Ausgabe zur FAKUMA 2018

11 Kunststoffmarkt Plastics can also be green! • Fakuma: Intensive Recycling and “Green” Materials Typify the Plastics Market T he entire processing sequence is wrapped up in ecologically responsible han- dling of plastics. What happens today with PE, PS, ABS or PET and CFRP, when it reaches the end of its initial service life? Ex- perts from all over the world will find solutions to this issue at the Fakuma 2018. Processes for Sustainable Recycling at Fakuma In particular where plastics pro- cessing is involved, recycling is in great demand. Even high-tech materials like CFRP are being re- cycled more and more frequently and reused for new purposes. The prevention of so-called “down- cycling” by means of modern pro- cesses and recycling of materials sorted according to type is impor- tant in this respect. “The plastics industry has been becoming more and more sustainable for a num- ber of years already”, says Fakuma project manager Annemarie Schur. This not only applies to the recy- cling of materials, but rather to energy-saving and thus more eco- nomical manufacturing processes, energy-efficient machines and bi- odegradable plastics as well. And the sustainable alternatives are in no way inferior to their convention- al predecessors with regard to du- rability, processability and weight. Fakuma Presents Quality and an Innovative Spirit More and more products are be- ing manufactured today with the help of plastics and composites. Simultaneously rising demand for better and better performance, as well as top quality, necessi- tate an innovative spirit and new developments. In addition to new “green” products, Fakuma will also present all of the com- ponents and systems which are required for conventional as well as innovative processes. Whether injection moulding, extrusion, thermoforming, foaming or 3D printing is involved – raw materi- als producers, machine builders and manufacturers of precision parts will present all they have to offer in the way of innovation for the entire process sequence and value chain in Friedrichshafen. “For many exhibitors, Fakuma is a highly practical platform for unveiling their innovations to the public for the first time”, adds Annemarie Schur. Rising Levels of Automation and Internationalism In the field of plastics too, process- ing sequences are being automat- ed to an ever greater extent. De- mand for Industry 4.0-compatible systems and components which permit inline production steps and quality control is growing rapidly. Where handling is supported by modern robotics and software pro- vides target-versus-actual com- parisons in real-time, multi-vari- ant production is becoming more and more economical in the plas- tics industry. Beyond this, plastics processing companies are now becoming more and more globally aligned. A large variety of variants, smaller manufacturing lots, make- to-order production and shorter product lifecycles are presenting manufacturers of plastic parts all over the world with tremendous challenges. This is demonstrated by the fact that people from all over the world are fascinated by the trade fair for plastics process- ing. Expert visitors, specialists and decision-makers from more than 120 countries came to the last Fakuma in 2017.  Text: P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG Gustav-Werner-Straße 6 D - 72636 Frickenhausen Grafik: Judith Lisser-Meister/ pixelio.de Photo:Wolfgang Floedl /pixelio.de