Extruded foams
Typical end products: XPS plates, floor coverings, insulation, carpet backs
Typical materials: PS, PVC, PE, PP, nucleating and foaming agents
Typical througputs: 500-2000 kg/h
Process descpription
In the typical manufacturing process of extruded foaming materials, the initial polymer (e. g. polystyrene resins) and nucleating agents (e. g. talcum) are mixed at the intake of a single or twin screw extruder. After melting and mixing, a liquid foaming agent is injected downstream into the extruder barrel. A shaping instrument at the outlet of the second extruder
After introduction of the foaming agents into the polymer melt, the extrudate must be cooled for an optimal foam structure. This is best achieved by using a second extruder. The extrudate passes through a shaping instrument located at the outlet of the second extruder. The diameter of the extrudate increases through expansion. A sizing sleeve geometrically determines the final dimensions of the profiles. Water flows through canals in the sleeve and cools the extrudate. The wall thickness is regulated according to the material throughput and discharge speed.
After the foam profiles cool and solidify, they will be cut to measure into plates/slabs or tracks by a fixed cutter in the sizing sleeve before leaving the offtake station.
Depending on the application, the foam plates/slabs will be fed to an edge and/or longitudinal cutter. The tracks will be coiled up while the cut plates/slabs are piled up for further processing steps, i.e. lamination, pressing, stamping, etc.
Leftover waste materials will later be ground and reprocessed into granules. This recycled material will be blended in with virgin material in accordance with approved quality specifications.
System layout
1=GRAVIPLUS, 2=Primary extruder, 3=Blowing agent injection, 4=High pressure connection, 5=Cooling extruder, 6=Manifold and die head, 7=Calibration sleeve, 8=Knife, 9=Haul-off unit
Customer benefits
- Flexibility in application through modular design
- Reduction of down times at material change through intuitive handling (spring catches, etc.)
- The high-grade (digital) load cell technology secures better recipe integrity and fewer rejects due to a very short reaction time at recipe and/or throughput changes. In addition, the process of time-consuming process sampling and system calibration is omitted
- Acquisition of the consumption data → precise account of charges and stockkeeping possible
- Very precise control of the overall process (start-up phase, recipe change, fast and continuous adjustment of production capacities) automatic start-up processes through integration of upstream control
- Expertise in process engineering and process-oriented overall know-how makes motan-colortronic the ideal partner for you