Extrusion Asia Edition 2-2025

52 EXTRUSION & RECYCLING ASIA 2/2025 加工 - 案例研究 Higher quality as a challenge The rising demand proves that Hex- pol TPE is on the right track. In order to keep pace with the growing quality expectations, the company has pur- chased several new machines in re- cent years. When it comes to pelletizing sys- tems, the manufacturer has increas- ingly relied on the Pearlo machine series from MAAG. The underwater pelletizing system is designed to pro- cess a wide range of polymers and thermoplastics, promising pro table production with throughputs of up to 42,000 kilograms per hour. Hexpol TPE decided to buy its rst pelletizing system from the Pearlo series in 2017. In the following years, several further pelletizing systems were added to the machine park. The latest investment, a Pearlo 160, was added in 2023 and is impressing in production just as expected: The machine is suspended above the pro- duction line. In this top-mounted con- guration, the oor under all the com- ponents remains free and accessible because the machine is suspended from an overhead rail system. Quick- disconnect-adapters involve just one bolt, whereas previously twelve had to be loosened and then tted again. “This o ers immense time savings during assembly and cleaning of the system that can now be done much faster,” reports Dominik Fehn, Pro- cess Engineering Manager at Hexpol TPE in Lichtenfels. Much less e ort is required when a machine weighing 400 kilograms is suspended from the ceiling and can be moved with one hand rather than being pushed on wheels. As Hexpol TPE attaches great im- portance to reducing the workload on its employees, this system is a perfect addition to make life even easier for the workforce. MAAG o ers two-axis machines that can be moved in two di- rections. This means production sta can clean and set up faster, and com- ponents do not have to be readjusted. “This is a huge and important reduction in workload, allows quick and stress- free retooling and saves unnecessary energy,” emphasizes Fehn. The new Pearlo has been proving its worth in Lichtenfels ever since. “We decided to take this step in order to in- crease production e ciency while re- ducing the workload,” explains Fehn. Automation for greater e ciency All the same, high quality alone is not enough to stay competitive on the international stage – the e ciency also has to be right. In order to enable Hex- pol TPE to increase quality, e cien- cy, and sustainability in equal mea- sure, the company launched its “Zero Waste” project in 2024. The goal: To signi cantly reduce waste from pro- duction, increase the e ciency of all processes, and automate the process- es wherever possible. Dominik Fehn also discussed this with well-established partners of the company – and found MAAG to have comprehensive consulting expertise: “I was really surprised by the wide range of workshops and training courses that MAAG o ers on these topics,” says Fehn. Workshop highlights potential In a multi-day workshop on site in Li- chtenfels tailored to the de ned goals, MAAG provided support in identifying optimization potentials in all areas of production: machines and production planning, personnel and teamwork, as well as training courses. The targeted workshop was split into di erent process steps, in which em- ployees from the individual groups at the site were interviewed and involved in group work. First, open questions were used to identify the general po- tentials speci c to the company; the results were then grouped and priori- tized, and areas for optimization were identi ed. Once the ice had been bro- ken, any potential for improving the machines was identi ed and the re- sulting measures were prioritized. Cause-and-e ects analysis The subsequent cause-and-e ects analysis characterized the results and put them into a structure. The work results obtained here were grouped, summarized according to lean prin- ciples, and the resulting tasks were prioritized. Finally, all arguments for solutions were identi ed and classi ed accord- ing to the following criteria: feasibility and impact, di culty of implementation, implementation costs, and determination of the implementa- tion priorities. After identifying the “take a closer look” arguments, including a de nition of the options to be consid- ered, the “don'ts” were of course also derived. The results of the workshop: Fac- tors directly related to the machine – such as the selection of die plates and knife heads, the use of optimized/ prede ned process settings, or the planning of maintenance intervals – can contribute to optimization. Much greater potential was identi ed, how- ever, in factors such as the better uti- lization of talent within the company, more teamwork, the avoidance of waiting times and excessive process- ing, or simply reducing over-produc- tion. The path to achieving this lies in greater data availability and transpar- ency in order to enable the necessary steps to be identi ed. Whether through automation or process optimization, Hexpol TPE ex- pects digitalization to result in higher e ciency and better working condi- tions in all areas. “We will be investing in this further development over the next few years,” says Dominik Fehn. Conclusion The collaboration between Hexpol TPE as operator and MAAG as plant supplier shows that high-quality, sus- tainable products need reliable, high- performance machines and plants. But digitalization and smart systems are the key to the future of plastics produc- tion that both conserves resources and relieves the burden on the employees. Author Michael Eloo, Director Innovation & Business Development at MAAG Group MAAG Group https://MAAG.com