Extrusion International USA 4-2022

54 Extrusion International 4/2022 PIPE EXTRUSION – INTERVIEW Trends in the Extrusion of Plastic Pipes Bausano instructs Massimiliano Fenili, as Technical Manager in charge of supervising the design of systems for the various application areas: granules, pipes, profiles, WPC, medical sector and for recycling. The appointment of Fenili falls within a broader project in which Bausano is committed to strengthen its own team. TheManager's high expertise in pipe extrusion technology is aligned with the corporate strategy of being one of the main players in the market for such solutions. We shall examine the trends in the sector directly with the expert. Massimiliano Fenili, what are the application areas in which the use of plastic pipes is increasingly widespread? Fenili: In general, we can say that demand is moving to- wards more efficient solutions. This is translated into an increase in the demand for polyethylene (PE) pipes, a mate - rial that guarantees important benefits in terms of reducing installation times and costs, even up to 50%, thanks to its flexibility, ease of installation and possibility of trenchless in - stallation or without a sand bed. Specifically, PE100 RC is fre - quently used thanks to its higher mechanical performance, resistance to external abrasions, reduction of the propaga- tion of cracks and resistance to high pressures. To mention two areas in which demand has grown, we may certainly consider the infrastructure sector, for gas pipes, pressurised and non-pressurised water, and the telecommunications sector. The first one searches, most of all, formultilayer pipes capable of carrying out various functions, from resistance to high pressures up to reducing installation costs. On the other hand, in the telecommunications sector the diffusion of optical fibre at a domestic level encouraged the study of new types of piping and installation, from the single microd- uct to the bundle, fender and round structures. In addition to the aforementioned polyethylene, multilayer polypropylene (PP) pipes are certainly expanding, which com - bine maximum flexibility and resistance to several climatic conditions capable of carrying out various functions: from the reduction of noise for the drain pipes, to the ability to resist to very low temperatures. Furthermore, the combination of PVC and polypropylene is often chosen as an alternative aimed at keeping costs down. Alongside PE and PP, there are also PEX, PERT and PBmaterials, used in the healthcare sector, especial- ly in themultilayer versions with oxygen barrier. While C-PVC, specifically, is alreadywidespread in India and has a very large market in the United States. Finally, reinforced thermoplastic pipes (RTP), ideal for sectors such as Oil & Gas, are products in which strong interest is growing. In light of the above, which technological innovations will the expansion of the Bausano tube division focus on? Fenili: First of all, the R&DAreawill be engaged in expand- ing the range of extrusion lines for pipes with a diameter of up to 1200 mm. The main purpose is that of supporting customers in achieving their own goals, by defining the cor - rect setup of machines with the consequent collection of data and the related definition of production KPI. Within this context, digitisation and Industry 4.0 play an essential role. The development of the Orquestra software, a centra- lised control system which allows continuous and real-time monitoring of performance, even in terms of predictive maintenance, by guaranteeing increasingly high levels of efficiency is an example of how Bausano is responding to these new needs. These levels, in turn, are aligned in terms of sustainability which, in its several forms, plays an increas- ingly central role, of which Bausano is already a precursor. An example is the Smart Energy System, the induction cyl- inder heating system, thanks to which it is possible to limit the wear of the machinery and to achieve energy savings of 35%. Furthermore, the company invests on the reduction of production waste: by equipping its extruders with advanced technologies and, on the other hand, by developing extru- sion lines capable of regenerating in-house industrial resi- dues or post-consumer household waste. What are Bausano's long-term goals? Fenili: The team I join is heterogeneous, dynamic and char- acterised by consolidated experiences and transversal skills. An essential aspect in order to ensure strong integration be- tween the various departments and encourage product and process innovation. At the same time, this allows us to offer customers a very high level pre and post sales consultancy. Finally, the Team will be in charge of coordinating R&D ac- tivities, in compliance with Bausano’s strategic lines of de- velopment and growth in new markets, such as the United States. Bausano & Figli Spa C.so Indipendenza 111, 10086 Rivarolo Canavese (TO), Italy www.bausano.com Massimilliano Fenili is on the right