Extrusion International 3-2023

26 Extrusion International 3/2023 INDUSTRY NEWS At CHINAPLAS 2023, Extrusion Specialist showed how Sustainability, Automation and Digitalisation Increase Profitability in Film and Nonwovens Production  The Reifenhäuser Group presented itself at Chi- naplas 2023 under the motto "The Time is Now" and showed how film and nonwovens producers master the three major topics of the industry: Sustainability, digita- lization and productivity. Reifenhäuser represented at the Shenzhen World Ex- hibition & Convention Center with three business units, "Blown Film", "Cast Sheet Coating" and "Reicofil", as well as its subsidiary Kdesign, which specializes in con- trolled air rings for blown film lines. Production profitable blown film from simple recyclate Blown film line manufacturer Reifenhäuser Blown Film presented its EVO Fuison technology as the answer to one of the biggest challenges facing film producers. Le - gal regulations and global brand owners are increasingly demanding that recycled material be used in films for packaging. A major problem here is sourcing recyclate in good quality, sufficient quantity and at an economical price. As a result, the profit margin of film manufactur - ers decreases immensely. EVO Fusion enables blown film producers to become independent of expensive recyclate and instead use readily available, low-cost filmwaste and even printed laminates directly as rawmaterial. The EVO Fusion process is based on direct extrusion, eliminating the need for expensive thermal recycling pro- cesses. This means that fluff (film snippets) and all types of production waste and PCR material can also be pro- cessed directly if desired. Direct extrusion is made pos- sible by a twin-screw extruder, which homogenizes the melt better, ensuring a stable process. In addition, pro- cessors can degas the system very easily and effectively, removing unwanted components from the recyclate. PAM option: producing flat film highly flexibly with fully automated die and feedblock Starting up a flat film extrusion line requires a lot of experience and time. A whole series of individual op- erations is necessary until the feedblock and die are set correctly. With the PAM option (Precise, Autonomous, Mechatronic), Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating showed at Chinaplast how flat film producers can fully auto - mate this adjustment, which used to be mostly manual. This enables faster start-up of good production and im- proved overall equipment efficiency (OEE). Scrap and material usage are significantly reduced. In addition, recipes that have been set once can be stored and re- called at any time. Film qualities can thus be reproduced exactly – even by inexperienced line operators. At the heart of the PAM system are motorized screw- drivers that automatically and highly precisely profile the film layers on the coextrusion adapter and set and control the die flex lip. The PAM option is available ex - clusively for Reifenhäuser's Coextrusion Adapter Pro – the only coextrusion system on the market that allows profiling of the individual layers while the line is run - ning. For flat dies, PAM is available as an optional fea - ture for Reifenhäuser dies and also as a retrofit option for third-party systems. Reicofil XHL (Extra High Loft) offers a new level of quality for nonwovens The manufacturer of nonwoven lines Reifenhäuser Reicofil is presented its new RF5 XHL production plat - form for the first time in China. The suffix XHL stands for Extra High Loft. RF5 XHL is the evolution of the proven RF5 technology, targeted at super soft and drapeable nonwovens for the hygiene industry. EVO Fusion enables blown film producers to use readily available, low-cost film waste and even printed laminates directly as raw material (Picture: Reifenhäuser) The coextrusion adapter with PAM option automates layer distribution adjustment and simplifies adaptations and optimizations by integrated recipe management (Picture: Reifenhäuser)