Week of 12/09-12/13: Engel brings all-electric e-mac molder to Cali and Top 10 articles

"At the open house in Corona, the 105-tn version on display was running polystyrene needle holders for safety syringes on a mold manufactured by Swiss tooling maker Fostag," Norbert wrote. "Visitors to Plastec West in Anaheim, CA, in February will have an opportunity to see the molder in action on another medical application. "

"We are still finalizing the plans," says recently appointed regional sales manager Markus Lettau, "but our intention is to mold a medical silicone part that was featured at the K in October."

I tweeted out earlier that Broncos fans should thank the ankle braces from Ultra Athlete for keeping their beloved quarterback in the game. Norbert talked with Rick Peters about supplying Peyton Manning with his ankle brace, which is designed, molded and assembled all in Indiana.

"When Peters learned that Manning might have to sit out the Broncos' Nov. 17 game against the then-undefeated Kansas City Chiefs because of an ankle injury, he sprang into action," Norbert wrote. Peters overnighted his company's Ultra CTS brace to Denver's head trainer just four days before the game. Peters was happy enough to see Manning take the field that Sunday, a game that the Broncos went on to win, but it's fair to say that he became ecstatic when a tight shot of Manning's leg during the game showed him to be wearing the brace."

It really is an enjoyable read, so be sure to check it out.

There's been lots of talk about companies wanting to phase out PC in the 5-gallon water market. And Equipolymers, a manufacturer of PET resins, has launched Bisneinex, positioning it as a PET resin designed for large bottling applications, including the home and office delivery water bottle market. I talked with the company about this new resin and learned its optimized specifically for injection molding (IM) and stretch blowmolding (SBM) processes (two stage process) as well as for injection stretch blowmolding (ISBM) (one stage process) production of large volume containers (>3 liters), which require thick-walled pre-forms and thus reduced crystallization rate. Bisneinex technology has been successfully tested by converters, including single stage (Nissei), two-stage (Husky) and extrusion blow molding (IMPCO).

European Editor Karen Laird headed to Berlin for the 8th European Bioplastics Conference, which opened with a somewhat surprising quote from Charles Darwin.

"Those who survive are those who most accurately perceive their environment and successfully adapt to it," European Bioplastics chairman Francois de Bie said. "In a sense, this is precisely what bioplastics are all about."

"The global megatrends - the aging population, globalization, increasing mobility, energy sources, to name but a few - are an inescapable part of modern life," Karen wrote. According to de Bie, "We have to recognize what's going on in our environment and respond to these megatrends in a more sustainable way. Bioplastics can be a part of the way we can address these. This is the message we have to send to the outside world, as well as answering the questions people, from retailers to consumers, have about bioplastics."

Earlier this week, Senior Editor Clare Goldsberry wrote about the symposium, "Counterfeit Parts Avoidance," held by SAE International.

"Fake parts tend to get a lot of press, but only after these parts have caused damage or a tragedy. Automotive parts are a huge target for counterfeiters," she wrote. "These parts, mostly sold on the aftermarket, are so good that even car dealers have been fooled by the authentic looking packaging and inventory/product numbers."

"Earlier this year Eaton Corp., a diversified industrial manufacturer, announced a new campaign they call "I Didn't Know" to continue raising awareness of the dangers of counterfeit electrical products," Clare wrote. "The campaign is part of Eaton's ongoing commitment to combating counterfeit electrical products."

Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) has launched the Industrial Additive Manufacturing Programme to develop a number of critical technologies in order to grow an internationally competitive additive manufacturing industry in support of the manufacturing sector in the country, Automotive Editor Stephen Moore wrote. Particular focuses include aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, marine and precision engineering industries.

"Advanced manufacturing technologies like additive manufacturing can help to strengthen Singapore's manufacturing which constitutes 20 percent of the country's GDP in 2012. As a high income economy, Singapore's proactive economic policies have seen in retain a relatively high level of manufacturing," Stephen wrote.

Top 10 most-clicked PlasticsToday articles 12/09-12/13

1.     Amazon's battle against wire ties and plastic clamshells continues

2.     Who's to blame when you can't get conforming parts?

3.     Saint-Gobain buys German processor focused on auto and medical sectors

4.     Will plastics take the heat because it can be made into a firearm?

5.     3D printing captures the show at EuroMold

6.     High temperature polyamide replaces brazed metal in cross-over coolant component

7.     Additive manufacturing gets Asian boost

8.     Plastic laser sintering helps company reduce costs; improve quality for its clients

9.    Ankle brace designed and molded in Indiana helps keep Peyton Manning in the game

10.  Milacron talks growing its extrusion business; West Coast expansion