Bio Polymers Market

The total sunk-in capacity for biopolymers in 2009 was around 500 million lbs. These include polylactide acid [PLA] (NatureWorks, Galactic, Hycail BV); polyhydroxyalkanoates such as PHAs, PHB, and PHBH (Biomer, Procter&Gamble); polymers based on bio-based PDO (DuPont); cellulose polymers (Innovia Films)¹; epoxy polymers from bio-glycerol; and starch polymers and blends (AkzoNobel [National Starch Chemical] and several other players). NatureWorks (Cargill Dow) is the major commercial player with a PLA capacity of 280 million lbs²; and Novamont is the major producer of starch polymers and blends, with a capacity of 120 million lbs.³

The total capacity of biopolymers is expected to reach 1.3 billion lbs, if Braskem's 400 million lbs/year of bio-polyethylene production and Braskem's/Nova Zymes's 400 million lbs/year⁴ of bio-polypropylene production materializes in Brazil. At these levels, the biopolymer's share of the total global production of synthetic polymers will be a meager 0.26%! If biopolymers were to replace all of the polymer products, the amount of biopolymer production would need to increase nearly 400-fold (from 1.3 billion lbs to over 520 billion lbs). This would undoubtedly put a strain on our planet's ecosystem and require massive deforestation.

New software for filament winding pattern generation

A tapered vessel mandrel showing a helical winding, the transition and a circumferential winding. Band colors indicate the winding angle. © Seifert and Skinner & Associates, Inc.
Seifert and Skinner & Associates, Inc. (SS&A) has introduced ComposicaD™; as announced on the 07th of July 2010. This software generates winding patterns for any filament winding machine. Modules and packages in the ComposicaD lineup allow winding for:
• pipes and tubes;
• tanks and vessels;
• any figure of revolution;
• pipe tees and elbows;
• spars;
• other geometric shapes.

The software was designed from the ground up to be completely user friendly, making it quick for the part programmer to make parts. The software is uniquely focused at the part level, not at the individual layer level, where much of today’s existing software is focused.

Many filament winders make a range of products – pipes or tanks that vary only in the overall length or diameter. Using ComposicaD, the part programmer builds the desired laminate table – the different layers of circumferential, helical and transition winding – and then can produce a range of parts, simply by varying the part length and/or diameter. ComposicaD automatically recalculates all of the layers to produce the new part. This can save an enormous amount of time, since each part doesn’t have to be laboriously programmed individually layer by layer.

ComposicaD uses many improved algorithms for calculating the fiber paths and machine motions. The software produces exactly symmetric laminates, produces a “time optimal trajectory”, controls the fiber speed and acceleration, automatically generates minimum length transitions, and more. ComposicaD maintains a database of materials – commonly used fiber band setups – which include the band width, band thickness, maximum slip potential, band density, cost and other parameters. These parameters are used to calculate laminate weights, length of fiber consumed, and costs as well as the winding time, both on a total part basis and for the individual lamina.

ComposicaD produces machine output for up to six axes of motion – spindle, carriage, cross carriage, rotating eye, yaw axis and perpendicular axis. ComposicaD automatically calculates the thickness buildup and adjusts the winding contour. Winding speeds are controlled by the machine accelerations and velocities, including the fiber speed, and can be varied up to the limits, which are specific for the target winding machine.
ComposicaD produces output for all types of CNC winding machines and has capability to control other devices associated with the winding process, such as fiber tension, resin bath temperature, mandrel pressure, and other parameters.

Composicad is available exclusively through Seifert and Skinner & Associates and leading winding machine manufacturers.

Notebook casing with bamboo aspect

The Taiwanese company Asus has developed two models of notebooks that feature an innovative design. These new laptops which are commercialized under the trade name Asus Bamboo Series have been designed by the Pegutron design studio in Taïwan and have already won a 2009 iF-design award. In fact they include an innovative housing made from Moso bamboo i.e. phyllostachys pubescent by using an In-Mold Decoration (IMD) technology. This plant has been chosen because it is sustainable and very strong, easy and quick to grow, and because it requires very little water, helps reduce CO2 and is fairly pest resistant. Furthermore bamboo can withstand the high pressures (i.e. more than 3,600 kg/cm2) during processing. The bamboo-based surfaces cover not only the chassis but also the wristrests and even touch pads.

Fuel filter housing made of conductive PA-6

In collaboration with the German material producer Lanxess, the German automotive part manufacturer Mann+Hummel has designed a cost-effective thermoplastic alternative to die-cast aluminum-based fuel filter housings. The new fuel filter housing and its lid are made of Durethan™ DP BCF 30 X H2.0, a 30% glass and carbon reinforced polyamide-6 (PA-6) grade from Lanxess AG. The parts are injected molded and welded together. The Durethan™ DP BCF 30 X H2.0 material has been chosen because it is an electrically conductive material that does not require any secondary finishing contrary to die-cast aluminum (which requires milling, grinding and drilling for instance) and simplifies subsequent assembly. It also offers enhanced design freedom and greater weight reducing potential. Furthermore this PA-6 grade exhibits high anti-static properties and its high electrical conductivity prevents static from building up in the filter due to the media flowing through it for instance. Last but not least it provides weight saving compared with die-cast aluminum and good resistance to gasoline, diesel and the new biofuels.

PA high-heat resins extend "Under The Hood" functionalities

For under-the-hood (UTH) applications (turbochargers, air ducts) in automotives, DSM has introduced two high-heat resins - Stanyl Diablo OCD2300 and Akulon Diablo, using polyamide (PA46) material. The resins aim at providing reduced weight and high-temperature sustainability for a longer time. The grade limits thermal oxidative breakdown, and thus make Stanyl Diablo withstand temperature of upto 230°C for more than 3,000 hours. Akulon Diablo is used in air/fuel systems, which may be subject to temperatures of up to 210°C while continuously in use (over 230°C for shorter periods).

The addition of both resins brings forth metal replacement options for UTB applications and meets the needs of the supply chain for air ducts. Akulon Flex PA6 is specifically tailored for flexible ducts and Arnitel TPE for clean air ducts. It can be used as a single-source solution for all ducts, end caps and resonators.

Mizkan Americas Meets Hot Fill Needs With Amcor's Long Neck Powerflex™ PET Bottle

Mizkan Americas, Mt. Prospect, Ill., a leading condiment manufacturer, has started using 16oz long neck Powerflex™ polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hot fill bottles from Amcor Rigid Plastics, a leading producer of PET packaging, for its Buccaneer Blends barbecue sauces. Mizkan recently moved from ambient fill bottles to hot fill containers for the Buccaneer Blends line - a product acquired by Mizkan during the purchase of World Harbor Sauces & Marinades, Auburn, Maine, earlier this year.

"To ensure product quality, we decided to switch from the ambient fill to the hot fill process," said Dave Rotunno, Director of Marketing for Mizkan. "Amcor's Powerflex bottle handles the hot fill process and offered the best solution to meet our manufacturing needs." The long neck PET bottle is finding increased use as a hot fill option in this food category, according to Amcor. The rest of the former World Harbors' line of sauces and marinades are bottled in ambient fill PET containers.

Amcor's Powerflex bottle features a patented panel-less design which takes hot fill (185°F) bottle options to a new level. Amcor's structural design eliminates the panels, and unlike competitive containers, provides a large, completely smooth rib-less label area. Amcor used design and manufacturing techniques to create a patented bottle that absorbs vacuum via a specially designed base. A unique diaphragm within the base draws upward as the liquid cools. It has the geometric characteristics to enable the inverted cone-shaped diaphragm to deflect upward as the vacuum is created.

Unlike conventional hot fill PET alternatives, PowerFlex bottles are easier to label since they don't have sidewall vacuum panels. Packers don't have to worry about mislabeling, that is; missing the vertical bars in applying labels. Nor do they have to deal with the ripple effect that occurs when labeling over panels.

The stock Powerflex bottle has a 38-mm finish and features a screw-top closure and a tamper-evident, plastic heat-shrink neck band. The long neck bottles deliver significant performance and cost advantages including portability (no breakage), light weight, recyclability, and reduced transportation costs. Consumers are drawn to the attractive, lightweight, and unbreakable features of the PET bottle compared to traditional glass containers.

Hot water tank for ovens made from PPS

In collaboration with Ticona and K.D. Fedderson, the German kitchen appliance manufacturer Miele Inc. has developed a new oven function for its high-performance ovens range available under the trade name H5000: these new Miele ovens are equipped with a special hot water tank that automatically takes in the right amount of water and dispenses it as jets of steam into the oven cavity. This new function, namely “moisture plus” is said to provide improved results in baking and roasting. This newly-developed hot water tank that has to withstand high temperature of up to 220°C has been made from a 15% glass fiber reinforced poly(phenylene sulphide) material i.e. Fortron™ MT9115L0 DW from Ticona by using an extrusion blow molding process. This PPS grade has been chosen because it complies with the FDA requirement and with the European 2002/72/EC directive for food contact application. Furthermore it exhibits high dimensional stability and minimal water absorption even under high thermal stresses. As for the extrusion blow molding process, it allows to eliminate the need for the subsequent welding of component that is necessary with injection molding.