Extrusion International 1-2023

20 Extrusion International 1/2023 INDUSTRY NEWS New ULTRA 2200 Dryer Model  Maguire introduced the new ULTRA 2200 series dryer at K 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany. The ULTRA 2200 is de - signed to meet the higher throughput requirements of cen- tral drying, sheet extrusion, preform, and fiber markets and offers much faster drying than conventional methods while using significantly less energy. While the principal phases of the vacuum drying pro- cess remain the same as those of the existing ULTRA-150, ULTRA-300, ULTRA-600, and ULTRA-1000 models, the UL- TRA-2200 utilizes a pair of identical multi-function chambers that alternate in sequence to provide an uninterrupted flow of dry material. Each chamber can self-load, heat, vacuum, and dispense. This design allows for a compact arrangement with a relatively low ceiling height requirement. Maguire’s first vacuum dryer, the LPD, launched in 2000. The patented design allowed users to dry materials via the application of vacuum and not by dry air as done with desic- cant designs. This fast, modern and efficient process takes a fraction of the time and uses 60% less energy compared to conventional desiccant dryers. Vacuum drying provides speed and efficiency to dramati - cally lower energy consumption compared to conventional desiccant dryers. While each system uses the same amount of energy to heat up the resin, the energy required to dry the material is significantly less – as there is no regeneration process required in vacuum drying. The result is dramatic savings that not only offer a quick return on investment but the ULTRAmodels pay for themselves year-after-year for the life of the dryer. Maguire’s ULTRA 2200 incorporates load cell technology which provides the operator the ability to monitor and con- trol each step of the drying process allowing for process op- timization throughout the entire drying cycle. By digitaliz - ing the process, every granule within the drying system is actively monitored and controlled. The data can easily be viewed on the touchscreen and details of the exact operat- ing process as it happens are logged, giving the user a clear understanding of how the material has been dried. In ad - dition, all of this data is available for export for integration with any ERP or other process control systems. Maguire www.maguire.com The ULTRA 2200 Series dryer includes two vessels working in tandem to that you are never waiting for dry material in the operation Breakthrough in Foam Extrusion  The new Microcell Technology from Promix Solutions will reduce raw material consumption in extrusion process- es by up to 20 %without losing mechanical properties. Un - til now, the density reduction in physical foaming contrib- uted to a certain loss of mechanical properties. This recent breakthrough has changed this and makes the technology even more attractive. The secret of high-quality physical foaming lies in the cell structure. Tests have shown that very small and evenly distributed cells result in significantly improved mechanical strength. A foam with 50 µm cell size has 27 times more cells than a foam with 150 µm cell size (same density). This fact makes it understandable that the mechanical behav- ior of microcell foams is different. The key to achieve the small cells is a combination of various factors. The dispens - ing of the blowing fluids with very high precision and in supercritical stage, unique cooling and mixing equipment, special nucleation technology and further improved pro- cess knowhow was required to achieve the next level of foaming. Promix Microcell Technology works for all types of ex- trusion processes including packaging films, sheets and boards, pipes and profiles, cables, blown film and extru - sion blow molding. The technology can be retrofited to existing extrusion lines as well as installed in new lines. Promix is working with a number of machine builders to achieve a perfect match. Promix Solutions AG www.promix-solutions.com Promix Microcell foam structure with < 50 µm cells on the example of a PET film (Source: Promix Solutions AG)