Strictly-Extrusion

Rapra Technology is part of a 14-strong European consortium that has secured Eur 1•4 million of EU funding for research into the use of supercritical CO2 as a process aid in extrusion. Further funding from other organisations in the consortium brings the research budget up to Eur 2•51 million. Other organisations in the consortium include Presearch of the UK, Queen’s University Belfast, Aimplas from Spain, Yelkenicilier from Turkey, AGOR from Germany, Cesap from Italy and the Spanish companies Plastire and Reboca.
The Freeflow project aims to increase extrusion output rates, reduce processing temperatures and reduce energy consumption. It will develop a prototype extruder that will allow full commercial development of the process. During the initial stages work will be undertaken to determine the general process requirements which will lead to the selection of the most appropriate polymers and processing equipment to permit maximum plasticisation with acceptable final product performance. The results of the work will be communicated through EU bodies that are members of the consortium such as the European Plastic Converters in Belgium, Promaplast in Italy, AVEP in Spain, PAGEV in Turkey and the British Plastics Federation in the UK.

Building on the established advantages of its Borstar® bimodal process technology, Borealis has introduced a new generation of proprietary technology - Borstar PE 2G, a multi-modal process that enables the molecular tailoring of polyethylene (PE) to provide solutions that meet the exact needs of the customer.
“We are very proud to present the newest Borstar developments at a time when we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of our proprietary technology,” said Henry Sperle, Executive Vice President Hydrocarbons & Projects, Borealis.
Yielding a step change in polymer design, Borstar PE 2G consists of a new catalyst system in combination with process improvements. This results in a simplified process with fewer steps that offers even better safety, through modified catalyst handling. Also, Borstar PE 2G provides a lower energy consumption of up to 7% per ton produced as well as increased plant capacity to bring both cost and environmental benefits.
By allowing tailoring of the molecular structure of PE to precisely match application requirements, Borstar PE 2G gives the possibility to extend Borealis’ product range with more sophisticated, customer-oriented solutions that are characterised by outstanding mechanical and optical properties, such as transparency and sealability, with excellent processability.
The improvements offered by this multi-stage technology have already been tested and applied in Borealis PE production facilities in Porvoo, Finland and Stenungsund, Sweden and its benefits have been proven. Borstar PE 2G process technology has most recently been implemented in the new Borealis PE production facility at Schwechat, Austria with a capacity of 350 kt/y to capture the growing demand for linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) for flexible consumer packaging and industrial applications.
Tailoring for customer-oriented solutions
With Borstar PE 2G, Borealis is able to offer a versatile range of solutions for flexible packaging covering the full spectrum of linear low, medium and high density grades. In combination, these grades offer the best film formulation to fulfil the needs of the value chain.
A typical example of this is Borealis’ new PE film grade Borstar FB4370 for advanced packaging solutions. It offers a unique spectrum of mechanical properties such as high stiffness and toughness, with easy opening and downgauging possibilities.
Together with outstanding extrusion and high productivity it is already paving the way for new packaging opportunities and efficiencies.
Another example is Borstar FB4250T, an enhanced linear low density PE film for high quality film in demanding packaging applications such as heavy duty films. This new grade is an excellent material where higher stiffness and mechanical toughness combined with transparency are needed.
These products give the additional benefit of a downgauging potential of between 20-25%, making them an environmentally friendly solution. Moreover due to the better flow properties of Borstar products, the converter can achieve significant improvement in production regularity and film quality.
For PE100 pipe fittings and extrusions, Borstar PE 2G enhanced pipe grades can provide even better durability through slow crack growth, ensuring long service life and low maintenance. Borstar PE 2G enhanced pipe grades deliver an extremely smooth surface improving water flow characteristics.
Through these enhancements, Borstar PE 2G technology underpins Borealis’ strategy to aid the success of its customers by answering the challenge to deliver the high performance, value added solutions they need today and in the future.

An electronic memory device printed on a plastic film has been prototyped by a Japanese research group. The Organic Semiconductor Devices Group of the Photonics Research Institute of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has produced a device with a 3 × 3 memory array which retains a two-digit drain current on/off ratio for more than 10 days after power is turned off.
The group used a soluble biopolymer material with a bar-like helix structure to create a ferroelectric thin film by changing inter-molecular interactions by controlling the molecular weight and molecular structure of the biopolymer. Then it made a two-terminal device that has the ferroelectric thin film, treated as a dielectric layer, placed between electrodes, and confirmed that the device demonstrates memory capability.

A new Davis-Standard, LLC duct tubing line gives processors maximum versatility for processing multi-layer tubing for fiber optic applications.
Davis-Standard recently tested the line under production conditions at its lab in Erkrath, Germany. The line, used for processing HDPE tubing, features two layers. The inside layer has small serrations and a thin silicon PE coating to reduce friction, which is essential when feeding fiber optics down long tube lengths. The outer layer has four stripes to provide color coding for identification purposes. The line is capable of line speeds ranging from 110 meters per minute for small 5mm by 4mm diameter tubing to speeds of 55 meters per minute for larger 12mm by 10mm tubing. Other line speeds tested include 75 meters per minute for 7mm by 5mm diameter tubing and 60 meters per minute for 10mm by 8mm tubing.
The coextrusion arrangement includes a 75mm Euro Blue extruder combined with a 25mm coextruder for the inner layer and a 20mm coextruder for the outer layer. A coextrusion spiral distribution head and die sets optimize melting for the coextruders. The line also includes pre-bath calibrators for high speed applications, a vacuum and cooling tank with air blow-off, a non-contact laser gauge with vacuum control, a belt puller with remote controls, and dancers with a dual spindle winder and cutter.
Davis-Standard has supplied similar lines for fiber optics used in Internet-based and telecommunications applications. For more information about this line and Davis-Standard’s fiber optic duct tubing capabilities, contact Gerhard Folie at Davis-Standard’s facility in Erkrath, Germany at gerhard.folie@davis-standard.de or by telephone at
+49-211-2404-313.

Century Inc.’s extrusion unit has a new owner that should boost the twin-screw extruder maker’s international presence. CPM Holdings Inc., USA, bought Century Extruders for undisclosed terms effective Jan. 17. CPM is a leading supplier of equipment for such processes as particle size reduction and pellet agglomeration. The new ownership will help Century Extruders follow its global customers, said Century Extruders President Bob Urtel. CPM’s offshore locations include Wexford, Ireland; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Singapore; and Wuxi, China. Century Extruders attempted to set up a connection in China in late 2004, but it was unable to finalize an agreement, Urtel recalled. Early stages of negotiation envisioned Nanjing Ruiya Polymer Processing Equipment Co. Ltd. using Century Extruders’ engineering to make twin-screws for the world market.
Century Extruders is a major producer of twin-screw extruders for polymers, chemicals and food processing. The company stresses extruder manufacturing will remain in its hometown of Traverse City, Michigan, and the management, operations, engineering, and sales and service teams will continue. Executives continuing with the company include Urtel and global sales manager Charlie Spearing. Industry veteran Asmut Kahns will stay on as a business adviser.

German extruder manufacturer Kiefel Extrusion has sold a line to a South African packaging manufacturer. Venk-Pac, based in Canelands, has purchased a Kirion three-layer co-extrusion blown film system. It will use the equipment to produce stretch hood film, as well as shrink hoods and other industrial packaging films. The line is capable of producing film 2,600mm wide, with an output of 400-550kg/hour. Kiefel has sold systems to South Africa since the 1970s – but this is the first line that it has sold to Venk-Pac.

PVC profile distributor Eurocell Building Plastics, a subsidiary of the Fairbrook Group which is in turn a subsidiary of the the Plastics Converting Business Group of the Belgian Tessenderloo PVC major, has taken over six depots from Brunel Plastics in the South West of England, bringing the number of Eurocell outlets in Britian to 70. Eurocell Profiles will gradually supply the new distribution centres with its own brand of PVC profiles. It has also secured a long term PVC window profile supply contract with AGS, a sister company of Brunel Plastics specialising in the production and the installation of windows.

DuPont Glass Laminating Solutions announced that new production capabilities for its safety glass interlayers are now operational. The facilities expansions were put in place in response to strong global demand growth for impact-resistant glass. Key to the expansion is opening of the company’s new manufacturing line in Fayetteville, North
Carolina, which makes DuPont SentryGlasPlus interlayers for global markets.
SentryGlasPlus continues to be used to address the extreme demands of
applications around the world and is finding new applications including
embassies, high-rise building facades, balustrades, handrails, floors and
overhead glazing. DuPont’s latest glass interlayer offering provides
architects with expanded capabilities for meeting increasingly stringent
building codes, especially in hurricane markets. It is stronger, clearer and
more durable than traditional interlayers.
DuPont also opened a new facility in Wilmington, Del., for making
SentryGlasExpressions, an innovative safety glass offering that brings
together DuPont inkjet and polymer science to meet the need of architects
and designers for decorative architectural glazing. With the new
technology, designers now have the ability to customize designs and images
with photographic realism, along with the safety and security benefits of
laminated glass.
“The investment in these facilities responds to strong global demand growth
and demonstrates DuPont’s commitment to this business and to becoming
the leading supplier and innovator of glass laminating solutions for a better,
safer world,” said Luigi Robbiati, global business director for DuPont Glass
Laminating Solutions. “SentryGlas® solutions are opening up entirely new
applications for the use of glass in buildings where it has never been used
before, with many new possibilities for building design.”

Applied Films GmbH, Alzenau, Germany, has won the 2005 Innovation Award at the ICE (International Converting Exhibition) in Munich for its color-shift film coating. A supplier of thin-film deposition equipment and services, Applied Films uses electron-beam evaporation to apply a three-layer coating to flexible substrates. Its proprietary “Fabry Perot Filter” consists of a thick metallic (aluminum) base layer acts as a mirror. On top of that is a transparent aluminum oxide (alumina) layer that allows light to reflect in different colors. The top layer is a thin, semi-transparent aluminum layer. When viewed at different angles, the reflected color changes, making the coating attractive for decorative packaging and security labels. The company’s Topbeam deposition system can apply the coating at 20 meters/min. Tel: +49 6023 92 6000; fax: +49 6023 92 6200; e-mail: info@eu.appliedfilms.com; www.appliedfilms.com

Battenfeld Injection Molding has moved to the testing phase on its four-year project to develop a ceramic screw. The idea was recently awarded a prize in the Germany state of Hesse’s Technology Transfer Network (TTN). The screws are designed for processing very abrasive materials, such as highly filled compounds. The project partners – which also include Aachen University and HC Starck Ceramics – have found new ways of producing metal-ceramic composites, and methods of joining them to metals. “Ceramic screws will soon be ready for commercial production,” said the company. The screws can also be used in extrusion equipment – and Extrusion for Ceramic Technology (ECT) is already building extruders using ceramic screws and barrels.