March 2013 Tube Products International
49
plast ic and composi te innovat ions
Large field scanners for plastic tubes
Zumbach Electronic, Switzerland,
has extended its range of ODAC
®
laser scanners for non-contact inline
diameter measurement for large size
solutions. With the ODAC 550 it is
now possible to measure large steel
bars, tubes and rolls up to 500mm or
more at accuracies of a few metric
microns and rates of up to 2,000
measurements/s. Other materials,
such as titanium, brass, alloys and
plastic work just as as well. This was
made possible by the development
of a revolutionary optical scanning
technique with a highly parallel and
seamless measuring field (no dead
zone).
The technology also allows mounting
emitter and receiver far apart from
each other, depending on the available
space conditions. Typical processes
where the system offers new solutions
are peeling, grinding, polishing and
straightening, as well as in quality
control lines (NDT). The dimensional
data for diameter and ovality can be
fed directly to the user’s network or
displayed in real-time for the operator
by USYS processors.
Zumbach Electronic AG
– Switzerland
Biopolymer alloys win Top 100 award
Altuglas International, subsidiary of
Arkema group, and its Altuglas
®
Rnew
biopolymer alloys have received R&D
magazine’s 2012 R&D100 Award.
The award recognises the 100 most
technologically significant products
introduced into the marketplace over
the past year.
The R&D100 Awards have long
been a benchmark of excellence
for industry sectors as diverse as
telecommunications,
high-energy
physics, software, manufacturing and
biotechnology. Winning technologies
are used in medical, industrial,
research, consumer and manufacturing
applications.
“We are honoured to count Altuglas
International among the many life
changing innovations which have
received this award,” said Antonis
Papadourakis, president of Altuglas
International Americas. “This award is
an affirmation of our commitment to
foster an environment where innovation
is the primary driver for the company’s
future growth. This technology is true
innovation that not only allows us to
provide sustainable products for our
customers but leads us into newmarkets
worldwide. To date we are pleased
with the overwhelming response from
key industry brand owners and look
forward to a successful adoption in the
global marketplace.”
The properties of the new Rnew alloys
stem from the synergistic effect of
compounding two completely miscible
polymers, Altuglas and biopolymer. The
resultant Altuglas Rnew alloys feature
lower processing temperatures, greater
melt flow properties and reduced carbon
footprint. Altuglas International can
tailor properties of these alloys, such as
impact and chemical resistance, to meet
some of the most demanding application
conditions. The Altuglas Rnew alloys
do so without compromising optics,
scratch resistance, colour acceptance
and surface aesthetics.
Rnew resins provide high performance
and a sustainable alternative
including high impact resistance for
part protection, superior chemical
resistance for part longevity, surface
properties for better lifetime aesthetics,
and toughness for property retention
over time.
The resins offer optimised performance
and
manufacturing
properties
that reduce fabrication time and
temperatures for thermoformed parts
in lighting, security, signage and
additional applications. Altuglas Rnew
sheet thermoforms at low pressure,
so moulds can be made of low-cost
materials, such as wood and plastics.
Altuglas International
– France
Global directory service for plastics industry
Rapid News Communications Group,
the publisher of British Plastics and
Rubber, European Plastic Product
Manufacturer, Medical Plastics News
and Middle Eastern Plastics, and the
organiser of the Interplas and Mediplas
UK events, has launched a new directory
platform which will serve the global
plastic processing sector.
plastrep.com is designed to host
companies at each end of the supply
chain, including producers of raw
materials, manufacturers of machinery
and equipment for every major process,
as well as distributors and agents,
consultant services and event organisers.
The site is designed for quick and simple
sourcing of a local product or supplier,
wherever the user may be based. An
integrated Google Maps feature gives
a clear overview of regional clusters
of activity surrounding the various
manufacturing processes. The site
also offers genuine user interaction,
with the opportunity to leave feedback,
reviews and ‘starred’ ratings, based
on experiences with specific suppliers.
A simple contact form system allows
direct communication with the supplier.
The site’s developers believe that it will
grow to be one of the most efficient
resources for fast, reliable sourcing.
Suppliers can also host their own
literature on the site.
Plastrep
– UK
