MATERIALS SPOTLIGHT

On June 23-27, the world of plastics and elastomers will converge at McCormick Place in Chicago for NPE 2003, “The World’s Plastics Showcase” (www.npe.org). Technology innovations will be on display from more than 2,000 exhibitors serving all facets of the industry, from equipment, software and processing services to new resins, additives, fillers and reinforcements, as well as various custom and miscellaneous products. Anticipating the largest international participation in the history of its triennial exposition, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) is preparing to welcome an influx of plastics professionals from around the globe. Come visit Designfax at Booth 11355. Here is a sampling of companies and products that will be on display:

Flame-retardant additives, Booth 9762
This company provides a comprehensive range of flame-retardant additives for PP, PA, PBT, ABS, PPA, SPS and other plastics. Over 100 compounds are UL-recognized, and many comply with strict UL94 (flammability), UL746B (thermal properties) and UL746A (electrical properties). This application of Latimid 66 H2 G/25-V0KB3 is a heating element for a washing machine.

LATI USA Inc, Summerville, SC.
www.rsleads.com/306df-241

Elastic polymer, Booth 9312
PermaFlex resin combines the elastic properties of traditional rubber materials with the abrasion resistance of the most durable plastics. FDA-approved ingredients suit this material for medical, food and packaging applications. The resin is available with tensile strength up to 7000 psi, and either high or low flex modulus over 1000% elongation. Properties are maintained over a temperature range of -40° to 300°F.

Engineered Plastics Corp, Akron, OH.
www.rsleads.com/306df-242

Antimicrobial additive, Booth 6108
The MicroBlaster additive package, available in select grades of the company’s Icorene resins, prevents microbial growth in microcracks, dead spots and rough surfaces. With the advantages of inorganic properties, this Ag-ion based additive is non-toxic, durable, slow migrating and resists heat up to 800°F. It prevents discoloration and is FDA approved.

ICO Polymers, Houston, TX.
www.rsleads.com/306df-243

Permeation modeling, Booth 4392
This company has an exclusive, world-wide license to perform M-RULE Permeation Model calculations for third parties. The web-based software predicts permeation of O2, CO2, N2 and H20 for plastic containers, considering such parameters as package contents, environment, materials, coatings, temperature, filling conditions and humidity. Package creep and Vitamin C degradation are predicted.

Plastic Technologies Inc, Holland, OH.
www.rsleads.com/306df-244

Purging compound, Booth 2013
Dyna-Purge thermoplastic purging compound cleans plastic processing equipment without the use of chemicals or abrasives. It is formulated to flow naturally through the barrel of the extruder and injection machine, allowing a non-melting but softening thermoplastic to scrub the screw and walls of the barrel. It is especially suited for color/resin changes and preventative maintenance.

Shuman Plastics Inc, Depew, NY
www.rsleads.com/306df-245

Secondary resins, Booth 8431
Hard-to-find engineering plastics and immediate supplies of particular resins can be found online, updated daily at this website. Over 3.5 million lbs of inventory are stocked, from acrylic to xenoy. An in-house quality-control laboratory checks stock composition. As the official recycler for the show, this company will be teaming up with Eco Educators to collect scrap generated by exhibitors. 

Maine Plastics, North Chicago, IL.
www.rsleads.com/306df-246

Pigmentation, Booth 1832
The StanTone EP additive expands this company’s line of color for the elastomer and rubber markets. An online Color Selector displays technical information, including pigment type, physical properties, color index and light fastness. Based on an EPDM binder, these additives are more compatible with various elastomer systems than standard binders.

PolyOne Corp, Cleveland, OH.
www.rsleads.com/306df-247

Processing aids, Booth 10526
This company manufactures a complete line of processing aids for plastics manufacturers. The line includes mold releases, mold cleaners, rust preventives, purging compounds, lubricants, cutting oils and a variety of related accessories. All products are CFC-free and free of methylene chloride Online is a pdf-format catalog, available through direct connection to the URL below.

Slide Products Inc, Wheeling, IL.
www.rsleads.com/306df-248

Active controller, Booth 142
The USC dynamic-response controller for plastic welding systems features single-button operation. Programmable amplitude values are held through an auto-tuning module that measures the status of the oscillating system 1250 times a second, to keep it synchronized with dynamic set values. Weld time, trigger position and weld distance, final weld position, energy and power are measured.

Stapla Ultrasonics, Wilmington, MA.
www.rsleads.com/306df-249

Recycled PET, Booth 7242
This company produces food-grade recycled PET resins and has won both FDA and Canadian approval, with the capability of mass-producing 100% RPET bottles for the soft drink industry, contingent upon (and so far exceeding) consumer recycling quantities. Manufacturing efficiency and product performance standards are maintained, comparable to virgin plastics.

Phoenix Technologies, Bowling Green, OH.
www.rsleads.com/306df-250

Polymer additives, Booth 3214
This company will display its latest offerings, including Hyperform HPN-68, a hyper-nucleating agent that speeds polymer solidification while reducing anisotropic shrinkage; ClearTint transparent colorant for polypropylene; ClearShield UV-absorber for PET packaging; and Ag-based AlphaSan antimicrobial agent suited for plastics, fibers, foams and coatings.

Millikin Chemical, Spartanburg, SC.
www.rsleads.com/306df-251

Purging compounds, Booth 2549
Designed for high-detergency, high- and low-temperature and enhanced general purpose applications, the Asaclean line of purging compounds delivers low residue characteristics in hot runner cleaning of open or closed molds. Tough deposits are removed, preventing screw pulls while ensuring fast, thorough transitions of color or resin.

Sun Plastech Inc, Parsippany, NJ.
www.rsleads.com/306df-252

Rubber alloy, Booth 7146
To be introduced at the show is Raupren 707 melt-processible rubber alloy certified as a replacement for Alcryn 2070BK. Also on display will be the company’s full range of premium and standard PVC compounds. Their flexible compounds provide good tensile properties even at low temperatures and pass GMP-90 for windshield molding and are cleaning-solvent resistant.

REHAU, Leesburg, VA.
www.rsleads.com/306df-253

SBC grades, Booth 7935
K-Resin XK40 and XK41 grades of styrene-butadiene copolymer are intended for use in sheet extrusion and thermoforming, and are available in commercial quantities. The new grades achieve high blend ratios with less expensive GPPS, but provide a clear, tough sheet that maintains the integrity of shallow or deep draw thermoformed products.

Chevron-Phillips Chemical Co LP, The Woodlands, TX.
www.rsleads.com/306df-254

Materials testing, Booth 4352
This provider of testing equipment for evaluating the mechanical properties of materials and components will be featuring its 5500 series systems at the show. Designed to test plastics and elastomers, these systems are available in single and dual column table model configurations to accommodate various load and elongation requirements.

Instron, Canton, MA.
www.rsleads.com/306df-256

Custom thermoplastics, Booths 2015, 2215
This company will showcase its seven customizable product lines: Colorcomp pre-colored unfilled resins; Konduit thermally conductive fillers and engineering thermoplastics; Lubricomp internally lubricated compounds; flame-retardant Starflam; electrically-active Stat-Kon; Thermocomp glass- and fiber-reinforced products; and Verton long fiber nylon, polypropylene and polyphthalamide composites.

LNP Engineering Plastics, Exton, PA.
www.rsleads.com/306df-257

PTT compound, Booth 8523
This company specializes in custom thermoplastic compounds. Their 4700 series glass-reinforced polytrimethylene terephthalate compound provides an economical replacement for metal brackets used to fasten this truck’s grab handle. The compound is a semicrystalline polyester related to PET and PBT, but typically less expensive. 

RTP Co, Winona, MN.
www.rsleads.com/306df-258

Bellows, Booth 12432
ThermiSeal bellows protects and seals equipment from air, dust and light. The bellows are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, in urethane or PVC materials. Designed for a variety of traveling and cleanroom applications, they provide good open-to-closed length ratios, minimizing required space. For precision applications, they need a minimal amount of force to operate.

A&A Mfg Co Inc, Gortite Div, New Berlin, WI.
www.rsleads.com/306df-259

Medical TPEs, Booth 13137
To be introduced at this show is the company’s line of Mediflex TPEs for medical product and tubing applications. A variety of grades from 8 Shore A to 60 Shore D is available. For tubing applications, the grades are designed to replace latex. This material is non-allergenic, recyclable, and can be colored, translucent or clear. No carbamates nor potentially hazardous extractables are involved.

Star Thermoplastic Elastomers, Chicago, IL.
www.rsleads.com/306df-260

TPE lines, Booth 4161
This company will introduce three new product lines: Versalloy 8000 TPE alloys, available in a range from 45 to 70 Shore A; super-soft 30 Shore 00 Versaflex CL2003 water-clear, non-tacky and non-oil free TPE; and Versollan TPU elastomer alloy now available as soft as 45 Shore A. The company produces application-specific custom TPE compounds and overmold combinations.

GLS Corp, McHenry, IL.
www.rsleads.com/306df-261

Extrusion heads, Booth 4381
Series 400 extrusion heads have been engineered for increased design flexibility, enhanced durability and improved crush resistance. The tooling includes the company’s multi-port spiral flow design that balances compound distribution with no weld lines to the corrugator, thereby increasing the finished product’s overall strength. Initial field tests indicate process speeds can be increased with these heads.

Guill Tool, West Warwick, RI.
www.rsleads.com/306df-262

Mold software, Booth 5393
This company’s CAD/CAM software synchronizes among product design, mold design and manufacturing. The Mold Edition add-on to their software includes such mold components as cooling channels, face vents, swabs, electrode placement and inserts. The software checks for interference between the part, the mold cavity and the cooling elements.

VX Corp, Palm Bay, FL.
www.rsleads.com/306df-263

Plastics coatings, Booth 5149
Imagio resin-plus-coating provides a range of colors — from Candy Apple Red to Silver Chrome — and various soft-feel effects options. These coatings are spray-applied to TPE resins using a 2- or 3-step process for special effects, minimizing the visual effects of part-molding defects to reduce reject rates. It is part of the company’s broader Fantasia line of colors and effects.

Bayer Polymers, Pittsburgh, PA.
www.rsleads.com/306df-264