Dornier's machines and lines can be used for a wide range of film thicknesses, depending on the application. For polyester condenser film, lines are available for final thicknesses down to 1 µm and a trimmed width of 5.5m. For thick film application, the lines are available for processing film up to a maximum film thickness of 400 µm and a width up to 7m. For packaging applications, lines are available with a thickness range of 8-50 µm, a trimmed width of 8700 mm and speeds up to 500 m/min. For polypropylene applications the Dornier lines are designed for processing films with a thickness of 10-50 µm, a trimmed width of 8700 mm and production speeds of 500 m/min.

Demand for thick film applications is booming especially for optical grade film, according to the company, in answer to a query from MPW. Most of the lines for these applications are delivered to processors in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Optical grades of these thick films see use in LCD displays and other electronics devices.

Dornier also has developed lines where the plasticized melt is fed to the extrusion line directly from a polymerization unit. Sabine Wannagat, marketing manager at Dornier, says the company has six such lines in operation at customers' facilities. Dornier does not supply the polymerization unit.

Demand in general is now seen around the globe, she added, with lines on order from processors in China, India, Korea, and the U.S., but with the majority of lines going to India and the Far East. The company will be displaying its film stretching expertise at this year's Chinaplas exhibition (May 17-20 in Guangzhou). —MPW Staff