Extrusion International 5-2018

Dear Readers, the magazine you are currently holding in your hands, or flicking through on our website www.extrusion-info.com , is primarily dedicated to FAKU- MA, the plastics processing exhibition in the southern German city of Fried- richshafen, which begins on 16 October. ‘Why FAKUMA?’, meticulous read- ers may ask. It is true that the exhibition is traditionally focussed on plastic moulding, and Hall 6, the one set aside for extrusion, appears rather modest and relatively low on visitors in comparison with the halls displaying giant injection moulding machines. Yes, extrusion is not the main draw of the exhibition. But the absence or limited interest of the major engineering firms is more than compensated for by the numerous businesses displaying their latest developments in the fields of control and automation, mixing and dispens- ing, granulation and recycling, and so on. Frequent visi- tors will know that, more than at any other exhibition, FAKUMA allows you to leisurely and serenely acquaint yourself with a variety of auxiliary equipment widely used in compounding and extrusion. This is due to its compact size and visibility, and the fact that, unlike the major international shows like K and CHINAPLAS, you don’t need to worry about managing to see absolutely everything. FAKUMA has competed with PLAST in Milan for many years, and has earned itself a place among the most important events in the plastics industry, building its own unique, warm atmosphere, inspired, perhaps, by the astoundingly beautiful views it affords over Lake Constance. But that’s enough lyrical contemplation: let me return to the contents of this edition, and direct readers’ attention to a few items in its various sections. Firstly, Molecor has developed an exclu- sive and highly efficient industrial system for manufacturing PVC-O fittings, allowing the com- pany to build products with better mechanical properties. In the rest of the magazine we take a look at the upcoming FAKUMA. Maag, for example, reports on the PRIMO 200 E pelletiser from its WSG dry-cut strand pelletising systems range, which reliably produces high-quality cylindrical pellets or micro-pellets ideally suited to further processing. Gneuss’ MRS technology has been particularly successful in PET sheet extrusion – as well as producing high quality rigid sheet, the company’s PET sheet extrusion lines can now also switch quickly and flexibly to producing physi- cally foamed PET sheet with the addition of Gneuss’ new PET foam module. Sikora, meanwhile, will use its exhibition booth to present innovative systems for quality control during the extrusion of hoses and tubes, as well as for inspecting, sorting and analysing plastic materials. Finally, I have some good news for readers who want a paper version of the magazine. The edito- rial team is gradually moving from one-off print editions covering major events to a year-round series in both digital and print form. From next year, four of the six editions will be available to read in the traditional paper format. I can already hear some of readers eulogising “the aroma of fresh printer’s ink and the rustle of the pages...” The digital version, meanwhile, will, as before, be regularly uploaded on our website, but at a new address: http://smart-extrusion.com . We hope you enjoy reading Extrusion International. Yours sincerely, Dr. Yury Kravets, Editor-in-chief EDITORIAL “... take a look at the upcoming FAKUMA„