Based on a report by WRAP’s (Waste and Resources Action Programme) and the Love Food Hate Waste campaign, a staggering 4.4 million whole apples are being thrown away untouched in the UK everyday. It also states that we throw away nearly £3 billion worth of perfectly good fruit and vegetables each year.
Read more about this report and also tips about how we can reduce waste and preserve our food. www.wrap.org.uk The Waste and Resources Action Programme.
Popularity: 28% [?]
By Najiah
Created Wednesday, November 17th
Published on Malay Mail Online
Its makers claim the material creates less solid waste, uses less energy to recycle, re-used as garbage bags, among others
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010 05:05:00
WE refer to the various articles arising from the Penang State government’s decision to extend the “ban/tax” on plastic bags from three days to seven.
The Malaysian Plastics Forum (MPF)/Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) are disappointed as we believe the State authorities are influenced by several common misconceptions about plastic bags with statements like:
● “Plastic bags are bad because it is not degradable”;
● “A ban will encourage the use of reusable bags”;
● “Other materials, like paper, are better for the environment”; or
● “Plastic bags are the cause of littering”.
Many wrongly consider plastic bags to be “harmful” because it does not degrade. The sad truth is degradation in the presence of oxygen causes the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas (GHG) that causes global warming.
Degradation in the absence of oxygen, such as anaerobic respiration, is even worse because methane gas, which is 22 times more harmful than CO2 as a GHG, is released.
We quote this statement from the Australian Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts:
● “Our consultancy report, ‘The Impact of Degradable Plastic Bags in Australia’, found that there is probably little benefit obtained by using biodegradable plastics if you dispose them to landfills. This is because microorganisms cannot survive the dry, oxygen-deprived conditions normally found in landfills. All sorts of biodegradable materials, including food and paper, have been found “mummified” and preserved in such conditions. Even if the degradable materials degrade, the low oxygen level means that they release methane as they break down – a potent greenhouse gas”.
● “Plastic bags that are commonly replaced by degradable plastics actually make up a small amount (by volume) of the waste going into landfills, and most plastics are inert and do not contribute to toxic emissions or leaching.”
The non-degradation of plastic bags represents a form of carbon capture (carbon sequestration). It is therefore an irony many are harping on the issue of degradation, which releases CO2 or methane gas, only to see millions of dollars being spent on “Carbon Capture and Storage” programmes (International Energy Agency www.iea.org/Papers/2009/CCS_Roadmap.pdf [1]).
San Francisco banned plastic retail bags in 2007 to, inter alia, encourage the use of reusable bags. A 2008 survey (www.use-less-stuff.com [2]) found few switched to reusable bags. Instead, large amounts of paper bags, many with double bagging, were issued, causing an even greater environmental impact.
Compared to a paper bag, a plastic bag consumes 71 per cent less energy during production, generates 68 per cent less GHG emissions, and uses less than six per cent of the water needed to produce paper bags. In addition, plastic bags create 80 per cent less solid waste, and use 90 per cent less energy to recycle.
Littering is a behavioral problem. San Francisco commissioned a Streets Litter Re-Audit in 2008 which showed plastic retail bags as a composition of total large litter increased from 0.60 per cent, before the ban, to 0.64 per cent after. Plastic bags are thus a very small component of total large litter and the ban did not reduce this composition.
Even if plastic bags are not used during the purchase stage, a plastic bag is still needed for disposing garbage. In the absence of plastic bags, consumers will have to pay for garbage bags. The cost of a regular size plastic bag is 4 sen while the selling price of a medium-size garbage bag is 40 sen. This will only cause hardship to the poor.
Garbage bags are comparatively thicker and require more energy and resources to produce. Shopping bags have handles which allow easy tying of the bag for garbage disposal. A garbage bag uses more plastic material as the top part of the bag does not have a “cut-off”. Consequently, more, not less, plastics actually end up in the landfill.
To judge the impact of a material on the environment, it is necessary to measure all the parameters right from the source of the raw material (“cradle”) up to its end of life (“grave”), that is, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Plastic bags, whether in terms of the total energy used, fossil fuel used or greenhouse gas emission, has the best LCA compared to other packaging materials.
The wise use of plastic bags is to only take what is required (REDUCE); using the same plastics bag at both the purchase and disposal stage (REUSE); and returning any excess (RECYCLE). They will benefit both consumer and the environment. Our proposal is to set up a workgroup based on the 3Rs model (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) with all stakeholders working together.
The Penang authorities should put in place stronger mechanisms to punish littering altogether, and increase the collection and recycling of all materials, including plastics.
We call upon the State government to urgently adopt the 3Rs model as an integrated and holistic approach that would not only benefit the environment but also not burden the rakyat. The 3Rs model, in place of the ban/tax model, needs to be given a chance to work!
Popularity: 53% [?]
We already know that plastic comes from crude oil. Now watch how used plastics can be converted back to oil. That’s recycle.
Popularity: 29% [?]
Below is list of abbreviations and acronyms used in the plastics industry. Not the full list but I am trying my best to include everything. These include international and regional standards organizations, government agencies, industry terminology, directives, etc. For abbreviations on plastics resin/material, click here.
ACCSQ — ASEAN Consultative Committee for Standards and Quality
ANSI – American National Standards Institute
ARSO – African Organization for Standardization
ASQ – American Society for Quality
ASME – American Society for Mechanical Engineers
ASTM – American Society for Testing and Material
CAD – Computer-aided Design
CAE – Computer-aided Engineering
CAM – Computer-aided Manufacturing/Computer-aided Machining
CAR – Corrective Action Report
CARACAL – Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP
CE – Conformité Européenne (EC stamp of approval)
CEN – Comité Européen de Normalisation (European Committee for Standardization)
CIT – Continuous Improvement Tools
CKD- Completely Knock Down
CLP – Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures
CMR – Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, Toxic to Reproduction (Chemical Safety Classification)
CNC – Computer Numerical Controlled
COPANT – Pan American Standards Commission
CSA – Canadian Standards Association
CSR – Chemical Safety Report
CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility
DIN – Deutsches Institut für Normung (German Standards Institute)
EAN – International Article Numbering (formerly European Article Numbering)
ECHA – European Chemical Agency
EFTA – European Free Trade Association
E&E – Electronic and Electrical
EMI – Electromagnetic Inteference
EPA – United States Environment Protection Agency
ESCAP – Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (United Nations)
ETA – Estimated (expected) time of arrival
ETD – Estimated (expected) time of departure
ETS – Estimated (expected) time of sailing
ESCR – Environmental Stress Cracking Resistance
FDA – US Food And Drug Administration
FRP – Fiber Reinforced Plastics
GADSL – Global Automotive Declarable Substance List
GATT – General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
GASG – Global Automotive Stakeholders Group
GBI – Green Building Index (Malaysia)
GPC – Gel Permeation Chromatography
HAO – High Alpha Olefin
HFFR – Halogen Free Flame Retardant Compounds
HRC – Rockwell hardness (C scale)
HS Code – Harmonized System (Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System)
HSEQ – Health Safety Environment Quality
HV – Vickers hardness number
IEC – International Electrotechnical Commission
IEC – International Engineering Consortium
IATA – International Air Transport Association
IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
ILO – International Labour Organization
IMA – In-mold Assembly
IMDS – International Material Data System
IML – In-mold Labelling
IPR – Intellectual Property Rights
IRMM – Institute for Reference Material and Measurements
ISIC – International Standard Industrial Classification
ISO – International Organization for Standardization
ISSN – International Standard Serial Number
IQGs – Information Quality Guidelines
JIL – Japan Institute of Labour
JISC – Japan Industrial Standards Committee
JAMP – Joint Article Management Promotion-consortium
JSA – Japanese Standards Association
KNCPC – Korean National Cleaner Production Center
LCL – Loose Container Load
MI – Melt Index
MIR – Melt Index Ratio
mPE – Metallocene Polyethylene
MW – Molecular Weight
MWD – Molecular Weight Distribution
NIST – National Institute of Standards and Technology
NSF – National Science Foundation
OECD – Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
OSHA – Occupational Health and Safety Administration
PASC – Pacific Area Standards Congress
PBT – Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic
PKD – Partial Knoeck Down
PLC – Product Life Cycle
PPAP – Product Part Approval Process
PPM – Parts Per Million
QA – Quality Assurance
QC – Quality Control
QMP – Quality Management Plan
QSA – Quality System Audit
QSAR – Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship
REACH – Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemical
RoHS – Restriction of Hazardous Substances
ROO – Rule of Origin
SAP – Sampling and Analysis Plan
SIS – Swedish Standards Institute
SIEF – Substance Information Exchange Forum
SOP – Standard Operating Procedure
SVHC – Substance of Very High Concern
TBT – Technical Barrier to Trade
TQM – Total Quality Management
WTO – World Trade Organization
vPvB – Very Persistent, Very Bioaccumulative
Popularity: 29% [?]
This diagram shows the various stages in which raw material is converted to plastic products. The product example described here is a common shampoo bottle made of PE material.
From the beginning, the natural raw material of crude oil is converted into a monomer substance called Ethylene. From here the monomer goes through a polymerization process which incorporates other additives to form a polymer which produce what is known as plastics resins. Plastics manufacturers purchase these resins and through the use of various plastics processing machines – injection molding, blow molding, etc., to manufacture a product. The product – in this case – a shampoo goes through other secondary processes like filling the content (shampoo), applying labels, assembly of caps, etc., before it is shipped to a retailer.
Popularity: 40% [?]
Have you ever wondered what those numbers on the bottom of your plastic soda bottle mean? These little numbers with the arrows around them are found on most plastics product ranging from food storage containers to laundry detergent bottles, shopping bags to household appliances.
The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) introduced this resin identification coding system in 1988 in an effort to help recycling centers in the US effectively separate the different types of plastics for recycling. Since then, this system has been adopted and used worldwide.
Research has shown that the material numbered 1 to 6 – PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS – are the 6 most commonly used plastics material in the world. These are material used to produce many of the plastics products we see around us. Number 7 represents all other types of plastics material.
Contrary to many misconceptions about this symbol, the number does not represent:
Popularity: 32% [?]
In manufacturing of plastics products using injection molding process, molds are perhaps the most expensive investment in the entire operation. Plastics parts or products take its shape from the mold. It is often said that you may have the best injection molding machines but if the mold is poorly made, you will still get a poor product in the end.
An injection mold is a block of steel, assembled with different metal parts – each with a specific function. It has one or more cavity spaces inside the mold that allow molten plastics to flow into and to form its shape.
A mold have to perform several functions before a product is formed:
To operate these functions, a mold requires the following functional systems:
Click on link to view the Types of Injection Molds.
Popularity: 31% [?]
SUNDAY STAR, 27 September 2009
SYDNEY: An Australian town pulled all bottled water from its shelves and replaced it with refillable bottles in what is believed to be a world-first ban.Hundreds of people marched through the ‘ picturesque rural town of Bundanoon to mark the first day of its bottled water ban by unveiling a series of new public drinking fountains, campaign spokesman John Dee said yesterday.Shopkeepers ceremoniously removed the last bottles of water from their shelves and replaced them with reusable bottles that can be filled from fountains inside the town’s shops or at water stations in the street.”Every bottle today was taken off shelf and out of the fridges so you can only now buy refillable bottles in shops in Bundanoon,” Dee said.
The tiny town, two hours south of Sydney, voted in July to ban bottled water after a drinks company moved to tap into a local aquifer for its bottled water business.
“In the process of the campaign against that the local people became educated about the environmental impact of bottled water,” said Dee.
“A local retailer came up with this idea of a well.
“So, why don’t we do something about that and actually stop selling the bottled water and it got a favourable reaction,” he said.
Dee said the 2,000-person town had made international headlines with their bid, which he hoped would spur communities across the world to action. — AFP
Popularity: 28% [?]
NEW STRAITS TIMES
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2009
Kiehl’s proves that when it comes to doing a good deed for the environment, plastic isn’t necessarily the enemy.
BRITISH designer Anya Hindmarch might have mocked plastic bags with her sought-after canvas shopping bag, but American beauty brand Kiehl’s says plastic isn’t bad … if you know how to work it.
Kiehl’s unveils a reusable bag — proudly made of plastic. Not cotton, not canvas, but plastic. Each of the black shoulder bag is made of 20 plastic bottles, which means that you help reuse 20 containers that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
The bag is sturdy enough for heavy loads from the supermarket. When soiled, just gently handwash it with soap and water. And the colour is a saving grace.
For this project, Kiehl’s teamed up with Enviro-Tote Inc, a women’s-owned, family-operated company based in New Hampshire, United States.
All Enviro-Tote bags are individually cut, hand-stitched and screen-printed. The company uses a precise cutting and printing method to eliminate fabric waste.
The concept for this bag is up-cycling, instead of recycling. Coined by eco-architect William McDonough in his book Cradle To Cradle, it is a concept where waste materials are used to make new products.
A reinvestment in the environment, up-cycling I encourages consumers to take something that is otherwise disposable and transform it into something of greater use and value.
Each year, billions of discarded, non-biodegradable plastic bags break down into smaller toxic pieces, contaminating soil and waterways and killing hundreds of marine animals who mistake them for food. Using reusable bags can greatly help reduce the use of plastic bags.
So be different and embrace plastic. This tote is available at all Kiehl’s free-standing stores and counters at RM28 each. — by Syida Lizta Amirul Ihsan
Popularity: 44% [?]
Polypropylene Copolymer (PP-CO) and Polypropylene Homopolymer (PP-HO) has excellent chemical resistance and is commonly used in packaging. It has a high melting point, making it ideal for hot fill liquids. Polypropylene has many applications and is found in everything from flexible and rigid packaging; fibers for fabrics and carpets; large moulded automotive parts like bumpers and dashboard; as well as consumer products like food storage containers.
Like most plastics, polypropylene is resistant to salt and acid solutions. Typical applications include ketchup bottles, yogurt containers, medicine bottles, pancake syrup bottles and automobile battery casings.
PP carries the recycle logo no.5
Popularity: 38% [?]
Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride (uPVC) and Plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride (pPVC) has excellent transparency, chemical resistance, long term stability, good resistance against weather and stable electrical properties. Vinyl products can be broadly divided into rigid and flexible materials.
Rigid PVC applications are used mostly in the construction industry, which include pipe and fittings, curtain railings, carpet backing and window frames. The use of PVC in pipe and fittings is attributed by its resistance to most chemicals, impervious to bacteria attacks or micro-organisms, corrosion resistance and strength.
Flexible PVC is used in wire and cable sheathing, insulation, film and sheet, floor coverings, synthetic leather products, coatings, blood bags and medical tubing.
PVC carries the recycle logo no. 3
Popularity: 36% [?]
Polystyrene (PS) is classified into 3 groups. General Purpose Polystyrene (GPPS), Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) is a versatile plastic that can be rigid or foamed.
GPPS is clear, hard and brittle. Its clarity allows it to be used in occasions when see-through ability is important – as in medical and food packaging, in laboratory ware, and in certain electronic uses.
EPS click here for more information.
HIPS is cloudy and comes in a slightly off-white tone. It is as hard as GPPS but not as brittle as.
All PS materials carries the recycle logo no. 6
Popularity: 35% [?]
Acrylics are known for their crystal clarity and excellent durability against the weather. The “Acrylics” group of plastics includes several materials, but the most commercially used is Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA). PMMA has many general properties which include excellent weathering resistant particularly to UV light, impact resistant, thermal resistance, chemical resistance and flammability. Acrylics are used in a range of markets which include food handling trays, tail and indicator lamp lenses in automobiles, baths and basins, skylights and advertising displays, medical disposables, magnifying lenses, etc.
PMMA is classified under the recycle logo no. 7
Popularity: 34% [?]
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is clear, tough and has good air and moisture barrier properties. This makes it an ideal material for making carbonated beverage and other food containers. The fact that it has a high melt temperature, allows it to be used in applications such as heated pre-prepared food trays. This material is heat resistant, microwave safe and highly transparent. It also has a diverse applications such being used as fibres for clothing and carpets, bottles, food containers, strapping, and engineering plastics for precision-moulded parts. One of the most common application for PET is in making mineral water bottles.
PET carries the recycle logo no. 1
Popularity: 34% [?]
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is predominantly used in film applications due to its toughness, flexibility and transparency. LDPE has a low melting point making it popular for use in applications where heat sealing is necessary. Typically, LDPE is used to manufacture flexible films such as those used for dry cleaned garment. LDPE is also used to manufacture some flexible lids and bottles, and it is widely used in wire and cable applications for its stable electrical properties and processing characteristics.
LDPE carries the recycle logo no. 4
Popularity: 35% [?]
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is used for many packaging applications because it provides excellent moisture barrier properties and chemical resistance. However, HDPE, like all types of polyethylene, is limited to those food packaging applications that do not require an oxygen or C02 barrier.
As a film, HDPE is used in snack food packages and cereal box liners. In blow-moulded bottles, for milk and non-carbonated beverage bottles. In injection-moulded tub form, for packaging margarine, whipped toppings and deli foods.
Because HDPE has good chemical resistance, it is used for packaging many household as well as industrial chemicals such as detergents, bleach and acids. General uses of HDPE include injection-moulded beverage cases, bread trays as well as films for grocery sacks and bottles for beverages and household chemicals.
HDPE carries the recycle logo no. 2
Popularity: 34% [?]
This product was aimed at reducing the number of plastic water bottles that end up in landfills. It is a reusable water bottle that flattens when empty. Like a regular bottle, it stands upright when full. But when it’s empty, users can fold or roll it up to stick it in a pocket or a purse.
From a logistical viewpoint, shipping this product is also greener. Shipping conventional bottles from manufacturer to distributors or consumers usually takes up lots of space – thus the term “shipping air”. These bottles can be shipped flat – therefore each truck can carry more.
Popularity: 28% [?]
CAD (Computer-Aided Design) are software that enable users to create two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D) drawings of various objects. These technical and engineering drawings conveys information such as materials, processes, dimensions and tolerances of the object. These software are used in industries like automotive, aerospace, architecture, product design, etc – to produce a “blue print” for the fabrication of the final product.
CAD software
CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) is a type of software that assist engineers and machinists in manufacturing or prototyping products, components and tools. Its primary purpose is to create a faster production process and tools, with more precise dimensions and material consistency. CAM is a programming tool that makes it possible to manufacture physical models using computer-aided design (CAD) programs.
To put it in simple terms, imagine a desktop PC with a CAD program installed. Attached to the PC is a CNC Milling Machine (imagine a printer). CAM acts as the “driver software” between the milling machine and the PC. Once you have created a 3D drawing using the CAD software and inserted a block of steel into the milling machine, hit the print button and the milling machine starts to cut the steel according to your drawing.
CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) is the use of information technology to support engineers in tasks such as analysis, simulation, design, manufacture, planning, diagnosis and repair. With this software, an engineer can simulate the flow of material inside an injection mold and highlight areas where material may clog as a result of a poorly made mold. Certain tools in the software may enable engineers to identify possible weak-points and stress area of a part or product. Such analysis can prevent companies from making costly mistakes by having to produce the final product, and to later find out the faults and mistakes.
CAE software
Popularity: 28% [?]
These pictures were taken during my plant tour to Negri Bossi’s HQ in Milan, Italy 2006. Negri Bossi SPA was founded in 1947 and today, is one of Europe’s most established brand of injection molding machines.
This antique injection machine was made in the 1940s.
The VE480 Canbel Red Devil.
Machine assembly in progress.
Clamping units – for various size machines.
Machine’s platen for mounting the mold.
Assembly of a 3 molds rotating platen machine.
Negri Bossi’s machines.
Popularity: 30% [?]
Plastics are polymers, that is, large molecules that consist of long repeating chains of smaller molecules known as monomers.
Oil and natural gas are the major raw materials used to produce plastics. Plastics production begins by heating components of crude oil or natural gas using a process called polymerization, where many thousands of monomers are chemically joined to form a polymer chain. The different combinations of monomers yield plastics with a wide range of properties and characteristics.
The technological road from oil field to finished plastic product has numerous fascinating side trips. Here’s the route taken in the petroleum-to-plastics process:
Customers manufacture plastic products by using processes such as extrusion, injection molding, blow molding, etc.
Excerpt from “Plastics and the Environment – Recycling Handbook” by Malaysian Plastics Forum
Popularity: 41% [?]
This is something I’ve picked up on an exhibition brochure. It is how the plastics industry is being categorized. Although there are lots more this, it is nonetheless a good guide and reference.
| Categorized by Industry | |
| 1 | Finished products, technical parts and reinforced plastics |
| 1.1 | Plastics products and bags plant building |
| 1.2 | Plastics products and bags for automotive |
| 1.3 | Plastics products and bags for building applications |
| 1.4 | Plastics products and bags for office equipment/promotion |
| 1.5 | Plastics products and bags for household/consumer |
| 1.6 | Plastics products and bags for electro-/household appliance |
| 1.7 | Plastics products and bags for electrical engineering |
| 1.8 | Plastics products and bags for data appliance |
| 1.9 | Plastics products and bags for agriculture |
| 1.10 | Plastics products and bags for aviation |
| 1.11 | Plastics products and bags for mechanical engineering |
| 1.12 | Plastics products and bags for medical engineering |
| 1.13 | Plastics products and bags for furniture appliances |
| 1.14 | Plastics products and bags for food processing industry |
| 1.15 | Plastics products and bags for transport/packaging |
| 1.16 | Plastics products and bags for optics/precision engineering |
| Categorized by Material | |
| 2 | Finished products by Material |
| 2.1.1 | Finished products of acrylnitrile-butadiene (ABS) |
| 2.1.2 | Finished products of GMT |
| 2.1.3 | Finished products of polyamide (PA) |
| 2.1.4 | Finished products of polycarbonate (PC) |
| 2.1.5 | Finished products of polyethylene (PE) |
| 2.1.6 | Finished products of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) |
| 2.1.7 | Finished products of polypropylene (PP) |
| 2.1.8 | Finished products of polystyrene (PS) |
| 2.1.9 | Finished products of polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) |
| 2.1.10 | Finished products of polyurethane (PUR) |
| 2.1.11 | Finished products of polyvinylchloride (PVC) |
| 2.1.12 | Finished products of rubber |
| 2.1.13 | Other Finished products |
| 2.2.1 | Films |
| 2.2.2 | Technical parts |
| 2.2.3 | Compounds/Recyclates |
| Categorized by Product | |
| 3 | Finish Product |
| 3.1 | Apparatus |
| 3.2 | Armatures |
| 3.3 | Linings and coatings |
| 3.4 | Fastenings |
| 3.5 | Flocking |
| 3.6 | Containers |
| 3.7 | Coatings |
| 3.8 | Office machinery |
| 3.9 | Data-processing equipment |
| 3.10 | Sealing profiles |
| 3.11 | Sealings/Seal rings |
| 3.12 | Torsion vibration damper |
| 3.13 | Printing blankets |
| 3.14 | Electrical equipments |
| 3.15 | Electrical installation material |
| 3.16 | Bellows, expansible |
| 3.17 | Telecommunication equipments |
| 3.18 | Television sets |
| 3.19 | Film cameras, cameras |
| 3.20 | Filters and parts |
| 3.21 | Conveyor belts |
| 3.22 | Galvanized Products |
| 3.23 | Casings and cabinets |
| 3.24 | Glass-fibre products (GRP) |
| 3.25 | Handles |
| 3.26 | Rubber hollow springs |
| 3.27 | Rubber/plastics combinations |
| 3.28 | Rubber/metal combinations |
| 3.29 | Rubberised fabrics |
| 3.30 | Laminated fabric and laminated paper |
| 3.31 | Hot melt films |
| 3.32 | Laboratory equipment |
| 3.33 | Storage and transport containers |
| 3.34 | Bearing boxes, bushes and sections |
| 3.35 | Bogie wheels and runners |
| 3.36 | Lamps and components |
| 3.37 | Light Louvres |
| 3.38 | Air Springs |
| 3.39 | Ventilation grids |
| 3.40 | Packing rings |
| 3.41 | Membranes |
| 3.42 | Membrane films |
| 3.43 | Parts for measuring instruments |
| 3.44 | Metalised parts |
| 3.45 | Micro parts |
| 3.46 | Power unit bearings |
| 3.47 | Surface treated and decorated parts |
| 3.48 | Pallets |
| 3.49 | Boards and vulcanite boards |
| 3.50 | Pumps |
| 3.51 | Radio and phonographic equipment |
| 3.52 | Tyres and accessories |
| 3.53 | Belts |
| 3.54 | Sandwich cores |
| 3.55 | Suction cups |
| 3.56 | Foam products |
| 3.57 | Laminates, technical |
| 3.58 | Hoses |
| 3.59 | Hose elbows |
| 3.60 | Cords |
| 3.61 | Protective covers, hoods and wrappers |
| 3.62 | Welding foil |
| 3.63 | Scales |
| 3.64 | Spools and spool bodies |
| 3.67 | Tanks |
| 3.68 | Technical films |
| 3.69 | Industrial laminates |
| 3.70 | Separating foils |
| 3.71 | Clock and watch parts |
| 3.72 | Ventilator |
| 3.73 | Valves |
| 3.74 | Composite boards |
| 3.75 | Reinforced plastic products |
| 3.76 | Rollers and roller coatings |
| 3.77 | Plastic Heat Exchanger |
| 3.78 | Heat insulation plates |
| 3.79 | Soft rubber boards |
| 3.80 | Toothed wheels and racks |
| 3.81 | Extra springs made of micro-celled Potyurethane Elastomers |
Popularity: 34% [?]
Handling
Every molding machine requires a consistent supply of plastic material during the production process. These materials are moved from the material storage area to the machines so that it can be molded into the desired product. If the final product requires coloring (which is common), the material will have to be mixed with colorants before it is sent to the machines.
Certain material requires a pre-drying process before they are sent to the machines to be molded. Therefore, handling of the raw plastic material (usually in pellet form), can become time-consuming and labor-intensive.
As such, most mid-size to large scale manufacturers use certain form of mechanical processes to feed their machines than to rely on manual loading.
The choice of material handling equipment depends on the following factors:
Manual Loading
Manual loading is the most cost effective methods. An operator will manually pour the plastic materials directly into the machine’s hopper. However, this method has several disadvantages.
Mechanical Loaders
The most common type of mechanical loader is the auger type loader. It operates with a long-pitch auger screw, rotating within the tube. During operation, the rotating auger screw picks up material from the container and carries it to the machine’s hopper. Timers and level sensor are often attached to the system, so that the loader knows when to refill the hopper. While this system is inexpensive, it is however, very difficult to clean and should be considered only when one specific type of material are used for an extended period of time.
Vacuum Loaders
The most popular form of loading system is the vacuum loader (also known as an Auto Loader). It consists of a vacuum pump that is mounted on top of the molding machine’s hopper. A feed tube is connected to the pump, while the other end is placed inside a large material bin which is placed next to the machine. During operation, the vacuum pump sucks the material from the material bin and transfer it to the top of the hopper. It then dumps the fresh material directly into the hopper. Level sensors and timers are used to gauge the amount of materials in the hopper, and the time between each refill.
Related article: How are material packed and labeled?
Popularity: 33% [?]
Packaging
Plastic materials are available in 2 types of standard packing:
Most plastic materials are packed in standard 25kg bags for easy handling and delivery. Such bags also enable manufacturers to purchase various types of materials or different grades, in smaller quantities. When loading material into the machines manually, these bags are easier to be carried by the machine operators.
These bags are made mostly of thick plastic film or paper with a thin plastic film lining acting as barrier against contamination and moisture. However, they can be torn easily or split open during transportation.
When manufacturers purchase large quantities of the same type (grade) of plastic materials, woven bags of 1 ton are used. However, this form of packaging is mostly applicable to non-hygroscopic materials like PE or PP.
2. Labels
It is important to specify the correct type of material, and the specific grade of that material on the packaging. Incorrect labeling can cause considerable downtime, damage and product failure. The final product that are molded using the wrong type of material and grades, may not produce the desired properties and characteristics. Since certain materials are difficult to differentiate visually, it is therefore important to labeled all plastics material properly.
In accordance to the ISO certification, all material manufacturers must label their product based on the following information:
3. Storage
To avoid contamination, mixed-up or exposure to moisture, all plastic materials should be stored in its original packaging and must remain sealed at all times.
It should be stored in an area with good ventilation, and away from direct sunlight and high humidity.
Once the packaging bag is opened, it should be used immediately. Left-overs or unused materials should be stored either in a drum/container or back into its original packaging bag, and sealed to prevent contamination. It must also be properly labeled.
A good racking storage system will enable the Material Handler to locate the required plastic materials quickly. Such system may have a centralized record that shows the location and balance quantity of each material.
Related article: How are materials loaded into the machine?
Popularity: 33% [?]
Vacuum metalizing is the bonding of metal on a non-metallic surface through a process called physical vapor deposition. The most common metal used in this process is aluminum because of cost, thermodynamic, and reflective properties.
This process works by placing aluminum or other metallic coating material into a vacuum chamber along with the plastic parts that needs to be coated. The aluminum is then heated until it starts to evaporate. The vaporized aluminum condenses on the plastic part as a thin metallic film.
The evaporation takes place by feeding the aluminum onto a heat source. The air in the vacuum chamber is expelled to create a vacuum that is suitable for evaporating the material. Upon contact with objects placed in the chamber, the vaporized metal condenses and creates a uniform layer of vacuum deposited aluminum.
This process is applicable to both solid objects and films. On solid plastic objects, parts are hung on a rotating carousel before it is inserted into the vacuum chamber. During the metalizing process, the parts rotate on the carousel to ensure a uniform coating on its surface.
On films, a roll of untreated plastic film is mounted on one roller while the other end is mounted on an empty roller. Inside the chamber the roll of untreated film will unwind while the empty roller wind-up. As both rollers turn, the vaporized metal will condense on the film that is stretched between the 2 rollers.
Vacuum Metalizing is often carried out to enhance the properties and increase the functionality of an otherwise normal plastic part. Such enhancements includes:
Aesthetics
The metalized parts can have a highly reflective chrome finish. This gives the impression that the product is made of metal, and has a highly polished mirror-like finish. Such products often look expensive. Film sheets that has been vacuum metalized can also be coated to give different metallic colors. These are known as colored foils. The use of vacuum metalizing for aesthetics purposes includes:
Insulation
Vacuum metalized surfaces are ideal for insulation because of it’s increased reflectance and radiance properties. Such thermal insulation products has a huge range of application ranging from emergency first aid foil blankets to the construction of space crafts. Other common application include building construction, thermal suits for firefighters, cooking, etc.
Barrier
Another function derived from the metalization process is to increased barrier properties. Metalized plastic films has great moisture and air barrier. These films are widely used as food and beverage packaging. Another important feature of the vacuum metalizing process is to reduce light transmission, making it an effective light barrier. Light transmission is controlled by the amount of deposited aluminum on the product.
Popularity: 35% [?]
5S is a method for organizing a workplace and keeping it organized. It’s sometimes referred to as a housekeeping methodology.
The key targets of 5S are improved workplace morale, safety and efficiency. The assertion of 5S is, by assigning everything (that is needed) a location, time is not wasted by looking for things. Additionally, it is quickly obvious when something is missing from its designated location. Advocates of 5S believe the benefits of this methodology come from deciding what should be kept, where it should be kept, how it should be stored and most importantly how the new order will be maintained. This decision making process usually comes from a dialog about standardization which builds a clear understanding, between employees, of how work should be done. It also instills ownership of the process in each employee.
In addition to the above, another key distinction between 5S and “standardized cleanup” is Seiton. Seiton is often misunderstood, perhaps due to efforts to translate into an English word beginning with “S” (such as “sort” or “straighten”). The key concept here is to order items or activities in a manner to promote work flow. For example, tools should be kept at the point of use, workers should not have to repetitively bend to access materials, flow paths can be altered to improve efficiency, etc.
Seiri (整理) Sorting: Going through all the tools, materials, etc., in the plant and work area and keeping only essential items. Everything else is stored or discarded.
Seiton (整頓) Straighten or Set in Order: Focuses on efficiency. When we translate this to “Straighten or Set in Order”, it sounds like more sorting or sweeping, but the intent is to arrange the tools, equipment and parts in a manner that promotes work flow. For example, tools and equipment should be kept where they will be used (i.e. straighten the flow path), and the process should be set in an order that maximizes efficiency. For every thing there should be place and every thing should be in its place. (Demarcation and labeling of place.)
Seisō (清掃) Sweeping or Shining or Cleanliness: Systematic Cleaning or the need to keep the workplace clean as well as neat. At the end of each shift, the work area is cleaned up and everything is restored to its place. This makes it easy to know what goes where and have confidence that everything is where it should be. The key point is that maintaining cleanliness should be part of the daily work – not an occasional activity initiated when things get too messy.
Seiketsu (清潔) Standardizing: Standardized work practices or operating in a consistent and standardized fashion. Everyone knows exactly what his or her responsibilities are to keep above 3S’s.
Shitsuke (躾) Sustaining the discipline: Refers to maintaining and reviewing standards. Once the previous 4S’s have been established, they become the new way to operate. Maintain the focus on this new way of operating, and do not allow a gradual decline back to the old ways of operating. However, when an issue arises such as a suggested improvement, a new way of working, a new tool or a new output requirement, then a review of the first 4S’s is appropriate.
There will have to be continuous education about maintaining standards. When there are changes that will affect the 5S program—such as new equipment, new products or new work rules—it is essential to make changes in the standards and provide training. Companies embracing 5S often use posters and signs as a way of educating employees and maintaining standards.
Popularity: 38% [?]
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is one of 3 major groups of Polystyrene materials – the others being GPPS and HIPS.
There are many applications for this material and its usage ranges from packaging to disposable items, as well as for insulation purpose.
This material is commonly extruded into sheets for thermoforming process. It is used for making trays for meats, fruits, as well as into containers such as egg crates.
EPS can also be directly formed into cups, plates and bowls for use as disposable wares in parties. It can be molded into complex shapes for use as packaging component and as protection for fragile products like TVs, DVD players, porcelain, glass, etc. – during transportation.
Both foamed sheet and molded tubs are used extensively for take-away food packaging due to their lightweight, stiffness and excellent thermal insulation.
This material is also commonly known as Styrofoam.
Popularity: 38% [?]
Polycarbonate (PC) is one of the most widely used engineering thermoplastics. Transparency, excellent toughness, thermal stability, good dimensional stability are some of the properties of PC. Compact discs, riot shields, vandal proof glazing, baby feeding bottles, electrical components, safety helmets and headlamp lenses are all typical applications for PC.
PC is known to contain Bisphenol A (BPA) – an organic compound used in the manufacture of PC and Epoxy resin. There are concerns about the use of BPA in consumer products (especially products used for food storage) and were regularly reported in the news media in 2008 after several governments issued reports questioning its safety. Some retailers even removed products containing BPA from their shelves.
Currently studies are still being carried by FDA, WHO, the European Food Safety Authority, and other agencies from various countries to establish what is the amount of BPA exposure that is considered harmful.
PC is classified under the recycle logo no.7 (others)
Popularity: 35% [?]
Acrylonitrile-butadienne-styrene (ABS) is the ideal material wherever – superlative surface quality, colorfast-ness and luster are required. ABS can be modified by the addition of additives and by varying the ratio of the three monomers Acrylonitrile, Butadiene and Styrene – the 3 chemicals that forms ABS. As such, the grades available include high and medium impact, high resistance and electroplatable (for chrome finishing). It has good balance of properties like toughness/strength/temperature resistance, coupled with the ease of molding and a high quality surface finish.
ABS has a wide range of applications that include domestic appliances; telephone handsets; computers and other office equipment housings; lawn mower covers; safety helmets; luggage shells; pipes and fittings. ABS is also used for automotive interior and exterior trim components. ABS producers has ability to tailor each grade to the requirement of various application, including electroplatable grades.
ABS is classified under recycle logo no. 7
Popularity: 36% [?]
Plastic comes from crude oil and natural gases. Of the total crude oil produced, 90% were used as fuel. The balance 10% were used for the production of petrochemical products.
Of the 10% that were sent to petrochemical plants, approximately 5% of it were used for fertilizers, solvent and other lubricants. The other 5% were to produce plastics monomers – the basic ingredient of plastic materials.
The next stage is to convert these monomers into various types of plastic materials that are suited for various application. From this 5% of plastic materials produced, 3% goes to the production of synthetic rubber, paints and synthetic fibers for making garments and clothing. Finally, 2% goes to the production of physical plastic products that we commonly see around us.
Popularity: 66% [?]
Plastics are made from crude oil and natural gases – it is widely used in our daily life. Of the oil produced from oil refineries, plastics production uses only 4%. The rest are used as fuel for transport and heating.
Popularity: 40% [?]
This is one of the most frequently asked question. Before I answer, let’s ask ourselves these questions.
If there are risks in using these bottles, why didn’t the World Health Organization (WHO) ban the use of this product? Why did the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in US, allow beverage companies to continue using these bottles?
These beverage bottles are made from a material called polyethylene terephthalate or PET. It has the distinct characteristics of being as clear as glass, and yet unbreakable. Compared to other plastic materials, PET has good air permeability barrier which is why beverage companies use it to bottle pop-soda drinks. Although majority of this material goes into the production of bottles, some are used to make food containers – mostly in the shape of jars.
Most PET beverage bottles are designed as “disposable products” much like any other packaging materials where people discard after using. These beverage bottles are for single use because of economic and cultural reasons, not because of any safety concerns. FDA allows PET to be used in food storage applications, including food and beverage packaging, regardless whether it is intended for single or repeated use.
Follow the links below to read more of this topic, published by the following institutions.
American Cancer Society on Plastic Water Bottles
American Chemistry Council on FAQs: The Safety of Plastic Beverage Bottles
International Life Science Institute on Packaging Materials: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) for Food Packaging Applications
Another concern is whether PET bottles will release toxins under hot and cold temperature. The answer is no. Research has shown that the material is inert and will not react under these conditions. Whether the bottle is in a car under the hot sun or freeze in a refrigerator, research has shown that there is no chemical reactions.
Read about these test results and on how tests were conducted by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research on Migration of organic components from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to water.
Popularity: 31% [?]
Plastic is a huge industry comprising of many players. Here, we’ll take a look at who they are and what services or products they provide.
When asked to describe the plastic industry, most people tend to focus first on the “plastics product manufacturers”. Let’s start with these manufacturers and we’ll radiate out to see who else work with these manufacturers before a product is finally produced and delivered to the consumers.
There are 2 ways to describe what a manufacturer does – either by process (the plastics making methods they use), or by the industry that they are serving (packaging, automotive, etc.). The final product to be made determines the type of processes to be used. It is not necessary that a manufacturer be equipped with all known processes. Most manufacturers are specialized in only one or two methods. Bigger plants may have 3 or 4 but it is rarely possible to have every process under one roof since the selection of process is dependent on the final product and industry that a manufacturer is supplying to. Eg, a company that supplies to the electronic industry may have injection molding process to make TV casings and other components. Blow molding processes that are used to make bottles are of little use to them.
Plastics are used extensively by different industries. These industries includes: medical and pharmaceutical; packaging; electronic and electrical; automotive; toys; building and construction; home products; agriculture; and many more. While most manufacturers sell their plastic parts and products to others industries, some trade among themselves. Eg. Plastic bags manufacturers who specialize on producing bags will sell them to other plastics manufacturers for packaging purposes.
There are many types of plastic materials. Within each type of plastic materials, are different grades – suited for different products and for different types of processes. Eg. PP (polypropylene) is a common material and has many applications. However, PP materials that are used for making plastic bags are different from those that are used to make car bumpers – although they may come from the same material suppliers who are also known as Resin Producers.
Resin Producers are petrol-chemical plants that produce plastic resins – the raw material for making plastics. Here, they convert by-products from crude oil refineries to make plastic materials. Different resin producers specialize in different types of materials. They supply large quantities to manufacturers (those who consume a few hundred tons of the same material monthly) and to Resin Traders.
Resin Traders buy the raw materials from resin producers and sell to manufacturers in smaller quantities. A trader will often represent several resin producers thus providing manufacturers with a large selection of different materials.
Colorants and Additives Suppliers - While most materials are transparent or translucent in its natural state, colorants are added to give it different shades of colors. Additives are chemical agents added to alter certain characteristics of a material. Eg. UV stabilizer is a common additive that is added to plastic materials to prevent discoloration of the product from long exposure to sunlight.
Compounders are companies that specializes in “mixing” materials, additives and colorants in large quantities. They operate large scale mixing machines that are capable of mixing several tons of materials at a time. Compounded materials are more consistent than those mixed by manufacturers in smaller quantities using small mixers.
Machine Suppliers provide manufacturers with machines that make the products. Gone are the days where plastic products are shaped manually by hand. These machines form the back bone of every manufacturing plant and the machine makers are categorized based on the process they are specialize in. Such processes include Injection Molding, Blow Molding, Stretch Blow Molding, Blow Film, Profile Extrusion, Sheet Extrusion, Rotation Molding, Compression Molding, etc.
Auxiliary Equipments Suppliers supplies various supporting machines and equipments to help a plant run efficiently. Examples of such machines are Hopper Dryers for drying materials, Mixers for mixing material, Robotics for extracting products from the machine, material handling system, conveyor systems, etc.
Mold Fabricators - Molds are mounted onto the processing machines on which plastics part takes its form or shape. Depending on the process, some molds can be very complicated. Mold makers specialize in precision tools to cut blocks of steel into the desired shapes. With the help of advance CAD/CAM softwares (Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Machining), they provide the blueprint for the final product.
Technical and Engineering Services – Depending on the industry that the manufacturer is supplying to, some products require various standards adherence certification before their products are sold. Eg, car bumpers are subjected to certain automotive standards to ensure that the part is strong enough to withstand collision impact and these companies provide such tests.
Secondary Processes is a very broad term. It generally describe the additional work that need to be done after the parts are produced. This include printing, painting, polishing, trimming, etc. Although most manufacturers are equipped with some form of common secondary processes, some specialized process like chrome plating are often carried out by the specialists.
Popularity: 42% [?]
Plastic resins absorb moisture and water. Different resins (plastic materials) have different absorption rate and the amount absorbed is also different. Hence, some resins does not require drying. Presence of water in the material can cause various defects on the final product. The tell-tale sign that water is present is when silver streaks starts appearing on the surface of the finished product. Since water does not blend in with resins, the product’s impact strength is also compromised.
1. Moisture Absorption
Moisture is absorbed by plastics in two ways:
The amount of moisture content allowed in most plastic resin is 1.5% or less. Excessive moisture can cause various problems during processing and molding. As a result, manufacturers take precautionary steps to prevent the material from having direct contact with air or water.
Some hygroscopic resins, tend to absorb moisture and will soak up dews that are formed on its surface. In order to remove moisture from the plastic resins, once the bag is opened, it is advisable to dry the plastic resin in the proper drying unit before processing it.
2. Drying Condition
3. Drying Methods
There are two principal methods for drying plastic resins:
4. Drying Equipment
Drying equipments are an important component to the injection molding systems. There are 2 kinds of drying equipments:
Popularity: 58% [?]
The extruder screw is perhaps the single most important component in an extrusion machine. The screws are machined out of a solid rod with thread that is used for conveying plastic material within the extrusion barrel.
The design of the screw itself is an engineering marvel. A single screw has 4 major functions:
Does one screw fit all types of plastic material? No! General purpose screws are used for more common materials like PP and PE. Specially designed screws are available for corrosive material like PVC, and there are also screws for highly abbrasive materials like Nylon and PC.
Popularity: 73% [?]
Firstly, not all types of plastic material can be microwave. If you are unsure, please follow the manufacturer’s instruction. Most manufacturers will state whether their products are safe for use in a microwave oven. If it is not stated, then don’t!
Having said that, it is important to differentiate between cooking food in a microwave oven and reheating of cooked food in a microwave oven. Most containers are safe for reheating only and not for cooking. Although there are plastics materials specially formulated to withstand the high heat of cooking, such products are hard to come by.
When using plastic containers in a microwave oven, always remember to remove the cover or open it slightly for venting of hot air. Never close the container shut. When food is heated, stream will build-up within the container and this will cause an explosion.
Will the use of such container in microwave ovens cause cancer? No. The US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) says it “has seen no evidence that plastic containers or films contain dioxins and knows of no reason why they would.”
Please follow the links below to read more on this topic published by the following institutions.
American Cancer Society on “Microwaving Plastic”
Alabama Cooperative Extension on “No Link Between Microwave Cooking and Cancer, Expert Says”
American Chemical Council on “FAQs: Using Plastics in the Microwave”
Popularity: 30% [?]
There are perhaps tens and thousands of things that are made of plastics and it’s impossible to list every item. Nonetheless, I’ve complied a simple list below, showing products that are categorized into their respective industry or market.
Packaging
Medical
Textile
Recreation
Electrical and Electronics
Home and Kitchen-wares
Baby Products
Building and construction
Automotive
This is only a fraction of all plastic products. What about those that are less obvious to us? Like the number of plastic components in an airplane. Plastics are used in the military for explosives and as well as other scientific applications.
Plastics is light weight, stable (it does not readily react with other elements to produce by-products) and has the ability to be molded into complex shapes. Thus, more and more products are added to the list each year. From an economic perspective, it is the material of choice for mass production and it reduces our dependence on natural resources.
Popularity: 59% [?]
Polyethylene (PE) or polythene is a thermoplastics material, heavily used in consumer products (notably for plastics shopping bags and packaging bottles). It is best known for its excellent chemical resistance properties. Due to its relatively low price and common application, it is classified as a commodity plastics. Over 60 million tons of this material are produced worldwide every year. Below are 3 common types of polyethylene.
Types of Polyethylene
The 3 major branch of PE are: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE); Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE); and Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)
HDPE is a relatively dense material with density over 0.941 g/cm3. Among the 3, HDPE is the stiffest and are mostly used for production of toys. The average melt temperature is about 180°C .
LLDPE has a density range of 0.915–0.925 g/cm3. In term of flexibility, it is somewhere between HDPE and LDPE. The average melt temperature is at 130°C.
LDPE is the most flexible and softest among the 3 types of PE. Its density ranges from 0.910–0.940 g/cm3 and the melt temperature is lower 120°C. Due to its flexibility, it is open used to produce squeeze bottles and food storage container lids.
Material Properties
Applications
Popularity: 35% [?]
Blow Film is the process used for making thin films products like plastic bags.
Molten material that comes out of the extruder enters a tubular die. Air is blown into the die which expand and stretches the material like blowing a balloon. This blown up material is called a film tube. The air flow pushes the tube upwards as it expand and cool. From there, it enters a sizing basket made up of small rollers to regulate the size and shape of the tube. The tube is then forced to form a flat sheet by the collapsing guides. The nip rolls presses the sheet and acts to pull the tube upwards in the entire process. The folded tube then travels down a series of rollers before it is being wind-up into rolls.
The rolls are taken to a cutting machine where it will be cut and sealed to the desired size as bags.
Popularity: 88% [?]
The word extrusion has its roots from Greek which means push out. The extrusion process is in essence a continuous stream of material being push through a shaping tool so that whatever comes out take the shape of that shaping tool.
Take the example of a toothpaste. When the tube is squeezed, a steady flow of toothpaste comes out – taking the shape of the tube’s opening which is round. Therefore, the toothpaste that comes out will have a cylindrical shape.
Noodles and spaghetti are made the same way by mechanically pushing the dough through tiny holes in a noodle machine. So are hamburgers. Chunks of meat are fed into a grinder that chops and pushes the minced meat out of the machine is a continuous mass.
Extrusion is the most efficient and widely used process of melting plastics. It can be used as a “stand alone” machine to directly shape parts; or used as a melting device that is coupled with other secondary shaping devices.
When used to directly shape parts, a shaping tool known as a die is attached to the end of the extrusion machine. This process is called extrusion molding. The extruded part is known as the extrudate. By changing the die, different profiles of extrudate can be formed. Imagine a chef creating various decorations on a cake by squeezing icing or cream from a cream bag attached with different tips.
When using extrusion machines as a melting device, it is coupled with other shaping devices. The extrusion machine (known as an extruders) becomes an integral part of a larger machine that includes a secondary shaping device. Example of such process are injection molding and blow molding. Using the earlier example of the hamburger, the extruded minced meat is conveyed directly to a press that forms the meat into patties.
This diagram above shows a normal direct extrusion process. Plastic materials in the form of granules and pallets are fed into the hopper which falls onto the extrusion screw. The screw which turns inside the heated barrel conveys the plastics towards the die.
The plastic material is melted using external heat source and heat generated by fiction within the barrel. The screw moves the molten plastic until it exits through a hole at the end of the barrel which has a die attached to it. The die imparts a shape onto the molten plastic which is immediately cooled in a water tank to solidify the plastic. Auxiliary equipment like a Caterpillar Roller is used to pull the part way from the extruder in a continuous flow. A final equipment is installed at the end of the line to either cut-off the parts at a specific length or to wind-up (coil) the parts into rolls.
Popularity: 100% [?]
List of known plastics material:
Common Thermoplastics:
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
Polyethylene (PE)
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Polyproplene (PP)
Polystyrene (PS)
Engineering Thermoplastics:
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
Celluloid
Cellulose Acetate
Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA)
Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol (EVOH)
Fluoroplastics (PTFE)
Ionomers
Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP)
Polyacetal (POM) or Acetal
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or Acrylonitrile
Polyamide (PA) or Nylon
Polyamide-imide (PAI)
Polyaryletherketone (PAEK)
Polybutadiene (PBD)
Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT)
Polycaprolactone (PCL)
Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE)
Polycyclohexylene Dimethylene Terephthalate (PCT)
Polycarbonate (PC)
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs)
Polyketone (PK)
Polyester
Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) or Acrylic
Polyetherketoneketone (PEKK)
Polyetherimide (PEI)
Polyethersulfone (PES)
Polyethylenechlorinates (PEC)
Polyimide (PI)
Polylactic Acid (PLA)
Polymethylpentene (PMP)
Polyphenylene Oxide (PPO)
Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS)
Polyphthalamide (PPA)
Polysulfone (PSU)
Polytrimethylene Terephthalate (PTT)
Polyurethane (PU)
Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA)
Polyvinylidene Chloride (PVDC)
Styrene Acrylonitrile (SAN or AS)
Thermoset Plastics:
Vulcanized Rubber
Phenolics (PF)
Duroplast
Urea Formaldehyde (UF)
Melamine (MF)
Epoxy Resin
Polyimides
Popularity: 40% [?]
Let me state that no storage containers in existence is considered airtight in the technical sense. Most manufacturers, including those of well known brands claimed that their plastics containers are airtight – are solely based on “lay-man” terms. This term is highly debatable because there is no standard measurement or classification of airtight. Definition and testing methods varies from different manufacturers. As such, all storage vessel – whether made of metal, glass or any other material – cannot be technically classified as airtight unless it is vacuum. However, such vacuum household food storage containers do not exist.
About 10 years ago, a Japanese manufacturers came up with a clever solution – a plastics container with a seal valve and air pump. It works by pumping air out of the container via a valve to create a vacuum. Although food stored in these containers stay fresh longer than other containers but it will not last for more than 6 months.
Another fact is that most plastics surfaces are porous in nature. If you put a piece of plastics under high magnification, you will see that the surface are full of tiny holes. This also explain why plastics bags used for food packaging are often laminated with several layers – this is to “cover” as many holes as it possibly can.
Therefore, even containers produced by well-known brands cannot keep food fresh for over a year. Most can only last a few months – despite claiming that their containers are airtight. Yes, it is one of those words that is so misleading and yet everyone around the world continue to use.
Popularity: 31% [?]
The Training Programme on Industry and Environmental Protection for Malaysia – Plastics Recycling (ENEM)
9 – 13 March 2009, Yokohama Kenshu Centre (YKC), Japan
1.0 Background
Under the scheme of Green Partnership Programme (GPP) for developing countries launched in 1992, a fully sponsored training programme namely “The Training Programme on Industry and Environmental Protection for Malaysia – Plastics Recycling (ENEM)” had been conducted in Yokohama Kenshu Centre, Japan from 9 to 13 March 2009.
The said training was organized by The Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) and had selected Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association (MPMA) as the partner for this programme. The training focused on waste management and plastics recycling principles, facilitating the dissemination of such environmental concepts and techniques in Malaysian industries which may help to draft comprehensive set of “Regulations” as well as to complement the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management act 2007 and the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation Act 2007.
2.0 Objectives
The objectives of the programme included:
3.0 ENEM training
3.1 Participant
A total of twenty-nine participants (29) from Malaysia attended the training and they comprised representatives from waste concessionaires (e.g. Alam Flora and Southern Waste Management), recyclers (e.g. Plasman Plastic Ind), plastics manufacturers, researchers, resin suppliers and MPMA (Ms Dorene Devadas and Ms Joyce Ting). Key committee members from MPMA who were also participated included Mr Lim Kok Boon (President, MPMA), Pn Noraini binti Soltan (Vice President, MPMA) and Mr Seow Thong Seng.
Participants and representatives from AOTS Japan (included programme coordinator, lecturers and interpreter).
From 2nd front row (left to right): Pn Noraini binti Soltan (Vice President, MPMA), Mr Hiroyuki YONEDA (General Manager, AOTS Yokohama Kenshu Center (YKC)), Mr Ichiro KURIYAMA (Independent Senior, Japan Environmental Sanitation Center (JESC)), Mr Lim Kok Boon (President, MPMA).
3.2 Programme
The programme coordinator was Mr Ichiro KURIYAMA, Independent Senior, JESC, and it was officiating by Mr Hiroyuki YONEDA, General Manager of AOTS YKC, Mr Ichiro KURIYAMA, JESC, and Mr Izuru YAMAMOTA and Mr Kiyoshi ADACHI of AOTS.
The contents of the training programme included:
Please refer to Appendix 1 for the details of the programme. The training programme concluded with presentations from all of the participants on the final day of the training, 13 March 2009. The main objectives of the presentation are (1) to clarify participants’ finding on what they have learnt throughout the programme, (2) to seek the applicable regulations to complement the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 and the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation Act 2007.
3.2.1 Presentation
The participants were divided into 5 groups and look into 3 different topics as follows:
Please refer to Appendix 2 for the details of the presentation.
4.0 Conclusion
Overall, feedbacks from participants on the programme were extremely positive – the pragramme was excellent, informative and comprehensive. During the sharing in the presentation on the final day, based on the presentation from all the participants, Mr Ichiro KURIYAMA commented that the recycling system currently being practiced in Malaysia is similar to the situation in Japan in the 1960s.
In fact, the recycling system and technologies in Japan are far ahead of Malaysia due to the following reasons:
To conclude, education and public awareness are the most important criteria as it is the first step to achieve a Recycling-based society. Malaysia should move towards this direction to create a better and sustainable environment.
Nevertheless, the objectives of the training programme had been to incorporate some of the policies/information/technologies/recycling systems into the administrative framework for waste management in Malaysia. The secretariat of MPMA would now compile this information to be discussed with the Department of National Solid Waste Management (Ministry of Housing and Local Government, MHLG).
Contributed by Joyce Ting
Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers’ Association (MPMA)
Popularity: 33% [?]
