Extrusion International 2-2017

16 Extrusion International 2/2017 INDUSTRY NEWS Launch of five-strand laboratory LFT lines for end users ProTec Polymer Processing will launch five-strand labora- tory LFT lines for developing high quality long-fibre-rein- forced thermoplastics by pultrusion at this year’s Chinaplas from 16 to 19 May 2017 in Guangzhou. These Industry 4.0 ca- pable lines with complete materials handling capabilities are equipped with the new user-friendly SOMOS ® control/excel- lence controller. Such laboratory lines allow LFT compound manufacturers to be more responsive by permitting on-site development, testing and reliable scaling up of their formula- tions, so minimising downtime. From lab to production An investment in the future, the laboratory lines allow LFT compounders to be more flexible and independent. By devel- oping their own formulations in-house in parallel with ongo- ing production, line users can respond more rapidly to market requirements. The laboratory lines have a narrower die width and are de- signed to handle five glass fibre or three carbon fibre strands. Otherwise, the design of the modules and their complete in- tegration with materials handling components are the same as in ProTec’s conventional pultrusion lines. A keystone of the line is a high-performance underfed compounding extruder equipped with a SOMOS ® Gramix S gravimetric dosing system capable of accurately dosing and mixing up to seven compo- nents. As a result, a very wide range of individual formulations of the polymer matrix can be produced very flexibly directly in the process. The new user-friendly Industry 4.0 capable SOMOS ® control/ excellence controller means all modules can simply be select- ed centrally via a touch screen operator console: line speed, throughput of the underfed extruder and pellet chopping length can all be varied. SOMOS ® systems for drying, con- veying, dosing and mixing the various material components are also integrated into the line controller. USB and SD ports mean that up to 1,000 custom formulations can be saved and reliably transferred to production. Because SOMOS ® control- lers are used for both the laboratory and the production lines, production parameters can be straightforwardly transferred, so minimising downtime due to product changeovers. With their remote control function and internet access, the lines can be remotely serviced, optionally also via a WLAN hotspot. Versatile technology for high quality LFT compounds ProTec’s LFT technology is suitable for producing a wide range of materials comprising variable fibre reinforcement in a de- fined pellet length and using different polymers as the matrix. The lines are capable of producing LFT pellets with fibre con- tents of up to 65 wt.% at throughputs of up to 1,000 kg/h. Any conventional thermoplastics, including biopolymers such as PLA (polylactic acid), may be used as the matrix. Recycled material and additional fillers may likewise be included in the material formulation. Glass, steel, carbonor aramidfibres canbe used for reinforcement. Even the extremely difficult pairing of carbon fi- bres with PP can be reliably processed. In practice, LFT materials with fibre lengths of 7 mm to 15 mm are conventional. When injection moulded, LFT compounds with fibre reinforcement along the length of the pellets result in components which com- binehigh strengthand lightweightwith very good surfacequal- ity, as is most particularly required in the automotive industry. www.sp-protec.com.cn Klöckner Pentaplast to present Pentafood ® Hotfill PET Klöckner Pentaplast will present Pentafood ® Hotfill PET at CFIA 2017 in Rennes (France). Klöckner Pentaplast will also show a wide range of high-performance films at the CFIA. Pentafood ® Hotfill PET is an attractive hot-fill solution for the food packaging industry. Pentafood ® Hotfill PET combines in- creased heat resistance with the excellent transparency of a PET film. Plus, this film is recyclable and meets the growing demand for highly secure packaged goods made with sustain- able materials. “The food market’s growing desire for more sustainable packaging, coupled with brand owners’ ongo- ing creative approaches to increasing the attractiveness of their products on shelves, positions Pentafood ® Hotfill PET as a valuable film choice that also solves the growing need for hot-fill applications”, says Roberto Santos, Marketing Director Food & Consumer Packaging EMEA. Pentafood ® Hotfill PET supports an increased temperature re- sistance to 90°C/ 194°F. At the point of sale, consumers will see glossy packaging with excellent transparency that allows for instant and clear visibility of the product contents. www.kpfilms.com