First Israeli pipe manufacturer investing in new-generation high-performance extruder from battenfeld-cincinnati
“The most outstanding advantages of the new extruder are low melt temperature with high output” is how Fuad Dweik, Managing Partner of Palad HY Industries Ltd., domiciled in Migdal HaEmek, Israel, sums up his assessment of the recently commissioned solEX NG 75-40 from battenfeld-cincinnati GmbH, Bad Oeynhausen. He is a long-standing customer of the German machine manufacturer and was the first pipe manufacturer in Israel to opt for the single screw extruder of the latest generation, which offers many additional advantages.
Palad HY, which was founded in 1997, ranks among the leading manufacturers of HDPE and PVC pipes in Israel. The ISO 9001:2008-certified pipe producer is well known for its range of large-diameter pipes with maximum diameters of 1,200 mm for HDPE pipes and 500 mm for PVC pipes. In addition to its domestic market, Palad HY also serves customers in Eastern and Western Europe, South America and Africa, to which about 25% of its annual production volume of currently about 20,000 t is exported. The company’s product range includes fresh water and sewage pipes as well as pipes for natural gas distribution systems, and protective conduits for electricity and communication lines.
Palad has been a customer of battenfeld-cincinnati right from the beginning and now operates several lines with machines from the extrusion specialist.
“In view of our positive experience with the machine technology from Germany, we have again chosen an extruder from battenfeld-cincinnati for our most recent investment, and we were not disappointed”, Rami Dweik, son of the proprietor and responsible for the production as Deputy Manager, reports. On the contrary! The solEX NG 75-40 installed at the beginning of this year belongs to the new generation of high-performance single screw extruders from battenfeld-cincinnati.
At Palad, it has replaced an old extruder in a PE 100 pipe extrusion line. “We are particularly impressed with the lower melt temperature compared to the previously used extruder, combined with better melt homogeneity and consequently better pipe quality”, Fuad Dweik adds. Thanks to the lower melt temperature, Palad also achieves significantly more even wall thickness distributions within extremely narrow tolerances, plus less undesirable sagging. Of course, the better pipe quality also reduces material consumption and produces less scrap. “Both the material savings and the roughly 10% reduction in energy consumption due to the lower heating rates make this extruder a particularly cost-efficient alternative”, concludes the General Manager, who is already thinking about a further investment in another solEX NG extruder of the new generation for other existing lines.
The completely redesigned processing unit is responsible for the above-mentioned advantages of the new solEX NG extruders, which are available with screw diameters of 60, 75, 90 and 120 mm and cover a throughput range from 750 to 2,500 kg/h, compared to the well-established and still available predecessor series. The internally grooved barrel in combination with a matching screw and grooved bushing geometry offers substantial improvements in process technology: a reduced axial pressure profile lessens machine wear, high specific output rates with lower screw speeds ensure high efficiency, and the gentle but highly effective and homogeneous melting performance at about 10 °C lower melt temperatures compared to conventional processing units delivers high end product quality with significant cost savings in production.
Assuming that energy costs are 0.10 EUR/kWh, about 18,000 EUR in operating costs can be saved due to the 10% lower energy consumption at full output capacity alone. Depending on the machine model compared with, savings of up to 15% are possible. Even higher cost cuts can also be achieved in production by material savings through reduced sagging as a result of low melt temperatures, especially in large-diameter pipe production.
Finally, the pipe manufacturer Palad HY appreciates the extruder’s intuitively operated BCtouch UX control system which, in addition to modern functionalities also includes the possibility of individualization or personalized user interfaces. “For our staff, it is a great benefit that the equipment can now even be operated in Hebrew, and that the battenfeld-cincinnati service team is available 24/7”, is the final praise for his extrusion equipment supplier expressed by Rami Dweik.

 
www.battenfeld-cincinnati.com

Coperion provides extruders for biocompounds to Sirmax
Italian compounder Sirmax goes forward to invest in technological innovation, continuing strongly in the direction of a sustainable business. The company from Padua (Italy) has expanded its production capacity for sustainable plastics, relying upon Fast Track ZSK extruders from Coperion. These new models stand out for their especially short lead times and subsequent rapid ROI. In Sirmax’s case, Coperion designed two ZSK 70 Mc¹⁸ twin screw extruders especially for processing bioplastics. Only five months after placing the order, both Fast Track ZSK extruders have commenced production.
Sirmax installed the ZSK 70 Mc¹⁸ extruders, each with 70 mm screw diameters, ZS-B side feeders and ZS-EG side devolatilization, at Microtec Srl’s Padova (Italy) location. It has held a 70% interest in Microtec Srl for the past year, a manufacturer of biocompounds marketing its products under the name BioComp.
Fast Track Extruder with Proven ZSK Quality
With its Fast Track initiative, encompassing comprehensive internal and external process modifications, Coperion can now realize certain designs of its ZSK twin screw extruders with especially short lead times. Just as they have always been, these extruders are built exclusively with proven, high-quality components, including the high-performance drive and high-quality materials for the process section that ZSK extruders are famous for, to name just a couple of examples. Moreover, its entire process engineering expertise flows into the Fast Track twin screw extruders. Each process step is designed individually and optimally, all coordinated for the application in question, which in the case of Sirmax’s extruders is bioplastics processing.
Comprehensive modifications at Coperion, such as in warehousing, as well as numerous measures at suppliers’ locations, enable turnaround of ZSK Fast Track extruder orders with lead times of only five months. Compounders profit from expected high throughput rates and rapid ROI. Additionally, using exclusively high-quality, proven components provides the same service life as well as high process stability with constant very good product characteristics that distinguish all ZSK twin screw extruders.
Added Value for Sirmax Thanks to Short Lead Time
Microtec Srl will manufacture compounds based on starch biopolymers, co-polyesters (PBAT), polylactic acids (PLA), and polybutylene succinate (PBS) on the two Coperion Fast Track ZSK 70 Mc¹⁸ extruders. These bio-based materials are mainly used in the blow molding and in the injection molding market.
Massimo Pavin, CEO of Sirmax, explained: “With the two new ZSK extruders from Coperion, we can manufacture a broad palette of sustainable compounds that optimally expand our current Sirmax product portfolio in harmony with our multiproduct strategy. Thanks to the fast delivery of the Coperion extruders, we have succeeded in markedly expanding our production capacity for sustainable plastics on very short notice. For us, this is an important step in successfully implementing our innovative corporate strategy, that looks to the future while always maintaining solid foundations in flexibility, product quality and speed.”

www.coperion.com

Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) announced “Making a Difference with Sustainable Plastics” webinar presented by Theresa Vanna of Primex Plastics Corporation. SGP is the leading authority in sustainable printing certifications for print manufacturers.
The webinar presents the latest information on sustainable plastics and their pros and cons. In addition, Vanna discusses the lifecycle of sustainable products and how to discuss sustainable products with vendors. The webinar is free and open to the public.

“I look forward to sharing information about sustainable plastics and discuss any misconceptions with the participants,” said Vanna, Primex Plastics product specialist and SGP Partnership board member. “Sharing information on the variety of sustainable plastics can help companies make informed choices about which product to use. During other presentations, audience members were surprised to find out how many different elements can create a sustainable plastic and how one needs to explore the total life cycle of the materials used.”
The SGP monthly webinar series is to help the printing industry, its suppliers and customers succeed in developing winning sustainability strategies and to support the continuous improvement of SGP certified print facilities.
“Primex works to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future,” said Vanna. “Our support of SGP is part of our belief in a collaborative approach to a more sustainable future.” Vanna has been involved in SGP since its inception in 2008 and has served more than 10 years on the SGP Board of Directors.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/making-a-difference-with-sustainable-plastics-tickets-124502938641 / www.sgppartnership.org / www.primexplastics.com

Thermal Management Materials, Adhesives and Sealants work in Concert to Achieve E-Mobility Ambitions

Henkel announced it will demonstrate how material science is enabling EV battery designers and automotive OEMs to achieve enhanced safety, efficiency and affordability objectives during the virtual Battery Show & EV Tech Digital Days North America & Europe on November 10-12. While developing EV designs that balance safety requirements, ambitious performance metrics and production efficiency is a major challenge, Henkel will reveal how its broad technology portfolio and process expertise has led to various EV design and component assembly successes. Using practical cases, the areas of focus will include:
Thermal Control
Thermal management is fundamental to safe, efficient EV battery function and long operating life. While the primary role of thermal interface materials (TIMs) is heat dissipation to optimize operation and avoid ‘thermal runaway’, additional features such as fast flow rates and lightweighting enable high-throughput production and extended driving range respectively. Henkel will feature two of its latest liquid TIM innovations, specifically silicone-based Bergquist Gap Filler TGF 2200 APS and silicone-free Bergquist Gap Filler TGF 3010 APS (image 1), which address multiple goals: dispensing speeds of up to 80 cc/second and robust thermal conductivity of up to 3 W/mK to tackle safety and functional reliability requirements.
With many factors to consider, most importantly passenger safety, close consultation with a trusted, multi-solution partner will ensure all thermal management and material compatibility objectives are met.
Durable Adhesives
In addition to robust thermal management, battery pack integrity is reliant on adhesive material strength. The ability to withstand the stress of harsh environmental and operational conditions, as well as provide cost-down benefits through high-speed application and fast curing capabilities, are key considerations for adhesive selection. Fast assembly of all elements of the EV battery pack is vital to addressing steadily declining battery costs, which have dropped nearly tenfold over the last decade. Along with other power storage portfolio products, Henkel EV assembly adhesives are supporting customers’ cost efficiency requirements. The company will feature a recent success with battery cell carrier manufacturer Covestro, where Henkel’s Loctite AA 3963 cure-on-demand adhesive (image 2) is enabling five-second cell fixturing for mass production economies of scale.
Battery Show attendees will see how adhesives that perform multiple functions, such as bonding and heat dissipation, can also aid in reducing overall costs. Loctite and Bergquist thermally conductive adhesives, designed for the assembly of cylindrical and pouch cells, deliver this dual-functionality in carefully-balanced formulations that combine effective thermal conductivity and high bonding strength.
Serviceable Sealants
As the battery system represents approximately 50% of the EV cost, shielding the battery pack from contaminants helps protect its value. The ability to easily service and repair a battery lowers the lifetime cost of the EV, as Henkel will demonstrate during the Battery Show. Products like Henkel’s Loctite ESB 5100, a unique safeguarding sealant innovation, offers unprecedented application flexibility. The gasketing material, for example, can secure the battery pack lid to the housing, while it can also be quickly removed and re-applied for battery repair access.
Shared Knowledge
Deep expertise and comprehensive understanding of EV battery pack design, industry trends, and complementary material formulation allow the Henkel team to provide a total solution for automotive battery and OEM customers. At the Battery Show & EV Tech Days, Henkel technical specialists will freely share this knowledge during two seminar events:
Webinar, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 9:30 a.m. (ET): “Optimizing EV Battery Pack Design & Assembly: How Innovative Thermal Interface Materials, Adhesives and Sealants are Driving e-Mobility Forward”, Henkel’s Dr. Pradyumna Goli, BDM Battery Systems and Reid Chesterfield, Director Thermal Product Development
Lightning Talk, Thursday, Nov. 12, 9:30 a.m. (CEST): “Selecting the Right Material for Thermal Management in EV Electronic Component”, Holger Schuh, Global Technology Lead Thermal
Conference participants are also invited to engage directly with the Henkel automotive power storage team members through live chat and visit the virtual booth where more materials will be made available.
henkel-adhesives.com/emobility / www.henkel.com

Two Days Jam-Packed with Online Topics Ranging from Hardness Testing
Fundamentals to Best Practices, Calibration and More

Lake Bluff, Illinois… Buehler, an ITW Company is hosting Wilson Hardness Days, November 4-5, 2020.  This virtual educational program includes two half days of an immersion into Hardness Testing, Calibration, the Latest on Hardness Testers and DiaMet Software.  Hardness Days is part of the centennial anniversary celebration of Buehler’s Wilson hardness tester product line and is offered complimentary to all.
Dr. Mike Keeble, US Labs and Technology Manager and Dr. Evans Mogire, EU Labs and Technology Manager have planned educational programs for both beginners and experienced lab technicians.  Along with other Buehler experts they will share their knowledge on key hardness testing topics that will be of interest to Materials Labs at Universities, Research & Development Centers and Production Quality Control laboratories in many industries including automotive, aerospace, defense, and metals.
Dr. Keeble states, “As we celebrate Wilson, the hardness brand within Buehler, we want to mark this year with something special.  Many customers can’t travel to trade shows or our Solutions Centers to see the machines in action, so along with many other activities we decided to bring the lab to them with technical and educational webinars and now the Hardness Days event.”
Dr. Mogire adds, “Since we wanted to make this available to as many customers as possible, we decided to offer the program during the morning hours in the United States, which will allow our European customers to join us as well.  We are delighted to put this on and hope that this becomes a valuable resource for all industries that include hardness testing in their quality control programs.”
 
Attendees are invited to register once and obtain access to any or all of the online events.  Both days open at 9am CST and end at approximately 12:30pm CST.   The specific topic times are available on the web registration page; there will be 15 minute intermissions between topics for transition.  So participants can jump on or jump off as they like during the program.
The Wilson Hardness Days virtual event includes:

• Welcome to Buehler and Wilson Hardness
  • Wilson Hardness Equipment Overview
  • New Products Introduction Rockwell RH2150 and Universal UH4000
  • Plant Tours of Wilson Hardness Manufacturing in Illinois, USA and Shanghai, China
  • Tour of the Hardness Test Block Calibration Laboratory in Binghamton, New York

• Fundamentals of Hardness Testing Webinar

This webinar will provide a backgrou­­­­­nd to hardness testing, including its development and common uses.  It will outline the principles of hardness testing techniques, how they work and core requirements for using them.

• Troubleshooting & Best Practice for Hardness Testing Webinar

The commonly used hardness testing techniques will be discussed.  Best practice guidelines for hardness testing will be provided, as well as an outline of common problems, how to recognize them and how to avoid them.

• Live Demonstrations of DiaMet Software Webinar

Automated Hardness Testing is driving a revolution in efficient quality control evaluation. This session will include the following demonstrations of how software allows us to improve speed and reproducibility, creating confidence in testing and efficiency in your hardness testing process.  The demonstrations will cover:

• • Case Hardened Depth:  Gear with Multi-locations and Multi-Sample Testing
  • Hardness Mapping:  Additive Manufactured (Medical) and Welds
  • Coating Testing: All about the Indents
  • Weld Testing: DiaMet Tools to Make It Easier

• Best Practices of Test Blocks with Daily & Indirect Verification

This session discusses the challenges related to the manufacturing and calibration of hardness test blocks and their use in daily verification.   In particular, details concerning accreditation, metrological traceability, and hardness standards will be reviewed.
In addition to Dr. Keeble and Dr. Mogire, presenters include Julien Noel, Buehler General Manager and ITW Vice President; Benjamin Mangrich, Americas Commercial Director; Sarah Beranek, Global Director of Innovations; Doug Ngai, Hardness Applications Engineer; Matthias Pascher, Hardness Product Manager; Mike Connors, Senior Service Technician; Sandra Brosious, Metallurgic & Quality Control Supervisor for Test Block Lab; and Ryan Wise, Hardness Production Manager. If you cannot attend all the programs, simply register and you will receive access after the event.  Questions and answers will be handled by our team at the end of each presentation and may be submitted in advance on the webinar registration page.
www.buehler.com/buehler-webinar-registration.php / https://www.hardnesstestingdays.com / www.buehler.com / https://www.buehler.com/newsletter-signup.php / www.itw.com
 
 

APK Relies on Coperion ZSK Extruder Technology for Newcycling
For its innovative, solvent-based plastic recycling process Newcycling, APK AG in Merseburg, is relying on the high-performance ZSK extruder technology and technical process expertise from Coperion. Using the Newcycling process, multi-polymer and multi-layer plastic packaging, that previously could not be recycled, can now be separated and processed into homogeneous regrind using ZSK twin screw extruders. In contrast to chemical recycling, the polymer in this process remains unchanged and does not require energy- and cost-intensive re-polymerization. Newcycling, therefore, is highly efficient from a cost and from an environmental perspective.
Thanks to the innovative, solvent-based Newcycling treatment, as well as the excellent devolatilization performance and gentle material handling in the ZSK extruder, the quality of the recyclates is close to that of virgin product.

Plastic Waste as Challenge and Opportunity
The amount of plastic waste produced daily is one of the greatest problems of modern times. Worldwide, nearly 80 million tons of plastic packaging waste accrues annually. Of this amount, currently only about 10 percent of the resources used are recovered by recycling. 90 percent of it is incinerated, dumped into landfills, or littered into the environment.
The necessity of a circular plastic economy has never been greater. With its innovative Newcycling process, APK is laying an important cornerstone for achieving the goal of greater sustainability and higher recycling rates in the plastics industry.
This one-of-a-kind physical and solvent-based process enables clean and single-origin polyamide (PA) and polyethylene (PE) pellets with virgin-near material character to be extracted from complex PA/PE multi-layer films. These recyclates can be reused in high-quality products up to the original application. Downcycling can thus be reduced and closed-loop recycling becomes possible.
Newcycling – An Economical and Ecological Sensible Recycling Process
In Newcycling at APK’s Merseburg location, PA/PE multi-layer film is first mechanically pre-treated, undergoing among other things shredding and classification. Next, the PE layer is dissolved and liquefied in a solvent bath, leading to separation of the polymers and polymer layers. The undissolved PA is then separated from the dissolved PE using conventional solid-liquid separation technology and the polymers are further processed in separate material streams.
The PA is introduced into a Coperion ZSK twin screw extruder where it passes through various process sections and is processed into a high-quality PA melt using very high dispersion performance and intensive devolatilization. Finally, it is pelletized into first-class PA recyclates.
Following pre-evaporation, the PE is likewise introduced into a ZSK twin screw extruder together with the solvent. There, intensive devolatilization of the liquid takes place, precisely calibrated for this application to produce first-class results even when PE/solvent ratios fluctuate. The solvent is completely volatilized and added back into the Newcycling process in a closed loop. PE remains in the form of a homogeneous, high-quality melt that is then pelletized. The PE recyclate possesses quality similar to that of virgin product.
PE recyclate manufactured using APK’s Newcycling technology and marketed under the brand name Mersalen, as well as PA recyclate sold under the brand name Mersamid, stand out for their high product quality and substantial reductions in emissions. Newcycling recyclates exhibit on average 66% fewer emissions than virgin material of a given plastic. In pointing out the market potential for it, Klaus Wohnig, CEO of APK explains: “Our recyclates’ very high degree of purity has been confirmed by numerous expert reports. Mersalen for example is suited for a wide range of applications such as cosmetics packaging.” Jochen Burger, Process Engineer at Coperion, elaborated: “In APK’s innovative Newcycling process, we see a very important step along the path to a circular economy in the plastics industry. Thanks to the use of first-class technologies and comprehensive process expertise from APK and Coperion, very high-quality recyclates are being manufactured. At the same time, the process saves energy and resources because it replaces cost-intensive new plastic production. In this way, we are serving the environment and future generations. Coperion is proud to support APK in this innovative process.”
 
www.coperion.com / www.apk-ag.de

Production using green electricity and offsetting of unavoidable emissions with carbon certificates

Global manufacturer of plastic packaging and recycling specialist the ALPLA Group is unveiling the world’s first carbon-neutral recycled PET.
ALPLA switched its PET Recycling Team plants in Wöllersdorf, Austria, and Radomsko, Poland, to a mix of electricity from renewable sources in order to produce carbon-neutral rPET (= recycled polyethylene terephthalate). ‘This step has already had a big impact on the carbon footprint of our food-grade regranulate – according to the calculations, emissions are cut by up to 90 per cent compared with virgin material. The feedback from the market regarding this further development has been very good,’ explains Georg Lässer, Head of Recycling at ALPLA.
The company is now offering its customers carbon-neutral rPET based on the purchase of certificates. The remaining, unavoidable emissions relating, for example, to delivery of the input material to the plants, are then offset with carbon certificates. ‘The world’s first carbon-neutral regranulate can make a significant contribution to climate protection and highlight the value of used plastics,’ says Lässer.
Carefully selected projects with a social background
ALPLA has selected specific projects in cooperation with the climate neutrality alliance Klimaneutralitätsbündnis 2025 and the NGO Helioz. A reforestation project in Nicaragua is being supported. In China, traditional coal-fired stoves are being replaced with ovens run on biomass. These not only vastly reduce emissions, but also prevent the health implications caused by harmful exhaust air. In Ethiopia, 5,000 household packages (modern stoves, vegetable seeds, seedlings, training) are being financed. In regions in Asia and Africa, ALPLA is supporting the organisation Helioz, which provides solar devices that monitor water disinfection using PET bottles.
Recycling for climate protection
Based on life cycle assessments, packaging types containing a high proportion of recycled material have the least impact on the climate. With the world’s first carbon-neutral rPET, ALPLA is helping its customers to achieve their sustainability goals. ‘We are once again demonstrating that close collaboration between packaging developers, packaging manufacturers and recycling experts can lead to solutions which set an example for the industry as a whole,’ Lässer concludes affirmatively.
www.alpla.com / www.klimaneutralitaetsbuendnis2025.com / helioz.org