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Optimization
Plastics fabricants, e.g. foil producers are depending on qualified material properties. These are rarely achieved by pure polymers. Either mixtures of different polymers are necessary, or additives like anti-blocking agents provide the surface the slippage needed. The polymers should slip instead of adhere, but again should also be able to merge (heat-seal) when sealed (e.g. for food packaging). | |
xirrus simulation - optimize plastics properties
If data of raw materials and experience is not enough for you.
If the knowledge is poor and the risk to fail is felt to be high, check the material properties before the real and expensive experiment. New additives may be expensive, practical experience in the market is little and even your provider has less knowledge at the moment, versus his commodities (established raw materials).
Will the following properties be tuned optimal?
| Elasticity (elasticity modulus) | ||
| Input/Knowledge | Simulation | Result |
| planned mixture in end product, environment | xirrus simulation matters Choose "Compressibility / Elasticity Modulus". |
Elasticity Modulus |
| Slippage (friction coefficient) | ||
| Input/Knowledge | Simulation | Result |
| Concentration of anti-blocking agent or adhesion-promoting agent, polymers, processing temperature, pressure of the melt | xirrus simulation matters Choose "Diffusion Coefficient", and write "Slippage at polymer surface" in the remarks. |
Estimation of diffusion of additives towards the surface, concentration at the surface. Our estimation can only enlighten an aspect of the problem, since the knowledge of the surface is too weak in general.* |
| Sealing properties (diffusion) | ||
| Input/Knowledge | Simulation | Result |
| Polymer mixture, additives, processing temperatures/pressures | xirrus simulation matters Choose "Diffusion Coefficient", and write "Sealing properties of polymer" in the remarks. |
Diffusion at different pressures and temperatures, answer if mixing, thereof the welding succeeds. |
| Hot-melt adhesion (vicosity) | ||
| Input/Knowledge | Simulation | Result |
| Composition, processing temperatures, pressures | xirrus simulation matters Choose "Viscosity (shear viscosity)". |
How does viscosity change with temperature? Will the adhesion be favoured (via low viscosity) and fast cohesion takes place (high viscosity after cooling). Estimation of viscosity at chosen process temperatures. |
* In a view years we will deliver complete virtual experiments to define the friction coefficient of a particular polymer mixture. If you will request us to investigate such a project, we would be happy to cooperate with an interested producer, to research the functionality.
The challenges in the market are partly compatible between raw-material suppliers and fabricators. To a certain degree, The effort of research is with both. Comparable to software, the user is a tester, whether he likes it or not. Therefore the risks of failure production should be lowered if new materials are beeing chosen.
The challenge of the raw-material suppliers
- new functionalities (e.g. nanotechnology, functional materials, research effort)
- prove optimal processability under various conditions (machining)
- recommendations to the fabricators of mixed materials for achievable end results
- economic pricing of raw materials
The challenge of the polymer fabricators
- minimal consumption of raw materials, i.e. expensive additives
- get optimal parameters for the processability from the supplier — or research yourself
- optimal elasticity, slippage, sealing or hot-melt adhesion of the product
- economic pricing of the end product
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