FastGap™ extrusion die for the production of panels from PCR

Circular economy is a concept that requires innovative ideas with strong partnerships to tackle the global challenge. Nordson has partnered with the European-based company, Greenful Group, to develop a system for the production of construction materials made from recycled waste.

The Greenful Group is a leader in the innovative recycling of textile, plastic, and other waste into new value-added building products that outperform traditional materials while at the same time improving the environment. Greenful targets to recycle 15% of Europe’s textile waste within the next 8 years.

“Greenful’s mission is to help solve the environmental waste crisis by transforming waste streams into products useful to society that also have an impact. We are proud to partner with Nordson, who is bringing circular solutions to the market that address these issues. Both our companies make sustainability a top priority and I believe that by working together we can make a big impact,” said Toomas Allikas, CEO of Greenful Group.

Nordson’s EDI® business will support this goal by providing an Ultraflex™ FastGap™ restrictor bar die to produce construction panels made from textile fibers and composite material. “The very high content of recycled material is a challenge,” says Sam Iuliano, Chief Technologist. “We need larger than normal clearance areas within the die so the fibers are not trapped, which can lead to blockage and sheet defects.”

Nordson has worked with Greenful to develop an engineered solution utilizing the company’s Multiflow™ I-R distribution manifold to ensure maximum streamlining. The extrusion die will include a series of lips to cover the desired product thickness range. “We are using extensive 3-D FEM simulations to be able to accurately distribute the material by utilizing our proprietary flow channel geometry,” explains Iuliano.

The extrusion die, scheduled for completion in 2023, will be installed in the laboratory of a Europe-based OEM for further product development by Greenful Group.