http://www.plasticstoday.com/mpw/articles/taipei-plas-inmold-labeling-technology-2010
"Modern Plastics Worldwide
Taiwanese show they have the technology
By Stephen Moore
Published: May 27th, 2010
Last year was a difficult one for Taiwan’s plastics processing machinery sector, with machine shipments slumping by 30%.
But machine builders did not take the year off when it came to developing new machines and technology, as evidenced by what packaging processors saw on display at the Taipei Plas show in March.
Taiwanese hot for IML
Judging from the activity on the show floor, Taiwanese machine builders think they are onto something with inmold labeling (IML).
Side entry was the name of the game with the IML system from Fu Chun Shin Machinery Factory Co. (FCS; Tainan, Taiwan). Previously, the company had opted for a traverse robot accessing from above.
The A-Pack IML System employs a 200-tonne AF-200 press with a four-cavity tool to produce 2400 labeled PP containers per hour. Supreme Technic Package Co. (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) engineered the IML system and provides the labels.
“Our target is a 5-second cycle for four cups,” says John Hsieh, director of the planning center at FCS.
FCS dubs the drive technology deployed on its AF-200 as “tri-servo.” Hsieh explains,
“A servomotor is employed for screw rotation, a second servomotor drives the hydraulic pump to save energy, and an accumulator with servo valve is used to attain an injection speed of 500 mm/sec.”
IML was also in vogue at Chen Hsong affiliate Asian Plastic Machinery (Taoyuan). Together with partner We-Technology Automation (also Taoyuan),
the machine builder is offering IML systems for PP food containers based around its SM TSV Series machine with servo-hydraulic drive.
“Four- to six-second cycle times are typically attainable for 500-ml and 1-liter containers,” says international sales director Aron Chao.
“Another advantage of sourcing from us on a turnkey basis is lower labeling-film costs from Taiwan.” At Taipei Plas,
Asian Plastic Machinery sold a system to Lebanese processor Hipack (Antelias).
Not to be outdone, Hwa Chin Machinery Factory Co. (Tainan) has partnered with Tang Well Co. (Tainan) to offer an IML system with a particular focus in promotional items employing
3D lenticular sheet film inserts. Each 3D label costs around $0.16. The IML system employs an HC Series SE (for “save energy”
machine from Hwa Chin.
Calcium carbonate stretches resin the extra mile
Loadings of up to 50% are possible in a twin-head, three-layer (A/B/A) blown-film line from Kang Chyau Industry (Taipei, Taiwan). The machine builder’s partner in this development is leading local resin supplier Formosa Plastics Corp. (also Taipei), which developed the Nano Calmalon nano-precipitated filler. Speaking to MPW at Taipei Plas, sales administrator Rachel Lin says that while predrying is required for such high loadings, lower loadings can be incorporated without the need for drying.
Formosa also offers U-Cal micronized calcium carbonate filler (1- to 2-µm particle size) that can be incorporated at up to 35% loading without drying. “We find most processors opt for a 20%-30% loading of U-Cal, which is a cheaper option than Nano Calmalon,” says Lin.
Kang Chyau’s KMTL-4045T line processes film in 400-mm widths with each die head extruding up to 32 kg/hr of HDPE, LDPE, or LLDPE film.
“We sell the system for $72,000,” says sales manager Eric Chang.
Calcium carbonate is also an option in blowmolding of large HDPE containers using a machine debuted at Taipei Plas by Fong Kee International Machinery Co. (Tainan). Company president Larry Wei says the three-layer machine enables extrusion of a 70% core layer of recycled HDPE filled with 40% calcium carbonate, a 15% inner layer, and a 15% outer layer incorporating color masterbatch. “Filling with calcium carbonate enables a 20 deg C lower processing temperature, and output is also 20% faster,” says Wei. Power consumption is 87 kW/hr at 225 kg/hr output. Up to 144 20-liter jerry cans can be produced per hour. Servodrive for the extruders is offered as an option.
Two machines have already been shipped to Malaysia. —Stephen Moore"
