News

In December we published a scientific article in the journal “Materials” (IF = 3,748) together with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor. The authors of the article are Rebeka Rudolf, Janez Slapnik in Rajko Bobovnik You can find it (for free) at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/16/1/133.

Thursday evening, October 13, 2022, was dedicated to the topic of Advanced technologies of hot runner systems in moulds.

As guest we invited Mr. José Dantas, CEO of the Yudo KAM Global Group, responsible for large companies worldwide such as Plastic Omnium, Faurecia, Valeo, Novares, Motherson. Mr. Dantas is passionate for industry and for people. He graduated in mechanical engineering and has 46 years working experience as a mold designer, mechanical engineer and Business manager in several companies for the molding and plastic industries. 

The presented technology is related with latest technology available to produce plastics parts reducing cycle time, improving quality, reducing scrap ratio at same time offer to the user better view of window process. The logic consequences once user access this pack of technology will be less cost to produce their parts offering better arguments to compete in plastic field. There is some technologies that can be applied alone but in some cases can be combined to achieve better results or better performance.

The FTPO polymer evening was attended by more than 30 representatives of various companies, FTPO representatives and students, who had the opportunity to see the FTPO laboratories before the official lecture, and after the lecture, socializing at a banquet.

With these kinds of events, we want to offer current content in the field of polymer technology and thereby maintain a link with the industry.

In September we published a scientific article in the journal Materials (IF = 3,748) together with colleagues from the Dresden University of Technology and the University of Leoben. The authors of the article are Janez Slapnik, Yuanxi Liu, Robert Kupfer, Thomas Lucyshyn, Blaž Nardin, and Gerald Pinter. You can find it (for free) at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/19/6600

Abstract:

This study reports on the development of a novel polymer processing approach that combines low-temperature (LT) processing and fibre direct compounding (FDC) to reduce the thermal stress on thermosensitive components that occurs during compounding and subsequent injection moulding (IM). Composites based on polyamide 6 (PA6) and cellulose fibres (CeF) were prepared using an LT-FDC process and in parallel with a conventional approach using a twin-screw extruder and IM. The morphological, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the prepared samples were investigated using optical microscopy (OM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), colorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and tensile tests. Composites prepared using LT-FDC exhibited worse fibre dispersion but lower fibre degradation. In comparison to neat PA6, the LT-FDC composites had increased tensile modulus (E_t) and storage modulus (E′) at 120 °C by up to 32% and 50%, respectively, while the tensile strength (σ_m) decreased by 20%.

On Thursday evening, 16 June 2022, after a long time, the FTPO hosted the Polymer Evening on the topic "Drying of technical plastic polymers".

The lecture was led by Ing. Robert Tesar from Vismec Srl. (Italy). Ing. Robert Tesar studied plastics Engineer at the technicalinstitute TGM in Vienna. His work experience includes  production of plastic molding in HB-Plastic and Philips in Austria, technical applications in Arburg in Germany and Engel in Austria and finally sales and technical consultant in Maguire in UK and USA and Piovan, Moretto and Vismec in Italy.

Quite some time has passed since our last Polymer Evening, so we were extremely happy with the response of the participants. More than 40 representatives of various Slovenian companies and representatives of our faculty, received answers to many questions regarding the drying of plastic materials. Different types of plastic materials and drying principles were presented, as well as which drying technologies are available on the market. After the lecture, a rich discussion on the topic was developed among the participants, and at the reception there was an opportunity for networking.

With such events, the FTPO wants to continue to offer current content in the field of polymer technology and to maintain its connection with the economy. The next FTPO polymer evening is already planned for the fall months.

Metal products have a much higher aesthetic value than plastic products, which can be attributed to their optic and haptic properties, as they give the metal products a higher quality appearance.

More info HERE.

On Thursday, September 30, 2021, the final conference of the PolyMetal project entitled "Design flexibility of plastics, but look and feel like metals: PolyMetal successful crossboarder cooperation" took place at the Montanuniversität in Leoben.

More info HERE.

More info HERE.

More info HERE.

More info HERE.

In September, a 4-day training took place at our faculty as part of the Polyflip project, where we are developing and testing the Flipped classroom approach for engineering higher education study programs with partners from 3 countries. The project is implemented within the ERASMUS + Strategic Partnerships program, where our faculty is the initiator and leading partner of the project.

More info about the live Polyflip training HERE.

Visit also an official project webpage.

We successfully completed the first day of the conference on circular packaging. 

Francesca Siciliano Stevens was with us, Director of the European Organization for Packaging and the Environment and lectures by industry experts from global companies (Greiner Packaging, Interseroh, Lidl GB, BSH Home Appliances Group, DS Smith...) and successful small and medium enterprises (LabelProfi d.o.o., MetGen, KraftPal, Bossis Valjevo...).
In the afternoon we were gaining new knowledge in the field of recycled plastics for packaging and testing biodegradability and compatibility, visiting FTPO laboratories and successfull slovenian company LabelProfi, which deals with flexible packaging and labels.

We successfuly concluded with two-day international conference FTPO on the topic of plastic gears (FTPO Conference 2021- Plastics gears), which took place on 17 and 18 June 2021 in Slovenj Gradec. The conference was organized as a hybrid, with participation in Slovenj Gradec and accessibility via the website using the MS Teams application. The conference was a great success, with a total of more than 50 participants from 18 different countries.

A bilateral agreement signed in 2020 with the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering), Republic of North Macedonia, bore fruit this year. In the summer semester of 2021, a master's student from Skopje, Monika Fidanchevska, joined the study process at FTPO.

More info available HERE.

More info available HERE.

More info available HERE.

More info available HERE.