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9March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
olypropylene (PP) has been one of the top-selling polymers worldwide,
second only to polyethylene. Although the largest user of PP is the
automobile industry, this polymer finds applications in an array of industries
and is used to produce packaging films, bottle caps, fibre ropes, bicycle
helmets and nappies. In the recent past, the PP market has experienced some turbulence
of sorts mainly due to less propylene feedstock and weak demand. However, according
to Merchant Research & Consulting Ltd, this difficult phase seems transitory and will
end with a significant demand for PP arising from the expansion of its user segments.
Forecasts peg the global demand for PP to surge at a compounded annual growth
rate of a little less than 5 per cent from 2009 to 2020. At this rate, the volume is likely
to touch 59.6 million tonne in 2020. Thus far, Asia has accounted for the largest share
of the total global PP demand, and this leadership trend is likely to continue until
2020. Without much surprise, China and India, the two fastest growing economies
of the world, continue to take PP consumption forward. Although the
present per capita consumption of PP in India is quite low, its rate of
growth has been fairly high and in line with the burgeoning economy.
The growing demand mainly from end-user segments, such as
packaging, automotive and construction, in emerging economies
continues to shape the PP scenario. A complex combination of
evolving factors including product preference, economic growth
rate, demographic profiles and environmental norms will play a
key role to further define the demand–supply dynamics of PP.
Another recent study highlights the impact of on-purpose
propylene technologies in balancing the demand and supply
of propylene feedstock for the PP industry. According to
this study by Ceresana Research, huge capacity expansions
for propylene and downstream products in the Middle East
and China will significantly affect the global propylene
market. With countries in the Middle East showing the
largest increases in propylene production and demand, these
numbers are further expected to double by 2014.
Considering fluctuating feedstock prices as well as energy inputs
for final products, numerous challenges remain ahead for the global
PP industry. In this scenario, the chances of the industry moving
towards a consolidation appear highly probable. While this will unleash
opportunities for expansion of capacities and markets, one also needs
to exercise due diligence on research and development to bring out
innovative and customised products.
That said, welcome to the third edition of Plastics @ Gujarat! We have revisited the plastics industry of the State to gauge its prospects and pitfalls based on the latest developments. Turn to Spotlight for this and more.
PShaping the PP scenario
Editorial Advisory BoardA E Ladhabhoy
Plastics Technologist
Dr Sushil K VermaFormer Director General, CIPET
Dr Swapan K DharaRegional Technical Head,
Basell Polyolefins India Pvt Ltd
Mohan K JainMD, Indoplast & Past President, AIPMA
P P KharasChairman, Ecoplast
Raman M PatelChairman, Industrial Products Mfg Co
Vijay MerchantPresident, Polycraft
Manas R Bastiamanas@network18publishing.com
EDITORIAL
11March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
CONTENTS
81March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers 81March 2012 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Note: ` stands for Indian rupee, $ stands for US dollar and £ stands for UK pound, unless mentioned otherwise
Automation Trends 114 Computer-aided tool design: The automation edge
Energy Management 116 Efficiency through heat recovery: Using residual heat for higher productivity
Policies & Regulations 118 Dealing with quality: Problems and solutions
Strategy 120 Injection moulding: Reducing the costs of production
Tips & Tricks 122 Maintenance of injection moulding machine: Prerequisites for efficient operation
Event Preview 128 Indo-German International Seminar: Plastics in automotives:
Redefining possibilities
Event Report 129 Windsor Endowment Lecture on New trends in rigid and
f lexible packaging: Mapping new trends for future growth
REGUL AR SECTIONSEditorial ................................. 9
News, Views & Analysis ...... 28
Projects ............................... 124
Tenders ............................... 125
Event List........................... 126
81
41
Book Review ...................... 130
Products.............................. 131
List of Products.................. 138
List of Advertisers .............. 140
Dies and moulds .................... 82
Multi-functional
component tooling ..................... 84
Interface: Saranjit Singh ......... 86
Roundtable ............................. 88
Special Focus
93Polymers in healthcare ........................... 94
Medical plastics ...................................... 96
Interface: Manoj Bhardwaj .................. 100
Temperature control units .................... 106
Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) ......... 108
Lean thinking ....................................... 110
Engineering plastics in
medical applications ............................. 112
Green shoots ........................................ 101
All-electric IMMs ................................ 102
Interface:
Jignesh Bavishi .......................... 104
Nanda Kumar T ........................ 105
In Conversation With 38 Shirish V Divgi
Managing Director, Ferromatik Milacron India Pvt Ltd
Facility Visit 90 N A Corporation (Naroto):
Striving for customer delight with futuristic solutions
Insight & OutlookMedical Plastics
Dies & Moulds
SpotlightPlastics @ Gujarat
Details on pg no. 126
Special Focus: Injection Moulding Insight & Outlook: Engineering Plastics
Highlights of Next Edition
Cover photo courtesy: Bayer MaterialScience
13March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
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NEWS, VIEWS & ANALYSIS
28 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Luxus targets India’s auto market with new venture Technical plastics recycler and compounder Luxus
has formed a partnership with global polymer
distributor KPL International with the aim of
building its presence in the Indian automotive
market. The UK company has been developing
sustainable thermoplastic materials for the interior
trim market for more than a decade, building a
portfolio of polymers with the level of scratch
resistance needed by the auto industry.
Alex Clarke, Business Improvement Manager,
Luxus, said, “Increasingly, we have been asked
by our European clients if we have an Indian
presence, so this partnership will no doubt enable
us to maintain our leadership in the interior trim
and other markets.”
Rohit Chopra, Polymers Manager, KPL
International, added, “We are pleased to announce
our partnership with Luxus. Its proven technical
capabilities and strong eco credentials position it
to strongly outperform the market on both quality
and cost.”
DSM reduces water footprint at engineering plastics site in Pune As a global life sciences & materials
sciences company, DSM continues to
support its customers’ drive to achieve
increasingly ambitious sustainability
targets. The company also continues to
set important benchmarks in lowering
its own environmental footprint. In
2012, DSM dramatically reduced
the level of water consumption at its
engineering plastics compounding site in
Pune, India. The water footprint of the
operation, where the company produces
compounds of thermoplastic polyesters
and polyamides, has been slashed by
two-thirds, thanks to increased process
water recycling and strict monitoring of
potential water leakages. DSM’s Pune
site, operational since 1998, already has
a strong track record of highly efficient
water management. It was one of the
first DSM sites to completely eliminate
waste water from its production process.
Since 2010, all water used on the
site has been treated, checked and
reused for gardening purposes. These
latest improvements in Pune are a
reflection of DSM’s ongoing efforts to
reduce environmental footprint, both
within its own operations and along its
value chains.
In addition to reducing the
environmental footprint of its operations
by reducing energy consumption and
greenhouse gas emissions, it is driving
sustainability via the plastics it produces
and in the applications they are used for.
Fredric Petit, Sustainability Director –
Engineering Plastics, DSM, said, “The
company focusses its Bright Science on
a number of key aspects of products
and innovative developments in the use
of feedstocks derived from renewable
resources and more eco-efficient
application solutions. DSM also offers
alternatives for materials with hazardous
concerns and searches for materials with
recycle content that can be recycled end
of life.”
Rollepaal Engineering India to double its capacity at Ahmedabad facility Rollepaal Engineering India Pvt Ltd, a wholly
owned subsidiary of Rollepaal BV, Netherlands,
is on an expansion drive. Rajesh Sonar, General
Manager (Sales), Rollepaal Engineering India
Pvt Ltd, said, “The company is going to
double its capacity by November 2013. This
capacity expansion will be seen in terms of the
number of machines produced and the space of
the facility.”
Further, recently, the Rollepaal Group
celebrated its 50th anniversary at the
Dedemsvaart, Netherlands facility along with
their customers, agents, relations and suppliers
worldwide. The 5-day event attracted nearly
600 people, of which 170 representatives were
from the PVC and PO pipe industry. On the
third day, Rollepaal even invited their agents
who make up their global sales network.
Interesting presentations were done to update
the team on latest offerings and upcoming new
developments. On the fourth day, a seminar
with presentations was conducted on raw
material and ancillary equipment. Further,
the last two days were dedicated for an Open
House, where participants were able to witness
Rollepaal’s latest technology on bi-axially
oriented PVC and multi-layer pipes.
Avani Jain
LANXESS looks forward to India’s automotive and tyre industriesLANXESS recently hosted ‘Rubber
Day’ in Mumbai. This is the second
time in India that the company
organised such a high-level symposium
around the theme of ‘High-tech
Mobility and Emerging Trends’.
The country’s experts in rubber
production came together to discuss
India’s growing rubber industry and its
contribution to the nation’s burgeoning
transportation sector.
The event saw the involvement
of distinguished speakers, panellists
and about 300 attendees from the
rubber and automotive industries,
academia and government. Some of
the prominent speakers were M F
Farooqui, Secretary, Department of
Heavy Industry, Ministry of Heavy
Industries and Public Enterprises,
Government of India; Dr Rainier
van Roessel, Member of the Board
of Management, LANXESS AG
and Sudhir Rao, Managing Director,
Skoda Auto India. Dr Joerg
Strassburger, Managing Director
and Country Representative,
LANXESS India, remarked, “India
is clearly emerging as a global
automotive hub. All international
car manufacturers have a market in
India. This growth will usher in new
needs, new opportunities and new
challenges. We will need to develop
technology-driven solutions for a
more sustainable future.”
The panel discussions included
topics such as ‘The Future of
Mobility in India’, ‘Innovation in
Rubber for a Greener Tomorrow’,
‘Technological Trends in Automotive
Rubber Components’ and ‘Driving
Growth and Delivering Safety’.
NEWS, VIEWS & ANALYSIS
30 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Technip awarded important contract by JBF Petrochemicals Ltd for world-scale PTA plant in India Technip was awarded by JBF
Petrochemicals, a wholly owned
subsidiary of JBF Industries Ltd,
an important contract for a 1.25
million tonne per year latest-
generation Purified Terephthalic
Acid (PTA) unit to be located
in the special economic zone in
Mangalore, India. PTA is the
primary feedstock for polyesters
used in textiles and packaging.
The contract covers the basic
engineering, front-end engineering
design, detailed engineering and
procurement services for the Inside
Battery Limit (ISBL) and the
Outside Battery Limit (OSBL)
of the unit. The scope of work
also includes supply of materials
and construction management
services for the ISBL. The plant
will feature BP’s leading-edge
proprietary PTA technology.
Technip has operating centres
in Rome, Italy, and in Chennai,
Mumbai and Delhi, India. It will
execute the contract, which is
scheduled to be completed in the
first semester of 2015.
Marco Villa, Senior Vice
President, Technip Region B,
commented, “We are very proud to
have been selected for this world-
scale PTA project. It will bring
together the competencies of our
operating centres in India and Italy.
This contract also reinforces our
strong long-lasting collaboration
with BP for PTA. We believe that
the PTA market growth in Asia
will open up further opportunities,
and we hope to develop a long-
term relationship with JBF to
support their future developments.”
Smart innovates the smallest fully automatic extrusion blow moulding machine in the world Smart Machinery & Moulds Pvt
Ltd has launched the smallest
extrusion blow moulding machine
in the world. According to the
company, “Maximum utilisation
of floor space was the key force
driving the
need to develop
c o m p a c t
extrusion blow
m o u l d i n g
m a c h i n e s .
Customers can
gain higher
p ro d u c t i v i t y
from the same
floor space
available with them – smaller
footprint, faster cycles result in
higher output.”
Smart extrusion blow
moulding machines have smallest
floor space used in the industry
and are custom built to be suitable
for various applications. Products
covered are used for packaging
of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals,
medicals, pesticides, lubricants,
automotive and much more. The
smallest blow moulding machine
has capacity from 5 ml to 2 litre
and can be operated from very
small space. The fully automatic
machine also helps reduce
m a n p o w e r .
S m a r t
machines are
compact, fast
and energy
efficient as
compared to
the complex
large s ize
m a c h i n e s .
The main
features of Smart blow moulding
machines are single or double
station, microprocessor controls,
helical gear box, larger mould area,
superior mixing screws, AC drive,
fast dry cycle, energy efficiency
and user friendliness.
SABIC to launch new technology and innovation centres in Bengaluru and ShanghaiSABIC has unveiled plans to launch four new
technology and innovation facilities in 2013 – two
in India and China. The new centres in Bengaluru
and Shanghai will host about 500 professionals. Two
other new centres will be based in Saudi Arabia
itself and will take the number of the company’s
research facilities across the world to 18. The four
new centres represent a strategic investment of about
half a billion US dollars.
Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC Vice Chairman &
CEO, said, “These four new facilities will empower
our global technology and innovation centres to
build on their innovative systems to develop new
technologies, improve manufacturing processes and
contribute to a sustainable environment for our
communities.”
The Bengaluru research centre is scheduled to
open in the second quarter of 2013. It will deal
with application development, strategic business
research and corporate research and will focus
primarily on diverse areas of research in chemistry,
material science, process engineering, analytical and
application technology. Its aim is to support business
as a strategic centre of excellence to cater to global
and regional needs. The centre in Shanghai will
open in the third quarter of 2013.
Plastindia Foundation to offer global investment opportunitiesPlastindia Foundation is organising the Indian visit of
a leading European delegation on March 4, 2013. This
delegation, called WINNTECH, has a cluster strength
of 2500 members in 8 clusters that will be exploring joint
venture partners in India for investment opportunities.
Some of the main objectives of the delegation
will include identification of reliable partners for
information gathering & distribution, initiation of joint
activities, business collaborations, trade opportunities,
inward investment, joint research and development
projects. The offer for co-operation includes new
developments in renewable energies & biomaterials,
technology transfer, professional channelling of request
from Indian partners and entry of cooperation requests
into the databases of the European clusters.
During its visit, the delegation would focus
on market areas such as green transport, waste
management/recycling, water/air treatment, high
efficiency building and renewable energies. Significant
amount of focus would also be put in technology that is
used in polymers/plastics, manufacturing processes and
downstream tooling.
NEWS, VIEWS & ANALYSIS
32 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Solvay reshapes operating structureSolvay has announced a new business
structure that reflects the Brussels-based
group’s integration of Rhodia, the French
materials group it acquired in 2011.
Rhodia’s polyamides business has been
placed into an operating segment called
Functional Polymers along with Solvay’s
chlorovinyls business. This segment
mainly supplies to the construction &
infrastructure, automotive and electrical/
electronics industries. Specialty polymers
– fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers,
fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic
polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic
ultra polymers, high-barrier polymers
and cross-linkable high-performance
compounds – are part of an operating
segment called Advanced Materials,
which also includes silica, rare earths and
special chemicals. End markets for these
materials are advanced transportation,
healthcare, energy efficient tyres,
automotive emission control, smart
devices and hybrid vehicles batteries. The
other operating segments are Consumer
Chemicals, Performance Chemicals and
Corporate Business and Services.
Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, CEO &
Chairman – Executive Committee,
Solway, said, “Through the mobilisation
of our teams, we have managed to
convert the two former companies
into one of the ten largest chemical
companies worldwide. Our new
signature ‘Asking more from chemistry’
is more than a pledge; it is a vision
and a challenge to which we are fully
committed.”
Acquisition unites plastics industry leaders Milacron and Mold-MastersMilacron LLC and Mold-Masters have announced that they
are combining to form a leading global solutions provider
positioned to serve the full range of customer needs.
Milacron is backed by its private equity investor CCMP
Capital Advisors. The transformative transaction will create
a rapidly growing company with world-class capabilities
across five businesses: Milacron (Plastics Machinery), Mold-
Masters (Hot Runners), DME (Mold Base Technologies),
Aftermarket (Parts and Service) and CIMCOOL® Fluid
Technology (Metalworking Fluids and Services).
The combined entity will provide its customers with
market-leading technologies, superb global engineering and
R&D leadership. Through their complementary product
lines, Milacron and Mold-Masters will be able to offer
a broader portfolio of exceptional products and services,
providing solutions for customers’ complex plastics needs. In
addition, with enhanced financial and operational strength,
reduced cyclicality and a diverse international footprint
with a strong market position in hot runners in Asia, the
combined company will have greater opportunities for global
expansion.
Under the terms of the transaction, Milacron will acquire
100 per cent of the shares of Mold-Masters for an enterprise
value of $ 975 million. Tom Goeke, Chief Executive Officer
of Milacron will lead the combined entity and Bill Barker,
President and CEO of Mold-Masters will continue to lead
that business. Goeke said, “The acquisition creates a global
leader in the plastics industry with the scale, technological
leadership, international presence and competitive positioning
to deliver a wide range of products and services to more
customers in more markets around the world. Mold-Masters’
expertise in the high-growth hot-runner market is second
to none, and we are excited by the unique customer value
proposition and numerous opportunities for growth that
will result from this combination.” The transaction, subject
to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the
first half of 2013.
William J Murray becomes President of Teknor Apex
Teknor Apex, an international
polymer technology company
and one of the world’s leading
custom compounders of plastics,
has appointed William J Murray
as its new President. He holds
a Bachelor of Science degree in
Mechanical Engineering and
Applied Mechanics from the
University of Rhode Island and
an MBA from Bryant University.
He succeeds Jonathan D Fain,
who is the present CEO and
now the Chairman of the board.
Murray will be responsible
for the company’s worldwide
compounding businesses.
Teknor Apex operates twelve
manufacturing facilities in the
US, Europe and Asia. He has
also been appointed President
of Singapore-based Teknor
Apex Asia Pacific. Talking about
his new role, Murray said, “As
President of Teknor Apex, I am
responsible for directing our
global compounding businesses
for PVC, nylon and TPEs. This
includes oversight of supply
chains, technical development
and manufacturing at our
facilities around the world. In
addition to ensuring that Teknor
Apex continues to supply quality
products with a high level of
service to our existing customers,
I will focus closely on further
developing our business in high-
growth countries like India and
China. Our technical expertise
and manufacturing capabilities
on three continents make us well
positioned to provide responsive,
reliable service to customers
no matter where they operate
their plants.”
Prior to this new role,
Murray served as Executive
Vice President since 2006.
Murray joined the company
as Project Engineer in 1978.
Subsequent positions included
those of Plant Engineer, Plant
Manager and Corporate
Director of Engineering. He
was promoted to Vice President
of Manufacturing in 1992 and
to Senior Vice President of
Manufacturing in 2002. At this
time, he also became a member
of the company’s Senior
Management Team.
Sweta M Nair
William J Murray
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NEWS, VIEWS & ANALYSIS
36 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Plenary speakers at SPE ANTEC® 2013 to focus on latest advances in polymersPlenary speeches by four industry
leaders at the Society of Plastics
Engineers (SPE) ANTEC® 2013 will
address new technical and business
developments with great potential for
benefitting plastics. ANTEC® 2013
will take place on April 22–24, 2013,
at the Duke Energy Convention
Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, US.
Plenary sessions will take place on
each day of the conference.
On day one, the conference
will focus on topics such as ‘Fractal
Structuring in Polymer Processing’ by
Dr Han Meijer, Professor of polymer
technology, Technische Universiteit
Eindhoven, Netherlands, and ‘New
Polymer Materials Developed in
SINOPEC’ by Dr Jinliang Qiao,
Vice President, SINOPEC Beijing
Research Institute of the Chemical
Industry. Day two will include one
presentation by Dwight N Tozer,
Vice President, Adhesion Industry
Business, ExxonMobil Chemical
Company, on ‘Abundant US Shale Gas
Supplies are Revitalizing the Plastics
Industry’. The last day will showcase a
plenary speech by Gregory J Lampert,
President and CEO, General Cable,
on ‘Driving Innovation in the Wire
and Cable Industry’.
Huntsman creates new position of VP & MD, Indian Subcontinent
Huntsman Corporation announced the
creation of the new position of Vice
President and Managing Director, Indian
Subcontinent, and the appointment of Steve
Stilliard for this role. Prior to this position,
he was previously the Vice President,
Asia-Pacific, of Huntsman Corporation’s
Performance Products Division.
Commenting on the appointment,
Peter R Huntsman, President and Chief
Executive Officer, Huntsman Corporation,
said, “This appointment recognises the
need to accelerate our investment in people
and physical assets to strengthen our long-
term position in this exciting market, which
already accounts for over $ 500 million
of our sales and over 1,000 associates.”
Huntsman added, “Steve Stilliard has an
extensive experience of working and living
in the region, a proven track record in
building successful businesses in emerging
markets and has a deep understanding of
the Huntsman business and culture.”
The new role was created to provide
leadership for Huntsman’s rapidly
expanding presence in the subcontinent.
Based in Mumbai, Stilliard will report to
Paul Hulme, President, Huntsman Textile
Effects Division and the senior executive
responsible for the Indian subcontinent.
He will coordinate the corporate and
cross-divisional activities required to
deliver growth, including investments
and partnerships, strengthening the
company’s asset base, developing people
capability and building relationships with
governmental organisations and other key
stakeholders.
Sharing his thoughts about this
new position, Stilliard said, “My role is
to helm the Huntsman Organisation
across the Indian subcontinent, with an
objective to build capability for sustained
further growth from the current base of
$ 500 million revenue and approximately
1,000 employees. This will stretch across
the human capital dimension in addition to
asset development and brand positioning.”
When talking about his priorities, he
spoke about enhancing the effectiveness
of teams by ensuring internal process
improvements, investment in appropriate
infrastructure and focussing on delivery of
an enhanced experience to the company’s
customers and business partners.
Sweta M Nair
A unique world tour for the injection moulding industryHusky Injection Molding Systems has
kicked off the Husky World Tour 2013.
This is a new series of global customer
events that will take place throughout
the year in the Americas, Europe, the
Middle East and Asia Pacific. A first-
of-its-kind for the injection moulding
industry, the world tour is stated to
give current and prospective customers
more direct access to Husky’s latest
technologies at a local level. The tour
will support Husky’s increasing focus
on providing targeted solutions to help
customers in its core markets reduce
variability, improve part cost and
increase productivity.
“We are excited about the Husky
World Tour 2013 because it will give
us a number of ongoing opportunities
to showcase our technologies directly
to customers throughout the year,
while creating a platform for richer,
more focussed customer interactions,”
said Jeff MacDonald, Vice President –
Marketing, Husky. “In 2012, key industry
tradeshows played an important role in
helping launch our biggest products
and will continue to play a role for us.
Having a number of product launches in
2013, this new approach will allow us to
introduce our latest technologies as soon
as they are ready,” he added.
Husky kicked off the tour with a
Beverage Packaging Day in Korea that
was attended by more than 100 existing
and prospective customers who learned
about the latest trends and innovations
in beverage and closure manufacturing
from Husky and industry experts. This
will be followed shortly by a Specialty
Closures Day in Europe, a Beverage
Packaging Day in Latin America and
additional tour events throughout the
year for customers in the beverage
packaging, food packaging, closures,
medical and hot runner markets.
Steve Stilliard
IN CONVERSATION WITH: Shir ish V Divgi
38 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
…opines Shirish V Divgi, Managing Director, Ferromatik Milacron India Pvt Ltd. In an exclusive interview with Avani Jain, he underlines that with the growth in demand in the application sectors such as automotive, packaging, construction, irrigation, medicine and consumer durables, the demand for plastics processing machinery will increase.
What are the current demand trends and growth drivers for plastics processing machinery, especially injection moulding machinery in India?Current demand of injection moulding
machines in the Indian market is about
5,000 machines. Further, the plastics
processing industry will grow with the
demand in the application sectors such
as automotive, packaging, construction
(electrical fittings, plumbing accessories
etc), irrigation, medicine and consumer
durables. The machinery industry is
expected to grow by 12 to 15 per cent
every year. This domestic demand itself
is a good growth driver. Indian machines
are also well accepted in the Middle East,
Africa and America. With this kind of
demand, machinery manufacturers in
India would be definitely encouraged
regarding future growth. Further, in
terms of technology trends, injection
moulding machinery manufacturers are
adopting servo, two-platen and all-electric
technology for higher productivity,
precision, energy efficiency and minimal
ownership costs.
What are the important advancements in technology in this segment in recent times?
Servo-powered injection moulding
machines – Replacement of
“MOST INNOVATIONS
ARE TARGETED TOWARDS HIGHER
PRODUCTIVITY, ENERGY SAVING
AND LOW OPERATING COST”
Shir ish V Divgi
39March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
conventional power pack (induction
motor + fixed/variable delivery pump)
with servo motor gives about 40 per
cent energy savings.
Two-platen injection moulding
machines – Provide great advantage
in space saving at least up to 30
per cent, and being faster machines,
the productivity is higher. They
also consume less hydraulic oil and
energy because of their unique design
features.
All-electric injection moulding
machines - These machines are used
not only for energy and noise reduction
but also for reduction in cycle times
because of the possibility of parallel
operations. Being highly precise,
these machines result in accurate part
dimensions and weight consistency.
Application-specific injection
moulding machines - Specific
applications such as thin-walled
containers, polyethylene terephthalate
preforms, chlorinated polyvinyl
chloride fittings, multi-colour furniture
and household articles are served by
special application-specific models
equipped with related necessary
options and programs that provide
total solutions to customers.
What are the latest innovations making headway globally in this sector, and how is Ferromatik Milacron India gearing up towards these?Most innovations are targeted towards
higher productivity, energy saving and low
operating cost. Some major developments
are in all-electric, servo-driven and two-
platen machines. In fact, while we see
saturation in terms of control technologies,
innovations are primarily driven by the
need of reduction in capital and operating
cost. Keeping these points in mind,
Ferromatik Milacron India offers servo-
driven injection moulding machines,
global & high-end technology at local
cost (two-platen machines & all-electric
machines) and Nova Servo & Omega
Servo machines which are cost-effective
solutions.
What are your suggestions for the industry in terms of energy efficiency, and what steps have you taken in this regard?At the operational level, we need to employ
possible steps to reduce energy such as using
solar energy, daylight, water conservation
etc. We also have to provide solutions to our
customers through our products consuming
optimum energy. Ferromatik Milacron
India has been following this principle for
many years not only in many operational
areas but also through our products such
as replacement of conventional power pack
(induction motor + fixed/variable delivery
pump) with servo motor, all-electric injection
moulding machines up to 450 T, adopting
linear motion guides for injection units to
transfer maximum power during injection
phase and control features and programs to
save energy.
What is the cost–quality ratio of Indian injection moulding machinery as against global counterparts?As such, there is no specific and standard
cost–quality ratio followed in Indian
injection moulding machinery. Quality
and cost performances are measured in
terms of uptime, productivity, quality &
consistency of parts, lower rejections, low
capital and operating cost. Strong after-
market support and training modules help
upgrade the operator skill levels as well as
all the above parameters.
What are the challenges for the plastics processing machinery segment in India?There are few challenges faced by the
plastics industry in India. First, plastics
waste collection and recycling is a major
concern in India. Second, fluctuating raw
material prices is an issue. Third, there is
competition from global players, especially
Chinese & Taiwanese manufacturers of
low-cost machines. Last, availability of
skilled labour is also a big challenge for
the industry.
What was the toughest business decision ever made by you?Indian machines built for global markets.
How do you deal with a tough situation?One should deal with a tough situation
with patience and focus.
What are the future growth drivers of this segment?The major growth drivers for the
plastics processing machinery segment
are the growing automotive, packaging,
drip irrigation and medical sectors. At
present, the per capita consumption of
plastics in India is 7 kg compared to
the global average of 27 kg. Changing
consumer behaviour and larger
replacement from metal to plastics in
various applications are also leading
to an increase in demand for plastics
processing machinery.
What are your growth plans for the company?We want to reach our optimum
manufacturing capacity of 2,000 injection
moulding machines per annum. In addition,
we want to indulge in developments in
processing of new engineering plastics,
provide solutions from machine selection
to performance proving and focus on
after-sales services. Further, we wish to
participate in key national & international
plastics industry exhibitions. We also aim
to provide growth opportunities to all the
stake holders, ie customers, employees,
strategic partners and investors.
What are the five things that you check before signing a deal or getting into a partnership?The five things are trust, confidence,
integrity, past record with long-term
strengths and people.
What is the business etiquette that you value the most?Respecting commitments is the most
important.
Your message for aspiring professionals…One should be passionate and take pride
in whatever one does.
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
41March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
SPOTLIGHT: Plastics @ Gujarat
Plastics @ GujaratEnvisioning a bright future:Gujarat leads the way! ..........................................................................................................................................42
Interface:Khushboo Doshi, Executive Director, Rajoo Engineers Ltd .......................................................................................44
Mahendra N Patel, Former President, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Chairman, Mamata Group ..........46
Rajesh K Pandya, Vice President - Operations, Parikh Packaging Pvt Ltd ...................................................................48
Rajiv Trivedi, Vice President (Marketing), Prasad Group & Chairman, Indian Plastics Institute - Ahmedabad Chapter .....50
V Ramesh, Chief Executive Officer, Negri Bossi SACMI Engineering (India) Pvt Ltd....................................................54
Roundtable:Will the rationalisation of duty for synthetic fibre help in lowering costs? .......................................................56
Processing prowess:Riding high on growth and profitability .............................................................................................................58
Manufacturing might:In pursuit of automation .......................................................................................................................................62
Infrastructure edge:Expanding the business horizon ..........................................................................................................................66
Trade policy:What Gujarat is ‘doing right’ yet ‘could do better’..............................................................................................72
Human resource development:Skill building for global competence....................................................................................................................76
42 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Envis ioning a br ight future
India is one of the top ranking
countries when it comes to the
availability of manpower, access
to local & international markets
and its strong fundamentals. It is also
the second most favoured destination for
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), with
FDI inflow growing at an average rate of
9 per cent at a time when the rest of the
world is experiencing a dark recession.
Currently the world’s 12th largest
economy, India is already on the path
to becoming the fifth largest consumer
market in the world by 2025, with
predictions that the total Indian consumer
expenditure will be approximately
$ 1.77 trillion. Rohan Shrikant Shahane,
Regional Director – South East Asia,
Machine Point Consultants SL, says,
“Gujarat has probably played the most
important role in the economic history
of India and has the fastest growing
economy of all the states within India.
In 2010, Forbes listed Ahmedabad as the
third fastest growing city in the world.
As the most industrialised state within
the nation, and the largest producer of
polymers, Gujarat will be at the forefront
of all the fast-paced developments.”
Exclusively GujaratThe unique challenge associated with
business development in Gujarat is
bridging the gap between the way that
Indians conduct business and the way
that Europeans do, as the majority
of the machines procured are from
European sellers. Various added value
solution providers in the state are
adept in intermediating between two
culturally different parties and can
ensure that the different cultural issues
that constantly arise do not affect the
negotiations. “Gujarat – the industrial
hub of the country – has managed
to get companies from fast moving
consumer goods, consumer electronics,
electrical equipment and minerals
through investment facilities of over
1,600 acre in the industrial estate of
Sanand. Companies such as Colgate
Palmolive, Hitachi, TBEA, Corning,
Allied Minerals and Bosch are together
expected to invest in excess of ` 3,000
crore in the state,” mentions Shahane.
The economic boom in India has
given momentum to such sectors as
packaging, agriculture, infrastructure and
healthcare – all of which use polymers,
and therefore rely on the plastics industry.
This will result in a great demand for
plastics processing machinery and
ancillary equipment, consequently
creating a huge opportunity for business
development in the plastics industry.
This is the primary reason why several
Gujarat has constantly reinforced its position as the most industrially developed state in India – ranking first in industrial investment and second in value of production and value addition in the industrial sector. Over the years, Gujarat has diversified its industrial base substantially. Anwesh Koley delves into the prominent reasons for the monumental strides taken by the plastics industry in the state and the potential it holds for the future.
GUJARAT LEADS THE WAY!GUJARAT LEADS THE WAY!
t future
43March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Envis ioning a br ight future
foreign players are keen on investing in
the Indian market. Furthermore, a lot
of joint ventures are expected to take
place in the Indian plastics processing
sector. Gujarat, with its favourable
location and infrastructure, is expected
to garner maximum business from the
above mentioned prospects.
All of these investments and projects
will require plastic packaging in various
forms, and the quantum of packaging
required today is only going to rise with
the times to come. “This will open new
avenues, and Japanese and American
companies coming to Gujarat will bring
in more innovative ways of packaging
and means to learn from for the plastic
packaging sector,” opines Shahane. These
units will also enable the tier 1 and
tier 2 sub-contracted manufacturers to
generate more employment for people
and hence to generate more revenue for
an individual and the state.
The plastics industry in Gujarat
is one of the oldest in India and
among the earliest initiatives towards
manufacturing of polymer raw material.
Majority of India’s plastics business
revolves around the packaging industry.
As Gujarat contributes 65–70 per cent
to the country’s plastics production, it
is home to many packaging industries
in the small and medium segment. The
$ 3,513 million worth plastics industry
in Gujarat contributes about 2.17 per
cent of India’s total exports.
Aiding the cause of the environmentGujarat recycles about a fourth of the
plastic waste of the country, thus topping
the list of the environment-friendly states
on this front. “About 20 lakh tonne of
plastics is recycled every year in India, with
Gujarat recycling about five lakh tonne of
this alone. From this, it can be gauged that
Gujarat is ahead not only when it comes
to recycling plastic waste but also when
it comes to producing and using plastics,
as we know that there is an impressive
growth of 20 per cent year on year in the
recycling of plastics,” opines Shahane.
Considering the need for more plastics
throughout the country, the industry
is working on making plastics a green
product. Because plastics has become
integral to all major industrial activities,
it is important to know its proper usage.
Considering the growing needs and the
concern for the environment, the All
India Plastic Manufacturers’ Association
conducts regular discussions with key
industry players to create and sustain
awareness about the growing need to
ensure eco-friendly plastics production.
Gujarat hosts refineries such as
RIL, Essar and IOC, chemicals and
liquefied natural gas terminals at Dahej
& Hazira and chlor alkali plants such
as Tata Chemicals, Indian Rayon, Atul,
UPL, Shriram, GACL and IPCL (RIL).
In addition, there are soda ash plants
of Nirma, Gujarat Heavy Chemicals,
Saurashtra Chemicals, Dhrangadhra
Chemicals and chemical fertiliser plants
of IFFCO, GSFC, GNFC etc. “In spite of
being called the hub of the chemical and
petrochemical industry, the Government
of Gujarat has constituted the Gujarat
Pollution Control Board with a view to
protect the environment and to prevent
and control the pollution of air and water
in the state,” says Shahane.
Towards a brighter futureThe consumption of plastics is expected
to increase three-fold from 2011 to 2016.
Commodity plastics is expected to have
the largest market share with 88 per cent,
with polyolefins restricted to 61 per cent.
The extrusion-based processes account for
Rohan Shrikant ShahaneRegional Director – South East Asia, Machine Point Consultants SL
Gujarat has probably played the most important role in the economic history of India and has the fastest growing economy of all the states within India. In 2010, Forbes listed Ahmedabad as the third fastest growing city in the world.
62 per cent of the total plastics produced,
followed by injection-moulded products
which account for 27 per cent.
To meet the future growth potentials
of the plastics industry in Gujarat, the
local processing segment needs to bring in
new technologies and scale up production
capacities. This could be achieved by
testing European technologies with higher
outputs and better processing qualities to
match expectations of the newly formed
European and American partners at very
subsidised rates.
Major international companies from
various segments of the industry including
automobiles, electronics, communication,
food processing and packaging have set up
large manufacturing plants in the state and
have helped develop the market. “The per
capita consumption of plastics in India is
only 6 kg as against 30 kg in China and
80 kg in developed economies. Gujarat’s
per capita consumption of plastics is 8
kg. With growing per capita income and
a favourable demographic profile, the
demand for plastics in India and in Gujarat
is expected to show strong growth,”
avers Shahane.
Email: anwesh.koley@network18publishing.com
Gujarat isthe largest producer
of polymers with a $ 3,513 million worth
plastics industryand contributes 65–70 per cent to the country’s
plastics production.
44 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Inter face — Khushboo Doshi
What are the advantages of Gujarat as a hub for the plastics processing industry? Polymer manufacturing facilities have
a very long existence in Gujarat, thus
making the state the logical choice for
the birth of machinery manufacturers
and downstream processors. In addition,
the entrepreneurship skills inherent in
the Gujarati community give a further
fillip to the plastics processing industry.
Further, there are many other advantages
of Gujarat as a hub for the plastics
processing industry. First, it is the
most preferred location for industrial
investment and is endowed with rich
natural resources. Second, the state
has a very business-friendly and stable
political & bureaucratic environment.
Third, there is good availability of
skilled and educated manpower in the
state. Fourth, the state has one of the
best infrastructure in the country. Last,
existence of the automotive sector in
the state also brightens the prospects of
the plastics processing industry.
How does Gujarat’s plastics processing industry meet global quality standards?Both machinery manufacturers
and processors employ world-class
technologies. Availability of skilled and
educated manpower further enhances
quality standards. Most importantly,
to compete on the global platform,
companies need to improve quality
constantly. This ensures that the
industry conforms to global quality
standards.
What are the industry efforts towards research and development (R&D) in the machinery sector?The industry’s efforts towards R&D
have been mostly limited to adaptation
of technologies for the domestic market.
However, this is fast changing with
availability of qualified engineers and
the desire to innovate. The industry
is constantly moving forward to make
machines more energy efficient as
electricity is the second highest cost
in plastics processing. Further, in the
times to come, many foreign players will
find it more economical and effective to
conduct R&D operations in India.
What are the export opportunities for plastics processing machinery manufacturers in Gujarat?Plastics machinery manufacturers in
Gujarat have been at the forefront
of exports. The plastics machinery
manufacturers offer world-class
machinery at affordable prices with
efficient utilisation of scarce capital.
Further, existence of Gujarati diaspora
overseas has surely helped in this
effort. Thus, opportunities have been
exploited in both developing and
developed markets. However, markets
in countries of Latin America and the
Commonwealth of Independent States
are yet to be exploited. In addition,
growth in traditional markets of Africa
and Middle East is needed.
What are the challenges before Gujarat’s plastics industry?The biggest challenge for Gujarat ’s
plastics processing industry is to
become competitive with processors
in other parts of the country because
polymer-producing facilities have
now been created even in the
North and East of India. The issue of
freight disadvantage will have to be
handled as soon as possible. Further, the
processors will have to use more energy-
efficient technologies and equipment
in order to compete in the market. In
addition, cost of skilled manpower is
on the rise as the cities in Gujarat are
becoming more expensive to live, and
this would directly increase the cost for
the companies.
What are your suggestions to further boost the state’s plastics industry?A number of steps can be taken to boost
the state’s plastics processing industry
such as skill development programmes
for the plastics industry to address the
shortage of manpower, development of
industrial clusters and supply chains for
critical inputs, providing incentives to
set up plastics processing and plastics
machinery facilities in the state,
providing a technology upgradation
fund (similar to the textiles industry) for
both plastics processors and machinery
manufacturers and continuous & quality
power should be made available at
all times.
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
…opines Khushboo Doshi, Executive Director, Rajoo Engineers Ltd. In an exclusive conversation with Avani Jain, she talks about the growing plastics processing machinery sector in the state.
“The state has a very business-friendly and stable political & bureaucratic environment”
46 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Inter face — Mahendra N Patel
How do you assess the industrial development in Gujarat?The industrial development in Gujarat is
happening at a very fast pace. The plastics
processing segment is also growing
continuously, as these days, we are
getting an increasing number of orders
for our machines from the companies
in the state. Further, big automotive
factories are coming up in Sanand, which
means there would be more demand for
plastics and hence the plastics processing
machinery. Large projects are also
coming up in the northern part of the
state. Further, south Gujarat is being
developed as a plastics processing hub.
Many industries in the plastics segment
are also coming up in and around Dahej
as polymer plants are being set up in that
area. Easy availability of raw materials is
drawing many industries to set up their
plants in the state. In addition, industries
are attracted because of the availability
of power and job opportunities.
Furthermore, Rajkot is developing as
a plastics processing hub. Due to the
presence of special economic zones near
Kandla and Mundra, the industries are
also growing in these regions. Therefore,
the outlook for industrial development
in Gujarat is very good.
What are the advantages of Gujarat as a hub for the plastics processing industry?There is easy availability of raw materials
in the state. The state has the maximum
share in the total polymer production in
India. Because the polymer production
facilities are in Gujarat, it is obvious
that the plastics processing segment will
flourish. Transportation is becoming
expensive, so every industry wants to be
closer to its raw material supplier. Major
companies in the plastics segment are
setting up their plants near Dahej because
companies like ONGC are planning to
set up their polymer production plant in
that region.
What are the challenges before Gujarat’s plastics industry?The major challenge for the plastics
industry in the state is polymer pricing.
The prices continue to rise due to a
number of factors. These prices are
determined by the international markets
and monopolistic prices prevailing
in the domestic markets. Sometimes,
government policies are also not
favourable or discouraging - making
imports costly is one such step by the
government. Thus, raw material is not
available at competitive prices most of
the times. Further, if it is available, then
a very limited range is available. Only
generic materials are seen, and there are
no special compounds, masterbatches
etc available, ie a limited range of
specialty plastics can be seen in the
market. Another big challenge is high
energy costs. In plastics processing,
there are only two major costs for the
manufacturer, ie raw material and energy
costs. These two form 80 per cent of
the cost for the manufacturer. Although
there is good quality & continuous
supply of energy and no power cuts to
disrupt processing, the basic energy price
is very high in Gujarat. There are public
private partnerships to solve the issue of
continuous power supply, but the model
itself is complicated.
What are your suggestions to further boost the state’s plastics industry?One cannot control the raw material
prices, but if the energy prices are reduced,
then it will definitely impact the growth
of the industry. Further, land acquisition
in the state for industrial purpose is a
very complicated and costly affair. Land
availability is also limited. Thus, if the
government eases the policies related to
land acquisition, then it will definitely
help the industry to grow.
How has Gujarat performed as an investment destination?All the big companies in the various
industrial segments, including the
plastics processing segment, are setting
up their plants in Gujarat. Further, major
automotive companies have their plants
in the state, thus providing a boost to
the plastics processing industry. Thus, in
the future, more investments will be seen
in the plastics segment as there will be
more demand for plastics in infrastructure
products such as drainage pipes and
electrical fittings. The demand for plastics
in packaging would also increase.
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
…opines Mahendra N Patel, Former President, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Chairman, Mamata Group. In an exclusive conversation with Avani Jain, he talks about the industrial development in the state and the challenges faced by the plastics processing industry.
“Easy availability of raw materials is drawing many industries to set up their plants in the state”
48 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Inter face — Rajesh K Pandya
What are the advantages of Gujarat as a hub for the plastics industry?A number of factors have provided a
boost to Gujarat’s plastics industry.
First, the state enjoys uninterrupted
power supply, thus plastics processing is
carried out without any interruptions.
Second, for the growth of plastics
processing industries, raw material
availability (ie polymers) is very
important; thus, the state houses major
polymer plants such as Reliance.
Third, the state has a good
infrastructural setup. The state is well
connected through roads, airports,
seaports and railways, thus providing
excellent logistics support to the
industry. Because of the three inland
ports within the state, import of raw
material is easy and fast. In addition, for
providing support to small, medium and
large scale industries, there are inland
container depots (such as Sabarmati
– Ahmedabad) within the state, thus
making way for easy clearing of
goods locally.
Fourth, there are excellent facilities
available within the GIDCs across
the state.
Fifth, there is excellent government
support to industries in the state, and
the administration is strong and stable,
which is also necessary for industrial
development.
Sixth, there is lot of skilled
manpower available in the state. There
are technical institutes, such as the
Indian Institute of Management (IIM),
Ahmedabad Management Association
(AMA), Central Institute of Plastics
Engineering & Technology (CIPET),
Indian Plastics Institute (IPI), Gujarat
Industrial Research & Development
Agency (GIRDA), Entrepreneurship
Development Institute (EDI) and so
forth, to provide skilled manpower to the
industry. There are also a fleet of other
global level institutions to provide support
to the industry. These degree, diploma
and industrial training and management
institutes deliver continuously highly
skilled and knowledgeable manpower
to all the industries. There is Industrial
Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb), a
Government of Gujarat organisation to
support industries and promote small
and medium enterprises in the state.
Seventh, the businessmen from
Gujarat are very dedicated towards their
business. This backed by their inherent
entrepreneurial skills further strengthens
the industry in the state.
Last, but not the least, there are many
industrial banks in the state to provide
quick funds to the plastics industry.
How can one further boost the state’s plastics packaging industry?At present, the industry in Gujarat does
not face any challenge because the power
supply and infrastructure are good at all
levels. Although there is good support
from the government and financial
institutes to the industries (including
small & medium enterprises and large
corporations), there is need for strategies
to further aid in the growth of the
industry. Thus, a number of steps can be
taken to further provide a boost to the
plastics packaging industry in the state.
New polymer processing plants should
be set up in the state. Further, new
special economic zones should be built
so as to promote global exports from
the state. Gujarat has vast knowledge
about plastics manufacturing, processing
and technology, while its entrepreneurs
possess good business skills. Thus,
increase of exports would definitely
benefit the industry. In the future,
industries dealing in plastics processing
machinery and the packaging segment
will see major export opportunities. The
state already has a major share in the
above segment and this will only increase
in the future.
How is Gujarat unique as an investment destination?Gujarat is unique as it has an
administration that is known globally
for its support initiatives to the various
industries in the state. In addition, the
surplus electricity in the state is a unique
selling point. Furthermore, the sharp
business sense and the entrepreneurship
abilities of the Gujarati community
are globally acknowledged. There is no
unnecessary interruption by unions.
Moreover, the stable government is
attracting the world to increasingly
invest in Gujarat. Finally, several
infrastructural projects in the pipeline
will also directly impact the growth
of industries in the state. Overall, Gujarat
is seen as one of the best destinations for
investment in India at the moment.
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
…opines Rajesh K Pandya, Vice President – Operations, Parikh Packaging Pvt Ltd. In an exclusive conversation with Avani Jain, he talks about the benefits offered by the state for promoting industrial sectors, especially the plastics segment.
“There is excellent government support to industries in the state”
50 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Inter face — Raj iv Tr ivedi
How do you assess the industrial development in Gujarat?The state of Gujarat has served as a good
platform to interact and conduct business.
There are ample opportunities for the
industrial development in the state due
to factors such as political stability and
a dynamic, efficient & result-oriented
government. Further, Gujarat enjoys
uninterrupted power supply as compared
to other states of India. The state also
has a private port that leads to easy
connectivity with the entire world. Above
all, one of the most important facts about
Gujarat is that it has the highest gross
domestic product growth rate compared
to other states of India. Due to these
reasons, industrialists across the country
and overseas are prompted to make huge
investments in the state.
What are the advantages of Gujarat as a hub for the plastics processing industry?There are a number of advantages. First,
major machinery, ancillary equipment and
raw material suppliers have production
facilities in Gujarat. Second, the Gujarat
government shows keen interest in attracting
industries (outside the state) from all the
segments, including the plastics industry to
set up their plants in the state. Third, the
labour problems are less as compared to
other states. Because the state has lenient
policies, it is able to attract manpower from
the other states of India.
What are the demand drivers for Gujarat’s plastics industry?Amazing growth in the automotive sector
is driving the growth of the plastics
industry in Gujarat. Major four-wheeler/
car manufacturers have established or
are planning to set up their plants near
the commercial capital of the state
– Ahmedabad. Major cement plants
and fertiliser producers in Gujarat are
expanding production capacity at a faster
rate. This is creating a good demand for
raffia bags, carry bags etc. Further, the
pharmaceutical sector is growing at a fast
pace in the state. All this is leading to
increasing demand for plastics.
How can industry–academia collaboration in the state boost technical skill development and talent building?To have good quality of entrepreneurs/
professionals in the industry, the role of
academic institutes is very important.
However, these days, institutes only provide
theoretical knowledge and the syllabus does
not include information about the latest
technologies. Thus, regular interaction
between industry and academia to boost
technical skills and talent building is
needed. There should be some focussed
practical training programme provided by
the industry, and the institutes should make
it part of the syllabus. Institutes should also
regularly update the syllabus to include
latest developments. Experts from the
industry should be appointed to the core
team of institutes to decide the syllabus.
What is the importance of institutes like Indian Plastics Institute (IPI) in promoting industry–academia collaboration?IPI organises technical seminars on
various subjects at a regular interval and
invites experts from the industry for the
presentation. It also arranges industrial
visits for students. It acts as an adviser
to various institutes related to plastics.
In this way, it helps promote industry–
academia collaboration in the state.
What are the challenges before Gujarat’s plastics industry?A few challenges faced by the industry are
inadequate infrastructure in some parts,
sudden fall or rise in raw material prices –
a major set back to processors in the state
where major units are under the small
scale industry category, lack of global
brand image and scarcity of manpower in
manufacturing facilities – manpower turn
to service sectors. Moreover, the plastics
industry in the state needs to fight
against the anti-plastics lobby by creating
awareness and emphasising on recycling.
How can the state further boost the plastics industry?Several steps can be adopted by the state.
First, a special plastics park should be
created to promote significant business
opportunity. Second, value-added quality
products need to be introduced to compete
with the Chinese market. Third, spread
awareness about solid waste management
systems to deal with plastic disposal. Last,
promote plastics industries by providing
benefits in tax structure as provided by
other states.
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
…opines Rajiv Trivedi, Vice President (Marketing), Prasad Group & Chairman, Indian Plastics Institute – Ahmedabad Chapter. In an exclusive conversation with Avani Jain, he talks about the growing plastics sector in the state and the need for industry–academia collaboration.
“Amazing growth in the automotive sector is driving the growth of the plastics industry in Gujarat”
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54 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Inter face — V Ramesh
What are the advantages of Gujarat as a hub for the plastics processing machinery industry? Gujarat, the largest polymer producing
state, is known for the plastics processing
machinery industry due to the presence
of many leading manufacturers in the
state for decades. Further, because of the
presence of good basic infrastructure,
the industry has grown a lot and will
continue to do so in the future as well.
Moreover, the basic raw materials like
casting, machining and other support
for machine building is readily available
in the state. As the plastics processing
machinery industry is also dependent
on uninterrupted power supply, Gujarat
has a clear advantage in being a plastics
processing hub. Support from the
proactive government has also helped in
the industry’s growth.
What are the demand drivers for Gujarat’s plastics industry? The per capita consumption of plastics,
as compared to the developed countries,
is very low in India at present. Hence,
there are huge opportunities for the
plastics machinery manufacturers in the
state. Further, the announcement of new
automotive plants in Gujarat, increasing
awareness about the healthcare industry,
focus on infrastructural development
and advancement in packaging
technology due to the increasing trend
in packed foods will definitely increase
plastics consumption and augment the
growth of plastics machinery in the
state.
What are the industry efforts toward Research & Development (R&D) in the segment?When it comes to R&D activities, the
industry needs to take various steps to
match the advancements made in the
machinery sector so as to meet the
growing demand. Further, at present,
lack of power supply in many states,
high energy costs, need to reduce carbon
footprint are pushing manufacturers in
the segment to develop energy-efficient
machines with environment-friendly
technology. Thus, collective efforts are
needed for these new developments.
Because our company is part of a
European group, we are well aware
about the latest technology. However,
the real challenge is to bring this to
India and make it economically viable
for the Indian market, which is highly
price sensitive.
What are the export opportunities for manufacturers in Gujarat?Many machinery manufacturers have
started exporting, but still the exports
are very low as compared to China.
However, with export-friendly policies
adopted by the government, there is
good scope for increasing exports.
In the future, it would be imperative
to focus on the export market so as
to compensate the price sensitivity
prevailing in the local market. There
is a huge opportunity for exports in
countries such as Africa, Vietnam etc,
where the plastics industry has just
started to grow. Further, the possibility
for exports in European countries is
good as we have already proved in many
sectors that we are capable of producing
international standard machines at
reasonable prices.
What are your suggestions to further boost the state’s plastics industry? As the plastics processing industry is
highly capital sensitive, much support is
needed from the government to further
provide a boost to the industry. Also,
developing clusters, ie common facilities
with the aim of sharing resources, will
definitely help the industry to grow.
In addition, as this industry has the
potential to create a lot of employment
opportunities, the government must
address the concerns of this industry on a
priority basis. Further, the industry needs
a lot of skilled & semi-skilled labour,
and students from technical institutes are
not fully equipped, so it is necessary for
institutes and the government to focus
on the curriculum relative to the need of
the industry. Hence, industry–academia
collaboration is needed to further provide
a boost to the industry.
How is Gujarat unique as an investment destination? Gujarat is a growing state. Further,
because of the stable government,
investment-friendly policies, better
infrastructure like roads & ports and
dedicated industrial corridors, the
state serves as an ideal investment
destination. Also, since the main issue
for the plastics processing industry in
India is the availability of uninterrupted
and quality power supply, Gujarat is
a preferred destination as there are
no long power cuts. In addition, the
natural entrepreneurship ability of the
Gujarati community and their global
presence have and will surely drive many
investments in Gujarat in the future.
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
…opines V Ramesh, Chief Executive Officer, Negri Bossi SACMI Engineering (India) Pvt Ltd. In an exclusive conversation with Avani Jain, he talks about the opportunities for growth of the plastics processing machinery sector in the state.
“Developing clusters will definitely help the industry to grow”
56 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Roundtable
Rahul MehtaPresident, Clothing Manufacturers
Association of India
In the Union Budget 2012–13, the rate of excise duty on polyester fibres & yarns and their raw materials Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) and Mono Ethylene Glycol (MEG) had been raised from 10 per cent to 12 per cent. Synthetic fibre, which is used to make synthetic fabric, is predominantly used by the common man. Levying high tax on synthetic fibre and not on natural fibre, which is ideally consumed by the rich, does not balance the scales. Moreover, nowhere in the world is there any tax bifurcation of natural and man-made fibre. This increase in the production cost at the initial stage of fibre and yarn itself has had far-reaching effects on the entire value chain. The excise duty should be rationalised for fibres along with their raw materials. In turn, this would benefit fibre manufacturers and downstream users, texturisers and weavers. By lowering cost, it will also help revive market sentiments and increase consumption of synthetic fabrics.
Synthetic means man-made. A synthetic fibre is a chain of small units joined together, where each unit is actually a chemical compound. In India, the basic custom duty on cotton fibre (natural fibre) is nil, whereas a basic duty of 10 per cent is levied on man-made fibres. Sweta M Nair seeks answers from industry players as to whether some kind of rationalisation in duties are to enter the scene.
Amit GugnaniSenior Vice President, Fashion – Textile &
Apparel, Technopak Advisors
Currently, there is a differential in duties between cotton textiles and synthetic textiles. Excise duty imposed on cotton textiles (6.2 per cent) is half of that imposed on synthetic textiles (12.4 per cent). With rationalisation of duty on synthetics, the garment industry will be able to procure synthetic fabrics at a lower cost, which will further drive costs down on apparel and retail – benefitting the end consumer. If custom duty differential is removed between cotton and synthetic fibres, the spinning industry will benefit in terms of options of importing man-made fibres and further by reduced domestic prices of synthetic fibres. Indian garment manufacturing has traditionally been more cotton centric, whereas globally, the demand of synthetic products has been on the rise. If the duties were to come down, then the overall manufacturing product basket of India can improve.
Abhijeet AgarwalJoint Managing Director, Shyam Texturisers Pvt Ltd
Excise is a duty payable to the Government of India on the value of the goods manufactured if your annual turnover exceeds ` 1.5 crore. In this tax levy, CENVAT scheme grants credit of duty paid on inputs, capital goods and input services used in/or in relation to the manufacture of final products. Under this scheme, the manufacturer gets credit of duty paid on inputs/capital goods and service tax on input services. To simplify this process, the government has been in talks to bring in Goods and Services Tax, which will unite all the taxes under one roof. This would lead to uniformity considering tax differs from one state to another. This should be brought in soon, and a lower duty slab should be introduced for the same. This will largely level the field between synthetic and natural fibres. Synthetic fibre by cost is cheap, and it has mass production possibility unlike natural fibre. Lower duty will surely widen its reach to more masses.
Many are vying for a fibre-neutral policy for the synthetic fibre industry. Elimination of excise and customs duty on synthetic fibre will enhance the country’s competitive advantage in the international market. To accelerate the industrial growth, the industry is looking forward
to the introduction of the Goods and Service Tax. This will help the polyester industry compete with cotton yarn, which attracts zero duty.
Editorial take:
Will theWill the rationalisationrationalisation of duty forof duty for synthetic fibre helpsynthetic fibre help inin
lowering costs?lowering costs?
Email: sweta.nair@network18publishing.com
58 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Processing prowess
Plastics mainly consists of
different types of materials
such as plastic granules, which
are the main raw material used.
Then there are pigments, which provide
colour to the product and the additives
that give the functional benefit to the
consumer of the end product. All these go
into making a plastic product; hence, their
proper disposal becomes very important.
Shamik Shah, VP – Sales & Marketing,
Monachem Additives Pvt Ltd, says,
“Gujarat has always dominated the growth
for the plastics industry compared to other
states of India because of various reasons.
The most important reason being the
states’ economy, which has shown a gross
domestic product growth rate 2 per cent
higher than the Indian economy. This is
one of the reasons the plastics industry
in Gujarat has also shown higher growth
compared to other states in India.”
Aiming highGlobal demand for plastic products
has not only seen a change in terms
of usage but also facilitated the need
to develop technology that produces
better final products and are in tune
with environmental concerns. This
has positively affected the number of
exporters, manufacturers and suppliers
of plastic and plastic moulding products
in India. Manufacturers of plastic raw
materials such as masterbatches, plastic
resins and plastic compounds are taking
up extensive Research and Development
(R&D) activities to ensure international
quality for their customers.
Like any other raw material used
in the production of plastics, the
masterbatch industry forms an integral
part of the polymer industry and both
are directly linked. Over the years, it has
been seen that the masterbatch market
has grown and so has the number of
players. This growth has helped existing
players to expand and new manufacturers
to establish themselves. “Gujarat, on its
part, has complemented growth avenues
substantially as 62 per cent of the total
polymer production of the country is in
Gujarat. The entrepreneurial nature of
Gujaratis has also played an important
role in new plastics industries coming up,”
avers Shah.
Because of these reasons, Gujarat can
be called as one of the top-most industrial
hubs for the plastics industry in India. In
the future, with many new investments
coming into Gujarat, the forecast is
Gujarat will be one of the top-most
industrial plastic hubs globally.
A fitting business destinationDue to the conducive business
environment in Gujarat compared to
other states, the overall industrial growth
With an established network of India’s leading petrochemical players, Gujarat presents itself as the most profitable destination for polymer and masterbatch manufacturers and suppliers. Anwesh Koley looks into the reasons why the state has seen heavy investments and technological advancements over the years in this field.
RIDING HIGH ON RIDING HIGH ON GROWTH AND GROWTH AND PROFITABILITYPROFITABILITY
60 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Processing prowess
in Gujarat is higher compared to any
other state of India. In addition, there are
several other factors such as new plastics
processing units coming into Gujarat due
to its vision of becoming an automotive
hub. The global masterbatch market is
forecast to reach $ 8.25 billion by the year
2017. “Technology developments that
help impart desired colour and property to
the polymer and simultaneously reduce its
cost are aiding in stimulating the market’s
growth in the medium to long-term
period, given the evolving demand among
end-user industries for high performance
and functional products, according
to Global Industry Analysts. These
advancements in technology and cost-
effectiveness are already percolating into
the Indian market, coupled with increased
awareness and quality standards,” says
Parag Parikh, Partner, Universal Colorant
Company.
R&D initiativesThe polymer industry in the state has a
unique blend of quality and consistency.
“Manufacturers and suppliers offer
innovative solutions to the plastics
industry for improving performance
and reducing costs. Various research and
application development centres currently
work on a lot of new solutions that
improve final product quality and reduce
costs,” adds Shah.
Various other innovative solutions
that the polymer industry in the state
have witnessed are weight reduction in
plastic parts for the automotive sector,
improvement of nucleation properties of
polypropylene & nylon and improving
barrier properties of plastic films. Apart
from standard innovations, additive
companies have been successful in
achieving reduction in loading levels
of flame retardants for highly filled
halogen-free flame retardant compounds
for the wire & cable industry and have
substantially improved the mechanical
properties such as tensile strength,
elongation & impact for polyolefins and
engineering plastics,” says Shah. The key
considerations for polymer manufacturers
that have shown positive results are
reduction in costs at all levels and
improvement in performance.
Growing awareness among consumersPeople are now aware of hazardous chemicals.
The plastics industry is hence using
products that are free of lead and benzene
and are chemically friendly. Although there
are not many manufacturers who produce
such products, people are willing to spend
more for these products. “Since the last two
years, eco-friendly plastic products have
shown a rise in demand of 85–90 per cent,
and Gujarat has been a leading supplier.
R&D in the field of plastics is constantly
going on, and manufacturers are looking
for biodegradable and eco-friendly plastics,”
adds Parikh.
The effect of conventional plastics on
the soil is far more severe as compared to
bioplastics. Besides, biodegradable plastics
have negligible impact on the soil and
thus on the environment. Plastics waste is
a significant portion of the total municipal
solid waste. According to industry
estimates, approximately 10,000 tonne
per day of plastics waste is generated in
the country.
Challenges aheadWhile the polymer industry in the state
has opened up to international standards,
shown resilience in the face of crisis and
pioneered innovative practices, there
are pressing concerns that need to be
addressed. “Currently, one of the biggest
challenges for India’s plastics industry
is the erosion of profit. Recently being
offered to customers for helping them
achieve sustainable and profitable growth
is innovative solutions through plastic
additives that allow them to differentiate
in terms of cost reduction or improvement
in performance,” says Shah.
The customer-oriented approach
adopted by the plastics industry has
always shown positive results. This,
coupled with large-key joint ventures and
influx of foreign investment in the state, is
expected to ensure high profitability and
efficient polymer processing in the years
to come.
Email: anwesh.koley@network18publishing.com
Shamik Shah VP – Sales & Marketing, Monachem Additives Pvt Ltd
Parag ParikhPartner, Universal Colorant Company
Gujarat, on its part, has complemented growth avenues substantially as 62 per cent of the total polymer production of the country is in Gujarat. The entrepreneurial nature of Gujaratis has also played an important role in new plastics industries coming up.
Since the last two years, eco-friendly plastic products have shown a rise in demand of 85–90 per cent, and Gujarat has been a leading supplier. R&D in the fi eld of plastics is constantly going on, and manufacturers are looking for biodegradable and eco-friendly plastics.
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Manufactur ing might
62 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
According to a recent study
conducted by Frost &
Sullivan called ‘Automation
– Catalyzing a Resurgent
Indian Economy’, Indian manufacturing
has come under the spotlight. This is
purely because the government in its bid
to increase manufacturing’s contribution
to the Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) has brought forth the National
Manufacturing Policy (NMP), which
envisages the manufacturing sector’s
contribution to grow to about 25 per
cent by 2022. “Despite challenges, the
organic growth of industries and the
increasing awareness of the importance of
implementing automation solutions have
led to substantial demand for automation
solutions in India. Both control and
automation IT products have witnessed
a spurt in adoption across manufacturing
sectors in India, over the five years,”
reveals the report.
Optimising processMany different types of robots are used
in the plastics processing industry. These
robots are completely optimised to the
particular requirements of this industry in
terms of working range, operating volume,
minimised floor space, weight and speed.
The most common being articulated-arm
robots, one of the effective solutions for
the plastics processing industry. However,
the choice of a robot is determined less
by the payload and more by the reach.
The types of installation options for
integrating industrial robots to do a
specific production task are many, but
ultimately the solution will be a perfect
partnership between machine and robot.
Because high productivity, speed,
accuracy, cleanliness and dexterity are
areas where automation can provide
considerable advantage, processors are
paying more attention to this segment.
Avinash Wakchaure, Maintenance
Manager, Plastics Division – Gujarat
Plant, Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd,
says, “When referring to plastics, at Tata
AutoComp, we are into the manufacturing
of auto-components for exterior and
interior applications. Because each
component varies in weight from 3 to 5
kg, robots help us reduce cycle time by
20–25 per cent. Earlier, when industrial
robots were not used, human operators
had to open the doors of moulds, remove
the formed component and fix it manually.
With robots, the pick-up and drop activity
has significantly increased productivity
and limited human intervention. The
application of industrial robots has also
Efficient application of automation is helping processors world over to meet the changing needs of the industry and business environment. The evolution of automation in the Indian plastics processing industry is however not at par with the international adoption of these techniques. Sweta M Nair looks for answers to advancements in processing technology and how the Indian scenario is shaping up in the light of global competition.
Courtesy: KUKA Robotics
IN PURSUIT OF IN PURSUIT OF AUTOMATIONAUTOMATION
64 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Manufactur ing might
helped scale up productivity.” Further,
the use of intelligent software programs
reduces and makes efficient use of non-
productive time that previously went
unused. Related to the processing stage,
robots find applications in high-speed
de-moulding, insert loading, semi-
processed component transfer between
cavities and injection machines, in-mould
decoration or labelling, off-machine
complementary component assembly
operations during or downstream from
injection cycle, gluing/sealing processes,
parts’ control operations within the
cycle time of the injection moulding
machine and product packaging after
manufacturing.
Specific applicationsSuperior quality, less waste, greater
repeatability per cycle and greater
productivity are results of efficient product
management. High-speed automation
can support statistical process control
and adapt just-in-time manufacturing
techniques leading the way of continuous
improvement. This gives processors the
competitive advantage required in today’s
plastics market. Although there are many,
one technical advantage of using robots
in plastics processing is that it contributes
significantly in reducing cycle time.
Across an extensive range of products, the
commonly used industrial robot-arms are
characterised by compact size, broad work
envelopes, high speed, precision, resistance
to all types of environments and, above
all, the flexibility to adapt to the greatest
number of tasks.
Because the processing of plastics is
not a one-step process, the inclusion of
automation can increase production. To
begin, sprue pickers, robots that quickly
and precisely remove sprues and parts from
injection moulding machines, are getting
their fair share of acknowledgement in this
industry. Pneumatic robots are designed
for precise insert and removal jobs with
fast movements and minimum vibration.
Other types of servo robots, such as three-
axis, side-entry, stack moulds or camp end
discharge, provide flexible automation for
current and future requirements. Further,
to address precision injection moulding
automation for small to large payloads,
several electric servo-driven articulating
robots have been designed. For processors
looking at deriving maximum reliability,
gantry robots have been designed for
precision, high-speed operation and
user-friendly setup. Talking about his
company’s latest offerings for the plastics
processing industry, Guru Prasad, Senior
Manager – Sales, KUKA Robotics (India)
Pvt Ltd, says, “We cater to three major
applications such as de-moulding, ultra-
sonic welding and cutting/trimming. Our
recently launched series of robots called
QUANTEC K has an extensive range
of models, comprising 11 basic robot
types. The QUANTEC K series ensures
that there is a perfectly suited robot
for every customer-specific application.
For the first time, a single robot family
covers the entire high payload range
from 90 to 270 kg, with reaches from
2,900 to 3,900 mm. The shelf-mounted
robots of the QUANTEC K series make
automation easier in the plastics industry,
with maximum flexibility in the system
planning and design phase, reduced
conception and design work and greater
planning security. With the latest state-
of-the-art drive technology and the new
KR C4 controller, the QUANTEC K
robots achieve up to 25 per cent shorter
unloading times and up to 30 per cent less
energy consumption.”
Impending implicationsA decade back, the major deterrent
of using robotics was price, but now
processors are realising the benefits
of using versatile robots. The usage of
industrial robots in the Indian plastics
processing industry is still at a nascent
stage. However, the major development
in the robotics segment is that they are
becoming slimmer and the controller
systems are becoming less complicated.
Investing in intelligent automation and
control systems to optimise manufacturing
and monitor plant operation is the way
forward for the Indian plastics processing
industry.
Email: sweta.nair@network18publishing.com
Avinash WakchaureMaintenance Manager, Plastics Division – Gujarat Plant, Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd
When industrial robots were not used, human operators had to open the doors of moulds, remove the formed component and fi x it manually. With robots, the pick-up and drop activity has signifi cantly increased productivity and limited human intervention.
Guru PrasadSenior Manager – Sales, KUKA Robotics (India) Pvt Ltd
The QUANTEC K series ensures that there is a perfectly suited robot for every customer-specifi c application. For the fi rst time, a single robot family covers the entire high payload range from 90 to 270 kg, with reaches from 2,900 to 3,900 mm.
66 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Infrastructure edge
The plastics industry in
Gujarat has made significant
achievements ever since
its modest but promising
beginning after commencing production
of polystyrene about four decades
ago. The plastics processing sector in
India comprises about 30,000 units, of
which Gujarat accounts for over 6,100
micro, small and medium scale units,
thus contributing to about one-fifth
of the total number of units in the
country. These units are involved in
producing a variety of items through
injection moulding, blow moulding,
extrusion and calendaring. India, in
general, and Gujarat, in particular,
possess the necessary technical skills
to produce high-quality plastic goods,
required machinery, efficient moulds
and dies. In view of versatility of
operations and low-cost production, the
state has been ideally suited to serve as
a sourcing base.
Steps towards realising a dreamThe per capita consumption of plastics
in India is only 6 kg as against 30 kg in
China and 80 kg in developed economies.
Gujarat’s per capita consumption is 8 kg.
With growing per capita income and a
favourable demographic profile, demand
for plastics in India and in Gujarat is
expected to show strong growth.
Further, a vast potential lies for the
development of the plastics processing
industry, as at present, the per capita
Encouraging investments and providing a favourable business environment have propelled Gujarat to emerge as the prime industrial hub in the country. Over the years, manufacturers have found it increasingly conducive to start businesses in the state due to a variety of factors. Anwesh Koley tracks the various reasons why Gujarat has gained that quintessential edge over other states.
EXPANDING THE EXPANDING THE BUSINESS HORIZONBUSINESS HORIZON
68 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Infrastructure edge
consumption of plastics is only 0.7 kg
compared to the world average of 11 kg.
The capacities built in most segments
of this industry coupled with inherent
capabilities have made us capable of
servicing the overseas markets. Vivek
Kothari, Director, Shako Flexipack
Pvt Ltd, says, “Major international
companies from various segments
of industry, including automobiles,
electronics, communication, food
processing and packaging, have set
up large manufacturing plants in the
country and have helped to develop the
market. India is emerging as one of the
fastest growing markets and is expected
to grow by 12 to 15 per cent in the
coming years.”
Because of this potential offered by
the Gujarat market, entrepreneurs in the
state are motivated to acquire technical
expertise, achieve high quality standards
and build production capacities in
various facets of the thriving plastics
industry. Commendable developments
in the plastics machinery sector coupled
with similar developments in the
petrochemical sector have facilitated
plastics processors to build capacities
to service both domestic and overseas
markets. Both of these support the
plastics processing industry.
The availability of polymer raw
materials has also played a pivotal role in
the growth of this industry. “In addition
to meeting the indigenous requirement
of polymers, the state is the net exporter
of certain polymers besides the finished
goods. The export of plastic products
has been identified as a thrust area, and
entrepreneurs in the state are gearing
themselves to capture the market abroad
with greater dynamism and sincerity,”
avers Kothari. The export of plastic
articles has thus increased in the last few
years at the rate of about 20 per cent.
Riding high on reformsThe economic reforms launched in
1991 across the country have been a
boon for the industrial development
of Gujarat. “While the state already
enjoyed geographical advantages in
terms of procurement and dispatch of
goods, the reforms added further fillip
to the plastics industry in Gujarat. Joint
ventures, foreign investments, easier
access to technology from developed
countries and many more advancements
have opened up new vistas to further
facilitate the growth of this industry,”
opines Kothari.
While continual developments in
the plastics industry in the state have
shown fruitful results, there remains a
concern for the environmental impact
which is often the bi-product of
industrial growth. “Conventional plastic
and synthetic polymers are persistent in
the environment. Therefore, improperly
disposed plastic materials are often
a significant source of environment
pollution. This has resulted in mounting
worldwide concern over the increasing use
of plastics and has initiated an important
drive for development of biodegradable
plastics,” says Kothari. Various Research
& Development (R&D) activities on
biodegradable polymers have identified
these areas of concern, and remedial
measures have taken momentum. The
industry has shown eagerness to join
hands with R&D institutions to augment
research activity in this important area of
technology to save the environment and
keep it cleaner and greener.
Taking advantage of liberalisation,
the Indian petrochemical industry
invested approximately ` 350 billion in
the 1990s, raising the domestic polymer
capacity from less than 0.5 million
metric tonne in 1990 to 4.2 million
metric tonne in 2000–01. Gujarat
has been on the forefront in realising
its potential and leading the way for
petrochemical expansion. Over the years,
the main polymer production capacities
have come up in the western part of
India – in Gujarat and Maharashtra
(Reliance Industries Ltd & India Power
Corporation Ltd) – though there are
production facilities in other parts of
the country as well, such as Haldia
Petrochemicals Ltd in the east, GAIL in
the north and Chemplast in the south.
Reaffirming commitment towards growthGlobalisation of the economy and
the enhanced role of the market over
the years have the potential to offer
greater opportunities for the plastics
industry. Gujarat has a tradition of
regional specialisation in industries
such as chemical, petrochemicals and
pharma within the large scale sectors.
This, coupled with the continuous
impetus from the government, is
expected to further attract international
presence. “The long-term development
perspective of the industries present
in the state needs to take advantage of
the regional potential that exists. While
integration of world markets offers
opportunities, it demands safeguards to
minimise negative externalities and to
protect the interests of the poor and
backward sections of the population.
This is more relevant in the case of
Gujarat. It requires the need to have
a long-term perspective so that the
economy could develop policies for the
desired direction,” feels Kothari.
Email: anwesh.koley@network18publishing.com
Vivek KothariDirector, Shako Flexipack Pvt Ltd
Major international companies from various segments of industry, including automobiles, electronics, communication, food processing and packaging, have set up large manufacturing plants in the country and have helped to develop the market.
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72 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Trade pol icy
By assuming a pivotal role in
the changing economics of the
country, Gujarat today houses
an impressive industrial belt
including a hub of petrochemical industries
that make the state a major contributor
to the national economy. To factor the
state’s advancements, the state’s governing
institutions are creating and maintaining
progress-friendly policies that promote
its strategic growth. Most policies ideally
identify a niche and then provide tailor-
made incentives and assistance. While
promoting entrepreneurship in SMEs, the
state is looking at inviting and facilitating
greater investment.
According to the Annual Survey
of Industry (ASI) 2009–10, conducted
With its eye on achieving high growth in the industrial and infrastructure sectors, Gujarat in recent years has been focussing on formulating long and short-term trade policies. After the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2013, Sweta M Nair delves deeper to find what is in store for the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) of the plastics industry that have already made this state their home and what does the industry think of the state’s prevailing trade policies.
‘DOING RIGHT’‘DOING RIGHT’‘COULD DO BETTER’‘COULD DO BETTER’
What Gujarat isWhat Gujarat is yetyet
by the Central Statistical Organization
(CSO) under Ministry of Statistics and
Program Implementation, Government
of India, Gujarat is the most industrially
developed Indian state with regard to
industrial investment, value of production
and value addition in the industrial
sector. Owing to its broad industrial
base, the industrial development in the
state at present is not confined only to
major cities.
Congenial settingsFor the plastics industry specifically, the
discovery of oil and gas in Gujarat has
played an important role in setting up
of petroleum refineries, fertiliser plants
and petrochemical companies. At the
same time, the inception of the Gujarat
Industrial Development Corporation
(GIDC) led to the establishment of
industrial estates that provided developed
plots and ready built-up sheds for the
plastics industry. “Moreover, surplus power,
excellent law & order situation, well-kept
ports for exports and availability of land
in plastic parks with infrastructure &
single window clearance at very affordable
prices helped the Government of Gujarat
(GoG) create a fantastic environment for
the plastics business. The All India Plastic
Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA) has
signed a memorandum of understanding
with the GoG to create plastic parks at
Dahej and Sanand. The GoG should
support the Association to run common
facility centres in cooperation with stake
holders in plastic parks,” shares Jayesh
Khimji Rambhia, Managing Director,
Premsons Plastics Pvt Ltd and Chairman,
Plastic Parks & Projects, AIPMA.
The development of infrastructure,
such as power, roads, ports, water supply
and so on, and the introduction of
business-friendly regulatory trade norms
have helped the plastics industry thrive
in the state’s environment. “Gujarat is
a golden destination, and it is the most
industrialised state with more than
38 per cent gross domestic product. It
comprises 55 special economic zones, 41
ports and 83 industrial clusters. The state
contributes about 16 per cent of India’s
74 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Trade pol icy
Jayesh Khimji RambhiaManaging Director, Premsons Plastics Pvt Ltd and Chairman, Plastic Parks & Projects, AIPMA
The minimum land allocated by GoG in plastic parks is 1 acre. Ideally, it should be revised to 5 acre to even smaller pieces of land ranging 250/500/1,000 sq ft area.
Pinakin ShahPresident, GSPMA
Policies on intelligent manufacturing, enhanced design capabilities, conformation to international standards in production, effective energy management and profi cient supply chain management need to be formulated.
industrial production, and it is home
to some of the biggest petrochemical
companies. In line with the government’s
proactive policy, Gujarat has emerged
as a hub of the petrochemicals industry,
contributing to more than 62 per cent
of India’s petrochemicals and 65 per
cent of India’s plastics,” shares Pinakin
Shah, President, Gujarat State Plastic
Manufacturers’ Association (GSPMA).
Conducive attitudeWhile addressing the issue of framing
strategic policy at the Vibrant Gujarat
Summit 2013, Narendra Modi, Chief
Minister, Gujarat, spoke about the need
of having more focus on need-based skill
development, technological up-gradation
and research in the SME sector to
successfully compete in the global market.
He acknowledged the employment
creation ability of Indian SMEs and the
need to raise them to the next level of
quality and credibility, in ancillary industry
or as clusters. With the renewed thrust
on development of the Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the
Minister shared his views on reaching out
to the smallest of the industries across the
state so as to provide opportunities that
will help them take their business to the
next level.
Many of the state’s trade regulatory
norms fall in line with its new Industrial
Policy 2009, where emphasis is placed
on facilitation of investment in the state,
employment generation and employability
enhancement and adherence to high
quality standards. By promoting excellence
in production of high quality standards,
the policy aims at promoting the ‘Made in
Gujarat’ line. In Rambhia’s views, since the
plastics industry is dominated by MSMEs,
the GoG should bring in policies that
will largely take care of the interest of
this segment. He says, “Currently, the
minimum land allocated by GoG in plastic
parks is 1 acre. Ideally, it should be revised
to 5 acre to even smaller pieces of land
ranging 250/500/1000 sq ft area. Smaller
units would be useful for service providers
such as accountants, lawyers, electricians,
plumbers, motor-rewinders, fabricators,
screen printers, labour contractors, box-
makers, hardware suppliers etc. These
entities will make it easy to run companies
in remote locations. It will also increase
number of beneficiaries of plastic parks
where even small entrepreneurs can
reap benefits.”
Important iterationsAlong with cluster development
approach in the New Industrial Policy,
the scheme would focus on harder
interventions such as creation of cluster-
specific common infrastructure and
facilities, incubation centre, Common
Facility Centre (CFC), Industrial
Training Institute (ITI) extension centre
and other need-based facilities. In a way,
this would also encourage stakeholders to
participate in public–private partnership
initiatives to compete globally. In
order to promote the use of renewable
and environment-friendly sources of
energy, the state aspires to set up power
generation capacity of about 500 MW
through various solar technologies. “To
remain competitive in price and quality
with China, reducing the power tariff
for the plastics industry is important,”
believes Rambhia. He adds, “Plastics as
an industry sector enables major sectors
of the economy such as agriculture,
automobile, infrastructure, healthcare,
packaging and so on. All benefits
extended to the textile, food processing
and leather industries should also be
extended to the plastics sector.”
To control problems of volatile prices,
erratic supply of raw materials, lack of
sufficient & skilled manpower, high
excise duty, lack of organised solid waste
management etc need to be addressed
immediately by way of efficient governing.
“For the plastics industry in Gujarat
to be globally competitive, policies on
intelligent manufacturing, enhanced
design capabilities, conformation to
international standards in production,
effective energy management and
proficient supply chain management need
to be formulated with proper investment
incentives,” believes Shah.
Email: sweta.nair@network18publishing.com
76 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
PLASTICS @ GUJARAT: Human resource development
Gujarat is one of the leading
industrialised states of
India. It boasts of several
multinational corporations,
large private sector companies, strong
public sector enterprises and a large
number of small and medium scale units
in the plastics segment. In addition, the
future of the plastics industry appears
bright, as statistics show that per person
consumption of plastics has increased
significantly in recent times. Further,
Gujarat produces more than 60 per
cent of hydrocarbons, which is higher
than that produced in any other state
of the country. Moreover, the plastics
processing industry in Gujarat has a great
potential for global business. Thus, with
automobile, packaging and infrastructure
sectors booming, the plastics industry in
Gujarat will witness tremendous growth
and profitable operations.
Need for skill developmentIn order to support the growth of the
plastics industry in the state, several
factors have to be kept in mind. One
of the important factors is nurturing
professionals and empowering workforce
in the segment as this is necessary to
increase business and meet the global
quality standards. K M Shah, Managing
Director, NU-VU Conair Pvt Ltd,
notes, “Technology upgradation, be it
in the mechanical or electrical aspects
of plastics processing, is continuously
happening, and if you are not aware of
these changes, then your end product
may not be of global standards. Thus,
in such a case, it is essential to train
the workforce and to make them aware
about such changes and thus enhance
their productivity.”
Skills and knowledge are the driving
forces of economic and industrial growth
of any state or country. Countries and
states with higher and better levels of skills
adjust more effectively to the challenges
and opportunities faced by the industries.
As Gujarat moves progressively towards
becoming a ‘knowledge economy’, it
becomes increasingly important that
the state should focus on advancement
of skills for the advancement of the
plastics industry. Thus, the need to
focus on developing skilled manpower
is extremely important, and it is for the
same reason that institutes such as Indian
Plastics Institute (IPI), Central Institute
of Plastics Engineering & Technology
(CIPET), Plastindia Academy of
Technology and Management at Vapi etc
have been set up in the state.
Tushar Parikh, Vice Chairman, IPI
– Ahmedabad Chapter & Director,
Neoplast Engineering Pvt Ltd, notes,
“Skilled manpower is the demand of
every industry, and the plastics industry
is no exception. Today, with the way
companies are expanding and employing
new technologies, the demand for skilled
manpower is increasing. However, it is
a common fact that skilled manpower
With the plastics industry expanding its horizon in the country, there is a need of nurturing professionals and empowering workforce to meet global standards and provide a boost to the industry. Gujarat has ensured this by setting up several educational institutions to develop skilled workforce to strengthen its stand in the plastics segment. Avani Jain highlights the steps taken by industries and institutes in the state in this regard.
SKILL BUILDING SKILL BUILDING FOR GLOBAL FOR GLOBAL COMPETENCECOMPETENCE
78 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Human resource development
is a scarce resource. Thus, investing in
human capital is an important step, and
an effective way to achieve this is through
industry–academia collaboration.”
He adds, “In the plastics industry,
all production processes require skilled
engineers and the high-grade machines
require skilled operators. In addition, the
companies need an efficient workforce
for marketing. Thus, through training
institutes, the industry can actually train
students to meet their requirements.”
Industry–academia collaborationIndustry–academia collaboration in the
state has offered several benefits to both
the parties in the past and has the potential
to do so in the future as well. With regard
to the plastics & polymers industry,
the industry can reap many benefits
through collaboration, such as reduced
costs, increase in knowledge and greater
marketing power as well as availability of
skilled human capital, which is the need
of the hour for the industry. Moreover,
the industry in Gujarat generally faces
substantial shortage of research talent
with the requisite skill set and experience
in advanced analytical research; however,
this collaboration will help the industry in
this aspect also. Thus, industry–academia
collaboration can serve as a strategy
for ensuring success and growth of the
plastics & polymers industry in Gujarat.
Role of institutesInstitutes also have a major role to play
in providing a boost to the plastics
industry in the state. Plastics institutes
should send out their researchers on a
deputation basis to companies to work in
their laboratories to gain experience on
new equipment and processes. Institutes
should also welcome technical staff
from the industry to interact with their
students so as to foster closer relationships
and encourage more industry-focussed
collaborations. The various plastics
institutes in the state have adopted few of
the above-mentioned steps to strengthen
industry–academia collaboration.
Parikh avers, “IPI acts as a link
between academia and industry. We invite
companies for campus placements and
while organising workshops for students.
Even technical experts are invited to
deliver guest lectures on technical and
specialised subjects. We organise one
technical seminar every year.”
These days, the institutes also
provide on-the-job training to students.
Shah notes, “Various training institutes
such as CIPET, Indo–German Tool
Room, IPI etc have laboratories and are
well equipped with all the instruments,
so the students can learn how to operate
the machines and learn about the
production process. Further, practical
knowledge is very important to sustain
in the market.”
Thus, the private sector needs to
be open to collaboration with these
institutes, as the industry gets immediate
benefits in terms of more profits and
trained manpower, while students get
the benefit of seeing their ideas work
and will get encouraged. Through this,
institutes can also be assured of regular
fund supply and required practical
exposure.
Gauging the futureThus, keeping in mind the increased
industry–academia collaborations taking
place in the plastics segment in the state,
nurturing professionals and empowering
workforce so as to meet global standards
seem an easy task. It can be seen that
Gujarat is investing steadily in higher
education and research infrastructure.
The state has both private and public
universities. While the government
supports public universities, various
bodies and societies support private
universities. In addition, Gujarat is home
to numerous research organisations and
educational institutions, which directly or
indirectly provide educational and career
opportunities in the field of plastics
engineering and technology. Thus, these
steps taken in Gujarat to develop skilled
manpower could be taken by institutes,
organisations and governments in other
states as well so as to meet global quality
standards.
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
K M ShahManaging Director, NU-VU Conair Pvt Ltd
Tushar ParikhVice Chairman, IPI – Ahmedabad Chapter & Director, Neoplast Engineering Pvt Ltd
Technology upgradation, be it in the mechanical or electrical aspects of plastics processing, is continuously happening, and if you are not aware of these changes, then your end product may not be of global standards.
Skilled manpower is the demand of every industry, and the plastics industry is no exception. Today, with the way companies are expanding and employing new technologies, the demand for skilled manpower is increasing.
81March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
SPECIAL FOCUS
Dies & Moulds
81March 2012 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Dies and moulds:
Efficient moulds for increased productivity ............................................................................................ 82
Multi-functional component tooling:
Making the cut! ....................................................................................................................................... 84
Interface: Saranjit Singh, Proprietor, Bamra Engineering Works ........................................................ 86
Roundtable:
Do Indian processors have the right software to reduce mould change time? ...................................... 88
81March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
82 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
SPECIAL FOCUS: Dies and moulds
Specialised equipment are used in the plastics industry, and these require highly efficient moulds to work in harmony to produce the final plastic product. Anwesh Koley looks into the various advancements witnessed by this industry and the issues that need immediate attention.
Over the years, die and
mould makers in
India have recorded
transformational and
high all-round market growth.
Today, these makers can compete
globally. The main issue in Indian
tool rooms is shortage of capacities,
which is met through imports by
Original Equipment Manufacturers
(OEMS). The industry has shown
consistency in improving its tooling
requirements through better liasioning
and partnership with OEMs, seeking
their support in reinforcing their
commitments to increase domestic
production. With their support and
commitment, Indian tool rooms have
the potential to venture into expansion
activities with confidence and make
large amount of investments. The
advantage of this industry is its ability
to remain capital intensive. G S
Kochhar, Managing Director, Precision
Moulds and Dies, says, “Large-scale
growth in
manufacturing capacity will be needed
to meet the demands of a large number
of OEMs desiring to make India
their global manufacturing hub. The
tooling market’s growth is estimated
to grow at 20 per cent. With OEMs
desiring to develop domestic tooling
manufacturing, we can foresee rapid
manufacturing growth of tooling.”
Meeting international standardsWith the global trend towards faster
processing equipment and higher
accuracy in terms of production,
manufacturers across the country
have adopted technologies that help
achieve higher levels of innovation
and end-user satisfaction. Major
processing techniques, such as
injection moulding, blow moulding
and extrusion, warrant the use of
complex end-to-end systems for
individual units for the automotive,
electronics, household goods and
medical industries. This requires the
use of customised moulding systems
that complement the effective
functioning of equipment.
Each process requires reliable
conveying as well as dosing and mixing
systems for high-volume production.
Srikanth Padmanabhan, Managing
Director, Motan-Colortronic Plastics
Machinery (India) Pvt Ltd, says,
“Individual extrusion systems require
high-precision structures that deliver
consistency for the continuous
production of films, cables, pipes
and profiles. Raw materials and
masterbatches require accurate dosing
and mixing systems for continuous
production.”
Mould protectionManufacturers have been developing
systems to protect injection moulds
that record the force path on mould
closing. A control curve can be
EFFICIENT EFFICIENT MOULDS FOR MOULDS FOR INCREASEDINCREASEDPRODUCTIVITYPRODUCTIVITY
Courtesy: Condor Tools
Courtesy: Solid Carbide Tools
83March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
D ies and moulds
applied to this saved master curve at
a freely adjustable axial distance. If
the force path as currently measured
intersects the control curve during the
closing movement (eg a part is caught
in the parting line), the machine will
stop the closing movement. Compared
to conventional mould protection
systems, these systems are reliable even at
maximum mould closing speeds, thus the
shortest mould movement times will be
achieved. The system not only provides
positive protection for injection moulds
but also reduces cycle time, with the result
that efficiency of production increases.
The moulding sector has witnessed
several innovations over the years as
manufacturers have had to adapt to
changes according to growing customer
needs. Companies are seeing much
innovation in the field of plastic moulding.
“There is a large scope in the field of
injection moulding machines, as there is
a major segment in the plastics industry
that wants to switch over from basic
manual injection moulding machines to
modern programmable logic controllers
with advanced hydraulics and energy-
saving machines,” says Kochhar.
Today, there is more emphasis on the
energy-efficient, maintenance-free and
high-responsive machines. The machines
are now fitted with servo motor-driven
pump in place of normal induction motor,
which saves energy of 20–60 per cent, and
this depends on the cycle time and other
conditions. “Also, due to the availability of
advanced hydraulics and energy-efficient
solutions, the hydraulic clamping machine,
with low maintenance and long life, is more
adopted as compared to the toggle-type
clamping machine,” adds Padmanabhan.
Right tooling techniquesTooling is an essential element of near
net shape manufacturing processes such
as injection moulding and die casting,
where it may account for over 25 per cent
of the total product cost and development
time, especially when order quantity is
small. “Development of rapid and low
cost tooling, combined with a scientific
approach to mould cost estimation and
control, has therefore become essential.
Cost drivers include the geometric
features of cavity and core, managed
by analytical cost estimation approach
to estimate the basic mould cost. Cost
modifiers include tooling parameters such
as parting line, presence of side cores,
surface texture, ejector mechanism and
die material, contributing to the total
mould cost,” adds Kochhar.
The methodology has been
implemented and tested using numerous
industrial examples globally. The average
deviation was 0.40 per cent, with mould
manufacturers relying on independent
efficiency-enhancement measures
according to specific market requirements.
The model is flexible and can be easily
implemented for estimating the cost of a
variety of moulds and dies by customising
the cost modifiers using the quality
function deployment approach.
Industry concernsThe die and mould sector seems to grow
and adapt according to changing market
needs. However, there are issues that
concern the sector. “Prices of polymers
have gone up drastically since they use
a petroleum base. Energy and labour
costs have also gone up substantially.
The challenge of the plastics processing
industry has been to manage these steep
cost increases without the same degree of
increase in sales prices and sharp drop in
margins,” laments Padmanabhan.
The measures taken by the industry
to cope with these shortcomings are to
lower input resources (eg energy and
space). Manufacturers are coming up with
equipment that have higher productivity
and consume lesser space within the
plant. Another important measure is to
reduce waste (eg operational rejections,
waste heat and spillage). Apart from
technical requirements, a major problem
is the availability of skilled work force.
Companies are working on strengthening
skill levels by rigorous training and
educational measures. All these measures
are expected to go a long way in improving
the overall quality of products.
Email: anwesh.koley@network18publishing.com
G S KochharManaging Director, Precision Moulds and Dies
Large-scale growth in manufacturing capacity will be needed to meet the demands of a large number of OEMs desiring to make India their global manufacturing hub.
Srikanth Padmanabhan Managing Director, Motan-Colortronic Plastics Machinery (India) Pvt Ltd
Individual extrusion systems require high-precision structures that deliver consistency for the continuous production of fi lms, cables, pipes and profi les. Raw materials and masterbatches require accurate dosing and mixing systems for continuous production.
SPECIAL FOCUS: Mult i - funct ional component tool ing
84 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Usage of dies and moulds for high-performance plastics has been increasing in various industry segments. With construction, household appliances, automobile and other industries having a great demand for plastics, the market for multi-functional component tooling is broadening. Sweta M Nair finds out that although the scope of this segment is still unknown, its potential in the Indian plastics industry is huge.
The applications of plastic
products are extensive, which
provides a broad market for
plastic moulds. The overall
market trend in the mould industry is
smooth and progressive. In the future
mould market, the growth rate of
plastic moulds will be higher than other
moulds. Large-scale, high-precision,
multi-functional composite moulds are
being favoured. The trend towards multi-
functional component tooling is gradually
gaining steam.
Significant rolePopularly known as modular tools,
multi-functional component tools are
mechanical assemblies that can be utilised
for more than two functions and usually
involves a marginal variation in the end
product. In some instances, this concept
can be extended to more complex profiles
of the end components. However, the
similarities between the end components
take into consideration either the
volume or area of the component. “The
advantages of these multi-functional
component tools are many. Reduced cost,
reduced maintenance, reduced footprint
of the in-house inventory of tools, quick
change of inserts and low downtime
during maintenance are some of the clear
benefits,” says Vineet Seth, Managing
Director – India & Middle East, Delcam
Plc, UK. Providing an example, he adds,
“A mould base can be generalised to
house various modular inserts, such that
given a certain volume of material, at
least three or more different components
can be moulded using a common mould
base. Here, the ejection system is planned
in such a way that it is optimal for the
ejection of all the components that will be
moulded. In addition, the cooling system
is planned in a way to accommodate the
changes of all components involved.”
Because quick change of inserts is
possible in multi-functional component
tools, cycle times are significantly shorter,
which is good news for moulders.
Further, to some extent, the setting up
of the machine is simpler and faster.
With operations simplified and assembly
effort reduced, moulders can be assured
of quality and enhanced reproducibility.
This versatility that multi-functional
component tools offers results in less floor
space and, in some cases, lower energy
consumption.
Latest developmentsThe competitive market in the global
plastics industry is compelling moulders
to explore ways that can help them achieve
the maximum in shorter time. One way
to maximise press uptime in such an
environment is to implement faster, more
effective mould changes. Talking about
the latest developments taking place in
the multi-functional component tooling
space, Seth adds, “This technology holds
a large scope for development but is not
widely researched. However, mechanisms
to house inserts, to enable a quick change
and to optimise the runner and cooling
system in modular moulds are currently
being explored. There is also a paradigm
shift in the concepts that define a typical
mould base. There is a clear shift to use
tougher case-hardened steels because
of the expected longer life cycle of the
modular tool. Angular and profiled
guideways for a quick replacement of
inserts coupled with hardened wedges to
lock the inserts in place are other avenues
of interest.”
When moulds for plastics products
are designed, considerable care is taken
to make sure the location of the ejectors
does not disturb the proper stripping
from the core. The visual appearance
of the products can be considerably
influenced by selecting suitable ejector
components. It is important that the
mould performance becomes even more
reliable and production improves. In
CUT!THETHEMAKING
Mult i - funct ional component tool ing
85March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
multi-functional component tooling, adjustable ejection and
location pins among others are the areas in which continued
developments are taking place. “There are also challenges
in maintaining accuracy on medium and large size mould
bases – especially considering the mass production processes;
however, new-age steels and optimal hardening processes
ensure that these inaccuracies are under control. With additive
manufacturing being researched in many universities around the
world, one of the challenges of optimal cooling design is being
addressed with the help of conformal cooling channels that
can be built ground up. I believe the additive manufacturing
research area will add a lot of value to
multi-functional component tooling. For
example, a homogeneous mixture of metal
with varied tensile strength is likely to
increase the life of the tooling. Internal
bearing structures built up with graphite
particles will help reduce friction in guide
pins and other moving parts,” informs Seth.
Scope in India An overbearing population stretching the
demands of manufacturing is the primary
growth driver in any segment. The same
applies for multi-functional component tools,
where its scope is tremendous due to the
sheer demand. Simultaneously, hardware and
software programs are being developed to
enable advanced control. With regard to this,
Seth informs, “Delcam’s unique tribrid modelling and assembly
software PowerSHAPE Pro is continually being enhanced to aid the
quick design of custom tooling, which includes the rapid creation
of user-defined mould base assemblies and tooling components.
The fully parametric design enables quick change across tooling
design quickly and efficiently.” Thus, in India, moulders cater to
quite a lot of low volume high-precision components that will
actually make the use of multi-functional component tooling more
suitably productive instead of individual toolsets for every low
volume component.
Email: sweta.nair@network18publishing.com
Vineet SethManaging Director – India & Middle East, Delcam Plc, UK
The additive manufacturing research area will add a lot of value to multi-functional component tooling. For example, a homogeneous mixture of metal with varied tensile strength is likely to increase the life of the tooling.
86 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
SPECIAL FOCUS: Inter face - Saranj i t S ingh
Tell us about the latest trends in the die and mould industry in India.The die and mould-making industry
of India is venturing into many new
sectors, such as the aerospace sector,
to boost growth. The rising demand
for commercial aircraft along with
investments by the Centre will further
boost the presence of die and mould
manufacturers. It is believed that
technology advancement becomes
possible only when end applications of
moulding technologies boost and expand
their horizons.
Over the years, the Indian mould-
making industry is witnessing a steady
growth path due to the reason that dies
and moulds are probably used in every
industry. In the recent times, the demand
for high-precision die and mould
components has witnessed a significant
jump. At present, it is important that
the Indian mould manufacturers develop
designs that are more accurate and
raise profitability. Previously, Indian
firms mainly focussed on conventional
customers such as automobile, heavy
engineering etc, but the rising demand
from the aviation sector has lead to
advancement in technology.
Which sectors benefit the most from efficient tooling?The motor vehicle industry is the major
end user of tools and dies. Like all auto
suppliers, tool and die makers have been
adversely affected by the downturn in the
motor vehicle market since 2007. The
production of cars and light trucks fell by
31 per cent between 2006 and 2010 in the
US, which was one of the steepest declines
in decades. This had an immediate impact
on suppliers such as tool and die makers.
When motor vehicle manufacturers cut
back on design changes and reduce new
model introductions, they need far fewer
tools, dies and moulds.
Since the trough of the recession
in 2009, the domestic motor vehicle
industry has recovered, with Indian-
made car and light truck production
increasing by over 50 per cent from 2009
to 2011. It is important to note that
during the downturn, the die and mould
sector was busy all through with Original
Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
focussing on introduction of new models.
Today, with the boom of the auto sector,
OEMs are more keen on meeting
the market demands by focussing on
manufacturing in their plants. However,
this boom will generate new tooling
business and increase the demand for
new and sophisticated moulds.
How has the Indian die and mould market evolved over the years?The market for dies and moulds in
India is fairing quite well due to heavy
domestic demand. However, the best
quality moulds are still imported from
European countries. For the past decade
or so, mould manufacturers in India have
started developing indigenous technology
that reduces their dependence on imports.
However, processing units consider
imported moulds to be of better quality.
Mould manufacturers in India face
a lot of problems in terms of logistics
and procurement of parts. In European
countries, mould manufacturers have
developed clusters through which they
can procure all their requirements from
a limited geographical area. This reduces
cost of transportation and the overall
price of the final product. Till date, we
have to manufacture all the required parts
ourselves, which reduces delivery time
and affects the payment cycle.
What is the way ahead for die and mould manufacturers in India?With the help of automated conveying,
blending and gravimetric loss-in-weight
extrusion process control systems, one
can ensure production quality with
consistency. Creating awareness among
the key industry segments is also a big
challenge as many consumers still hold
onto the myth that process automation
is the luxury of large organisations.
Mould manufacturers in India need to
take advantage of automation solutions to
enhance productivity. Cost comparisons
consider labour cost saving, whereas the
fact is that process automation is the
way forward in quality and productivity
enhancement with better management
control over key processing inputs.
Email: anwesh.koley@network18publishing.com
…avers Saranjit Singh, Proprietor, Bamra Engineering Works. In an interaction with Anwesh Koley, he highlights the importance of efficient moulding solutions for the Indian plastics sector and the various challenges that need to be addressed in the years to come.
“Mould manufacturers in India need to take advantage of automation solutions to enhance productivity”
SPECIAL FOCUS: Roundtable
88 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Deepak LawaleSecretary General, Organization of
Plastics Processors of India
QMC, or Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED), is practised by many moulders in our country. It involves prior preparation of the next mould for loading on the machine while the current mould is still running on the machine, machine platen equipped with hydraulically operated quick clamps or magnetic mould mounting plate, mould cooling liquid lines being connected using quick couplers, being equipped with an automated material feeding system with quick change over facility and quick coupler on ejector. Further, it involves the machine’s control capability to recall mould operating data stored in memory and stopping production when the desired number of shots is produced. However, the Indian plastics processors are not using any software for QMC. Some injection moulding machine producers are also not aware of any software programs made for QMC.
Innovation and development are critical in maintaining a dynamic industrial environment. Reliable Quick Mould Change (QMC) systems are designed to integrate manufacturing processes with flexibility and adaptability. In an interaction with industry experts, Sweta M Nair finds out if Indian processors have the right software to reduce mould change time.
Sanjay DedhiaExecutive Director, Mitsu Chem Pvt Ltd
Most Indian processors do not have the resources to adapt the right software programs to reduce the mould change time. Their reasons could be failure of software to cope with varying mould sizes, the need to have vertical & horizontal types of loading systems, reluctance due to price, insufficient availability of space and non-cooperation of workers in adapting to new equipment & systems. There is a huge scope in this area for the small and medium enterprises. If we have to compete globally, we will have to eventually adapt software-based mould changes. Reduction in mould change time can be further aided by SMED, which can help processors in reducing the overall mould change time. Standardisation of mould bases and quick-change parts will further help in swapping the moulds more efficiently and when used in combination with right software programs.
Ashok HuprikarDirector, A R Engineers
While interacting with some Indian moulders, I believe they are not well aware of the QMC concept. Thus, the concept of QMC should be talked, discussed or published further. Basic QMC consists of a system of easy loading of moulds in vertical & horizontal position, automatic centring of moulds and quick clamping. A standard set of plates is fitted to moulds of different sizes. This makes the overall size of mould standard, thereby making QMC feasible. Those who do not use QMC are spending at least an hour to an hour and a half in mould change. If there are two changes per day, then one will be wasting at least three hours of production, which is almost 15 per cent. Increase in productivity of more than 10 per cent will recover cost of QMC. Ideally, training should be provided to workers, and workers should be involved in the initial discussion and installation phases. Even though QMC is a standard procedure, it is custom built for each customer after understanding requirements and limitations.
The Indian plastics industry’s initiatives towards adopting and practising new technological applications are yet to gain speed. Investments where one could reap assured benefits in the long run should be considered in the plastics industry. Injection moulding machine producers
should provide the thrust in helping plastics processors assimilate software programs for QMCs.
Editorial take:
DoDo Indian processorsIndian processors have the have the rightright softwaresoftware to reduceto reduce mould changemould change time?time?
Email: sweta.nair@network18publishing.com
FACILIT Y VISIT: N A Corporat ion (Naroto)
90 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 201390 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Photo: Nachiket Gujar
With the advent of new technologies and applications such as material handing products, waste management, fuel storage etc, the rotomoulding industry in India is growing at a fast pace. This has led to the growth in the business of companies like N A Corporation (Naroto), which is one of the leading players in the segment. Avani Jain notes the factors responsible for the company’s impressive success.
Striving for customer delight with futuristic solutions
The Indian rotomoulding
industry is currently standing
at exciting crossroads, with
growth and expansion in every
direction. The rotomoulding industry grew
more than 10 per cent per annum between
2006 and 2011. Houston-based consulting
firm Chemical Market Associates Inc
claims that India’s rotomoulding sector
is projected to grow from 260 million
pounds of plastic consumption last year
to 474 million pounds in 2016. Indian
rotomoulders added 88 million pounds
of capacity in the last two years. The
industry has large scope for growth in
automotive, agriculture, travel and other
industries.
Keeping pace with this growth of
the rotomoulding sector in the country,
N A Corporation (Naroto) tops the list
when it comes to companies supplying
rotomoulding parts and machinery.
Manufacturer of Naroto brand of
rotomoulding plants, the company has
completed 31 years and continues its
quest for the best. The company is a one-
stop shop for the complete product line
for rotomoulding process. Anand Panchal,
Marketing Director, N A Corporation
(Naroto), says, “The rotomoulding
machinery manufacturing and ancillary
equipment sector is fairing well in India
and even the export scenario is good.
Because the quality of Indian machines
has improved considerably as compared
with other imported machines, the market
is growing at a very fast pace. Thus,
Naroto is involved in making machines
using latest technology, which are very
well accepted in India and in the overseas
market.”
A humble beginningThe company started in the year 1982
with manufacturing of moulds for
rotomoulding tanks. Panchal notes, “At
that time, the total work space was 300 sq
m. Soon we expanded our activities and
initiated developing rotational moulding
machines, ancillary equipment including
pulveriser, mixer, extruder, scrap grinder
and mild steel & stainless steel moulds
under the brand Naroto. In 1994–95, the
first machine was exported, and since
then, we never looked back. At present,
the company is exporting to nearly 67
countries and supplying machines to 26
states in India.”
State-of-the-art facilityBased in Ahmedabad, the facility
is spread over an area of 12,000 sq m
and is involved in manufacturing of
pre-process equipment (ie colouring &
powdering machines), Programmable
Logic Controller (PLC; ie automation-
N A Corporat ion (Naroto)
91March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
based closed heating type rotomoulding
machines), open-heating type Rock N
Roll rotomoulding machines, rocking
oven machines, various models of bi-axial
machines and post-processing/recycling
equipment (ie scrap cutter & grinder).
Panchal avers, “There are separate units
for different process machinery, and all
the machines are tested thoroughly for
capacity/efficiency prior to dispatch to
customers, thus ensuring trouble-free
working at the customer’s end.”
He adds, “Currently, we have a
manufacturing capacity of 28–30 plants
per annum. Further, the company can
manufacture 1400–1500 moulds per year.”
Research & Development (R&D) initiativesThe company has employed novel
methods in manufacturing and has
an in-house R&D centre to keep up
with the international trends towards
automation and manufacturing excellence.
“The company employs a lid machine to
manufacture rotomoulded covers, thus
replacing readymade injection moulded
lid covers. There is a second charging
facility for multi-colour products. Further,
there are training facilities for the
machine operators and technical staff to
run the rotomoulding plant efficiently.
Also, reflecting the requirements of the
customers, we have initiated handling
turnkey projects across the world,”
notes Panchal.
Increasing machine efficiency The company has taken various steps to
increase efficiency of its machines. Panchal
notes, “The company manufactures energy
efficient and environmental/user-friendly
machines for its customers. Further,
changes have been made in oven design,
a four-mould carrier has been introduced
and a ‘T’ die arrangement has been
adopted for the extruder machine.”
With the growth in the rotomoulding
industry segment, concerns are growing
about achieving energy efficiency and
reducing costs. This has led to the
development of new machines and
technologies. Panchal avers, “To reduce the
energy cost, the rotomoulders are adopting
energy-efficient rotomoulding machines
that ensure reduced heating time, better
cooling media, usage of better quality raw
materials and so on. Thus, our machines
are designed especially to minimise cooking
time, thus resulting in reduced energy (fuel/
power) consumption. Every care is taken at
Naroto for ensuring energy efficiency by
implementing efficiently designed burners
& blowers, using better quality insulating
media/increased size for reducing the
resin sintering time and fuel cost per resin
weight. Further, a PLC system is used to
reduce manpower, to monitor & control the
process and to maintain error-free working
of the machines consistently. Implementing
this, the company has reduced the cooking
time from about 5 min/mm of plastic to
about 3.5 min/mm. Thus, our machines are
designed to minimise cooking time, thus
resulting in reduced energy (fuel/power)
consumption.”
High quality standardsThe company is ISO 9001:2008 certified.
Panchal says, “We employ computer
numerical control machines for precision
in manufacturing important spare
parts of machines. There are modern
testing equipment to monitor machine
performance. Further, there are raw
material testing/non-destructive testing,
dimensional & aesthetic checks, actual
product trials performed for every
machine. Last, there are well-experienced
engineers who make moulds using
computer-aided design.”
Envisioning growth and future plansPanchal concludes, “The future trend will
be to minimise the cost of production
in energy consumption by improving
the oven thermal insulation to reduce
heat loss, to improve air circulation to
reduce the resin sintering time, to reduce
the mould cooling time to increase
production and using clamping devices
for quicker de-moulding rather than
using conventional nuts & bolts. The
company is doing its best to address the
above-mentioned points. In the future,
the company also wants to reduce the
cooking time to 2.5 min/mm of plastic
and is putting in all the necessary efforts
to achieve this aim. Further, the company
has re-organised its facility area for better
flow of processes, and one more facility is
sought for future expansion plans.”
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
Anand PanchalMarketing Director, N A Corporation (Naroto)
The rotomoulding machinery manufacturing and ancillary equipment sector is fairing well in India and even the export scenario is good. Because the quality of Indian machines has improved considerably as compared with other imported machines, the market is growing at a very fast pace.
The workshop
Photo: Nachiket Gujar
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Medical Plastics
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK
93March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Polymers in healthcare:Setting new benchmarks ............................................................................................................... 94
Medical plastics:Injecting healthy growth opportunities ..........................................................................................96
Interface: Manoj Bhardwaj, Managing Director, SMC Medical Manufacturing Pvt Ltd ........100
Green shoots ........................................................................................................................... 101
All-electric IMMs:Achieving energy efficiency ........................................................................................................ 102
Interface:
Jignesh Bavishi, Director, Neejtech India............................................................................104
Nanda Kumar T, President, Wittmann Battenfeld India Pvt Ltd ......................................105
Temperature control units:Keeping moulds under control!Y R Anand, Partner, Unimark ...................................................................................................... 106
Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF):A versatile f luoropolymer with many applicationsDavid Seiler and Sachin Upadhye, Arkema .................................................................................... 108
Lean thinking:Creating value for customersM Hariharan, Director, Savoir Faire Management Consultancy Pvt Ltd .......................................110
Engineering plastics in medical applications:Delivering healthy solutionsVikas Acharya, Director, Gerresheimer Pharmaceutical Packaging Mumbai Pvt Ltd ....................... 112
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: Polymers in healthcare
94 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
The medical devices market in
India has been experiencing
a double-digit growth. The
market for medical devices
in the country is growing at a very fast
pace with a predicted annual double-digit
growth rate of 23 per cent or higher for
the coming years. This growth in the
medical devices sector is driving increased
demand for high-performance polymers
in the medical segment.
Advancements in polymer technology
have enabled plastics to be used in
medical applications that demand high
consistency, performance, precision
and compliance with regulations. Over
the years, polymer resin manufacturers,
compounders, device processors and
medical devices original equipment
manufacturers have together risen to the
challenge to provide application-specific
polymer solutions.
Beneficial features of polymersThe high purchasing power of the Indian
population has helped in making advanced
medical treatment more affordable. This
has facilitated the healthcare segment
to provide further growth opportunities
for plastics, especially high-performance
plastics such as polytetrafluoroethylene
(also called Teflon), Polyether Block-
Amide (PEBA), Polymethymethacrylate
(PMMA) Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
and Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight
Polyethylene (UHMWPE).
These materials are chosen for their
high-performance properties such as
clarity, impact & chemical resistance,
sterilisability, lubricity and kink resistance.
Dr Subhas Chandra Shit, Deputy Director,
Central Institute of Plastics Engineering
& Technology (CIPET) – Ahmedabad,
notes, “Numerous innovations are
happening as a result of continuous
research and development activities to
increase the usage of high-performance
polymers in the medical segment. New
polymers such as UHMWPE are being
developed to cater to the need of the
medical sector. This material is used in
bone implantation. Hydrogel polymer
is an example of UHMWPE, which is
injected into the body to regulate blood
flow, ie for expansion and contraction of
blood vessels.”
Further, PEBA is the ideal material
for making catheter tubing because of its
enhanced flexibility. PEEK is also used
to make catheter tubing. Fluoropolymers
are mainly used in high-lubricity, heat-
shrink medical tubing. These are also
used to some extent in medical implants.
Acrylic compounds (eg PMMA) have
various applications in the medical
devices segment. Typical applications
include diagnostic devices, Intravenous
(IV) filter housings, IV spikes etc because
of properties such as high ultraviolet
transmittance capabilities and good
resistance to gamma radiation and to lipids
found in fluid treatment and body fluids.
Courtesy: DuPont Performance Polymers
BENCHMARKSSETTING N
EW
H i g h - p e r f o r m a n c e polymers have enhanced the opportunities for plastics usage in the medical devices industry and have made diagnosis and treatment easy and efficient. Avani Jain highlights the role and benefits of using high-performance polymers in the medical sector.
Polymers in healthcare
95March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Traditionally, PMMA was used mainly
for curettes and cassettes. The advent
of modified acrylics has broadened its
scope in the medical devices industry. As
PMMA has greater impact and chemical
resistance than the traditional ones, it is
used in disposable IV sets. Currently, on
a global scale, acrylics account for almost
an equal share. Up to 90 per cent of
acrylic applications in the medical devices
industry are for the disposable segment.
Polyurathane, UHMWPE, PEEK
and fluoropolymers are some of the major
polymers used for orthopaedic implant
applications. PEEK is mainly used in hip,
knee and spine replacements because of
its non-elastomeric nature. UHMWPE is
mainly applied in spine implant systems,
eg spacers.
Advantages of polymersPolymers in healthcare applications
include medical device applications
(disposable and non-disposable) and
packing, wound care management and
hospital environment. Performance
polymers (eg PEEK & PMMA) are
typically used in non-disposable device
applications because they have minimal
impact on body tissues.
Dr Harindu Vyas, President
(Technical & Development), Signet
Industries Ltd, notes, “Applications of
high-performance polymers in medical
sectors start from artificial body parts
such as limbs, knee, hips etc to very
sophisticated applications such as
intravenous cannula and cardiovascular
stents. When polymeric vascular stents
are used in surgical sutures, its shape
memory property enables the wound to
heal due to its self-adjusting tension, and
thus resists the tissue rupture or damage
that can occur due to over fastening of the
sutures. This kind of polymer is known as
shape memory polymer. Thus, polymers
employed for such medical applications
are known as polymeric biomaterials. The
application also includes prostheses for
tissue replacements such as intraocular
lens, dental implants and artificial organs
for temporary or permanent assist such as
artificial kidney or heart, vascular graft etc.
He adds, “Polymers have recently found
applications in drug delivery systems.
PolyActive is a biodegradable polymeric
drug delivery system. Its biodegradability
and linear release properties make it an
excellent technology for the controlled
release of proteins and lipophilic small
molecules for both local and systemic
administration. It has applications in
pharmaceuticals and medical technology.
Further, high-performance polymers
have wide applications in orthopaedics,
dental, physiotherapy, medical safety
accessories etc.”
Moving beyond conventionA bewildering array of engineering plastics
is available for manufacturers today, and
the choices are still expanding as material
developers are continuously involved in
research and development activities to
increase the usage of high-performance
polymers in the medical segment.
Globally, about 750,000 tonne of plastics
is used in healthcare applications. Of this,
about 7,500 tonne comprises engineering
plastics (eg polycarbonate) and high-
performance plastics (eg PEEK). Thus,
high-performance plastics constitute a
small volume of all polymers used in the
medical sector. However, advancements
in medical technology in the future will
propel the consumption of engineering
plastics and high-performance plastics
in the healthcare sector. Further, quality
plays a major role in adding value to a
product in the medical devices sector.
Differentiating medical grade polymers
from standard grades would help enhance
customer satisfaction.
Shit notes, “The demand for high-
performance polymers in the medical
sector is expanding. However, the usage
and choice of material will depend on the
properties desired for specific applications.
In the future, many innovations in plastics
will be to increase their consumption
in the healthcare sector. Hydrogels,
polyurethane, biodegradable plastics are
already used in the healthcare sector,
and many new useful materials will be
developed in the future.”
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
Dr Subhas Chandra ShitDeputy Director, Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET) – Ahmedabad
Dr Harindu VyasPresident (Technical & Development), Signet Industries Ltd
Numerous innovations are happening as a result of continuous research and development activities to increase the usage of high-performance polymers in the medical segment. New polymers such as UHMWPE are being developed to cater to the need of the medical sector.
Applications of high-performance polymers in medical sectors start from artifi cial body parts such as limbs, knee, hips etc to very sophisticated applications such as intravenous cannula and cardiovascular stents.
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: Medical p last ics
96 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 201396 Modern Plastics & Polymers |
Courtesy: Pittsburgh Pastics Manufacturing
The growing population of
India plays a pivotal role in
the growth of the medical
sector in the country.
Contributing about 6 per cent to India’s
gross domestic product, the demands in
this sector are huge. This has resulted in
a considerable growth in the industry’s
manufacturing segment. The growth in
the medical sector has given a boost to
the Indian plastics industry. The global
medical plastics market is estimated to
reach nearly $ 10 billion by 2015. Most of
this growth is expected to come from the
Pacific region and Asia, including India.
These days, there is increased usage of
plastics in medical devices, which has led
to the development of new technologies
for manufacturing medical grade
plastics. Plastics processors, including
injection moulding solutions providers,
are continuously adopting new ways for
catering to market needs. Most commonly
used injection moulding solutions for
manufacturing of medical grade plastics
include all-electric IMMs, micro-IMMs,
multi-component IMMs and liquid
IMMs. There are some variances of
injection moulding solutions, which are
based on the medical plastics products.
Of these, the usage of all-electric IMMs
for moulding medical grade plastics is
increasing at a fast pace.
Jignesh Bavishi, Director, Neejtech
India, notes, “There is an upsurge in
demand of all-electric IMMs, especially
in the medical segment. This is largely
because injection moulded plastics used
in medical devices meet the stringent
specifications and quality norms. Further,
these machines help in moulding
innovative products which demand a high
level of repeatability and accuracy.”
Market statusThe demand for IMMs in the Indian
medical sector has been mainly for lower
and medium tonnage machines. Amit
Mahant, Director, PK Plastic International
Pvt Ltd, says, “Until 2005–06, lower
tonnage machines of 25–100 tonne had
the major market share (about 70 per
cent), while medium tonnage machines
of 110–350 tonne had a market share of
30 per cent. From 2007, the requirement
started increasing for medium tonnage
machines. This shows a good demand
for IMMs in the medical sector due to
increase in requirement, multi-cavitation,
faster production etc. At present, the
demand for medium tonnage machines
is 70 per cent and that for small tonnage
machines is 30 per cent.”
He adds, “If we talk about the all-
electric IMMs in particular, then
with aggressive growth in medical,
pharmaceutical and medical packaging
sectors, investment in all-electric IMMs
is expected to increase. This growth
will be further fuelled by productivity
improvement initiatives due to manpower
shortage, wage inflation and higher power
cost. Clearly, all-electric IMMs can
provide numerous advantages to today’s
medical moulders and medical grade
plastics manufacturers.”
Demanding medical sectorMedical devices are among the most
challenging products for injection
moulders to work with. In addition to the
constant pressure to reduce cycle times
and cost, medical moulders must meet
stringent Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) specifications, tight tolerances and
sterilisation requirements for many of
the parts they produce. The traditional
HEALTHY GROWTHopportunities
Injecting
The changing global healthcare landscape has resulted in increased usage of medical plastics, prompting manufacturers to continually adopt new injection moulding solutions such as all-electric Injection Moulding Machines (IMMs) for better results. Avani Jain highlights the demand for all-electric injection moulding solutions and the advantages offered by these in manufacturing high-quality medical grade plastics.
98 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Medical p last ics
Jignesh BavishiDirector, Neejtech India
Amit MahantDirector, PK Plastic International Pvt Ltd
There is an upsurge in demand of all-electric IMMs, especially in the medical segment. This is largely because injection moulded plastics used in medical devices meet the stringent specifications and quality norms.
Injection-moulded plastic parts are quickly replacing conventional materials in medical devices not only because of their wide-ranging material advantages such as sterility and design fl exibility but also because of the cost and speed with which they can be manufactured.
hydraulic IMMs introduce variables and
complexities into the process that can
negatively impact precision and reliability.
All-electric IMMs, on the other hand,
make the process more efficient and cost
effective. They are quicker and cleaner,
especially given recent technological
advances. Thus, the usage of all-electric
IMMs is increasing in the medical sector.
Advantageous all-electric IMMsThe demand for all-electric IMMs is
increasing manifold due to the benefits
they offer customers, ie energy efficiency,
greater cleanliness, quick start-up, shot-to-
shot consistency, better repeatability and
noiseless operations. Further, they have
fewer complex parts than hydraulic IMMs,
making them relatively more reliable.
Adding to the benefits offered by
all-electric IMMs, Bavishi notes, “The all-
electric IMMs are clean room compliant, ie
absolutely not a drop of hydraulic oil or oil
mist is seen around the machine. Further,
they are regarded as green machines because
they guarantee a low-emission production
environment. These machines offer a
high level of accuracy and repeatability,
have a high uptime and provide product
consistency. Also, there is no water cooling
requirements for these machines and they
require least maintenance as there are no
valves, piping and oil leaks. They ensure
constant high part quality at higher output
and result in 10–15 per cent cycle time
reduction. Further, they fulfil the stringent
norms of FDA/quality system regulation.
Moreover, the all-electric IMMs consume
the least energy among all the IMMs and
this brings down the cost per piece of
medical parts.”
Growth opportunitiesThe medical sector presents huge growth
opportunities for injection moulding
solutions providers. Mahant says, “Every
year, the demand for IMMs is increasing
by 9–10 per cent as many of the medical
components manufacturers understand
the importance of quality machines and
good manufacturing practices. Injection-
moulded plastic parts are quickly replacing
conventional materials in medical devices
not only because of their wide-ranging
material advantages such as sterility and
design flexibility but also because of the
cost and speed with which they can be
manufactured.”
In the coming years, there would be
a major demand for all-electric IMMs.
Bavishi notes, “In the future, the demand
for all-electric IMMs in moulding medical
grade plastics would increase drastically
due to switching over from hydraulic
IMMs to all-electric IMMs by medical
devices processors. The main reason
for this will be stringent regulations in
medical devices moulding, which at
present are not very effectively enforced.
Further, as we increase our exports, we
would need to comply with international
norms for medical moulding, which
naturally would inspire moulders to go for
all-electric IMMs because of the unique
features offered by them.”
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
Courtesy: Suzler Ltd
100 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: Inter face - Manoj Bhardwaj
What are the various injection moulding solutions available for manufacturing medical grade plastics? Most medical plastic components have
to be injection moulded in clean rooms
to ensure extremely low physical and
biological contamination levels. Polymers
have to be dried and blended with
colorants/additives outside the clean room
under controlled conditions and then fed
to machine hoppers using automated
conveying systems. Finally, injection-
moulded medical components have
to be handled and packaged extremely
carefully so that the low contamination
levels are maintained even after removal
from the clean moulding room. Besides
conventional injection moulding, the
special techniques used for medical
components are Liquid Silicon Rubber
(LSR)/liquid injection moulding, multi-
shot moulding, insert moulding, micro
moulding, gas assisted moulding and thin
wall injection moulding.
What are the recent trends in the segment? State-of-the-art Computer-Aided
Engineering (CAE) software and mould
flow analysis tools are being used to
help predict properties of moulded parts
and carry out innovative experiments
to analyse injection moulding. High
precision and fully automatic injection
moulding machines are being retrofitted
with mould cavity pressure controllers for
extremely high parts consistency. Robotics
is being leveraged for automated insert
placement, ejection, parts sorting and
handling. For LSR, advanced moulding
technologies are being used for making
flash free components. Most excitingly,
medical device moulding machines are
being tightly integrated with downstream
manufacturing and assembly, such as
printing, gluing, welding, assembling
and packaging. Online testing of sub-
assemblies or finished devices is also being
integrated in some cases. Automation and
robotics play a major role in building such
manufacturing, assembly and testing lines.
What are the leading innovations making headway in the segment, and what are the recent research & development initiatives of your company? Rapid prototyping techniques such
as stereo lithography, selective laser
sintering and 3D jet printing are used
to convert Computer-Aided Drafting
(CAD) models into 3D prototypes
which help crunch time to market for
new medical devices. In metrology,
advanced visual, laser and X-ray-based
metrology devices are used for making
accurate measurements in a fraction of
time. Some of these instruments are so
fast and accurate that they are used on
moulding, manufacturing or assembly
lines for online metrology inspection. At
SMC India, we are building competencies
to help our global customers redesign
medical devices for the local market.
This requires a deep understanding of
the devices, manufacturing technologies
and relevant therapies. This also requires
knowledge of materials/parts sourcing
and local distribution channels. We
also require deep insight of the needs
of doctors, hospitals, paramedical staff
and patients. Besides building this
competency in house, we are leveraging
external competencies by partnering with
key stakeholders in the local ecosystem.
What are the future trends? Future developments involve CAE, such
as Simulia software & mould flow analysis,
which helps predict the properties of
moulded parts, innovative experiments
to analyse processing, new machineries
(processing) and recycling plastics. Usage
of rapid prototyping techniques for
converting a CAD model into a 3D part
will also be seen.
What are the company’s growth plans keeping in mind the demand for injection moulding solutions in the medical sector? SMC India’s growth plans span across
domestic & export markets in areas of
medical device design rationalisation,
injection mould design and fabrication,
clean room & white room injection
moulding, fabrication/machining of
metals & plastics, manufacture of
medical device components, sub-
assemblies and full devices. With regard
to injection moulding, we have made
substantial investments in creating state-
of-the-art design, tool room and clean
room injection moulding with cutting
technologies and will continue to expand
in all these areas.
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
…opines Manoj Bhardwaj, Managing Director, SMC Medical Manufacturing Pvt Ltd. In an exclusive conversation with Avani Jain, he talks about the injection moulding process requirement in moulding medical plastics. He further elaborates on the current trends and innovations making headway in the segment.
“Medical device moulding machines are being tightly integrated with downstream manufacturing and assembly”
101March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: Green Shoots
With numerous green initiatives on the horizon, we bring to you in association with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) this section ‘Green Shoots’ – the latest to keep you updated on the green phenomenon and to help promote the eco-friendly manufacturing philosophy.
We will get you closer to several green practices, products and technologies that not only have a lower impact on the environment but are also safer for company personnel. Read on to get more eco-friendly, energy-saving and economical solutions that can give Indian companies a global business edge.
102 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: GREEN SHOOTS: A l l -e lectr ic IMMs
IMMs play an important role in
the plastics manufacturing industry.
It is this machine that produces
formed objects which are primarily
made from thermoplastic materials. The
process in an IMM begins when a molten
plastic is injected into a mould. The
plastic then cools and solidifies, the part
is ejected and the cycle is repeated. The
process is highly energy intensive because
forming solid objects from thermoplastic
material requires high clamping force
during part formation.
IMM builders are facing unprecedented
change. The escalation of oil and natural
gas prices has put the spotlight on
innovations that focus on achieving not
moderate but considerate energy savings
in IMMs. There has never been a greater
need to deliver improved performance and
innovation in machine design. Popularity
bagged by substance, the all-electric IMM
owes its fame to its cleanroom compatibility
and dramatically less consumption of
energy. All-electric machines use only
high-speed servo motors and are a better
solution for the power-crunched industry
because repeatable and precise cycles are
possible, and they are faster than hydraulic
machines.
Being accurate An all-electric IMM is digitally controlled
and mechanically driven. Because all-
electric IMMs have no hoses to expand,
no valves to potentially stick and no
hydraulic fluid to heat up or compress,
their processes do not vary over time.
Thus, all-electric IMMs offer several
important benefits which are related to the
fact that individual motors control each
function, as opposed to a control system
consisting of a complicated arrangement of
hydraulic hoses. “As per the recent industry
trend, moulders want to move towards the
direction of achieving high productivity by
lowering the running cost. The visible shift
is in the attitude of people; earlier they were
more conscious about the initial capital
investment, but now they are a bit more
relaxed about it,” divulges Dinesh Bharti,
Senior Manager – Sales Engineering,
Toshiba Machine India Pvt Ltd. He adds,
“50–80 per cent less energy, no noise &
vibrations, high productivity & less down
time, low factory utility investment and
excellent consistency & accuracy levels are
some of the salient advantages of using an
all-electric IMM.”
Maintaining qualityInjection moulding becomes a more
predictable operation when using all-
electric IMMs. This type of technology
makes it possible to continue and use
the same process setup without affecting
part consistency or quality. With regard
to these machines, moulders often report
that good parts can be produced by the
third or fourth shot and then run without
attention until it is time for a mould
change. For instance, digital precision is
used for screw position for fill and pack
which eliminates over-packing and greatly
reduces moulded-in stress.
Unmanned shifts allow moulders to
achieve consistent machine performance
along with labour cost reduction.
Hence, utilisation of skilled labour is
greatly enhanced. “All-electric IMMs
are designed for higher productivity.
Customers in the Indian market are
accepting these machines as they are
ENERGY EFFICIENCYAddressing the global cry of conserving energy, moulders of plastic products are keeping an eye out to lap up the latest technology that will help them increase efficiency by reducing consumption of energy. All-electric Injection Moulding Machines (IMMs) are the latest rage in the industry, and Sweta M Nair evaluates the factors related to this phenomenon.
ACHIEVING
All-electric IMM from NIIGATA
103March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
A l l -e lectr ic IMMs
beginning to understand their advantages.
Moreover, if machine design is good, then
it can be suitable for any segment of the
plastics industry,” reveals Bharti.
Differential factors All-electric machines produce faster cycle
times because of independent clamp/
injection functions. Their precision shot
control saves material and prevents using
more resin, colorant or additive than
the part needs. Electric machines let
processors mould closer to the threshold
of just-the-right-amount of material,
without falling below it. Whether small
or large, all-electric machines dramatically
reduce operating costs. Connected power
requirements for an electric machine are
only 25 per cent of those of a hydraulic
machine. Bharti adds, “There are no
complex parts in an all-electric IMM.
The biggest advantage of having less parts
is minimising the spare parts inventory
cost. These machines can perform in
low running cost even at low cycle time
because individual servo motors are
constantly working. When referring to the
relationship of the machine throughput,
it all depends on the moulding process.
Nevertheless, it is certain that the
customer is going to get better unit/kg
compared with a hydraulic machine.”
Other standard features of all-electric
IMMs are excellent injection response
time & holding pressure endurance,
repeatable precision moulding, a high
rigidity clamping mechanism & frame,
stabilised precision moulding, high
cycle moulding with no time lag and
maintenance-free operation. The average
annual warranty costs of an all-electric
IMM are less than half those of an
equivalent hydraulic machine. However,
to a certain extent, estimates of energy
savings are typically based solely on
the IMM technology type and
throughput. Factors such as product
type, product cycle time, injection
temperature, clamping pressure, screw
length and clamping distance also
influence energy usage.
Email: sweta.nair@network18publishing.com
Dinesh BhartiSenior Manager – Sales Engineering, Toshiba Machine India Pvt Ltd
All-electric IMMs are designed for higher productivity. Customers in the Indian market are accepting these machines as they are beginning to understand their advantages. Moreover, if machine design is good, then it can be suitable for any segment of the plastics industry.
104 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: GREEN SHOOTS: Inter face - J ignesh Bavishi
How has the injection moulding market changed in recent years?Trends in the injection moulding market
are concentrated on deriving high
productivity, increasing machine cavitations
and adoption of hot runner moulds with
ease. Thought process has changed from
macro to micro, and small material saving
considerably brings down cost. Customers
look minutely to each avenue to optimise
moulding cost. They acknowledge their
environmental responsibility while
moulding plastics. Advanced technology
is also no longer a luxury for a select few.
Inherent features of all-electric IMMs,
such as high efficiency, major saving in
the running cost (the power cost of all-
electric IMMs is almost 1/3rd that of
hydraulic IMMs), high accuracy, high
repeatability, reduction in cycle times, clean
room compatibility, high uptime and low
maintenance requirement, prove to be real
game changers in the market.
What are the structural differences between hydraulic and all-electric IMMs?Hydraulic drives and their interconnections
with various actuators, valves, manifolds,
hydro motors, pumps etc make hydraulic
IMMs more complicated than all-
electric IMMs with electrical drives. A
high number of discrete components in
hydraulic IMMs sometimes bring in many
variables such as oil leaks, friction losses,
temperature changes etc. All these are
replaced by few components such as ball
screw, timer pulleys, timer belts and simple
electrical wires connected with a couple of
servo motors in an all-electric machine.
With fewer components, the all-electric
IMM not only performs consistently but
also has easy troubleshooting options.
What sort of energy and cost savings are you referring to when considering all-electric IMMs?Major cost saving is in electrical power
consumption. Because these machines do
not have a drop of oil – no oil cooler
is required, so moulders can get rid of
cooling towers with their clumsy piping
and maintenance menace. Moulders can
achieve reduction in rejection rates, high
uptime due to trouble-free working, 10 to
15 per cent cycle time reductions and no
oil replacement or disposal.
Is maintenance relatively simpler in the long run for all-electric IMMs?Maintenance is simpler in electric
machines. Gone are the days when the
reliability of electronic components was
doubted. World-class electronic drives and
servo motors used in electric machines
not only withstand harsh industrial
conditions (eg quality of electrical power)
but also protect the electronic controls
from external surroundings. Moreover,
the ball screws and linear motion
guideways used in all-electric IMMs are
well proven devices that have been in use
with computer numerical control machine
tools since a couple of decades. In case
of maintenance, the downtime is very
short due to its ‘snap-on’ kind of simple
electro-mechanical drive system where
you can replace the parts with much
ease, which is usually not the case with
hydraulic machines where moulders have
to take care of clumsy piping, oil leakage,
oil cleaning, oil tank cleaning, cylinder
realignments, dismantling of RAMs etc.
What are your company’s latest offerings?NIIGATA Japan offers a range of world-
class machines. These comprise all-electric
machines ranging between 50 and 1,000
tonne. We also offer a vertical range from
30 to 150 tonne machines. The popular
series MD XB (50–100 tonne) is a
favourite among Indian customers. These
machines are preferred by the medical,
electronics and automotive segments
because of their value for money. The MD
W series (180–450 tonne) is suitable for
the automotive and packaging industry.
With repeatability to the tune of 0.008 g,
we offer machine injection speeds from
130 to 600 mm/sec.
Email: sweta.nair@network18publishing.com
“Moulders can achieve reduction in rejection rates”…says Jignesh Bavishi, Director, Neejtech India, representing NIIGATA, Japan, when talking about energy-efficient all-electric Injection Moulding Machines (IMMs). He also brings out interesting structural differences of an all-electric injection moulding system and discusses with Sweta M Nair the several important benefits that work in its favour.
104 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
105March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: GREEN SHOOTS: Inter face - Nanda Kumar T
What recent trends have changed or shaped the injection moulding market?On an average, 50 per cent of the
running cost is calculated on the basis
of energy consumed. Most companies are
formulating ways to reduce the running
cost of IMMs. A reduction in energy cost
is a huge savings that will positively save
on the running cost as well. I believe the
Indian market is starting to take concrete
steps towards implementing energy-
saving methods. Increasing numbers of
moulders are cutting electricity costs by
switching to clean-running all-electric
machines. The current energy crunch
and massive energy price hikes also make
these machines more alluring to moulders.
Does an all-electric IMM require an auxiliary cooling system?All-electric IMMs with a highly efficient
servo drive do not need a cooling system
– any external device will increase the
running cost. Wittmann Battenfeld has
designed the machine with an integrated
system. This increases energy savings by
a huge margin.
What amount of energy and cost savings can moulders achieve by using your machines?Wittmann Battenfeld’s EcoPower,
equipped with Kinetic Energy Recovery
System (KERA), is a more efficient
machine compared to the existing
electric machines in the market. Other
advantages of the EcoPower are speed,
precise injection, repeatable holding for
long time and backpressure. It has a
clean and compact capsuled gear unit
and consumes minimal energy because of
internal utilisation of braking energy for
power supply to the control system and
barrel heating. This machine has a direct
drive and no belt, due to which there is
no loss of energy. This machine is widely
accepted in the automotive market for its
high hold on time. The EcoPower takes
up modest space and is extremely low
on noise emission. With this machine,
moulders can achieve a minimum of 60
to 65 per cent power saving as compared
to hydraulic machines.
Could you describe the standard features of your machines and services?Wittmann Battenfeld offers many standard
features that give more energy saving for the
moulder, such as incorporation of KERA,
a direct drive to reduce transmission loss,
built-in servo power pack to help in core
pulling, Windows embedded controller to
integrate with supporting equipment and
free-of-cost 24/7 web service.
How can Indian moulders achieve energy savings in injection moulding processes? To achieve efficiency in process
parameters (eg product cycle time,
injection temperature, injection
pressure, mass of resin per shot and
screw diameter), IMMs should be
optimised because energy is consumed
in the form of heat and high injection
pressure. From a moulder’s perspective,
it is important to keep investments
effectively used. At Wittmann
Battenfeld, we have sealed toggle bushes
that keep machines clean from dust.
A machine-integrated maintenance
schedule helps considerably reduce
breakdown. To suit the Indian market,
we are working towards reducing the cost
of the machine through standardisation.
Because return on investment is crucial,
moulders should reduce running costs
by installing efficient machines. Many
features of the Ecopower significantly
contribute in power saving during
operation; thus, the initial capital
investment is justified by the machine’s
energy efficiency.
From an international perspective, the
company offers a range of injection units
– from 5 to 300 tonne – suitable for all
market segments.
Email: sweta.nair@network18publishing.com
“The initial capital investment is justified by the machine’s energy efficiency”…says Nanda Kumar T, President, Wittmann Battenfeld India Pvt Ltd, when referring to all-electric Injection Moulding Machines (IMMs) as valued investments. In an exclusive interview with Sweta M Nair, Kumar reveals energy-saving possibilities that can be attained with all-electric IMMs.
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: Temperature control uni ts
106 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Y R Anand
The most time-consuming part
of the injection moulding
cycle for thermoplastic parts is
part cooling. Be it high-speed
moulds used for tiny parts, typical caps and
closures or technical parts with longer cycles,
it is always about the cooling time. This is a
direct function of the thickest section of the
wall and, to some extent, the raw material.
Accurately controlling the temperature
inside the mould results in several
advantages for a moulder:
Improved surface finish
Better dimension control
Improved product quality
Lower scrap rates
Improved cycle time and productivity
Increased machine and mould times
Lower energy costs
Let us look at what is meant by controlling
the temperature inside the mould and
what are the options for a moulder.
Fundamentally, it can be accurately cooling
or heating the mould.
Mould coolingChillers: In fast cycle applications, the
mould will have to be rapidly cooled in
order to achieve fast cycle times. Many
applications currently even run at a cycle
time of less than two seconds.
Chillers are normally of three types:
1. Air-cooled or water-cooled
2. Water-cooled
3. Cooling towers
Mould heatingTCUs: Water or oil can be used as a
medium of heat transfer from the control
unit to the mould.
Water heatingBasic TCUs are simple open tank systems
that control water temperature up to
90°C. Such units heat water to a running
temperature. They are often judged by their
kW rating. Thus, the higher the kW rating,
the faster will be the heat-up time. However,
once up to temperature, they can cool as
well as heat; hence, the term ‘temperature
controller’ is used rather than ‘heater’.
In direct cooling, the cold water is
introduced directly to the tank and hot
water is dumped into the drain or the
central cooling system. This system is
a little crude but can be good for lower
temperatures. In indirect cooling, the
cooling is provided via a heat exchanger
(coil, plate or shell and tube type). Indirect
cooling is commonly used because of a
greater level of control. For instance, a
high-capacity plate heat exchanger can be
used as opposed to a direct cooled unit to
give a low temperature, but with the added
control of an indirect unit.
Such basic units have relatively low cost
of purchase and will often use water. There
is never a mess in the event of spillage and
it provides efficient heat transfer. However,
they offer a low temperature range. There is
always potential corrosion from untreated
water in mould (as opposed to oil) and
calcification.
For heating units above 90°C, one has to
use oil as the boiling point of water is 100°C.
For moulding shops, which are reluctant to
use oil due to the fear of contamination,
there are pressurised water units that can go
up to 140°C or even 160°C.
When under pressure, water can
remain in liquid form at temperatures
well above 100°C. A pressurised TCU
becomes a closed system when the
temperature reaches 85°C, thus creating
a pressure within a sealed tank with a
fixed volume of air and water. As the
temperature increases, the water pressure
increases allowing temperatures of up to
140°C (or 160°C) without boiling. With
high pressures, significant safety features
must be included within the unit, as well
as improved pipe work for the medium.
These units can heat and cool, depending
on the demand from the consumer. Water
is low cost and efficient in heat transfer,
but it cannot reach as high a temperature
as oil. The initial cost of a pressurised
TCU is also significantly higher than that
of a standard unit.
Oil heatingThere are numerous cases where the
mould temperatures will have to be higher
than 95°C. This is often the norm for
moulding engineering polymers. TCU is
also used in die-casting, chemical, textile
and laminating processes.
Using oil allows the moulds to run at
much higher temperatures. However, heat
transfer oil is expensive, can be messy and
does not transfer heat as well as water.
In an open system, mineral heat
transfer oils can run at up to 150°C. In
a closed system, the temperature can be
increased to about 250°C. Synthetic heat
transfer oils (eg Marlotherm) can be run at
up to 360°C using appropriate oil heaters.
The advantages of the oil unit are
high temperature range (up to 360°C)
and no calcification or corrosion.
However, initial costs are higher, oil has
lower heat transfer efficiency than water,
heat transfer medium is expensive and
maintenance needs to be regular. Besides,
it is messy in the event of a leak.
Keeping moulds under control!Keeping moulds under control!The longest part of a typical injection moulding cycle is the cooling time of the part inside the mould. This article examines the choices for a moulder and the features of a good quality Temperature Control Unit (TCU).
Twin circuit TCUCourtesy: TOOL-TEMP AG, Switzerland
Temperature control uni ts
107March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Features of good quality TCUs Accuracy of measurement: Accurate TCUs control and
display with 0.1°C least count. Such accuracy can only result
in very consistent parts. This could be critical in production
of functionally important parts in every application, especially
technical products.
Sensitive flow meter: This shows the actual flow rates of
the heat transfer medium on the control display unit. This
feature is particularly useful to detect changes in the cooling
channels due to contamination, cracks, calcification etc. Any
change in the flow rate of the medium acts as a warning for the
operator to finish the production run and inspect the mould.
Suck back arrangement: This runs the pump in reverse in
the event of a leak developing at the mould. The water is then
‘vacuumed’ around the mould allowing the production shop to
finish the production run in an emergency. The negative pressure
will not be equivalent to the positive pressure; therefore, flow
rate may be compromised. However, this can be an advantage as
leaks will occur during production and this feature compensates
that to allow continuous production.
Mould drain: This returns water or oil to the tank in the
temperature controller. It is useful prior to mould changes.
External thermocouple: Connecting an additional
thermocouple to the TCU allows moulders to monitor the
temperature at the mould rather than at the tank of the TCU.
Interface: This allows the TCU to communicate with the
moulding machine (machine with necessary hardware and
software) and can be either digital or analogue (hard-wire).
This is useful for automated production.
Composite TCUs offer a combination of chiller and
temperature controller features. Moulders can use the chiller to
control the hydraulic oil temperature in the moulding machine
and the mould temperature.
For high-quality surface finish, there are TCUs where the
temperature changes rapidly (30–150°C) with water. Such a
TCU has two independent circuits that can be operated at
different temperatures. A circuit for heating of the load is
active, and the other circuit is used for cooling. Massive jumps
in temperature can occur within a few seconds.
Summary Good production practices demand the use of a good quality
temperature controller to ensure consistency and quality
of parts.
Y R Anand holds a Bachelor’s degree in
Mechanical Engineering from University
of Mysore and a Master’s degree in Production
Engineering from IIT Kharagpur. Since 1980,
he has been a partner in UNIMARK,
which provides sales and service of machines
for plastics processing, tool making, micro-electronics
and wire mesh welding. Email: anand@unimark.in
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: Polyv iny l idene Fluor ide (PVDF)
108 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
David Seiler and Sachin Upadhye
The selection of a polymer
for an application often
requires several outstanding
properties in combination
rather than a single strong feature. PVDF
possesses several special properties as
compared to other polymer choices as
well as metallic options.
PVDF is known in many industries
for its property of resistance. It is resistant
to chemicals, weathering (stability to
ultraviolet weathering), constant moisture,
long-term temperatures of 150°C, abrasion
and impact. It also has a high resistance
to burning and smoking when in contact
with flames. In addition, PVDF is Food
and Drug Administration compliant
and has high mechanical strength, the
ability to dissolve into solution to make
films & coatings and a low permeability
to gases & fluids.
Developments in PVDFRecent technology developments
include copolymer technology (where
the vinylidene fluoride monomer is
reacted along with a fully fluorinated
comonomer to provide higher
chemical resistance for certain
applications), greater flexibility, impact
resistance, higher clarity, higher elongation
at break and the ability to be coextruded
with other polymers on achieving lower
melting point.
Another development is continuous
foam extrusion and the ability to form
moulded structures, reducing the weight
of the final product by over 40 per cent.
Foaming can increase flexibility while
maintaining high temperature during use
as well as provides improved insulation
properties. In wire & cable applications,
foaming improves the dielectric constant
(making it lower) and makes wire jackets
easier to strip. Other processes for foaming
PVDF sheets in a batch process can yield
shapes that reduce the specific gravity by
60 times the original value of 1.78.
PVDF compounding technology has
been introduced in many product types,
and some of the more popular product
offerings are carbon fibre-reinforced
products for high strength and low mould
shrink materials, conductive materials
for handling fuel and other chemicals
that have a concern with static build
up, blends with acrylics to make long-
life paint finishes & protective films
and functionalised materials that allow
bonding to other structural polymers.
If the molecular weight of PVDF can
be reduced enough and the appropriate
molecular structure obtained, then fine
fibres can be processed out of this polymer.
This would allow the production of
woven and non-woven fabrics. Although
this market is new and still developing,
it is exciting and holds a lot of promise.
Markets and applicationsArchitectural paints: PVDF is used
in paint finishes for application on to
aluminium outdoor building products
such as wall panels, doors, window frames,
roofing and other common construction
With many high-performance characteristics, Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) is a polymer that has widespread applications. The usage of this versatile polymer ranges from providing cleaner water to increasing the life of lithium ion batteries. Recent technology developments in several segments make PVDF a fluoropolymer we cannot afford to ignore.
A VERSATILE FLUOROPOLYMER WITH MANY APPLICATIONS
Courtesy: Arkema Inc
PVDF insulation for wires and cables
Polyv iny l idene Fluor ide (PVDF)
109March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
items. This product enables architects to
design buildings in nearly any colour and
the coating will not fade or flake off for
many years, even with heavy exposure to
direct sunlight. Before the adoption of
fluoropolymer paint finishes, architects
were concerned with colour fading over
time, and they often opted to design
buildings using brick, stone or concrete
rather than using painted metal. Since
the development of typical coating grade
PVDF, architects have even found ways
to create reflective paint coatings that
conserve energy for building owners,
especially those in warm sunny climates.
Chemical process industry: PVDF
and Flex PVDF are used mainly to handle
highly corrosive and hot chemicals that
would otherwise severely oxidise common
metals or would stress crack or dissolve
common plastics. The most common
chemical applications for PVDF piping,
tanks, pumps, valves and tower packing
are for chlorine & chlorinated solvents,
bromine & brominated solvents, hot acids
(chromic, hydrobromic, hydrochloric,
hydrofluoric, methane sulphonic, nitric,
phosphoric and sulphuric), mixed fuels
and high-purity deionised water. The
combination of high mechanical strength,
abrasion resistance and chemical resistance
makes PVDF fluid handling components
a favourite among mechanical and
chemical engineers who deal with highly
corrosive chemicals.
Wire and cable: Flex PVDF is used
to insulate wire and cable in many types
of constructions. Because of its high
temperature capability, flame resistance,
abrasion resistance, good flexibility and
chemical resistance, PVDF is used in
cathodic protection cables in the mining
industry, automotive wires & cables,
aircraft cables, marine cables and cables
exposed to chemicals. The fact that
this fluoropolymer has a low enough
processing temperature to be processed on
equipment also designed for polyolefins,
nylons and polyvinyl chloride gives it
a cost advantage for the manufacturer
compared to fluoropolymers that require
special equipment tooling to process.
Photovoltaic/solar energy: PVDF
films are used as the back sheet in the
production of solar panels in the energy
industry. The most cost-effective and
durable solar panels need to be designed
with materials that can handle constant
exposure to ultraviolet light and general
weathering conditions for up to 40 years
without limiting the efficiency of the
unit. PVDF films have been tested to
UL standards for relative thermal index
and are rated an amazing 140°C for
continuous use. Top laminators of solar
systems use PVDF back sheet to protect
the inner polyester layers as well as the
new inner polymer layers being developed.
Lithium ion battery binders:
With the world moving to longer life
batteries using lithium ion technology,
the manufacturers of such batteries
need to choose a long-life binder that
will maintain its function in the cathode
for the expected lifetime of the product.
PVDF binder products are used in
solution to bind the carbon in electrodes,
and its good stability allows better battery
performance over a long lifetime. By
choosing the correct molecular weight
of PVDF for the process, the battery
manufacturer can use only minimal
amounts of binder in the carbon matrix.
Water purification: Because
PVDF can be put in solution and has
chemical resistance to cleaning agents
and overall stability, an emerging market
for this polymer is in ultra-filtration
and micro-filtration membranes. Flat
sheet membranes are commonly used in
pharmaceutical applications, and hollow
fibre membrane technology is common in
water filtration systems. With the choice
of the proper PVDF, the system can be
steam-cleaned, ozonated and cleaned
with bleaching chemicals with little or
no effect on the life of the membrane
system. Water treatment companies are
increasing the usage of PVDF in their
system designs.
SummaryPVDF is not just limited to the
markets considered above. With all of
the properties discussed, there exists
a possibility of many other usages that
have yet to be discovered or are still in
the development stage. A combination
of properties makes PVDF and Flex
PVDF versatile for engineers, architects,
designers, chemists and manufacturers.
David Seiler is Americas
Business Manager, Industrial &
Global Advisor, Fluoropolymers,
at Arkema Inc. Email: david.
seiler@arkema.com
Sachin Upadhye works with
Arkema India and has more
than 15 years of experience
in the coating industry. Email:
sachin.upadhye@arkema.com
Arkema has been manufacturing PVDF homopolymer and copolymer grades for more than 35 years. These polymers are sold under the brand names Kynar® and Kynar®Flex.
Glove box made of PVDF
Courtesy: Arkema Inc
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: Lean thinking
110 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
M Hariharan
According to James Womack, a lean organisation searches for a perfect process that is valuable (creates value
for customers), capable (minimises process variability), available (has reliable processes), adequate (meets the demand), flexible, flowed (moves towards one-piece flow), pulled (provides when customers want) and levelled (anything, any time).
Building blocks for a lean journeyCustomer value: Lean thinking focusses on creating value for the customer. Value is critical for an organisation to
Identify the consumer (not only the immediate customer appearing in the books but all the stake holders who are impacted by the offerings)
Articulate the value proposition Identify the gaps in value creation
and fulfilmentThus, value forms the starting point of the lean journey.
Do unto others as they would wish to have done unto themselvesAnything that does not add value for the customer is waste. Lean thinking focusses on waste elimination. Taichi Ohno, the guru of the Toyota Production System identified seven areas of waste (Muda) that destroy customer value. 1. Defects (output beyond the tolerance
limits)2. Overproduction (work performed well
and before the customer wanted it)
3. Waiting (work waiting to be processed; men waiting for instruction)
4. Transportation (movement of work outside the workplace to get processed somewhere else and brought back; resources moved to locations where it is not needed)
5. Inventory (work completed and waiting)
6. Motion (movement of information through hierarchy; strain in working postures)
7. Extra processing (rework, iterations more than warranted)
Ohno also identified overproduction as the mother of all wastes.
Shigo Shingo, who developed the concept of Single Minute Exchange of
Die, added “Non-utilised creativity of people” as the eighth area of waste.
All these waste areas arise primarily because we tend to focus on local efficiencies at the cost of global efficiencies. Our processes focus on internal customers and fail to think from the perspective of external customers. We expect our customers to give us orders to take care of our minimum batch quantity requirement. What we fail to understand is our customers’ minimum requirement is much lesser than our minimum batch quantity.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is often misunderstood to expect our customers to change their requirements to meet our requirements. We need to “Do unto others as THEY would WISH TO HAVE DONE unto THEMSELVES.”
What the customer ‘does’?The common refrain is ‘understand what the customer wants’. Quite often, the customer may not be in a position to articulate what he wants. More appropriately, we need to understand what the customer does with what we give him. Let us take the following example. Refractory is a product such that if the quality improves, the sales drop. If the quality improves, the wear and tear of the refractory could minimise. Hence, it would be replaced less often. So long as the sales representative of the refractory company meets
CREATINGcustomers
value for
Lean thinking is about aligning the people and process to the purpose (customer value) so that the provider prospers. Going lean does not mean getting into cost reduction, but it focusses on getting more with less.
We expect our customers to give us
orders to take care of our minimum batch
quantity requirement. What we fail to
understand is our customers’ minimum requirement is much
lesser than our minimum batch quantity.
Lean thinking
111March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
the purchase executive of the steel maker, only the want of the purchase executive to reduce the price of the product emerges as the customer want. If we start looking beyond the purchase executive’s want of reduced price, we can understand what the production in-charge does with the product we give the company. With improved refractory quality, the number of times the furnace is stopped to relay the bricks comes down. This leads to released capacity available for producing more from the same plant. If this value proposition is addressed, it is no more a relationship between the sales and purchase. It will emerge as a relationship between the supplier design engineer and the user’s production in-charge.
As Theodre Levitt said, “People don’t want a quarter-inch drill; they want a quarter-inch hole.”
Who actually pays for the product/service?After understanding what the customer does, we need to look beyond the apparent customer representative to understand the real customer. The customer is not the only one who pays for a service. Everyone who is impacted by a product/service has a say in the purchase decision. In the case of a customer for a product such as earth-moving equipment (dozers), many people impact the purchase decision of the product – Purchase executive (normally looks at the lowest price), Mine in-charge (normally expects a faster output from the equipment), Dozer operator (wants a hassle-free user experience), Maintenance (expects the uptime to be higher), Finance (expects easier paper work for funding), Material handling (expects lower cost of operation) and Safety (expects the equipment to be safe to operate). In a typical situation of the sales representative meeting the purchase representative, most of the other interests are either missed out or compromised.
To define the customer requirement, it is imperative to look beyond the immediate decision maker.
ConclusionLean implies being effective and not simply efficient. Processes that fulfil the customer requirement are effective processes. Doing these processes consistently is being efficient. To create an efficient process, we have to understand whether the process that we need to excel in is required by the customer. Thus, the critical first step to embark on a lean journey is defining who the customer is, what he wants and what he does.
M Hariharan practises consultancy in the field of cost management, lean thinking, constraint management, management control system and business excellence as Founder Director at Savoir Faire Management Services. Savoir Faire helps
organisations to improve their profitability by aligning their people and processes to customer value and articulate the bottomline impact using the cost excellence (CE©) model. Email: hari@sfccostmanagement.com
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK: Engineer ing plast ics in medical appl icat ions
112 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Vikas Acharya
Advanced technology, novel
materials and new concerns
have transformed the
healthcare scenario across
the globe, inspiring new standards in
plastics for medical devices. With a
promise to ensure active healthy lifestyles
and quality of life, the usage of plastics is
gaining prominence in medical devices
and equipment. Manufacturers are
also continually engaged in developing
breakthrough materials, novel product
designs and line extensions. Innovations
in medical plastics are expected to
fundamentally transform the healthcare
and delivery subsystems. Further, the
ability of plastics to reduce cost allows
disposables to replace devices that were
previously cleaned, sterilised and reused.
There is a worldwide growth in demand
for intelligent drug delivery and quality
primary packaging solutions.
Innovation is key for the medical-
grade plastics industry in order to
deliver tailor-made solutions for medical
and pharmaceutical applications. Glass
has conventionally been used in the
medical devices industry. For designing
and developing plastic grades for this
industry, it is essential to understand
the requirements and limitations of the
end user. Here, material compounders
and product designers can combine the
advantages of both glass & plastics. One
result of this overarching competence
is the new multi-layer plastic vial
made from cyclic olefin polymer and
polyamide. Glass and plastics experts
in various countries have succeeded
in significantly improving essential
product characteristics. To achieve
this, the usually single layer wall of
the plastic injection vial is modified
to a multi-layer design through the
use of state-of-the-art injection blow
moulding technology. An intermediate
layer of polyamide is placed between
the two layers of cyclic olefin polymer,
increasing impermeability.
Quality issuesOutstanding quality and continuous
innovation are integral to design and
development of medical devices. An
essential factor for high product quality
for the pharma & healthcare industry
is production, processing & product
assembly in clean & controlled shop
floors. Defect-free manufacturing
translates not only into a healthy bottom
line but also builds brand equity with
confidence and consistency. Thus, it is
necessary to constantly review the status
quo and improve processes, products and
services. In a quality- and innovation-
driven industry such as medical
applications, it is important to promote
continuous learning in the laboratory and
shop floor, thereby encouraging a culture
of excellence and high performance.
To guarantee that manufacturers
can maintain and develop high-quality
claims and offer customers the best
possible product, quality culture must
be an integral component of corporate
strategy. Constant knowledge transfer
and proactive, partnership-oriented
direct dialogue with business partners
are ideal ways to stay competent in the
pharma & healthcare industry.
The plastics advantageBesides delivering standard drug
packaging systems, plastics is employed
to develop highly innovative and
complex systems for all types of inhalers
for treatment of respiratory diseases and
insulin pen systems for patients with
diabetes to various disposable products
for laboratory & molecular diagnostics.
Plastics has the unique ability to
provide a wide range of high-quality
primary packaging for liquid and solid
medication. This includes application
& dosage systems, such as eye droppers
and miniature nasal spray vials, as well
as special containers for tablets &
powders. This range is complemented
by key design features, including
multi-function closure systems with
tamper-evident, child-resistant closures
and integrated desiccants.
Revolution through innovationThe pharma packaging components for
the new generation of biopharmaceuticals
play a major role in the development of
drug delivery systems. This is because
these components have significant
influence on the stability and safety of
the respective drug formulation launched
as parenteral solutions. The innovative
With engineering plastics making rapid inroads into medical applications, the key to competency and profitability lies in innovating for quality and safety. From implants to disposables, plastics offers various advantages including design flexibility, impact, strength, biocompatibility and the ability to be formed into many different shapes through different processing methods.
ourtesy: OPTI
Deliveringhealthy
solutions
Engineer ing plast ics in medical appl icat ions
113March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
design of high-performance multi-layer
vials based on a combination of the
plastic material cyclic olefin polymer is
highly compatible to sensitive biodrug
formulations and is a single polyamide
layer that provides high-barrier
properties to protect sensitive drug
formulations from oxidation or water
vapour. The inertness of the inner drug
contact surface and improved barrier of
multi-layer vials against oxygen improve
drug stability over shelf life. Advantages
for the pharma industry are increased
efficiency and higher dose accuracy.
For various reasons, safety requirements
have been forcing the pharma industry
to look for high crack-resistant
packaging. Here, multi-layer vials
demonstrate superior resistance against
break or crack as compared to glass
vials. The specific multi-layer design
with its inner polyamide layer provides
additional integrity assurance even when
unusual forces are applied to these
types of containers.
Although injection vials made of
glass are important products for the
pharma industry in Europe and North
America, their enormous demand in
emerging markets is demanding rapid
plastics usage. Further, growth segments
in the still predominant Western pharma
markets are drug delivery systems
made from plastics and glass, which
facilitate administration, dosage & safe
application of medicines. Global solution
providers invest increasingly in these
innovations, eg insulin pen and
skin-prick aid are important products for
the diabetes market.
Demand for pre-fillable syringe
systems made of glass is also displaying
unprecedented growth. This is due to
steady spread of certain illnesses such
as diabetes and asthma. The importance
of self-medication is also growing. Thus,
there is plenty of room for innovations in
the field of drug delivery systems. Here,
the focus is on medical systems based
on plastics and realised by a full-service
basis for companies involved in pharma,
diagnostics and medical technology.
From product idea to continuous
series production, the emphasis
is on individually customised and
user-friendly technology.
Vikas Acharya is the Director of Gerresheimer
Pharmaceutical Packaging Mumbai India Pvt
Ltd. Email: V.Acharya@gerresheimer.com
Characteristics of medical plastics solution providers
360 degree services: From product development to export logistics
Global network of production sites and clean-room facility
In-house mould making for product flexibility
Machinery engineering capacity to increase cycle times
Innovative automation engineering to reduce human interaction
Competence in validation/certification and worldwide quality standards
AUTOMATION TRENDS: Computer-a ided tool design
114 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
A decade ago, the vocation of
mould making was largely
based on skilled experience
and artisanship. Typically
trained under an apprenticeship scheme,
the moulder or maker acquired his
skill set through time-consuming years
of practice. This arrangement was
overhauled completely when CAD/
CAM technologies were introduced in
the late 70s. However, in contrast to
other industry verticals, its acceptance in
mould designing has been relatively slow.
Until only quite recently, commercial
software systems have begun to appear
and are being adopted in the tool-
making and moulding industry. The high
concentration of mould design activities
has led to the development of many
software programs focussing their effort
on providing solutions to the mould
design aspects.
Distinct challengesAutomated parting line, surface
determination, core & cavity design,
runner & gate selection, analysis of
temperature distribution and flow of
plastic material in the mould and the
effective interfacing with different mould
bases are focus areas of these software
systems. However, this segment has
challenges of its own. “One of the biggest
challenges in CAD for plastic tool design
is the creation of a parting line for a given
component, particularly when profiles
become increasingly intricate. Although
the intention of this software tool is
to make life easier in times like these,
continued development of the software
along with training of the designer can
address this issue. Another challenge
is overcoming the diversity in CAD
model formats and unifying it, especially
when neutral formats come with their
own baggage of data losses, surface
mismatch, units mismatch etc. Therefore,
data exchange is also one of the major
challenges in the plastics tool design
industry. Furthermore, in small plastic
parts for the electronic and automotive
industries, there are many areas in a
core/cavity that cannot be machined on
a computer numerical controlled milling
machine. Such areas need to be ‘extracted’
for electrical discharge machining and
automatically masked for the subsequent
milling process. Finally, the creation of
the mould base itself, based on industry
standards or user-defined standards,
continues to be a challenge,” reveals
Vineet Seth, Managing Director – India
& Middle East, Delcam Plc, UK.
Although the industry as of now
has developed simulation tools such as
Moldflow (which addresses flow-related
troubleshooting), many manual changes
are done in the 2D drawings of each
individual item in the mould assembly due
to limitations of software programs. Rajiv
Bajaj, Head Manufacturing, Autodesk
India & SAARC, adds, “The main
concerns would be to make the CAE tool
design software to update automatically,
which means any change made in the
part automatically gets updated in the
tool design software with good accuracy.
Moving on, the next major test would be to
infuse manufacturing intelligence, where
a software program would be capable of
Tooling design for manufacturing processes refers to direct tooling for making parts such as moulds and dies. In the last two decades, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) tools have been developed to assist mould designers in mould design configuration, analysis and machining. In a bid to grasp the automation scene in computer-aided tool design, Sweta M Nair quizzes players of this segment.
114 Modern Plastics & Polymers |
THE
EDGEAUTOMATION
Delcam’s automated electrode solution
Computer-a ided tool design
115March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
automatically generating a parting line
considering manufacturing feasibility and
optimal tooling expenditures without any
human interference. Having a built-in
database of plastic materials in the CAE
tool is another area of development.
Hence, the next logical step would be
to have a tool which can address core
manufacturing decisions.”
Automation edge With unlimited possibilities, computer-
aided manufacturing makes it possible
to evolve, broaden and produce
several similar products with the same
equipment. “With the software, now it
is easier to create solid models of any
non-standard components and define
relationships with the other components.
Furthermore, all identical parts within an
assembly are recognised automatically as
instances of the same component. This
prevents unnecessary duplication of data,
reduces overall model sizes and makes
regeneration of the complete tool much
faster after design changes. Automated
methods to generate the general assembly
and all the component drawings are now
made faster and more reliable. Thus, the
time needed to produce a complete set of
drawings for even a complex mould takes
no longer than a day in contrast to the two
to three weeks that were typically needed
with traditional drawing methods. One
of the latest advancements in tool design
automation is the end-to-end electrode
design, manufacture and inspection suite.
This automates the process of extraction
of an electrode or a group of electrodes by
means of a step-by-step wizard that takes
the user through selection of areas to
creating automated tool-paths and probe-
paths for machining and inspection,
respectively,” says Seth.
The need of the hour is on formulating
new-age solutions that have been
formulated with regard to mould cooling
analysis when using computer-aided tool
design. Sharing the latest on this topic,
Bajaj adds, “Transient cooling has really
emerged as a fantastic tool in CAE. With
this, heat fluctuations in the mould are
recognised. It helps in understanding
when a stable state is achieved from
production start-up. This solution can be
integrated with tool designing software
wherein the software recognises high heat
fluctuations in mould vicinity and creates
cooling channels.”
Areas of improvementSignificant advancements in CAD/
CAM software help ensure that the final
component of a mould tool complies
with the design parameters with a high
degree of accuracy that can be verified
automatically at each crucial stage.
However, there is room for improvement
when concentrating on certain areas.
Achieving optimal clamping force at
the designing table is more of a science
than an art. Factors such as area of the
part, runner system, mould surface, cavity
pressure, opposing force etc along with
the additional factor of safety are taken
into consideration. To this, Seth explains,
“Experience factor, external factors such
as heat and type of moulding machines
are other variables that contribute to
the optimal clamping force calculation.
Now you can imagine that it is not a
straightforward summation. This area not
only needs more research but also more
practical training for the operator and
production engineers in order to optimise
this function further.” Bajaj too voices a
similar concern; he says, “There is a lot
of difference in the clamping results from
the 2010 version. However, there have
been times when the customer has raised
issues that clamping tonnage predictions
are not near to their practical results. The
effect of side cores on clamp is another
area which could be addressed.”
For enhanced automation to enter the
scene, computer-aided tool design should
be coupled with practical experience and
technical knowledge. This would lead
to the creation of a range of effective
tools that would help in solving day-
to-day challenges. Moreover, working
closely with moulders and documenting
their feedback would enable designers
to prioritise and zero-in on specific
problems.
Email: sweta.nair@network18publishing.com
Vineet SethManaging Director – India & Middle East, Delcam Plc, UK
One of the biggest challenges in CAD for plastic tool design is the creation of a parting line for a given component, particularly when profi les become increasingly intricate.
Rajiv BajajHead Manufacturing,Autodesk India & SAARC
Transient cooling has really emerged as a fantastic tool in CAE. With this, heat fl uctuations in the mould are recognised. It helps in understanding when a stable state is achieved from production start-up.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT: Ef f ic iency through heat recover y
116 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
The efficiency with which heat
is extracted from the various
processes can have a tremendous
impact on maximising
productivity and remaining competitive.
A method of recovering energy in plastic
pipe manufacturing uses a sealing gasket
compression moulding process in which
a gasket moulding material is placed in a
cavity – formed between fixed and movable
mould members – with a predetermined
shape. Pressure is then applied
between the fixed and movable
mould members to cause the
gasket moulding material to
conform to the shape of the
mould cavity.
A compression or injection
moulding operation is used to form
a sealing gasket that is used in
the subsequent manufacturing
operation as part of the
energy recovery system. “A
Stirling engine cycle is
used to recover heat during
gasket manufacture. The
Stirling engine is driven
by waste heat from the
mould members or
other associated parts
of the injection or
compression moulding
a p p a r a t u s , ” s a y s
Mangesh Manjrekar, Director, Raj
Engineering Works. The recovered
waste heat is used to subsequently
heat the female pipe end in the
pipe manufacturing process.
Managing heat through chillersThe most common method of
accomplishing heat extraction is through
the use of a portable chiller. Portable
chillers are generally sized according to
tonne of capacity. Here, a tonne is defined
as the capability to extract or reject 12,000
British Thermal Units (BTUs) per hour. A
5-tonne chiller can reject 60,000 BTUs per
hour. “If a chiller is needed for an injection
moulding machine that is processing 120
lb of high density polyethylene per hour,
a 4-tonne chiller should be selected for
the job. Generally, portable chillers are
available in sizes ranging from fractional
tonnage up to 30–40 tonne. Beyond that,
the units are too large and cumbersome
to really be considered portable,” says
Vijay Bali, Vice President, Reynold India
Pvt Ltd.
For the most part, portable chillers
are offered in two styles: air-condensed
and water-condensed. Air-condensed
units utilise a radiator-type coil and fans
or a squirrel-cage blower to condense
the refrigerant. This implies the need
for a constant supply of relatively cool,
fresh air. By contrast, water-condensed
units incorporate a shell-and-tube heat
exchanger to accomplish the same
task, requiring condensing water from a
cooling tower.
Chiller speed according to requirementsVariable speed chillers are specific to
injection moulding and it does not carry
any advantage for extrusion. These chillers
for higherUsingRESIDUAL HEAT
PRODUCTIVITYMoulding and manufacturing of plastic parts require transferring considerable amounts of heat. Hence, it becomes important to follow heat recovery mechanisms to enhance efficiency in the moulding process. Anwesh Koley explores the various ways by which plastic waste heat can be recovered.
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Ef f ic iency through heat recover y
117March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
have been designed for specific injection
moulding needs that help users to
produce results from the process while
maintaining the lowest life cycle cost
of the equipment. In order to gain
the desirable benefits from the latest
technology equipment and processes,
chilled water, as an auxiliary supply,
needs to be available at precise flow rates
and pressures, in addition to temperature
accuracy. Different parameters of the
equipment such as capacity output,
power consumption, performance and
electrical load conditions must be
inspected for the right performance.
Chiller manufacturers need to work
within a range of capacities varying
precisely as per the changing process
loads, enhancing process control and
saving energy by up to 25 per cent.
Chillers must have high-pressure multi-
stage pumps with the flow rate varying
precisely as per the process requirement.
“For specific process requirements,
the water pressure must be adjustable
along with rust-free chilled water
supply for accurate process control
and low equipment maintenance.
This chilled water should be controlled
via an automatic chilled water
level controller with by-pass
arrangement. Air-cooled units must have
high-efficiency aluminium condensers
with high flow and low noise fans,”
adds Bali.
Installed equipment may be
operating at their maximum efficiencies,
so they must be synchronised with other
modern technologies to have higher
levels of efficiency. Trained people must
operate these chillers considering their
multi-faceted requirements.
Water-condensed chillersThe choice between an air-condensed or
water-condensed chiller requires careful
consideration. Because portable chillers
transfer the heat from the process to its
surroundings in one form or another,
the environment in which the chiller
will be used must be suitable. Air-
condensed chillers must be located in
an open, well-ventilated space to avoid
overheating. If the chiller has a blower
rather than fans, the heated air may be
carried away via ductwork as long as
adequate makeup air is provided. In
addition, air-condensed chillers should
not be used in areas where the ambient
air temperature exceeds 35°C.
Water-condensed chillers can be
operated in hot, closed areas as long
as they can be supplied with cooling
tower water to carry away the heat.
The amount of water needed will vary
based on the capacity of the chiller.
“Components and features available in
today’s portable chillers are drastically
different from those offered just a few
years ago. Probably the most important
change has been the introduction of
scroll compressors and brazed plate
evaporators,” says Manjrekar.
Scroll compressors, which use a
mating pair of orbiting scroll plates
to compress the refrigerant, have
fewer parts than reciprocating piston
compressors. The efficiency of brazed
plate evaporators permits the transfer of
significant amounts of heat in a compact
size. This change has allowed chillers to
be much more space-efficient than in
the past, making better use of valuable
plant floor space. Other features that are
more prevalent today are non-ferrous
construction to minimise corrosion &
water contamination and features such
as microprocessor controls with special
communication capabilities.
Way aheadThe recovery of waste heat during plastic
processing plays an important part
not only to increase energy efficiency
but also to increase productivity. With
the advancements in technology and
the numerous requirements from
chillers, it has become important to
combine features such as robust design,
temperature control and faster cooling
with energy efficiency. While the heat
generated during plastics processing
is managed through chillers, it is
important to ensure that these chillers
remain free of emission.
Email: anwesh.koley@network18publishing.com
Mangesh ManjrekarDirector, Raj Engineering Works
Components and features available in today’s portable chillers are drastically different from those offered just a few years ago. Probably the most important change has been the introduction of scroll compressors and brazed plate evaporators.
Vijay BaliVice President, Reynold India Pvt Ltd
For specifi c process requirements, the water pressure must be adjustable along with rust-free chilled water supply for accurate process control and low equipment maintenance. This chilled water should be controlled via an automatic chilled water level controller with by-pass arrangement.
POLICIES & REGULATIONS: Deal ing with qual i ty
118 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
The consumption of Indian polymer products is on the rise. While manufacturers were sceptical about using
the latest technology earlier, this trend has given way to extensive Research and Development (R&D) in the field of masterbatches. We now witness the advent of the latest machinery in the country. The plastics industry is currently gearing up towards reducing the pollution caused by the industry. Several machines have been developed that produce less wastage and help in reprocessing of the waste. “Polymer consumption is expected
to double in the next three years as products by Indian manufacturers are competitively priced as compared to those by European manufacturers,” says R K Aggarwal, Managing Director, Prayag Polytech Pvt Ltd. Manufacturers now ensure that the waste they produce is either disposed properly or can be recycled.
Quality issuesThe primary requirement for the industry is availability of high-grade polymers. The final plastic product depends heavily on the quality of raw materials available with manufacturers.
Rajeev Bhatia, CEO, Premier Pigments & Chemicals, says, “We face an acute problem of low-quality polymers for the industry. The Indian quality is not up to global standards; hence, we have to import from Europe, particularly from Germany.” Dependence on imported polymers has not changed in the past years, with manufacturers finding it difficult to find options in the domestic market. The industry requires imports for specific materials such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), which is in short supply. This is because India has a net shortage of PVC and few large-scale players manufacture this raw material.
Courtesy: Ngai Hing Hong Ltd
ANDANDPROBLEMSPROBLEMS
SOLUTIONSSOLUTIONSThe Indian polymer industry has adapted well to changes in the global market. It is now moving towards evolving as a major global player as the international plastics fraternity is noticing the high quality standards followed in India. However, the enthusiastic expansion plans of companies in the polymer industry are wrought with challenges that hinder the smooth working for manufacturers. Anwesh Koley analyses some of these obstacles and suggests suitable steps.
Deal ing with qual i ty
119March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
“The Indian consumer is increasingly becoming aware about the compatibility of the packaging material with the product inside. Hence, manufacturers of raw materials ensure that no hazardous chemicals are used in the production of plastic products and are also refraining from using metals,” says Aggarwal. Earlier, such initiatives were taken only for plastic products used for packaging food items, but gradually, the entire packaging industry along with manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods have adopted such practices due to consumer demand. These days manufacturers of air-conditioners, refrigerators and even automobiles are using heavy metal-free plastic materials as these not only reduce the final mass of the product but also help in better designing avenues for the product.
Role of the governmentThe government does not have specific policies for the polymer industry and, while this has not hindered manufacturers from being profitable, policy support in some areas could make a difference. “The government needs to have a better understanding of the usage of polymers and their applications. This will help manufacturers as the customer will better understand the quality of the product,” feels Bhatia.
Even for polymer machinery manufacturers, advancements in plastics technology provide scope to adopt internationally accepted standards and higher consumer satisfaction. “New resins, additives and fillers are entering the market, which can enhance material properties without much change in the price. As compared to the conventional single-screw machine, twin-screw extruders and gravimetric feeders have taken a lead with higher output, better quality and less involvement of people,” says Aggarwal.
The latest technology in plastics helps in better detection of the material according to specific requirements. Most companies have their own R&D facilities, and those that do not, generally outsource research activities to achieve a more customer-centric final output. The latest technology used in the raw
material production machinery ensures that more customisation can be achieved along with higher rigidity.
Land constraintAnother constraint for manufacturers is space availability. At times, expansion plans of companies are stalled due to lack of infrastructure and land availability. Most manufacturers operate in small areas and often do not have adequate space to implement measures towards achieving green productivity norms. “Even after going ahead with our expansion plans, we cannot achieve the desired levels of efficiency as we are handicapped for space of operation. Acquiring land is an area of concern, as it is often a cumbersome procedure,” says Aggarwal. European polymer manufacturers operate on a much larger scale compared with their Indian counterparts.
Pricing it rightPricing is an important factor determining the growth of the polymer industry. In the long run, pricing determines the competence of a country. “The prices of masterbatches have been on an upsurge for the last few years due to a sharp rise in raw material prices and consolidation of international raw material suppliers. Sourcing quality raw material from consistent and reliable suppliers will be the key in the coming years,” says Bhatia. New masterbatch players, both domestic & international, will need to keep the selling prices competitive, thereby presenting a challenging market scenario and reduction in margins. The volume growth should help sustain most players but, as in most industries, efficiency and innovation will be required.
Future outlookThe latest technology in polymer processing needs to be supported well with proper infrastructure. Manufacturers are willing to innovate and bring quality up to international standards, but without adequate power and land availability, expansion plans cannot be taken forward.
Email: anwesh.koley@network18publishing.com
Rajeev BhatiaCEO, Premier Pigments & Chemicals
We face an acute problem of low-quality polymers for the industry. The Indian quality is not up to global standards; hence, we have to import from Europe, particularly from Germany.
Polymer consumption is expected to double in the next three years as products by Indian manufacturers are competitively priced as compared to those by European manufacturers.
R K Aggarwal Managing Director, Prayag Polytech Pvt Ltd
STRATEGY: In ject ion moulding
120 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
The accessibility of plastics has increased with the rising number of industries using plastics. This has bolstered the
growth of the injection moulding process. At present, the injection moulding industry in India is growing at 14–15 per cent per annum. Commenting on the market for injection moulding machines in India, Praveen Sharma, Managing Director, Hinds Plastic Machines Pvt Ltd, says, “The demand for injection moulding machines is different in different sectors. If we talk about the automobile sector, then the demand has decreased in the last three to four months as the overall
economic growth has also slowed down. However, in the field of commodity plastics & packaging, the demand is quite high and is continuously increasing.”
Despite the rising growth and opportunities for injection moulding machinery, the industry is faced with certain issues that need to be tackled at the earliest so as to increase the demand further. One of the basic issues is cutting cost without compromising on the efficiency of the process.
Hitesh R Shah, Business Head – Injection Moulding Machines, Windsor Machines Ltd, notes, “In the global competitive market, every manufacturer
is required to offer better priced, high-quality machines that produce higher volumes, and the injection moulding machinery segment is no exception. This forces a drive of cutting the cost and increasing efficiency in producing quality products. To reduce the cost of production, aspects such as power cost, productivity, machine breakdown time and material cost can be tackled.”
Cost considerationsThere are various cost components that one needs to consider at various stages of the injection moulding process. Shah avers, “During production, machine selection, energy consumption, cycle time and rejection rates have to be considered. Thus, one needs to pay attention to optimum machine selection, which increases productivity due to lower cycle times. Further, selection of machines with servo motor will lead to low power demand per kilogram. In addition, six sigma should be practiced for better quality control and for reducing rejection. Moving ahead, the quality-related costs depend on shot-weight inconsistency and colour dispersion quality. Further, during changeover, increase or decrease in cost
REDUCINGREDUCING THE THE COSTS COSTS OFOF
PRODUCTIONPRODUCTIONInjection moulding has been the preferred processing technology for part manufacturing that requires high output and accuracy. With the increasing demand for injection moulding machinery, the concerns over reducing the costs for ensuring efficient injection moulding process is also increasing. Avani Jain notes some of the cost reduction techniques that can be adopted by injection moulding processors.
In ject ion moulding
121March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
may be due to mould changeover times and purging costs. Thus, one should also use mould height adjustment and auto purging. Lastly, the maintenance cost involves spares and down time costs. Thus, reduction in spare cost can help reduce the maintenance cost to a very large extent.”
These steps can be adopted by the injection moulder during the various stages. Apart from these, there are various other considerations that the processor should keep in mind. “First, preventive weekly & monthly maintenance is very important to reduce breakdown cost. Second, moulds should use advanced technology (ie fully automatic) and, if possible, the mould should have hot runners. The cost of these moulds may appear higher at the time of purchase, but in the long term, it reduces the cost of runner regrinding and the cost of removing burrs manually. Third, the machine should be equipped with the required auxiliary equipment, such as hopper, dryer & auto loader, which saves the time & cost of loading the material manually. Fourth, time-to-time inspection of the final product to minimise rejection is also important,” notes Sharma.
He adds, “Our company provides training to the end users on a regular basis so as to make them friendly with the machine and educates them on how to maintain the machine. That can minimise breakdown and increase the efficiency of the machine, which can also reduce the overall cost of production.”
Increasing overall efficiencyThus, the industry is continuously setting new highs each year thanks to the increased ability of Indian injection moulding machinery suppliers to accommodate better technologies to enhance production and reduce costs. Sharma notes, “To increase the efficiency of the moulding process, the machines are designed in such a way that the machine gives higher output with minimum rejection. To achieve this aim, we design the machine with closed loop circuit that ensures correct injection pressure required to inject the material into the mould in each cycle. In addition, the machine has advance technology control through a programmable logic controller, which can graphically display the injection
pressure and various other parameters to ensure zero rejection production. The production in-charge checks the hourly production, the number of good and bad shots as well as the reasons of bad shots etc.”
Further, there are an umpteen number of innovations occurring in the injection moulding segment for improving the quality of machines. Sharma avers, “To improve the quality of machines, we provide the machines with the latest technology and all the advanced features. In fact, we were one of the first manufacturers in North India who introduced the servo-controlled RAM-type injection moulding machine in 2009, which saves energy up to 40 per cent. Also, we have a quality check of each and every component at different stages of machining.”
Noting the advantages of servo motors in reducing power costs, Shah says, “These days, servo motor-driven geared pump machines are also increasingly used because the geared pump offers the highest efficiency of transmission. This, when used with servo motor feedback and drive, offers the best response level of actuators, resulting in high repeatability and highest power cost savings.”
Future trendsInfluence of technology in plastics processing machinery adds value by reduction in cost and increase in profit. Shah avers, “Reduction in cost during the injection moulding process can be achieved by lower power cost, high consistency in production, high repeatability of performing parameters, lower machine down time and lowering material content without compromising on the physical properties desired of moulding.”
The future injection moulding machine will be the all-electric machine with an affordable price. Sharma concludes, “We have to develop these machines to fall within the budget of a moulder. We also have to expand our manufacturing facilities to produce injection moulding machines in large volumes. The tool room should be equipped with the latest equipment & machinery, and each part of the machine should go through different stages of quality checks & trials.”
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
Praveen SharmaManaging Director, Hinds Plastic Machines Pvt Ltd
Hitesh R ShahBusiness Head – Injection Moulding Machines, Windsor Machines Ltd
We design the machine with closed loop circuit that ensures correct injection pressure required to inject the material into the mould in each cycle.
In the global competitive market, every manufacturer is required to offer better priced, high-quality machines that produce higher volumes, and the injection moulding machinery segment is no exception.
TIPS & TRICKS: Maintenance of in ject ion moulding machine
122 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Injection moulding is one of the most prominent methods used in the plastics industry. Over the years, this technique has helped manufacturers by offering them design versatility and a variety of texture options for the final product. It thus becomes important for manufacturers to keep in mind certain factors required for the maintenance of Injection Moulding Machines (IMMs). Anwesh Koley highlights the prerequisites for efficient operation of IMMs.
The process of injection moulding involves various steps that must work in tandem for the final output
to be produced according to the required specifications. A significant
number of accidents have occurred because safety devices supplied with machines have deteriorated by use or have been removed and not replaced. Electrical and mechanical parts involve separate techniques to be
kept in a healthy working condition. This requires both manual as well as motorised elements to keep equipment in order. (With inputs from AB Diachem Systems Pvt Ltd)
Email: anwesh.koley@network18publishing.com
Maintenance of hydraulic system: The injection pressure in an IMM is a major factor that determines product quality. Hence, the stability of the hydraulic system is very important. Failure of the hydraulic system mainly results due to the improper working of temperature controls and oil pollution. The operator must check the temperature control in this situation, and if unusual, must notify maintenance personnel to reduce the oil temperature.
Preventive maintenance work: The manual central lubrication system, lubrication distributor and lubricant hose should be checked daily. The four Gelin columns must be kept clean. The feet moving template slip and slide should be kept clean and lubricated. The designed working pressure should be kept at the exact level to clamp the mould. The mould position should be adjusted only when the mould is opened to the maximum.
R e p l a c e m e n t a n d temperature control: The mould should be replaced periodically so that it does not allow cooling water flow to the control box. The control box temperature should be checked; temperature must not be too high or else it will affect the computer. Speci f ied voltage relays should be used if the relays need to be changed. Regular dust removal from the electric box is a must.
M a i n t a i n i n g o i l t e m p e r a t u r e : O i l temperature should be maintained at 30–55°C. If the oil temperature exceeds 55°C, long-term operation will cause problems (oxidation and operational deterioration). The internal oil cooler should be cleaned once in six months to prevent damage/maintain optimum internal cooling performance. Contaminated hydraulic oil leads to valve failure and accelerated wear of hydraulic components.
Regular maintenance: The two guiding cylinder pillars of the injector and the surface and dry injectors should be clean. Besides plastic materials and additives, no other thing can be added into the hopper. If there is extensive use of the turning mill outlet, the hopper magnet should be added to prevent metal fragments into the barrel. In case the barrel set up melting temperature is not reached, the hydraulic motor should not be activated.
Electrical parts: Electrical parts constitute the main units of any IMM. If sufficient attention is not paid to maintenance, electrical components may easily loosen due to machine vibrations and cause machine failure. The terminal block and wiring should be periodically inspected and tightened in order to avoid any loose electrical ends. External wiring should avoid collision, and the use of friction materials should be avoided.
Prerequisites for efficient operation
The following minimum checks should be made to ensure that safety is maintained:
PROJECTS
124 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Plastic parkAll India Plastics Manufacturers Association (AIPMA)Project typeNew facilityProject news All India Plastics Manufacturers Association (AIPMA) is planning to set up a plastic park in Dahej, Gujarat. Nearly 30 plastics manufacturers in and around the financial capital of India will be investing ` 600 crore in the upcoming plastic park in Dahej. The units are eyeing to save capital and operations costs by moving to the state. The plastic park will be spread across 200 acre. The first phase of the project will have firms establishing non-polluting units on more than 125 acre.Project location Dahej, GujaratProject cost` 600 croreImplementation stage Planning
Contact details:All India Plastics Manufacturers Association (AIPMA)AIPMA House, A-52, Street No. 1, MIDC Marol, Andheri (East), Mumbai – 400 093 Tel: 022-28217324/25, 28352511/12 Fax: 022-28216390 Email: off ice@aipma.net
Polyester film plantSRF Industries (Thailand) LtdProject typeNew facilityProject newsSRF Ltd, a multi-business entity engaged in the manufacture of chemical based industrial intermediates, has announced to set up a film plant in Bangladesh and a metalliser in Thailand. The company is planning to set up a polyester line with a capacity of 28,500 tonne annually in
Bangladesh and a metalliser with a capacity of 7,050 tonne annually in Thailand at a total investment of about ` 290 crore.Project location Bangladesh and ThailandProject cost NAImplementation stage Planning
Contact details: SRF Industries (Thailand) Ltd3 Map-Ta-Phut Industries Estate I-1 Road Tambol Map-Ta-Phut Amphur Muang, Rayong 21150 Thailand Tel: +66-38-683600-6 Fax: +66-38-683101
Polyvinyl chloride & high-density polyethylene pipes and fittings Suraj Logistix Pvt LtdProject typeNew facilityProject news Suraj Logistix Pvt Ltd is planning manufacturing of polyvinyl chloride & high-density polyethylene pipes and fittings.Project location JharkhandProject costNAImplementation stage Planning
Contact details:Suraj Logistix Pvt Ltd706, New Sitaramdera PO Agrico, Jamshedpur – 831 009 Tel: 0657-2429701 Fax: 0657-2439087
Polyvinyl chloride rigid pipes and fittings Unibell Polyplast
Project typeNew facilityProject newsUnibell Polyplast is planning to set up a polyvinyl chloride rigid pipes and fittings manufacturing unit.Project locationPatna, BiharProject cost ` 30.315 millionImplementation stagePlanning
Contact details:Unibell PolyplastPlot No. 393, Baghakole Bihta–Bikram RoadGreater Patna – 801112 Tel: 09162666060, Fax: 08603475395 Mob: 08298895402 Email: info@unibellpipes.com
Rigid polyvinyl chloride pipes and fittings Finolex Industries LtdProject typeNew facilityProject news Finolex Industries Ltd is planning to set up a new polymers project at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. The project involves manufacture of rigid polyvinyl chloride pipes and fittings.Project location Ratnagiri, MaharashtraProject costNAImplementation stage Planning
Contact details:Finolex Industries Ltd P14 Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park MIDC Ph. 1, Hinjewadi, 26-27, Mumbai–Pune Road, Pimpri, Pune 411 018Tel: 020-27475963
New projects and expansion activities are the barometers of industrial growth. These also present business opportunities to service providers like consultants, contractors, plant & equipment suppliers and others down the value chain. This feature will keep you updated with vital information regarding new projects and capacity expansions being planned by companies in the plastics, polymers and allied industries.
Information courtesy: Tendersinfo.com
1, Arch Gold, Next to MTNL Exchange, Poisar, S V Road, Kandivali (W), Mumbai - 400 067, Maharashtra, India
Tel: 022 28666134 • Fax: 022 28013817 • Email: parmeet.d@tendersinfo.com
TENDERS
125March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Latest Popular Tenders brought to you by www.tendersinfo.com
High-density polyethylene/polypropylene woven bagsOrg : Udayapur Cement Industries Ltd
TRN : 14741988
Desc : Supply of 10,00,000 pieces high-density
polyethylene/polypropylene poly woven bags
BOD : 11 Mar 2013
Loc : Nepal
BT : Global (ICB)
Plastic sheetsOrg : New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC)
TRN : 14612483
Desc : Providing and fixing ultraviolet
stabilised fibreglass reinforced
plastic sheet in veranda of flats
BOD : 11 Mar 2013
Loc : New Delhi
BT : Domestic (NCB)
Poly filmOrg : Northern Command
TRN : 14733036
Desc : Procurement of food grade
poly film at military farms
BOD : 13 Mar 2013
Loc : Dehradun, Uttaranchal
BT : Domestic (NCB)
Perspex sheetOrg : Chittaranjan Locomotive Works
TRN : 14754857
Desc : Providing Perspex sheet for
lighting arrangement in the shop along
with aluminium paint
BOD : 14 Mar 2013
Loc : Burdwan, West Bengal
BT : Domestic (NCB)
Plastic bottlesOrg : Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale
della Lombardia e Dell - Emilia Romagna
TRN : 14506648
Desc : Supply of plastic bottles for milk analysis
BOD : 15 Mar 2013
Loc : Italy
BT : Global (ICB)
Plastic sintering machineOrg : Hřgskolen I Gjřvik
TRN : 14567827
Desc : Acquisition of plastic sintering machine
BOD : 15 Mar 2013
Loc : Norway
BT : Global (ICB)
Bags and sacks for recyclable wasteOrg : Skien Kommune
TRN : 14735415
Desc : Supply of bags and sacks
for recyclable waste
BOD : 18 Mar 2013
Loc : Norway
BT : Global (ICB)
High-density polyethylene spiral vatsOrg : Department of Atomic Energy
TRN : 14503880
Desc : Design, fabrication, testing and
supply of high-density polyethylene
spiral vats mounted on fibre-reinforced
plastic-coated mild steel structure
BOD : 18 Mar 2013
Loc : Mumbai, Maharashtra
BT : Domestic (NCB)
Plastic containersOrg : Nagasaki University
TRN : 14513416
Desc : Supply of plastic containers
BOD : 18 Mar 2013
Loc : Japan
BT : Global (ICB)
Org: Organisation’s name, TRN: Tendersinfo Ref No, Desc: Description, BOD: Bid Opening Date, Loc: Location, BT: Bidding Type.
Latest Popular Tenders brought to you by www.tendersinfo.com
Information courtesy: Tendersinfo.com
1, Arch Gold, Next to MTNL Exchange, Poisar, S V Road, Kandivali (W), Mumbai - 400 067, Maharashtra, India
Tel: 022 28666134 • Fax: 022 28013817 • Email: parmeet.d@tendersinfo.com
EVENT LIST
126 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Indo-German International Seminar For the 5th time, the Organization of
Plastics Processors of India (OPPI)
and the German Plastics and Rubber
Machinery Association within VDMA
will jointly organise the Indo-German
International Seminar on ‘Plastics
in Automotives’. This technology
seminar aims to introduce a wide
range of emerging plastics processing
technologies to Indian plastics
processors. The conference will focus on
plastics machinery for the automotive
industry, emphasising the practical use
of technologies to improve processes;
March 7–8, 2013; at Trident, Chennai,
Tamil Nadu
For details contact:
Deepak Lawale
Secretary General
Organization of Plastics Processors of India
404/405, Golden Chambers,
New Link Road
Andheri (W)
Mumbai – 400 053
Tel: 022-66923131/32
Fax: 022-26736736
Email: oppi@vsnl.com
Compack Chennai Compack 2013 displays one of the most
impressive and efficient collection of
packaging equipment and materials which
are of advanced technology. This event
will demonstrate the most important
packaging and processing solutions. The
visitors coming to Compack 2013 will
comprise high profile executives from
the packaging and transportation sectors;
June 7–9, 2013; at Chennai Trade &
Convention Centre, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
For details contact:
Narendar Bafna
Smart Expos
New No. 116, Manickam Lane
Mount Road, Guindy
Chennai 600 032
Tamil Nadu
Tel: 044-22501986/1987
Mob: 09952966752
Email: compackexpo@smartexpos.in
Website: www.compackexpo.com
IPLEX ChennaiThe Tamil Nadu Plastics Manufacturers
Association, the organiser of IPLEX,
has come forward to exhibit various
moulds and dies, equipment and
machineries exclusively required by the
plastic manufacturing sector of India.
The exhibitors are well versed with the
respective range of products so that
attendees can select the best for their
firms; June 27–30, 2013; at Chennai
Trade & Convention Centre, Chennai,
Tamil Nadu
For details contact:
Senthil Kumar N
The Tamil Nadu Plastics
Manufacturers Association
C-1, First Floor, Rams Square
Village Road, Nungambakkam
Chennai
Tamil Nadu
Tel: 044-28250107
Pharmapack ExpoPharmapack Expo is the most
cost-effective marketing opportunity
and is the best opportunity to meet
senior buyers and decision makers
from all facets of the user industry.
The exhibits will include packaging
materials & products, glass & plastic
jars and bottles, aluminium & plastic
tubes, corrugated & cardboard boxes,
dosing machines for liquids & powders,
filling machines, blister packing
machines, strip packing machines, labels
& labelling equipment, form-fill-seal
machines etc; September 12–14, 2013;
at Bombay Exhibition Center (BEC),
Mumbai
For details contact:
Intel Trade Fairs & Expositions Pvt Ltd
113, New Sonal Link Industrial Estate
Building No. 2, Link Road
Malad (W)
Mumbai - 400 064
Tel: 022-26003977
Email: info@intelexpo.com
Website: www.pharmapackexpo.in
PlastShow PlastShow is dedicated to offering a
comprehensive range of plastic products
and processing equipment. The event
strives to offer complete information
about the recent inventions of the plastic
manufacturing sector. The exhibitors
find this expo to be the perfect business
meeting place where the exhibiting
companies get an opportunity to
establish themselves and promote their
brands; September 27–30, 2013; at Vapi
Industrial Association Ground, Vapi,
Gujarat
For details contact:
Brijesh Purohit
Sunline Infotech
118, Lotus Arcade
Opposite Automotive
Gondal Road,
Rajkot, Gujarat
Tel: 0281-2460135
National
India’s premier industrial trade fair on products and technologies related to Machine Tools,
Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Process Machinery & Equipment, Automation Instrumentation,
Packaging & Auxiliaries, IT Products, Electrical & Electronics, Material Handling and Safety
Equipment.
For details contact:Network18 Media & Investments Ltd, Ruby House, 1st Floor, J K Sawant Marg,
Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028. Tel: 022 3003 4651 • Fax: 022 3003 4499
Email: engexpo@infomedia18.in Web: www.engg-expo.com
HyderabadAndhra Pradesh
May 31-Jun 3, 2013
EVENT LIST
127March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Cables 2013Cables 2013 is recognised as the leading
forum looking at polymer developments
in the cables industry. This well-
established event regularly attracts over
245 international delegates from the global
supply chain. The conference aims to bring
together cable producers, raw materials
suppliers and equipment manufacturers;
March 5–7, 2013; at Maritim Hotel,
Cologne, Germany
For details contact:
Applied Market Information Ltd
AMI House
45-47 Stokes Croft
Bristol
BS1 3QP
Tel: +44(0)117 924 9442
Fax: +44(0)117 989 2128
Email: info@amiplastics.com
International Fair of Plastics & Rubber ProcessingInternational Fair of Plastics & Rubber
Processing (EPLA) is a specialised
international trade exhibition for the
plastics and rubber processing industry.
EPLA is an ideal platform for exhibitors
from the industry to display their new
products and services; March 5–7, 2013;
at Poznan International Fair Grounds,
Poznan, Poland
For details contact:
Poznan International Fair Ltd
Glogowska Street 14
Poznan, Poland
Tel: +(48)-(61)-8692000
Fax: +(48)-(61)-8665827
Website: www.epla.pl/en
Plast SofiaPlast Sofia is an event with a record of
bringing international exhibitors and trade
visitors with great decision-making powers
under one roof. Exhibitors belonging to
this sector will display their products and
items in order to acquaint customers with
the latest technologies and services and lure
them into forming professional contracts
and ties; March 6–8, 2013; at Inter Expo
Center Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
For details contact:
Bulgarreklama Agency
147 Tsarigradsko Shaussee
Sof ia, Bulgaria
Tel: +(359)-(2)-9655286
Fax: +(359)-(2)-9655231
Plast Imagen MexicoPlast Imagen Mexico is an international
trade fair. This leading specialised exhibition
is considered the natural venue in Mexico
for machinery manufacturers interested in
international expansion for their products;
March 12–15, 2013; at Centro Banamex
Exhibition Centre, Mexico
For details contact:
Carlos Gutierrez Marin
E J Krause & Associates, Inc
6550, Rock Spring Drive
Suite 500, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Tel: +(1)-(301)-4935500
Website: www.plastimagen.com.mx
Pro-Plas Expo 2013Pro-Plas Africa is an international regional-
leading trade fair. It is considered the
natural venue for machinery manufacturers
interested in international expansion for
their products throughout South Africa.
Traders and investors of the region will be
marking this event on their calendar as a
must attend event; March 12–15, 2013; at
Expo Centre Johannesburg, Johannesburg,
South Africa
For details contact:
Michelle Bedser
Specialised Exhibitions (Pty) Ltd
PO Box 82196
Southdale 2135, South Africa
Tel: +27-11-8351565
Mob: +27-829557718
Fax: +27-11-4962854
Email: michelle@specialised.com
Website: www.propakafrica.co.za
Korea International Plastics Rubber ShowKorea International Plastics Rubber Show
(KOPLAS 2013) is a premium exhibition
providing the latest and the best in plastic
materials for manufacturing and processing
industries alike. It is known to be the
leading specialised exhibition of its kind;
March 12–16, 2013; at Kintex – Korea
International Exhibition Center, Goyang,
Korea
For details contact:
Korea E & Ex, Inc
Room 2002, WTC 159-1 Samsung-Dong
Kangnam-Ku, Seoul, Korea
Tel: +(82)-(2)-5510102
Fax: +(82)-(2)-5510103
Website: www.koplas.com
Thai International Plastics & Rubber ExhibitionTIPREX is one of the premium exhibitions
providing the latest and the best in plastic
materials for manufacturing and processing
industries alike. The unique feature of
the expo is the presence of the entire
spectrum of plastic and rubber products
manufacturers from tyres to tubes, hoses,
industrial components, extruded profiles,
moulded goods, latex articles etc; April
3-6, 2013; at Bangkok International
Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC),
Bangkok, Thailand
For details contact:
Messe Dusseldorf Asia Pte Ltd
3 HarbourFront Place, #09-02
HarbourFront Tower Two
Singapore 099254
Tel: +(65)-(6)-3329620
Fax: +(65)-(6)-3374633
Email: tiprex@mda.com.sg
Website: www.tiprex.com
International
The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the
respective organiser. In any case, it does not represent the views of
Business Insights •Technologies•Opportunities
EVENT PREVIEW: Indo-German Internat ional Seminar
128 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Sweta M Nair
Apart from being lightweight
and versatile, automotive
plastics is here to stay and make
a magnanimous difference.
Allowing efficient design changes in single
piece or modular components, versatility
is the key ingredient that is playing up
on everyone’s mind. At the customer end,
plastics in automotives is helping original
equipment manufacturers to cut down
on manufacturing costs and to enhance
vehicle affordability. This phenomenon is
gaining steam in India because statistically
only about 10 per cent of a car’s weight is
made up of engineering plastics, leaving
much room for more plastics adoption.
Voicing some of the biggest trends and
presenting the latest technology, this two-
day Indo–German International Seminar
on ‘Plastics In Automotives – Redefining
Possibilities’ is scheduled to take place on
March 7–8, 2013, at the Trident, Chennai.
Organised by the Organization of Plastics
Processors of India, the event is supported
and sponsored by Der Verband Deutscher
Maschinen- und Anlagenbau (VDMA)
– German Engineering Federation. This
seminar has received official support
from the Department of Chemicals and
Petrochemicals, Government of India;
Automotive Component Manufacturers
Association of India (ACMA), Society
of Indian Automobile Manufacturers
(SIAM) and others.
Charting growthPlastics consumption is increasing, and
further growth is expected because of
the enormous rise in demand for plastic
products in numerous key sectors, such
as the automotive industry. The demand
for equipment for the processing and
manufacture of plastics is growing
continuously, and the demands regarding
quality, productivity and reliability of the
machinery used are rising.
The 5th edition of this conference
will focus on plastics machinery for the
automotive industry by emphasising on the
practical use of technologies to improve
processes. About thirteen renowned
speakers from some of the world’s leading
plastics machinery producers from
Germany will present papers focussing
on latest technologies. The speakers will
be from the leading European companies
and will cover the entire gamut of usage
of plastics in automotives.
Introduction to emerging technologiesOn day one, presentations will cover
topics such as ‘Advanced injection
moulding techniques for high precision
and surface parts in the auto industry’,
‘Innovative solutions for multicomponent
applications’, ‘Modern manufacturing with
injection moulding machines – Production
efficiency + Optimization’, ‘New injection
moulding technologies for the future
automotive industry’, ‘Corrugated pipes
for technical applications in automotive
industry’, ‘Methods of weakening
instrument panels and doors for invisible
air bags’, ‘Composite spray moulding in
the automotive industry’ and ‘Advanced
foil application processes – Combination
of decoration and function’. Besides
updating manufacturers of the latest
technological advancements, the
presentations could help gain insight on
applications. On day two, the programme
will have topics on ‘How extrusion blow
moulding can help to overcome today’s
challenges in the automotive industry’,
‘Thermoforming and joining of a door
panel’, ‘Robot-based applications for the
plastics automotive components’, ‘Modern
automation with robot systems and
auxiliary equipment’ and ‘Lightweight
moulding with Cellmould & BFMold’.
Leading companies such as Daimler,
Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki,
Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Mann
& Hummel, Bayer Material Science,
Reliance, Ferromatik, Mutual, Toshiba
Machines, TVS, Varroc, Supreme
Industries, Giess, Rane Group, Ti Anode,
Tipco, Inergy, RTS, Zylog, Indian Oil
Corporation, HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd
etc will be some of the main attendees.
Email: sweta.nair@network18publishing.com
The inclination towards replacing metals with plastics in the making of vehicle components has become a global phenomenon. An assembly of some of the biggest names representing this trend is the need of the hour. With demands in this fast-paced environment increasing, the industry scouts for the latest innovations. In such circumstances, the Indo–German International Seminar on ‘Plastics In Automotives – Redefining Possibilities’ is going to be an eye-opener.
Plastics in automotives: Redefining possibilitiesPlastics in automotives: Redefining possibilities
A previous event organised by OPPI and supported & sponsored by VDMA
EVENT REPORT: Windsor Endowment Lecture on New trends in r ig id and f lex ib le packaging
129March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Avani Jain
Tapping the growing trends
in the flexible and rigid
packaging market, IPI
– Ahmedabad Chapter,
organised a very interesting seminar –
Windsor Endowment Lecture on ‘New
trends in rigid and flexible packaging’ on
February 16, 2013. The Technical Session
Chairman for the seminar was Dr E
Sundaresan, Product Head – PE, Reliance
Industries Ltd.
Talking about the main aim of the
event, T S Rajan, Chief Operating Officer,
Windsor Machines Ltd, said, “We always
want to share latest information with the
student community. Further, integration
of academics and technical information
is very necessary for increasing the
knowledge of students. Thus, this
platform provides an opportunity to the
students to gain knowledge about the new
developments in the industry. Moreover,
various industry players come together at
such a platform and get to know about
the latest happenings.”
Inaugural addressIn his inaugural address, Rajiv Trivedi,
Chairman, IPI – Ahmedabad Chapter,
said, “The plastics packaging (flexible
and rigid) industry in India is growing
at a very fast pace. At present, the total
Indian packaging industry is valued at
$ 13 billion, and of this, the plastics
packaging industry’s share is about $ 6.5
billion. The innovations in the segment
are driven by lightweighting, corrosion
resistance, attractive design etc. Further,
increasing disposable income, changing
lifestyle patterns and health consciousness
are the key factors that are driving the
growth and innovation in the segment.
Thus, the key reason for organising this
seminar was to spread awareness about
the new trends in the industry.”
Fruitful discussionsThe speakers made their presentations
on various subjects. Rakesh Shah, Head
– Technical Services, Reliance Industries
Ltd, spoke on ‘New trends in rigid and
flexible packaging’. He said, “There is a
shift from rigid to flexible packaging. At
present, the major market share is held
by flexible packaging followed by rigid
packaging. In the future, factors such as
safety, convenience and affordability will
bring further changes.”
Divakar Vyas, Senior Manager
(Sales), Windsor Machines Ltd
(Injection Moulding Division), shared
his knowledge on ‘Developments in rigid
packaging’. He mentioned, “The rigid
packaging industry is growing at the
rate of 16–20 per cent per annum. The
growth in this sector is mainly driven by
the food and pharmaceuticals segment.
At present, the focus in the segment
is to provide lightweight & recyclable
solutions and increase barrier properties.
In the future, there will be demand for
more sustainable materials.” Further,
Vikas K Deo, Senior Manager (Business
Development), Windsor Machines Ltd
(Extrusion Division), threw light on
‘Developments in flexible packaging’.
S A Siddiquee, Equipment Builder
Manager, ExxonMobil, spoke about
‘Energy-efficient hydraulic oil’ and Ashok
S Bhimani, Partner, Astech Systems,
shared his knowledge on ‘New mould
technologies for thin wall moulding’.
Platform for learningThe seminar saw 125–140 participants
including students and industry associates.
The event served as a knowledge sharing
platform for all. Sundaresan averred, “It
is very important to spread information
about new trends not only among the
industry but also among the students.
On a platform like this, when students
hear about new trends and technology,
their knowledge increases as this kind
of information is not available on the
internet or anywhere because it is
proprietary information. ”
Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
The plastics packaging (rigid & flexible) industry is growing at a very fast pace. Continuous innovations are taking place in the segment so as to match not only the domestic but also the global needs. In such a scenario, the Windsor Endowment Lecture on ‘New trends in rigid and flexible packaging’ organised by Indian Plastics Institute (IPI) – Ahmedabad Chapter, provided a platform for industry experts to share their knowledge with students and the industry.
Mapping new trends for future growth
An eminent panel (from L–R): Divakar Vyas, Senior Manager (Sales), Windsor Machines Ltd (Injection Moulding Division); Rakesh Shah, Head – Technical Services, Reliance Industries Ltd; Dr E Sundaresan, Product Head – PE, Reliance Industries Ltd; Vikas K Deo, Senior Manager (Business Development), Windsor Machines Ltd (Extrusion Division); S A Siddiquee, Equipment Builder Manager, ExxonMobil and Ashok S Bhimani, Partner, Astech Systems
BOOK REVIEW
130 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
This book, in its second edition, has a total of ten chapters. These chapters are on the fundamentals of polymer physics and melt rheology for those who lack previous training. Hence, the book starts with a basic level that emphasises conceptual understanding and progresses to the advance level for ambitious readers.
This second edition has three new chapters on die design, elastic effects in melt flow in addition to content in the previous chapters of the first edition. International experts have also contributed to the new content. The advent of high-performance screws improving the performance of single extruders is well highlighted. The chapter on theories of single screw extrusion details mathematical models on solid conveying, melting and metering with effects of flight clearance. This will help readers to understand how the theoretical models can be used in practice. This book will also provide readers an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained to commercial practice. This book will help process engineers to acquire much knowledge of the materials being processed as well as engineering aspects of process to fully understand both process and product.
In the author’s words, “The philosophy and content of this book reflect my industrial academic and consulting experience of 38 years.”
Extrusion of Polymers 2nd Edition Theory and PracticeAuthor: Chan I ChungPrice: ` 13,115
This book first appeared as ‘The ICI Polyurethanes Book’, and today, under the present owners since 1999, has been published as ‘The Huntsman Polyurethanes Book’.
This is a fully revised and updated edition covering flexible and rigid foams, elastomers (including thermoplastics) coatings, adhesives, sealants & encapsulants and composites.
The technical editor Dr David Randall and editor Steve Lee have invited contributions of 30 authors which makes the book complete with theory and practices.
In addition to raw materials and chemistry of polyurethanes, the book covers environment, health and safety aspects.
The original purpose of understanding of production, properties and potential of polyurethanes is well maintained, as the book will give better understanding and broaden knowledge of polyurethanes to readers.
The Polyurethanes Book
Available at: SCI-TECH Books & Periodicals, 414, Janki Centre, Veera Desai Road, Andheri (W), Mumbai – 400053Tel: 022-26735260/66970507 • Fax: 022-6735424/26735260 • Email: scitechbooks@gmail.com
Reviewer: Dr Yatish Vasudeo, President & CEO, By Innovations Consultancy India Pvt Ltd
Editors: David Randall & Steve LeePrice: ` 21,389
PRODUCTS
131March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Looking For A Specific Product?Searching and sourcing products were never so easy.
Just type MPP (space) Product Name
and send it to 51818eg. MPP Moulding and send it to 51818
Gravimetric doser This highly advanced and cost-
effective single component
gravimetric feeder is used for
injection molding, extrusion and
blow molding machines. It can
also be used for feeding more
than one component by adding
another unit. It is used for dosing master batches, additives and
reprocessed materials in granule, powder and liquid form. It has a user-
friendly multiple language graphic display with advanced algorithm
and has TCP/IP card for communicating with any MES software.
With the gravimetric doser, significant saving is achieved with its
consistent accuracy and repeatability, even at very low output rates. It
is very simple and easy to operate with automatic calibration. It comes
with integrated automatic venturi vacuum loader for masterbatch. Its
unique design helps in fast screw change and quick material change,
thereby saving time and money. With minimum cost, it can be used
for more number of machines and is very easy to remove and fit on to
different machines.
Vista Intertrade Pvt Ltd
Pune – Maharashtra
Tel: 020-46781106, Mob: 09890512147
Email: abhijit@vistaint.co.in
Website: www.liad.co.il
Servo pumpThe servo pump can be connected to injection
moulding machines, blow moulding machines
and hydraulic presses without difficulty.
Combining the advantages of hydraulic power
transmission with robust and inexpensive drive
elements, it achieves high density of power
and force with low inertia. The servo pump
significantly reduces the energy consumption of hydraulic machines while
enabling shorter cycle times, higher accuracy and reduced noise levels.
It finds applications in hydraulic/hybrid injection moulding machines,
machines for processing rubber, pressure die casting machines, all sorts of
presses, bending machines etc.
Baumuller India Pvt Ltd
Pune – Maharashtra
Tel: 020-40160303, Mob: 09850834273
Email: ashutosh.kulkarni@baumuller.in
Website: www.baumuller.in
PRODUCTS
132 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Self sustainability: One must look for a product
that has the potential ability to sustain itself in
tough times. This will help determine the product’s
capability when the market boosts, reducing its
risk factor.
Dwaipayan Mandal (Managing Director)Divine Automation Pvt Ltd
Energy saver for three-phase AC induction motor This energy saver is a field-proven
thyristorised microcontroller-
based unit. The soft start–soft
stop for three-phase motors
energy saver can instantly detect
any change in load variation and
automatically adjust the output
voltage by matching output to
load. The losses (iron/magnetising
and copper loss) inherent in all AC
induction motors are considerably
reduced, thereby improving the
motor efficiency and reducing electricity bills. A bypass contactor is
built-in for soft starter. The soft start facility is incorporated in all
three phases of the energy saver. It provides a gradual and controlled
increase (soft start) and decrease (soft stop) in the voltage applied to
the motor terminals, thus eliminating the high peak current created
during the starting cycle of induction motors. The power ranges from
5 hp to 150 hp at 440 V. It has a compact and efficient thyristorised
microcontroller design, choice of startup functions, breakaway pulse,
voltage ramp, voltage or current limiting, power optimiser and an
additional microcontroller motor protection device. If average load
is less than 50 per cent, then good level of energy is saved. It finds
applications in air conditioning systems at malls, office complexes and
in elevators, industrial presses, injection moulding machines, conveyors,
quarries/mines, crushers etc to reduce starting load on generator on
ships and more.
Satronix (India) Pvt Ltd
Mumbai – Maharashtra
Tel: 022-26325242, 022-27122758
Email: sales@satronixndia.com, satronix@bom3.vsnl.net.in
Website: www.satronixindia.com
Portable chiller Portable chiller has a high ambient option
available that provides consistent cooling
up to 120°F ambient-5 to 15 hp single
refrigeration circuits. The 50°F leaving
water capacity ranges from 1.2 to 28.8
tons. Range of leaving water temperature
is 20–65°F. Compressor ranges from 1.5
to 15 hp. Nominal flow to process is 6–138
gpm. Various options include dual pumps,
PLC control, condenser fan VFD and a shell and tube condenser.
Nu-Vu Conair Pvt Ltd
Ahmedabad - Gujarat
Tel: 079-32985993, 25841181
Fax: 079-25841259, 25836164
Email: nuvuengineers@yahoo.com
Website: www.conairgroup.com
PRODUCTS
133March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Plastic brighteners/shiners and whitenerPlastic brightener,
shiner and whitener
is used for natural
transparent, colours
and milky white
end products. It
is also used for
adding c larity
and gloss finish to
natural transparent
polymers. The
products give
shining and bright
finish colours to end products. It removes yellowness and dullness
from the end products and make them super milky white. The
products are used in virgin, second, dull natural or milky white sutli,
ropes, twine, reprocess granules, HDPE-LDPE-PVC pipes and
profiles etc.
Plast Fine Polymers
Ahmedabad - Gujarat
Tel: 079-65242332
Mob: 09825587152
Email: plastf ine@indiatimes.com
Crystallised hopper dryer Crystallised hopper dryer
has unique mixer inside
the stainless insulated
hopper which stirs the resin
simultaneously while drying.
To crystallise, it increases
the IV value and speeds up
the crystallisation process.
The mixer dries evenly
and in a short time. It is
the best choice for PET
users and applies to blow
and injection moulding
machinery factories. With
the expansion of PET bottles
application, there is a high-
performance requirement on
preform injection moulding
equipment.
Yann Bang Electrical Machinery Co Ltd
Guandong - China
Tel: +86-4-2271-6999
Fax: +86-4-2271-1988
Email: yb@yannbang.com
Website: www.yannbang.com
PRODUCTS
134 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Statement about ownership and other particulars about newspaper/periodical, namely Modern Plastics & Polymers, as required to be published in the fi rst issue of every year after the last day of February.
Form IV (See Rule 8) (Press and Reg. of Books Act, 1867)
1 Place of Publication: Ruby House, ‘A’ Wing, JK Sawant Marg, Dadar (West), Mumbai - 400 028
2. Periodicity of Publication: Monthly
3. Printer’s Name: Mr Mohan Gajria Nationality: Indian Address: Ruby House, ‘A’ Wing, JK Sawant Marg, Dadar (West), Mumbai - 400 028
4. Publisher’s Name: Mr Lakshmi Narasimhan Nationality: Indian Address: Ruby House, ‘A’ Wing, JK Sawant Marg, Dadar (West), Mumbai - 400 028
5. Editor’s Name: Mr Manas Bastia Nationality: Indian Address: Ruby House, ‘A’ Wing, JK Sawant Marg, Dadar (West), Mumbai - 400 028
6. Names and addresses of individuals who own the newspaper & partners or shareholders holding more than 1% of the total capital: Network18 Media & Investments Limited** is the owner of the publication, namely Modern Plastics & Polymers, having its registered offi ce at 503, 504 & 507, 5th Floor, Mercantile House, 15, K G Marg, New Delhi - 110 001.
Details of the shareholders of Network18 Media & Investments Limited who hold more than 1% of the paid up equity capital of the Company as on 20-02-2013 are given below:
a. RRB Mediasoft Private Limited, 403, Prabhat Kiran, 17, Rajendra Place, New Delhi - 110 008
b. RB Mediasoft Private Limited, 403, Prabhat Kiran, 17, Rajendra Place, New Delhi - 110 008
c. RB Media Holdings Private Limited, 403, Prabhat Kiran, 17, Rajendra Place, New Delhi - 110 008
d. Watermark Infratech Private Limited, 403, Prabhat Kiran, 17, Rajendra Place, New Delhi - 110 008
e. Colorful Media Private Limited, 403, Prabhat Kiran, 17, Rajendra Place, New Delhi - 110 008
f. Adventure Marketing Private Limited, 403, Prabhat Kiran, 17, Rajendra Place, New Delhi - 110 008
g. Shinano Retail Private Limited, 4th Floor, Court House, Lokmanya Tilak Marg, Dhobitalao, Mumbai - 400 002
h. Nexg Ventures India Private Limited, C-157, Industrial Area, Phase - VII, Mohali, Punjab - 160 055
i. Arizona Global Services Private Limited, 1204, 12th Floor, Hemkunt Chambers, 89, Nehru Place, New Delhi - 110 019
j. Acacia Banyan Partners, Citibank N A, Custody Services, 3rd Floor, Trent House, G Block, Plot No. 60, BKC, Bandra (East), Mumbai - 400 051
k. Independent Media Trust (held in the name of its trustee), Empire Complex 1st Floor, 414, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai - 400 013
l. Network18 Media Trust (held in the name of its trustee), 503, 504 & 507, 5th Floor Mercantile House, 15 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Delhi - 110 001
m. Network18 Group Senior Professional Welfare Trust (held in the name of its trustee), 503, 504 & 507, 5th Floor Mercantile House, 15 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Delhi - 110 001
I, Lakshmi Narasimhan, hereby declare that all particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Dated: 20th February 2013
LAKSHMI NARASIMHAN
Signature of the publisher
** ownership of this magazine stands transferred from Infomedia Press Limited (formerly known as Infomedia18 Limited) (hereinafter “Infomedia”) to Network18 Media & Investments Limited (Network18) in pursuance of the scheme of arrangement between Network18 and Infomedia and their respective shareholders and creditors, as approved by the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi and the necessary approval of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is being obtained.
Side sealing machine
The side sealing machine has a
robust structure fit for side sealing
70 to 450 gsm fabrics up to 100 ft
maximum. The sealing machine
seals off HDPE/PP laminated
fabrics, LD sheets of above 500
gauge and PVC coated, SRF
nylon sheet, flex banner (poster),
polyester fabric coated material.
The structure length is 2 mtr long
and includes pressure system,
electrical control panel, air blower,
rope reinforcement attachment
edge welding width of 25 mm to
45 mm, automatic rope insertion
and edge sealing. The machine also
features a control panel with an
in-house electronic and electrical
assembly for the machine and a
timer circuit to control the speed.
Moreover, the machine has a three
phase power load supply, drive
system, heating system etc.
Shri Gurukrupa Engg Works
Vadodara - Gujarat
Tel: 0265-3042371
Mob: 09376218406
Fax: 0265-2653007
Email: shrigurukrupaengg@yahoo.com
Website: www.shrigurukrupaengg.com
Thickness measurement gaugeThickness measurement gauge is designed
for use with all non-magnetic/ non-ferritic
materials such as plastic, wood, glass, ceramic,
glass fibre, carbon fibre, non-ferrous metal
etc. Application areas include wall thickness
measurement of all types of containers such
as bottles, cans and injection mouldings,
complex shapes etc. It works on the magneto-
static principle and the gauge reaches a
measuring rate of up to 20 readings per
second. Two sensors are available covering
ranges from 0 – 4 mm and 0 – 10 mm.
Measuring accuracy up to ± (0, 5μm + 1%
of reading) can be obtained. Low range
sensitivity is 0.1 μm. It is operated simply
by sliding the probe across the area to be
measured.
Bombay Tools Supplying Agency
Mumbai - Maharashtra
Tel: 022- 23426495, 23421326
Fax: 022 -23401933
Email: info@bombaytools.com
Website: www.bombaytools.com
PRODUCTS
137March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/
distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of
Business Insights •Technologies•Opportunities
Die changing system This is an automatic and
labour-saving quick die-
changing system and
a printed circuit board
punching and stripping
system. Production
cost can be reduced by
automatic production,
improved machine activation and high-quality finished
ejection products. The automatic mould changing trolley
system contains one-button fully automatic move-in and
move-out types as well as semi-automatic move-in and
move-out types.
Forwell Precision Machinery Co Ltd
Changhua County - Taiwan
Tel: +886-4-8345196
Fax: +886-4-8345197
Email: forwell@forwell.com
Website: www.forwell.com
Pulveriser The pulveriser is suitable for processing
of P.V.C pipes, LLDPE, LDPE, HDPE,
EVA, PS silicone rubber and PET. It
is also used in rotational molding and
master batch manufacturing industries.
The pulveriser eliminates the use of
conventional type drum mixer, high speed
mixer for colour pigments, additives for subsequent processing in
extruders or compounding machines. Instead of blending the colour
pigments/additives with granules which results in uneven blending
in the final product, the granules are pulverised in the pulveriser
machine to produce the resin powder. The polymer resin powder
is then blended with the required colour pigments/additives in the
conventional mixer and processed in the compounding machine/
extruder. The pulveriser helps achieve optimum production and
ensures superior quality standards in the finished products.
N. A. Corporation
Ahmedabad - Gujarat
Tel: 079-25840374, 25841821
Fax: 079-25840809
Email: info@naroto.com, sales@naroto.com
Website: www.naroto.com, www.pulverizer.in
LIST OF PRODUCTS
138 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
4 loop din rail PID controller .....................................55
Ac drive and soft starter .............................................87
Acoustic enclosure ................................................................. 51
Additive masterbatch ...................................................... 33, 47
Air audits blower ................................................................... 20
Air bubble film extrusion line ............................................... 65
Air bubble sheet plant ........................................................... 77
Air cooled die face pelletiser ................................................. 27
Air-conditioner part .......................................................... FGF
All electric machine .............................................................. 23
Aluminum extrusion ........................................................... 133
Analog timer ........................................................................... 6
Automatic material handling system .................................... 27
Automation system ............................................................... 79
Barrel ......................................................................144
Barrel screw ........................................................................... 99
Batch weigh blender ............................................................. 26
Biodegradable masterbatch ................................................... 47
Black masterbatch ........................................................... 33, 47
Blender ......................................................................... FIC, 19
Blending unit .................................................................... FGF
Blower series ......................................................................... 79
Blown film extrusion system ......................................BGF, BC
Box series wormgear unit ...................................................... 25
Cam follower ...........................................................137
Cast film line......................................................................... 77
Central chilling system ......................................................... 57
Chemical and industrial pump ........................................... 103
Chiller ................................................................................. 107
Circular weaving machine ..................................................... 14
Clamp .................................................................................. 133
Clean room application ......................................................... 49
Cleaning oven ..................................................................... 144
Cluster facia ...................................................................... FGF
CNC vertical machining centre ............................................ 53
Colour masterbatch ................................................... 15, 33, 47
Compact chiller ............................................................. 57, 143
Complete range of rational moulding machine
and rational mould ................................................................ 22
Compounding extrusion........................................................ 22
Compressed air dryer ...................................................... 29, 73
Compressor ..................................................................... 20, 29
Conductive compound .......................................................... 47
Conical twin screw extruder ........................................... 27, 70
Connector .......................................................................... FGF
Continuous screen changer ................................................. 144
Control panel ...................................................................... 131
Conventional phase failure relay ............................................. 6
Convertor ............................................................................ 131
Conveying and handling system ........................................... 61
Counter .............................................................................. 6,55
CPVC pipe ....................................................................... 10,21
Crystallised hooper dryer .................................................... 133
Crystalliser............................................................................. 73
Cutting and stitching machine ............................................. 14
Cylinder engraving - lenticular and optical roll mould ...... 131
D.A / Glyd seal with NBR/FKM O-ring
chevron set strip ...................................................... 137
Data logging software ......................................................... 131
Dehumidifying air dryer ............................................FGF, 143
Dehumidifying dryer .................................................... FIC, 52
Delphi ATDC brake motor .................................................. 25
Delphi three-phase motor ..................................................... 25
Die changing system ........................................................... 135
Digital counter ...................................................................... 55
Digital meter ......................................................................... 55
Digital panel meter ............................................................... 12
Digital temperature controller ............................................... 40
Digital timer .......................................................................... 55
Din rail PID controller ......................................................... 55
Door trim .......................................................................... FGF
Dosing and mixing ................................................................ 79
Drive...................................................................................... 40
Dry van pump ....................................................................... 51
Dry-break coupling ............................................................... 20
Drying and dehumidifying.................................................... 79
Drymax air-hot air dryer ................................................... FIC
Drymax dryer ..................................................................... FIC
Drymax PET-dehumidified dryer ..................................... FIC
Dual channel with modbus ................................................... 40
Dynamic controller ............................................................... 40
Ejector.......................................................................20
Elastomer extrusion pump .................................................. 111
Electric injection moulding machine gearbox ......................... 7
Element shrink disc ............................................................ 137
Energy saver for three phase AC induction motor ............ 132
Exporter of thermoplastic component ................................ 113
Extruder machine ............................................................ 37, 75
Extrusion ....................................................................BGF, BC
Extrusion coating lamination plant ................................. 14, 77
Extrusion system ........................................................BGF, BC
Feeding .....................................................................61
Feeding and conveying .................................................... 73, 79
Ferrous casting .................................................................... 133
Film extrusion line ................................................................ 65
Fixture ................................................................................. 133
Flame retardant masterbatch ................................................ 33
Flashing light alarm annunciation unit................................. 55
Foam sheet ............................................................................ 65
Forged component .............................................................. 133
Freewheel-one-way-clutch .................................................. 137
Fueling system ....................................................................... 20
Fully automatic strapping plant ............................................ 77
Gear pump .............................................................. 144
Granulating and recycling ..................................................... 79
Granulator ............................................................ FIC, 73, 143
Gravimetric blender ............................................................ 143
Gravimetric doser ................................................................ 131
Grip plier............................................................................. 133
Guide band, wiper and coupling ......................................... 137
HDPE tarpaulin heat sealing machine ........................... 24
Head lamp and tail lamp ............................................. FGF
Heart valve frame .................................................................. 34
Heat transfer roll ................................................................. 144
Heater cooler mixer............................................................... 27
Heating and cooling .............................................................. 79
High cavitation ..................................................................... 49
High performance screw ..................................................... 144
High precision hydraulic clamping
injection moulding machine .................................................. 97
High speed mixer ............................................................ 37, 75
HM/HDPE/IDPE/LIDPE ................................................. 77
Hold back ............................................................................ 137
Hopper loader ..................................................................... 143
Horizontal handle clamp .................................................... 133
Hot air dryer ........................................................FGF, 52, 143
Hot runner system ................................................................ 79
Hydraulic injection moulding machine ................................. 23
Hydraulic motor .................................................................... 35
Hydraulic press ...................................................................... 27
Hydraulic pump .................................................................... 35
Hydraulic sealing solution ................................................... 137
Hydraulic servo drive ............................................................ 35
IML technique ..........................................................49
Industrial process chiller ....................................................... 57
Infomedia yellow page ........................................................ 123
Injection moulded component ............................................ 113
Injection moulding machine ........................FGF, 5, 16, 17, 80
Inline drip irrigation plant .................................................... 71
Inline drip tubing ............................................................. 10,21
Jig ........................................................................... 133
Jumbo bag dumping station .................................................. 27
Keyless transmission element ................................... 137
Knob and switch ............................................................... FGF
Lab extruder ..............................................................27
Lab mixer .............................................................................. 27
Large flow water heater ........................................................ 79
Loader ................................................................................ FIC
Loading arm .......................................................................... 20
Machined component .............................................. 133
Manual and hydraulic screen changer ................................. 144
Masterbatch ........................................................................... 33
Masterbatch mixer ................................................................ 27
Product Pg No Product Pg No Product Pg No
FGF - Front Gate Fold, FIC - Front Inside Cover, BIC - Back Inside Cover, BGF - Back Gate Fold, BC - Back Cover
Looking For A Specific Product?Searching and sourcing products were never so easy.
Just type MPP (space) Product Name and send it to 51818eg. MPP Moulding and send it to 51818
LIST OF PRODUCTS
139March 2013 | Modern Plastics & Polymers
Material dryer ....................................................................... 19
Material storage .................................................................. 143
Medical mould ...................................................................... 49
Milky polymer ..................................................................... 132
Mono and multilayer sheet line ............................................ 14
Monofilament line................................................................. 14
Monolayer blown film ..................................................... 10, 21
Monolayer blown film line .........................................BGF, BC
Motor .................................................................................... 25
Motors and drive ................................................................... 87
Mould changing system ........................................................ 85
Mould repair ....................................................................... 131
Mould temperature controller ................................. 52, 57, 143
Mould ........................................................................ 22, 37, 75
Moulding ............................................................................... 49
MTC .................................................................................. FIC
Multi component mould ....................................................... 49
Multilayer cast film line ........................................................ 14
Multilayer blown film ..................................................... 10, 21
Multilayer blown film line ...................................14, BGF, BC
Multilayer blown film plant .................................................. 77
Multilayer co-extrusion sheet line ......................................... 18
Natural polymer ....................................................... 132
Non-ferrous casting ............................................................. 133
Oil chiller ..................................................................57
Oil cooler ............................................................................ 107
Optic sheet extrusion line ..................................................... 18
Optical brightener ................................................................. 47
Panel cooler ............................................................. 107
Panel meter ............................................................................. 6
Paperless recorder .................................................................. 12
Parallel and right angle axes gearbox ...................................... 7
Pelletiser .............................................................................. 144
PET/PE washing line ........................................................... 14
PET box strapping plant ...................................................... 77
PET master matches ............................................................. 33
PET perform dedicated machine.......................................... 59
PET sheet extrusion.............................................................. 18
PET-line injection moulding machine ................................. 23
Phase failure relays .................................................................. 6
PID controller ..................................................................... 131
PID process controller .......................................................... 55
PID temperature controller ................................................... 55
Pipe extrusion solution .......................................................... 45
Plastic auxiliary equipment ................................................... 26
Plastic brightener ................................................................ 132
Plastic brightener/shiner and whitener ............................... 133
Plastic conveyor belt .............................................................. 37
Plastic masterbatch................................................................ 69
Plastic processing machine .................................................... 14
Plastic processing machinery ancillaries and spare ............... 99
Plastic ternopol ................................................................... 132
Plastic textile and machinery .............................................BIC
Plastic whitener ................................................................... 132
PLC ....................................................................................... 40
Polymer production pump .................................................. 111
Polyolefin pipe ................................................................. 10, 21
Portable chiller .................................................................... 132
PP/HDPE-semi automatic strapping plant ......................... 77
Pp glass filled compound ...................................................... 33
Pp mineral filled compound.................................................. 33
Pp-r pipes ........................................................................ 10, 21
Pp TQ plant .......................................................................... 77
Pp/HDPE raffia tape line ..................................................... 77
Precision fabrication work ................................................... 133
Precision moulding ............................................................ FGF
Precision temperature control ............................................. 131
Priming valve......................................................................... 20
Printing and cutting/rewinding machine .............................. 14
Process controller .......................................................... 12, 131
Process indicator ................................................................... 55
Product assembly ................................................................. 133
Profile controller .................................................................... 40
Profile sheet ........................................................................... 65
PRP powder ........................................................................ 132
Pull action ........................................................................... 133
Pulveriser ........................................................... 22, 37, 75, 135
Pump ....................................................................... 20, 51, 111
PVC foam core pipe ....................................................... 10, 21
PVC mixer cooler............................................................ 10, 21
PVC palletising lines ....................................................... 10, 21
PVC pipe......................................................................... 10, 21
PVC profile lines ............................................................. 10, 21
Quick die change system ............................................85
Quick mould change system ................................................. 85
Rapid prototyping ....................................................... 8
Reclaim system ...................................................................... 65
Recycling line ........................................................................ 14
Reducer ................................................................................. 25
Relay ........................................................................................ 6
Resin dehumidifier ................................................................ 73
Resin dryer ............................................................................ 89
Rigid sheet ............................................................................ 65
Robot .................................................................................. FIC
Rock and roll machine .................................................... 37, 75
Roots blower ......................................................................... 51
Round table carrousel ............................................................ 37
RTD .................................................................................... 131
Safety access equipment .............................................20
Screw ..................................................................................... 99
Seal ...................................................................................... 103
Secon and dull polymer ...................................................... 132
Servo energy saving machine ................................................ 59
Servo pump ......................................................................... 131
Shut off nozzle .................................................................... 144
Shuttle remoulding machine ................................................. 22
Side sealing machine ........................................................... 134
Single bag feeding system ..................................................... 27
Single mill pulveriser ....................................................... 37, 75
Single screw extruder ............................................................ 27
Single screw extruder gearbox ................................................. 7
Single screw extruder plant ................................................... 70
Software for central monitoring............................................ 73
Solid state relay ................................................................... 131
Stack mould .......................................................................... 49
Storage tank equipment ........................................................ 20
Straight line action .............................................................. 133
Strand pelletiser..................................................................... 27
SV power cooled motor ........................................................ 25
System solution ..................................................................... 79
Tank truck equipment ................................................20
Tape stretching line with inverter driven cheese winder ...... 14
Technical mould .................................................................... 49
Temperature controller .................................. 6, 12, 40, 55, 131
Temperature indicator ............................................................. 6
Temperature sensor ............................................................. 131
Temperature transmitter (dual) ............................................. 55
Tensioner nut ...................................................................... 137
Thermocouple ..................................................................... 131
Thermoformer ............................................................BGF, BC
Thermoforming ..........................................................BGF, BC
Thermoforming and PS foam....................................BGF, BC
Thermoplast production pump ........................................... 111
Thick and wide plastic sheet extrusion line .......................... 18
Thickness measurement gauge ............................................ 134
Three arm bi-axial moulding machine .......................... 37, 75
Thyristorised power controller ............................................ 131
Timer .................................................................................... 55
Toggle action clamp ............................................................ 133
Toggle injection machine ...................................................... 23
Toggle press ......................................................................... 133
TPE/TPU compound ........................................................... 33
TPU masterbatch .................................................................. 15
Track roller .......................................................................... 137
Transmissions and pot........................................................... 20
Turned component .............................................................. 133
Twin - screw co-rotating extruder ................................ 34, 141
Twin - screw element .................................................... 34, 141
Twin - screw extruder ................................................... 34, 141
Twin mill pulveriser ........................................................ 37, 75
Twin roll mill ........................................................................ 27
Twin screw extruder gearbox .................................................. 7
Twin screw extrusion line ..................................................... 70
Two plate injection moulding machine ................................ 23
Two layer blown film ...................................................... 10, 21
Ultra sonic flow meter ................................................12
Underwater pelletiser ............................................................ 27
Universal controller ............................................................... 40
Universal input temperature scanner .................................. 131
Universal masterbatch ........................................................... 33
UV & PU masterbatch ......................................................... 33
UV stabiliser .......................................................................... 47
Vacuum booster pump ................................................51
Vacuum dryer ........................................................................ 52
Vacuum forming machine ..........................................BGF, BC
Vacuum loader ................................................................... FGF
Vacuum pumps and system ................................................... 20
Vacuum system ...................................................................... 51
Variable displacement pump energy-saving machine ........... 59
Vario speed variator ............................................................... 25
Vertical handle clamp .......................................................... 133
Vertical machining center ..................................................... 63
Vfd’s and soft starters for modern industry .......................... 87
Vibratory screening system ................................................... 22
Vibro screen .................................................................... 37, 75
Virgin polymer .................................................................... 132
Volumetric dosing unit .......................................................... 73
Water chiller ..............................................................73
Water jetting ......................................................................... 20
WFR .................................................................................. FIC
White masterbatch .......................................................... 33, 47
Wiper NBR O-ring piston seal .......................................... 137
Wire EDM ........................................................................... 53
Product Pg No Product Pg No Product Pg No
FGF - Front Gate Fold, FIC - Front Inside Cover, BIC - Back Inside Cover, BGF - Back Gate Fold, BC - Back Cover
LIST OF ADVERTISERS
140 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
ACS Auxiliaries India Pvt Ltd ...................... 26
T: +91-02135 - 329112
E: acsindia@corpemail.com
W: www.aecinternet.com
Adinath Controls Pvt Ltd ............................131
T: +91-2764-286573
E: info@adinathcontrols.com
W: www.adinathcontrols.com
Alok Masterbatches Ltd ............................... 15
T: +91-011-41612244
E: sales@alokindustries.com
W: www.alokmasterbatches.com
Blend Colours Pvt Ltd .................................. 33
T: +91-40-2436 1499
E: info@blendcolours.com
W: www.blendcolours.com
Boge Compressed Air System ....................... 29
T: +91-044-43009610
E: fc.jayakaran@boge.com
W: www.boge.in
Bry Air (Asia) Pvt Ltd .................................. 89
T: +91-’011-2390677
E: bryairmarketing@pahwa.com
W: www.bryairsystems.com
Chamunda Equipments ...............................133
T: +91-79-27522437
E: clamp@chamundaequip.com
W: www.chamundaequip.com
Chi Chang Machinery (India) ....................... 65
T: +91 9820141845
E: info@suprapti.com
Dyna Automation Pvt Ltd ............................ 35
T: +91-79-26404605
E: info@dynahydraulics.com
W: www.dynahydraulics.com
Everest Blowers ............................................ 51
T: +91-11-45457777
E: info@everestblowers.com
W: www.everestblowers.com
Ferromatik Milacron India Pvt Ltd ............... 23
T: +91-79-25890081
E: salesfmi@milacron.com
W: www.milacronindia.com
Forwell Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. .......... 85
T: 886-4-834-5196
E: forwell@forwell.com
W: www.forwell.com
Freeze Tech Equipments Pvt Ltd .................107
T: +91-044-42152387
E: info@freezetechequip.com
W: www.freezetechequip.com
Gardner Denver Engineered Pro. (I) ............. 20
T: +91-79-40089312
E: info.ahm@gardnerdenver.com
W: www.gardnerdenver.com
Gelco Electronics Pvt Ltd ............................... 6
T: +91-79-22200902
E: info@gelco-world.com
W: www.gelco-world.com
Heattrans Equipments Pvt.Ltd. ...................133
T: +91-79-25840105
E: info@heattrans.com
W: www.heattrans.com
Hiflon Polymers Industries ..........................137
T: +91-79-25857182
E: sales@fluoroplastind.com
W: www.fluoroplastind.com
Hindustan Plastic and Machine Corporation 70
T: +91-011-25473361
E: poonam@hindustanplastics.com
W: www.hindustanplastics.com
J P Extrusiontech Limited ............................ 14
T: +91-2646-222163
E: info@jpextrusiontech.com
W: www.jpextrusiontech.com
Jacobsen Lenticular Tool & Cylinder Engraving
Technology Co., ( Jaco Tech) ........................131
T: 1-630-467-0900
E: gj@jacotech.com
W: www.jacotech.com
Kabra Extrusion Technik Ltd ................... 10, 21
T: +91-22-2673 4822
E: sunil@kolsitegroup.com
W: www.kolsite.com
Konark Plastomech Pvt Ltd .......................... 77
T: +91-79-22891670
E: sales@konarkplastomech.com
W: www.konarkplastomech.com
K-Tron Process Group ................................. 61
T: (856) 589-0500
W: www.ktron.com
L & T Plastics Machinery Ltd .................. FGF
T: +91-044-26812000
E: handigolg@larsentoubro.com
W: www.larsentoubro.com
Lan Marketing Pvt Ltd ................................111
T: +91-022-27893645
E: jai@lanengg.com
W: www.maag.com
Larsen & Toubro Ltd ................................... 31
T: +91-22-6752 5656
E: ss-ccd@lth.ltindia.com
W: www.larsentoubro.com
Laxmi Hydraulics Pvt Ltd ............................. 87
T: +91-217-2352001
E: lhpindia@lhpmotor.com
W: www.lhp.co.in
Lohia Starlinger Ltd. ................................. BIC
T: +91-011-30641770
E: prom.lsl@lohiagroup.com
W: www.lohiagroup.com
Makino India Private Limited....................... 63
T: +91-80-28419500
E: slim@makino.co.in
W: www.makino.com
Matsui Technologies India Ltd. .................... 52
T: +91-0120-4243862
E: rahuldeep@mass.motherson.com
Micon Automation Systems P. Ltd ................ 55
T: +91-79-32900400
E: sales@miconindia.com
W: www.miconindia.com
Mifa Systems ................................................ 40
T: +91-79-26870825
E: info@mifasystems.com
W: www.mifasystems.com
Mold - Masters Technologies Pvt Ltd ........... 67
T: +91-422-4502171
E: mmiplinfo@moldmasters.com
W: www.moldmasters.com
N.A. Corporation ......................................... 75
T: +91-79-25840374
E: info@naroto.com
W: www.naroto.com
Nand Composites Pvt Ltd ...........................113
T: +91-9822016337
E: info@nandcomposites.in
W: www.nandcomposites.in
Neejtech India (Braunform) .......................... 49
T: +91-79-26561312
E: info@neejtech.com
W: www.neejtech.com
Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No
Our consistent advertisers COC - Cover on Cover, FGF - Front Gate Fold, FIC - Front Inside Cover, BIC - Back Inside Cover, BC - Back Cover
LIST OF ADVERTISERS
142 Modern Plastics & Polymers | March 2013
Neejtech India (Niigata) ............................... 17
T: +91-9909974224
E: contact@niigataindia.com
W: www.niigataindia.com
Neoplast Engineering Pvt Ltd ...................... 27
T: +91-79-25830602
E: info@neoplastindia.com
W: www.neoplastindia.com
Network18 ..................................................123
T: +1800 200 1010 (toll free)
E: mcc@network18publishing.com
W: www.yellowpages.co.in
NMTG Mechtrans Techniques Pvt Ltd. ......137
T: +91-79-22821527
E: nmtg@nmtgindia.com
W: www.nmtgindia.com
Nu-Vu Conair Pvt. Ltd ................................143
T: +91-9376783206
E: salesindia@conairgroup.com
W: www.conairgroup.com
Piovan India Pvt Ltd .................................... 73
T: +91-22-27782367
E: amit.bajaj@piovnindia.com
W: www.piovan.com
Plast Fine Polymers .....................................132
T: +91-79-65242332
E: plastfine@gmail.com
W: www.plastfine.com
Plastiblends India Ltd .................................. 47
T: +91-022-67205200
E: rsd@koisitegroup.com
W: www.plastiblendsindia.com
Prasad GWK Cooltech Pvt Ltd..................... 37
T: +91-79-25830112
E: plastics@prasadgroup.com
W: www.prasadgroup.com
Prayag Polytech Pvt Ltd ............................... 69
T: +91-011-47262000
E: delhi@prayagmb.com
W: www.prayagmb.com
Procon Technologies Pvt Ltd ........................ 12
T: +91-79-27492566
E: info@procon.co.in
W: www.procon.co.in
R R Plast Extrusions Pvt Ltd ........................ 18
T: +91-22-42461500
E: marketing@rrplast.com
W: www.rrplast.com
Rajoo Engineers Ltd...........................BGF, BC
T: +91-2827-252701
E: kcdoshi@rajoo.com
W: www.rajoo.com
Rollepaal Engineering India Pvt Ltd............. 45
T: +91-9898598712
E: rrs@rollepaal.in
W: www.rollepaal.com
Rotomotive Powerdrives India Ltd. ............... 25
T: +91-2692-230430
E: info@rotomotive.com
W: www.rotomotive.com
S&T Engineers ............................................ 53
T: +91-422-2590810
E: stycm@stengineers.com
W: www.stengineers.com
Sacmi Engineering India Pvt Ltd .................. 80
T: +91-7600003968
E: sales@negribossi.in
W: www.negribossi.com
Sanity International ..................................... 99
T: +91-79-65227458
E: info@sanityindia.com
W: www.sanityindia.com
Seal Jet Seals ...............................................103
T: +91-020-27121581
E: vswasu@satyam.net.in
W: www.sealjetseals.com
Shini Plastics Technologies I Pvt Ltd ............ 79
T: +91-250-3021166
E: jnbhat@shiniindia.com
W: www.shini.com
Shree Momai Autocast Containers ................ 22
T: +91-2668-266440
E: iyer@shreemomai.com
W: www.shreemomai.com
Shri Gurukrupa Engineering Works ............. 24
T: +91-265-3042371
E: shrigurukrupaengg@yahoo.com
W: www.gurukrupaengg.com
Soham Technologies Private Limited ............ 57
T: +91-2717-654353
E: info@sohamtechno.com
W: www.sohamtechno.com
Specific Engineering ...................................141
T: +91-265-2646871
E: info@specificgroup.com
W: www.specificgroup.com
Sri Sai Plasto Tech ....................................... 59
T: +91-044-42994365
E: sspt_plastics@live.in
W: www.srisaiplastotech.com
Steer Engineering Pvt Ltd ............................ 34
T: +91-80-23723309
E: info@steerworld.com
W: www.steerworld.com
Stratasys Gmbh. ............................................. 8
T: 49-69-420-9943-0
E: europe@stratasys.com
W: www.stratasys.com
Supermac Machinery .................................... 97
T: +91-9998040433
E: supermacmachinery@gmail.com
W: www.supermacmachinery.com
Suresh Engineering Works ........................... 71
T: +91-731-2527872
E: suresen@aittelmail.in
W: www.sureshengg.com
Toshiba Machine (India) Pvt. Ltd. ................ 16
T: +91-011-43291111
E: dineshelija@toshiba-machine.co.in
W: www.toshiba-machine.co.jp
Unimark (Maguire) ....................................... 19
T: +91-22-25506712
E: infomum@unimark.in
W: www.unimark.in
Wittmann Battenfeld India Pvt Ltd ............FIC
T: +91-044-42077009
E: info@wittman-group.in
W: www.wittmann-group.com
Woojin Plaimm Co Ltd .................................. 5
T: +91-9810043265
E: in@wjpin.com
W: www.plaimm.com
Xaloy Asia (Thailand) Ltd. ..........................144
T: +91-79-40327380
E: m.sanghvi@th.xaloy.com
W: www.xaloy.com
Zambello Riduttori Group ............................. 7
T: 39-0331-307-616
E: info@zambello.it
W: www.zambello.it
Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details Pg No
Our consistent advertisers COC - Cover on Cover, FGF - Front Gate Fold, FIC - Front Inside Cover, BIC - Back Inside Cover, BC - Back Cover
Reg No: MH/MR/WEST/234/2012-2014 RNI No: MAHENG / 2008 / 25265 Licence to Post at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Offi ce, Mumbai GPO., Mumbai 400 001.
Date Of Posting 1st & 2nd Of Every Month / English & Monthly.Date Of Publication: 28th Of Every Previous Month.
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