New developments for greater reliability in operation when compounding at high output rates

Transcription

1 Contact: Kathrin Steimle Marketing & Communication Coperion GmbH Theodorstraße Stuttgart / Germany Phone +49 (0) Fax +49 (0) kathrin.steimle@coperion.com Press Release Coperion Open House in Stuttgart/Germany on 28th and 29th January 2009 New developments for greater reliability in operation when compounding at high output rates Stuttgart, February 2009 Given the same size of machine, the co-rotating twin-screw extruders of the ZSK MEGAcompounder and ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS series have an output capacity many times greater than that of their forerunners. The decisive factors for the increase in output are the optimized screw geometry (D o : D i = 1.55, where 'D o ' is the outer diameter and 'D i ' the inner diameter of the screw), the increase in available torque at the screw shafts (specific torque M d / a³ = 13,6 Nm/cm 3, where 'a' is the centre-to-centre distance between the screws) and the resulting possible increase in screw speed to 1,200 r.p.m. and over. By reason of its enormous processing competence and expertise as Dr. Peter Heidemeyer explained at the Coperion Open House in Stuttgart/Germany in January 2009 Coperion is able to combine this performance increase with other innovative measures in order to achieve high outputs in a great many different processes while at the same time maintaining, or even increasing, reliability in operation. Moreover, Coperion ensures, not least through its wellcoordinated material and process technology, that machine wear is reduced to a minimum and product quality is optimized in spite of the extremely high energies that have to be converted mechanically. Innovative solutions for feeding and venting zones Among the most important innovative measures are the improvements in the feeding zone and the installation of a twin-screw side venting unit. In processes with feed limitations, e.g. when processing products of low bulk density and hence high air and moisture content, the feed

2 capacity can be considerably increased with the aid of so-called Feed Enhancement Technology (FET). With this technology, the feeding zone is provided with a porous, gaspermeable wall, to the exterior of which a vacuum is applied, enabling the feeding zone to take in a much larger volume of material and hence also contributing to an improvement in the melting process in the downstream section of the extruder, as the volume of gas entrained by the material into this section is considerably reduced. The geometry of the screw in the feeding zone has also been optimized. Especially when processing products with such feed limitations as those described above, and without waiving any reliability of operation whatsoever, these two measures together can double or triple the volume of material fed into the extruder! FET can be used not only on the twin-screw extruder itself but also, and with the same feedenhancing effect, on the ZS-B twin-screw side-feeder systems. Thus it is possible to feed lowdensity products into the compounding extruder downstream of the feeding zone and at a high rate of feed. Typical FET applications are, for example, the production of highly talc-filled or chalk-filled compounds, the filling of polypropylene with microscopic hollow glass beads, the compounding of wood-polymer composites (WPC) or the production of masterbatch. The new ZS-EG twin-screw side venting unit fully matches the high capacity of the MEGAcompounder PLUS. Its twin screws hold back the melt in the compounding extruder and enable the gas to vent in the opposite direction to their conveying direction. The unit's high venting capacity is made possible by its deep-flighted screws, while the relatively low speed of the vented gas ensures that hardly any product residues are entrained out of the extruder by the gas. Any residual product that does find its way out of the extruder is separated from the gas stream before it can enter the vacuum pump. Thanks to its side mounting position, the ZS-EG is user-friendly; it can be swung to one side for full and easy access to its interior. Its typical applications are, for example, the production of glass fibre reinforced or highly filled compounds, wood-polymer composites (WPC) or thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). The importance of materials for wear resistance The available materials for the barrel and the screw elements differ considerably not only in terms of abrasion and corrosion resistance but also in respect of cost. Naturally, an optimum choice of materials is not possible without precise knowledge of the intended application. Using the HIP process (Hot Isostatic Pressing), for example, the barrel can be rendered abrasion and page 2 from 6

3 corrosion resistant by providing its basic ductile/malleable steel body with a wear-resistant coating having a hardness of 60 to 65 HRC. In the case of screw elements, particularly good results can be obtained with a protective layer produced with the aid of CVD technology (chemical vapour deposition) on a highly wear-resistant powered-metallurgical sintered steel. Aids to making product development fast and transparent A newly introduced quick-release coupling for small compounders (ZSK 18 to 34) permits very fast screw change. It shortens the cleaning times, for example, when changing over from one product or colour to another, thus enabling the user to make better use of available capacity. The coupling has male and female connectors similar to those of a garden hose coupling and is very easy to use. Complementing the above-described new developments are newly introduced aids for the development of new plastic products. Sampling plate for speeding up product development: The plate enables the user to take a specimen from the extruder barrel in less than 10 seconds, even if the extruder barrel is only partially filled. It is available for use with ZSKs with screw diameters ranging from 18 to 92 mm. See-through barrel plug quite literally makes product development transparent. It permits the user to observe the process in the extruder barrel. It will withstand temperatures of up to 250 C, has a large observation window and can be used on ZSK sizes up to 40/43. Coperion ( is the international market and technology leader in compounding systems, bulk materials handling systems and services. Coperion designs, develops, manufactures and maintains systems, machines and components for the plastics, chemicals, food and aluminium industries. With its three Competence Centers Compounding & Extrusion, Materials Handling, Service and over 30 sales and service companies, Coperion achieves annual sales of over 600 million euros worldwide and has a total work force of 2,100 employees. page 3 from 6

4 Dear Colleagues, an MS-WORD file of this press release in English and German and a printable-grade copy of the enclosed image are available for download at Editorial contact and voucher copies: Dr. Diether Burkhardt, KONSENS Public Relations GmbH & Co. KG, Hans-Kudlich-Straße 25, D Groß-Umstadt Phone: +49 (0)60 78/ , Fax: +49 (0)60 78/ mail@konsens.de, Internet: page 4 from 6

5 Fig. 1. The ZS-EG 70 twin-screw side venting unit, shown here mounted on a ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS, is distinguished by its high venting capacity and reliability in operation; it can simply be swung to one side for maintenance and cleaning purposes. Photo: Coperion, Stuttgart/Germany page 5 from 6

6 Fig. 2. This quick-release coupling permits very fast screw change; it is available for small compounders ranging from ZSK 18 to ZSK 24. Photo: Coperion, Stuttgart/Germany page 6 from 6

7 Contact: Kathrin Steimle Marketing & Communication Coperion GmbH Theodorstrasse Stuttgart / Germany Phone +49 (0) Fax +49 (0) kathrin.steimle@coperion.com Press Release Coperion Open House in Stuttgart/Germany on 28th and 29th January 2009 Turnkey compounding lines in modular design from one single supplier Stuttgart, February In view of the steadily growing demand for its modular plants for the compounding of plastics, Coperion GmbH, Stuttgart/Germany, has considerably widened not only the scope of application of these systems but also their performance range. At present, there are a good 50 such systems in service worldwide. Coperion is the only single-source manufacturer able to offer a complete system from start to finish backed by the collective knowhow of two Competence Centers, Compounding & Extrusion as well as Materials Handling: raw material handling, feeding, compounding and pelletizing, drying, conveying and bagging of the finished goods. The advantages for the user: he has only one supplier to deal with and need not concern himself with the mechanical or electrical connections and/or interfaces between the individual system units, which would be the case if the system units were all sourced from different suppliers. Today, the market especially demands compounding systems with an output capacity of anything between 2,000 and 3,500 kg/h. For such high-capacity applications, depending on the actually required output and the type of product, Coperion offers either a ZSK 70 or a ZSK 92 MEGAcompounder PLUS. A typical example is a complete turnkey plant equipped with a ZSK 92 MEGAcompounder PLUS for the production of glass fibre reinforced polyamide (PA) compounds. It is contained in a steel structure with two overhead working platforms and prehopper integrated cranes and comprises the following main modules: the pre-hopper module for bulk storage and refilling of material to be fed into the ZSK;

8 the feeder module for the various PA grades and the necessary fillers and additives; the ZSK module as the compounding extruder, installed at floor level and equipped with a 92 mm diameter screw; and the downstream modules such as the pelletizing unit, the cooling unit, the silos for the finished product and the bagging unit. Prior to delivery, this complete turnkey production line was, like all such systems, completely assembled at the Competence Center Compounding & Extrusion (formerly Werner & Pfleiderer) and tested under production-specific conditions in the presence of the customer. It was with the aid of this example, among others, that Steffen Bader, Business Segment Manager Modularand Turnkey Plants, explained the particular user benefits of such pre-tested turnkey plants at the Coperion Open House in January Size and capacity may range from the ZSK 26 MEGAcompounder up to systems with a screw diameter of 133 mm and/or output ratings of up to 5 t/h. The equipment variations possible with modular plants are exemplified not least by the downstream module. Besides the usual strand pelletizer, for example, it is also possible to equip the downstream module with waterring pelletizers or underwater pelletizers with varying drying systems. Further examples of existing modular plants include compounding lines for direct long-fibre thermoplastic (D-LFT) compounding or for the production of special compounds for the insulation of offshore pipes. Coperion generally understands a modular line to mean a completely equipped compounding line built up from standardized modules. These modules cover all stages of operation and range from the upstream handling of raw materials via feeding systems to the downstream bagging and logistical handling of the finished product. It goes without saying that the modular concept also embraces a uniform and user-friendly control and automation technology for the entire system. The individual units are each contained in a steel structure that can be readily separated via just a few interfaces for easy transport. This form of construction offers numerous advantages, e.g.: Every modular plant can be thoroughly tested at Coperion's production facility prior to delivery. Trial production runs can also be carried out, thus providing the future operator with sample quantities for opening up of a new market. page 2 from 6

9 The modular plant can be quickly installed and put into service. The operating personnel can already be trained during the trial production runs at Coperion. The modular plant makes no particular demands on the building in which it is installed except for the required headroom and the load-bearing capacity of the floor. The modular plant can be quickly transferred to another location if required. Every modular plant is equipped with a uniform, user-friendly control system that unifies all functions under one common user interface. A modular plant can be readily installed in an existing production facility, even in a confined space, without unduly affecting the production of the adjacent production lines. Every modular and turnkey plant is designed and engineered by Coperion exactly in accordance with the actual requirements of the customer. For its choice of the materials handling units, the ZSK equipment and peripherals and the configuration of the screw, Coperion can rely on its vast processing know-how acquired in the fields of materials handling and extrusion. Coperion modular and turnkey plants are in service worldwide. Coperion ( is the international market and technology leader in compounding systems, bulk materials handling systems and services. Coperion designs, develops, manufactures and maintains systems, machines and components for the plastics, chemicals, food and aluminium industries. With its three Competence Centers Compounding & Extrusion, Materials Handling, Service and over 30 sales and service companies, Coperion achieves annual sales of over 600 million euros worldwide and has a total work force of 2,100 employees. Dear Colleagues, an MS-WORD file of this press release in English and German and a printable-grade copy of the enclosed image are available for download at Editorial contact and voucher copies: Dr. Diether Burkhardt, KONSENS Public Relations GmbH & Co. KG, Hans-Kudlich-Straße 25, D Groß-Umstadt Phone: +49 (0)60 78/ , Fax: +49 (0)60 78/ mail@konsens.de, Internet: page 3 from 6

10 Fig. 1. Photo of pre-tested turnkey modular plant comprising the raw materials handling module, a ZSK 92 MEGAcompounder PLUS for the compounding of polyamide. Taken during trials at Coperion. Photo: Coperion, Stuttgart/Germany page 4 from 6

11 Fig. 2. Waterbath, pelletizer and spiral cooling conveyor in a modular plant awaiting acceptance test at Coperion. Photo: Coperion, Stuttgart/Germany page 5 from 6

12 Fig. 3. The modular plant for laboratory and development applications, equipped with a ZSK 26 MEGAcompounder, affords plenty of space and flexibility. Photo: Coperion, Stuttgart/Germany page 6 from 6

13 Contact: Kathrin Steimle Marketing & Communication Coperion GmbH Theodorstrasse Stuttgart / Germany Phone +49 (0) Fax +49 (0) kathrin.steimle@coperion.com Press Release Coperion Open House in Stuttgart on 28th and 29th January 2009 Four years' success with the ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS Stuttgart, February Since the introduction of the ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS four years ago, Coperion GmbH, Stuttgart/Germany, has already sold 600 machines of this type, thus considerably exceeding the number of sales of its forerunner, the ZSK MEGAcompounder. This was one of the items of news conveyed by Peter von Hoffmann, General Manager Business Unit Engineering Plastics & Masterbatch of the Competence Center Compounding & Extrusion (formerly Werner & Pfleiderer) at the Coperion Open House in Stuttgart on 28th and 29th January This twin-screw high-performance compounder has a 20% higher torque rating than its forerunner and is therefore primarily suitable for compounding applications requiring a high energy input. And since the higher torque rating permits a higher filling rate, the output is typically 30% higher, while the temperature of the product may in many cases even be reduced. As numerous cases of practical application have shown, this advantage makes the ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS an extremely economical and versatile compounder and explains the enormous success it is enjoying in the market. The outstanding performance of the ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS really comes into its own when compounding glass fibre reinforced polymers. Here the glass fibres are fed downstream straight into the already plasticized matrix material, thus avoiding not only damage to the glass fibres but also screw abrasion in the processing section. Depending on the configuration of the machine, the glass fibres can be added in the form of chopped strands or straight from the roving. The use of other fibres (e.g. carbon fibres) and combinations with other reinforcing agents and/or fillers is also possible. In this way it is possible to produce compounds with up to

14 60% w/w glass fibres. Machines configured and rated for such high performance are generally equipped with an adequate number of venting devices in order to ensure a high quality of product. Comparative compounding trials with polypropylene with a 30% w/w glass fibre content have shown that the ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS can achieve an increase in output of 30% and more in comparison with its forerunner. Here the melt index (MFI) of the product remains virtually the same, while its notched impact strength and its tensile strength are slightly higher. The reason for this improvement in product properties lies in the reduced shear input for each of the three screw speeds used for the trials (600, 900 and 1,200 r.p.m.), which in turn resulted in a reduction in product temperature by around 7 C. Similar results were obtained with compounding trials with a polyamide (PA 6.6) with a 30% w/w glass fibre content. Even in the case of a polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) compound, likewise reinforced with a 30% w/w glass fibre content, it was possible to increase the output of just under 5,000 kg/h on a ZSK 92 Mc to 6,000 kg/h on a ZSK 92 Mc PLUS (screw speed 800 r.p.m.), while the specific energy consumption was reduced. A further innovative application is the production of PET film from non-pre-dried PET. For this application the ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS is equipped with one atmospheric and two vacuum venting devices. Even at the same screw speed, the output achieved by the ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS is 20% higher than that of its forerunner. The higher torque rating, however, permits an increase in screw speed from 200 to 300 r.p.m. This advantage may be exploited in two possible ways: either the intrinsic viscosity (IV) of the PET can be allowed to drop, as before, from an input value of 0.81 g/dl to an output value of 0.78 g/dl (i.e. the quality of the product remains unchanged), which means that the output rate can be increased by a total of 75%; or only the 20% increase in output is utilized, without increasing the screw speed, in which case an intrinsic viscosity of almost 0.80 g/dl can be obtained, and hence a considerably better quality of product. page 2 of 5

15 Similarly, when compounding an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) + polycarbonate (PC) + 20% w/w glass fibre content, it was possible, thanks to the higher torque rating, to increase the output rate by 25%, while the temperature of the product was lower by up to 20 C. This drop in temperature permits an increase in screw speed, and hence an increase in output, which, during the trials, was even as high as 80%. Profitability comparison: amortization period reduced by 25% With particular reference to the production of glass fibre reinforced PBT it has been possible to do a profitability comparison between the ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS and its forerunner, the ZSK MEGAcompounder, on the basis of actual practical experience, as one of Coperion's customers operates both types of machine. The profitability calculation is based on an increase in output from 4,900 to 6,000 kg/h and on a reduction in specific energy. The results clearly show that the amortization period is further reduced by around 25%. Coperion ( is the international market and technology leader in compounding systems, bulk materials handling systems and services. Coperion designs, develops, manufactures and maintains systems, machines and components for the plastics, chemicals, food and aluminium industries. With its three Competence Centers Compounding & Extrusion, Materials Handling, Service and over 30 sales and service companies, Coperion achieves annual sales of over 600 million euros worldwide and has a total work force of 2,100 employees. Dear Colleagues, an MS-WORD file of this press release in English and German and a printable-grade copy of the enclosed image are available for download at Editorial contact and voucher copies: Dr. Diether Burkhardt, KONSENS Public Relations GmbH & Co. KG, Hans-Kudlich-Straße 25, D Groß-Umstadt Phone: +49 (0)60 78/ , Fax: +49 (0)60 78/ mail@konsens.de, Internet: page 3 of 5

16 Fig. 1. For the compounding of polypropylene reinforced with 30% w/w glass fibres, the ZSK 50 Mc PLUS achieves an increase in output of up to 33% (right) and even produces a better quality of product, as the comparison with a ZSK 50 Mc shows (left) Graph: Coperion, Stuttgart/Germany page 4 of 5

17 Fig. 2. Powerful, efficient and hence suitable for all compounding applications requiring a high input of energy, the ZSK MEGAcompounder PLUS is shown here in its "compact" form, i.e. with attached control cabinet and equipped with a 70 mm diameter screw. Photo: Coperion, Stuttgart/Germany page 5 of 5