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| The Big Compounder is the smallest and most space-saving compounding system in its category in the market |
Brabender has launched the new electrically heated twin-screw extruder B-TSE-S 30/40 Big Compounder. The extruder was developed as an interface between laboratory and pilot plant and has a very compact design as it combines the drive as well as the processing unit. This makes it the smallest and most space-saving compounding system in its category on the market and makes it suitable for developing formulations and small-scale production of various extrudates made of plastics, rubber, food and feed, and many other extrudable materials. The Brabender extruder has also been used for laboratory-scale extrusion of anode and cathode materials on a conductive film.
Other possible applications include material developments, quality control, developments in the field of recycling and analyses of material behavior during a process in research institutes and industry.
Optimize production in large-scale plants and save resources
With the Big Compounder as a pilot plant extruder, resources can be used efficiently: Compared to tests on production extruders, the B-TSE-S 30/40 saves resources and works as a link between laboratory and large-scale production. This is because in the field of industrial applications, direct scalability from the laboratory to production plants is only possible to a limited extent. This is where the Big Compounder takes over as a pilot plant: the process parameters can be optimized in the Big Compounder for subsequent production in large-scale plants. The Big Compounder offers this possibility of upscaling both at the laboratory-to-pilot level and at the pilot-to-production level.
The Big Compounder has a foldable liner system. This makes the Big Compounder the only compounder in its category on the market where the operator has complete access to the process during and after the extrusion operation. The hinged design allows for extremely easy cleaning, and the user gets visual insight into his process through polymer inspections related to the screw configuration.
Big Compounder scores with high throughput
Despite its compact size, the Big Compounder has a particularly high throughput of 100 kilograms per hour and a higher torque compared to competitor devices. This allows companies in the plastics and food industries to compound using the smallest sample quantities in laboratory size, keeping their production volumes low compared to other laboratory extruders, even at higher throughput rates. The low material usage not only saves material costs, but is also sustainable and beneficial for materials that are difficult to procure. In addition, disposal costs of test materials can be saved: “Manufacturers of innovative products in particular have yet to establish their products on the market and therefore keep their production volumes small. The Big Compounder is particularly suitable for these companies because they need larger throughput volumes but want to keep their material costs at a low level”, says Simon Hill, Sales Engineer at Brabender. But markets with customized products that keep their production volumes small can also benefit from the Big Compounder.
Using co-rotating, intermeshing screws, the Big Compounder produces a homogeneous plastic compound from samples with or without extenders or additives, such as thermoplastic elastomers, thermoplastics, engineering plastics, metal oxides or ceramic materials.
The B-TSE-S 30/40 offers the greatest possible flexibility for applications thanks to its modular screw design with individual screw elements. Various screw geometries are available specifically for individual requirements. In addition, the screws can be easily removed, making cleaning convenient.
