Multiscrew
NPE Newsfinder: Chemicals & Additives
Lots of new additive and color concentrates will be displayed at NPE 2000. There will also be new pigments, including some for laser marking. Several new processing aids and modifiers for thermoplastics and thermosets are slated to debut. Also look for new mold releases and a purging agent for optical disc resins. Interesting new fillers include a new electroconductive wollastonite and high-impact wollastonite grades for automotive applications.
Read MoreNPE Newsfinder: High Volume Thermoplastics
New octene and hexene LLDPEs, as well as HDPEs based on new metallocene and non-metallocene catalysts, will make their debut in Chicago next month. Among them will be the first metallocene HDPE film resin in North America.
Read MoreExtrusion Close-Up
Easier-to-use software is making computer flow simulation more popular for designing dies for sheet, profiles, and film. Even the apparently simple case of a "spaghetti" die for pelletizing shows how flow simulation can be an essential tool for diagnosing and solving difficult processing problems.
Read MoreCompounding
The big news at K'98 was some unique multi-screw machines for processing filled, colored, and recycled compounds. One of these machines has five screws, and another has 12. Still another has several grooved rolls instead of screws.
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