PURGING COMPOUNDS | PRODUCTION


Specialised purging compounds for specific applications can provide significant performance benefits in the overall compounding process. Mark Holmes finds out more


Purge your compounding cleaning problems


The ongoing trend to shorter production runs, with the consequential need for faster job changeovers, and the development of ever more demanding resins and additives can present compounders with some challenging cleaning issues. Purging com- pounds can simplify that process, saving downtime and ultimately preventing material waste, but they must be carefully selected and appropriately used. Experience at Dyna-Purge is that compounders


are continuously challenged to keep their process- ing equipment in top shape, hit peak production rates, minimise wasted resin and down-time and reduce lost time to changeovers and product conversions. “This is no easy job, especially if you do not have a top performing commercial purge compound (CPC) and a standard operating proce- dure (SOP) to match,” says Bob Grzegorek, Global Technical Service Manager. “Today’s advanced polymers are not making things any easier. They


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contain numerous components to add performance and value to the resin, such as pigments, dyes, UV stabilisers, antioxidants, flame retardants, antistatic agents, plasticisers, fillers, lubricants and mould release agents, to name a few.” Grzegorek says combining and integrating these additives and ingredients into the base resin, then extruding and pelletising into the final compound, is a challenging task. He says the additives often tend to try to escape from the polymer, leading over time to a build-up of residuals on the screw and barrel, as well as other process surfaces. “To best maintain your extruders, you will need a


regular preventative maintenance programme that includes planned purging between runs and during shut-down and start-up in order to minimise losses and maintain high efficiencies. Without a regular purging programme, many of the additives can be expected to build up, stain, degrade, or in


September 2019 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 69


Main image: Purpose designed purging


compounds can help


compounders reduce


downtime and save on scrap


PHOTO: DYNA-PURGE


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