So Much Plastic – How Did We Get Here?

Some of you may know that I have You Tube channel where I talk about plastics industry issues, really focusing on recycling.  My goal is to connect with the true consumers of plastic; the general public.  I firmly believe that with some knowledge, better environmental stewardship and recycling practices can be attained.

If you are interested in my channel, follow the link on my website.

For November, I recorded a three-part series discussing “how we got here” with our seemingly endless dependence on plastics.  Video topics included food/beverage packaging, plastic bags and plastic in the automotive sector.

When it comes to food packaging, truth be told, not much can match plastic for its low-cost, ease of manufacture, and light weight end product.  Actually, I would go so far as to suggest that reverting to glass or other means of packing would be a detriment.  The light weight of plastic containers support more efficient transport of good to market.  Stated another way, if you can filled a transport truck with 40,000 pounds of goods, you’d likely rather maximize the weight of product shipped, not the weight of the container holding the product.  Why put more trucks on the road to ship the same nominal amount of net-weight goods?  Think I’m alone in my opinion?  Search the internet and see what you come up with…

I have always maintained that plastics are a valuable resource that we need to use with respect; respect for their initial use and respect for their proper handling and recycling, post-use.  We need to ensure we have the industrial mechanisms in place to sort and recycle and the industrial base to purchase the recycled plastics for production purposes.

When it comes to plastic bags, I’m slightly less sympathetic; while still painfully efficient, the plastic bag offers a very limited lifespan before being re-purposed (typically as a household garbage bag of sorts).  While I am in favour of getting multi uses out of a plastic product, with bags, we might only see two to three uses before the bag breaks or ends up in landfill.  This is one instance where the reusable bag (made from woven plastic or cloth), that last for potentially years, is the better alternative.  For garbage bags at home, I prefer to use PLA-based bags that do breakdown much quicker than conventional polyethylene bags.  For a single use product, why not choose the one that best fits the application!

Lastly, when it comes to the auto industry, I think the use of plastics is a real success story!  Cost reductions, weight savings, parts count reduction, complex geometries – all possible with plastics.  As we transition to electric cars (maybe hydrogen eventually…who knows?), plastics will continue to play a key role.  While mechanically simpler, electric cars carry a very heavy battery pack on board.  Plastics help to keep overall vehicle weight in check.  And, let’s not forget that the auto industry practically invented recycling…the junk yard!

Think about your consumption of single-use plastics, recycle everything you can and, as always, get out there and protect your playground!

Let’s Talk About Recycling

Today I posted a video to my Simcoe Plastics Facebook page where I talk about recycling and why it’s important to me.  Please follow along and let’s have a dialogue about recycling!

 

Desktop Moulding Machines? You NEED to learn about this versatile tool….

Simcoe Plastics Ltd is honoured to be the sole Canadian distributor of APSX-PIM desktop injection moulding machines (DMIMM)!

This product delivers on many levels including: low-cost, desktop footprint, horizontal format, electric, full-automatic plastic injection (patent pending).

Seeing DTIMM as a viable market niche, slotting perfectly between the one-off flexibility of 3D printing and the large volume production of typical full scale injection moulding, DTIMM affords low-cost prototyping, small volume runs of small parts and economic accessibility of mass production to low-volume applications.
The APSX-PIM Automatic desktop injection molding machine has a small footprint of 4 ft X 1 ft.  The machine boasts all electric (115VAC), full automatic control of molding actions, pressure, time and temperatures. 1″ steel bar construction. The accuracy with the ball screws and sensors is impeccable.

Features:

  • Touch screen tablet PC for user control
  • Precision distance, temperature and pressure sensors
  • Repeatable processes once injection profile file established
  • No water cooling line installation required

APSX LLC developed the APSX-PIM as a great alternative to the costly overpowered large injection molding machines that are typically over designed for R&D, Prototyping, Product Design, Education, Hobby and other low-volume production environments. The desktop injection machine has automation and accuracy to do real work, while still retaining all the significant features that make an injection machine attractive in the first place: small footprint, repeatability, and minimal input power.

APSX-PIM solution is usually more cost-effective than typical conventional molds alone. You can do-it-yourself with a low-risk and low-cost option, instead of getting the prototypes developed by 3rd party plastic injection molders. It’s made in Cincinnati, Ohio.
KEY FEATURES OF APSX-PIM
– Compact design
– Strong body structure with stainless steel, aluminum 6061, bronze and Delrin parts
– All electric and no water-coolant system
– Full automatic with precision sensors
– Injection speed control for fill rate
– Electronic temperature control system
– User touch screen for operational control

The design of the machine is solid with a small footprint, making it easy for use and storage.  APSX-PIM isn’t your ordinary manual desktop injection machine. Instead of manual injection molding actions, it’s built with automated clamping, injection and eject features. Each APSX-PIM desktop injection machine employs a strong structure with steel bars, precisely designed to provide maximum mold size in a footprint that’s not much bigger than a traditional manual desktop injection press. Each APSX-PIM features anodized hard aluminum blocks for a robust structure and the best scratch protection by providing greater wear resistance for a lifetime of use. All APSX-PIM are also equipped with high precision ballscrews for accuracy and rigidity of the machine.


The APSX-PIM features a 6000LBS rated spring powered by a precise but low–maintenance chain and ballscrew system driven by an electric motor. This mechanism delivers infinite injection speed control, resulting in an injection system that is both powerful and precise at micro level. That is much more under controlled and repeatable than the underpowered injection handles on typical desktop injection presses. Along with that, state-of-the-art touchless distance sensors and nozzle valve control system offers the APSX-PIM injection plunger exceptional flow control and mold flow profile characteristics unlike any other desktop injection machines.

APSX-PIM machines feature a gearbox and ballscrew combo system for clamping mechanism. This isn’t an arbitrary design, but also can be a standard for clamping systems by other injection machines in the future. This means the APSX-PIM can be used in combination with other gearboxes with different gear ratios to adjust the clamping force and clamping speed, expanding tooling choices beyond the default specifications.

Direct-drive motion for hopper feeder mechanism is provided by precision electric motor coupled with specially designed mini screw to feed the heat barrel with plastic pellets of all kinds. This system is ideal for a repeatable and accurate material control since the system decides how much plastic is required by calculating how much is used in the previous cycles.
These make the APSX-PIM a perfect choice as a desktop injection machine!

As with all APSX products, APSX-PIM desktop injection machines are backed with the  technical support team to ensure your satisfaction.

Representing APSX LLC allows us to tap into a new segment of the plastics industry in Canada, while leveraging our knowledge and resin supply capabilities. APSX LLC is the creation of Burak Cevik and Kubi Kara (Partners owning the APSX WideBand brand of automotive aftermarket components). The APSX-PIM was the result of APSX WideBand’s own production requirements, so the proof of concept and business case is solid and proven.

 

About Vi-Chem Corporation!

Today, I would like to feature our highly acclaimed automotive grade and custom compounds supply partner, Vi-Chem Corporation.

Simcoe Plastics Ltd is proud to offer the Canadian marketplace premium quality PVC, TPE, TPV and Spectra® TPO compounds produced by Vi-Chem Corporation.

Vi-Chem has a variety of PVC, TPE, TPV and Spectra® TPO based products, a vast selection of automotive products for all of your sealing systems, glass encapsulation and soft touch interior trim needs.

Here is a snapshot of the products and what they are best for:

Sevrene Styrenic Block Copolymers (TPE-S); These triblock elastomers are very versatile and the most widely used. For instance, to change the stiffness you can vary the percentage of hard end blocks. Comparably, the length and type of the center segments can be adjusted to increase resistance to heat, ozone and UV, or reduce cost. This brand is the softest type available and has the best haptics to improve touch and feel in use. The ease of development enables optimal blending of performance and productivity.

Flexivon & V-Series Vinyl (PVC); these are stabilized for use in tooling with hot runners, pre-coloured grade with low (<2) to high (>90) gloss levels are available, tested and approved for hundreds of OEM specifications. Rigid compounds are accessible where higher modulus is essential. The flexible compounds offer a good balance of elastomeric properties that are colour matched or effortlessly colourable.

Cerberon Thermoplastic Vulcanizates (TPE-V, TPV, DVA, MEA)

The addition of high levels of rubber expand use temperature, and the family has been designed with ease of processing in mind. This family also exhibits good heat aging and very good flex-fatigue. These alloywed elastomers have a continuous phase of plastic (usually polypropylene) in which is dispersed very small particles of vulcanized rubber (usually EPDM).

Urvain Specialty Alloy (TPE-U, MEA)

With outstanding colourability, this family provides scuff resistance plus exceptional retention of properties at cold temperature.

Oleflex Thermoplastic Olefin (TPE-O, TPO)
Blends of polypropylene (hard phase) with a ethylene-propylene rubber (soft phase) compounded with addictive packages. Good cost/performance balance for flexible to semi-rigid parts.

 

Vi-Chem is a world-class manufacturer of custom thermoplastic compounds and polymeric alloys, delivering value-added compounded products for injection molders, blow molders and extrusion operations. Specializing in PVC and elastomeric solutions, Vi-Chem is the performance materials compounder of choice for the automotive and other polymer-related industries. Vi-Chem is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., and serves global customer base, bolstered by accreditation to the ISO/TS 16949 automotive manufacturing standard as well as ISO/IEC 17025 testing laboratory certification

Vi-Chem Corporation has built a leadership position in specialty TPE and PVC compounds for the automotive industry. We here at Simcoe Plastics Ltd are proud to offer their products to the Canadian marketplace.