A grey tone, Plast 2006

During the opening of Plast´06 Conference, on 14 February announced the dates for Plast´09, which will take place from Tuesday 10 to 14 March of 2009.Los organisers of the international meeting, which is held every three yearsthey announced that they are satisfied the experiment tested for the first time this year. In addition, they confirmed that in three years, Plast will be held jointly with Ipack-Ima, the triennial Exhibition for the packaging industry.

The exhibitors were 1.551, of whom 948 Italians and 603 foreigners; 1.148 were direct exhibitors and 403 represented companies. The number of visitors amounted to 65.853, from the 67.907 recorded in 2003.

There was a reduction in the number of registered visitors due to an ineffective control system. The multiple possibilities of entrance to the Fairgrounds, determined the entry of operators through access different from the reception. It was also observed a decrease in the number of exhibitors, justified primarily, according to organizers, the coincidence with Ipack-Ima determined the participation in one of the two samples of most of those companies in the past exposed in both events.

The countries represented were 50 to 52 of the previous edition. As regards Asian visitors it must not forget the negative factor caused by the overlapping of dates of Plast 06 and Plastindia, organized in New Delhi.

Top ten source countries were: Europe (58.3 per cent), Africa (6 pro cent), middle (12.3 per cent), other Asian countries (4.3 per cent), America from the North (2.1 per cent), Latin America (6.7 per cent) and Oceania (0.4%).

With regard to the percentage of visits according to the days of the week, the busiest day was Thursday 16 (23.2 per cent), Friday 17 (22.3 per cent), Saturday 18 (22.3 per cent), Wednesday (20.1 per cent) and 14 Tuesday (11.7 per cent).

Be that as it may, and despite the problems of internal transit at the fair, it is true that the fair was "animated". Logically, it never rains please everyone and them there were very satisfied, such as them was quite unhappy about the number of visitors. But the offer for the visitor was expected. The Italian master builders of machinery came with stands of large and very bright. They were all, surprisingly, from Negri Bossi at the stand of Sacmi (along with BM Biraghi and Oima), until Sandretto, Italtech and other many well known firms that we cannot list in this report. And of course, not they missed in the event the rest of the manufacturers such as Arburg, Demag, Netstal, Battenfeld, Krauss Maffei, Engel, Kautex, Haitian... and finally the main actors of this sector of the plastics (we can know the full list of participants in www.plat06.org)which was lacking not Pallmann, nor nor do Spanish companies as Cayfi, (Intosa, workshops penalty and punishment Bimetallic Technology) group punishment, Cumsa, Coemter and Comexi, among others.

In the field of the blown Magic (represented in Spain by Luiso) it came with three machines. The electric model EP-L5-8/Nd is the continuation of the first series of machine electric released by Magic in 1997 for the first time. Electrical machines for extrusion-blown capping energy-saving and incorporate new patented to ensure a perfect parallel between dishes and closures requiring less tonnage. The precision, less pollution of the environment and acoustics and the low maintenance required are also important features.

Magic also introduced two models of its new Silver series, hybrid drive machines to ensure a good technology at a great price.

For example, the latest generation of machines injection Italtech (Spain, Centrotécnica), series Impetus, which represent a technological breakthrough for producers of packaging and components of precision with high productions. This new series of machines, which is to complete the wide range of high-quality injectors produced by the leading Italian manufacturer, Italtech; they are the first step of a total renovation of the image of the brand.

The increasingly important sector of injection products with seem fine and high productions to short cycle; available now from the Impetus of Italtech series; production units of very high performance, whose main features are: Total overlap of movements, movements harmonics, quiet, high precision of the knee, high dynamics of the injection speed of 1000 mm/s, optimized hydraulic system to ensure maximum stability of parameters, repeatability and high performance with low power consumption, plasticizers with barrier profile specifically designed for high quality and great performance of plasticizing, rugged monolithic design of the structure and modularity of the combinations group injection - group close, high technological content assetsHigh rigidity of the dishes, oversized and ruladas columns section, electric servomotor in line with the plasticizer.

The Engel Victory series is in its fourth evolutionary phase. The smallest of the series, of 500 kN, represents well the improvements of the series, with a very good relation price/performance. He is noted for the modularity of the individual units of its structure, the new design of the unit of injection, more rigid and larger dishes, maintenance and management simpler and a completely new exterior aesthetics. The new generation is equipped with 200 EC control. The new series is available in forces closure of 250 to 1200 kN.

The Engel Speed in turn combines high speed and high performance. Part of the strategy of Engel to provide high-quality machines to the market and very competitive for applications of rapid cycles, for the entire spectrum of thin-walled packaging, medical equipment and electronics applications. It has a closing of double knee of five points and the mobile plate movements are guided through a car of high precision.

E-Motion Engel 200/55 was presented as a machine for microinjection. The smallest of this range, with 550 kN clamping force, equipped with standard injection and plasticizing of 25 mm spindle unit, manufactured during the fair a piece in LCP for the mechanism of load of DVD players.

Kautex Maschinenbau (represented in Spain by Battenfeld Iberian), is one of the leaders in the construction of machines for the extrusion molding blowing, provides a wide range of businesses that use this technology, both for production with accumulator head, sections of mold with feeder of parisón to manufacture containers with volumes of a few ml to 30 liters, large bottles with capacities of up to 10,000 litres, deposits of six or seven layers for fuel or tubular shaped car or mobileappliances or other technical applications.

In this edition of the Plast was a machine for molding by extrusion-blowing model KCC30 for containers of up to 30 liters and technical applications. The machine is equipped with a system of control of blow Blow Command 4 L model, an extruder of 70 mm with 25D in length and 2.5 litre accumulator head. It is a machine that can be equipped with a device of court and a system for calibration from above.

CGR SYSTEM introduced in addition to the PBX HGR working with injection machines, also the exclusive patented system "low density", created to inject gas nitrogen on plasticizing of injectors and extrusion machines cylinders, application that allows to obtain light products without losing too many physical characteristics.

The HGR Control Gas of the CGR company switchboards have strong point in the immediate response of valves (patent CGR) and therefore pressure curves in real time. Upload and download, ramps allow gas entry to the plastic along perfectly without flow that create problems of shock of air they can make to the cosmetically imperfect product. The peculiarity of such exchanges and the use of pressures never higher than 50-60 bar in molds where drainage is not used, as well as embodied samples. The latest addition to be submitted for these exchanges is the control system which allows to establish the actual consumption of nitrogen during the phase of injection molds.

JTP launched the new generation of injectors APM Supermaster hybrid, combining two technologies on a single machine, such as the proven performance of a hydraulic closure of large levels of work and excellent distribution of the clamping force, with a set of motorized servo injection, all electric, very high precision. This is achieved a unity of high-performance, low consumption energy and capable of performing fast cycles. To this we must add controller Keplast 400 of the Austrian manufacturer Keba (www.keba.com) very extended in the European market, since also uses it a recognized manufacturer of injectors also from Austria.

The specialization of APM, in parallel to the Supermaster series for conventional applications, is complemented by the "HS Ultra high speed" series, for applications in packaging, with a servo controller in closed, with injection speed ring up to 600 mm/s; and equipped with accumulator. System of high response, design of preload of the pressure of injection to reduce the time in the change of hydraulic pressure, counterpressure of closing and injection stages separately controlled by cards of movement for precise control, fast and accurate injection control through the use of MOOG valve.

The APM Supermaster of JTP series, is certified with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

Just in Time Plastic, s.l. (www.justintimeplastics.com) sells these injectors in Spain, as well as the series "HS" of very high production (packaging), the "hc" version, equivalent features, but hydraulic locking piston, the line "Giant" of up to 1,000 t of closure to knee and broad levels of work, the series "tp" with closure of the type "2 dishes" up to 3,000 tons of closure and the new range of "E.G." fully electric machines for more technical applications, micro injection, White Hall, and production of CD-DVD.

ISVE, from the hand of Centrotécnica (www.centrotecnica.es) exclusive distributor of its products in Spain, showed in the Plast 06 a updated version of the Combi Tritotutto crushers, designed to blend and recover waste plastic, combining the advantages of a crusher to four axes; and a mill in line, able to obtain a final grain of 4 - 8 mm. The application is simple: just insert the material through the mouth of the crusher, to obtain the final granule. The team crushed bodies of great volume and remarkable resistance to the Court, with considerable savings in terms of cost of investment and work. For example, a team with mouth of grinding 500 x 660 mm, capable of crushing drums, large parts injected, strained and blocks of molten material, has a power installed of 27.5 HP. Crushing material does not require a prior court or an operator assistance.

There are 6 different models of 27.5 to 60 HP with Chambers of Court up to 1000 x 800 mm. Includes the following features: Electronic Control of the work cycle, with 10 configurable programs by the user; sequential shutdown, to facilitate clearance operations; minimum need of manpower for the use or maintenance of the equipment; bench and mill Soundproofed; possibility of using only the crusher for reduction of volume of wood, cardboard, pallets and other non-ferrous materials.

In the field of extrusion of tubes, plates and profiles Krauss Maffei (represented by Centrotécnica in his Division of extrusion) showed the new extruders single 36B, in which the production capacity has been improved at the same time increasing the quality of the mass, at low temperatures. This has been possible lengthening of 30 to 36D processing unit.

Krauss Maffei (represented in Spain by the company Coscollola in its injection Division) presented the machines of the series CX for small forces of closing applications. Stands out for its efficiency, precision and flexibility and is an evolution of the series C. With two plates, the machine has managed to reduce the length of the unit's closure by 30 percent. The closing is noted for the parallelism of the dishes. Four cylinders ensure symmetric motion of closure. The series has drive injection and spindle suitable for each application. New development series control MC5 CX is easy to operate and nearly maintenance.

In the range of high closing forces presented the series MX whose quick closure of two dishes and effective plasticizing provide high productivity in forces of closure between 8,000 kN and 54,000 kN.

His former series of fully electric machines could also be seen. A former 80-380 KM, was intended to lower the cost per piece. Its most interesting point is the closure of three dishes with a special system of cam in the form of Z. The kinematics and dynamics of the system ensures a very fast cycle and high precision. The aforementioned System z is patented and is characterized by the number of elements in motion is limited consciously to eight points of articulation. This means that it has half of elements in a conventional system of knee movement.

The plasticizing and injection are operated by electric motors of high torque.

Battenfeld was presented in Milan with two models HM of machines for injection (in Spain, Battenfeld Iberian) already submitted for the first time at the Fakuma fair. One of them is new, the HM of 400 t of clamping force and a 270/1330H/525V HM model.

These machines, available in models from 300 up to 500 tonnes, are notable for the accuracy, accessibility and compact configuration. In fact, according to the manufacturer, it is the shortest on the market horizontal machine. Despite this offers a great space for the mold. It is also remarkable parallels between dishes, achieved through a linear Guide oversize for the mobile plate. This hydraulic machine of two plates adds speed of opening and closing with cylinders with differential. A unit of powerful injection with 22 constant l/D ratio reaches high yields of plasticizing with a good homegenización. High pressure of 3,000 bar injection and injection of 300 mm/s. speeds can be achieved

In the extrusion sector (Battenfeld Extrusionstechnik is represented by commercial Douma) introduced a new high-performance extruder. The model 1-75-34 BEX DV, 255 kW to 800 rpm has a special roller press to work in line with a line for thermoforming, manufactured in capacity of 800 kg/h in PP and PS 1200. You can also work with A-PET and PLA.

As for Cincinnati Extrusion, attended the fair with single extruders and extrusion machines of two spindles parallel and conical.