A database of injection moulders in Central European countries of Poland, Hungary and the Czech and Slovak Republics shows addition of nearly 300 new companies since 2005. This reflects the rapid pace of change and growth in injection moulding in Central Europe. AMI estimates that the industry in the region now processes nearly 1 million tons of polymer resins. To know more about the growth sectors, high growth regions, larger processors, etc, read Central Europe's injection molders processing 1 million tons of polymers, poised for growth
Superabsorbents are capable of holding several times their own weight in fluids and retaining it even under pressure. Besides liquid absorption, they are also known for their excellent thickening capacity, swelling capacity and moisture management features. These materials are finding unique application in footwear, as upon getting wet, the superabsorbing fleece in the ventilation element immediately expands and self-seals the system, staying watertight under high pressure. These materials find application in a host of sectors including textiles and sports accessories, agriculture and horticulture, Waste treatment, packaging, cables, electronics, medical dressing. Read in Footwear that adapts to all weather conditions
Though producing a good plastic weld seems easy, there are some hidden failures that might occur. Of the two primary groups of plastics, thermoplastics are generally weldable. Three basic parameters that need to be considered are time, temperature and pressure, ie - the time taken by the material to reach the weld temperature, time to cool down, optimum pressure on the plastic while welding. Read in Failures of Plastic Welding Joints
Water stress is defined as areas where water consumption is more than 10% of renewable freshwater resources. Over 90% of West Asia region's population is experiencing severe water stress. As rivers dry up, lakes shrink and groundwater reserves get depleted, that figure will rise to 3 billion in 2025, especially in parts of Asia and Africa . There is an urgent need to reduce waste and invest in infrastructure to harvest rainwater. With one hectare of land, and 100 mm of rainfall, one can harvest 1 million litres of rainwater. Read in Poly Vinyl Chloride Pipes in Rainwater Harvesting
Weld or knit lines occur when melt flow fronts collide in a mold cavity. A poor knit line can cause only cosmetic blemishes or it can significantly weaken the structural integrity of a part. Weak weld lines are perhaps the most common and difficult injection molding defect to eliminate. They have their origins in material choice, part design, tooling, and processing. Read in Weak weld lines in injection molding can be improved with simple measures
The otherwise nominal bioplastics sector is all set to take a leap in the coming years. Global production capacity is projected to grow four times by 2011 to approximately 1 mln tons. The factors in favour of the bioplastics are the hefty packaging taxes introduced in the Europe and the US, surging oil and feedstock prices that are making conventional polymers more expensive and the European directives designed to establish an infrastructure for compostable bioplastics collection. However, some obstacles include the lack of infrastructure, lack of waste collection and composting, genetically modified (GM) origin of the products, etc. Read in Cost competitiveness and infrastructure improvements makes bioplastics an emerging sector in Europe
