PELLETISERS | MACHINERY Pelletisers push the limits
Effective pelletising means more than just cut quality.
System developers are now also
targeting energy efficiency, waste reduction, and downtime savings. Chris Saunders learns more
The plastics compounding industry operates in a highly competitive environment. To meet the demands of both customers and regulators, compounders are placing a greater emphasis on production processes that minimise environmental impact and maximise product quality, along with facilitating integration of sustainable practices such as use of renewable energy sources and reducing energy consumption. The pelletising step is no exception, with system developers looking to new cutting technologies to boost profit margins by reducing waste. The pelletising process is also becoming
increasingly automated. Efforts are underway to integrate Industry 4.0 technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning. This transformative path requires development of not only technology but also the working relationship with individual customers and their specific working practices.
German machinery maker Intelligent Pelletizing Solutions (IPS), which last year celebrated its 25th anniversary, has supplied more than 1,500 systems around the world. It claims to have prioritised customer collaboration to the point where it now mostly produces systems that are fully tailored to the
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
needs of individual compounding clients. “Before we design a system, we intensively
examine the ideas, wishes and requirements of our customers and, above all, the users, and incorpo- rate them into the machine. Almost every system that leaves our company is unique,” says company founder Gerald Weis. IPS recently launched a new high throughput addition to its underwater pelletising (UWG) system range with a throughput of up to 6,000 kg/h. The first of these large-scale systems has been delivered to thermoplastic compounder Mocom, which has been a user of its equipment for more than a decade. Mocom plans to use the new IPS-UWG 200 S to produce mineral-filled polycarbonate, mainly for automotive industry applications. The IPS-UWG pelletiser is said to be especially suitable for the production of spherical thermo- plastic pellets and can be used in masterbatch, compounding and recycling applications. Simon Weis, IPS Managing Director and son of founder Gerald says: “Thanks to their modular design, our systems can be customised to meet the specific applications and requirements of our customers, from individual parts to complete solutions.” IPS says that for Mocom it was important to
Main image: Pelletising is a critical step in the compound- ing process, impacting on both processing efficiency and end-product quality
January/February 2024 | PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD 37
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
