Extrusion International 6-2023

54 Extrusion International 6/2023 CORONA TREATMENT – CASE STUDY Leveraging the power of connec- tivity and data, all AUTOSORT™ma- chines are connected to TOMRA In- sight, a cloud-based data platform for secure, near-real-time monitor- ing of all sorting lines. “When we started working with our customer and understood their goals, it was clear that a digital monitoring tool would help optimize the process. This is where TOMRA Insight comes in. It collects sorting data, creates reports, and sends notifications if there are any inconsistencies that affect the overall performance of the sorting line. If this data is used as a strategic management tool, ef- ficiencies can be increased and costs lowered,” describes Lambertz. Grand opening More than 300 participants from the plastics value chain were invit- ed to be part of the grand opening on November 15, where they could listen to various presentations and see live demonstrations. Mattias Philipsson, Oliver Lambertz, Mi- chael Ludden, CEO Sutco and Yan- nick Rödder Project Manager Sutco, shared their perspective and future vision of the project in a press con- ference. They highlighted that the plant will be the first of its kind and able to produce the highest material qualities, while decreas- ing its ecological footprint. Philips- son concludes: “Together with our partners, we will make Sweden a leader in recycling.” TOMRA Recycling Sorting Otto-Hahn-Str. 2-6, 56281 Mülheim-Kärlich, Germany www.tomra.com Site Zero State of the art sorting plant Two Corona Treaters Installed in the USA Leading US custom poly bag and film manufacturer, A-PAC, has installed two Vetaphone corona treaters at its production facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan to improve surface treatment quality – they replace American-made treaters on two of its three blown-film extrusion lines. Established in 1988 and built on a firm base of high-level customer service where no quantity is too small and custom sizes are handled with ease, A-PAC prides itself on being a single source supplier from extrusion of the film substrate to production and delivery of the finished item. T he company manufactures an extensive range of poly bags including flat, wicketed, gusseted, side- weld, bottom-seal, staple-pack, and customprint as well as poly bags on the roll. Other products include drum, barrel, gaylord, tote and box liners as well as pallet cov- ers. It also offers three types of plastic film and tubing. It was the switch from solvent-based to water-based production that first saw the need for surface treatment at A-PAC. Plant Manager Tim Takken explained: “We in- stalled our first corona treater in 2018 and the second in 2020. We’ve always had a good working relationship with Dean Grosel, who is Vetaphone’s local sales rep- resentative, so although it was an unknown brand to us, we trusted his recommendation and have been well pleased with the result.” The Vetaphone treaters installed at A-PAC are both C Models, designed to provide a high dyne level on any extruded material thanks to their special design and use of ultra-efficient generators that deliver precise and consistent power requirements. The advanced electrode design eliminates fluctuations in dyne levels across the web width and guarantees no undesirable treatment to the reverse side. They feature a unique Quick-Change system that allows the operator to carry out segment set-up and maintenance in minutes. Like all Vetaphone corona systems the fully comput- erised iCorona generator is at the heart of the process, offering a wide regulation band that combines high ef- ficiency with minimal energy loss. Controlled power is essential in surface treatment, so the generators’ abil-