HOT RUNNERS | TECHNOLOGY
Above: Before cleaning (left): Schwing Technologies ensures the safe thermal removal of plastic residues from hot runner systems. After cleaning (right): Cleaning a hot runner system in a large pyrolysis plant (Maxiclean) takes about four to eight hours
carry out is the regular cleaning of the easy-to- access filters installed on the external box. Schwing Technologies has developed environ- mentally-friendly thermal cleaning methods for hot runner manifolds, for particular use in automotive applications. Systems in various sizes and configu- rations are available, instead of using cleaning solvents or other mechanical processes. Both small nozzles and large hot runners with complicated geometries can be freed from adhering plastics in an energy-efficient and residue-free manner, which also applies to the internal channels. Hot runner manufacturer Meusburger Deutschland is using low-emission technology from Schwing to help exceed current environmental and sustainability requirements. Meusburger cleans smaller hot runner components and nozzles at the company headquarters in Viernheim, Germany with the Innovaclean fluidised bed system, while larger hot runner systems are cleaned at Neukirchen-Vluyn using the larger pyrolysis system Maxiclean. Hot runners are cleaned in a single operation lasting 4-8 hours. If fillers and reinforcing materials, additives or colour pigments have been used, thermal cleaning also guarantees residue-free results. This creates the best conditions for a stable process after the hot runner system has been repaired, says the company. According to Schwing, Innovaclean is particu- larly suitable for smaller hot runner components, such as hot runner nozzles. Within 90 minutes for PE and PP, 2-3 hours for glass fibre-reinforced plastics, or 5-6 hours for high temperature poly- mers, the system removes all kinds of plastics without residue in only one operation. With the addition of further components, halogenated plastics can also be removed easily. The precisely controllable cleaning process uses the mass and heat transfer of fluidised sand in a fluidised bed. In this process, hot runner components are freed from
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plastic without mechanical or thermal impairment at polymer-dependent temperatures of 450-520°C. The system operates without wastewater and waste. Any low-temperature carbonised gases produced are cleaned by an integrated thermal afterburner. The removal of plastics from larger hot runner systems can be undertaken in the large thermal pyrolysis system Maxiclean. In around 4-8 hours, the system removes all polymer residues in a single operation. At the same time, hot runner systems and components are protected from mechanical damage. The cleaning process, which can be reproduced
at any time, takes place in an externally gas-heated cleaning chamber with a special hot air supply. This ensures that the temperature is optimally distrib- uted. The automatic process control ensures a short cleaning time. Inorganic residues are removed in a coordinated after-treatment. The plant operates without wastewater and offers a separate afterburn- er, which completely burns the resulting carbon- ised gases above 800°C and discharges them through a chimney.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.moldmasters.com �
www.hrsflow.com �
www.hasco.com �
www.thermoplay.it �
www.synventive.com �
www.oke-group.com �
www.alhorn.de �
www.incoe.com �
www.ewikon.com �
www.fdu-hotrunner.com �
www.sipasolutions.com �
www.schwing-technologies.com �
www.meusberger.com �
www.heatlock.com
November/December 2020 | INJECTION WORLD 53
IMAGE: SCHWING
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