FlexLine, first bottling line designed for ultralight PET bottles

04.22.2008 (link to the page)

Sidel introduces the FlexLine at Interpack. FlexLine is the first bottling line dedicated to producing ultralight water bottles at high speeds. This environmentally-friendly technology paves the way for mass production of these types of bottles.

Producing ultralight bottles presents real challenges at every step in the manufacturing process, from bottle design to pallet loading. And today, more and more manufacturers are looking for ways to produce PET water bottles at a lower cost, with minimum environmental impact, while still showcasing their product.

In October 2007 at the K trade show in Dusseldorf, Sidel launched NoBottle™, a bottle concept combining elegance and ultralight weight (9.9 g for 500 ml). The secret lies in Sidel's Flex™ technology, which combines the flexibility of plastic with shape memory. Shape memory enables bottles to better withstand the rigors of conveying, packaging and transport. In other words, Flex™ gives NoBottle™ the keys to mass production and distribution. The technology is already being used by mineral water giants like Nestlé Waters in the U.S. for its Eco-shape™ bottle.

Mass production

Today, Sidel offers a complete solution for the wide-scale production of bottled water in NoBottle™. Its FlexLine is the first bottling line specially designed to package still water in the ultralight PET NoBottle™. The line is able to blow mold, fill, cap, label, pack and palletize a bottle weighing less than 10 g at a rate of 43,200 bottles per hour. To build the line, Sidel brought together its most technologically advanced equipment best suited for packaging lightweight bottles. At the heart of the FlexLine is the Combi. By combining blow molding, filling and capping, the Combi eliminates challenges posed by air conveying empty bottles making it particularly well-suited to producing ultralight bottles. All steps in the production process, from blow molding to palletizing, have been tested and enhanced, with each machine on the line fine-tuned to guarantee reliable production of lightweight bottles at a lower cost. The TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) is 20% less than the TCO for a traditional line producing 500 ml bottles weighing 16 g.

New benchmarks in green production

FlexLine is better for the environment, but not simply because it produces lighter bottles. It also uses less energy than conventional production lines. For example, on the Combi's blow-molding section, which is the line's biggest energy user, the installed electric power has been cut by 32%,

and 40% of the air can be reused thanks to a recycling system. The line also features an energy efficient cap feeder and conveyors.

Finally, preforms containing recycled PET can be used on the FlexLine.

Go to www.no-bottle.com to see NoBottle™ and FlexLine images and animations.

Crown to Spotlight New Decorative Techniques, Convenience Solutions at Interpack

CROWN Europe, a division of Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) (Crown) (www.crowncork.com), will present its range of innovative packaging solutions at Interpack, April 24-30, 2008 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Exhibiting as part of the Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association stand (C01-3) in Hall 5, Crown will highlight several new technologies and applications that help increase brand differentiation and enhance consumer convenience.

CROWN Closures Europe and CROWN Aerosols Europe will showcase several novel ink finishes to add excitement to packaging, engage consumers at point of purchase and expand the branding possibilities on food, beverage, personal care, household and industrial products. Brand owners can add flair to metal closures and aerosol packaging with matte, metallic sparkle and a special color-changing finish that can instantly change with a simple turn of the package.

Crown will also showcase the ability to print on the inside of metal closures. It provides an additional surface area for incorporating messages and is an eye-catching platform for promotion, communication and extra-branding. CROWN Closures Europe will also be present at the Florin stand (C06/D07) in Hall 14.

CROWN Bevcan Europe will feature its new high quality print technique which considerably extends the traditional studio print reproduction process. The technology makes use of proprietary separation techniques and special, high resolution printing plates. This allows improved dot spacing that leads to superior print reproduction of complex images on cans. High quality print is particularly suitable for reproducing fine detail images such as human or animal faces, fruit and text.

CROWN Food Europe will showcase Easylift™ easy-open ends, the revolutionary new standard in convenience for food cans. Built on Crown's flagship Eole™ easy-open technology, Easylift™ easy-open ends feature significantly improved tab access. This enhancement makes it easier and faster for consumers, including seniors, children and the physically impaired, to open canned food products without using a can opener or other tools.

Finally, CROWN Speciality Packaging will present innovative package designs ranging from industrial applications such as the Clipper Can™ System, to luxury items such as the modern container created for Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut champagne.

About Crown Holdings, Inc.
Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading supplier of packaging products to consumer marketing companies around the world. World headquarters are located in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit www.crowncork.com.

Isklar Norwegian Glacial Natural Mineral Water Launches in the UK

In April 2008, Isklar, a premium still Norwegian Glacial Natural Mineral Water will make waves when it breaks into the UK market. The launch is the result of a close collaboration between Isklar and Sidel, one of the world’s leading suppliers of beverage packaging equipment.

The strong partnership was born when Isklar asked Sidel to conduct an engineering study from line layout to piping and electrical specifications. Delivered in late 2007, the line began production in February 2008 to fill the first product orders in March 2008. Isklar’s CEO, Peter Krogh comments, “We had complete confidence in Sidel’s experience, the quality of its equipment, and its ability to supply complex line solutions.”


With a layout covering two floors, the line will initially produce still water at a rate of 36,000 bph. The line’s versatile Combi 20 Select BV will also accommodate sparkling water products. “The Combi is a unique product, and Sidel is quite adept at this technology,” adds Krogh. The Rollquattro labeler is another key component of the line and can apply both adhesive and band labels.


Meaning simply ‘ice-clear’ in Norwegian, Isklar remains untouched by human intervention as it emerges from a mountain spring, deep underneath the glacier. The glacier, the source of Isklar, sits between two national parks in the pristine Hardanger region of Norway, the second least polluted country after Finland. Peter Krogh says, “This uniquely filtered premium water, with no additives or processing, is captured at the source of 6,000-year-old glaciers. This “ice clear” purity literally lends the water its name: Isklar.”


The exceptional Isklar bottle, inspired by the diamond like qualities of a glacier, mirrors nature by refracting light through its facets. The bottle’s multifaceted shape demanded Sidel’s know-how in design, blow molding and labeling. “Sidel played a major role in validating this bottle’s technical performance and in guaranteeing the bottle’s mass production at high speeds,” says Krogh.


Isklar believes that exceptional purity should not cost the earth and is committed to being the most environmentally responsible mainstream water brand in Europe. The bottle is made from recyclable PET and the state-of-the-art Group recycling facilities ensure that Isklar has the capacity of re-processing 700 million bottles p.a. (PET equivalent), the equivalent of recycling 10 bottles for every one sold. The Isklar bottling plant is powered by hydro-electricity and was created by ‘recycling’ an existing empty warehouse incorporating energy-efficient practices and state-of-the-art equipment. The plant is located directly next to the Hardangerfjord, so bottles can be loaded straight onto a container ship and their carbon footprint is minimised further by piggy-backing off existing shipping routes, adding minimum extra weight to the load.


Isklar will be available in a variety of bottle and pack sizes. Included in the range will be:

· a 1.5 L bottle (available in singles and multi-packs of 6)

· a 500 ml bottle (available in singles and multi-packs of 6)

· a 700 ml sports bottle, and

· a 250 ml kid’s bottle (available in a multi-pack of 6).


About Isklar

Isklar AS has been formed to market Isklar Norwegian Glacial Mineral Water. The business has been built from first principles with the aim of making Isklar a major global brand.

The project is backed by a multi-million pound investment by Sabco (an Omani company and owner of the Middle East’s premier water brand) and Jova Holdings, whose owners are also involved in a major Norwegian shipping and logistics company. The project is also supported by the Norwegian government and innovation Norway.

Today, Isklar is Norway’s largest mineral water bottling plant.

German company HANSA-HEEMANN selects Sidel for its new plant in Bruchsal

Originally, this new production plant for mineral water (still and carbonated) and CSDs issued a request for quotation for two high-speed lines. Sidel’s proposal met the company’s production need in the same space with an innovative solution consisting of three lines. “Sidel’s configuration featured several advantages. It offered greater production flexibility with far fewer changeovers and longer dedicated production runs. Furthermore, the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) calculation confirmed the profitability of three lines compared to two high efficiency lines,” comments HANSA-HEEMANN.

Solution oriented engineering

In addition, HANSA-HEEMANN was impressed by Sidel’s comprehensive equipment package. Sidel delivered the three complete lines with Eurotronica fillers, Rollquattro labelers, air conveyors, cap feeders, Flat Tops, palletizers and pallet-wrappers. Sidel also delivered three blow molding machines that are run in-house by plastics packaging company Alpla.


Designing the bottling line of the future

HANSA-HEEMANN plants are among the most modern in Europe’s spring water industry, and the Bruchsal plant is no exception. The layout makes it possible for just one team per shift to run all three lines without requiring advanced technical expertise. The plant space has been fully optimized to best protect the filling zone. Bottle blow molding is done remotely, and bottles are transferred by suspended air conveyor. A Flat Top air conveyor makes remote cap feeding possible.


The new plant started production in spring 2007 with final commissioning last September. The process engineered by Tetra Pak Processing completes this project. Sidel supports HANSA-HEEMANN through a 24-month maintenance program to guarantee maximum output. As a result of the good relationship Sidel has developed with HANSA-HEEMANN and Alpla, HANSA-HEEMANN decided to invest in another blow molding machine for its Lehnin facility, 30 kms southwest of Berlin.


About HANSA-HEEMANN

HANSA-HEEMANN AG is one of Germany's leading suppliers of mineral waters and soft drinks including "Schorlen", lemonades, sport and energy drinks and fruit juice based drinks.

The company's head office is in Rellingen, on the northwest border of Hamburg. About 600 workers are employed there and in the five plants located around Germany in Trappenkamp, Löhne, Beiseförth, Lehnin and Bruchsal.


About Sidel

Sidel is one of the world’s leading suppliers of beverage packaging equipment. Sidel has 5,500 employees worldwide and is a division of Tetra Laval.
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Amcor’s PowerFlex™ bottle selected to launch Sportsdrink+

Sportsdrink+, the first isotonic performance beverage formulated for specifically for motor and power sport athletes, will appear on the shelves in PowerFlex™ from Amcor PET Packaging.LINK

26 February, 2008: Amcor PET Packaging helps Hazardous Fluids Pty Ltd, Melbourne, Australia, launch the first isotonic supplement drink specifically designed for motor and power sport athletes. The company has selected Amcor's 16.9-ounce, dome-shouldered PowerFlex™ polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle to introduce its Sportsdrink+ isotonic performance beverage to the U.S. market.

Company vice president and Australian native, Damon Hill has long been associated with the motor and power sports industries. A few years ago, while working on various projects with U.S.-based teams and athletes, it came to his attention that the unique performance requirements of these athletes had been overlooked by other sports drink manufacturers.

"We researched what was on the market and quickly determined that most products had been formulated for action sports or sports in general and did not offer anything more than basic hydration to the athlete. Nothing had been developed for the niche requirements of the motor sport and power sport athletes," explains Hill.

Hill explains that these professional athletes constantly function in extreme and dangerous conditions compared to most other sports. When developing this product, the goal was to create a formulation that would enhance the athletes' mental acuity, sensory control, system management and hydration. These elements are crucial to ensure the highest level of athletic performance.

"When you are competing in demanding conditions, sometimes at speeds of more than 200 miles an hour, it's important that your system is balanced and your reactions are sharp. We believe that Sportsdrink+ delivers such an advantage" Hill says.

With this vision in place, Damon and the Hazardous Fluids team took their performance wish list back to Australia and challenged a product developer there to formulate a beverage that would address the specific needs of these highly tuned professional athletes. The end result was an "all natural" beverage that combines vitamins, amino acids and herbs with athletic physical and mental performance in mind.

However, developing the right formulation was only half the battle. Hill still needed the right hot-fill bottle to market it.

"When we first looked at bottles, everything we saw had panels and ribs which would not integrate well with a full body sleeve label. The bottles didn't look aerodynamic, sleek and fast—all of the attributes you associate with performance. Here we were developing a product that would help these professionals achieve their highest output and the bottles just didn't project the image we wanted," Hill says. "That is, until we came across the Amcor bottle."

Amcor's PowerFlex™ bottle features a revolutionary patented panel-less design which takes hot-fill (185° degrees Fahrenheit) bottle options to a new level. Amcor's structural design not only eliminates the panels, but unlike competitive containers, PowerFlex™ has a large, completely smooth label panel – free of any kind of ribbing.

Amcor's technical staff, through a combination of design and manufacturing innovations, has created 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.

Hill selected one of two stock PowerFlex™ bottles—a16.9-ounce dome-shouldered design with a 38mm finish. (The other stock option is a 16-ounce, long-neck bottle.) This allowed the company to launch quickly without incurring any additional tooling costs.

Unlike other hot-fill PET alternatives, PowerFlex™ bottles do not have sidewall panels, making them easier to label. Packers don't have to worry about mislabeling—missing the vertical bars in applying labels. Nor do they have to deal with the ripple effect labeling over panels can cause.

"Where our graphics were concerned, we wanted something technical yet stylish. Because a lot of highly technical sporting equipment is made from materials like carbon fiber and titanium, we decided to incorporate that look onto our label. The look needed to mirror the technology that is in the bottle."

The graphics were designed in-house at the company's Australian facility. Through a relationship with the Hazardous Sports Co., Hill was able to use their stylized biohazard symbol as the focal point of the Sportsdrink+ brand.

"It's a stylish yet edgy logo. We liked what it conveyed and the philosophy of Hazardous Sports, to work up from function, not down from form. We've designed a product that helps you run at your optimum level. We feel that the label captures the personality of both our company and product" Hill says.

Additionally, the full-body label features a clear vertical "fill level" stripe, which Hill refers to as the "isotonic lifeline." The line is marked with ounces and milliliters on either side. This enables the athlete to monitor how much fluid is consumed. "Every athlete will consume different amounts of our product depending on body mass, the type of sporting event, temperature and his or her requirements on the day." Hill says

The geometry of the straight wall design gives PowerFlex™ great top load characteristics. The straight wall has no points of stress concentration which removes the potential of bending. Also, unlike competitive technologies, PowerFlex™ bottles can be run easily on existing glass filling lines with little or no equipment modification.

Sportsdrink+ currently is being launched in one flavor—lime lemon. Initial distribution will be managed through the company's website and through retail distribution that targets motor sports and power sports. Hazardous Fluids Pty Ltd is headquartered in Melbourne, with a U.S. presence in Indianapolis. The company's motto is "Designed in Australia. Made in America." For more information visit: www.hazardousfluids.com.

Amcor PET Packaging is the leading manufacturer of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic packaging for the global beverage, food and non-food industries, with over 80 manufacturing sites in 19 countries. Its parent company, Amcor Limited, offers a broad range of packaging solutions and ranks as one of the top three packaging companies in the world. Amcor's extensive operations include 217 plants in 34 countries. It is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, had sales revenues of US$9.0 billion.

A sip of ‘50s Mexico with SacmiNovamex installs the all-new Opera 500 Ad labelling machine with CV 3000

Its complete name is Opera 500 Ad 45T S6/E3, and it represents one of Sacmi Labelling’s most advanced products. Just installed by Novamex – a leading producer and distributor of non-alcoholic drinks and foods in Mexico and the USA – at its Mexicali plant, this innovative electric self-adhesive labeller features six labelling stations and a CVS 3000 container positioning system, designed by Sacmi Labelling in collaboration with the Sacmi Imola Automation and Inspection Systems Division.

The machine is designed to label 400 mm glass bottles at a rate of 52,000 bottles per hour: the final drinking product is “Jarritos”, a traditional Mexican drink consumed in vast quantities, especially by migrant Hispanics in the US. Novamex has decided to boost its popularity further via a stylish marketing campaign. The extreme labelling precision of the Opera 500 Ad, together with “no label look” transparent labels, which give the impression of a 50s-style screen printed bottle, provides Jarritos Novamex with considerable added value.

The labelling stations in the Mexicali plant have been designed to allow high-speed application of self-adhesive labels while ensuring considerable decoration flexibility. The stations - dual feed for each label, master-slave and removable - allow fast reel changeovers without having to interrupt production. Installing several self-adhesive units of this type on a compact machine allows several labels to be applied on the same bottle, with results that are as outstanding as they are fast.

Thanks to efficient synergy with Sacmi Imola, Sacmi Labelling has also succeeded in equipping the new labeller with an automatic vision system to ensure excellent labelling precision at very high output rates. The CVS 3000, in fact, calculates bottle position on the basis of the bas-relief logo – detected by a set of cameras – and then uses that information to rotate the bottle accordingly and so ensure correct label application. The system also provides valuable statistical information on output, such as the number of products inspected, average output rate and any defects.VIA

Sidel at Interpack 2008: innovations safeguard health and the environment

Via:

02.15.2008

Sidel, one of the world's top suppliers of complete bottling lines, will take part in Interpack, packaging's biggest trade show, in Dusseldorf from April 24th-30th. At its 1,000-sq-meter booth, Sidel will present its newest packaging solutions, from bottle design to palletizing.

This year, sensitive drinks take center stage. Flavored waters, juices, nectars, isotonic drinks, teas and liquid dairy products are extremely popular with consumers who are fueling a surge in demand for health and wellness products. Sidel will unveil its latest aseptic packaging solutions for this market segment, which puts a premium on product safety.

In addition to product safety, the environmental impact of packaging is playing an increasingly important role. Reducing consumption - of raw materials, energy, water and chemicals - has become a top concern of beverage industry professionals. Part of Sidel's booth will be dedicated to breakthrough solutions created by Sidel to address to these concerns.

· NoBottle™, an ultra lightweight (9.9 g) yet elegant PET bottle, uses up to 40% less plastic. Its secret lies in Sidel's exclusive Flex™ technology based on shape memory. During Interpack, look for NoBottle™ on display alongside other exciting technological advances.

· In contrast with conventional bottle decontamination processes, Predis™, Sidel's unique dry preform decontamination technology uses few chemicals and no water. At the show, Sidel will feature new applications for this technology.

· Options and Upgrades kits enable manufacturers to improve existing equipment with solutions offering significant water or energy savings. Without investment in new equipment, producers can reduce their equipment's impact on the environment and get a quick return on investment.

Finally, another area of the booth will showcase innovative end of line solutions.

· Sidel will feature demonstrations of 3 robots working on a conveyor preparing layers for PET packs. This brand new way of handling secondary packaging introduces "positive" robotic handling of packs as they enter the system, thus eliminating friction and impact.

· The Elettric 80 Laser Guided Vehicle, or LGV, produced by Sidel's partner company, will also be up and running.

Sidel is one of the world's top suppliers of beverage lines and packaging equipment. The company employs 5,300 people around the world and is a division of Tetra Laval.

Front of pack labelling evaluation to begin

Via

A study to assess the impact that front-of-pack nutritional labelling is having on people's food choices has taken a step forward – with the contract to carry out work being awarded to research company BMRB.¹

The project has been commissioned by the Food Standards Agency, with backing from the Nutrition Strategy Steering Group,² which is jointly chaired by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo and FSA Chair, Deirdre Hutton. The work is being managed by an independent Project Management Panel (PMP).³

The PMP has selected BMRB to carry out the research, following the completion of a thorough research tendering exercise, which began in May 2007.⁴

Chair of the PMP, Sue Duncan, says: 'After careful evaluation of tenders submitted, and on behalf of the FSA, we have selected BMRB to conduct this research. They will be working in association with the University of Surrey.

'This is a challenging and complex piece of work. The PMP will work closely with BMRB throughout the project to ensure the research delivers results that are robust and relevant.

'The next stage will be to work with BMRB to fine tune the research design and we are looking forward to working together on this exciting and important evaluation.'

Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo, says: 'We know that clear, simple front-of-pack labelling helps consumers make healthier choices and make a positive contribution to a healthy diet. This research will go further to show the most effective way of labelling foods, and will be crucial in making the case for a single labelling system.

'We are working closely with industry on labelling, and hope that they will go further and introduce the best way of labelling in line with what this research recommends.'

Chair of the FSA, Deirdre Hutton, says: 'I am very pleased that this study is about to begin and will be extremely interested to see the conclusions that are drawn from it.

'This is a groundbreaking piece of social research and should give us real insight on the way in which consumers approach purchasing decisions. This will be critical if we are to help people make healthier choices.'

The independent research will look at shoppers' understanding of the main types of front-of-pack nutrition labels in use in the UK (traffic lights, monochrome Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) and traffic light colour-coded GDAs) and how they use them. It will assess how these labels contribute to healthier eating choices and which elements of the different schemes best help people to correctly interpret nutritional information on food.

The research will consist of qualitative and quantitative elements and will look at how consumers use these labels in the retail environment and at home.

Following comments from stakeholders, the PMP is now working with BMRB to finalise the detail of the project. The fieldwork is expected to commence shortly and the research will be carried out in phases.

The final report is expected to be completed by the end of December 2008.

An intesting article from MODERN PLASTICS about Inmold

VIA

Supplying labels and their feeding systems, Kurz launched a new foil-feed with higher throughputs and increased accuracy at the K. Among other finishes, Kurz provides labels for IMD and IML that feature holograms—a key security feature in today's counterfeit-sensitive marketplace.

IML remains a largely untapped technology in North America, lagging behind implementation levels seen in Europe. But the greater variety and overall volume of packaging in North America make it a huge potential market.

While inmold labeling (IML) continues to grow market share in Europe, which as a regional market is the leader, North America continues to lag in this technology, reported William Llewellyn, VP at AWA Alexander Watson Associates BV, at IMLCON 2007 (Scottsdale, AZ; Oct. 10-12). Of a total, worldwide label market of 39.5 million square meters in 2006, North America accounted for only 27.3%, compared to 31.9% in Europe, and 29.2% in Asia-Pacific.

It appears that supply is everything when adopting this technology. "There's still a lack of confidence in domestic label suppliers in North America," stated Llewellyn, resulting in a reluctance to move to IML.

In North America, where 2006 total label demand was 10.7 million m², extrusion-blowmolding continues to dominate the IML market, with a 91% share and sales of $142 million, compared to 9% for injection molding IML with sales of $20 million. "It's the exact reverse in Europe," said Llewellyn. "The exciting part of growth will be in the injection molding market in the future of IML."

Llewellyn said the trends for IML are slowing overall growth, but stronger expansion in injection molding markets, and North American development in local conversion and local film production. In 2006, the majority of labels were film (57%) and the balance paper. Sales of packaged goods in Mexico will increase by 22%, making that market a good opportunity for IML.

Threats to the IML market include a "complex and extended value chain" that includes material suppliers, film producers, end users, label designers, printers, blowmolders/injection molders, die cutting suppliers, and processing machinery and robotics companies. Establishing that supply chain and getting all the players together takes time and money.

Competition will come from other label formats such as heat-shrink labels and sleeves for PVC and PET containers, Llewellyn noted. "Brand fragmentation is also a threat to inmold labels, with a greater number of SKUs with different requirements for each label, and shorter, more frequent label runs," he said. "A lot of new segments are too small to justify IML."

However, there are some good opportunities in North America for domestic production of injection molded IML. The U.S. volume potential is three to four times that of Europe, as there are so many more varieties of packages and more packages in total. Additionally, in the U.S. there are typically large runs and the labels are all mostly in English, compared to the numerous languages in the EU. Also, there are opportunities outside packaging, such as automotive, consumer products, and toys. Recycling isn't an issue where PP labels can be used on PP containers, and they can both be recycled together.

Llewellyn noted that what it will take to drive IML to its full potential in the U.S. is a large company to push processors into it. "In Europe, injection molding had a champion in Unilever," he explained. "There is no champion like that in the United States and that makes injection molders reluctant to implement a technology if the end-user might not be on board. It's a big investment to make and where's the confidence you'll get your money back?"

IML looks beyond packaging

By Tony Deligio

Label suppliers like Germany's Kurz (Fürth) are making a push for IML and IMD (inmold decoration) into markets beyond packaging, with new foils that simulate woods, metals, and combinations of the two in a variety of finishes and with deeper draws for more complex 3D geometries.

At K 2007, Kurz showed off IML foil technology that allows full-surface transfer of wood designs, including African mahogany, gold beech, and wild black cherry. The company can even reproduce knots and other imperfections to lend realism to the product. On the metals side, Kurz can duplicate aluminum, titanium, chrome, or stainless steel, with polished or brushed finishes.

On the hardware side, Kurz launched a new foil-feeding unit for its IMD process. The IMD-MK/S Series processes single-image designs at a foil-advance speed that's been increased from 270 mm/sec to 500 mm/sec with a position accuracy of ±0.07 mm in X and Y directions. The device can process foils in widths of 200, 300, and 400 mm, and it uses sensors to ensure foil has passed properly from the foil-supply reel to the foil take-up reel.

Specifically targeting the automotive market, Kurz also launched a technology at K that combines its wood and chrome effects by actually employing hot stamping and IMD. The company displayed door trims that were first covered with a wood design using IMD, then partially over-stamped with a metallized hot-stamping foil. Kurz said it could use an IMD single-image foil with a combined wood and chrome design, but this would require a design groove that could become a dirt trap in a finished vehicle.

Boldly molding, one innovative step at a time

By Matthew Defosse

Talented injection molders are doing what talented people do in every field: taking advantage of new technologies and market opportunities to earn their firms more, and more profitable, orders. This Tech Trends highlights work ongoing at a few leading injection molders serving the packaging, automotive, and electronics fields.

Packaging

Erie tames powdered flavor beast

Erie Plastics (Corry, PA) is one of the most illustrious names in North American injection molding, with chairman and CEO Hoop Roche named one of our Notable Processors in 2005. Recently the firm completed development of a new type of closure that may prove the first commercial success for an idea that has been floating about for some years.

The idea is to mold a beverage package that contains a powder, tablet, or liquid additive that is added to the beverage as a consumer twists the closure. This can extend the life of beverages and the potency of the additives by keeping them separate until consumption.

Great idea, and it would certainly appeal to children, but putting it into practice has proven tough. A number of leading closure molders have taken stabs at it, including Portola Packaging (see February 2007 MPW, p. 58), but Erie Plastics thinks its Pop 'N Shake closures finally will get this technology to commercial status. Market applications could include the bottled water, juice, tea, coffee, and dairy beverage sectors, as well as nutraceuticals and organics.

Jane Roche, marketing manager at the molder, says the firm has worked with beverage brandowners and they will provide the ingredients (powder, capsules, or whatever) that Erie Plastics will then fill into closures at its facility. The molder developed proprietary fill, seal, leak detection, and assembly equipment, and will act as the contract filler.

Erie Plastics debuted Pop 'N Shake at the 2007 Packaging Summit Expo and Conference. Ingredients are dispensed with the turn of a tamper-evident dust cover, which pops an inner-cap PET chamber that can be filled with either liquids or powders. A consumer needs only shake the bottle to mix the ingredients. Erie Plastics has patents pending on its moisture and oxygen barrier solution, which ensures separation of active and inactive ingredients. Pop 'N Shake closures are available in sizes of 26 mm and 38 mm.

Automotive

Johnson Controls taming the Dolphin

Attendees at October's K Show who found their way to the stand of injection molding machine maker Engel (Schwertberg, Austria) likely saw, among the many machines running there, the Duo Combi press molding parts using the Dolphin technology developed by Engel with material suppliers BASF, P-Group, and Swiss moldmaker Kaufmann. A prototype of the Dolphin was introduced at Engel's open house in May 2006. The technology enables bi-material molding of a hard thermoplastic with foamable polyester developed by P-Group.

Volkhard Wick, executive director CoC engineering at Tier One supplier Johnson Controls, says the part molded at the K Show was a door panel using the mold for Mercedes Benz's A- and B-Class vehicles, using a PBT/glass-fiber-reinforced ASA as the hard material and a TPE-E as the soft. It's an unusual material combination, he notes, but says Johnson Controls wants to test automotive OEMs' interest with the part. "The (Dolphin) process certainly has potential—of that we're convinced," he says, though he adds that much testing needs to be done before it might enter commercial use. Wick predicts Dolphin will be ready for processing of commercial parts in 2010.

Electrical/electronics

Oechsler tames LED production

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are proving one of the faster-growing applications for injection molders, as electronics OEMs buy into molding's promise of parts integration.

At K this promise was on display, processor Oechsler AG (Ansbach, Germany) loaned one of its molds to injection molding machine maker Arburg (Lossburg, Germany). At the latter firm's stand, an Allrounder 370 S 600-70-30-30 press outfitted formed LED light strips. Transparent polyamide lenses were molded ready for the insertion of three LEDs, with the light strip housing made of ABS. A conductive polyamide was chosen to form the printed conductors. Downstream of the press, the fabricated upper casings with labelled lower casings and batteries were assembled for the finished article.

Nordson Patternjet™ Labeling System Wins French Industry Award for Innovation in Packaging Equipment

Nordson Corporation (Nasdaq:NDSN) has earned a 2007 Oscar de l’Emballage Production Equipment Award for PatternJet™, an innovative labeling system used in the global packaging industry.

Nordson wraparound labeling systems with PatternJet guns are designed for high-speed labeling of containers in various shapes and sizes. The closed, non-circulating labeling system accurately controls temperature and prevents adhesive degradation and contamination. Gear-to-line pump technology consistently applies adhesive at any line speed to reduce adhesive waste and eliminate angel hair. Compared to traditional wheel pot applicators, the Nordson labeling system delivers higher operational efficiency, significant adhesive savings, and lower total cost of ownership.

The 52nd Oscar de l’Emballage Awards event took place in November at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Paris, France. More than 250 industry members attended the ceremony where the 14 winners were announced. The judging panel considered 100 nominations based on technical innovation, design and trade performance in four packaging categories: consumables, distribution, production, and environment.

“We are pleased to accept such a prestigious award for the PatternJet labeling system,” said Jean-Claude Cheminand-Serre, general manager for Nordson France. “The PatternJet labeling system has seen great success in the food and beverage industries due to its unmatched ability to reduce operational costs and increase efficiency in labeling applications.”

For a complete list of nominees and winners, the official Oscar de l’Emballage site is www.oscardelemballage.com.

For more information about Nordson PatternJet labeling systems contact Nordson Corporation at
(800) 683-2314 or visit www.nordson.com.