PROCESSING | QUALITY
Right: Hydramotion’s Scorpion technology provides real-time data on melt flow, viscosity, and viscoelastic properties, directly relating to MFI, IV, and molecular weight, directly from the melt stream
from a large library of calibrated reference data. VTT has successfully demonstrated its in-line
VOC system in the EU-Primus project, where it compared the stability of virgin high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) versus compounds with recycled content. The system also detected halogenated degradation products arising from the residual concentration of brominated flame retardants and the evolution of hydrochloric acid from PVC, which is highly beneficial in the extrusion pre-treatment of mixed plastics for pyrolysis. The in-line VOC measurement was also demonstrated in the extrusion of mixed polyethylene (PE/PA and PE/PET) multilayers, where the process conditions could be fixed based on the spectrometer response. This enables control of the process conditions for the depolymerisation of PA6 in an extruder system, said Technical Director Tapani Smatt from Finnish recycler KesRec. The in-line VOC measurement is said to be a significant addition to VTT’s pilot line focusing on advanced mechanical recycling with in-line measurement and process control (see Plastics Recycling World November-December 2024). According to Ilkka Rytöluoto, Senior Scientist at VTT, the in-line VOC analysis can greatly extend VTT’s capabilities for data-driven extrusion process control beyond, for example, rheology control.
Real-time data Earlier this year, Hydramotion, a manufacturer of process viscosity sensors, announced the rollout of ViscoMelt, its next-generation melt flow analyser purpose-built for polymer compounding, masterbatch, and extrusion processes. Powered by new sensor technology known as Scorpion, it delivers real-time data on melt flow, viscosity, and viscoelastic properties, directly from the melt stream. These were measurements previously limited to laboratory-based tests or from large, expensive mechanical devices, requiring sample extraction. The company says real-time insight into melt properties is critical for compounders and masterbatch producers aiming to ensure formulation consistency, manage variability, and detect melt deviations, and is especially important when working with recyclate. With increasing complexity in material formulations, live visibility of the melt rheology enables real time detection of batch variability, poor mixing, or degradation, and allows rapid corrective action. As demand grows for formulations incorporating
PCR, post-industrial recyclate, bio-based polymers, and complex filler systems, process variability
22 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | November/December 2025
becomes harder to control by traditional means. Hydramotion said ViscoMelt supports improved quality assurance and process optimisation while reducing reliance on lab infrastructure and QC labour. The system is designed as a direct inline replacement for traditional capillary rheometers or lab-based MFI testers, and the design contains no moving parts, gearboxes, or melt pumps, making it virtually maintenance-free. “In compounding, melt flow and viscosity are
key performance indicators,” said John Rowe, CMO. “Variations in rheological properties can directly impact downstream processing and product performance. With ViscoMelt, processors no longer need to wait for lab results or rely on offline sampling. They get a continuous, timestamped profile of melt behaviour, in-line and in real time. The ViscoMelt analyser is ideal for compounders looking to modernise their process and rheology measurement capabilities. It is simple to install with no infrastructure rework and immediately begins delivering high-value data, helping teams reduce waste, stabilise processes, and elevate product consistency.”
Odour evaluation The Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV says it is testing various means of optimising recycling processes while reducing odour. One project is the development of a method of systematically evaluating odorant depletion in mechanical recycling undertaken within the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy (CCPE). Using low-density polyethylene (LDPE) as a representative material, crucial work is
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
IMAGE: HYDRAMOTION
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