Special Supplement: Innovations from key industry players unfold at CHINAPLAS 2024

CHINAPLAS 2024, Asia’s major exhibition is set to highlight industry-leading innovations from major players in the plastics and rubber industries. From 23-25 April, the doors of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Hongqiao, Shanghai open wide as exhibitors and visitors alike flock to discover the latest solutions to  accelerate industrial transformation and improve production processes.  

This year, CHINAPLAS is set to unveil the latest trends in information technology, renewable energy, bio manufacturing, commercial aerospace, and circular economy – all aiming to emphasize the importance of plastics and rubber in these industries. 15 exhibition halls spanning 380,000 sq.m. of exhibition space are occupied by more than 4,000 exhibitors from all over the world. 

International Plastics News for Asia Special Supplement provides a glimpse of the products on exhibit with contact details of exhibitors. Ringier Trade Media’s booth at this mega exhibition can be found at Booth Number 2.2K120 (Hall 2.2). For more information visit www.chinaplasonline.com.

Arburg: Turnkey systems, automation and sustainability

The unique interactive exhibition area "arburgSOLUTIONworld" is not only an eye-catcher, but also offers trade visitors real added value. Arburg experts are on hand at five stations around a four-metre-high LED column to provide customised consultations - for example on the use of the arburgXworld customer portal and the Arburg host computer system ALS. Other key topics include increasing efficiency through automation, advice on injection moulds, the arburgGREENworld sustainability programme and all aspects of service and training. 

At the Arburg Technology Factory Pinghu, machines are built to customer specifications, automated if necessary and tested intensively. This also applies to the Chinaplas exhibits, where automation components and moulds also come from Asian suppliers. This includes an Allrounder 1600 T rotary table machine, which overmoulds metal inserts with glass fibre-reinforced PA6 in a 4-cavity mould from Concraft to produce connecting parts for the mobility sector. The demanding handling tasks in this turnkey system are performed by a Kuka six-axis robot. Other highlights include the 
Allrounder 470 H with innovative hybrid machine technology, a new Hidrive series that has been available worldwide together with the sizes 520 and 570 since spring 2024. The exhibit manufactures adapters from polycarbonate for medical technology and is automated with a Flexlift. This linear robotic system from Arburg is designed as an entry-level solution for the automated production of moulded parts and is available exclusively for the Asian market. Another feature is the electric Allrounder 470 E Golden Electric producing precise LSR components for the automotive industry. The machine is equipped with an 8-cavity mould and is also automated with a Flexlift linear robotic system.

ARBURG (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Tel:  +86 (0) 21 6085 2188
E-mail:  china@arburg.com
Website: www.arburg.cn 
Booth:  4.1D42  
 

BASF: Sustainable solutions for photovoltaic frame

BASF unveils a total solution photovoltaic (PV) frame, co-created with Jiangsu Worldlight New Material Co., Ltd (Worldlight), a global manufacturer of PV composite frames. The PV frame, made with an industry-leading total solution that combines polyurethanes (PU) composite with a water-borne coating solution, results in an 85% reduction in product carbon footprint (PCF) vs aluminum frames. The water-borne coating solution further reduces the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by more than 90%. PU composite is more energy-efficient to produce than aluminum. When combined with the water-borne solution, the total solution is also lighter weight and possesses superior insulation. Hence it is also more energy-efficient in use. Additionally, the exceptional adhesion properties of the waterborne coating solution to PU composites significantly enhance weathering resistance, which translates to higher durability and a longer life span of the PV frame.

PU composite, made of glass fiber-reinforced polyurethanes, has been widely used in automotive, bridge construction, and aerospace industries. Compared to aluminum, PU composite with coating provides superior cost performance and mechanical properties, including resistance to abrasion, acids, alkalis, and UV radiation. Through collaborative efforts with Worldlight, a market leader in composite PV frames, BASF is set to further explore the potential of composite PU materials with waterborne coatings as a total solution for this promising industry. 

BASF (China) Co. Ltd.
Tel: +86-21 2039 1000
Website: www.basf.com
Booth: 7.2C42
 

Brückner Maschinenbau: Solutions for special, functional and sustainable films 

Brückner’s clear focus at this year’s CHINAPLAS is on the manufacturing of specialty films which are in great demand worldwide, especially for the rapidly growing e-mobility and new energy sector. Battery separator films production line concepts as well as customised machine components guaranteeing high energy efficiency, low production costs and consistent film quality – proven at leading manufacturers around the globe is one of the highlights. The Group also presents its latest stretching technologies -  composite current collector films production line that enables downgauging, weight saving, reduction of metal as well as increased safety and an outstanding energy density per cell. For the production of capacitor films, sequential as well as simultaneous stretching process to manufacture extremely thin and high-temperature films for EV applications or high energy density film for renewable energy applications in the power industry is demonstrated. For the first time, Brückner presents a highly efficient 6.8m wide line with an output of 6 tonnes/hour of BOPET thick film up to 250µm to serve the photovoltaic applications growth market. Also on exhibit are the latest developments in the patented simultaneous LISIM stretching process, ideally suited for the very efficient production of a wide variety of specialty films
 

In addition to the solutions for the rapidly growing technical film sector, Brückner Maschinenbau also presents further developments for increased (energy) efficiency and sustainability as well as circularity in packaging film manufacturing such as efficient and fast high output lines for a low specific energy consumption in BOPP, BOPET, BOPA film production; intelligent stretching oven management for even more energy saving; decreasing use of raw materials and "zero waste" in film production with a special direct recycling system and an increased proportion of A-grade film on the winder; solutions for bio-based and bio-degradable biaxially stretched packaging films, e.g. made of PLA/PHA; and mono-material solutions to close the life cycle of BOPP, BOPET and BOPE plastic packaging, including unique BOPE/BOPP hybrid lines allowing film manufacturers to react swiftly and flexible to market trends.

Brückner Maschinenbau GmbH 
Tel: +49 8662 63-9278  
E-mail: karlheinz.weinmann@brueckner.com
Website: www.brueckner.com
Booth: 2.1H62 
 

Coperion: Technologies for compounding and recycling 

Coperion presents key technologies for the processing of plastics. The focus is on the STS 75 Mc PLUS twin screw extruder, whose specific torque Coperion has increased to 13.6 Nm/cm³. As a result, the STS extruder achieves up to 20% more throughput with significantly higher product quality. Coperion, together with Herbold Meckesheim, demonstrates its great expertise in technology and process solutions for plastics recycling. Since their merger, the two companies have intensively developed their recycling technologies and optimally coordinated them with each other, so that the entire plants are characterised by extremely high efficiency in operation. As an example, the two machine builders will be showcasing a virtual recycling plant for PET at Chinaplas. Visitors to the booth will be able to take a look at key components of the recycling plant and see for themselves the process engineering details of the individual process steps and the high efficiency of the respective components.

Other exhibits at booth F106 in hall 2.1 include the Coperion ZSK 26 Mc twin screw extruder18 with a Coperion K-Tron K-ML-SFS-KT20 twin screw feeder, the Coperion K-Tron Quick-Change Feeder T35-QC with 2415 vacuum separator for ingredient refilling, and the C/S-LW-NT28 twin screw feeder from Colormax Systems. In addition, Coperion K-Tron will introduce the ProRate PLUS series of gravimetric single and twin screw feeders to the Chinese market and will show a PLUS-S feeder with refill. In addition, the CVH 550 high-pressure discharge airlock for granules will be on display.

With an increased specific torque of 13.6 Nm/cm³, the new Coperion STS 75 Mc PLUS twin screw extruder achieves up to 20% more throughput with improved product quality. For the STS 75 size, Coperion has increased the specific torque of the STS twin screw extruder from 11.3 Nm/cm³ to 13.6 Nm/cm³. As a result, the compounder achieves improved product quality in all applications and at the same time up to 20% higher throughput. In addition to process engineering adjustments, this is mainly due to the optimization of key components of the drive. The new STS 75 Mc PLUS extruder is equipped with a more powerful motor and a gearbox designed for torque. Tried-and-tested high-performance materials for the worm shafts ensure the full transmission of torque from the gearbox to the worm elements. 

Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim implement systems for a wide range of plastic recycling applications. These are characterized by their reliability and the high product quality they achieve. From mechanical processing – the shredding, washing, separation, drying and agglomeration of plastics – to the handling of bulk materials, dosing and extrusion, to compounding and pelletising, the recycling plants cover the entire process chain for the recovery of plastics. Depending on the type of plastic to be recycled, Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim implement solutions for mechanical recycling of post-industrial and post-consumer waste, chemical recycling, solvent-based recycling and deodorization.

Coperion GmbH
Tel: +49 711 897 2507
E-mail:  kathrin.fleuchaus@coperion.com
Website: www.coperion.com
Booth: 2.1F106  
 

ENGEL: All-electric injection moulding systems

At CHINAPLAS, ENGEL presents its highly efficient injection moulding solutions aimed at meeting the challenges faced by manufacturers. On exhibit is the e-mac 100, which is part of the ENGEL e-mac all-electric series in medical and it combines compact production cell for maximum flexibility on a small footprint and produces 8 cavities of pipette tips. Another highlight is the duo 700 which reflects ENGEL’s success in achieving a very high recyclate content with a complex component geometry using the skinmelt technology. At the exhibition, ENGEL will use this technology to produce a logistics box with recycled material as core at the show on a duo two-platen machine.

The victory 120 presents how ENGEL has developed a new plasticising process specifically for PMMA processing to ensure high luminous efficiency, even in cases featuring complex shapes and long structures. To highlight the great potential, a tie-bar-less victory 320/120 injection moulding machine is used for the production of automotive light guides at Chinaplas. Another exhibit is the insert 100 : The wide ENGEL insert machine programme offers the right solution, for your specific insert application – every time. In Chinaplas, ENGEL has equipped the insert 100 with LSR for the manufacture of a bipolar plate

ENGEL Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Ltd
Tel:  +86-21 5151 9292
Fax: +86-21 5151 9298
E-mail:  info.cn@engel.at
Website:  https://www.engelglobal.com/zh/cn/index.html
Booth:  5.1C42
 

EREMA: PET recycling

The central element of EREMA’s exhibit is the tried-and-tested VACUREMA® technology, which it launched 25 years ago and has been continuously developing ever since. Over 400 PET systems for food grade are in operation worldwide using various technologies such as VACUREMA® Basic, Advanced, Prime, MPR, and VACUNITE®, notching up a total capacity of more than four million tonnes per year. In the last three years alone, EREMA has delivered 100 systems for the bottle market. Almost 60% of these are bottle-to-bottle solutions. The rest are divided between bottle-to-sheet, PET strapping and the bottle-to-fibre segment, which is going from strength to strength. 

Reliable recycling performance is needed to produce food-safe, visually flawless rPET pellets from starting materials of widely varying quality. The main advantage of VACUREMA® machines is the SafeFlake technology in the vacuum reactor, which brings together decontamination, drying and IV treatment. Thanks to the pretreatment of the PET flakes in vacuum at the correct temperature, moisture and migration substances are effectively removed already prior to extrusion. This prevents any hydrolytic and oxidative decomposition of the melt in the extruder. The quality of the rPET pellets remains consistently high even if the parameters of the input material - such as moisture, mixture or bulk density - vary. In addition to the quality aspects, the financial factors are also a strong argument in favour of this recycling process. This is because both the total costs of acquisition and use (total costs of ownership) and the energy consumption are comparatively low.   

As well as in the food sector, food-compliant rPET is also playing an increasingly important role in the textile industry. Well-known brands are relying more and more on recycled PET as a material that meets the requirements for food grade specifications in order to be able to offer their customers textiles that are both sustainable and safe from a health perspective. This trend is reflected by the increase in sales of bottle-to-fibre applications at EREMA. Asia is an important market in this segment.  Ultimately, the textile industry is increasing the demand for PET recycling. Around two thirds of the total volume of PET flows into the production of synthetic fibres. EREMA has responded by setting up its own business application for fibres and textiles. The INTAREMA® FibrePro:IV machine was developed specifically for fibre-to-fibre recycling. Proven INTAREMA® technology combined with the new IV Uptimiser succeeds in processing shredded PET fibre materials heavily contaminated by spinning oils in such a way that the finest fibres can be produced again from the recycled pellets. 

EREMA Group
Tel: +43 732 3190-6092
E-mail: public.relations@erema-group.com
Website: www.erema-group.com
Booth: 2.1C55  
 

Guangdong Liansu: Multi-component automatic additive scale

The multi-component automative additive scale can be applied to both accurate batch measurement of  powder and granular materials. It is the first time for Guangdong Liansu to use the "weight loss" + "weight gain" combination of powder +pellet weighing scale in China. It is not only suitable for the online metering, but also for the offline and efficient automatic weighting. It can meet the high output and the high precision, which can effectively solve the contradiction of "high output" and "high precision"). 

And during the metering process, it can effectively avoid the dust pollution to the environment with high measurement accuracy, high output, high  automation and maintenance free, and it is widely used in rubber and plastic, chemical, food, new energy materials and other industries.

Guangdong Liansu Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Tel: +86-133 92775773
E-mail: info@liansu.com
Website: www.ls-extrusion.com
Booth: 7.1C21  and  5.1B67 

LyondellBasell: Solutions for Sustainable Living

With the theme "Solutions for A Better Tomorrow”, LyondellBasell presents its extensive products portfolio and demonstrate how its products create safe, healthy and sustainable solutions for everyday living.

The latest solutions for everyday sustainable living at ChinaPlas 2024 are presented with five innovative application islands including Mobility & Transportation, Lifestyle & Consumer, Building & Infrastructure, Healthcare & Hygiene and Circular & Low Carbon Solutions Solutions. LyondellBasell is also set to announce new strategic collaborations with industry partners, demonstrating its commitment to driving innovation and sustainability.

LyondellBasell
Tel: +852 2577 3855; +852 2882 2668
Website: www.lyondellbasell.com
Booth: 6.2C22
 

Maag: Pelletiser

Polymer engineering specialist MAAG Group highlights localised and Chinese-manufactured equipment within its wide range of solutions for pelletising, recycling, pumping and filtering polymers. Products on show include the C-USG underwater strand pelletiser, the ERF 350 recycling filter and the new BAOLI-3 Chinese-made strand pelletiser. 
The C-USG underwater strand pelletising system is a localised version of the proven M-USG, which for decades has operated successfully around the world. The C-USG delivers consistently outstanding pellet quality at up to 16,000 kg/h with high reliability. It features long service life and high availability thanks to the extremely wear-resistant cutting tools and quick-change cutter head; user-friendly operation, with a high level of automation; and easy accessibility for maintenance. 

For recycling, MAAG offers continuous melt filters including the ERF 350 from group member Ettlinger, which can process up to 3,800 kg/h at contamination levels up to 16% by weight. Melt flows from the outside to the inside of a continuously rotating drum bearing a large number of conical holes. Contaminants such as paper, wood, rubber and metals remain on the outside of the drum and are scraped off continuously. A total of four ERF models cover throughputs from 1,100 to 10,000 kg/h, while four corresponding models in Ettlinger’s ECO series dedicated for PET applications target lower contamination levels such as factory waste.

The new BAOLI-3 is a dry-cut strand pelletiser for compounding and recycling. It is built in China using imported components for the core cutting duty. Three models cover throughputs in the range of 20 – 3,450 kg/h, depending on the application and polymer type. Features include high pellet quality, long service life, low noise, ease of use both locally and in terms of factory IT systems, and flexible installation options to suit different production environments.

MAAG Automatik Plastics Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. 
Tel:  +86-21 8033 3290
E-mail:  MaagChina@maag.com
Website:  www.maag.com
Booth:  2.1H85
 

MCC Label: IML product offering

MCC Verstraete, MCC Korsini and MCC Karydakis, part of Multi-Color Corporation and leading players in the in-mould labeling (IML) industry showcase their extensive product range, sustainable packaging solutions and creative possibilities. Visitors to the booth can expect to be immersed in a world of innovation, with the opportunity to discover the power of IML and explore its benefits for various applications in the packaging industry. The booth will showcase MCC Label’s extensive product range, including breakthrough in-mould labeling (IML) innovations that are driving the circular economy for PP packaging. MCC Verstraete, MCC Karydakis and MCC Korsini together have over 55 years of experience in label printing for injection moulding, blow moulding and thermoforming.  

Multi-Color Corporation 
Tel: +32-50 301 266  
E-mail: gerlind.martens@mcclabel.com  
Website: iml.mcclabel.com
Booth: 4.1G72
 

NatureWorks: Ingeo™️ PLA biopolymer

At Chinaplas, NatureWorks showcases the latest innovations in rigid and flexible food packaging using NatureWorks’ Ingeo™️ PLA biopolymer and CJ Biomaterials’ PHACT™️ PHA. It can increase the impact strength of clear thermoformed food packaging containers and soften films for multilayer flexible film structures while maintaining biobased content and options for compostability.

Also featured is sustainably-designed packaging tailor-made for the luxury goods industry. Laminating paper boxes with biaxially-oriented Ingeo PLA films provide excellent printability and a portfolio of high-end finishes that meet the needs of the worldwide beauty companies while using materials made from biobased and renewable resources.
Ingeo biopolymer, made from renewable biobased feedstocks, is a low-carbon alternative to petrochemical-based plastics and fibers that makes the products we use every day safer and more sustainable.

NatureWorks
Tel:  +86-136 7155 8699
E-mail:  pauline_ning@natureworkspla.com
Website:  www.natureworksllc.com
Booth:  1.2D48
 

SIKORA: Measuring, control and sorting technologies 

SIKORA, manufacturer of innovative measuring, control and sorting technologies, will be demonstrating its range of current, improved and new products for quality control and cost optimisation in hose and tube extrusion and material production and processing. Visitors can look forward to a product premiere and a new booth concept. At Chinaplas 2024, SIKORA unveils an innovative measuring device that redefines the segment of measuring technology for hose and tube extrusion lines. 

For measuring tubes and pipes with a diameter from 32 mm to 1,600 mm, the CENTERWAVE 6000 is the solution for maximum efficiency. Immediately after the first vacuum tank, the system provides all product dimensions. This is achieved by innovative millimeter wave technology with a continuously rotating transceiver that measures the diameter and wall thickness gapless over the entire product circumference. The extensive and precise measuring data enables fast centering of the extrusion tools respectively an automatic control to the minimum wall thickness for optimum material usage and overall sustainability as well as cost saving. 

Also on exhibit is the PURITY SCANNER ADVANCED that is used for inspection and sorting of plastic pellets. Even the smallest, critical contamination are reliably detected and sorted out by the system. Thanks to the modular concept, different camera types can be used depending on the inspected material. In addition to optical 25 µm high-resolution cameras, which detect black specks and discolorations, an X-ray camera can be installed to detect metallic contamination down to 50 µm in the pellet. Common systems on the market have a maximum of two optical cameras. However, these quickly reach their limits due to relatively low coverage as soon as the contamination are outside the cameras' field of view. The PURITY SCANNER ADVANCED automatically sorts out detected contamination via a blow-out unit. For optimising the by-catch, SIKORA has developed a "hybrid blow-out" feature.  

With the X-RAY 6000 PRO, SIKORA presents a system based on X-ray technology that continuously provides measuring data on wall thickness, eccentricity and inner and outer diameter of hoses and tubes in extrusion lines. These are clearly displayed on the monitor of the ECOCONTROL 6000 processor system. The X-RAY 6000 PRO can be used either after the extruder, between two vacuum tanks/cooling sections, or at the end of the line for cold measurement. From the first day of commissioning, the system enables the wall thickness to be reduced to the smallest permissible value. This results in significant material and cost savings for the user. 

SIKORA  AG
Tel: +49 421 48900-0
Fax: +49 421 48900-90
E-mail: sales@sikora.net
Website: www.sikora.net
Booth: 2.1F62
 

Starlinger: Circular economy solutions for plastic packaging

Starlinger is hosting an Open House at its production facility in nearby Taicang. A 1.5 hour drive away from Shanghai, visitors can see a starEX tape extrusion line with eqoCLEAN filter module in operation there. This machine setup allows the production of tapes with high shares of recycled polypropylene and CaCO3 – an important stepping stone on the way to a circular economy for raffia sacks and FIBCs. 

The eqoCLEAN filter module is designed for producing high-quality PP tapes with post-consumer recycled PP. It enables, for example, the use of recycled polypropylene from post-consumer big bags to produce heavy-duty PP tape fabric for new big bags, thus closing the loop for this popular packaging application. The eqoCLEAN module consists of a SPB single-piston power-backflush filter, a melt pump, and a second filter unit. The SPB filter has one piston and four cavities for filter screens. The automatic high-pressure backflushing process cleans the filter screens throroughly, increasing their lifetime and reducing machine downtime significantly. During the hydraulic power-backflush procedure the tape line operates at full production speed without interruption of the production process. With the eqoCLEAN filter module, tapes containing high shares of CaCO3 and post-consumer rPP can be produced on Starlinger’s starEX tape extrusion lines without cutting back on production efficiency. This is essential for Starlinger’s “Circular Packaging” concept which promotes closed product cycles for big bags to reduce resource consumption and environmental pollution. 

As a second highlight, the new RX 6.1pro circular loom for lightweight and heavy PP tape fabric will be on show at the Starlinger booth during Chinaplas. The middle-sized 6-shuttle loom puts the focus on sustainable packaging production combined with longer part lifetime and operator-friendly design. With production speeds of up to 920 picks per minute and more than 85 % production efficiency the loom delivers outstanding fabric quality from 50 to 140 g/m² (140 to 200 g/m² as heavy-duty version) while saving energy and resources. 

Starlinger recycling technology offers recycling solutions for plastics such as PE, PP, PET, PES, PA, PLA or PS. Special technological features such as high-vacuum degassing or odour reduction ensure high-quality recycled pellets that can be used in packaging applications again. Starlinger’s PET bottle-to-bottle recycling process builds on more than 15 years of solid know-how in this field and has been approved for food-contact applications by a number of multinational brand owners as well as national and international authorities. Solid-state polycondensation and decontamination reactors supplied by Starlinger viscotec complement Starlinger’s PET recycling technology and guarantee highest pureness and optimum viscosity in the recycled PET pellets or flakes. The new viscoZERO melt phase decontamination reactor is designed to produce recycled food-grade resins from polyolefins and polystyrene as well as food grade and IV-increased recycled polyester. 

Starlinger & Co Ges.m.b.H. 
Tel: +43 (0) 1 59955-0
Fax: +43 (0) 1 59955-25
E-mail: office@starlinger.com
Website: www.starlinger.com
Booth: 2.1F51
 

For more updates and exhibitor news at CHINAPLAS 2024, visit:   https://www.industrysourcing.com/tradeshow/info/319606