Extrusion International 1-2020

20 Extrusion International 1/2020 INDUSTRY NEWS Guill Tool, manufacturers of extrusion tooling for the global market, has opened an in-house rheology laboratory, making it the only extrusion toolingmanufacturer in the industry with such a capability. Seeking to obtain better results and minimize the time it takes between testing and production, Guill built its own rheol- ogy lab in their facility inWestWarwick, Rhode Island, USA. The lab features several key machines that ensure optimum results, when testing materials, especially new compounds to be extruded. The testing equipment includes a Hybrid Rotational Rheometer, a Dif- ferential Scanning Calorimeter, and a Thermal ConductivityMeter. Third-party testing facilities are typically not experienced in extru- sion processes. Guill, however, can not only gather data the same way third-party testers can, but can also interpret that data as it applies specifically to extrusion. Likewise, third-parties simply sup- ply data, not recommendations. Guill is now equipped to both test its customer’s materials and work with them to create extrusion tooling that will give them a competitive edge. Accurate simula- tion and interpretation by extrusion experts greatly reduces the number of physical reworks needed, as the tooling has a greater chance of producing a good product at the outset. In-house test- ing also speeds up the turnaround on test results, reducing delays during the tool design process and offering better control over the processes and test parameters. The new Guill rheology lab processes standard materials, custom formulae and it is equipped to mix materials. These materials in- clude plastics, thermoplastic elastomers, all types of rubber and silicone. Information fromthe lab is transmitted directly to theGuill engineering department via computer link for review by the de- sign team. The lab will be offered for use by extruders and chemical formu- lators, among others in the industry. Please contact Guill for full details. Guill Tool & Engineering www.guill.com Record-Breaking Stretch Film Line With the largest cast film line ever displayed at the K, theworld’s premier trade fair for plastics and rubber, SML clearly demonstrat- ed its leading position in the field of extrusion machines. The new PowerCast XL stretch film line showed a proven start-up time of less than 5 minutes, hands-free production changes and extraordi- nary high output, setting newbenchmarks in over-all efficiency for filmproduction – unreached by others so far. Right at SML’s booth at the K 2019 and in front of hundreds of visitors, the PowerCast XL was producing ready-to-use 12 micron SML Maschinengesellschaft mbH www.sml.at high elongation film, directly delivered to the European market. Due to innovations like the new Booster technology, the huge 1,600 mm diameter chill roll, a triple chamber vacuum box and the Cloeren touchless Reflex ® die, the line reached a production speed of 525 m/min in less than 5 minutes – field-tested and demon- strated at K 2019 several times. In this very short start-up time, the thickness cross-profile variation of the film is already lower than 0,24 micron 2-Sigma and therefore the film is ready for sale. During production changes, no intervention of an operator is needed – it is done hands free. To demonstrate this performance, SML increased the production speed of the PowerCast XL – twice a day live at the K 2019. By pushing just one single button, line speedwent up from525 to 710m/min fully automatically. The 9-up line reached a net production output of over 2,150 kg/h. The new technology integrated in SML’s new PowerCast XL has significant effects on over-all line performance and effectiveness, reducing downtimes and waste to a minimum. PowerCast XL – the new benchmark in over-all efficiency for stretch film production TA Instruments DTC-300 Thermal Conductivity Meter TA Instruments Discovery HR-2 Hybrid Rotational Rheometer In-House Rheology Lab launched New Guill Rheology Lab at company headquarters in West Warwick, Rhode Island