Extrusion 3-2016

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During the months of June and
July 2016, WM Thermoforming
Machines will showcase two
complete IN-LINE production
plants INTEC FT 900/3 which will
produce two-color disposable
8 and 10 Oz cups made of multi-
layer polypropylene. Both
machines have been purchased
by one of the leading disposable
item manufacturers in the
Americas.
The INTEC FT 900/3 consists of an automatic dosing and
feeding unit for raw material in granules, including the ma-
nagement and recycling system for the scrap material. Both
lines are equipped with the latest generation of WM’s N.EXT
extruders, which thanks to the new screw design, guarantees
higher productivity, less power consumption and, at the same
time, increases process stability and homogeneity.
The WM extrusion line consists of a main extruder with a screw
diameter of 75mm where the regrinded material is mixed with
the Polypropylene based material and filled with 70 percent of
talc. The two co-extruders with a diameter of 45 mm are used
A Fully Automated System
will transform 900 Millions of Rimmed PP Cups a Year
36 Thermoforming Extrusion 3/2016
WMWrapping Machinery SA
Via dei Pioppi 3, 6855 Stabio, Switzerland (CH)
for the outer colored layer. The total extrusion capacity of the
group is 1’500 kg/h.
The flat die head of the extrusion unit feeds a vertical lamina-
ting calender with three rolls creating a sheet width of 930mm
and a thickness ranging from 0.2 to 2 mm. The extruded sheet
is then sent in line to the transporting system of the INTEC FT
900/3 thermoforming machine which use a tilting lower form-
ing platen and a servo-assisted plugging unit. The forming tool
will consist of a 54 cavity mold and can accommodate molds
with a maximum size of 880x520 mm which clamping force is
of 75,000 DaN. The tilting system of the movable lower platen
is developed based on an innovative double DESMODROMIC
system of cams and levers operated by a servomotor.
After simultaneous forming and in-mold trimming, the cups are
removed from the bottom half-mold through a tilting plate ro-
tating at 75 degrees which is driven by aspirated spindles. The
cups are then transported and unloaded automatically into va-
rious rows on the conveyor belt feeding consecutively the WM’s
in-house developed rimming unit consisting of three rotating
screws.
This unit folds the upper edge of the cups prior to sending the
piles to the counting, packing and boxing units.
The waste of the residual perforated polypropylene is ultimate-
ly sent in-line to a soundproofed grinding mill reducing the
scrap into flakes in order to be blown into a dosing/mixing unit
located above the extrusion unit. This creates a closed loop
from the raw material to the finished product with the direct in-
line recycling of wasted material.
The INTEC 900/3 can produce up to 120,000 pcs of 200 cc
cups per hour, minimizing energy consumption using only one
operator.