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FAKUMA 2009 exhibition: Plasmatreat exhibits selective adhesion of incompatible plastics
From 13 – 17 October 2009 Plasmatreat presented with great success the latest developments in Openair® plasma technology at FAKUMA, the international plastics exhibition, in Friedrichshafen.
In an extraordinary live demonstration the team around Joachim Schüßler, head of the Plasmatreat-South, Germany branch, showed how without any mechanical aids or adhesives, but solely by means of plasma normally uncombinable plastics can selectively be made to adhere to one another in direct injection moulding. The process demonstrated here in vivid and practical manner sets new standards for injection moulding in joining difficult materials.
The team on the Plasmatreat stand from left to right: Leonard Enneking, Giovanni Zambon, Joachim Schüßler, Anja Stelbrink, Magnus Buske
A fully automated injection moulding cell put together with the aid of a number of partner companies (BOY XS V automatic encapsulation machine from Dr. BOY, injection mould from Erwes Reifenberg, TECO CS90 temperature control unit and tempered sprue bush from GWK, TPU Elastollan C65 A15 HPM plastic granules from Elastogran, HP3J robot system from Motoman, Hermetic 6-12 tampon printing machine from Tampoprint) supplemented by an integrated plasma unit (Plasmatreat System FG 5002S) formed the centre piece of the exhibition. All of the components were used for a single purpose: the manufacture of small air balloon inflaters. These are known valves in the form of small tubes which by means of a membrane fixed in front prevent the air flowing out again after inflation. The membrane and mouthpiece as separate components are usually joined together by mechanical means or adhesives.
But this can be done more simply because Openair® plasma technology now makes it possible to carry out automated production by direct injection moulding using selective adhesive modification. In the course of pretreatment at almost the speed of sound the plasma strikes the polypropylene tube which is then oversprayed with TPU (thermoplastic elastomer) to form the membrane.
As a nonpolar plastic, PP has very low surface energy. Due to the pretreatment with plasma the surface is activated, i.e. its energy is increased to such an extent (>72 mJ/m²) that durable adhesion to TPU is now made possible. There are no limits to the use of the technology underlying the demonstration presented here for creating a durable joint between PP and TPU by means of Openair® plasma technology. An example is the encapsulation of plugs in the mechanical engineering and automotive sectors.
Plasmatreat thanks its associates for their support in the construction of the exhibits at the FAKUMA 2009 exhibition
Picture top, from left: Alexander Steiger (Motoman), Leonhard Enneking and Joachim Schüßler (Plasmatreat), Michael Ganske and Ulrich Rosenberg (GWK), Michael Kleinebrahm (Dr.Boy), Frank Nitschke (Tampoprint)
Picture outer left: Klaus Hilmer (Elastogran)
Picture left: Bernhard Schneider (Erwes Reifenberg)
The success with which polypropylene can accept print after plasma treatment was shown by another process integrated into the cell. In this a second small tube is provided with lettering by tampon printing. The delicate handling of the components was carried out by a robot. At the end visitors to the functional test needed only to push the finished valve into a balloon and then to great jubilation among the observers the order was given: please blow!
Picure left.: Susanne Zinkgraf (Editor-in-Chief “Plastverarbeiter“) with Joachim Schüßler (Plasmatreat)
Picture centre: Heike Herchenröther (“Kunststoffe”) and Gerhard Gotzmann (Editor-in-Chief “Kunststoffe”) with Leonhard Enneking (Plasmatreat)
Picture right: Matthew Defosse (Editor-in-Chief “Modern Plastics”, USA)
