Extrusion

Compounding

Introduction to Energy Management For Plastics Processors

Energy efficiency is one of the “hot” topics of the 21st century and plastics processors around the world are trying to come to terms with it.

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Air/Water Cooling Die Doubles Output of PE Pipe

A new high-output extrusion die for large HDPE or PP pipe (110 to 2000 mm OD) combines water-cooling of the melt before it leaves the die with air cooling inside the pipe.

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Michigan Plastics Machinery Moves

Michigan Plastics Machinery (MPM), a maker of downstream equipment for pipe and profile extrusion, has moved from Kawkawlin, Mich., to nearby Bay City.

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New Source of Crossheads

WEB EXCLUSIVE JoeTools, a supplier of plasticating components for extrusion and molding, is expanding its product line with ThermoGuard insulated crossheads for building and communication wire, medical tubing, hose, and pipe.

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Film Extrusion

High-Speed Extrusion: Are You Ready for the Fast Lane?

Around three dozen, mostly European, processors are pushing commercial development of high-speed single-screw extrusion. They have installed more than 100 of the small hyper-drive machines whose screws turn at up to 1500 rpm, about eight to 10 times faster than standard extruders. At least two German machine builders are working on machines that will go to 2000 rpm and even higher. The goal is to raise output without increasing extruder size.

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Film Extrusion

Don’t Wind Wrinkles Into Your Film

Wrinkles are a major cause of defects in extrusion winding and converting, especially with thinner films, which are much more wrinkle-prone than thick ones. The cause of most wrinkles is located close to the roller where the wrinkle first appears and can be identified by looking at the orientation and pattern of the wrinkle. First, find the cause; then try to eliminate or at least reduce it.

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Film Extrusion

Investing in Planet-Friendly Packaging

Clear Lam Packaging Inc. is a mid-sized, family-owned packaging company with an enviable growth rate of over 20%/yr, unusual at a time when many mid-sized packaging companies are being bought out and disappearing. The secret, Clear Lam believes, has been its aggressive investment in R&D.

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American Kuhne Moves

Extrusion equipment supplier American Kuhne, Inc., has moved from Norwich, Conn., to a 12-acre site in Ashaway, R.I., which is much closer to Providence airport.

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Film Extrusion

Tiny, Low-Priced CCD Camera

WEB EXCLUSIVE A tiny new line-scan camera for non-patterned web inspection requires a fraction of the space and a fraction of the cost of most web-inspection cameras.

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Disk Pump Helps Compound Long-Fiber Thermoplastics

Already a familiar sight on European store shelves, the eye-catching appeal of "IML" is gaining traction among North American injection molders. The latest tooling and automation designs can handle the higher volumes needed here.

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Plastics Size Reduction