Plastics Technology - Dedicated to improving Plastics Processing.
Issue link: http://pty.epubxp.com/i/421920
substrates include foams, woven fabrics, nonwovens, and flms made from polyolefns, PET, PVC, nylon, and more. Bixby dries material centrally on dual-bed desiccant dryers furnished by Novatec, Baltimore (novatec.com). Each line is equipped with a gravimetric blender furnished by AEC, Schaumburg, Ill. (aecinternet.com). A disciple of continuous improvement, Bixby has audit sheets that operators reference for each run. It has also organized its manufacturing foor to minimize turnaround times by storing screws on racks, and its die and adapter systems on wheeled carts. Two years ago, Bixby received a Lean Manufacturing Grant through the state of Massachusetts. "We have learned a lot of best practices as a result," says Rocconi. "We practice what's called SMED, short for single-minute exchange of die." This lean manufacturing technique is based on getting from order to order as quickly as possible. The nature of its business requires Bixby to focus heavily on R&D;, material science, processing, and application development. Away from the manufacturing foor, Bixby has lab- scale pilot manufacturing to produce prototype flm and sheet and roll stock. The pilot line creates single- and multi-layer extruded applications from any commercially available thermo- plastic, compound, blend, or alloy, including Bixby's proprietary formulations and adhesives. The pilot line feature a 1.5-in. Davis-Standard extruder and a three-roll casting/nip station. Prototype sheet samples can be generated up to 18 in. wide at thicknesses from about 3 to 155 mils. This line can run up to seven layers of polymer laminated with all types of substrates. Available textures include gloss, brushed, light matte, heavy matte, diamond, or custom. The lab line runs one shift fve days a week. "Because our business is so customized, it's very important for us to have proof-of-concept capabilities," says Gagnon. "We'll typically run several trials before scale-up. And we have engineers running our lab lines. We'll work with a compounder on a custom formulation. We're in the business of ofering speedy solutions. If a customer comes to us with a problem or challenge, or perhaps needs a diferent mix of prop- erties or functionality, our goal is to present them with several options within two weeks." Bixby also has an extensive range of laboratory equipment for characterizing mechan- ical, thermal, rheological, and optical properties, application testing; and post-processing characterization. Rocconi says plans are in the works to increase its R&D; eforts. "For years we've been the 'best-kept secret' in extrusion," Rocconi says. "But we work with lots of Fortune 100 companies, and often projects we initiate within one of these companies winds up cutting across a variety of their product lines. I think our experience in processing, materials, and applications matches up with anyone's." Not your standard fare for extruded sheet: Bixby's products wind up in a variety of places, including footwear, sporting goods, and orthopedics. Celebrating 25 Years of Innovation ... you were always a very knowledgeable company, we could always count on you to discuss technical things in an honest manner with only one goal to help our customers. Mirek Planeta Macro Engineering Your creative and innovative solutions helped us do our business smoothly and successfully. Dr. Dirk Schultze Epurex Films/Bayer Addex is not a "me too" company— over the years it has developed some leading edge technologies particularly in the areas of gauge control and gauge band randomisation. Graham Turner Formerly with British Polythene Industries Addex have been, and continue to be, a positive force in driving blown flm extrusion innovation forward! Carl S. Johnson Gloucester Engineering Co. Inc We have a high opinion of Addex products and performance. And we are sure Addex would grow steadily in the next quarter century, too. T Shiraishi Siko Pack, Singapore I have enjoyed doing business with Addex. Their technical knowledge is refected in the high state of the Addex technology. Günther Hoyt Gunther Hoyt Associates formerly with Xaloy www.addexinc.com @plastechmag 49 Plastics Technology On-Site Bixby International