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3-D printing and additive manufacturing glossary
By Renee Eaton
 3-D printing is currently a hot topic. It's a rapidly growing field and is expected to dramatically affect the way things are made in the near future. Some experts think it will help reinvigorate American manufacturing, while others believe it will democratize productions of goods and that every house will have its own 3-D printer. Whatever the future holds, here is a brief glossary of terms that will help you navigate the world of additive manufacturing.
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Synthesis and properties of polystyrene/silicon dioxide nanocomposites
SPE Plastics Research Online
 Organic-inorganic composite materials have attracted considerable attention and undergone extensive study over the past 10 years. Among inorganic materials, silicon dioxide (SiO2) is considered particularly important due to its applicability in both biological and synthetic materials. Silica has an extremely large specific surface area, which leads to an enhanced reaction between the filler and polymer matrix in composites.
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| September 8-11 |
SPE Foams® 2014 |
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| September 9-11 |
14th Annual Automotive Composites Conference |
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| September 10-12 |
Plastics Caps & Closures 2014 Conference |
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| September 14-16 |
23rd CAD RETEC 2014 |
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| September 15-19 |
23rd Annual Thermoforming Conference |
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| September 16-18 |
11th Thermoplastic Elastomers Top Con |
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| September 17 |
11th Plastics & Polymers Innovation Awards |
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| September 30-October 2 |
SPE Bioplastic Materials 2014 |
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| October 5-7 |
Blow Molding Conference |
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| October 5-8 |
Automotive TPO Conference |
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| October 13-15 |
Polymer Nanocomposites Conference |
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| October 19-22 |
Flexible Packaging Conference |
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| October 20-22 |
VINYLTEC |
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| November 6 |
Medical Plastics MiniTec |
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Researchers discover a way to cause surface coating properties to change in less than a second
Phys.org
A team of researchers with members from Russia, Lebanon and Germany has found a way to cause a polymer coating to respond to environmental factors in just seconds, instead of the minutes or hours it takes for current polymers. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters, the team describes how they came up with their technique and how it works.
New regulations favor plastic manufacturers
Plastics News
The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued two sets of regulations that are favorable to plastics manufacturers. These regulations relate to the definition of research expenditures and the ability to elect the simplified method of calculating the R&D tax credit on amended returns. On Sept. 5, 2013, the Treasury proposed five changes to regulations defining research expenditures under Internal Revenue Code Section 174. As an added bonus, Treasury indicated that taxpayers may rely upon these proposed regulations for all tax years. On July 18, these regulations were finalized with minimal changes.
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Temperature, substrate, surface finish, motion, dust and many other factors affect the plug/sheet interface. HYTAC® materials should be polished to a smooth surface finish condition for optimal performance. CMT Materials has produced a new guide that answers the what, when and how of modifying plug assists for thermoforming. Click to download.
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Polyurethane: Form meets function
Plastics Today
Many architects continue to believe that the shape of a building should not be fashioned after some aesthetic tradition, but rather should be determined by the purpose of the building. Polyurethane products used in construction help combine aesthetics (form) and purpose (function). Today's architects are increasingly balancing structural requirements, energy efficiency certifications, cost and the design wishes of the home or office owner.
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3-D printing and additive manufacturing glossary
By Renee Eaton
3-D printing is currently a hot topic. It's a rapidly growing field and is expected to dramatically affect the way things are made in the near future. Some experts think it will help reinvigorate American manufacturing, while others believe it will democratize productions of goods and that every house will have its own 3-D printer. Whatever the future holds, here is a brief glossary of terms that will help you navigate the world of additive manufacturing.
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Polyethylene makers are trying for September price hikes
Plastics News
Is the polyethylene dragon rising from its slumber? After months of inactivity, North American PE makers have announced attempts to raise prices by 3 cents per pound effective Sept. 1. Their actions are being spurred by tightness in supplies of ethylene feedstock caused by unplanned outages at several plants, including those operated by Dow Chemical Co., LyondellBasell Industries and Chevron Phillips Chemical Co.
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Emerging food-packaging barrier applications to watch
By Don Rosato
Barrier developments in food packaging are expected to greatly help reduce food waste to better feed a growing world population. Approximately 1.3 billion tons — or one-third of the food produced around the world each year — is lost or wasted on its way from the farm to the fork. With limited natural resources, it is more effective to reduce food losses than to increase global food production.
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This sponge-like polymer could fix facial deformities
WIRED
Millions of people suffer from facial deformities because an injury, surgery, or birth defect left a gap in their bone structure. These bone gaps are too wide for the body's normal healing process to fix, and surgical solutions like grafts and putties usually fall short of restoring a person's looks. But a new sponge-like polymer could provide a scaffold that lets bone cells regrow themselves.
Micromolding: A decades-old technology is enabling today's medical advances
Plastics Today
While size matters in defining micromolding, it's not the whole story, says Aaron Johnson, vice president of marketing and customer strategy at Accumold. The technology typically involves plastic molded parts smaller than one cubic centimeter, he explains, but the process involves complexity and precision beyond mere part size. "Tolerances of ± 25 micrometers or less and challenging features such as thin walls, long aspect ratios, and small-diameter holes" are part of the equation, says Johnson. Typically, the demands are such that conventional molding techniques cannot produce these parts. "Tooling and shot sizes must be appropriate, as well" adds Johnson.
Researcher uses Jell-O-like substance to attract and kill cancer cells
Phys.org
Chasing cancer cells with chemotherapy drugs can save lives, but there's no guarantee that the treatment will kill every run-away cancer cell in the body. What if, instead of hunting those metastatic cells, a treatment could lure them out of hiding — every last one of them — and eliminate them in one swift blow? Yong Wang, associate professor of bioengineering at Penn State, has created such a therapy — a tissue-like biomaterial that attracts cancer cells, like bits of metal to a magnet, and entraps them.
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Andrew Peller expands skinnygrape wine brand to 330ml PET bottles for new spritzers
Amcor Rigid Plastics
Andrew Peller Limited, a leading producer and marketer of quality wines in Canada, has introduced skinnygrape spritzers, a popular low-calorie spritzer in a sleek-looking premium 330ml barrier polyethylene terephthalate bottle from Amcor Rigid Plastics, the world's leading producer of PET packaging. The ready-to-drink premium PET container delivers convenience and portability due to its light weight and shatter-resistant characteristics, enabling this spritzer brand to be enjoyed at backyard barbecues, picnics, swimming pools, beaches and other outdoor licensed venues.
Ford demonstrates Magna's seamless rear window on new F-150
Automotive News
Ford Motor Co. recently demonstrated its "seamless sliding rear window" feature developed by Canadian supplier Magna International Inc., for the new 2015 Ford F-150 pickups. The current sliding glass rear windows, optional on many pickups, require three panes of glass and an elaborate support structure of plastic frames and sealing material that’s complex to assemble and vulnerable to quality glitches and leakage.
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Dukane's patented iQ Advanced Servo Welder is the next step in the evolution of ultrasonic welding technology. Combining the efficiency and reliability of a 100% digitally controlled Multi-Core iQ Series power supply with the precision of an advanced servo press, the Dukane Advanced iQ Servo Welder delivers unprecedented repeatability, accuracy and reliability to your ultrasonic bonding process. MORE
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Clean Plast® is a ready-to-use purging compound in pellet form that will minimize your purging problems! Clean Plast® has been put through vigorous tests and has been reformulated time and time again, to continuously improve and perfect product performance. We believe we have the best cleaning solution for the plastics industry and that this product is more effective than any other product out in the market. Clean Plast® will help to eliminate future problems with streaking, black specs and hard to clean resin. Contact us today for a FREE PURGE TRIAL at your plant and see the difference a Clean Plast® Purge makes.
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To find out how to feature your company in the SPE NewsBrief and other advertising opportunities, contact Geoffrey Forneret at 469.420.2629.
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Nanotechnology a tool for killing the Ebola virus?
Headline & Global News
Researchers at Northeastern University in Boston believe nanotechnology could be used to kill the Ebola virus. Thomas Webster, the chair of the university's chemical engineering department, said the virus' ability to mutate at fast rates has made it difficult to create a vaccine or treatment for it, according to Discovery News. The research team is looking to kill the virus with gold nanoparticles and near-infrared light, which have been used in the past to kill cancer cells with heat, Discovery News reported. The team is currently working on ways to make these cells attract gold nanoparticles.
New microporous organic polymer: The next step towards cleaner energy sources
AZoM.com
The path towards using new cleaner energy sources has been brought one step closer thanks to a research team at the University of Liverpool, who have developed a microporous organic polymer which demonstrates outstanding carbon dioxide adsorption characteristics. This new material could serve as a key element of the integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology, which is capable of transforming fossil fuels into hydrogen gas. Hydrogen produces almost no pollution, which makes it ideal for applications such as electricity generation and in fuel-cell cars.
J Group Robotics plans to 3-D print ingestible medical pills
3DPrint.com
J Group Robotics has formulated a special type of PLA filament that is able to print medical pill capsules, which could then be ingested by humans. We have to use specialized material, which will be commercially available after a couple of months," Vishal R. Jariwala, founder and chairman of J Group Robotics, said. "We shall also release the material properties and ensure it is as per the FDA approval."
Sustainability report shows impact of lightweighting at Dr Pepper
Plastics News
There's no period in Dr Pepper and now there's less and less resin in the PET bottles that the beverage maker produces. Dr Pepper Snapple Group is out with its latest sustainability report that indicates the Plano, Texas-based company has surpassed its goal of reducing PET use.
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The project engineer at Tech Molded Plastics, Inc. in Meadville, Pennsylvania will manage operational efficiency, successful production launches, quality improvements, and more with a team of certified Master Molders. Plastics engineering degree preferred. Negotiable salary depending on experience. Find more information online at www.ttmp.com/employment, or apply directly to:BeTheBest@ttmp.com.
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Nature inspires a greener way to make colourful plastics
Zee News
Scientists at The Technical University of Denmark are tapping into nature's secrets to develop a more environmentally friendly way to make coloured plastics. The method uses structure — or the shapes and architectures of materials — rather than dyes, to produce colour. Investigators N Asger Mortensen, Anders Kristensen and colleagues point out that currently, plastic manufacturers add pigments to their products. That gives them the range of colours customers have come to expect in everything from toys to tools.
3-D printed synthetic bones may help prevent wartime brain injuries
Engineering.com
Army researchers are investigating new material development for helmet padding systems. From this research, they expect greater insight and innovation in addressing what is likely to be the next big development in head protection: Strategies for mitigating the effects of blasts. They're creating synthetic cranial bones that look and behave like the skulls of 20- and 30-year-old soldiers that will be tested in laboratory experiments that mimic combat-like blast events in hopes of improving military helmet pads, shells and other protective equipment.
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MECO’s HB/HC seal, for applications with and without a barrier gas requirement. Designed for screw conveyors, small blenders, bucket elevators, and similar rotating equipment.
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SPE Industry Update
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Disclaimer: The SPE Industry Update is a digest of the most important news selected for the Society of Plastics Engineers from thousands of sources by the editors of MultiBriefs. Neither MultiBriefs nor the Society of Plastics Engineers is responsible for opinions or statements of facts expressed in the articles referenced in SPE Industry Update. Advertising appearing in SPE Industry Update is not to be taken as an endorsement, expressed or implied, of the respective company's processes, products or services represented in the ad.
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