Posts Tagged 'k 2010'

Ceramicx Infrared Heaters to provide free infrared heat testing at K 2010 show

October 13, 2010 by Frank Wilson
Ceramicx Infrared Testing Rig

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.

Posted in infrared heaters, Infrared Heating, Infrared Testing, k 2010, K Show 2010, K Show 2010 Dusseldorf | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Give plastics a break

October 4, 2010 by Frank Wilson

We hear a lot these days about waste and about litter – about over-packaging and about the plastic materials that are supposed to be destroying our environment.

As with most things, you just have to scratch the situation just a little and the picture can then look a whole look different.

Most commodity plastics today are a by-product of the oil and gas industry. The leading companies – suppliers of materials – in both sectors, are often related to each other. And by no stretch of the imagination could they be said to have effectively done a good job of work – either with the environment – or in communicating with the public.

We all can see that alternative energy – hybrid cars – alternative fuel and power sources – is on the rise and rightly so. It seems simply a matter of time – albeit it decades – as the planet reduces a dependence on oil based fossil fuels.

However, and that said, we can only start from where we are: The past few years have seen many misconstrued and knee-jerk measures applied in relation to plastics. These reactions have happened mainly in order to curry favour – votes or money – with the buying public. The measures include plastic bag taxes and much of the fossil fuel energy itself expended in attempts to boost mechanical recycling. Only this month has it become apparent, for example, to supermarket Tesco that it needs to call a halt to the lightweighting of its checkout bags – since the customer shopping is simply just falling through onto the floor.

It never ceases to amaze me that politicians, producers and consumers never want to recall that a ten mile ride in their car is equivalent to one whole year’s supply of checkout plastic bags. Somehow, foregoing the use of the car – to the supermarket – never seems to compare with flaunting a so-called ‘bag for life’ at the checkout.

And looking at the larger picture, plastics and packaging have made possible some large scale and positive resource savings possible in recent years: To look at but one sector – agriculture. Like it or not, the sight of a hay bale wrapped in sileage film is a commonplace. We can be sure that the development is saving the industry resources and money. Wider examples are commonly quoted. For example, it is estimated that some 40% of Russian agricultural output would be wasted, were it not for plastics packaging. And there is nothing more wasteful than the scrapping of finished produce or product.

The truth is that – notable exceptions notwithstanding – the world of industry and commerce is a pretty good taskmaster when it comes to not paying for goods and services that it doesn’t need. That includes packaging – plastics packaging and over packaging.

At Ceramicx, however, we believe that the best is yet to come, and we are playing our part in helping industry to further reduce its scrap and its faulty packaging so that it is truly fit for purpose.

We also believe in stopping energy wastage at source: The less energy – carbon footprint – you put into making a product, the less expensive it will be on the environment and on all of us. One of our key skills – through the art and science of infrared heating methods – is to help manufacturers further reduce the energy content of that packaging.

At the end of October we will be exhibiting these skills at the world’s leading plastics exhibition, K 2010 in Dusseldorf, Germany. We hope to inform and educate the plastics industry gathered there that there is way of making their essential products with less energy.

Meantime, spare a thought for the humble plastic bag. Like all of us, it’s trying to do a good job of work – often taking on more, with fewer resources.

Posted in Frankly Speaking, Infrared Heating, K Show 2010, K Show 2010 Dusseldorf, Plastics Thermoforming | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ceramicx launches Infrared HD Video and magazine

September 21, 2010 by Frank Wilson

Leading  international heating systems specialist and manufacturer Ceramicx has this month produced and launched both a new company video and also a new company magazine entitled Heat Works.

The new Ceramicx video was shot in High Definition on location at the Ceramicx main factory in Gortnagrough, West Cork and was produced by London-based Ossian TV. The main thrust of the narrative emphasises the features and benefits of used infrared technology and heat sources in various kinds of industrial production – with special emphasis on plastics thermoforming.

The Ceramicx video runs for a total of three minutes and 18 seconds;  is now beginning to ‘chart’ on youtube.com; takes pride of place on the Ceramicx company website,  and is already drawing positive reaction from customers and the trade generally.

The new video will also be a feature of the Ceramicx stand and exhibiting presence at the world’s triennial plastics fair in Dusseldorf at the end of October 2010.:Ceramicx will be promoting its infrared expertise there together with German heating experts Friedr Freek in Hall 11, A-01.

Frank Wilson, founder and managing director of CeramicxCeramicx founder Frank Wilson says that ‘we live in a multi media world – and at Ceramicx we realised the need to establish a presence in this area with a crisp and concise production. We decided to create something that not only tells the Ceramicx story but also relays the increasing power of infrared heating technology. Ossian TV have more than fulfilled our brief – being both creative in their vision of the project and extremely professional in their execution of the various tasks involved; on budget and on schedule.’

Wilson adds that ‘the K 2010 plastics exhibition show for sure  – coming but once every three years  – has been the catalysis for our new video. We have a great deal to offer the plastics manufacturing markets worldwide and the new video – together with our new company magazine  – Heat Works – will help get that marketing job done in Dusseldorf and beyond.’

The company’s new magazine Heat Works –now available on request from the company – has also been launched by Ceramicx in good time for the K exhibition which opens its doors on Wednesday October 27th. ‘We wanted a means.’ says Wilson, ‘of communicating infrared heating issues and topics in a compelling and colourful way. We found a lack of precedent in this regard and so we decided to take the opportunity to create Heat Works fit for the task.’

The launch issue of Heat Works runs to 28 pages – including covers – and features articles on the US, Chinese and German markets as well as pieces on the K show, Ceramicx and infrared heating generally. An important part of the magazine is the Ceramicx product catalogue section which lays out in detail the various arrays and combinations of ceramic, quartz, quartz tungsten heating products now available from the company.  A significant part of the launch print run will be sent to existing and potential customers; inviting them to visit Ceramicx and K 2010 and to reference the product catalogue for future ordering purposes. UK and Irish customers will also be able to do this online.

In the foreword to the new magazine Frank Wilson notes that ‘during the course of our work it often seems remarkable to us that the modern world often continues to look back when it comes to heat science and heat technology.  At Ceramicx, for example, we see many who are still baffled by the tried and tested methods of Infrared heating: The list may surprise you – it includes blue-chip international companies; university educators, industrial engineers and the general public.

The times we now live in, however, and the increasing urgency of the energy-conscious social agenda mean that a change is on its way:  Ceramicx is part of that change  – as illustrated here in the pages of this magazine; on our website and in other parts of our daily work. The bottom line for all is that a better understanding of the use of energy and heat resources can only be beneficial for everyone. The world now needs low-carbon products and low energy manufacturing – period. Necessity will increasingly be the mother of invention in conforming to the new standard. We all have no option but to work better and get more from our power, heat and other precious non-renewable resources.’

Ceramicx is now busy preparing its live plastics heating demonstration rig for the K 2010 show: This will give provide visitors with a live materials testing system that will  demonstrate the infrared heating effect and its parameters on different kinds of plastics using different  heaters. ‘Ceramicx and Freek challenge anyone worldwide with a moulding or thermoforming or plastics heat processing issue to come to us at the K 2010 show – have the material sample worked with -  and get the best heatwork advice available.’ says Wilson. ‘Many many plastics  processors, for example, have still yet to appreciate the difference that  different infrared sources can make to their operations – and many new  materials producers – particularly in the new biopolymer area are still  searching for optimum processability.’

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 is right at home  with the new energy agenda. We promote the ideas through the measurement of  energy content in our own work and also through the encouragement of energy  monitoring ideas throughout 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

All further details from Freek, Stefan Düllmann, Marketing &  Development. www.freek.de
Tel +49 2373  9590-16, Fax +49 2373 959030, s.duellmann@freek.de

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.

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Infrared heating innovation to be unveiled as future of efficient industrial heating solutions by Infrared Heaters Experts Ceramicx and Freek at K 2010

September 8, 2010 by Ceramicx
Heating solutions for plastic thermoformers will be central to the Ceramicx exhibition at K 2010

Heating solutions for plastic thermoformers will be central to the Ceramicx exhibition at K 2010

Leading  international heating systems specialist and manufacturer Ceramicx has  finalised its exhibition details with German heating experts Freek for their joint exhibition stand in Hall 11, A-01 at the  prestigious K 2010 triennial plastics industry exhibition. K 2010 runs at the  Dusseldorf Messe, Germany, from Wednesday October 27th to Wednesday November  3rd.

Ceramicx founder Frank Wilson says that ‘we realise full well  that much of the plastics sector has been waiting until K 2010 in order to  review the latest that plastics technology can offer. We hope to raise more  than a stir in the worldwide plastics thermoforming industries where our  infrared heating solutions and machine retrofits in that regard are putting  back the profit for thermoforming processors.’

At K 2010 Ceramicx will  accordingly provide an extensive range of infrared heaters:  And thanks to  pioneering work just completed at the company’s main plant, all of these now  come supplied with complete traceability and operating information that  exceeds anything else available on the market. ‘Every single one of our  heaters is now traceable and its performance available for analysis on an  individual basis – online, anytime,’ says Wilson. Ceramicx will be  demonstrating the power of this traceability and the heating performance data  live on screen at the show.  All of the company’s products and services  will feature in a newly commissioned HD digital film that will be viewable at  the show.

Says Wilson, ‘the international character of the K 2010 show  always suits us very well. Our visitors are always very pleased to find out  that we provide a service and delivery time to anywhere in the world that  always exceeds expectations’  Ceramicx is also fast becoming a world  leader in providing infrared applications engineering know-how for the largest  blue-chip manufacturers in the world down to the smallest ‘heat work’  applications.

K 2010 will see the plastics industry able to  purchase a range of ceramic heaters, quartz heaters and, quartz halogen/quartz tungsten  heaters from the Ceramicx/Freek stand.

The Ceramicx/Freek stand will  also provide visitors with a live materials testing system that will  demonstrate the heating effect on different kinds of plastics using different  heaters. ‘Ceramicx and Freek challenge anyone with a moulding or thermoforming heat processing issue to come to us – have the material sample worked with -  and get the best heatwork advice available.’ says Wilson. ‘Many many plastics  processors, for example, have still yet to appreciate the difference that  different infrared sources can make to their operations – and many new  materials producers – particularly in the new biopolymer area are still  searching for optimum processability

Ceramicx’s exhibiting partner  Freek will have most heating bases covered when it comes to issues of  injection moulding heating, hot runners and other systems. Freek’s extensive  product range at K 2010 will include Nozzle Heaters (HotMicroCoils); Cartridge  heaters; Tubular heaters; IR elements; flat heating elements (panel heaters)  in mica, silicon (incl. drum heaters), polyester and kapton and thermosensors  and temparature controlers. Freek also plans to bring its notebook based TIM  IR camera system in order to help show off the benefits of heating  generally.

Nozzle heating innovation from Friedr Freek at the K 2010 exhibition

Nozzle heating innovation from Friedr Freek at the K 2010 exhibition

Chief among the Freek new products at K 2010 is the  company’s revolutionary patent pending nozzle heater design (please see attached picture) .
Freek director Stefan Kaiser explains that ‘our recent patent application here has been necessary in  order to emphasise our product difference and superiority to various kinds of  rogue copies already on the market. The simplicity and effectiveness of our  design will appeal to all of those mould makers or hotrunner manufacturer  visiting the K 2010 show. The newest addition to the Freek nozzle heater family is a classic illustration of our development philosophy -  “simple is best”.’

Kaiser adds that ‘our innovation principles are testament to the enduring success of our simple reflection tube heating systems.  We believe that these still represent the benchmark for the industry – versatile, current and cost-effective.’

Freek will also show some of its work in its shape  memory alloys, ThermoLock and ThermoDrive. ‘This is a long term project’  says Kaiser. We want to  be totally sure that the alloy keeps its attributes in a steady state under  high-temperature working conditions. To gain more security in regard to  high-temperature operation we are participating in a funded SMA network  bringing together producers, processors, users and research  institutes.

Both Ceramicx and Freek are well aware that K 2010 is going  to be remembered for its focus on energy efficiency and for ecological  processing solutions. Frank Wilson of Ceramicx says that ‘this is an  inevitable direction in manufacturing worldwide. The companies that Ceramicx  wants to meet at K 2010 are those that see energy-useage and monitoring as a  major factor in equipment construction of any kind. Ceramicx is right at home  with the low carbon future. We promote the ideas through the measurement of  energy content in our own work and also through the encouragement of energy  monitoring ideas throughout thermoforming – including measuring part-energy  content.’ The differences in energy savings between the ceramicx product and  other similar/competing products on the market, ceramic products in particular  are significant.

For its part, Freek is firstly looking forward to  greeting the hotrunner manufacturers visiting K 2010. Says Kaiser, ‘they need  heating solutions from back to front: bushing heaters, channel heaters and  nozzle heaters – especially the latter. The injection moulders themselves are  also a key audience. Part of the appeal of the K exhibition is the great  diversity of industries and applications that use process heat. Within  polymers – and in addition to thermoforming and injection moulding – there are  a multitude of heat processes, such as sealing, welding, labelling, drying who  could all find solutions on the stand we share with Ceramicx.’

Both  companies are optimistic about the future of plastics processing and about the  centrality of the K exhibition in driving the industry forward. Ceramicx has  seen a general surge in demand for its quality-based infrared engineering and  products. Freek also has posted growth figures this year and sees the general  expansion for plastics continuing. Freek characterises the low-carbon  industrial future as one of “resource saving” – ‘a mega trend,’ says Kaiser,  ‘that focuses on both energy and materials. It also explains the  miniaturization trend in our industry.  Miniaturization has been one of  two major impacting developments at Freek. The other has been what we call  “Xtreme Development”. Examples include: Hotcoil heaters for 400V supply,  Hotcoil heaters 1250V load tested and HighPower Hotcoils 1800 mm long.

Freek’s latest miniature heating production includes a tubular  heater of diameter. 3,3 mm and 3×3 mm. ‘This product was presented at the end of last year’s  Fakuma show,’ says Kaiser, ‘yet is also a high potential product in our this  years K show exhibition. It’s available in stainless steel and nickel and made  for miniature hotrunner channels.’  Kaiser says that ‘Freek still makes  the smallest compact heating available in the market – and with appealing  price-performance ratios to match.  The Freek Microcoil dia. 1,3 mm and  the 1,0×1,6 mm are now produced with the same process routine and reliability  as the bigger size standard dia. 1,8 mm resp. 1,3×2,3 mm.  significantly.

Wilson and Kaiser agree that the industry has much to look  forward to in Dusseldorf in late October. ‘For anyone involved in processing  and heat work,’ says Wilson, ‘our joint stand will be big on practicality and  provability: Between both companies there isn’t much that we don’t know about  the heat forming of plastics – and we hope to show those skills in depth to  the visitors at K 2010 in Dusseldorf this year, October 27-November 3.

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

All further details from Freek, Stefan Düllmann, Marketing &  Development.

www.freek.de Tel +49 2373  9590-16, Fax +49 2373 959030, s.duellmann@freek.de

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.

Posted in infrared heaters, Infrared Heating, k 2010, K Show 2010, K Show 2010 Dusseldorf, Plastics Thermoforming, quartz heaters, Thermoforming | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ceramicx Infrared Heaters contracts New Promotional Video from Ossian Productions

August 16, 2010 by Frank Wilson

Ossian Productions were on-site in Ceramicx Ireland this week to film the promotional short film which will be displayed on our stand at the forth coming k show 2010 with our German distributors Freek Company.
Neil and Ian were on-site filming for 11 hours on Monday and we wish to thank them for their time and dedication – really excellent and thorough professionals.
We at Ceramicx look forward to seeing the final product. The film which is 3 minutes long will capture a view of the company and its dedication to the processes and technology both directly involved and surrounding the application of infrared energy to process heating.

Looking forward to seeing live on our website…

Sláinte,

Frank

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