Strictly-Extrusion

DuPont will present a new category of DuPontTM Teflon® fluoropolymer foam resins based on its new Airquick technology at Wire 2010 (Dusseldorf, Germany, 12-16 April 2010). The adoption of this new technology enhances the physical foam processing and end-use performance of the Teflon® resins when extruded as insulation or jacketing for LAN and coaxial cabling. According to DuPont, the new products offer the potential for lightweight, high-performance cabling suitable for use in high frequency signal transmission across a broad temperature range and with minimal distortion. Beyond its exhibit at the show (in Hall 11, Stand C66), DuPont is hosting two customer seminars to introduce the new products based on Airquick polymer foam technology in greater detail. The hour-long seminars will be held in Room C1/Hall 6 of the exhibition center on both the 13th and 14th April from 3 pm onwards. Those wishing to attend can register their interest with DuPont using the following email address: barbara.kuhlmann@dupont.com.

The patented nucleants and base polymers that comprise Airquick polymer foam technology improve both the processing and end-use performance of the new Teflon® fluoropolymer foam resins in a broad range of wire and cable applications for data communications. The following grades are available:

•   FFR 330: foam resins for high viscosity, high Velocity of propagation coaxial cables with heavy wall applications (1.25-5 mm), for example RG11.
•   FFR 550: foam resin for intermediate size coaxial cables with small uniform cell structure and good adhesion to the conductor resulting in excellent Signal Return Loss.
•   FFR 750: foam resin with higher service temperature and therefore suited for rigid and semi-rigid high-frequency coaxial cables well into the GHz range.
•   FFR 770: high speed foam resin for thin- and ultra–thin-walled high frequency data and micro-coax cables with the ability for self-skinning at lower void content.

The DuPont stand at Wire 2010 will illustrate the breadth of products available for the wire and cable industry from across the company’s businesses. This includes the range of DuPont flouropolymer resins used in insulated wire and cable products, marketed under the trade names of DuPontTM Teflon® FEP, Teflon® PFA, Teflon® PTFE, and Tefzel® ETFE fluoropolymer resins. As with the new category of fluoropolymer foam resins mentioned above, they are viewed as ideal choices for insulation and jacketing applications where low flammability, exceptional dielectric properties, high stress-crack resistance, chemical inertness, and thermal cycling capabilities are required.

Film and sheet extrusion systems supplier, Macro Engineering & Technology Inc. (www.macroeng.com), has expanded its production facilities to accommodate a recent boom in sales activity.

Following predictable subpar sales through 2009, Macro’s sales have excelled over the last three months, returning the company to the record setting sales levels it had enjoyed in 2008. The elevated workload has lead Macro to expand to a neighboring building to make room for the extra production. The building, which will increase Macro’s production floor space by approximately 40%, will be used mainly for setting up and testing machinery prior to shipment.

Macro has also increased its employee base by 15% since December, primarily through the acquisition of mechanical engineers and project managers to help handle the elevated workload.

“Sales have been taken for a variety of machine types ranging from multilayer blown film lines, to specialty extrusion systems, to custom-built winding equipment,” states Andrew Erskine, Macro’s Sales & Marketing Coordinator. “The orders are from both local and global customers with European, South American, Chinese, Canadian and U.S. markets being the most prominent.”

At the beginning of 2010, Gneuss (www.gneuss.com) received a „Letter of No Objection“ from the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Bottle to Bottle Recycling process.

Fig 1: Gneuss MRS Extruder (patented)

This process consists of the patented Multi Rotation Extruder (MRS), the fully automatic Melt Filtration System and an SSP with an extremely short residence time where the viscosity is lifted to the required level of IV 0.8 (or higher).

The FDA approval is for up to 100 % post consumer bottle flake and means that pellets manufactured using this process can be used in the USA for food containers of all types, both for cold and hot filled bottles (classes C to G).

Analyses carried out by the Fraunhofer Institute have shown that the MRS extruder is capable of processing 100 % post consumer flakes to pellets for food grade applications without any prior treatment of the flakes, regardless as whether the flakes were washed and if so, regardless of the flake washing system used. The MRS system is therefore ideal for the manufacture of PET thermoforming sheet from bottle flakes and also for “bottle to bottle” processes. This is something which the market has realised and which has provided Gneuss with a record order intake – and this in spite of the financial crisis.

Since its introduction 3 years ago, the patented Multi Rotation Extrusion technology (MRS) has become a key technology for the processing of PET bottle flakes to packaging products for the food industry.

One of the most important advantages of this system is that it permits the processing of PET without pre-drying and requires only a water ring vacuum pump even for products with a high IV requirement. Further, the MRS technology provides excellent decontamination.

The MRS extruder processes PET bottle flakes without pre–drying, direct to pellets or sheet. The multiple screw section creates an extremely high surface area exchange rate, with the surface being constantly torn open so that with only a moderate vacuum (25 to 40 mbar) the maximum decontamination and minimum IV drop takes place.

The melt treatment is extremely gentle, resulting in a particularly high quality final product for example with regard to yellowness.

The advantages over conventional processes are on the one hand the relatively low investment and on the other hand the very low energy costs and the extremely high quality of the final product.

With the MRS extruder, the vacuum in the Multi Rotation System is controlled so that the IV can be set and controlled automatically according to the IV of the input material and / or the requirement on the final product.

For more information, please contact:Mrs. Andrea Kossmann / Marketing, gneuss@gneuss.com

Davis-Standard, LLC will host its popular workshop on “The Basics of Plastics Extrusion” on April 7 – 8, 2010 at its headquarters in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. The two-day class will cover the fundamentals of plastics extrusion, as well as the composition and properties of various polymers and the mechanics of essential downstream processes. Topics include extruder components, temperature control, maintenance and screw design.

In addition to instruction, course participants will tour Davis-Standard’s laboratory and manufacturing facilities and will have access to polymer process engineers and technical specialists. The fee is $750 per person with a 10 percent discount given for groups of three or more. Course books and materials are included, and class size is limited to promote student/teacher interaction.

For enrollment or more information about Davis-Standard’s seminars and on-site extrusion training, contact Wendy Smith at (860) 599-6119 or at wsmith@davis-standard.com. To register online, visit www.davis-standard.com.

The Ukrainian pipe and railway wheel producer Interpipe Corporation (Interpipe) has announced that in January this year its Dnepropetrovsk-based subsidiary Interpipe NTRP started the production of seamless pipes with external corrosion-resistant coating. The coating in question is applied by new painting equipment supplied by Venjakob, a German manufacturer of spray coating lines and handling technology -click here-

A new die system for extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam board dramatically reduces downtime for product changeovers, enabling manufacturers to offset much of the loss in productivity caused by switching to a non-ozone depleting blowing agent, it was announced today by Extrusion Dies Industries, LLC (EDI).  In addition, EDI’s technology incorporates innovations that enhance control over product dimensions, reduce scrap, and eliminate shutdowns for die maintenance.

XPS foam board is widely used as insulation and plays an important role in weatherizing homes and buildings to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and combat climate change. Because the hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) blowing agents used to produce the foam had raised concerns about ozone depletion, signatories to the Montreal Protocol mandated a switch to chlorine-free HFC blowing agents by January 1, 2010. The process changes needed to accommodate the new blowing agent reduce board production by 30%. The new EDI die system helps address this problem by eliminating hours of downtime incurred with conventional die systems whenever a change in product dimensions must be made.

“The EDI XPS foam board die technology makes it possible to accomplish a product changeover on the fly in only 15 minutes,” said Dennis S. Paradise, vice president of sales and marketing. “By comparison, a change in width or thickness with a conventional die system requires shutting down the production line for at least eight hours, followed by a two-hour startup phase in which no saleable board is produced—only scrap. The added uptime generated by our new system is sufficient to offset the lion’s share of the output loss imposed by the switch to HFCs.”

XPS foam board producer DiversiFoam Products reports that by using the new EDI system at its Rockford, MN, plant, the company has virtually eliminated downtime for scheduled thickness setups, making it possible to produce 11% more saleable product. Operations manager Steve Slavik reports other benefits: “Our new die can operate at a much higher pressure than the old one, which is very important when using HFC blowing agents. In addition, it provides better temperature control, enhanced adjustability, and simpler maintenance.”

Faster Product Changeovers and More Extruder Uptime

While EDI has successfully supplied dies to the XPS foam board industry for years, its new die system represents a totally different design.

One of the central innovations is a new type of forming box. When polystyrene passes through any XPS foam board die, it is charged with blowing agent. As it exits the die lips, it undergoes a thirty-fold increase in volume almost instantaneously. This expansion takes place just beyond the lips in the forming box, which has four-way adjustability. The forming box gives the board its initial shape in terms of thickness and width.

In most conventional die systems, the forming box and die lip constitute a single component. Changing the dimensions of the board requires stopping the production line, disassembling the lip/forming box, adjusting for new product dimensions, and reassembling the unit. The forming box in the new EDI system, on the other hand, is a separate, independently adjusted component that makes possible on-the-fly product changeovers without stopping the production line.

A second new component that reduces downtime is an adjustable full-manifold internal deckle inside the flow channel of the die. The deckle blades at either end of the manifold can be used to change flow-channel width by being moved farther into the channel or farther out.

Deckles are conventionally used for changing product width, but in the XPS process, where the material ultimately expands in all directions, deckles can be used to adjust thickness as well. By coordinating the settings of the deckle blades and the forming box, for example, it is possible to produce thicker board without changing width. This on-the-fly capability makes it possible to do so with little adjustment in comparison with conventional die systems.

Still another new component for ensuring dimensional consistency is external edge restrictors that create the final side dimensions of the board as it emerges from the forming box and passes between the two top and bottom sizing plates that are typically used in foam board production. Mounted on rails that extend from the front of the forming box, the edge restrictors ensure board edges that are more flush and flat. Here too, the omni-directional nature of foam expansion comes into play. While edge trim losses in conventional XPS board production typically are around 10%, restricting expansion at the edges results in more lineal feet of board.

A fourth innovative component in the EDI XPS board die system is a purge block located between the extruder and the die. This makes it possible to carry out die maintenance while the extruder is temporarily shut down but still full of polymer. The purge block acts as a valve, blocking flow from the extruder while purging material from the die.

Film manufactures are increasingly seeing themselves exposed to rising production costs. Huge increases in raw material prices, higher demands on quality from the end user, shorter delivery times and the compulsion of material saving has left little elbow room.
Leading edge companies have already invested in extrusion automation with some 3rd or 4th generation systems with high levels of automation being specified as a standard for new equipment. However there is a need for many older machines to be upgraded with modern automation systems to bring them up to date. Very efficient measures can be carried out at only a fraction of the cost of a new machine in order
to increase productivity and quality.

Utilization of high performance air rings with integrated profile control not only increases the output of the line by up to 50% but also the film tolerance is improved significantly plus a measurable reduction in scrap. In total the effectiveness of production is improved through, additional production capacity, improved film tolerances, order change times are minimized and raw material savings due to reduced gauge tolerances and shorter setup times…

-click here- for further information (incl. detailed information,examples and case study)

BinMaster: Collaborate on Development of BinLink Remote Wireless Monitoring Solution

BinMaster Level Controls and Digi International (www.binmaster.com) have collaborated on the development of BinMaster’s BinLink Web-based bin, tank and silo monitoring solution.  The solution enables remote wireless inventory management of stored material from any PC with Internet access. This saves customers time and money by eliminating the need for on-site remote bin level measurements. The solution includes BinMaster SmartBob2 and SmartBob-TS1 sensors mounted on the bins and a Digi Connectport™ X gateway running the SmartBob application to provide bin level measurement data that can be accessed easily via the Internet.

“BinMaster’s customers have been seeking an integrated, turnkey solution that allows them to access bin material levels via the Internet whether they are on site, off site or in the corporate office. The Digi gateway provides the critical interface between the SmartBob sensors and the BinLink Internet-based software,” stated Todd Peterson, vice president of sales for BinMaster. With BinLink, users can view inventory data on demand or receive automated alerts to their cell phone, PDA or computer when bin conditions meet user-defined thresholds.

BinMaster is an iDigi Tank Monitoring Solution Partner. Digi ConnectPort X gateways enable centralized data collection and when integrated into the BinLink solution can be used by any type of business that desires remote bin management for one to hundreds of bins for one or many sites. BinMaster’s customers span cement, aggregates, mining, plastics, chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing, food processing, ethanol and biofuels processing.

The Italian company Colines presents the latest innovations on their HANDrollEX® stretch film line at their factory in Azzate (Varese) from February 15 to 26, 2010. More information -click here-

At SPE’s FlexPackCon in Houston, Feb. 22-24, 2010, Hank Schirmer of BBS Corp. will discuss research on barrier films produced with up to 75 layers of various resins, including EVOH and COC.Utilizing a modular die system, the researchers used both downward and upward extrusion to produce variants of traditional barrier films. They substituted up to 75 nano-layers such as PP/EVOH and COC/EVOH for the barrier core.

While the COC/EVOH films suffered from lack of adhesion between the components, they exhibited excellent optical qualities. The PP/EVOH structures were hazier, presumably because of the inherently higher haze of the PP and rheological issues.  The researchers report no enhancement of oxygen barrier, either wet or dry, resulting from the nano-layer structure. They hypothesize the nano-layer technique may have modified the crystallinity and inherent barrier of the component resins, or brittleness may have degraded layer continuity and barrier. The researchers suggest how modifying the resins might improve adhesion.

Among other related papers at FlexPackCon will be “High Barrier, Non-Foil Packaging Materials” by Tom Dunn, Printpack, and “Value Films from Sub-Micron Layers” by Gary Oliver, EDI.  The three-day FlexPackCon program will also include sessions on sustainability and source reduction, recent advances in materials and converting technologies, and the impact of recent regulatory changes on flexible packaging manufacturers.

More information on SPE’s FlexPackCon 2010 and International Polyolefins 2010 Conference is available at http://www.spe-stx.org/PolyolefinsConference.htm, at www.4spe.org, or by calling Lesley Kyle at +1 203-740-5452.