search.noResults

search.searching

note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
Laboratory compounders | machinery


Scaled-down versions of commercial compounders and laboratory- sized benchtop machines can help product development and process optimisation. Jennifer Markarian reviews the latest introductions


Developments in the laboratory


Laboratory compounding extruders are a useful addition to a commercial compounding operation. They play an obvious part in any operation that is expanding its product lines and needs to do a significant amount of product and process development. They can also pay dividends for those that want to experiment with making existing processes more efficient - having a laboratory capability in-house can make it so much easier to schedule experiments. In addition, laboratory or small-diameter twin-screw extruders (TSE) can be used for small commercial production runs, which can be a real benefit in an industry facing increasing calls for short lead time deliveries and smaller lot sizes. This article takes a look at some of the latest equipment developments. At K2016 Farrel Pomini launched a laboratory


version of its compounding system (a continuous mixer that discharges into a single-screw extruder for pelletising). CPeX, the Laboratory Compact Processor, is a miniature version of the company’s production- scale mixer and is the smallest in the company’s range. Paul Lloyd, Business Director at Farrel Pomini, explains


that continuous mixers with counter-rotating and non-intermeshing rotors are a good alternative to twin-screw extruders for compounds and masterbatch- es with high filler loadings, abrasive (high wear) materials, and temperature-sensitive materials that require intensive mixing while maintaining low process- ing temperatures. As it is a two-stage machine (unlike a twin-screw extruder), the output rate of the extruder is independent of mixing. The laboratory machine also has the same fully functioning orifice as the production- sized machines to control fill level, which regulates the specific energy input to the material.


Continuous development The CPeX unit is designed for feasibility studies and other laboratory work and is targeted for rates of 10-30 kg/hr. “Previously, our smallest continuous mixer was the CP125 (125 kg/h), which was too high a rate for product development in some cases,” says Lloyd. The CPeX is said to be particularly useful for training centres and universities. While the laboratory CPeX is not designed for scale-up studies, scale-up from the CP125 to the larger continuous mixers is straight-forward, the company says. The CPeX is uniquely designed to allow


interchangeability between Farrel’s standard CP rotor and its CPXL rotor, which has a longer ratio (10:1) and offers tighter temperature control and increased


residence time. “These two rotor configura- tions each have benefits and now they can be


compared side by side for a given material,” says Lloyd. While most customers use the standard format, he says this comparative capability will allow them to better determine when the CPXL rotor would be beneficial. The CPeX uses a single-screw,


www.compoundingworld.com


Left: The ZE 28 BluePower laboratory extruder from KraussMaffei Berstorff is designed for development and small scale production work


December 2016 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 53


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92