Technology/Machinery at K2016 Materials • Riyadh-headquartered Sabic’s focus will be solutions to minimise food wastage, reduce weight and lower carbon footprint of packaging materials. Thus, it will showcase new high-flow PP Flowpact products for thinwall food packaging where a good balance of high stiffness and high flow is required; and LDPE film grade for thin-gauge packaging. New advanced fivelayer barrier film structures for meat packaging include LLDPE 218BE with improved draw ability and fewer deposits. A new range SABIC continues to of PP copolymer cast take a pro-active role films offer extra protection in the industry by with high puncture and improving the purity, organoleptic properties tear resistance, sealability, and cleanliness of resins eye-catching optics, and used in PET and food compliance with food packaging regulations. Another highlight will be a line of renewably sourced PE and PP resins based on waste fats and oils. • Topas Advanced Polymers will focus on the expanded adoption of cyclic olefin copolymers (COC) in healthcare, packaging, optics, and electronics. In addition, Topas COC has been identified as an alternative to Barex polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in pharmaceutical packages such as medicinal pouches and patches that require strong chemical resistance and adsorption. • US-based ExxonMobil will showcase its expanded Exceed XP high-performance PE resins launched in April at Chinaplas in Shanghai, China. It will also display the recently introduced Enable 40-02 mPE for compression packaging and geomembranes, as well as a range of low viscosity Vistamaxx performance polymers for home and consumer products and other applications. • Dutch firm DSM Engineering Plastics will launch ForTi MX polyphthalamides (PPAs) based on nylon 4T, said to be cost-effective alternatives to die-cast metals. The grades feature improved mechanical strength and toughness across a broad range of temperatures. Available with 30-50% glass fibre, MX grades are targeted for structurally loaded parts such as housings, covers, and brackets in automotive powertrain, air and fuel systems, and chassis and suspension, as well as industrial pumps, valves, actuators, home appliances, and fasteners.
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With the market for die cast replacement growing at close to 10% per year, DSM believes that its ForTii MX will ensure that high growth continues
• Germany’s BASF will showcase its Ultramid Advanced N portfolio comprising unreinforced PPAs and compounds reinforced with short/long-glass fibres. Said to exceed the properties of conventional PPAs with consistent mechanicals up to 100°C, glasstransition temperature of 125°C, chemical resistance, low water absorption, and low friction and wear, the products are suitable for small connectors and function-integrating housings in white goods, consumer electronics, and mobile devices. Other target markets are automotive components and structural parts near the engine and gearbox in contact with hot, aggressive media and different fuels. • Germany-based Lanxess will debut a new generation of Durethan PA6, BKV 30 XF (XtremeFlow), as a successor to Durethan DP BKV 30 XF. It is 30% glass fibrereinforced and is said to be more than 17% easier flowing, targeted at Lanxess’s Durethan PA6 is mounts and brackets used for the oil pan module in vehicles. Also new are for the new six-cylinder three PA6 compounds boxer engines of the reinforced with 30% glass Porsche 911 Carrera fibres and microbeads: Durethan BG 30 X XF, BG 30 X H2.0 XF, and BG 30 X H3.0 XF. The H3.0 thermal stabilisation compound has a low copper and halide content and is customised for natural and lightly coloured applications in electrical/electronics parts such as plugs, plug connectors, and fuse boxes, while the H2.0 version is for black components that are subjected to higher heat loads. • Another firm introducing new nylon grades is US-based Ascend Performance Materials. The PA66
Technology/Machinery at K2016 copolymers boast the same CLTE as aluminium for use as window profiles in large industrial/ commercial buildings. The company has also entered the food packaging market with new PA66 compounds for products such as oven bags and downgauged meat-packaging films (40 microns compared to 50-60 microns). • Also on the nylon trail, Solvay Specialty Polymers will introduce two Technyl products for the automotive market: a new series of heat performance PA6.6 for thermal management applications and a PA6.6 with a specified and controlled halogen content tailored to fit sensitive electrical/electronic applications. Solvay will also launch Technyl 4earth, said to result from a "breakthrough" recycling process for technical textile waste, initially from airbags, converting them into high-quality PA66 grades with performance comparable to prime material. Solvay will also introduce new additions to its Technyl Sinterline PA powders line, specially designed for 3D printing applications and for development of 3D printed prototypes. • Italy’s Softer has a new line of Litepol B compounds based on PA6 reinforced with hollow-glass microspheres to reduce the weight of plastic parts by up to 30%. Targeted at the automotive sector,
they boast good strength and shock resistance, dimensional stability, and short cycle times. • UK’s PEEK specialist Victrex will feature AE 250 PAEK composites, developed for the aerospace sector. For automotive, it will feature its new online PEEK gears package. A new type of PEEK and a record-length PEEK composite structure in the form of spoolable underwater pipe will target the oil and gas sector. • Heroflon will present a new range of thermoplastic compounds called Heromelt, which are fluorothermoplastics, FP PEEK special blends and colour fluoro masterbatches. • Germany’s Covestro will showcase the prototype of a new design for a steering wheel cover. It features a wide range of colours, surface structures and tactile properties that can be reproduced on the same component from a single mould using DirectCoating. The coated component is produced in a two-component mould using a two-stage process in an injection moulding machine. After moulding in the first cavity, the cover is transferred to a second cavity that is one coating layer thicker. The solventfree coating system is injected into this mould via RIM (reaction injection moulding) mixing head. This creates a polyurethane-coated component with virtually no post-processing.
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Technology/Machinery at K2016 • US-based Dow Chemical will demonstrate new flexible packaging being developed with Italy’s Nordmeccanica, a specialist in coating, laminating, and metallising machinery. Dow will also feature its new family of Innate Precision Packaging Resins, said to offer stiffness/toughness balance with improved processing. Produced with a patented molecular catalyst, coupled with advanced process technology, the resins have been shown to have up to twice the abuse resistance of standard PE resins in coextruded films.
• Huntsman will feature pigments for applications ranging from packaging and construction profiles to automotive and electronic components. It will also feature its new Tioxide TR48 TiO2, said to process well, even at high temperatures. Designed for use in polyolefin masterbatches, BOPP films, and engineering compounds, TR48 boasts easy dispersion and tint-reduction capabilities for lowVOC formulations. It is geared to premium and general packaging, consumer electronics, and automotive components.
• Austria’s Borealis will showcase three new Queo polyolefin elastomer (POE) grades with lower densities (0.868-0.870 g/cc) and MFR from 0.5-6.6 for interior and exterior car parts, adhesives and cable compounds. It launched Queo in 2013 after it was acquired from Dutch firm Dex Plastomers, a joint venture of DSM and ExxonMobil Chemical. After three years of R&D and investing in Compact solution polymerisation technology (now rebranded Borceed), Borealis is ready with its compounds. Meanwhile, its sister company Nova Chemicals will showcase an all-PE stand-up pouch for dry foods like pet foods. A multilayer film structure, it offers recyclability, unlike the standard PET/PE laminate, and the ability to run on the same lines at the same speeds.
• Lanxess’s subsidiary Rhein Chemie Additives will feature the latest in its line of organic Macrolex Gran colourants, said to provide brilliant colouring of plastics such as PS, ABS, PET, and PMMA. Consisting of hollow spheres, the high-purity Macrolex microgranules can be easily crushed, allowing for quick and even dispersion. The free-flowing properties of the 0.3-mm spheres make precise metering easier and prevent clumping during mixing.
• Italy’s Finproject Industries will introduce Levirex antistatic and oil resistant compound developed in Finproject’s laboratories, according to European safety regulations. Based on expansible and crosslinking polyolefins, the compounds can be injection moulded. Pigments • Swiss firm Clariant’s new PV Fast Yellow H4G is to replace lead chromates in PVC and polyolefins. This FDA-compliant organic benzimidazolone is said to have three times the colour strength of lead-based pigments, so lower levels are needed, as well as opacity and weather fastness. Also new is quinacridone PV Fast Pink E/EO1, made with bio-succinic acid, for colouring toys and food packaging. Its recently launched Polysynthren Black H is an IR-transparent dye that enables easy sorting of black articles made from nylons, ABS, and PC during recycling. Clariant is replacing its lead chromates with PV Fast Yellow H4G
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Masterbatches/Additives • US firm Modern Dispersions will show a new line of EcoBlack masterbatches that contain 100% recycled carbon black from post-consumer tyres. EcoBlack 40, a PE-based masterbatch, complements the company’s line of black masterbatches. It also delivers cost savings from 5-10% over standard grades and can be used in traditional applications such as film, sheet, and moulded items, at typical letdown ratios of between 2-5%. The firm has trialled it in several automotive and office furniture applications.
Modern Dispersions’s EcoBlack product is made of 100% recycled carbon black from postconsumer tyres
• South Korean Songwon’s Songxtend 2124 stabiliser for the automotive industry improves the long-term thermal stability (LTTS) of the short and long-glass fibre reinforced PP used in interior applications for moulded parts, and can match the LTTS performance of 1,000 hours and beyond at 150°C. It also allows parts to be thinner and lighter while still having similar mechanical properties as unfilled parts.
Technology/Machinery at K2016 • Spain’s Tolsa Group will launch a new range of Adins Clay extended flame retardants based on natural silicates, to meet the new stringent demands for smoke performance. The combination with halogen and non-halogen FR and Adins additives in PVC and rubber systems are said to significantly reduce heat release and smoke generation in transportation, electrical/electronics, building and construction, and structural applications.
Tolsa will introduce new flame retardants
• Struktol Company of America will highlight additives for reclaimed/ recycled plastics and for polymer compounds that contain recycled content. These are TR229 for PC and PC/ABS blends as well as PA6 and PA6.6 compounds; TR219 for PET and PBT compounds. RP38 is a new, multi-functional package that incorporates vis-breaking technology with lubricant and odour control, while RP37 is designed to provide unmatched viscosity modification and lubrication in recycled PP compounds and resins that contain high levels of PE contaminants.
Struktol will feature an additive line for recycled compounds
• Germany’s Wacker Chemicals’s Vinnex line of additives for bioplastic compounds are based on PVA. Vinnex 2526 is said to simplify
manufacture of highly transparent, biodegradable PLA and PBS films, optimising both melt and bubble stability during extrusion. Meanwhile, Vinnex 2522, 2523, and 2525 are said to boost processing and heat-sealing properties in paper coating with PLA or PBS. Vinnex 8880 is designed to enhance melt flow for injection moulding and 3D printing.
Technology/Machinery at K2016 • Clariant will launch AddWorks LXR920 flame-retardant masterbatch, with UV protection, for polyolefin roofing sheets. It will also showcase new Licocene PE 3101 TP, a metallocene-catalysed PE, as a nucleator for PS foams. It is said to be more economical than standard nucleating agents with similar solubility, viscosity, and drop point. • Vertellus Specialties’s new products are used in compounding as compatibilisers for PA combined with recycled PET, and as chain extenders to produce branched high RV polyamides with lower material and processing costs. • BASF will highlight Tinuvin XT 55 HALS light stabiliser for polyolefin films, fibres, and tapes. With low contribution to water carryover, it is designed for geotextiles and other construction textiles, roofing insulation, barrier structures, and carpets that have to withstand harsh climate conditions such as prolonged UV exposure, fluctuating and elevated temperatures, and environmental pollutants.
Recycling Equipment • Under the banner of Careperformance, Austria’s Erema will unveil its recycling 4.0 initiative at the K2016 show. Building on the high level of automation of its Interema recycling technology, introduced at K2013, the company has developed what it calls a smart factory package for recyclers and producers. Careperformance will be shown live in action at an outdoor 480-sq m Recycling Centre, with an Intarema TVEplus 1108 integrated with Laserfilter, which will be recycling some of the plastic waste from the K show on site. The machine, quality and process data will be transferred in real time to Erema’s booth in Hall 9, Stand C05. The closed product loop, from production to reuse, will likewise be presented in live demonstrations. And lastly, the Recycling Centre will feature an exhibition of products made with recycled material. It will open at 11 am on 19 October in the outdoor area (FG 09.1).
• For the wire and cable industry, US-based Addivant will highlight three products: Lowinox Fast XL for power cables and two new Polybond coupling agents enabling HFFR (zero halogen) cables. In transportation are new stabilisers for PU foam for compliance with new car interior emission standards, and Royaltuf nylon impact modifiers for automotive interior and under-the-hood applications. Others like Ultranox 800 series allow enhanced efficiency for PP. • Chemtura Corporation will showcase its flame retardants and organometallics, a pioneer in co-catalyst and activator systems. Its latest Axion Mao activator technology now fully implemented serves the global single site catalysts market. Chemtura’s flame retardants benefit industries such as electrical/ electronics, insulation, furniture and automotiv
• Croda Europe will be offering live demonstrations on a range of anti-scratch additives, said to reduce scratch width, depth and visibility with no negative impact on parts including low visible bloom, low odour and maintained gloss. The range offers products for a variety of polymers and applications from high gloss surfaces to transparent parts.
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Erema’s smart factory package under the banner of Careperformance
Careperformance consists of four components, with the Intarema system forming the basis of the smart factory application. In addition to the previous machine data, specially integrated sensors, the QualityOn package, can be used to record and evaluate MVR (Melt Volume Flow Rate) and colour. The QualityOn enables recyclers and producers to achieve consistency in the recyclates, in accordance with special requirements of customers, and document these recipes using online data acquisition and analysis. Recipes, thus, can be compared with each other and modified. In order to make use of the data in a user-friendly way, Erema has developed a MES (Manufacturing Execution System) known as re360. It keeps track of the productivity of an entire range of machinery in five modules, works independently of the plant manufacturer, and customers can integrate not only different systems but also their global production locations. It also gives an overview of the capacities/ stoppage times of the systems for management, documents key quality data of the recyclates for the location manager and informs the operator about upcoming maintenance jobs.
Technology/Machinery at K2016 Furthermore, re360 is linked to the Spare Parts Online, Erema's online webshop. Any upcoming maintenance work and the replacement of individual parts are displayed by re360 and spare parts can be ordered directly. The customers' respective Erema systems and previous orders are stored at Spare Parts Online. At the last K2013, Erema launched the Intarema system, based on Counter Current technology. It is said to provide process stability while maintaining flexibility with easy operation and less energy consumption. This stability enables automation processes such as Smart Start or the Recipe Management System, which in turn form the basis for Industry 4.0 applications. Since its launch in 2013, more than 450 Intarema systems have been sold worldwide. • Italian manufacturer of recycling lines Gamma Meccanica has sold lines in the Turkish and Japanese markets. In Turkey, Gamma Meccanica supplied a GM125 Compac for recycling of PP and PE waste. It comprises a Compac feed with cutter-compactor, single-screw extruder with degassing, screenchanger and pelletiser.
Gamma Meccanica’s GM90 Compac
The Compac cutter compactor is controlled by the Ecotronic system to provide significant energy savings. Water is no longer used to control temperature. It also affords the possibility of recycling materials with high moisture content. An important feature is the presence of the feeding screw that allows for a steady controlled flow of material into the extruder, which has a degassing station with two ports to facilitate the escape of gases produced during the melting of the material. New extruder screw designs have been incorporated to increase the production outputs of the machines while the barrel is heated by optimum heaters for this type of application. The exterior casing has improved insulation with ceramic fibre to prevent heat loss and ensure increased energy efficiency. Compac’s feeding screw was fundamental in the customer’s choice, says Gamma Meccanica. “Comparing the laboratory tests on the quality of the granules produced and the hourly production of major Italian and qualified foreign manufacturers of recycling plants, the Gamma Meccanica line ensured the best quality recycled granules and especially a higher hourly production. The line produces about 10% more than competitors' lines of the same size,” says the firm.
In Japan, a GM90 Compac line for stretch and packaging film recycling has been delivered to one of the largest stretch film recycler. The screw and barrel of the extruder are designed to process LDPE, LLDPE and PP. “Also in this case, the comparison of the Gamma Meccanica line with competitors has shown a more constant hourly production; it works in a more automated mode and has a very low energy consumption,” said the firm. • NGR will be showing its PET Improvement Equipment, P:REACT, with S.M.A.R.T. DIALOG. The firm says scientific third party tests, as well as FDA approval for 100% food contact, prove that the LSPProcess (Liquid State Polycondensation), which was launched at K2013, exceeds security levels required in the food packaging industry. This process therefore allows the usage of rPET in food or nonfood applications. S.M.A.R.T. DIALOG is a system that allows self-monitoring of the machine. For food grade applications, the decontamination performance is automatically monitored and the data is logged. A recipe-management on the equipment allows for input of PET material to be classified and also logged together with production-data, traceability included. (S.M.A.R.T. = Self-Monitoring Analysis + Reporting Technology). • Another Austrian firm Lindner will show a washing system for pre-shredded contaminated PCR known as Rafter that includes the Micromat WS wet shredder and a downstream Loop Dryer. The cleaning process comprises three phases. First, a special conveyor screw pulls the contaminated material under the water surface so that heavy contaminations such as metals, stones or glass can precipitate. Then, particles adhering to the plastic such as sand, soil or other contaminants are removed by a paddled rotor in a stationary drum, with floating and precipitated particles being separated by means of plate screens. Upon completion of the washing cycle, the pre-cleaned waste rises to the surface again and is delivered to the following process steps by a feed screw. The separated materials and removed contaminants are discharged by an optional chain-type scraper conveyor. It has an output of up to 2,500 kg/hour, and a water demand of 3 to 10 cu m/hour.
Lindner’s new Rafter for pre-washing of PCR OCTOBER 2016
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Technology/Machinery at K2016 Thermoforming • Swiss machine maker WM Thermoforming Machines will debut the Twist700, designed to produce containers in PP, PP/EVOH, and PET that require high quality and narrow dimensional tolerances. • Italy’s OMV, which belongs to Swiss industrial group Wifag-Polytype Holdings, will showcase its fully automated RM77 Revolver, with in-mould trimming, for making cups and tubes. It has a revolving mould, hence its name, featuring three semi-moulds, one negative and two positive, on the same vertical axis. The negative mould half operates at full cycle speed, while the two positive mould halves complete the cycle every two cycles of the negative half. This design is said to allow formed parts to remain in the cavity for an additional cycle, which is said to improve quality and increase production speed to up to 174,000/hour of PP cups, which the company claims to be a world record. The 57-tonne thermoformer has a forming area of 770 x 480 mm. • Germany’s Illig will feature an in-mould labelling (IML) unit, able to decorate a variety of PP cups in different geometries, on an automated 18-cavity IC-RDM 70K roll-fed machine with a forming area of 680 x 300 mm and output of 17,280 PP cups/hour. Illig will also show a new flexible stacking and packaging system that combines stack removal, inspection and packaging. The removed parts can be packed as stacks in bags in conventional box sizes. It will be shown on a 12-cavity RDK54 thermoformer that will churn out cups made of transparent APET film with an antiblocking additive. • Italy’s Amut Comi will show its ACF820 former that combines the features of its V and F series. It can accommodate a wide range of materials to produce trays, lids, fruit/vegetable boxes, flowerpots, clamshells, nursery trays, and plates. With a modular design, ACF can be supplied in various configurations: forming, forming and cutting in the same station and in two stations, and forming, punching and cutting in three stations. Up or down stackers, three-axis robot as well as customised solutions are available to stack parts with different nesting. It can also be integrated with an IML system, using a side-entry robot to load labels inside the forming mould. The use of steel rule cutting moulds makes the IML more competitive compared to existing IMLs, says the firm. • Germany’s Kiefel’s new KTR 6.1 Speed produces cups at a speed of 45 cycles/minute. A significant rise in punching force is combined with a greater forming area to allow for an increase in the number of cavities. The newly developed pre-stretching plug is actuated by a linear motor. Faster pre-stretching has a positive effect on material distribution and processing speed. A new vertical stacking and picking
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Kiefel’s latest high-speed thermoformer
system allows the KTR 6.1 to produce even thinner cups. It works without the assistance of brushes or rubber elements to eliminate friction, for smoother and cleaner production. • Canada’s GN Thermoforming Equipment will debut its GN800 form/cut/stack machine, which launches its entry into the market and expands its plug-assist machine offerings. Developed in partnership with Italy’s Agripak, which manufactured and sold form/ cut/stack thermoforming machines until 2003, GN says it is to meet the growing use of the technology. With a forming area of 800 x 570 mm, it can form 150 mm above and below the sheet line. It also features a standard oven that is four times the index length of the forming area, with high-efficiency solar heaters and independent top/bottom servo-plug drives for better material distribution. It is able to handle sheet widths up to 880 mm and thicknesses from 0.25-1.5 mm. The company is currently targeting food, medical and industrial packaging.
GN Thermoforming marks its entry into form/cut/ stack market with its exhibit
• Battenfeld-Cincinnati will display a new XXL version of its Multi-Touch roll stack that features a novel combination of a roll stack with two rolls for precalibration and either three, five, or seven rolls in post-calibration. They are said to produce stress-free sheet with thickness tolerances of ±1% at high speeds. The new XXL roll stack has an output of 3 tonnes/hour (depending on width and thickness of the sheet). BattenfeldCincinnati’s XXL version of its multitouch smoothing mechanism
Technology/Machinery at K2016 Blow Moulding • Austrian Mould & Matic, a part of Kiefel, will introduce its updated Blowliner injection stretch blow moulding (ISBM) machine. All the machine movements of the stretch/blow moulding station are actuated by a servo-electric system. The firm says it cooperated “with a renowned partner” for the best injection moulding technology, reportedly Austria’s machine maker Engel. It can produce 10-30 million 0.5-l containers/year. Mould & Matic’s latest IBM features electric movements for the stretch/blow moulding station
• Engel itself will show injection blow moulding (IBM) boasting higher speeds using a standard allelectric injection machine (E-motion 740/220) and an eight-cavity cube mould by Foboha of Germany. To shorten cycle time, preforms are blown in the opposite mould, parallel to injection moulding. An easix six-axis robot removes the finished parts and places these onto the conveyor belt with the opening facing upwards, without any increase in cycle time. An insulating cover in the blowing stations prevents the preforms from cooling off. Engel says this concept could be scaled up to 96 cavities without
compromising cycle time or accuracy and is beyond the range of conventional IBM, adding that process consistency can be achieved with its self-regulating iQ weight control and iQ clamp control software. Mould Engel says its new IBM concept temperature control can allow the production of up will be provided by six to 96 containers/shot Engel e-flomo watermanifold units, each having four automatic flow control circuits. • Italy’s ST Soffiaggio Tecnica will be exhibiting its top selling ASPI 150.2 Mono model. It has a 70-mm extruder, 2-l accumulator head and will be equipped with a robot for the extraction and handling of parts. The manual rotation of the extruder allows for ease of maintenance and screw extraction without displacement of the accumulator head and the possibility to completely retract the platform, to allow mould change from the top. • German Kautex is extending its all-electric KBB line, which it launched at K2013, for jerry cans. The KBB200 and KBB400 models are said to set new benchmarks for speed and efficiency. At the show, a model will be equipped with a three-layer head for the Kautex ReCo process, which incorporates regrind in the centre layer and colourant in the outer layer.
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Technology/Machinery at K2016 It will be coupled with networked auxiliaries such as leak testers, scales, and vision cameras that are integrated with the main machine control, in line with the trend towards smart factory and Industry 4.0. • Germany’s Bekum is extending its electric Eblow series with the hybrid EBlow 37, based on the proven BA34.2 hydraulic canister machine. The new model is a single-sided machine for canisters of 10-35 l and production rates up to 240 canisters/hour (based on a 20-l canister), which is 15% higher. It has an electric screw drive and clamp movements, but the closing pressure is servo-hydraulic. Clamp force is 37 tonnes and mould width is 700 mm.
Bekum’s new EBlow 37 will produce canisters
• US-based Jomar is introducing an IBM machine that incorporates a servo-driven hydraulic system, developed in partnership with Bosch Rexroth. The IntelliDrive series is said to feature reduced energy use comparable to all-electrics (40-50% less than standard hydraulics) and only costs 10-15% more than a conventional hydraulic unit, with no change in footprint. In addition to the power savings, the machine requires 40% less hydraulic oil, uses less than half the cooling tower water, and emits less ambient heat compared to standard hydraulic machines. It also features a closed-loop system for the clamping system, allowing precise control over the speed and position and faster speeds for opening and closing while simultaneously reducing impact upon tooling. Jomar’s IntelliDrive series features servo-driven hydraulics
• Germany’s Wittmann Battenfeld will show an IBM on a horizontal, servo-hydraulic SmartPower 240 press with a two-cavity, indexing-plate mould from Grosfilley of France. Preforms for 150-ml bottles are injected in one station, blown in the second, and ejected free-falling in the third. If a fourth station were added, the preforms could be overmoulded with a second colour or material.
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• US firm Agr International will feature the CrystalView material optimisation system for automated management of material orientation/crystallinity for PET bottle manufacturers. CrystalView works in conjunction with Agr’s Process Pilot blow moulder management system. CrystalView uses an electronic camera to monitor bottle haze as an indicator of crystallinity and adjusts preform temperature to achieve the highest orientation and crystallinity, and maximum lightweighting potential, with lowest stresscracking tendency. Pipe/Profile Machinery • Italy’s Sica will showcase a complete downstream line from puller to packaging robot: P160 four caterpillar puller (up to 160 mm); TRS/C/SY 160R planetary saw for cutting and chamfering of PVC pipes; Multibell 160MR belling machine equipped with hot air oven and double socket Rieber system; EG 110 pipe lifting and turning unit and the patent pending Smartpack 110 machine that first straps a bundle of pipes and then bags the strapped bundle. Labelling is via pre-stamped stickers on single pipes or bags of pipes, and a robot places bags on pallets or, in the same line, can pick single pipes and place them on another pallet. • Germany’s KraussMaffei Berstorff will showcase two KMD 108-36 E2/R twin-screw extruders for producing u-PVC pipes at an output of up to 2,000 kg/hour. The 36D extruders boast 30% lower footprint than lines of similar outputs. Energy requirements are also lower compared to a larger extruder that uses the twinstrand, saving 0.02 kW per hour/kg of material. The extruders will be paired with the KM-RK 23-250 pipe head, designed for large diameters and high outputs. • Battenfeld-Cincinnati will show the pipe head, calibration sleeve, and vacuum tank in its Fast Dimension Change (FDC) system for polyolefin pipes. With the pipe head, die changes are said to be unnecessary, thanks to an adjustable melt gap. For the first time, an adapter for the outer layer has been integrated with the adjustable die, offering what is said to be the shortest purging times currently available. Instead of a rigid calibration cylinder, the FDC calibration sleeve consists of movable elements that can be adjusted to almost every diameter but do not leave any markings on the final product. The 1.5-m long FDC vacuum tank has servomotor-driven scissors-lift tables for height adjustments. Compounding • KraussMaffei Berstorff will launch a cascade extrusion system for reprocessing polyolefins. The first extruder, which can be equipped with an upstream shredding or agglomeration system, is designed for feeding, melting, homogenising, and degassing washed and sorted reclaim. Fine screening at the end of the processing section removes any solid foreign matter. A gear pump then feeds the melt into the second
Technology/Machinery at K2016 extruder, equipped with several gravimetric metering devices for all necessary compound components, as well as side feeders and an additional degassing system. Depending on process and task, cascade combinations of single/twin-screw extruders or two twin-screw extruders can be used. • German firm Leistritz will introduce a microscale laboratory as well as a variety of service and engineering support services, including the expansion of remote technical-service capabilities. In addition, an auditorium will be integrated into the booth design to facilitate daily technical presentations on a variety of twin-screw extrusion-related topics. • Japan Steel Works (JSW) will show its TEX25 a III laboratory extruder with a side feeder, for compounding engineering plastics and rubber/ elastomers. The compact 26.5 mm-diameter co-rotating twin-screw extruder (first debuted in 2014), is the smallest of eight types in the TEX- a III series (up to 129.5 mm diameter). Updates include a new gearbox design, combined with enhanced gears and bearings, screw shafts and barrels as well as individual barrel temperature control, allowing for a high torque of up to 194 Nm per shaft, as well as more aggressive kneading and mixing.
Auxiliaries • Rapid Granulator is introducing the Raptor hybrid shredder/granulator. The modular unit features a world-first with its “open-hearted” design, enabling quick and direct access to the shredder rotor and cutting chamber, simplifying cleaning and servicing. Other features include a unique cutting system, tiltback hopper, and design for integrated granulation. It is offered in 36 configurations to handle various applications. • Italy’s Piovan, which launched its Winfactory in 2008 as the first remote factory monitoring control, has been updated for Industry 4.0. It uses OPC-UA (Open Platform Communication-Unified Architecture) protocol to supervise and ensure dialogue between Piovan and OEM machines. There is no longer need for interfacing to “translate” data provided by each device into a common format. A similar communication platform allows access and use of the software on tablets and smartphones.
Piovan’s Winfactory 4.0 tablet
JSW’s laboratory twinscrew extruder
• German firm Coperion is presenting the STS Mc twin-screw extruder with a torque of 11.3 Nm/cu cm. Improvements include a new manifold with coaxial solenoid valves, improved heat covers, quick-release clamps for easier replacement of feed hopper as well as the CSpro basic control system. The 35 mm-diameter exhibitor model has a die head specifically developed for masterbatch applications, and is equipped with a volumetric twin-screw feeder from Coperion K-Tron. To prevent vibrations during operation, it has been made with a torsion-resistant base frame like the ZSK series. Coperion’s twinscrew extruder for masterbatch production
• Italian company Moretto will exhibit the Moisture Meter resin moisture analyser on an injection moulding machine producing a standard medical device. It is the culmination of the cooperation of two universities and an independent research laboratory. Trial applications at Moretto customer sites have been running for over a year. The system does not require calibration; it is only necessary to select the polymer to be treated in a continuous process and sampling every 10 seconds. It comes equipped with Moretto will show its Moisture Ethernet, USB, RS485 Meter on the machine communication ports and is compatible with Moretto’s Mowis supervising system. Other equipment on display will be XD10 mini-dryer; DGM continuous batch gravimetric dosing unit; and EXA conveying system for up to six stations. OCTOBER 2016
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Technology/Machinery at K2016 • US company Conair’s patent-pending R-PRO (Resin Protection Conveying System) dense-phase vacuumconveying system minimises pellet fracturing, "angel hair" and equipment wear. Pellets move at speeds slower than high-speed dilute-phase conveying, thus resulting in pellets smearing against the sides of aluminium tubing, deforming and creating long streamers or “angel hair” that can clog the system. Brittle materials (like styrene or polycarbonate) can break up and create dust and fines, and hard pellets, like glass-filled resins, can wear away the inside of the conveying lines eventually causing leaks and failure. The new system, comprising standard vacuumconveying components, is said to reduce the severity of these problems. • US firm Maguire’s new LoPro vacuum loading system for conveying pellets and regrind from storage to single or multiple blenders is said to be simpler to operate. It consists of autonomously controlled receivers that are 80% shorter than conventional material loaders and receivers. The low-profile receivers protrude 200 mm above the lid of a blender, providing a low centre of gravity, minimising potential sway on fast-cycling processing machines. Each Maguire’s new LoPro vacuum loading system with a removable module receiver is selfcontrolled, with no central control required. Installation is with plug-and-play cabling and sequential linking of components. Receivers load on a first-in/first-out basis. Vacuum is supplied from a “mini-central” unit mounted on a portable floor stand or on the blender and is powered by a single-phase brushless motor. • ProTec Polymer Processing will show the new Somos Batchmix XL batch metering unit for outputs up to 1,920 kg/hour, suitable for feeding multi-component mixtures to both injection moulding machines and extruders. It is designed to handle up to six flowable components annd can be equipped with Somos suction conveyors for automatically filling material storage hoppers. • Nordson Corporation’s BKG HiCon R-Type 250A melt filtration system for recycling highly contaminated plastics involves the use of a cylindrical “separating head” with knives arranged on its surface in a helical pattern to move contaminants forward as the head rotates. Enclosing the head is a stationary filter element called a “strainer tube.” When contaminated melt from an entry port flows into the cylindrical
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space between Nordson’s melt filtration system the rotating head and the strainer tube, the knives capture the contaminant while the contaminant-free melt moves through the strainer into flow channels that lead to an exit port. At the same time, the rotating head turns a screw, guiding the contaminated material through cooling sections and is discharged into collecting bins. The system operates at a maximum pressure of 350 bar and maximum temperature of 320°C, with outputs of up to 1,500 kg/hour. • Swiss firm Maag will unveil a new underwater pelletising system, combining the capabilities of Maag and recently acquired companies Gala Industries and Reduction Engineering Scheer (RE Scheer). The system has been designed to be a onestop solution. All of the components are produced by Maag companies. This includes the melt pumps, screenchangers, diverter valves, die plates, cutting chambers, water bath, strand dies, cutter systems, interlocking systems, cutter hubs, system controls, cutting tools, support frame, and any other required equipment. Maag’s new underwater pelletising system, a result of integration with its sister companies
Welding Machinery • Swiss firm Rinco Ultrasonics will present the latest version of its electrical ultrasonic welding machine, AGM Pro. It features a newly designed generator that can be controlled by the unit's own PLC; an integrated Internet interface and a touch display via which the user can also configure and control the AGM Pro. During a welding process, the device records all the parameters digitally, Rinco presents its new ultrasonic welder
Technology/Machinery at K2016 including error messages. A two-hand activation system provides for greater ergonomic comfort. Also new is the contact breaker that can be controlled via welding steps (welding force, distance and time), allowing clean welding of complex applications. • LPKF is presenting a wobbling PowerWeld3D 8000 to join large automotive parts of up to 100 cm x 70 cm with welds of between 1 and 5 mm width. It can also handle height differences. Wobbling is a process in which the laser beam moves with a small amplitude transverse to the weld path. Height differences that would otherwise lead to altered seam widths can be automatically compensated by adjusting the amplitude. The weld is, thus, tracked several times over, creating homogeneous temperature distribution. Analysis of the setting path and welding time generates reliable data about weld quality.
adapter enables processors to easily change the screw without dismantling the melt pipes, feed block and other components. An extraction tool is included to manually change the breaker plate meltfiltering inserts. The adapter is engineered with an electrical pressure gauge, manual or motorised pressure spindle, double thermocouple for every heating zone, and breaker plate with two-screen pack. Davis-Standard is also one of only a few manufacturers worldwide to offer a high-speed extruder for demanding processes where rates and energy savings significantly impact profitability. Its 75-mm, 40D extruder offers processing versatility due to a favourable surface to volume ratio, compared to conventional extruders. The potential for improved processing is especially evident for high-speed sheet, fibre and extrusion coating processes, at outputs up to 1,500 kg/hour. It can be supplied with a direct drive AC motor or permanent magnet synchronous motor, offering energy savings of 10-15% when compared to traditional systems. Additionally, the screw speed and drive unit can be adjusted to accommodate different processing conditions.
LPKF’s so-called wobbly welder to join large components
Extruders/Dies • US-based Davis-Standard will exhibit a 90-mm extruder with a new frame, feedscrew design and quick screw exchange (QSE), for high temperature processes up to 300°C and speciality copolymer resins for film, coating, adhesion and moulding applications. The extruder frame is built with additional space to simplify maintenance and improve heater access. Upgrades include computerdesigned screws; electrical barrel heating with air-cooled blowers for each zone; temperaturecontrolled water cooling for gearbox oil cooler, water-cooled screw and feed section; and fixed die support and thermal expansion capability. The QSE
Davis-Standard offers the Quick Screw Exchange technology for high temperature processing
Davis-Standard will market the benefits of its high-speed extrusion
• Battenfeld-Cincinnati will show a stand-alone conEX NG65 extruder and conEX NG54 in a co-extrusion set-up. The latter is mounted on a pedestal and combined with a twinEX 93EP as the main extruder. This new solution is suitable for a variety of options and can be adjusted to the location’s requirements, thanks to its modular system. In addition, conEX NG54 features an energy-saving kit with a synchronous motor and a variety of features that reduce energy use. • Germany’s Reifenhäuser will show its Evolution Ultra Die for barrier films, which combines benefits of stack dies and spiral mandrel designs to offer flow channels that are about 70% shorter than competitors. This allows processors to make quicker job changes for symmetric or asymmetric barrier structures. The die has a smaller diameter and is heated from both the inside and outside, which leads OCTOBER 2016
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Technology/Machinery at K2016
Reifenhäuser’s Evolution die provides flexibility in the production of barrier film
Film/Sheet/Cast Extrusion • Germany’s Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H) is keeping under wraps its new innovations but says it will continue to focus on the concept of Packaging 4.0, “showing how intelligent machines, integrated processes and intuitive handling are already increasing efficiency and flexibility of the production.” The family-owned company will also have an open house at its 3,000 sq m technology centre at its headquarters in Lengerich. Innovations include a new generation cast film line and machine demonstrations for printing, converting and blown film.
to shorter heat-up times for start-up of the line and change of raw materials. • Nordson will show a redesigned version of its widely used EDI Autoflex VI flat die that has increased “stroke” of the lip adjusting system by 43% without adding to response time, enabling it to correct a wider range of process variations, without need for manual intervention. The design is also smaller and more streamlined, simplifying disassembly and reducing the time for Nordson has increased the stroke of its lip adjusting system maintenance. • US firm Cloeren will display its next-generation EBR V (Edge Bead Reduction) die for extrusion coating/ laminating, of which it has installed more than 50 over the last five years. It will also exhibit what it says is the world’s widest NanoLayer system, comprising a 55-layer nanoLayer feedblock paired with a 5,435-mm Epoch Die. The system is designed to produce third-generation nanolayer stretch films. Another exhibit is the patented moebius-manifold die, which features "revolutionary" internal geometry suited for processing residence time-sensitive resins like PVC. • Hosokawa Alpine will feature its patented X Die, now available in up to 11 layers. It will also display its TRIO (Trim Reduction for Inline Orientation) MDO system, which it says minimises neck-in and is said to reduce edge trim by 100% while producing a flatter film profile. Other exhibits are new winders and take-off units from subsidiary Hosokawa Kolb, and a new control system called ExVis.
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W&H will focus on Packaging 4.0 at the show
• Reifenhäuser will exhibit Evolution Ultra Flat and Ultra Stretch, integrated with the haul-off to flatten and orient the film, respectively. With Ultra Flat, flatter lamination film can be printed more easily resulting in savings. The company has, since its launch two years ago, sold 20 lines worldwide. First presented as a prototype at K2013, Evolution Ultra Stretch now it provides an easy way for downgauging without sacrificing film properties. It enables the production of compression bag film that is 30% thinner; pre-stretched silage film that is 35% thinner and lowers investment costs for producing breathable films, compared to blown films with in-line MDO. • Davis-Standard’s popular dsX systems for extrusion coating, cast film and blown film processes have had a positive industry response due to a competitive advantage in price, performance and delivery, says the firm. The 450 m/minute-dsX flex-pack (extrusion coating) provides converters and printers an adaptable configuration for a variety of emerging applications, including salted snack and noodle bags, toothpaste tubes, personal care products, condiment packs and stand-up pouches. The dsX s-tretch (cast film) is the first all-in-one system of its kind for in-line, pre-stretch cast film processing. Integrated technology eliminates the need for traditional pre-stretching methods, resulting in thinner films, faster line speeds and improved film strength. Films as thin as 6 microns at speeds from 550-1,000 m/minute can be run in three, five and seven-layer configurations. As an added benefit, the dsX s-tretch has a narrow footprint for installation in tight spaces. It is also available with coreless winding to reduce waste.
Technology/Machinery at K2016 with a 13-layer feedblock and eight extruders including edge encapsulation for maximum outputs of 3,000 kg/hour. • Canada-based Macro will be featuring barrier film technology for shrink and non-shrink applications up to 13 layers with its newest MacroPack-FP die; microlayer technology up to 24 layers; foam technology in single layer or multilayer film and sheet applications; customised turret and surface winding systems from 750 mm to 8 m wide and high output PVC cling film.
Davis-Standard will promote its dsX lines
The dsX flex-film (blown film) is built to support applications like films for laminating and converting, bag making shrink film, hood shrink film, collation film, multi-unit packaging films, roll stock and surface print films. Unlike similar systems, processors can take advantage of upgrades that balance productivity against capital investment. This includes multiple extruder packages and options for greater efficiency. • India’s Rajoo Engineers will be the only Asian company to demonstrate live its Pentafoil five-layer all-PE blown film line, in a throwback to K2013 where a five-layer barrier film line was running, to commemorate its 30th anniversary. This line incorporates advancements in technology such as cylindrical spiral die (CSD), internal bubble cooling, circumferential profile control with elevated air ring and triple lip, full automatic winder and touchscreen-based supervisory control panel. It is packaged in an affordable price, Rajoo says. With a maximum output of 650 kg/hour, the line can produce PE film in the thickness range of 30-250 microns. • Austrian firm SML will exhibit its PowerCast, a 4 m-wide (8-up) stretch film line for hand, machine and jumbo roll production. It is equipped
SML’s focus will be on its PowerCast line
• Italy-based Bandera will run the TechnoFlex Plus five-layer line, flexible enough to switch seamlessly between both all-polyolefin and barrier film structures. Among the new features of the system is a control package that controls the material dosing and automatically makes changes in film formats. • Germany-based Brückner Maschinenbau will display for the first time a biaxially oriented line for PET (BOPET) film with a working width to 10.4 m, boasting 20% higher output than the normal 8.7 m width, and speeds to 515 m/minute. In BOPP, Brückner will show a newly designed sliding system for transversely stretched film that offers line speed to more than 600 m/minute. At the same time, new materials for the sliding system are said reduce the need for lubrication by more than 50%. These materials are also available on a retrofit basis. • US firm Addex will show a new cooling technology said to increase output by 40-60%. Called ICE (Intensive Cooling Experience), the patent-pending unit consists of a series of cooling rings arranged in a stackable configuration around the bubble. Each of these rings directs divergent air flow along the bubble, both upward and downward, to provide high film-holding forces and peak cooling efficiency. These cooling elements are assembled using spacer pipes that also provide a common feed of cooling air to each cooling ring. The stack mounts above the top of the die. Each ring provides a 10-15% increase in output versus using conventional dual-flow air rings. Addex will launch its ICE cooling technology OCTOBER 2016
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