Extrusion International 3-2023

24 Extrusion International 3/2023 INDUSTRY NEWS Cost Efficiency in Melt Filtration  Recyclates of the highest quality are a highly sought- after commodity in the plastics processing industry. In line with demand, stricter requirements are also being placed on the productivity of the recycling systems. The high-performance melt filters from the ERF series from Ettlinger, the centre of competence for recycling in the MAAG Group, are a cost-effective solution for providing corresponding product quantities for the recyclable ma- terial cycle. The manufacturer's flagship is the power - ful ERF 1000. When processing easy-flowing materials, its four rotating, perforated drums can filter up to ten tonnes of plastic melt per hour. The system's benefits include continuous operation in a stable process at con- sistent pressure and long operating times without filter changes. The very lowmelt loss in the range of a just few percent as well as the possibility of changing each drum individually and without interrupting production also contribute to the high cost efficiency of the ERF 1000. If throughputs lower than those provided by the ERF 1000 are sufficient, the ERF 350 (up to more than 3,000 kg/h) and ERF 500 (up to 6,000 kg/h) offer alterna- tives to meet such requirements. All three sizes are de- signed for energy efficiency and are suitable for filtering common thermoplastics, including soft PVC. The propor- tion of contaminates such as paper, aluminium, wood, elastomers (rubber or silicone) or high-melting polymer composites can be up to 16%. ERF melt filters can in prin - ciple be used in any extrusion line – either single or twin- screw and irrespective of the type of pelletising system or other downstream unit. Thanks to their compactness, they are also suitable for retrofitting existing extrusion lines. Typical applications range from recycling through to sheet and film extrusion and compounding. In film re - cycling in particular, the finest mesh size of 60 µm opens up possibilities for achieving benchmark qualities. Ettlinger Kunststoffmaschinen GmbH www.maag.com Recycling of PE, PE-HD and PP are among the most common industrial applications of the ERF 1000 continuous melt filter, which can process up to 10 t/h, depending on the material involved (© Ettlinger) bottle flake waste recycled pellets Back to CHINAPLAS  The main topics of the CHINAPLAS 2023 – Green, Smart, Advanced – fully reflect the Moret - to philosophy and can be easily rec- ognized in the several automations exposed. Among Moretto’s showed solu- tions: – X COMB , the super compact mini dryer suitable for lower throughput of technical polymers. Fully electric (it does not require compressed air), it is specifically designed to ef - ficiently treat hygroscopic technical polymers. A high-energy efficient product for demanding sectors such as medical, optical and electronics; – Mini Dryer XD TX . By simply set- ting two parameters – polymer type and hourly throughput – the dryer automatically manage in a self- adaptive way the necessary airflow to treat the material; – Batch gravi- metric dosing unit DGM Gravix that en- sures production flexibility and the highest dosing accu- racy even in the presence of vi- brations thanks to VIS (Vibration Immunity System) which allows it to be installed directly on the pro- cessing machine. Thanks to the Modbus, RS485, USB and Ethernet connections, it enables traceability of material consumption and recipe certification; – Compact loss-in-weight dos- ing unit DPK , a Moretto exclusivity dedicated to micro-dosing which stands out for its high level of dos- ing precision. It is equipped – like the other range models – with a hopper made of transparent shock- proof acrylic material that makes the material content and loading level immediately visible. The hop- per is easily interchangeable with- out tools for quick recipe changes; – Dolphin automatic mani- fold , one of the must-have of the GRAVIX DGM 200