PROCESSING | INLINE MEASUREMENT
Below: Among the latest developments from Collin Lab & Pilot Solutions is this online viscometer
Consistent colour Colour is a key variable that can be measured on the production line in real-time, according to US-based Equitech International, which supplies equipment for inline colour measurement and chemical concentration. “The major force influencing inline measurement equipment is plastics recycling,” says Dr Jaime Gómez, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Inconsistent colour of recycled plastics benefits from real time measurement, which allows the compounder to adjust colour in real time.” Real time measurement reduces product
adaptation. “Viscosity measurement remains key for process monitoring,” says DI Dr Friedrich Kastner, CEO/Managing Partner of the company. “However, the main influences driving new devel- opments is big data collection in the process and the use of AI-techniques for analysing this data. This will give a good understanding of the coher- ences in the process and the product properties. Subsequently, it will also provide the possibility of active process and product control.” Kastner says the main technical area of interest
Right: The EquiSpec system from Equitech International aims to
minimise colour inconsistency
at present for the company is in the area of reactive extrusion and being able to control this using viscosity measurement. He also identifies the recycling sector, where there is a need for control technologies capable of maintaining stable material properties in the end-product. The latest Collin developments in this area include an online rheometer able to measure shear rate depending on real viscosity curves of plastics, as well as an online viscometer to monitor viscosity stability in closed loop. In addition, its online modular Multi-Inspection System can measure the viscosity of a melt and then form a flat film where gels are measured and impurities in the film identified by a camera inspection system. The colour of the film can also be measured and NIR analysis of the composition made. Tensile measurement is also possible. Future develop- ments will measure the haze and gloss properties of the extruded film or measuring the composition with a highly sophisticated infrared system.
38 COMPOUNDING WORLD | November 2021
variation. “When production samples are taken every few hours, only a few points are checked for compliance with standards. Inline measurement system allows the producer to take a full spectrum every few seconds and guarantee 100% product compliance with the standards,” Gomez says. “An advantage of inline colour measurement for colour changes is the immediate knowledge and certainty that the new colour collected is complying with standards. When developing new compounds, inline measurements can also allow for the deter- mination of residence time distributions (RTD), a useful process analysis tool.” Gómez adds that monitoring product quality is
the key application area, providing the ability for full inspection of the entire production batch as it is being produced. Monitoring of expensive pig- ments and additives is also important to ensure only what is needed is used, as well as accurate blending of post-consumer recycled content (PCR). In terms of equipment development, he says users want affordable, user-friendly, and inter- changeable systems that can be installed in any plastics compounding line and provide a high return-on-investment. There is also a market need for closed-loop colour control for L* for general purposes, and close loop colour control for L*a*b* with pigment suppliers. “The technology has evolved significantly,” says Gómez. He says the company is working on development of a Generation V product series that aims to offer greater affordability and improved user-friendliness. The first
results of this will be a closed loop colour control system that it expects to be available next year. It also plans to install an instrument in the Polymer Center of Excellence at Char- lotte, NC, US, to enable potential users to test their formulations.
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IMAGE: COLLIN LAB & PILOT SOLUTIONS
IMAGE: EQUITECH INTERNATIONAL
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