processing | Purging compounds
Right: Purging compounds
from Asaclean- Sun Plastech can ease
cleaning of
compounding equipment running
challenging formulations
very effective cleaner that holds the bubble.” Procunier says. “By holding the bubble, UF2 has saved customers many hours and the cost savings have been substantial. PF and PX2 are significant because they are the two most effective high temperature purges for super engineering resins that are currently available.” The UF2 Grade purging compound is also recom-
mended for hot runner cleaning, as well as sealing and shutting down machines to prevent carbon formation on start-up. Its processing temperature is 170-320°C. Asaclean PF and PX2 purging compounds have been
developed for thermal stability. The PF Grade purging compound is specifically formulated for super-engi- neering resins running at processing temperatures of up to 420°C. It is suitable for hot runner cleaning and may be used as a sealing material during machine shutdowns within temperature ranges of 280-370°C due to its thermal stability. It is particularly recommended for resins such as PPS and PEI. PX2 is also a high temperature grade for hard-to-clean resins. It is claimed to generate low levels of smoke and odour across the operating temperature range of 280-420°C and is intended for use with high-temperature resins such as PPS, PEEK, LCP and PEI. French company Polytechs has developed its Clean X
Below: Clean X purging compound from Polytechs
product range for extrusion applications. “The main markets for our extrusion grades are film and sheet, cable, pipe and colour masterbatch,” says Maarten Bloem, Sales Director. “We have also introduced a product range for purging injection moulding machines, including cleaning hot runner systems. For both extrusion and injection moulding applications, we have shown that Clean X purging compounds can save time by up to 60% and up to 61% in energy.” Bloem explains that Clean X products are not only
used to clean extruders but also employed as a “weekend compound” to avoid the formation of carbon
deposits during machine shutdown. “When re-starting, it is then possible to produce the right formulation immediately after purging out the compound, eliminat- ing any black speck problems. The compounds also provide protection for screw and barrel,” he says. “Customers are using their production lines more
flexibly and therefore need our support to improve productivity by reducing downtime through cleaning. Modern equipment is now maintained in a more professional way,” says Bloem. “For example, our Clean LDPE can purge and polish screws at extruder settings to 100°C. In addition, Clean LDPE can purge blown film lines without stopping the bubble when you keep the temperature settings right. Flexibility and using products in different ways are now key factors to consider when designing purging compounds.” US-based RapidPurge has developed more than 25
different grades of purging compounds including chemical, mechanical, chemical/mechanical formula- tions, and custom blends for the most demanding thermoplastic processing challenges including carbon build-up and difficult colour changeovers. The products are available in pelletised or powder form, as ready to use pre-mixes or cost-effective concentrates.
Preventing screw pulls “RapidPurge is very effective for compounding facilities because our products can prevent the need to pull screws when switching over to the next material or colour,” says Sales & Marketing Manager Mary Kinney. “In situations where you have to pull screws, using RapidPurge before teardown also makes the job much easier. Our grades are available with different polyolefin base resins to match temperature and viscosity requirements, so compounders are able to choose the best grade for specific changeovers. In addition, because all grades are available in concen- trate form, some compounders prefer to tailor a purge
54 COMPOUNDING WORLD | April 2017
www.compoundingworld.com
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