PROCESSING | PURGING COMPOUNDS
Right: Benvic Dugdale’s purging
compounds for the PVC
industry limit downtime and waste to cut processing costs
machine were then both cleaned using Cevo-clean J-1819 diluted in a ratio of 1:4 with colourless PMMA material. The cleaning performance of the Völpker solution was compared with a commercially available cleaning concentrate used undiluted. The cleaning effect was determined by analysis of thin injection moulded plates. The quality of the extruded polymer without
purging agent, with the competitor cleaning concentrate, and with Cevo-clean J-1819 is shown in Figure 1. Injection moulded plates produced from the first and 26th
shots using the competitor
purging compound and Cevo-clean J-1819 are shown in Figure 2. Völpker says that a bluish cast was evident in plates 1-26 using the competitor product, with the first plate also showing contami- nation residues and pigment residues on the sprue. Using Cevo-clean J-1819, the plates were colour- less from the first cycle with only pigment traces at the tip of the sprue. A further test carried out using the competitive
product after cleaning only with 1.5kg of colourless PMMA showed a bluish tint and significant pigment residues on the entire sprue. After 60 shots, there was still no sufficient cleaning effect.
Manufacturing issues UK-based Benvic Dugdale, which manufactures a range of PVC purging products, reports that the pandemic of the past 18 months has clearly created unique and special issues for all of manu- facturing. According to Andy Tombs, Commercial Director UK and Ireland, the plastics industry has been navigating its way through a ‘perfect storm’ of base polymer shortages and log-jams in interna- tional supply chains. “The purging and cleaning compound market has been no exception to these conditions. In terms of growth, one is more minded to think of economic recovery – and some green shoots are indeed visible,” he says. “The incentive for all manufacturers in these
Covid times – especially plastics processors – is to protect the order book and to stay in business despite these conditions. The instabilities in the marketplace – including irregular materials supply and the increasingly frequent ‘stop-start’ produc- tion conditions – have increased the need for failsafe and effective purging,” he says. “Cleaning and purging working effectively represents ‘insurance’ that protects the production line.” Tombs says Benvic Dugdale has seen a signifi- cant rise in demand for its core PVC purging products. “Our experience is that none of our
58 COMPOUNDING WORLD | September 2021
customers are cutting corners with cheaper materials or reduced purging practices. The opposite is the case and there has been a signifi- cant uptake in demand for our 101, 121 and 122 standard grades,” he says. Purge compounds address the issues of the industry with an emphasis on pre-emptive protec- tion, according to Tombs, who says the primary goal is to reduce or eliminate downtime, material waste and limit equipment damage for customers and so provide functional cost savings. “Demand for our core PVC purging and clean-
ing products has been high and most of our resources in this area have been geared to meeting that demand and to supply tried and tested material grades. Our new product development in this area has accordingly been quiet by compari- son. However, as the world now adjusts to life with Covid we are beginning to work with customers on new needs in purging and cleaning,” he says. Benvic Dugdale says that it was one of the first
to respond to REACH regulations and develop truly effective non-lead materials for PVC purging compounds. “Our R&D team, led by Dr Jeff Ryan, continues to develop cutting edge technology in this area,” says Tombs. Tombs says the company will continue to develop PVC purging solutions but is also looking to other opportunities in new market sectors. “The Benvic Group is now a growing and multi-material group of companies, supplying many additional polymers and products beyond that of PVC. Therefore, our purging and cleaning technology will likely be geared and set to also embrace these new polymer groups,” he says.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.rapidpurge.com �
www.asaclean.com �
www.dynapurge.com �
www.voelpker.com �
www.benvic.com
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: BENVIC
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