SABIC IP opens innovation centre

SABIC Innovative Plastics, the resin supplier that was formerly GE Plastics, has opened its Centre for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI), a state-of-the-art research laboratory, at its Cobourg, Ont. manufacturing facility. The CMI, which was funded with $700,000 matching funds from the Province of Ontario’s Rural Economic Development Program, will work collaboratively with area universities and colleges to expand plastics manufacturing knowledge and expertise. The knowledge network development initiative was supported in cooperation with the Northumberland Community Futures Development Corp.

"Eastern Ontario is home to some of Ontario’s top research talent,” said John Wilkinson, Ontario’s Minister of Research & Innovation at the opening. “The Centre for Manufacturing Innovation provides an important opportunity for Ontario's top researchers to join manufacturers in Northumberland in pursuit of innovative products and services that can be marketed to the world.”
The CMI will be available to students and faculty from institutions such as the University of Waterloo, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), and others pursuing plastics research and manufacturing projects. Staff members from the Cobourg facility will oversee and assist the academic researchers. Two projects are already underway.

One new project focuses on colour reproducibility. Dr. Mike Szarka and Dr. Ghaus Rizvi from the UOIT are working to increase the percentage of successful colour matching on the first pass through the extruder, as well as minimise the need for subsequent colour adjustments, with the goal of reducing cycle times.

The other key project, headed by Dr. Costas Tzoganakis of the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Waterloo, is studying X-based control to determine whether physical characteristics such as melt-flow and impact strength can be determined from monitoring extruder characteristics.  
Research areas will include online precision colour monitoring and control, online materials characterisation, and productivity improvements. The ultimate goals of the centre are driving economic development through manufacturing excellence, and establishing best practices for the plastics industry.
www.sabic-ip.com.