Extrusion International USA 3-2020

35 Extrusion International 3/2020 A patented new device for multi-manifold dies controls the layer thickness of costly capstock polymers, enabling manufac- turers of vinyl siding, glazing, hot tub panels, refrigerator parts, and other sheet products to reduce rawmaterial costs. Incorporated in a newEDI ® Ultraflex™multi-manifold sheet die from Nordson Corporation, the new device consists of a flex- ible hinge that for the first time makes possible fine-tuning of the capstock layer. Located in the flow channel for the capstock polymer at a point before it combines with the base polymer, the hinge can be adjusted to provide the uniform, streamlined flownecessary for a consistently effective cap layer. At the same time, a conventional flexible lip located downstream can be adjusted to ensure a consistent gauge for the overall two-layer structure. In production runs by a vinyl siding manufacturer, the new dual flex-lip die made possible an 11% reduction in consump- tion of acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate (ASA), the polymer widely used in the vinyl siding industry to provide UV protection for the rigid PVC base polymer. This represented an annual saving of US$ 55,669. Because the overall thickness of the siding was unchanged, the amount of ASA saved from being used was re- placed by much less expensive rigid PVC. And since the new die necessarily included a flow channel design that was more ad- vanced than that of the old die which it replaced, the total an- nual savings was actually double the $55,669 amount. Nordson Polymer Processing Systems www.nordsonpolymerprocessing.com While currently offering the new technology for vinyl siding ap- plications, Nordson anticipates that it will also provide cost sav- ings in other sheet products that require cap layers for UV pro- tection, gloss, or other special properties. Dual Stage Flexible Lip Die Reduces Consumption of Capstock Polymer Partnershipwith the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) Amcor has joined HPRC, a coalition of industry peers across healthcare, recycling and waste management, seeking to im- prove recyclability of plastic products within healthcare. Amcor will support the coalition with extensive expertise in packaging design for medical devices and applications in hospitals and oth- er treatment settings. The industry group aims to address all di- mensions of the packaging value chain, from packaging design to collection systems and endmarkets. There is tremendous potential for recycling medical device packaging. However, the nature of current medical packag- ing materials and the practical considerations of recycling seg- regation systems in busy healthcare environments will require a new approach. As sustainability requirements for packaging increase, there is an opportunity for the healthcare industry to work collaboratively to make the most of this valuable waste stream, while continuing to ensure product protection and pa- tient safety. In January 2018, Amcor became the first global packaging com- pany pledging to develop all its packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2025. Close collaboration with organizations like HPRC, as well as the EllenMacArthur Foundation and A Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging (CEFLEX), helps to achieve that goal and increase the rates of recycling across all industries to advance a circular economy. Amcor Flexibles EMEA www.amcor.com HPRC www.hprc.org Schematic of dual stage flexible lip of EDI ® Ultraflex™ sheet die from Nordson Corporation shows the base polymer in blue as it moves through the main flow channel, and the capstock polymer in red as it moves through a secondary flow channel before combining with the base polymer. A flexible hinge for fine-tuning the capstock layer is located just before the combining point. The oblique assembly above the die exit controls the thickness profile of the overall coextrusion by adusting the flexible upper lip of the die