Rising energy and feedstock costs, increasing demands on sustainability and ever more sophisticated product design are constantly presenting the packaging technology with new challenges. The Institute of Plastics Processing (IKV) in Industry and the Skilled Crafts at RWTH Aachen University is to hold a symposium on this subject on 22 and 23 May, 2019 in Aachen. The event will be chaired by Torsten Ratzmann, Managing Director of Pöppelmann GmbH & Co. KG in Lohne.
Depending on the process, between 70 and 90 percent of the production costs for the packaging are accounted for by the material itself. Because of this dominant cost item, material efficiency needs to be improved through alternative materials, optimised process control and optimum product design. Furthermore, properties such as the barrier effect are key for future production design.
Additional potential can be tapped through intelligent material modifications or the virtual simulation of complete production processes. Recycling – the product lifecycle management of plastics packaging – is also playing an ever more important role when it comes to addressing the topic of sustainability at the product development stage.
Experts from the industry and from IKV will speak about these and other topics, and will also present the latest trends and developments for the production of optimised packaging. The conferencewill focus above all on the following main topics: sustainability, machine engineering, functionalisation and Industry 4.0 for the packaging segment.
Ten companies working in the fields of raw materials, mechanical engineering and conversion/processing will send speakers to the symposium: Atlan-Tec Systems, Arburg, BASF, Illig Maschinenbau, Kiefel, Kuraray Eval Europe, Mauser Maschinentechnik, pacproject, Pöppelmann, Sumitomo Demag and VerDeSoft. The program will also feature a paper from the VDI. Four papers from IKV will present the latest research results on the topics of simulation in stretch blow moulding, temperature control of dies in extrusion blow moulding, thermoforming and the barrier coating of returnable PET bottles.
Apart from that, the event will also include a visit to IKV's extrusion laboratories and the Centre for Analysis and Testing of Plastics. IKV invites you to attend the presentations, take part in the visit to the Institute and attend the Networking Dinner, where you can participate in an interesting exchange of ideas and experience and discuss the potential and challenges in the packaging segment with other experts.
Contact
Dennis Balcerowiak, M.Sc.
+49 241 80-28348
dennis.balcerowiak@ikv.rwth-aachen.de