Industry & Technology News: April 2010

Unusual Insert Molding Yields Integral EMI/RFI Shielding

One of the winners of the recent SPE Automotive Innovation Awards embodies a number of technical advances in manufacturing worthy of 29 U.S. patent applications. It involves a delicate job of insert molding a preformed metal mesh to produce a car radio case with built-in EMI/RFI shielding. It’s a development that could have broad application in automotive electronics, according to the developer, molder, and assembler of the Delphi Ultra Light Radio, Delphi Electronics & Safety Div., Kokomo, Ind. The wire mesh “Faraday cage” was overmolded with PC/ABS with 16% glass. The resin was 100% reprocessed post-consumer and post-industrial waste. Two plastic parts with snap-fi t and slide-lock assembly replaced a sheet-metal case with 29 screws (33 components total). The result was a 22% weight saving (1.2 lb), faster assembly, improved shielding performance, improved internal cooling, and improved employee safety (no danger of metal cuts). Proprietary technology developments included cutting and forming the wire mesh and robotic transfer of the mesh without deformation to the injection mold, where special magnetic tooling holds it in the proper location.

 

DME Teams Up with P.E.T.S.

DME Co., Madison Heights, Mich., has formed a strategic alliance with Plastic Engineering & Technical Services, Inc. (P.E.T.S.), Auburn Hills, Mich. This will team up DME’s global brand and distribution network with P.E.T.S.’s customized engineering and technical solutions, including mold-fi lling analysis and development of proprietary hotrunner equipment and post-molding
auxiliaries. The fi rst product of the new alliance will be release this month of new hot-runner nozzles and temperature
and valve-gate sequence controllers aimed at medical molders and highvolume consumer products.
(800) 626-6653 • dme.net
(248) 373-0800 • petsinc.net

 

Dow Divests Most of Its Plastics

Last month, Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., agreed to sell its Styron Div. to Bain Capital Partners, a Boston-based private-equity fi rm. Dow has the option to retain up to 15% of the equity of Styron. The deal is expected to close in August. Styron will be a free-standing chemicals and plastics company with revenues around $3.5 billion and more than 40 plants worldwide. Its plastics products include PS, ABS, SAN, EPS, polycarbonate, PC blends, and Inspire PP. In plastics, this leaves Dow with mainly polyethyelene, olefi nic elastomers, polyurethanes, and epoxies.
(800) 441-4369 • dowplastics.com

 

A. Schulman Buys McCann Color

A. Schulman, Inc., Akron, Ohio, is pursuing strategic growth in the North American masterbatch market by purchasing McCann Color, Inc., a maker of color and additive concentrates in North Canton, Ohio. McCann Color has a 48,000-ft2 plant built in 1998, which will complement Schulman’s masterbatch facilities in Akron and Mexico. Schulman is also closing its Polybatch Color Center in Sharon Center, Ohio, and moving its production to the McCann facility.
(330) 668-7346 • aschulman.com
(330) 498-4840 • mccanncolor.com

 

More Electric Blow Molders For PET Bottles

Our article last month on all-electric blow molding machines overlooked one supplier. Siapi of Italy recently opened Siapi America, Inc. in Norcross, Ga., to supply a range of linear reheat stretch-blow molding machines for PET, PP, or PLA bottles from 100 ml to 30 liters. Since 2003 Siapi has built only all-electric machines and has over 40 installations in the U.S. and Canada. One of its newer developments is the HandleMatic System for inserting an injection molded handle into the container wall during the blowing stage (photo).
(770) 778-7890 • siapiamerica.com