SML: Sleeve-Touch Technique
The SML-Sleeve-Touch technique combines the advantages of the chill-roll process, with those of the polishing stack technique and the water bath process. The films produced in this way have very good optical and mechanical properties, good flatness, low thermal shrinkage and a high-quality surface finish. By comparison to steel belt systems, the Sleeve-Touch technique permits thinner films to be produced, and a change of sleeve from a high-gloss to an embossing polishing belt can be performed considerably quicker. A switch in the process mode to chill-roll or conventional polishing stack can also be completed within a short period of time. A further advantage over steel belt technology is the fact that the melt emerges vertically from the die, directly into the sleeve gap. It is also possible to switch the production mode between calender/chill-roll/sleeve in less than an hour, due to an innovative roll-stack design with different docking stations. In this way, the change can be made from calendering mode to sleeve or chill-roll mode by simply switching docking stations.