The elastomer community meets in Nuremberg

Preview to DKT / IRC 2021 German / International Rubber Conference and the TPE-Forum

Usually every three years elastomer experts from Germany and around the world come together in Nuremberg on occasion of the German Rubber Conference (Deutsche Kautschuk Tagung, DKT). The event was planned for summer 2021 and had to be postponed as so many other events due to the pandemic. DKT 2021 will now open its doors at the Nuremberg exhibition center on the 27 June. What can visitors expect? A trade exhibition gathering more than 250 exhibitors from around the world and a lecture programme presenting the latest from R & D in rubber and elastomer technology. The rubber and elastomer community has been waiting so long for this moment– now it’s time to pack your bags and go to Nuremberg!

1 General information

The exhibition offers many opportunities to network and to get profound insights into the current state of this dynamic industry and to get informed about latest developments in materials and processing technologies. The four-day conference is a podium for top-level speakers from science and industry. The event is also a unique opportunity for representatives of OEMs to get a comprehensive overview of the innovative strength and technological leadership of the elastomer industry as a reliable partner for their current and future requirements. The German Rubber Association (Deutsche Kautschuk Gesellschaft, DKG) expects about 3000 visitors to come to Nuremberg.

The 2022 event will feature a multitude of most interesting elements for visitors:

  • A trade fair with more than 250 exhibiting companies from all over the world presenting their products and services (halls 8, 9)
  • A lecture programme with 133 presentations with newest developments and knowledge in the areas of raw materials, processing, applications, tyres, testing, sustainability, simulation, future mobility and scientific basis (27-30 June)
  • The TPE Forum with a focus on thermoplastic elastomers of all variations in cooperation with VDI FA Polymere Ingenieurwerkstoffe (27-28 June)
  • A Student Session where young experts are presenting results of their research projects or academic works (28 June)
  • An Educational Symposium where essential basic knowledge and an insight in the fields of activity of the rubber industry will be provided for newcomers to the industry (30 June)
  • A Poster Session with a large presentation of scientific posters located nearby the main entrance to exhibition hall 9 (27-30 June)
  • A Science Campus where visitors will get to know the focuses and projects of renowned research institutes and scientific groups at the main entrance to exhibition hall 9 (27-30 June)
  • The DKG Awards session (27 June)
  • New! – The Solutions section where companies will present their products and services in the DKT Forum located in hall 8 (27-30 June

Please check www.dkt2021.de  for the full lecture programme, the list of exhibitors and organisational details.

2 The TPE Community at DKT 2021

The programme of the two-day conference TPE-Forum (27-28 June) is packed with 19 most interesting presentations. Please find here the full programme:

Session 1 – New applications for TPE materials (27 June)

  • Melanie Schroeder, J. Schmalz, Germany: Sealing materials for vanadium redox flow battery stacks
  • Johannes Krückel, Kraiburg TPE, Germany: TPE solutions for applications with high demands on electrical or thermal conductivity
  • Stefan Zepnik, Mocom Compounds, Germany: Alfater XL® FT – Thermoplastic vulcanizate elastomers (TPV) for fuel cell applications
  • Manuel Bäßler and Emanuel Sarikas, Coba Automotive, Germany: TPV extrusion – complex downstream processes and future materials

Session 2 – Process and simulation (27 June)

  • Alexander Simon, Wirth Werkzeugbau, Germany: Sandwich injection moulding with foamed TPE
  • Michael Stegelmann, Anybrid, Germany: Injection-Moulding on the fly
  • Mathias Schlenk, Hexpol TPE, Germany: How to achieve optimal adhesion between thermoplastics and TPE
  • Marc Kurz, Simpatec, Germany: Process simulation of TPE materials

Session 3 – New developments for automotive sealing processes (28 June)

  • Peter Radosai, LWB Steinl, Germany: New ideas for new competitiveness – Vertical large-scale machines
  • Moritz Hummel, Stefan Pfaff Werkzeug- und Formenbau, Germany: New potential: How a small innovation for flexible profiles can revolutionize the production process in the sealing industry
  • Ger Vroomen, Teknor Apex, Netherlands: TPV based coolant hoses for plug-in hybrid electrical vehicles (PEHV) and battery electrical vehicles (BEV)
  • Alexander Heinze, Allod, Germany: New materials for EPDM/TPE hybrid applications

Session 4 – TPE and environment (28 June)

  • Massimo Cattaneo, Sipol, Italy: Co-polyester elastomers with renewable sources content
  • Rocio de la Cruz Garcia, Covestro, Germany: TPU as a driving force for more circularity: Mass balancing to support customers with high performance drop-in solutions
  • Kristof Verschueren, Kraton Polymers, Germany: Kraton high performance solutions to enhance sustainability and circular economy

Session 5 – Newest research in the TPE sector (28 June)

  • Markus Kämpfe, Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung, Germany: Characterisation of flow behaviour of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) – Effect of shear conditions on pressure-driven flow
  • Axel Nechwatal, Thüringisches Institut für Textil- und Kunststoff-Forschung, Germany: Effects of short fibers in thermoplastic elastomers
  • Keisuke Chino, Eneos, Japan: Multi network elastomer using hydrogen bond, covalent bond, and clay plane bond
  • Eric Euchler, Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung, Germany: On the deformation and fatigue behavior of thermoplastic elastomers

Apart from the TPE-Forum Noah Mentges, IKV, will give a presentation on the 30 June, 11am, in Hall Brüssel.

The TPE session at the Educational Symposium (30 June)

For those who are new to the TPE community it is highly recommended to attend the morning session of the Educational Symposium on the 30 June. Prof. Dr. Norbert Vennemann, Hochschule Osnabrück, Germany, will give an overview of the world of TPEs with the following topics:

  • Definition of Thermoplastic Elastomers – Distinction between Thermoplastic and Elastomer Materials
  • Classification of TPE Material Groups Based on their Phase Morphology
  • TPE Materials Properties, Physical and Chemical Performance, Limitations
  • Processing of TPE, Characteristics
  • Areas of Application, Market Potential, Ongoing Developments

Prof. Dr. Norbert Vennemann, a pioneer in the field of TPE research and inventor of the TSSR-Meter, is the recipient of the 2022 Erich-Konrad-Medal, an award given by the German Rubber Society. The award ceremony will take place on Monday, 27 June.

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet many suppliers to the TPE industry at the exhibition in halls 8 and 9. Among these are companies and institutions such as Allod Werkstoff, BASF, Biesterfeld, Brabender, DBH, DIK, Kraiburg TPE, Kuraray, LWB Steinl, Mocom, Ravago, Weber & Schaer and many more.

The expert platform TPE Forum at DKT
The next meeting of the TPE FORUM, the non-profit expert platform for thermoplastic elastomers, will take place during DKT. This is a unique opportunity to meet in person the experts of the network and to exchange ideas for future projects. Don’t miss it!

Monday, 27 June in Hall München, 5.30 pm

Contact:
Dr.-Ing. Ines Kühnert
kuehnert@ipfdd.de

www.dkg-rubber.de
www.dkt2021.de
www.tpe-forum.de