Extrusion International USA 5-2019

32 Extrusion International 5/2019 PERIPHERY Deposits can significantly reduce product quality Deposits within the melt pump, caused by dwell time, chemical reactions or higher customer demands and for the continuous development of new prod- ucts. An oxide hard coating applied by means of PVD / CVD technology offers decisive advantages: The amorphous, non-polar surface prevents chemical build-up and deposit formation. The wall adhesion is reduced which in turn results in improved flow properties. An almost dense surface reduces the tendency to corrosion. The high hard- ness of more than 2,300 HV offers very good wear protection for demanding melt pump applications. Cleaning time reduced by 1/3 Customers of Eprotec confirm that the cleaning time, thanks to the new coat- ing of the of melt-X melt pumps, is re- ducedby 1/3. Polymers are easy towipe off. Colour change times are again sig- nificantly reduced, thus reducing poly- mer loss. In addition, the maintenance intervals are extended for applications which are subject to significant wear. Eprotec Extrusion Technology AG Pumpwerkstr. 23, 8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland www.eprotec-extrusion.com Whether uniform colouring in sheet and profile extrusion or transparency in film extrusion, there is a rising demand toward the quality of products in plastics processing. HomogeneitHomogeneity of the melt and dimensional stability of the final product are of high importance. In this context, the even and constant delivery of the melt pump plays an important role. To ensure optimumproduct quality, the Swiss company Eprotec Extrusion Technology AG has introduced a novel melt pump to the market. Amorphous surfaces of the pump prevent possible material build-up, allow faster colour changes and reduce wear to a minimum Coated Melt Pumps ensure Product Quality dead zones, can significantly reduce product quality and lead to higher re- ject rates and longer down times. In addition, colour pigments in master- batches, fillers or contaminated recy- cling materials increase wear and thus shorten the service life. Peter Fischer, co-owner of Eprotec Ex- trusion Technology, confirms: “Dur- ing the extrusion of sheets made of PC, PMMA or the compounding of TPE, our pumps must meet the highest standards. The manufacturer expects process stability from us. Already 15 years ago, we introduced smaller di- ameter flow channels (product holes) in our melt-X melt pumps. The goal was to achieve a higher flow velocity and thus to preventmelt adhesion. The transitional areas between the housing bore and the bushings have also been optimized to avoid dead zones. A high level of self-cleaning was the main fo- cus in our development. In particular, the gentle and complete squeezing of each individual tooth gap guarantees success and process stability. “ Eprotec is breaking newground With Dreistegen GmbH in Monschau, Germany, a specialist for surface treat- ment in plastics processing, Eprotec has found a competent partner. Dreiste- gen assists in finding solutions for even Novel amorphous surface prevents material build-up and deposits K 2019: Hall 11, Booth C73