Asia

While carbon fiber and nanomaterials tend to gain all the hype, other advanced structural materials such as magnesium and advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) will have a greater impact on efficient energy usage in the transportation sector, according to a recent report by Lux Research (Boston, MA).

Targeting the red-hot tablet market in the region of the world where most are currently made, Arburg showcased an injection molding technology at Chinaplas that can efficiently produce light-guide panels for TFT screens, despite the component's challenging geometry. Applied in everything from notebooks to iPads to LED screens, the light-guide panels are utilized to "guide light" through the screen so that it is even throughout.

Only in China can GDP growth rates approaching 10% suggest a slowdown, but after its most recent peak in 2007, when the economy expanded by a blistering 14.7%, the Chinese economy proceeded to yo-yo over the next four years, falling to 9.6% in 2008 and 9.2% in 2009, before jerking upwards to 10.4% in 2010, and subsequently dipping once more to 8.7% growth in 2011.

There continues to be survey after survey that show U.S. manufacturers are truly rethinking the whole off-shoring game. This month, results of a survey by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) were released that revealed that rising Chinese wages, logistics and other factors are forcing companies to rethink where they manufacture.

After nine years and over A$1 million invested, the Australian-designed-and-built FR-1 has become a reality. The one-off, high-performance, concept roadster features a monocoque cockpit chassis molded "out-of-autoclave" at a temperature of only 70°C using an epoxy prepreg with a 200 g/m², 3k twill carbon-fiber base fabric.

Chinese consumption of polycarbonate (PC) accounted for around 30% of global demand, pegged at around 3.5 million tonnes, in 2011. This was a key reason for Bayer MaterialScience (Leverkusen, Germany) relocating its global business for the resin to Shanghai last year. Speaking at a press event at the recent Chinaplas show in Shanghai, business-unit head Michael Koenig detailed some of the initiatives the company is working on to expand the reach of PC, a resin for which demand is growing at 6-7% per annum globally.

Werner Wittmann, founder of the global auxiliary and automation supplier of the same name, was honored by the government of Lower Austria for his company's contributions to the province. Wittmann was presented with the Silver Commander's Cross by the governor of the province of Lower Austria, Erwin Pröll, at an award ceremony held in the assembly hall of the Lower Austrian Parliament House in St. Pölten.

An 85-machine order pushed Milacron China to its best first quarter ever, and in a bid to maintain that momentum, the company used Chinaplas 2012 to expand its range of Chinese-made all-electric injection molding machines. New to the stable is a 450-tonne model that is made in China and was injection molding an inmold-labeled 4.5-liter bucket at the company's stand. The company's Chinaplas booth also featured a 110-tonne all-electric machine running an optical lens.

Less than four years after opening the facility, Engel has doubled the size and capacity of its injection molding machine manufacturing plant near Shanghai. On Friday, April 20, the Schwertberg, Austria based supplier of injection molding and automation technology welcomed vendors and customers to an inauguration celebration, loading several buses at the Chinaplas 2012 event for the drive to its newly expanded facility in the Xinzhuang Industrial Park outside Shanghai.

One surefire way to cut cycle time in injection molding is to shorten or eliminate process steps. Working from that simple premise, Husky Injection Molding debuted a revolutionary closure technology at Chinaplas 2012 that eliminates mold open/close and the precious seconds that process eats up.