Plastics Engineering - May 2014 - (Page 50)

INdustry News * With its integrated system that uses the thermal energy of the molten polymer in PEt pelletizing for subsequent crystallization, Nordson BKG™ says it can eliminate problems caused by the agglomeration of amorphous material-and substantially reduce energy costs for compounding or recycling. called crystallcut®, the patented process avoids the need to cool PEt after pelletizing and then reheat it for crystallization. as an integrated network that incorporates underwater pelletizing, drying, and crystallizing, the system is designed for precise control of material temperatures throughout the process, preventing production and quality problems caused by insufficient crystallization and excess levels of amorphous material. the energy efficiency of the system can save more than €3,000,000 in annu- al energy costs for a typical PEt resin plant and nearly €200,000 for an extrusion line recycling PEt bottle flakes, according to examples cited by nordson BKg based on actual commercial installations. in the crystallcut system, the hot PEt granulate produced by the face cutter of the underwater pelletizer is transported rapidly to the pellet dryer in hot water (up to 95°c) through closed conveying pipes, where pellet cooling and solidifying takes place. this conveying medium and the short distance between die head and dryer are keys to conserving the heat from melt processing. the pellets are at a temperature of 150 to 160°c when they exit the dryer onto a vibrating conveyor. this keeps the pellets in constant motion, generates a uniform distribution of thermal energy, and prevents Photo courtesy of Nordson 50 pellets from sticking together. at the completion of the process, the pellets have a temperature of approximately 180°c, have achieved up to 40% crystallinity, and may be transferred directly to solid state polycondensation. in addition to saving energy costs and preventing amorphous PEt clumping, the crystallcut system yields an almost dust-free product and increases bulk density by 8% in comparison with a conventional process, the company adds. www.nordson.com * Quantum Polymers announced the availability of QuantaPEEK-gF30/cF30 extruded stock shape plastic rod products up to 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter, made with 30% carbon fiber and glass fiber-filled PEEK resin compounds. these products work well for applications requiring a balance of chemical resistance and mechanical strength in high-temperature environments like those frequently found in the oil and gas, chemical processing, and semiconductor industries. "We are proud to be a pioneer in introducing the largest-size stock shapes in the industry," says Kathleen cerchio, director of sales at Quantum Polymers. "this first-time availability of 8-inch diameter rods in glass and carbon fiber filled PEEK demonstrates our culture of constant innovation and continuous improvement." Extruded stock shapes from the company are offered when close-tolerance machined parts are required. Quantum's excellent quality is reportedly due to manufacturing equipment that has been optimized for the complexities of high-performance polymer extrusion. Extruded rods, tubes, and plates manufactured in its newark, Delaware, | Plastics EnginEEring | MaY 2014 | www.4spe.org | www.plasticsengineering.org http://www.nordson.com http://www.4spe.org http://www.plasticsengineering.org

Plastics Engineering - May 2014

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