MATERIALS TESTING & QUALITY CONTROL | MACHINERY
Raising standards: the need for quality control
Maintaining the quality of incoming raw material – and that of finished products – is vital in extrusion, and is achieved with everything from MFI testing to accelerated weathering
Assessing plastics – before they get processed, and after they’ve been converted – is vital for maintaining quality. With the use of recyclate now far more common, it is critical to weed out sub-par raw materials at an early stage. Similarly, finished products must be within spec – meaning they must be tested with sufficient rigour. Malaysia-based Hiroyuki Industries is using the
Purity Concept V from Sikora to inspect and analyse rPET material. The company, a subsidiary of Japan’s Hiroyuki, specialises in rPET resin and high-quality packaging for the food and beverage industry. Its products include food-grade rPET resin for stretch films – and it relies on Purity Concept V for optical inspection and analysis. The system, integrated into the quality control
laboratory, inspects rPET pellet samples and automatically detects visual defects such as black specks, discolorations and other contaminants (as small as 50 microns) as a replacement for manual inspection. “We have significantly improved our ability to detect visual contaminants of the pellets, which enhances product quality and boosts confidence in our material among our customers,” said Chan Shuang, QA assistant manager at Hiroyuki. Using Purity Concept V has improved product
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consistency, as defects are detected earlier – allowing for immediate corrective action. Each inspection is recorded and archived, creating a data trail that supports traceability, customer assurance and regulatory audits. This data includes the number and size of defects, providing the team with valuable insights for ongoing process optimisation.
MFI testing Zwick Roell says that its Aflow extrusion plastometer can cope with updates to the ASTM D1238:2023 standard – and deliver accurate melt flow index (MFI) testing.
It says one significant change to the standard is the formal approval of force-controlled extrusion plastometers. These systems, which apply the test load via a drive system with a calibrated load cell, offer an accuracy and repeatability of ±0.5% to meet the requirements of the ASTM E4 standard. This change improves measurement accuracy and simplifies laboratory operations by eliminating the need for dead-weight systems. Modern force-controlled extrusion plastometers – including the Aflow – have adaptive preheating phase control. Rather than relying on static values, the instrument adjusts the piston movement to the actual material flow and fill level. Whatever the
January/February 2026 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 31
Main image: Hiroyuki uses Sikora’s Purity Concept V to inspect and analyse rPET material
IMAGE: SIKORA
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