Blown film (August 01, 2003)
Canadian Plastics
Unique cast barrier film line reduces edge wasteMacro Engineering has shipped a one-of-a-kind, seven-layer cast barrier film line with PVDC encapsulation to a client in China. The line is designed to ...
Unique cast barrier film line reduces edge waste
Macro Engineering has shipped a one-of-a-kind, seven-layer cast barrier film line with PVDC encapsulation to a client in China. The line is designed to produce 2.1-m wide barrier films from 35 to 250 microns using PP, PA, EVOH and PVDC.
The line, called CLX-7210, includes nine extruders: seven for each of the layers, and two for encapsulating the two edges. The melt stream of one of the tie-layer extruders is diverted to provide PVDC encapsulation.
The edge encapsulating resin, usually LDPE, allows trimming and reprocessing of the web edges, which are thicker because of the “draw down” effect in the melt curtain. The rest of the web can then be narrowly trimmed, cutting down on scrap.
“Edge encapsulation makes cast barrier film price competitive,” explains Mirek Planeta, Macro’s president. One of the main drawbacks of cast barrier film has traditionally been trim waste.
Adolfo Edgar, Macro’s area sales manager for Latin America, says there has been increased interest in cast barrier film in the last few months. “Emerging markets are looking for the unique capabilities offered by the cast film process. High clarity glossy structures with PP in the outer layer for deep-draw forming applications are simply unattainable with the blown film process.”
Macro Engineering & Technology Inc. 905-507-9000
Automated profile control won’t hurt throughput of blown film
Davis-Standard has developed a forming cone optimized for m-LLDPE film for its WesJet AutoPro air ring. The AutoPro provides high performance flexibility with additional options that improve air ring control, gauge tolerance and yield, without sacrificing rate.
The AutoPro is capable of sustaining high production rates because it does not require heat, a drawback of similar profile control technologies, according to Davis-Standard.
The new system offers a simple operator interface, automatic gauge profile control, a frequency analysis tool and segmented airflow technology.
Auxiplast Inc. 450-922-0282; Stephen Sales Group 905-940-5577