In-mould painting by spraying thermoset powder coating into a closed mould, followed by standard thermoplastic injection moulding : part 1 : introducing the in-spire process

A novel in-mould coating technique for injection moulding, called IN-SPIRE (IN-mould Spray Painting, Impact Reduced on the Environment), which combines thermoset and thermoplastic materials to provide a durable paint-like finish on thermoplastic injection mouldings, is reported. Design features of the process, which includes a novel feed system, are described and the results of open and closed tool trials are reported. The control system is also described. 15 refs

Low oxygen: A (tough) way of life for Okavango fishes.

Botswana's Okavango Delta is a World Heritage Site and biodiverse wilderness. In 2016-2018, following arrival of the annual flood of rainwater from Angola's highlands, and using continuous oxygen logging, we documented profound aquatic hypoxia that persisted for 3.5 to 5 months in the river channel. Within these periods, dissolved oxygen rarely exceeded 3 mg/L and dropped below 0.5 mg/L for up to two weeks at a time. Although these dissolved oxygen levels are low enough to qualify parts of the Delta as a dead zone, the region is a biodiversity hotspot, raising the question of how fish survive. In association with the hypoxia, histological samples, collected from native Oreochromis andersonii (threespot tilapia), Coptodon rendalli (redbreast tilapia), and Oreochromis macrochir (greenhead tilapia), exhibited widespread hepatic and splenic inflammation with marked granulocyte infiltration, melanomacrophage aggregates, and ceroid and hemosiderin accumulations. It is likely that direct tissue hypoxia and polycythemia-related iron deposition caused this pathology. We propose that Okavango cichlids respond to extended natural hypoxia by increasing erythrocyte production, but with significant health costs. Our findings highlight seasonal hypoxia as an important recurring stressor, which may limit fishery resilience in the Okavango as concurrent human impacts rise. Moreover, they illustrate how fish might respond to hypoxia elsewhere in the world, where dead zones are becoming more common

In mould painting using thermoset powder coating and thermoplastic substrate in closed tool injection moulding

In mould decoration (IMD) is attractive because a fully, or partially, decorated component is produced directly from the moulding process, with reduced emissions at lower process costs when compared to traditional techniques. A new IMD process has been developed to produce a painted component direct from the injection moulding tool. This incorporates the pressure spraying of thermoset powders through a valve into a closed mould. The residual heat of the tool initially softens the thermoset. The high temperature of thermoplastic polymer injected in a standard injection moulding subsequently cures the thermoset. The resultant product combines both thermoplastic and thermoset in a single injection moulding cycle. This paper presents frames from high speed video capture of powder mould filling and the results of INSPIRE ( in mould spray painting, impact reduced on the environment) initial injection moulding using thermoset polyester and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The parameters that affect material distribution are examined and discussed. Similarities to the coinjection moulding process are noted