Strictly-Extrusion

The well-known Austrian flat-die manufacturer EMO has introduced a new
system for automatically adjusted flat dies. Beside the automatic adjustment of the die in order to optimise the thickness profile - this new system enables an automatic movement of the flex-lip of about 0,7 mm, so also an electronic lip-gap positioning is possible. With electronic lip positioning lip-gap changing is possible during production. Only few minutes are necessary to change from a 300 micron film production to a 700 microns production. Just by entering a new gap distance in the control panel, the lip will move automatically to the given gap. This happens parallel across the die, and consequently the system remains stable.

Koch-Glitsch, Germany has launched its new generation of static melt mixer. An extrudate of high quality requires a homogeneous melting at the tip of the die. There is a common problem of high differences in temperature, and consequently in viscosity of the melting. Especially the homogeneity with reclaimed material is usually insufficient. These problems can be remedied by using the static melt mixer KMB. The mixer is located directly before the die. The static mixing elements are suitable for the mixing of high-viscosity material, independent of the actual output of the extruder. A streaks-free and constant coloring can be achieved. The decrease in pressure of only 20 to 50 bar (max. 80 bar) can be compensated by the extruder.

Gossen Corp., USA and Vinyl Building Products Inc., USA have joined forces to engineer, develop and manufacture structural foam and composite products for the window and door industry.

Wexco Corp., USA offers a new tungsten-carbide-lined barrel cylinder offered with a five-year warranty (non-prorated). Wexco promises that its new Durocast bimetallic barrel liners won’t wear by more than 0.010 in. on the I.D. for five years from shipment date, contingent on what materials are processed on the extruder. Exceptions include recycled resins, fluoropolymers, resins containing over 60% filler, compounds with ferrites, powdered metal or long-glass and those processed at temperatures over 800 F.

Malaysian manufacturer Scientex Inc. Berhad is building a second plant to meet expanded demand for its industrial packaging division´s polyethylene stretch films.

An advanced composite extrusion system introduced by Davis-Standard, USA will change the way plastic/wood fiber products are being manufactured. Trade named as the Woodtruder, this new dual-extrusion system combines current wood fiber processing and plastics extrusion technology into one, highly efficient and cost-effective machine. “This extrusion system offers several commercial advantages and technological benefits, simplifying the wood fiber extrusion process,” said Dave Murdock, Davis-Standard’s Business Area Manager of Building Products. “Processors will now be able to use a greater array of basic polymers when processing wood fiber composite products while eliminating the expense of costly wood fiber drying and blending equipment.”

Set up in a tandem extrusion arrangement, the Woodtruder features a primary 28:1 parallel twin-screw extruder and a single screw, side-injection extruder. Gravimetric feeders convey the wood fiber composite at a controlled rate into the primary extruder. The first section of the primary extruder utilizes a unique heating and venting system to eliminate moisture from the wood fiber. The side-injection extruder, mounted mid-way through the primary extruder, separately heats and melts the desired polymer. Depending on the wood fiber-to-polymer ratio, the polymer is then injected at a controlled rate into the primary extruder. Since the polymer joins the fiber in a molten state, it encapsulates the wood fibers, resulting in a thoroughly mixed, high-quality composite of up to 80 percent wood fiber.
For more information about the Woodtruder, contact Dave Murdock at Davis-Standard’s primary manufacturing facility in Pawcatuck, CT, at (860) 599-6391

The University Paderborn, Germany and Krauss-Maffei Kunststofftechnik, Germany has jointly developed an internal cooling system for HDPE pipe heads. By freezing off the inside of the PE pipe the internal cooling allows the usage of a shorter cooling unit. A cooling media is pumped through a elongated pin extension into the pipe.

After recent acquisitions in the past, the Irish Barlo Group intends to take over the Irish competitor Athlone Extrusions plc. for a price of Euro 55,8 million. Athlone Extrusions is a manufacturer of boards and films made of PS and ABS with a turnover of Euro 47,8 million. At the same time Barlo announced the acquisition of board manufacturer PCHZ-Acryl, Slovakia for the price of Euro 8 million.

Aluplast GmbH, Germany will take over the division “Osmo Pane Kunststoffprofile” of Ostermann & Scheiwe, Germany. This division is specialised in door and window profiles with a recent turnover of Euro 18 million and 107 employees.

Clextral SA, France has built a new 53-mm high speed twin screw compounder. Main features are the 300 hp motor and new gearbox for high torque, a maximum screw speed uf up to 1200 rpm and modular-designed barrels from 12:1 to 48:1 L/D. The output reaches more than 680 kg/hr (=1500 lb/hr) of 40% talc-filled PP.