machinery | Laboratory compounders
canthus grass and the like), synthetic fibres, seaweed, mica-based pigments, and others. The company says its lab extruders, with special elements, eliminate shear peaks that it says are perhaps the biggest cause of damage to materials. They enable processing of temperature-sensitive materials and provide for easy cleaning and changeover, inline process control and, once again, the ability to scale-up when required. Steer’s lab extruders are available with DO/DI ranging from 1.49 - 1.71 and in diameters from 10 to 40 mm.
Above: Entek’s new QC3
with movable controller
-27MM
kneading screw element with a twisted tip developed for energy-efficiency supports this “tip-clearance technology” by ensuring fast and relatively low tem- perature material conveying, “while retaining appropri- ate mixing efficiency.” JSW claims such features make the TEX 25 Alpha III the “worldwide highest perfor- mance compact twin screw extruder”. JSW says the extruder is well suited for R&D work
Right: JSW’s TEX 25 Alpha III integrates
ancillary equip- ment such as gravimetric feeders and mixers, side
feeders, and a variety of pelletizers
with frequent material and process changes, as cartridge heaters and a patented barrel clamping mechanism enable easy and rapid barrel section block changes, achieving screw L/D ratios of up to 70 with 20 blocks. Toshiba’s TEM-26SX first
appeared a couple of years ago, complementing its smaller 18SS and 18DS model. The company says the machine
has the highest torque density of any extruder at 18 Nm/cm3
. It is available in three versions, Standard, Fast
and Super-Fast, with maximum screw speeds ranging from 745 to 1,118 rpm. Units can be configured with between 10 and 16 barrel blocks, giving an L/D ratio of up to 64. Toshiba has indicated the machine could be used for development of normally incompatible polymers, such as bio-derived polyethylene and polylactic acid (PLA). Noris demonstrated its ZSC 25 unit at Fakuma. The
Right: Toshiba’s TEM-26SX can be used for
processing of incompatible materials
compounder features an integrated PLC that enables control of up- and down-stream units as well as the extruder itself (Noris also produces side feeders and a pelletizer). The unit is not new in itself, but it does incorporate a new drive, says general manager Ralf Tenner. Developed specially for this machine, the compact drive is energy-efficient and quiet, he says. The company also offers the machine in a 20-mm version. Steer says its advanced compounding platforms
provide laboratories and research organisations with the control required to process demanding materials such as natural fibres (jute, wood, sisal, flax, mis-
44 COMPOUNDING WORLD | December 2015
www.compoundingworld.com
Micro options Brabender sales manager Bernd Zöller says the company’s KEDSE lab compounder continues to be a best-seller. It is capable of processing between one and 20 kg/h and, with its 20-mm diameter screws, it uses regular pellets. A second model, equipped with 12 mm screws and smaller flight depths, requires microgran- ules or powders (this is mainly used for pharmaceuti- cal applications though) and there is also a conical model intended mainly for process- ing PVC. Zöller says the concept of upscaling from lab extruders
to full-scale production extruders is an important
issue for some compounders, but
also “a bit of a dream.” The challenge is in the complex- ity. “There are too many parameters to consider that it is quite difficult to simulate full-scale production on a very small unit and vice-versa. If you have segmented screws, it is possible to imagine thousands of different set-ups. You can get very close with temperatures and screw settings, but at the end, these are two different worlds.
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