K 2025 Highlights PUre Synergy: Transforming Polyurethane into High Performance Solutions
Interesting solutions are produced by greater knowledge: KraussMaffei will be showcasing two applications with ColorForm and Pure glycoLine PU at K 2025 in Düsseldorf (October 8–16). In these applications, polyurethane processing from the Reaction Process Machinery division (RPM) works with injection molding technology and extrusion, respectively. Process dependability and long-term value generation are the objectives. The only business that can provide equipment and procedures for the complete polymer processing chain from a single source is KraussMaffei.
The environmental regulations for spray painting are constantly becoming stricter and are causing a boom elsewhere. ColorForm, the painting of thermoplastic components using PU flooding, is experiencing a steep rise around 15 years after its development.
At K 2025, KraussMaffei and its partner Leonhard Kurz are taking technology integration even further and combining ColorForm with a film decoration system for which a new type of mold-integrated film thermoforming concept has been developed.
The application can be seen live on a GXW 650 (with swivel plate) at the Leonhard Kurz booth (Hall 5 / A19). The innovative 3K demonstrator component, based on a headlight (length 720 millimetres), was designed in such a way that the design film provided by Leonhard Kurz is back-injected with a crystal-clear and a black polycarbonate using the in-mold labeling process.
As PC would yellow due to UV radiation and headlights are exposed to stone chips and similar stresses, the component is given its crystal-clear polyurethane coating directly in the mold.
Paint layer accurate to a tenth of a millimeter
Ready-painted straight from the injection mold: the ColorForm process gives thermoplastic components a PU coating. This can be adjusted in terms of color and feel – and is also self-healing if desired.
ColorForm stands for the highest surface quality and efficient series production in an integrated process. KraussMaffei is the only supplier to offer all technologies from a single source – this creates real added value for our customers said, Dr. Frank Szimmat Managing Director of KraussMaffei Technologies.
The complete system from KraussMaffei combines reaction process machinery and injection molding technology. With ColorForm, the PU lacquer layers can be precisely adjusted in the tenth of a millimeter range. A range of different effect and lacquer colors are available, which, in combination with variable haptics, enable a variety of design options.
In addition to protection against chemical influences, a self-healing effect is also possible – for example in the case of fine scratches on the surface. Another visual advantage is the characteristic depth effect that ColorForm creates. The metering machines manufactured by them enable output rates of up to 500 g/s and are therefore also ideally suited for large-format components.
Suitable metering units are available for adding color, so that even demanding design requirements in the vehicle interior or on the vehicle exterior can be precisely implemented.
KraussMaffei supplies all the components of ColorForm technology as a turnkey solution from a single source – from the injection molding machine and PUR metering technology to fully integrated automation.
Industrial recycling of PU with a high proportion of foreign matter
Sustainable cycle thanks to purity gycoLine PU: The PU components of items such as refrigerators are converted into polyol with recycled content (rPolyol) at the end of their service life using an extruder in a continuous chemical process.
This serves as a starting material for new applications and can be processed in the metering machine without any adjustments. PU is also frequently used for insulating applications such as refrigerators, and at the end of the appliances’ life, the question of disposal arises. Until now, PU from old refrigerators has often been incinerated, for example to generate energy in cement production, but it is foreseeable that the thermal recycling of plastics will be more restricted in the near future.
KraussMaffei is therefore in the process of industrializing a process for the continuous chemical recycling of PU through depolymerization. The project partners are BASF, Rampf (Producer of sustainable recycled polyols) and Remondis (processing and recycling of old electrical appliances).
In the purity glycoLine PU process, PU insulating foam from the Remondis refrigerator recycling plant is recycled within minutes using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder (ZE BluePower). Unlike the widely known batch process, this continuous extrusion method can efficiently handle PU regrind with contamination levels of up to 30 %, including residues of other plastics and metals.
In order to achieve depolymerization using a glycolysis process modified by RAMPF, the PUR regrind is mixed with depolymerization agents and other additives in the extruder. KraussMaffei has adapted the filtration technology required for this to the market requirements for polyols in extensive tests at its Innovation Center.
The polyols obtained from the extruder can be used at BASF as a component of innovative PU systems for the production of rigid foams with recycled content. What is particularly important here is that the process is already economically attractive today.
Metering machine ready for digitalization and autonomous operation
RimStar metering machine with new digital features: the machine and process are even easier to control, even for less experienced users. The vision for the future is autonomous operation.
At the K trade fair, visitors to the KraussMaffei booth can experience live how the PU system with recyclate content is processed into foamed insulators for beverages.
The Reaction Process Machinery team will be presenting another market launch: a RimStar series metering machine with numerous new features in preparation for digitalization and autonomous operation.
This will make the machine and process even easier to control, even for less experienced users – in future, it should even be possible to completely relieve operators of certain tasks.
Digital analysis tools such as the dataXplorer, which records and evaluates all relevant process data, are already integrated for this purpose. In future, its results will serve as the basis for automatic adjustments during the production process.
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