New Melt Index Testers Save Time and Increase Repeatability

With the MFi5 and MFi7, Instron presents a new generation of melt index testers for a wide range of tasks, from monitoring incoming materials to product development and process control. The compact, manually operated MFi5 is ideal for fast and reliable measurements thanks to preset methods, while the modular MFi7 can be flexibly adapted to accommodate an increasing volume of testing. Both are suitable for test temperatures from 50 °C to 450 °C and are equipped with test weights from 0.1 to 21.6 kg. A piston travel transducer resolution of 0.005 mm and a piston displacement accuracy of up to 0.02 mm enable particularly accurate measurements. They thus cover the entire range of requirements for standard melt index tests in accordance with ISO 1133 and ASTM D1238, Methods A, B and C. Each System is operated via a 7" capacitive color touchscreen.

Optional equipment for MFi5 and MFi7 includes a motor-driven cutting device for precise, repeatable separation of the extrudate by time (with 0.01 s accuracy) or position. Also optional are automatic automatic die plug opening, special pistons for high flow materials with very high MFR (1600 g/10 min and more), and the use of particularly corrosion- and wear-resistant steels for cylinders, pistons, and dies.

Shortened test cycles with high operational reliability

As an additional standard feature of the MFi7, a motorized lifting device handles the automatic, operator-independent application of test masses for more accurate, repeatable and reliable test results. An easily removable die retainer facilitates cleaning so that testing can be quickly resumed. An automatic material compaction system operates at constant pressure, also providing added accuracy and repeatability. Automated purging and cylinder cleaning allow effortless, rapid emptying of materials remaining in the cylinder after testing is complete. Load-cell controlled compaction and emptying phases avoid operator influences and can thus further boost laboratory efficiency and the consistency of test results. Time-consuming cleaning operations are eliminated at the end of each test. Options for the MFi7 include a manual mass selector for added operator safety and a safety cover that prevents unintentional access to the machine’s test areas.

Three inputs via the user interface of the control panel are sufficient to create test methods quickly and easily. User permissions can be set up individually. Test results are displayed in the form of real-time graphs. Live help offered on each screen reduces the amount of training required for new operators, and it helps avoid costly errors during testing.

Convenient with Bluehill Melt software

The MFi series is supported by Instron’s Bluehill Melt software. Equipped with easy-to-understand icons and workflows, it simplifies user training and test setup. Test methods can be deployed to any number of recipients, multiple measurement systems can be managed over a wired network, and reports can be generated, saved and exported automatically.

Fast from idea to commissioning, service 24/7

Application-specific optimal melt index measuring devices can be put together with the help of an online, interactive and intuitive configurator. Once the order is placed, Instron uses its smart inventory management and efficient production processes to realize short delivery times. In the test lab, videos then explain the measures for self-installation and immediate commissioning of the system.

To ensure productivity, reduce risk and minimize downtime, support teams are available around the clock to answer technical questions. A team of more than 300 service technicians helps Instron customers worldwide on-site to resolve issues. This is helped by the InSkill app as an AI-driven support tool that can be used, among other things, to submit support requests and view the calibration certificates and service history of the specific system.

www.konsens.de

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Successful start for the Hydrogen Business and Technology Forum

Participants from more than 20 companies jointly laid the foundation for the continuous exchange of technology and information between experts from the plastics industry and the hydrogen economy.

The international Hydrogen Business and Technology Forum initiated by the Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and Trade at RWTH Aachen University got off to a flying start. On 16 May 2023, around 50 participants from more than 20 companies jointly laid the foundation for the continuous exchange of technology and information between experts from the plastics industry and the hydrogen economy.

The first meeting of the forum was characterized by an intensive exchange and open and transparent discussions. The breaks were used very actively to make new contacts. The companies’ speed pitches at the beginning of the event made it easy to pinpoint the right contact person at once.

“This was a great event! Business cards were literally flying in during the breaks, everyone did a great deal of networking,” enthuses Dr.-Ing. Kai Fischer, scientific director at the IKV and initiator of the study. “From both sides I perceived a great need to understand the systems in the different areas and with the forum we have now created the basis for a continuous exchange.”

The opener of the meeting was a brief summary of the results of the jointly developed market and technology study, which is the basis for the work in the network forum. In three phases, markets, technologies and scenarios for hydrogen scale-up were examined between September 2021 and November 2022.

Member companies of the Forum then had their say in four exciting keynote lectures. As users of hydrogen technologies, TOPSOE and TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE addressed requirements, challenges and “pain points” of components in fuel cells and electrolysis. The presentations from the plastics industry (MOCOM and Freudenberg) dealt with the testing of plastics to ensure compliance with hydrogen-specific requirements such as ion leaching.

In the concluding workshops, the future orientation of the forum was discussed and developed in small groups. Among other things, additional workshops at member companies on specific topics were mutually agreed upon. Once again, it became clear that two industries are really moving towards each other here, and that they are enthusiastically embracing the Forum’s open innovation approach. Both industries showed a willingness to talk very openly about challenges and to look for joint solutions.

On the “Hydrogen Business and Technology Forum”

With the “Hydrogen Business and Technology Forum” network, the IKV is continuing its activities on the use of plastics-specific solutions in hydrogen technologies. The forum now brings together the best minds from the hydrogen and plastics industries to jointly discuss the latest trends and innovations in plastics technology and the hydrogen economy. Plastics specialists as well as system manufacturers and end users in the hydrogen economy are given the opportunity to prepare for the scale-up of hydrogen technologies at an early stage and to jointly define and develop requirements and potentials for the optimal use of plastics in the hydrogen economy.

The IKV takes on the role of network organizer and mediator, responsible for the distribution of knowledge among the actors. As part of the RWTH’s hydrogen ecosystem with the H2 Future Cluster and the Center for Sustainable Hydrogen Systems, the IKV is in a unique position to transfer hydrogen as well as plastics knowledge to the forum. In addition to workshops held twice a year, the Forum offers continuous market and technology monitoring, through which Forum participants regularly receive well-founded information on the latest trends and developments. The Hydrogen Business and Technology Forum is still open for new members.

www.ikv-aachen.de

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NORMA Group Expands Water Management Production in the USA

NORMA Group is expanding its production capacities for water management solutions. The US subsidiary NDS, which specializes in irrigation and rainwater management, opened a new plant on May 4th. The site is located in Lithia Springs, Georgia, near Atlanta. At the new production site, NORMA Group manufactures valve boxes for irrigation systems and products for draining rainwater.

The CEO of NORMA Group, Miguel Ángel López Borrego, said at the opening ceremony: “The scarcity of water in different parts of the world clearly shows that we have to use this resource responsibly. We will continue to grow our water management business globally. We want to grow in absolute numbers and also increase the share of the water business in total sales.”

The new facility in Lithia Springs has a production area of ​​10,900 square meters. Initially, 40 employees will work there; within the next three years, the workforce is to increase to 120 people. Products manufactured at the Lithia Springs facility are sold to various wholesalers and retailers.

“This new location is another milestone in the global expansion of our water management business,” said Samir Shah, President Americas and globally responsible for NORMA Group’s water business. Mike Gummeson, President of NDS, added, “The focus of the plant concept is on product quality, throughput, automation and flexibility. This enables us to effectively support our planned growth and at the same time offer our customers products of the highest quality with good service.”

NORMA Group has been expanding the business with connection solutions for water management since 2012, including through acquisitions such as the acquisition of NDS in 2014. In 2022, NORMA Group generated 24 percent of its consolidated sales of around EUR 1.2 billion with water management -products.

NDS irrigation systems enable private homeowners as well as corporate clients such as contractors and landscape architects to use water more efficiently. NDS drip irrigation systems can save up to 70 percent water compared to conventional irrigation methods.

For more information about the company, visit www.normagroup.com

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