Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - (Page 53)

and, therefore, sustainability. "cost reduction in bottle production is a key factor in competitiveness for the beverage industry and lowering the volume of material used in caps is a focus element of that initiative," comments russell tew, Borealis marketing manager, advanced Packaging and Fibre. "BorPure MB5568 has been developed jointly by Borealis and Borouge to positively aid that objective by allowing converters and brand owners globally to further reduce the amount of plastic, which is contributing further to the cost-reduction initiatives taking place in the beverage industry." www.borealisgroup.com * dynisco has been selected to receive yet another prestigious award for development of the Vertex® mercury-free pressure sensor. the Environmental Division of the society of Plastics Engineers presented Dynisco with a 2014 Environmental stewardship award on March 14 at the Division's annual global Plastics Environmental conference. the sPE Environmental Division awards acknowledge "corporations or institutions that clearly demonstrate their commitment to our environment and leadership in sustainability and recycling." For their environmentally conscious mercury-free sensor, Dynisco is being recognized in "Design for sustainability" award category. Winning this award, Dynisco is in impressive company. Other award winners this year include Ford Motor company, Dow chemical, coca-cola, arkema, and Wellman Engineering resins. a mercury-free approach to pressure sensing has been the plastics industry's "Holy grail" for decades. several companies, including Dynisco, tried alternative approaches but none caught on because of the challenging extrusion application, which can involve caustic and abrasive materials and temperatures as high as 750°F (400°c). Even though mercury is a known environmental hazard, the industry steadfastly resisted attempts to eliminate it. all that changed, however, with the breakthrough development in 2012 of the Vertex sensor, which contains no mercury, no naK, no oil, no gallium-in fact, no fill material of any kind. there is nothing to leak and no disposal concerns. it is also fully compliant with the European roHs directive. Vertex registers melt pressure directly through a single, more robust diaphragm, eliminating errors that can arise in sensors with complicated internal structures, transmission fluids and moving push rods. the diaphragm is much thicker than the diaphragms in other sensors. it is made of tough inconel 718 alloy, which provides a higher level of corrosion resistance than stainless steel and is coated for added protection against abrasion. the sensor wall structure has also been fortified to handle side stresses. the thickness of the diaphragm and materials of construction make for a highly robust device that can be expected to outperform and outlast other sensors. Dynisco is so confident in the durability of the Vertex sensor that it covers the sensor with an unprecedented four-year warranty. this is significantly longer than any other sensor warranty on the market today, the company adds. www.dynisco.com Instron, a leading provider of testing equipment designed to evaluate mechanical properties of materials and components, conducted in-house studies to show how to overcome factors that influence melt flow test results or cause reduced repeatability. Photo courtesy of Instron Melt flow rate (MFr) and melt volume-flow rate (MVr) can normally be obtained with easy and quick test procedures. However, fulfilling all standard specifications can be challenging with some polymers and compounds, resulting in poor repeatability that leads to negatively affected test results. When testing under low-load conditions (less than 2.16 kg / 4.76 lbs), it is not uncommon that during the preheating period the sample swells and pushes the piston upwards. as a solution, instron recommends applying a compacting force that is higher than www.plasticsengineering.org | www.4spe.org | MaY 2014 | Plastics EnginEEring | 53 http://www.borealisgroup.com http://www.dynisco.com http://www.plasticsengineering.org http://www.4spe.org

Plastics Engineering - May 2014

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