.09.2021
Arburg is launching a new series for production-efficient multi-component injection moulding: the Allrounder More, with its particularly flexible configuration, can now be perfectly adapted to specific customer and market requirements. The machines offer increased space for larger moulds, greater modularity during assembly, and numerous optimised features for easy use and simple maintenance.
Clean room production of breast implants
14.09.2021
The Fraunhofer IPT has teamed up with BelloSeno GmbH to study biocompatible implants that are made using 3D printing. Kai Janning from the Fraunhofer IPT describes the conditions a medical device production facility must meet and reveals the latest successes of the researchers.
The many ways that 'going digital' is changing manufacturing
23.08.2021
There are many aspects and forms of digitalization in manufacturing, ranging from Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing, to augmented and virtual reality, 5G connectivity, mobile apps, blockchain technology, and more.
Sensor-based symphony: sorting and recycling in perfect harmony
30.07.2021
What can be recycled, and what can't? Sorting waste is a challenge – for both people and machines. TOMRA, pioneer in this field has introduced its new generation AUTOSORT in 2020 under the motto "Symphony of all sorts". This is intended to take the plastics industry a big step further towards sustainability.
Soft robots: smart elastomers are making the robots of the future more touchy-feely
19.07.2021
Imagine flexible surgical instruments that can twist and turn in all directions like miniature octopus arms, or how about large and powerful robot tentacles that can work closely and safely with human workers on production lines.
Cleaning up the polluted edge of the world: Lindner and Comberplast recycle fishing nets
31.05.2021
Presented at K 2019 in Düsseldorf and now used to clean up the edge of the world: Lindner Recyclingtech’s Micromat 1500. Circular economy pioneer Comberplast has been using the machine to successfully shred old fishing nets and ropes collected from the coast of Patagonia.