Ceramicx Infrared Testing Rig
Leading international heating systems specialist and manufacturer Ceramicx has this week completed an infrared heating test rig that will be able to immediately characterise the process heat performance for plastic sheet and film materials. The infrared heat testing service will be available free of charge at the Ceramicx stand for the K 2010 exhibition.
Ceramicx Founder and Managing Director Frank Wilson says that ‘the time is right for many energy and cost conscious plastics processors to make the change to infrared heating of plastics. Many processors will be scouring K 2010 exhibition for heating solutions – and here therefore is a way for them to bring their own sheet and film into us for a free test trial.’ The Infrared heat testing will tell the visiting client what the material is capable of - in terms of its heat absorption, reflection and transmission.
The K 2010 infrared heating test rig comprises of three sections in order to get the most out of the visitor plastics across three infrared heat sources; ceramic-based; quartz-based and halogen tungsten based. These offer long-wave, medium-wave and short-wave radiation wave lengths respectively – and the effects on the visitors plastic can be witnessed within 90 seconds or so of testing.
All three heat sources will be applied in parallel to three separated plastics test pieces. The Ceramicx K infrared heating test rig is particularly suitable for processors who are changing to an infrared heating source. The most interested parties are likely to be thermoformers needing more performance from their machines – and also needing to reduce energy cost and utility bills. Various factors such as pre-heating; test time and operating temperatures will be able to be set and defined by the visiting user to the Ceramicx K 2010 stand.
Ceramicx is also keen to encourage producers and processors of newer bio-materials and plastics recyclate to approach the free test service with their new materials. Frank Wilson says that ‘we know that K 2010 will be launching some significant new ‘natural’ polymers from the biggest materials players in the industry – and we fully intend to offer our infrared heat testing services to those new biopolymers. In addition, we are here to help those who are make 2nd life polymers from whatever source – helping them to further define what king of effective heat processing polymer recyclate needs in order to enjoy a useful 2nd life as product. In plastics processing, the more process information one has – the better.’
Client samples should ideally be supplied to the Ceramicx stand in a sheet or film thickness range of up to 4mm thick; and 85mm wide and 250mm long. Plastic cutting and shaping facilities will be available on the stand.
Ceramicx believes that K 2010 is going to be remembered for its focus on energy efficiency and for other ecological processing solutions. Many future developments at the company are being prepared with this in mind. Frank Wilson of Ceramicx says that ‘a low carbon future is simply an inevitable direction in manufacturing worldwide. Many of the companies that Ceramicx wants to meet at K 2010 are those that see energy-useage and monitoring as a major factor.’
Ceramicx routinely promotes the measurement of energy content in its own work and also through the encouragement of energy monitoring ideas throughout plastics thermoforming – including measuring part-energy content.
For further information on Ceramicx and Freek at the K Show please see www.kshow2010.com
All further details from Ceramicx, Frank Wilson, Managing Director. www.ceramicx.com , Tel. +353 28 37510, Fax + 353 28 37509, frank@ceramicx.com
The 18th K international plastics exhibition takes place in Dusseldorf, Germany from October 27 to November 3, daily from 10.00am to 6.30pm. Ceramicx and Freek will be jointly exhibiting in Hall 11 – Stand A-01.
Book your accommodation now. This is always a sell out show – whatever the economic climate. Exhibitors and visitors failing to properly plan their accommodation must every day face a time-consuming commute from outlying towns such as Essen or Duisburg – or even cities such as Cologne. This is routine behaviour and – unlucky for some – it happens with every K exhibition.
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