ChinaPlas 2016

CHINAPLAS, recognized as Asia's No. 1 & world's No.2 plastics and rubber trade fair by the industry, will hold its 30th edition in 2016. To celebrate the reach of the milestone, there will be more attractions and celebration activities at the show for all to join! 

Looking back, when CHINAPLAS was held for the first time in Beijing in 1983, the exhibition area was only 2,000sqm, and 90% of the exhibitors were from overseas. At that time, the production technology in China was still at a very low level, CHINAPLAS visitors mainly came to learn the advanced technologies from overseas countries. Today, China has become a big manufacturing country with strong production ability, and is exporting the most plastics and rubber machineries in recent years. In the past three decades, CHINAPLAS has been moving forward together with the China market, and has developed into a platform for the showcase of both overseas technologies and Chinese machineries for export. Its international nature attracts overseas visitors from more than 150 countries and regions, which accounts for nearly 30% of the show's visitors. CHINAPLAS will continue to keep abreast of the trends in the dynamic environment, and lead the industry to cope with the changing world. 

Greenovation for a Smart Future 

Like other manufacturing industries in China, plastics and rubber industries are facing transformation to meet the new era of intelligent production. The world's leading manufacturing countries have launched national strategic plans to meet the challenges in the new era and to strengthen their industrial competitiveness. Examples include "Industry 4.0" of Germany, "Advanced Manufacturing Partnership" of USA, and "New Robot Strategy" of Japan. China also launched the "Made in China 2025" strategic plan recently to boost its industrial growth, with the aim to comprehensively upgrade Chinese manufacturing industries. It is not hard to find that intelligent manufacturing plays a vital part in all of these national plans in adapting to new market environment. CHINAPLAS as a leading plastics and rubber trade fair always moves ahead together with the industry. The new show theme "Greenovation for a Smart Future" signifies that the show content next year will focus on green and innovative technologies, as well as intelligent manufacturing solutions in response to the development of the industry. With more new and high-end technology on display, the show can better support enterprises to explore business opportunities. 

The biggest ever with more attractions 

The 30th CHINAPLAS will be held from 25 to 28 April, 2016 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, PR China, with an exhibition area over 240,000sqm, and more than 3,200 exhibitors are expected. The show is supported by a number of country and region pavilions, including Austrian, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Swiss, Taiwanese, and USA Pavilions. With broader range of exhibits, the number of theme zones will rise to sixteen, among which the "Automation Technology Zone", "Composite & High Performance Materials Zone" and "Recycling Technology Zone" are all new to the coming show in Shanghai. Intelligent production lines and systems, industrial robots, high performance materials, composite materials, the latest and most complete recycling solutions as well as other plastics and rubber technology breakthroughs will be showcased under one roof. 

Celebration Activities Rolling Out, Stay Tuned! 

To celebrate the 30th edition of CHINAPLAS, apart from more show attractions at the fairground, there will also be a series of celebration activities for all to join. These activities are rolling out soon and will last until the next year. Stay tuned with us by checking out for our latest posts on CHINAPLAS official website! 

Limited exhibition space left, reserve now! 

Online space application is now available, as response is overwhelming, space is running out fast. Interested parties are advised to submit immediate space reservation on our official website to enjoy the quality and all-round promotion services. 

For details, please visit the official show website at www.ChinaplasOnline.com

14th China International Food Processing and Packaging Exhibition

The 14th China International Food Processing and Packaging Exhibition will be held  during April 19-21th, 2016 at China  International Expo Centre. CF, cooperating with CIFE China, is the largest event ever organized for a completed chain from equipments to products in the field of international food and beverage market in China.    In the past 14 years,CF has attracted an increasing number of visitors in food and beverage Industry, allowing visitors and exhibitors to communicate and cooperate successfully.

   The exhibition range include:

FOOD MACHINERY                                       

A. Food Processing Machinery                             

Soft Drink Processing                                                 

Pastry Processing                                                             

Candy Processing                                                           

Soy-Bean Products Processing                                        

Fruits & Vegetables Processing                                       

Slaughtering Machinery                                                    

Meat Processing                                                      

Milk Products Processing                                       

Brewing Machinery                                                

Flavoring Processing                                             

Fat Deep Processing                                               

Instant Food Processing                                        

Grain Processing                                                     

Cooking Machinery 

                                              

B.  Processing Technology Equipment                

Selecting, Washing and Brushing Machinery                        

Grinding and Separating Machinery                     

Food Mixing Machinery                                          

Food Homogenizer                                                 

Food Concentrating Equipment                            

Food Drying and Sterilizing Machinery                

Food Frying Machinery                                          

Baking Machinery                                                    

PACKAGING MACHINERY                      

C.  Decorating Printing Machinery                       

Wrapping Machinery                                               

Vacuum Packaging Machinery                               

Forming-Filling-Sealing Machinery                      

Labeling Machinery                                                 

Strapping and Containering Machinery                

Cleaning Machinery(Bottle Washing, Case washing)  

Medicine Packaging Machinery                             

Packaging Container Making Machinery                    

Packaging Materials Processing Machinery                          

D. Other Relevant Machinery                                

Inkjet Printers                                                              

Testing Equipment                                                         

Transmission Machinery                                        

Weighing Equipment                                                     

Equipment Components & Expendables                   

Food Grade Series Compressor Oil     

Date: Apr.19-21,2016

Venue: China International Exbition Center, Beijing, China

Tel: 86- 10-64787342   84414052   Fax: 86-010-58043750

E-mail: fengfeng99@vip.163.com 

Website: http://www.cifie-expo.com/en/

Exhibition Area: 50,000 square meters

Estimated Visitors: 70,000 persons

Lubricants

 In processing high melt viscosity polymers such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) by extrusion, milling, calendering and injection molding, the shear forces applied cause excessive frictional heat which may lead to serious thermal stability problems. Another problem in processing PVC is to assure that the polymer releases from metal surfaces of the processing equipment. To solve these problems two types of lubricants are used.Lubricants which lower the melt viscosity and control frictional heat build-up are called internal lubricants while substances which promote release are called external lubricants. These materials are used in relatively small amounts since an excess will cause processingand stability problems and structural weakness in the ultimate product. In the processing of polymers such as PVC discrete particles are subjected to stress and heat until there is fusion of the discrete particles and a resulting loss of particle identity. An excess amount of an external lubricant will tend to coat the individual particle and while promoting a slippage between particles will delay fusion.

     The role of the internal lubricant is to reduce the internal friction within the polymeric melt, which includes reducing heat build-up when the polymer is subjected to stress.Because of the characteristic high melt viscosity of rigid PVC an internal lubricant is usually viewed as being necessary to improve flow properties. Their use will result in an economic advantage in that less work will be expended at a given set of processing conditions. In addition, improved product appearance usually results, particularyly with respect to improved surface appearance. An internal lubricant will promote fusion.

     Other distingguishing characteristics of internal and external lubricants are the effects they have on fusion time. Internal lubricants show no change in fusion time as the concentration of lubricant increases in the polymer system; external lubricants lengthen fusion time with increasing concentration.

      Some lubricants exhibit properties of both internal and external lubricants and are identified as internal/external. The degree of each type of lubricity imparted in a specific application is depending on the type and concentration of lubricant employed, the composition of the plastic system, the type of processing equipment, and the operating parameters of the processing system.

       In some instances, one encounters undersiable side effects in the use of lubricants, most notably in the reduction of heat stability which can lead to such major production problems as:

      Thermal degradation of the thermalplastic material within the extruder requires a halt of process operations for cleaning out.

       Recycling of materials is limited.

       The use of thermoplastic materials in light colored goods is limited.

     High level of expensive heat stabilizers may be required.

Plasticizers

Plasticizers are added to thermoplasts or elastomers to make them more flexible, improve processability, or allow them to foamed. Generally, plasticizers are low-molar-mass liquids, and only seldom are they low-or high-molar-mass solids. Elastomers are mostly plasticized with mineral oils: typical rubber tires, for example, contain about 40% mineral oil.Phthalic esters dominate plasticizers for thermoplasts, and here, di (2-ethyl hexyl) phthalate (“dioctyl phthalate “, DOP) is the most used.Polymeric plasticizers are only used in a relatively small number of cases. They are mostly polyesters or polyethers. High-molar-mass polyesters are used for polymer blends, but low-molar-mass polyesters are used as actual plasticizers. Since the latter are produced by polycondensation, they have a broad molar mass distrubution, and thus monomer and oligomer components. High monomer factions mean low polymer fraction, but quite high oligomer fractions. In such cases, they are called oligomeric plasticizers.

A distinction is also made between primary and secondary plasticizers. Primary plasticizers interact directly with the polymer chains, where sencondary plasticizers are actually only diluents for the primary plasticizers. For this reason, secondary plasticizers are also called extenders. This, depending on the polymers, a given plasticizer can act as either a primary or a secondary plasticizer. For example, heavy oils are extenders for PVC, but primary plasticizers for elastomers.

Eighty to eighty-five percent of all plasticizers are used to produce plasticized PVC. The phthalates are preferentially used to plasticize certain polyurethanes, polyester resin, and phenolic resin. Phosphaste esters are good plasticizers for melamine resins, unstaturated polyesters, phenolic resins, polyamides, and cellulose acetate. A total of about 500 different plasticizers are commercially available on the market.

Plasticizers incerease the chain segment mobility by different molecular effects. Polar plasticizers produce the gauche effect with polar polymer chains, that is, they increase the gauche conformation fraction at the expense of the trans conformations, and so reduce the mean rotational energy barrier. Acting as more or less good solvents, plasticizers dissolve helix structure and crystalline regions. In addtion, chain segments become more separated on account of the dilution effect. On the other hand, solvation does not increase chain mobility since a solvent sheath acts like a substituent and consequently increase the rotational energy barrier.

Because of the increased chain segment mobility, the glass transition temperatures, moduli of elasticity, tensile strengths, and hardness are decreased, whereas the extension at break is increased. The change in these parameters can thus be used as a macroscopic meaure of the effectivity of the plasticization. Of these parameters, only the glass transition temperature depends solely on the polymer chain mobililty, all other parameters contain contributions from other effects. Thus, measurements on plasticization effectively using glass transition temperatures, moduli of elasticity, tensile strengths, elongations at break, and hardness can not yield identical results.

To increase segment mobility, the plasticizer must be able to form a thermodynamically stable mixture with the polymer, that is, it must be compatible with the polymer, but solvents which are too good stifffen the chain by solvation. Thus, plasticizers must be solvents which are as poor as possible.

Stabilizers

Stabilizers provide protection against degradation caused by heat, oxidation, and solar radiation. Thus, when used in plastic compositions they may be classified as heat (or thermal) stabilizers, antioxidants and UV light stabilizers.

It is the role of heat stabilizers to prevent the polymer from degrading during the short period of high temperature (150℃ to 300℃) processing and to protect the finished plastic article against slow aging over longer periods at service temperatures.

Antioxidants inhibit or retard oxidative degradation at normal or elevated temperatures during processing, storage or service. Most polymers undergo some oxidation degradation, but hydrocarbon polymers are specially susceptible.Antioxidants, therefore, are generally added in small quantities.

Most plastics exhibit varying degrees of degradation upon prolonged outdoor exposure. Polypropylene, poly (vinyl chloride), polyethylene, polyesters, crstalline and high impact polystyrenes, and ABS are particularyly sensitive. Other plastics, particularly poly (methyl methacrylate) and the fluorocarbons, are much more resistant. To arrest or retard polymer degradation caused by the ultraviolet portion of solar radiation, plastic formulations contain UV absorbers. These are compounds such as substituted benzophenones, benzotriazoles and acrylonitriles that selectively absorb harmful radiation and convert it to heat energy.

Pigments such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are also used to protect plastics against the harmful effect of ultraviolet radiation.

They function by absorbing some UV radiation, but their ability to reflect radiation (heat as well as light) accounts for much of their effectiveness.In applications where colour is not a requirement, carbon black, which absorb UV light, is widely used as a very effective stabilizer (e.g. in black polyethylene). 

PVC Additives (2)

3. FILLERS

Essentially fillers are added to formulations to reduce costs, although they may offer other advantages – such as opacity, resistance to blocking, reduced plate-out, improved dry blending. On the other side, fillers can reduce tensile and tear strength, reduce elongation, cause stress whitening, reduce low temperature perforance.

The most common fillers used with PVC are calcined clays, and water-ground and precipitated calcium carbonates of particle size around 3 micrometers. Other fillers are silicas and talcs.

4. LUBRICANTS

     These materials are of prime importance in PVC processing. They are decribed below.

      ⑴ Improve the internal flow characteristics of the compound.

      ⑵ Reduce the tendency for the compound to stick to the process machinery

      ⑶ Improve the surface smoothness of the finished product

      ⑷ Improve heat stability by lowering internal and/or external friction

          Examples of lubricants, with which you may be familiar, are stearic acid, calcium stearate, Wax E, polythylene AC 617.

5. PROCESSING AIDS

These may be regarded as low-melt viscosity, compatable solid plasticizers. They are added to lower processing temperatue, improve roll release on calenders, reduce plate-out, promote fusion.

They are usually added at concentration of 5.0%. The most widely used processing aids are acylic resins of which acrylic K 120N is an example.

6. OTHER ADDITIVES

     There are  several other addtives which we will list and comment on briefly.

⑴ Impact Modifiers: These are usd in rigid vinyls to improve impact resistance. These are usually acrylic or ABS polymers used at 10-15 phr levels. Examples are Kureha BTA 111, Blendex 301.

⑵ Light Stabilizers: for resistance to ultraviolet radiation. They are used in low concentrations 0.5-1.5 phr.

⑶ Flame Retardants: PVC is inherently self-extinguishing However, the plasticizers and additives are not. Therefore, flame retardants are added. The most widely known one is antimon tri-oxide.

⑷ Anti-Static Agents

⑸ Fungicides: Vinyzene BP-5

⑹ Foaming Agents: Chemicals that decompose at predetermined temperature to produce a certain volume of gas within the molten vinyl and thereby create foam.

⑺ Colorants: Both pigments and dyes can be used. However, dyes, which are soluble organic substances,are used sparingly de to their tendency toward migration and extract ability. Heat resistance of colorants must be carefully evaluated.

    In summary, we have seen that a vinyl compound consists of following components: PVC resin, plasticizer, heat stabilizer, lubricant, special additive, colorants.

PVC Additives (1)

It should be noted that PVC resin, of themselves, are of no practical use. When fused, they are hard, brittle compounds. Their inherent limited heat stability make any type of processing difficult if not impossible. Therefore, in order to produce a useful product other ingredient are added to the PVC resin for the purpose of : increasing flexibility, providing adequate heat stability, improving processability, imparting aesthetic appeal.

Let’s consider these ingredients in some detail.

1.     PLASTICIZERS

  Plasticizers are low boiling liquids or low molecular weight solids that are added to resins to alter processing and physical properties. They increase resin flexibility, softness and elongation. They increase low temperature flexibility but decrease hardness. They also reduce processing, temperatures and melt viscosity in the case of calenering.

   Plasticizers fall into two categories based on their solvating power and compatibility with resins.

A.    Primary Plasticizers: are able to solvate resins and retain compatibility on aging. Samples of these would be:

DOP      Dioctyl phthalate

S-711     Di(n-hexyl; n-octyl; n-decyl) phthlate (linear)

DIDP      Di-iso decyl phthate

B.     Secondary Plasticizers: are so defined because of their limited solubility and compatibility and are, therefore, used only in conjunction with primary plasticizers. The ratio of primary to secondary depends on the type and quantity of the particular plasticizers. Secondary plasticizers are used to impart special properties such as:

-low temperature flexibility  DMODA (di-normal octyl decyl adipate)

                         DOZ (di-octyl azelate)

                         DOA (di-octyl adipate)

-         Flame retardance  Reofas 65 (tri-iso propyl phenyl phosphate)

-         Electrical properties t  tri-mellitates

-         Cost reduction        Cereclor, chlorinated parafins

In a separate category are the polymeric plasticizers. These are long chain molecules and are made from adipic, azelaic, sebacic, acids and propylene and butylene glycols. The efficiency of polymerics is poor but volatility and migration are superior. An example of a polymeric plasticizer is Paraplex G-54.

The characteristics sought in plasticizers can be summarized as follows:

⑴ efficiency- This is the level or concentration needed to give a stated hardness, flexibility or modulus.

⑵ the effect on low temperature flexibility.

⑶ solvating power: This influence the fluxing rate of the compound at a given temperature or at a minimum fluxing temperature.

The fluxing rate relates directly to processing time.

Performance: This relates to volatility, extraction resistance, compatibility.

2.     HEAT STABILIZERS

   The chief purpose of a heat stabilizer is to prevent discoloration during processing of the resin compound. Degradation begins with the evolution of Hydrogen Chloride, at about 200 ℉ increasing sharply with time and temperature. Color changes parallel the amount of degradation running from white to yellow to brown to black. Therefore, the need for heat stabilizers.

   The most effective stabilziers have been found to be:

   ⑴ Metal soaps: Barium-cadmium solids and liquids: Mark 725, Mark 311

   ⑵ Organo tin compounds: octyl tin mercaptide: Mark OTM

   ⑶ Epoxies: epoxidized soya oil (G-62)

   The above are most likely most effectively only when used in combination (synergism).

   What are some of the criteria in choosing a stabilzier system?

⑴ The ability to prevent discoloration

⑵ The amount of lubrication involved. In calandering this can be of critical importance. Mark 725 has low lubricating effect while Mark 311 contributes high lubrication effect.

⑶ Plate-Out- a potential side-affect of processing and has been linked to certain barium-cadium stabilizers.

⑷ Compatability with the resin system- for obvious reasons.

⑸ Resistance to sunlight staining: atmospheric discoloration.