Precision, shape dominate granulate production

Masterbatchers and compounders are finding more freedom with new pelletizing equipment now on the market.

Operator opts for pellet shape

Kerstin Schminke, product manager business unit plastics machinery, found an attentive audience at the show at the Rieter Automatik booth twice a day. The company demonstrated its latest -development, which allows the -processor to produce either cylindrical or spherical pellets at the turn of a switch.

A highlight of Rieter’s (Winterthur, Switzerland) stand was a compact line that produces micro-pellets in either spherical or cylindrical shapes. The unconventional production arrangement was demonstrated live in operation at the stand twice daily. The presentation also included a demonstration of the Optocontrol integrated production control system. With this technology, all production components are installed on a single, common platform. As the melt flow leaves the extruder, it is directed either into a Primo strand pelletizing line with cooling trough and air knife or into a Sphero underwater pelletizing unit.

Rieter Automatik; www.pelletizing.com



Lab-sized advantages

LPU from Gala (Xanten-Birten) is a low-cost underwater laboratory pelletizing system with pellet throughput from 2-70 kg/hr. It permits production of micropellets from 0.5-2 mm as well as standard pellets up to 12 mm in diameter. The heart of the system is the company’s SLC type underwater pelletizer with a self-aligning, spring-loaded cutter hub. The centrifugal pellet dryer and tempered water system incorporate features such as fast cleaning, minimization of required spares, simple operator controls, and a low capital expenditure. The unit comes mounted on a common chassis with swivel casters for easy movement within the lab or the shop floor.

Gala Kunststoff & Kautschukmaschinen, www.gala-europe.de



Unit makes every pellet count

Four-edge blades on Crown’s underwater pelletizer cut pellets for transport to the EZ-Flow antiturbulent water chamber.

A patent-pending underwater pelletizer demonstrated by Crown Machine (Addison, IL) produces consistent, perfectly shaped pellets and eliminates die-hole freeze-off with this new design. Crown says it has improved the residence time when the hot melt reaches the die face with the help of the company’s hydraulic polymer diverter value that is connected to an automated touch-screen PLC.

Crown Machine; www.crown-cdl.com