ARM Annual Fall
Conference, 8-9 October 2002
Attendees: 480+
(520+ with spouses)
Countries Represented:
25+
This was a typical busy Fall show with lots of
old friends to catch up with and a lot of new faces to meet. Three days pass
very quickly when all you do is spend the day talking! The hotel facilities were
less than perfect but other than that, the program was interesting. The
following is a brief listing of the presentations that were made:
From Rotational
Molding to Industrial Manufacturing, Johan Aasen, Motion Technology,
Ltd. A/S
Johan talked about taking rotational molding
into new markets by focusing sales efforts and concentrating on fewer
products. He also advocated avoiding the pitfalls of development and
prototyping that distract molders and where possible streamlining processes
into single product and highly efficient, dedicated operations.
Crosslinking
Rotomolded Parts using Electron-Beam Processing, David Keenan, E-Beam
Services, Ltd.
Discussion of the basic process of
electron-beam processing and it's effects on polyethylene in terms of property
changes due to crosslinking. Offers ability to sterilize parts and also
eliminates food issues associated with peroxide chemicals.
ROMICS: Rotational
Moulding Intelligent Control System, Martin Spencer, Rototek, Ltd.,
Mark Kearns, Queen's University, Anton Ianakiev, Nottingham Trent University
A three-way presentation on development work
carried out as part of a European Community project to improve process control
for rotomolding. A review of data gathered for heat transfer and airflow for
heating and cooling from both outside and inside the mold. The control signal
uses a basic Rotolog trace monitored through the arm of rock-and-roll style
machines. Significant benefits were reported in both the heating and cooling
cycles.
Redefining Customer
Service in the New Millenium, Frank Matthews, Decision Maker
Always a great performance from Frank - his
fifth engagement for us. Some thought provoking comments and tales of customer
service do's and don'ts.
30lb Drop Dart Test
Procedure, Jim Gilchrist, ExxonMobil Chemical Company
Jim gave an update on work recently carried
out by ExxonMobil and ARM's Material Committee on this test.
Workshop 1: Foaming -
Single Shot and Two-Step vs. Post Mold Filling
Workshop 2: CNC - 5
Axis Routers
Workshop 3: Streamlining
Your Raw Material Handling
Workshop 4: Improving
Productivity at Your Molding Machine
Workshop 5: What's
Your Problem?
Workshop 6: Student
Research Projects
Three papers from students
currently working on rotational molding projects at The Queen's University of
Belfast, McMaster University and Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario.
David D'Agostino
(McMaster) talked about his project on sintering behavior of materials used in
roto and blow molding. Tests confirmed the influence of viscosity and
elasticity on moldability.
Mark McCourt (Queen's,
Belfast) reviewed his project on the use of TMA equipment for measuring
density changes of rotomolding powders during controlled heating trials.
Wendy Wang (Queen's,
Ontario) discussed results from a study of adding metallocene elastomers to
various polypropylene base resins and the effects on moldability.
Final Report on the
ABS Research Project, Mark Spencer and Brent Strong, Brigham Young University
A closing report on a four year study by BYU
on ABS resins for rotational molding. Recent tests improved the moldability of
the material somewhat and raised impact performance from 2 ftlbs to 8 ftlbs
(ARM drop test).
What's New:
SuperLinear
- Second Generation - A. Schulman
Tom Wyzynski introduced A. Schulman's
second generation material now has a stiffness of 160,000 psi (flexural
modulus) with an HDT of 80°C and good impact performance. Excellent kayak
material.
RMC3 - Mold In Graphic Systems
Lot's of possibilities for the latest
creation from Mold In Graphics Systems with some good examples from Scott
Saxman. He actually managed to stay on the topic of what was new and Dave
Mulligan was correct that it was the shortest presentation that Scott has
ever done!
Mold
Enhancement Technologies for Cycle Time Reduction, Norstar Aluminum
Molds, Inc.
Sandy Scaccia reviewed a rust inhibitor
system for mold frames and the latest black coating system from Maus GmbH in
Europe. The black coating appears to give improved bubble content at the
surface of parts.
Reduction of Cycle
Times in Rotational Molding, Gareth McDowell, Queen's University,
Belfast
Gareth reviewed some of the approaches and
technologies used during his recent studies including, mold preheating, powder
preheating, internal cooling, mold pressurization and hardwired thermocouple
probes for data gathering.
An Update on Design
and Manufacture of Large Rotationally Molded Items for Amusement Parks, Resorts
and Attractions, Philip Larson and Marshall Lampson, Poly Processing Company
Practical paper on the story of molding some
very large boats for Disneyland, California. Interesting development program
and good review of how Poly Processing worked through the challenges of
producing such large parts.
RotoLean -
Streamlining Rotomolding Production, Paul Nugent
A paper from yours truly on how Lean
Manufacturing principles can be applied to rotational molding. See the full
paper at RotoLean.
What's New:
Powder The Way You
Want ItTM, Tim Gollin, ICO Polymers
ICO Polymers now has 22 locations in 11
countries around the globe. Tim introduced several new ways in which ICO
will offer material to customers based on small lot compounding of colors,
including ICORENE à la CarteTM. More efficient operations, color matching and
color changes have reduced the minimum quantity required for color orders to
attractive levels for all molders.
Update on the Cycle
Time Reduction Research Project, Debes Bhattacharyya, University of
Auckland, Roy Crawford, Queen's University, Belfast
Update on progress to date of the ARM funded
projects at Queen's University and the University of Auckland. Review of test
results on theoretical and real measurements of the effects of surface fins on
heating and cooling rates.
Computer Simulation
of the Rotational Molding Process, Ed Wright, Queen's University,
Belfast
Discussion of the working aspects of
RotoSim, a simulation program for rotational molding with details of the heat
transfer model, assumptions used and data comparing simulation results with
real data.
Foaming with Polymer
Based Microspheres in Rotational Molding, Elizabeth Takacs, McMaster
University
Presentation of results of a study on foams
produced using gas filled microspheres blended with polyethylene materials.
What's New:
Chroma-Flair, Chroma Rotational Molding Division, Inc.
New pigment formulations from Chroma that
can produce glitter effects and bronze, silver and gold finishes.
Hall of Fame
Awards
The annual award ceremony took place after the
gala dinner on Monday evening. The two recipients of the Distinguished Service
Award awards were Terry Gillian of Ferry Industries, Inc. and Aldo Monetti of
Monetti SpA. The two inductees into the Hall of Fame were Harry Covington of
Ferry Industries, Inc. and Robert Rees formerly of Phillips 66. Congratulations
to everyone!
Double honors for Ferry Industries - Harry
Covington and Terry Gillian with their awards.
Parts
Competition
There were a number of products submitted for
the various categories of the parts competition. The general standard was very
good. Two items that stood out were:
This stone wall effect produced by Cross-Arm
in Texas. A very realistic effect produced using a proprietary technique.
A multi-piece golf cart display item produced
by Meese Orbitron Dunne took top prize as Product of the Year. Another award to add to the growing list of Gordon
Sanden's credits.
