Raven Industries Inc., a specialty blown films processor for the agriculture, aerospace, and electronic manufacturing services markets, announced the full integration and qualification of its newest blown film line the company installed earlier this year: a seven-layer oriented barrier system.

The new extrusion line is next generation technology for manufacturing precise thickness. Unique add-on features strictly control film profiling and processing to meet specific performance parameters, along with barrier design flexibility that delivers added value to end-use applications. This new system features targeted in-line annealing to control film tension and web flattening characteristics, necessary for precise films used in lamination and OEM conversion operations.

The seven-layer die configuration includes high volume IBC airflow and is designed for further nine-layer expansion. The innovative winding system includes full-shaft handling and auto-conveyers to produce small consumer packaging as well as large-scale mill rolls ranging up to 40-inch diameter. The reclamation feature correlates directly with Raven sustainability efforts; by recycling roll edge-trip directly from the line through an internal reclaim process, converting it to reusable resin through precise blending.

Raven worked closely with industry experts at Davis Standard to commission and qualify the new line, built specifically to a projected vision for the lightweight barrier formulations with several distinctive features.

"The addition of this new seven-layer line expands the range of product capabilities beyond our existing barrier lines by targeting thinner film profiles, to help us realize increased throughput efficiencies for consumer-sized rolls, which are packaged and sold straight off the line," said Anthony Schmidt, VP and general manager for Raven Industries engineered films division.