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A Stroke of Genius: Hybrid Drive System Combines the Benefits of Electric and Hydraulic Technology

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A Stroke of Genius: Hybrid Drive System Combines the Benefits of Electric and Hydraulic Technology

Electric drives are becoming increasingly important in injection moulding, particularly with regard to energy efficiency. However, hydraulic drives are not without their advantages, providing powerful injection capacities and cost efficiency. The ideal solution is to combine both drive systems, as the Allrounders from Arburg’s new generation of machines successfully demonstrate: the Allrounder 470 H anniversary machine is characterised by low acquisition and operating costs, a reduced carbon footprint and an energy requirement equivalent to that of electric machines.

The hybrid-driven injection moulding machines from Arburg’s Hidrive (H) series combine a precise electric closing unit with a dynamic hydraulic injection unit. The results of a visitor survey conducted at Arburg’s Technology Days in March 2023 confirm that the anniversary machine offers an attractive drive concept.

In the case of the Ultimate performance variant of the hybrid Allrounder, hydraulic accumulator technology enables all axes to move independently thanks to separate control valves.

 

Hybrid technology a hit with injection moulding companies

Among those surveyed, 96% thought that the new hybrid Allrounder 470 H was a suitable replacement for hydraulic machines, while 95% considered it to be a suitable replacement for electric ones. Gerhard Boehm, Managing Director Sales and Service at Arburg, explains, “The idea behind this machine technology was well received by visitors, as evidenced by the survey results. Respondents found the concept extremely interesting – for both technical injection moulding and demanding applications, for example in the automotive and packaging industries. Our hybrid anniversary machine, which comes in three performance variants, shows that we keep our finger firmly on the pulse. We have hit the nail on the head because it saves energy, conserves resources and is production-efficient, user-friendly and reliable all at the same time. In addition, most machine operators are familiar with hydraulic injection units and can benefit fully from their advantages.”

Only benefits from Arburg’s perspective

Thanks to the integration of the servo motor manufacturer AMKmotion into the Arburg family, development and production of the entire powertrain can be handled in-house. This applies primarily to Allrounder injection moulding machines, including the inverter and motor which form the centrepiece of the closing system, but also to the mould technology, for example.

Hydraulic injection unit: the Comfort and Premium performance variants of the hybrid Allrounder 470 H are equipped with the Arburg servo hydraulic system (ASH). Thanks to this technology, the drive system adjusts continuously to the actual power requirement.

 

The planetary roller screw drive in combination with liquid-cooled motors is ideally suited to high-end injection moulding tasks. Using this electric direct drive, which is integrated into the hybrid machines in the PREMIUM and ULTIMATE performance variants, for example, all positions can be started up extremely quickly and precisely while achieving load-resistant power transmission and a high power density over a long service life – even when the machine is running at full load.

The kinematics of the double five-point toggle system is optimally adapted to the electric drive. This provides for symmetrical force application during movements and mould locking – even with heavy moulds. The toggle can also be adapted with ease to different mould installation heights by means of a servo-electric adjustment system. Automatic clamping force regulation, which generates a consistent locking force and thus automatically compensates for the thermal expansion of the mould, is available as an option.

Dynamic hydraulic injection unit

Homogeneous material preparation and precise injection are additional prerequisites for high-quality part production. Hydraulic drives have been a staple of injection moulding for decades and for good reason: they are sophisticated, robust, durable and low maintenance. They are particularly well suited to high levels of material throughput and generate high forces that can be maintained during any length of holding pressure phase.

Depending on the performance variant, the hybrid Allrounders in the HIDRIVE series combine regulated injection, dynamic hydraulic accumulator technology and an energy-saving servo-electric dosage drive to achieve a high plasticising flow rate.

To enable simultaneous movements of two secondary axes (1 and 2) using ASH technology, Arburg developed flow rate splitting.

 

Three performance variants for optimal adaptation

  • “The Comfort, Premium and Ultimate performance variants of our hybrid Allrounder are optimally adapted to their respective requirements,” explains Guido Frohnhaus, Managing Director Technology & Engineering at Arburg. “This new generation of machines incorporates many technical innovations that are only available from Arburg. These include a new oil management concept, flow rate splitting and extended use of the Arburg servo hydraulic system.”
  • The new Allrounder 470 H Comfort machines are intended for technical, thick-walled or relatively simple moulded parts that are typically manufactured in cycle times of 10 – 45 seconds. Compared to an equivalent hydraulic machine, the energy footprint of this performance variant is up to 50% better, while the cooling water and oil requirement is reduced by up to 35%. At 1.4 seconds, the dry cycle time is also around 30% shorter. A robust ball screw is used for the drive.
  • The Premium performance variant is further optimised in terms of production efficiency, achieving a dry cycle time of 1.2 seconds. This machine can be used for a variety of demanding applications, such as manufacturing precision components for the automotive and electronics industries. Its standard equipment includes a planetary roller screw drive and the Arburg electro-mechanical dosage (AED) function for a longer dosage time. In addition, the machine features Arburg’s new flow rate splitting for simultaneous, independent movements of two hydraulic secondary axes.
  • For its part, the Ultimate performance variant is specifically designed for demanding, high-speed processes, such as thin-walled applications in the packaging technology industry. At 0.9 seconds, its dry cycle time is significantly shorter than that of the Premiuim performance variant. The standard equipment for Ultimte machines also includes AED as well as hydraulic accumulator technology and the Gestica control system with the aXw Control ScrewPilot function, which compensates for disruptions in the filling process and stabilises mould filling. All together, this provides for a level of injection precision equivalent to that of an electric injection unit. Dosage across cycles is also possible (optional feature).
To celebrate “100 years of the Hehl family company”, Guido Frohnhaus (left), Arburg’s Managing Director Technology & Engineering, and Gerhard Boehm, Managing Director Sales and Service, presented the world premiere of the hybrid Allrounder 470 H anniversary machine in February 2023.

 

Reduced energy requirement thanks to the Arburg servo hydraulic system

The Comfort and Premium performance variants are equipped with the Arburg servo hydraulic system (ASH). With this technology, the drive system adjusts continuously to the actual power requirement thanks to a speed-controlled, water-cooled servo motor. One major advantage of this is that when the machine is at a standstill, the pump drive also stops, meaning no more idling losses. This ensures energy-efficient, low-emission operation and yields up to 50% energy savings, particularly for processes with long cooling times. Depending on the specific application, the Allrounder 470 H COMFORT can save up to 12,000 kg of CO2 per year. At the same time, the machine’s cooling requirements and noise level are also significantly reduced.

Flow rate splitting reduces cycle times

As only serial movements can be performed with ASH technology alone, Arburg developed flow rate splitting to enable simultaneous movements. This function is integrated into the Premium performance variant. Thanks to the latest Varan valve technology with integrated sensor system, two hydraulic secondary axes can be driven independently at the same time, for example core pull and ejector during mould opening. The axes split the ASH servo pump’s available flow volume if required. The benefit is twofold: greater energy and production efficiency overall. This is because the machines consume significantly less energy and the cycle times are shorter. All this is possible without a hydraulic accumulator or multi-pump technology requiring a second servo motor and additional frequency converter.

The Premium performance variant of the hybrid Allrounder 470 H has a precise clamping unit with planetary roller screw drive and an injection unit comprising the Arburg servo hydraulic system (ASH).

 

High injection speeds

The Ultimate performance variant of the hybrid Allrounder meets the highest requirements in terms of dynamics and process capability thanks to its hydraulic accumulator technology. All axes of motion can be independently controlled and driven by means of separate control valves. The hydraulic accumulator ensures a consistent pressure level. The result: quick, dynamic simultaneous movements and more process setting options, such as injection during mould closing or embossing.

The hybrid Allrounder machine in the Ultimate performance variant can reach injection speeds of up to 450 mm per second. “In the future, Ultimate machines will even be able to reach speeds of 550 mm per second, achieving accelerations of up to 1 G,” says Guido Frohnhaus proudly.

Further information about Arburg can be found at www.arburg.com

 

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DOMO Chemicals Reveals Decarbonization Progress in Latest Sustainability Report

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DOMO Chemicals Reveals Decarbonization Progress in Latest Sustainability Report

From the baseline year of 2019, DOMO has made the following progress:

  • Achieved a 27% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
  • Increased renewable electricity sources to 12% throughout its operations
  • Boosted sales of engineered materials based on recycled feedstock to 11.3%
  • As a responsible employer, providing a safe and inclusive working environment, DOMO increased the share of women in senior positions to 30%

DOMO Chemicals, a global leader in polyamide-based engineered material solutions and services, has published its latest annual Sustainability Report, detailing progress on its sustainability journey, including notable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. DOMO’s mission is to engineer polyamide solutions that contribute to a better, more sustainable world. In publishing its second annual Sustainability Report, DOMO enters a new phase in its decarbonization quest, with confidence in its long-term aspiration to set the standard for sustainability in the industry by 2030.

“DOMO is pursuing a strategy of sustainable value growth and strives to become, by 2030, a benchmark for sustainable development and social responsibility, and to be recognized among the best in our industry,” said Yves Bonte, Chief Executive Officer, DOMO Chemicals. “We are proud to have made significant progress on our sustainability journey in 2022, together with all our stakeholders.”

DOMO’s 2022 Sustainability Report was prepared for the first time in accordance with Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) Standards, the most widely recognized reporting framework for sustainability. DOMO also became a signatory to the Responsible Care Charter in 2022, joining forces to strengthen sustainability within the global chemicals industry.

Notably, the Sustainability Report details DOMO’s achievements in 2022 toward realizing its 2030 sustainability goals. In terms of decarbonization and broader environmental achievements, against a 2019 baseline, the company:

  • Reduced scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 27%, making significant progress toward its target of 40% reduction by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050
  • Increased renewable electricity throughout operations to 12%
  • Reduced waste by 24%
  • Lowered water intake by 4.5%

In addition, as a leading provider of polyamide-based sustainable and circular solutions, DOMO:

  • Achieved more than 11% of engineered materials sales based on sustainable feedstock, making excellent progress toward its 2030 target of 20%
  • Allocated 25% of research and development resources to enhanced recycling

Moreover, fostering talent and ensuring the well-being of its workforce as a responsible employer is essential for sustainable growth, and 2022 highlights include:

  • Increased share of women in senior positions from 22% in 2021 to 30% in 2022
  • Providing a safe and inclusive working environment that encourages personal and professional development as well as a global safety culture

“Our 2022 Sustainability Report summarizes a full year of achievements and our inspiring sustainability journey will continue,” said Bouchra Caret-Rhers, Sustainability Director, DOMO Chemicals.

“Our focus remains on making progress on our decarbonization roadmap, partnering to develop sustainable and circular solutions and offering a safe and inclusive work environment for our employees.”

www.domochemicals.com

 

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U.S. Chamber Partners with U.S. Department of Defense, Indian Ministry of Defense to Boost U.S.-India Defense Partnership

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U.S. Chamber Partners with U.S. Department of Defense, Indian Ministry of Defense to Boost U.S.-India Defense Partnership

In partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense and India’s Ministry of Defense, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-India Business Council hosted the inaugural INDUS X Summit and a startup-focused defense exhibition, “Catalyzing Indo-U.S. Defense Innovation” at the U.S. Chamber headquarters June 20-21.

The INDUS X Summit is a key deliverable of the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), which held its industry track discussions at the U.S. Chamber this January. A major opportunity to accelerate U.S.-India defense co-development and co-production, the INDUS X Summit and startup exhibition have the potential to be catalysts for India to achieve its target of $5 billion in defense exports by 2025, and for India to diversify its defense supply chain via U.S. partnership. Over two days of speeches, panels, open and closed-door discussions, speakers and participants included the U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti, India’s Ambassador to the U.S. Sripriya Ranganathan Sripriya Ranganathan, U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, and Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17).

U.S. Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said, “We’re thrilled to see INDUS X working for peace and preparing coordination in a way that we’ve never experienced between India and the United States,”

“This launch is just the beginning. Expect to see opportunities for startup companies to participate in government sponsored joint challenges [and] find technological solutions to our most pressing problems. Expect opportunities for startups to partner with established defense industry leads. I’m so excited in the coming months to work with folks both in India and here to have a mechanism to matchmake those startups.”

Ambassador Atul Keshap, Senior Vice President for South Asia and President of the U.S.-India Business Council at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, stated that “I have no doubt that some of the companies displaying their technologies here today will become some of the most important players in the Indo-U.S. defense innovation ecosystem in the years to come.”

www.uschamber.com

 

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ST BlowMoulding at Plast 2023

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ST BlowMoulding at Plast 2023

After the forced stop due to the pandemic, ST BlowMoulding is ready to come back to Plast exhibition at Fiera Milano Rho from the 5th to the 8th of September. PLAST, the international exhibition dedicated to machinery, equipment and moulds for the plastics and rubber processing is an important showcase for the Swiss/Italian company to present its latest novelties and technologies.

For over 40 years, ST BlowMoulding has proven to be the most reliable supplier of large blow moulding equipment. From cutting-edge suction blow moulding technology to the production of large packaging containers up to 6000 L, it always provides the best solution tailored to the customers’ needs.

ST BlowMoulding combines Italian passionate engineering with Swiss-like precision and attention to details. With locations in both Italy and Switzerland and a new branch in North America, it offers great flexibility in terms of worldwide blowmoulding machines shipping, sales and service.

The company’s core technology lies in manufacturing the machines for large blow moulded items, starting from 30L. Over the years, it has developed an impressive portfolio with high-level expertise in markets such as:

  • Industrial Packaging: L-Ring and Open Top drums, IBC tanks, large jerrycans.
  • Automotive products: including fuel tanks, water tanks, HVAC, Under the Hood components, coolant pipes, hydrogen pressure vessels, etc.
  • Specialties: such as solar floating docks, CPV and LPG tanks, gardening supplies, flower pots, toys and more.

ST BlowMoulding is also a leader in Suction Blow Moulding technology, which is used to produce complicated 3D-shaped objects with no flash on the sides, even starting from very small diameters.

ST machines are designed for maximum efficiency and profitability for the customer:

  • The lowest energy consumption category based on Euromap 46.1 testing procedure guarantees cost-efficient production, even during periods of high energy costs.
  • The variety of multilayer options keeps the client’s blow moulding equipment up to date with modern requirements for “green” materials – PCR/PIR resins, fully regrind layers, thin outside layers with particular properties, etc.
  • Unmatched process repeatability allows reducing raw material consumption while maintaining stable product characteristics in terms of weight, surface quality and thickness.
  • The intuitive control system provides operators with maximum comfort during the working process.

Depending on production needs, ST BlowMoulding offers a vast range of engineering solutions: accumulator head or continuous extrusion, single layer or multilayer, fully electric machines or advanced hydraulics, special proprietary systems for automatic die tool changeover and more.

www.st-blowmoulding.com

 

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U.S. Innovation: PU Rollers Offering Increased Efficiency and Occupational Safety – Thanks to Graphene Nanotubes

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U.S. Innovation: PU Rollers Offering Increased Efficiency and Occupational Safety – Thanks to Graphene Nanotubes

  • Polyurethane rollers with added conductivity save money by minimizing damage to electronic products when materials become electrically charged by the triboelectric effect during functioning of the roller in its application.
  • A new product launched by I.B. Moore, a US-based company, incorporates the innovative graphene nanotubes that make the complete manufacturing process efficient, production worthy, and sustainable.
  • Current applications for this new product include the printing, packaging, and converting industries; voting, lottery, and paper folding machines; money handling equipment; autonomous mobile robots (AMR); automated picking and sorting machines; and automated guided vehicles (AGV).

Until recently, the common technologies on the US market to grant anti-static properties to PU rollers were carbon black and organic ionic-conductive agents, which lead to a set of limitations. The high level of carbon black required to meet anti-static requirements results in a much thicker mixture and thus difficulties in processing the batch. Ionic-conductive agents lead to only mild anti-static volume resistivity readings rather than higher conductive values. Also, the physical properties of the final product, such as compression set and hardness, can be hindered.

I.B. Moore pushes the limits of its urethane rollers, making it possible to introduce graphene nanotubes into non-conductive products to increase their overall performance and efficiency. The basis for this is a new set of properties enabled by graphene nanotubes: a more stable and wider range of resistance levels compared to ammonium salts, all grades of urethane hardness (45A to 96A – Shore A) and leaving a non-marking surface (no black “smearing” traces) on the surface of output products (fabric, paper, film, etc.) thus preventing the occurrence of malfunction and/or rejects.

“To obtain volume resistivity within the range of 109–104 Ohm·cm, it is sufficient to add OCSiAl’s graphene nanotubes in a working concentration that is 100 times less than that of ammonium salts and 500 times less than that of carbon black. Such low loadings and nanotubes’ intrinsic morphology do not diminish the useful physical properties of the final product. The addition of nanotubes does not interfere with our established manufacturing processing procedures, which allows for an efficient and production worthy process,” said Danny R. Siders, Managing Member, I.B. Moore Company, LLC.

Such anti-static rollers are engineered to serve a neutralizing function in a variety of industries, saving money as they can prevent damage to sensitive electronic devices during handling, assembly, and transportation. “This new graphene nanotube technology gives the opportunity to formulate materials for other critical static-dissipation applications and meet electrical project needs,” added Danny R. Siders.

 

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Space-Saving and Cost-Efficient: 2-Component Injection Moulding of Luer Connectors

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Space-Saving and Cost-Efficient: 2-Component Injection Moulding of Luer Connectors

  • Allrounder More: Efficient multi-component injection moulding
  • Yaskawa six-axis robot: Quickly programmed and integrated into Gestica control system
  • Mounted in the mould: Capping and unscrewing the moulded part in a confined space

At the Interplas in Birmingham from 26 to 28 September 2023, Arburg (Stand H4/Hall 4) will be exhibiting an efficient production cell that produces Luer connectors made of PP and TPE for the pharmaceutical industry. The centrepiece is a two-component Allrounder More 1600 injection moulding machine, handled by a Yaskawa six-axis robot. Closures are capped and threads unscrewed directly in the mould. The innovative high-end solution eliminates the need for a second mould and additional assembly line. This significantly reduces the manufacturing costs.

Precision and a delicate touch are required when injection moulding the Luer connectors on an Allrounder More 1600: the shot weight of the soft TPE component is only 0.05 grams.

“We provide our plastics processing customers with efficient technologies to ensure their competitiveness. Especially during these more challenging economic times, not least due to increased energy costs, they can totally rely on us,” says Colin Tirel, Managing Director of Arburg Ltd. “We are seeing a growing interest among our customers in process capability, energy efficiency and digitalisation. Interplas is an excellent platform for showcasing these key topics and our new technology developments.”

Injection moulding with a delicate touch

The highlight at the trade fair stand is a two-component Allrounder More 1600 injection moulding machine with 1,600 kN clamping force and two size 100 electric injection units. The exhibit produces four ready-to-use Luer connectors at a time within a cycle time of around ten seconds. Injection moulding requires a delicate touch and precision: the part weight of the PP component is 0.2 grams and the soft TPE component weighs as little as 0.05 grams. The 4+4-cavity mould features Braunform’s RotaricE2 technology. Four servo-electric axes from Arburg’s sister company AMKmotion control the internal mould sequences for core-back, lifting the lid, capping the closures and unscrewing the Luer threads. The compact design translates to a large number of cavities in a small space, with up to 64+64-cavity versions possible in series moulds.

The “aXw Control CycleAssist” assistance function generates a graphic comparison of the current times and previously defined reference values for each cycle step. Unproductive time segments can be displayed with a click. This enables the user to reduce the cycle time and makes high productivity programmable in advance.

Integrated in Gestica: Yaskawa robot

The six-axis robot from Yaskawa is integrated into the Gestica control system. Similarly to the linear Multilift robotic system, it can be programmed quickly and easily directly via the machine controller. For the trade fair application, the six-axis robot removes the finished parts from the mould with a four-cavity gripper and feeds them individually to an inline camera inspection. It then deposits them separately by cavity.

Allrounder More: More space, modularity and convenience

The modular and production-efficient Allrounders in the More series are specially designed for multi-component injection moulding and can be flexibly adapted to specific customer and market requirements. They offer more space for larger moulds and a usable ejector stroke, more modularity during assembly, and many optimised features for greater ease of use and simple maintenance. As standard, the machines feature a highly dynamic electric toggle-type clamping unit with energy-efficient liquid-cooled servo motors and two electric injection units. This allows all common two-component applications to be realised.

Colin Tirel, Managing Director of Arburg Ltd. in the UK: “At Interplas 2023, we are focusing on process capability, energy efficiency and digitalisation.”

 

Further information about Arburg can be found at www.arburg.com

 

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New OE-A Roadmap Unveils Exciting Printed Electronics Industry Prospects

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New OE-A Roadmap Unveils Exciting Printed Electronics Industry Prospects

The highly anticipated OE-A Roadmap offers valuable insights into the present state and prospects of flexible, organic, and printed electronics. The Whitepaper delves into key markets such as Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Healthcare, Printing and Packaging, Smart Building, and Internet of Things, providing comprehensive analyses and forecasts for each sector. The Whitepaper is now ready for download.

“In the last couple of years we have seen the accelerating adoption of printed, flexible, and hybrid electronics in a wide range of products and markets.” states Dr. Klaus Hecker, Managing Director of OE-A. This proves the latest Roadmap Whitepaper published by OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association), a working group within VDMA. The new edition of the “OE-A Roadmap for Flexible, Organic and Printed Electronics” offers an in-depth exploration of the industry’s advancing maturity. In addition to updates on key technologies and capabilities, the roadmap incorporates the insights of over 100 industry experts, who provide detailed short, medium, and long-term forecasts for various markets. “These are exciting times for our industry. We will see more flexible and even stretchable displays, building facades that harvest energy with transparent OPVs. Car interiors will change completely with the widespread integration of sensors, light sources and heating in the interior trim. Printed electronics will also play a major role in improving healthcare, for example with sensors that make it easier to monitor vital signs. And these are just a few examples for what is afoot.” adds Klaus Hecker.

Market trend Sustainability

The market for flexible and printed electronics continues to show strong growth. New technological approaches in both production and products are the basis for significantly increasing energy and resource efficiency along the value chain. It is clear that the technology is opening up new possibilities when it comes to sustainable production processes and sustainable materials. Printing, as an additive process, consumes less material and energy, and reduces the amount of waste. Printing plus related advanced processing enables broader use of recycled or eco-friendly materials to support product lifecycle circularity.

OE-A Roadmap Whitepaper for download

„The OE-A Roadmap Whitepaper highlights the wide-ranging opportunities made available by printed electronics technologies. We invite all interested parties to check out our OE-A homepage to have a closer look at the findings of the latest Whitepaper.” adds Klaus Hecker. The full 180-page OE-A Roadmap Whitepaper and an executive summary are available for download at oe-a.org/roadmap.

www.lopec.com

 

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Transformation in a Difficult Environment – Incoming Orders Slump by 30 Percent in the First Quarter

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Transformation in a Difficult Environment – Incoming Orders Slump by 30 Percent in the First Quarter

  • Transformation: decarbonisation and defossilisation as decisive factors
  • Global economic situation puts pressure on current investment behaviour of customer groups
  • Moderate turnover development expected from 2024

German plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers closed the year 2022 with a price-adjusted increase in turnover of 10 percent. In nominal terms, the increase amounted to 18 percent. “This growth stems from the numerous orders the sector was able to attract in recent years and shows that the supply chains have eased to some degree,” explains Ulrich Reifenhäuser, Chairman of the Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association at the VDMA. Currently, the order books are still reasonably full, which hints at a comparatively good sales year in 2023.

Subdued expectations for 2024

Expectations for the turnover trend from 2024 onwards are cautious. “We lost new orders last year, with a price-adjusted minus of 13 percent, and in the first quarter of 2023 even more significantly at minus 33 percent”, says Thorsten Kühmann, Managing Director of the Plastics and Rubber Machinery Trade Association. “That probably means fewer orders on the books that can be processed and converted into sales in 2024.

World economy shows low growth due to high inflation and high interest rates

Unfortunately, there is not much hope that demand will pick up again in the short term. The global economic climate with low growth, high inflation and correspondingly high interest rates is unsettling investors. On the one hand, the plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers will benefit from the American economic stimulus package IRA (Inflation Reduction Act), but it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to boost the global economy again. The areas of e-mobility and packaging are still the most promising in terms of growth opportunities. In China in particular, the transformation towards the electrification of vehicles is advancing at an enormous pace, and the rising global population is also increasing the demand for packaged food. In both cases, plastic can bring its advantages to bear.

Transformation: decarbonisation and defossilisation as decisive factors

Against this background, the major tasks of decarbonisation and defossilisation of the plastics industry are even more challenging: The plastics industry is already in the middle of the transformation process towards a circular economy. This is in line with the goals of the two aforementioned mega-trends. But reducing carbon emissions or even establishing carbon-neutral production requires investment and restructuring.

This is currently countered by the planning uncertainty experienced by many companies and customer groups, particularly where issues of energy supply and the corresponding costs are concerned.

Plotting the strategic course for the industry

For the trade association and its board, the focus is therefore on plotting the strategic course for the plastics and rubber machinery manufacturing industry and its partners along the value chain. This includes the following areas of action:

Recruiting young talent – time to cooperate!

Attracting committed young people to mechanical engineering and in particular to the plastics industry is a joint project. The trade association is working intensively with the VDMA Education Department. The figures collected there show that the shortage of skilled workers is seen as the greatest risk in mechanical engineering. The cause is a demographic change on the one hand, and competition from other sectors that seem more appealing to young people on the other. Very often, they do not have a clear picture of what mechanical engineering entails, neither of its achievements for climate protection nor of the career opportunities it offers. This is even more true for the plastics industry, which has to contend with an image problem. On the other hand, the satisfaction rate of technical trainees with their companies and their jobs is very high.

In this area of tension, the representatives of the associations of “Wir sind Kunststoff” (We are plastics), GKV, PlasticsEurope and VDMA came together to jointly address the issue of young talent here as well. There are initial ideas: for example, how to attract more women to the plastics industry through good examples across all levels of the company and networks. Another area of activity is to attract employees from abroad. In this field, mechanical engineering with its international networks is well positioned.

Circular Economy made in Europe – technology is the key to global success

If circular economy is to work effectively, we need to think globally. Climate change, scarcity of resources, and the avoidance of environmental damage caused by plastics are not local problems. Mechanical engineering plays a central role in its implementation. The trade association has therefore developed an event format at which, through a joint campaign, member companies can present their technological know-how as system providers focused on plastics recycling and the processing of recycled materials within key sales markets. It is important to take local specifics into account and to involve local players. The first venue will be Mumbai in India.

Digitalisation as an enabler of CO2-neutral production

Production processes are to become increasingly resource-efficient; CO2 emissions are to be reduced or avoided altogether. In order to find the savings potential and make the efficiencies measurable, the individual process steps must be digitally inter-networked, with the best scenario being across the entire value and supply chain. This will support users not only in the increasingly strict documentation and reporting obligations, but also in the conception phase of new product types. A digital test version can save energy use and material. Using alternative materials instead of fossil raw materials can drive their marketability; however, digitalisation also helps at the end-of-life stage when sorting plastic waste into single-variety material streams.

There is another factor involved in the digitisation of production: work structures are changing due to increased automation, which aids companies with a lack of workers, who need fewer, but better trained skilled workers.

www.vdma.org

 

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Whether It’s AI, Health Apps, Lab Medicine or Robotics, Start-Ups Are Shaking Things Up in the Health Sector and Causing a Stir at MEDICA

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Whether It’s AI, Health Apps, Lab Medicine or Robotics, Start-Ups Are Shaking Things Up in the Health Sector and Causing a Stir at MEDICA

The agenda includes many highlights for and by the start-up scene

For years, the internationally leading medical trade fair MEDICA in Düsseldorf has also been the global leading event for start-ups seeking to enter the health sector. Among the more than 5,000 exhibiting companies at MEDICA 2023 and the parallel suppliers’ professional trade fair COMPAMED 2023 (date: 13 – 16 November), there will accordingly again be several hundred young developer teams seeking business contacts for cooperation concerning funding, production, product approval, marketing or sales of their product ideas.

Numerous programme highlights place a targeted focus on the start-up scene and offer start-ups an ideal platform to present their innovative solutions and to do business with the international world of professional health care. Among those worth mentioning are the 12th MEDICA Start-up Competition, the 15th Healthcare Innovation World Cup, the MEDICA START-UP PARK and many more start-up exhibitions at the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM.

Both for the 12th MEDICA Start-up Competition and for the 15th Healthcare Innovation World Cup, the kick-off for the registration process has already taken place. Interested start-ups will find information concerning the rules and options for participation in the competition on the programme page of the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM (https://www.medica.de/mchf2).

At the MEDICA Start-up COMPETITION, the focus is on the entire spectrum of innovations for the healthcare sector: from artificial intelligence (AI) to health apps, solutions for laboratory diagnostics and medical robotics. For the first time this year, “Sustainability” features as a novel category.

All winning teams of the MEDICA Start-up COMPETITION 2022 united on stage.

Previous year’s winning team continues to profit from global visibility

The Spanish start-up Idoven was the winning team in the competition of 2022 and has subsequently profited immensely from participating in the event. The young company has, in their own words, developed an AI-based platform for “cardiology-as-a-service”. This proprietary AI uses electrocardiographs (ECG) of any length and by any diagnostic tool to improve the accuracy and consistency of the interpretation. Rika Christanto, COO at Idoven, is pleased with the effect of participating at MEDICA and the competition finals on the stage of the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM: “I was very surprised at how global this trade fair is!” The MEDICA Start-up COMPETITION gave her start-up an immense, global visibility, notwithstanding which Idoven also wants to enter the German market.

According to Rika Christanto, it was also helpful to share experiences with other start-ups during MEDICA, for example concerning how to overcome legal obstacles to entering the market. Currently, Idoven is strengthening the partnerships that came out of MEDICA 2022, for example with the company GE Healthcare regarding a project to reduce the necessary efforts for interpretation of ECGs in a clinical setting. “We also signed an agreement with AstraZeneca regarding a cardiac insufficiency project”, says Rika Christanto. This is primarily concerned with avoiding hospitalisation of affected persons. Together with the pharmaceutical company, the star-up is therefore working on solutions to improve individual therapies. To do this, Idoven’s analytical platform uses early data from patient records to estimate the effectiveness of planned treatments and the necessity for changes.

In order to continue this growth course, Idoven is looking for further partnerships, working intensely on the performance of its proprietary AI tools and on the evaluation of the usefulness of their solutions in clinical practice. How important global visibility is for start-ups, and thus participation in internationally successful trade fair events like MEDICA, for example, is illustrated by this figure: Idoven has already managed to gain financial support amounting to almost 20 million US dollars (approximately 18.1 million euros) for the realisation of upcoming projects and further developments.

Healthcare Innovation World Cup: the next generation of intelligent medtech devices

For start-ups, scale-ups and smaller mid-level companies, participation in (and the free-of-charge application to) the 15th Healthcare Innovation World Cup could also be interesting. The focus here is on intelligent “Internet of Medical Things” (IoMT) solutions, e.g., digital biomarkers, smart band-aids or wearables with network connectivity. The 12 finalists, chosen by a renowned professional jury, are invited to present their businesses during MEDICA 2023 on the programme stage of the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM (in Hall 12). The previous year’s winner was ViewMind Inc., a company specialising in the management of neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer’s. Mark Edwards, CEO and co-founder of ViewMind Inc., says that while the effects of winning cannot be quantified, “I can say that winning was very helpful to make the company and its products known”. This start-up, too, has completed another round of financing, which was facilitated by their success at MEDICA. The already CE-certified ViewMind product, which is already on the market, was validated in approx. 30 clinical trials on four continents with thousands of patients. Approval by the FDA is currently ongoing.

ViewMind initially addresses the pharmaceutical industry, says Mark Edwards, but also the healthcare sector in general. “We are working on clinical trials with several pharmaceutical companies in order to give them a tool with which to find suitable participants, set up cohorts precisely and measure the effects of therapy with corresponding sensitivity.” The start-up sees itself as a pioneer for the development of precision drugs.

Edwards has often visited MEDICA in Düsseldorf. From his perspective, the size of the event is an advantage. He has already met with many contacts from the sales sector here in order to assess possible sales partnerships. ViewMind keeps its eyes on the prize, as Mark Edwards says: “We want to establish a sensitive marker for neurocognitive diseases and cognition which is a easy to operate and as useful as a device for measuring blood pressure or blood sugar.”

The MEDICA START-UP PARK is the meeting place for networking for and with the young start-up scene.

Meet-up point at MEDICA START-UP PARK

The MEDICA START-UP PARK (in Hall 12) also emphasises networking and has established itself as the central meet-up point for the start-up scene. A good 40 start-ups have already registered in a very early phase for this year – a new record.

The start-up initiative “Up To Future” from Ukraine will be there for a second time. In 2022, registration could only take place shortly before the trade fair. Among the Ukrainian start-ups promoted by the initiative was HandyUsound with its product idea for a portable ultrasound system. The product met with such a great response from the trade fair audience that the founding team wants to use the opportunity again this year to make further business contacts. Megnosis from Korea is also participating in the MEDICA START-UP PARK this year. The company has developed EEG helmets which are intended to detect dementia at an early stage and ameliorate the effects through the stimulation of brain cells and neurons.

Germany is also represented at the joint stand. One example is AssistMe. For MEDICA 2023, they will present a smart sensor system for use in underwear for incontinence. The system serves as a kind of indicator for liquids. Through a clip connected to the incontinence aid, data retrieved is transmitted to a software cloud system. This way, nursing staff in an institutional setting can better care for residents according to their needs, because with one glance at a central location, staff can determine when it seems necessary to change which person’s incontinence aid.

www.medica-tradefair.com

 

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Solvay and Spirit Announce Strategic Collaboration to Accelerate Composites Adoption on Tomorrow’s Aircraft

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Solvay and Spirit Announce Strategic Collaboration to Accelerate Composites Adoption on Tomorrow’s Aircraft

Solvay and Spirit AeroSystems have cemented their research and technology relationship on the development of composite aerostructures

Solvay and Spirit AeroSystems (Europe) Limited have strengthened their relationship as Solvay becomes a strategic partner of Spirit’s Aerospace Innovation Centre (AIC) in Prestwick, Scotland. The AIC facilitates collaborative research into sustainable aircraft technologies and processes with Spirit’s industrial, academic and supply-chain partners. Both companies intend to further engage on composite development opportunities to meet the performance, cost and production-rate requirements of future aircraft.

“Solvay’s product development leadership and our best-in-class, UK-based Application Center will be key in contributing to the development of future-proofed, industrial-ready technologies in this exciting cooperation with Spirit,” said Rob Blackburn, Head of Global Customer Engineering Aerospace and Defence at Solvay Materials Global Business Unit.

The collaborators aim to develop advanced manufacturing concepts and secure a step change in composite fabrication, automation and assembly technologies to de-risk and shorten the development cycle. They will also explore further strategic alignment on future innovation.

“Solvay’s expertise in product development, combined with our own capabilities in advanced manufacturing and aerospace design, will allow us to create new technologies and processes that will push the industry forward,” said Jahan Ali, Director of Research and Technology, Europe at Spirit AeroSystems. “Spirit looks forward to continued collaboration with Solvay as we work towards achieving shared goals of enhanced performance, sustainability and competitiveness on future aircraft platforms.”

Safe harbor

This press release may contain forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements describe expectations, plans, strategies, goals, future events or intentions. The achievement of forward-looking statements contained in this press release is subject to risks and uncertainties relating to a number of factors, including general economic factors, interest rate and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, changing market conditions, product competition, the nature of product development, impact of acquisitions and divestitures, restructurings, products withdrawals, regulatory approval processes, all-in scenario of R&I projects and other unusual items. Consequently, actual results or future events may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Should known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, or should our assumptions prove inaccurate, actual results could vary materially from those anticipated. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

www.solvay.com

 

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