Denes B. Hunkar
Hunkar Laboratories
Inducted 2005
Denes Hunkar (1916 – 2004) innovated in advanced process control systems, particularly in blow molding and injection molding machinery controls. Born in Keked, Hungary, Hunkar earned a dual master’s degree in electrical and mechanical engineering and a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering.
Hunkar’s first commercially significant plastics-related invention was the first electronic parison programmer for extrusion blow molding, which he developed in 1958. In 1962, he founded Hunkar Instrument Development Laboratories in Cincinnati, OH, a company specializing in instrument technology for several industries. Hunkar Instrument’s initial products included a prototype heart monitoring system, the CAT scan, and a blood chemistry analyzer. In 1970, he changed the company name to Hunkar Laboratories and concentrated on improving process control systems and plastics machinery. Along with the parison programmer, Hunkar’s other commercially significant plastics machinery innovations included the first closed-loop injection velocity process control system for injection molding in 1970 (now a standard on almost all of today’s injection molding machines), the first technology for internal surface cooling in blow-molding in 1973, and the first microprocessor-based injection molding machine control in 1978. Later work in the process control field included statistical process control and automated production management systems for plastics manufacturing.
Hunkar was awarded the Society of Plastic Engineers (SPE) International Award for Engineering and Technology in 1991, SPE’s International Award for Business Management in 1992, and SPE’s Blow Molding Division Distinguished Achievement and Man of the Year Award.
Areas of Expertise:
Plastics processing, Plastics Machinery