MACHINERY | MATERIALS HANDLING
Right: Bird 5 series IRD machines can be used to dry TPU before moulding
and ABS, the company provides standardised Bird 5 series machines. Throughput capacity is 4-100 kg/h for deep drying to specifications below 200-1,000 ppm. The drying time for this continu- ous process is 3-30 minutes, depending on the material and task. This saves over 90% of time and uses up to 70% less energy compared to previous drying methods, says the company. Switching to different materials is done in minutes by changing the rotary drum. The device can also be used to dry TPU – which
it says is TPU difficult to process due to its high sensitivity to moisture and narrow processing window. IRD can simplify this. In ongoing trials, Bird Machinery is testing a polyether-based TPU with Shore 85A, which is commonly used in injection moulding.
Rotary drum Kreyenborg showed both a continuous system and a batch version of its infrared rotary drum (IRD) at K2025. To fully demonstrate the IRD, a large monitor
provided a view into the interior, showing how the material in the rotating drum behaves under IR light. The company also showed mixers, special silos and extruder feeding systems. The IRD also has a new control system. The 7- and 15in monitors have been given a graphical user interface and the software is more user-friend- ly, it says. Greater transparency is now possible, allowing the user to make faster, more accurate decisions during production. The new panel with the graphical software will be part of every new IRD system in the future. Kreyenborg offers a retrofit solution for the IRD called the Eco-Booster. Heat from the IR rotary tube is used to preheat the raw material waiting to be supplied. This can save up to 10% of energy use or increase throughput of the material by up to 20%,
Kreyenborg’s infrared rotary drum (IRD) has a new control system, for faster decisions
meaning the system can pay for itself after about one year.
Harmonised line Coperion showed an extended portfolio of feeding and weighing technologies at K2025. The company plans to harmonise its expanded feeder product line with the Coperion K-Tron SmartConnex Feeder Control. This includes integrating the redesigned KCM-III Control Module and K-Vision Line Controller that offers a variety of connectivity options. New additions to the Coperion portfolio include
the AccuRate Series 602 volumetric feeder and the MechaTron Coni-Flex single screw feeder that is suited to either volumetric or gravimetric feeding applications. Both feature vinyl hoppers that are agitated on the exterior by two paddles. Visitors will see how the MechaTron’s design allows for complete disassembly without removing upper extension hoppers, bins, bulk bags or IBS – reduc- ing maintenance time and operational costs. Another feeder for the plastics recycling industry
is the Coperion K-Tron K3-V200 vibratory feeder that delivers high-accuracy gravimetric feeding of free-flowing fragile materials such as flakes and glass fibres. Its drive technology minimises me- chanical wear and energy consumption while allowing rapid product changeovers with a quick-release tray mechanism. In March this year, Coperion introduced the
K-Tron RF400 Roller Feeder, a new solution de- signed to enhance the efficiency and consistency of electrode dry material feeding in battery manufacturing processes. As demand for high- performance batteries continues to surge, manu-
24 FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION | September 2026
www.filmandsheet.com
IMAGE: KREYENBORG
IMAGE: BIRD MACHINERY
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