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Processing of Green Plastics
Today , more than ever , the plastics industry is showing increased sensitivity to environmental issues with a view to fostering a circular economy , in terms of plastic production and consumption . Focus that also translates into concrete actions by the European Union , which has included this material among those with the highest priority for action in the framework of the Action Plan for the Circular Economy . In more detail , the so-called Plastics Strategy and the Single Use Plastics ( SUP ) Directive were developed to guide the move towards a more sustainable model . In this sense , the need emerges to adopt a unified strategy that tackles the challenge in a synergetic manner , focusing on three pillars : reducing the consumption of virgin polymers , recycling post-industrial and post-consumer waste , and replacing its use with bioplastics made from plantbased raw materials . “ We are facing a real paradigm shift that is influencing the development of the latest generation of extrusion machines capable of operating with even greener formulations ” says Massimiliano Fenili , the company ’ s Technical Manager , who continues : “ Our customers are becoming increasingly environmentally aware and are investing in advanced technologies and in a virtuous policy of recovery and recycling .” And he concludes : “ In this scenario , Bausano is at the forefront , alongside the sector ’ s operators , to respond to the market ’ s new requirements , with ad hoc designed technologies that implement innovative transformation methods , which are also energy-saving . This is a role that Bausano - a leading international player in the design and production of customised extrusion lines for plastics processing - successfully fulfils , by virtue of its in-depth knowledge and expertise of the pros and cons of each material and production process . A platform of solutions that Bausano , starting from the same technological root , constantly enhances to achieve ever higher levels of sophistication that meet every technical challenge related to the different formulations . With this in mind , Bausano , in addition to the already popular plant fibre-plastic composites , designs innovative extrusion lines that can also process blends that integrate environmentally sustainable plastics , such as PLA , with the plant component ( rice husks , coffee grounds , banana peels ,
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A Bausano extrusion line |
seaweed , almond shells , avocado kernels , cork and other plant residues ). A further case of excellence , in terms of sustainable innovation by Bausano , is the processing of an even more sustainable formulation of Wood Plastic Composite ( WPC ), no longer only obtained from a combination of PVC and sawdust , rice husks , etc ., but also from plastic waste together with the plant component . In such a scenario , Bausano ’ s added value , in addition to the technological core of its extruders , lies in product engineering with tests aimed at creating customised configurations capable of securing a competitive advantage for its customers , such as : - ABS ( acrylonitrile butadiene styrene ) terpolymer derived from the recovery , post-consumer , of electronic equipment ( WEEE ) undergoing testing with an unprecedented experimental line under the banner of maximum production performance ;
- LDPE ( low-density polyethylene ) thermoplastic polymer from bottle caps with up to 60 per cent post-consumer material , for an output of 750 kg / h by twin-screw extruders of the MD series ;
- High-density polyethylene HDPE , derived from bottles , with up to 60 per cent post-consumer component and productivity equivalent to 200 kg / h using E-GO series single-screw extruders ;
- PLA-based WPC , with polylactic acid component required by the customer between 60-80 % and sawdust component between 20-40 %, for an output of 100 kg / h with MD series twinscrew extruders ;
- Biodegradable PBAT ( adipic acid copolyester ) thermoplastic , generates 900 kg / h for the production of flexible packaging . Several critical issues have been resolved by Bausano in the course of these extrusion processes . Firstly , post-consumer waste , besides being characterised by a great variability of characteristics , is often affected by oxidation-degradation processes
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, which can alter its physical and mechanical properties . Secondly , materials from renewable sources pose just as many challenges , stemming from the complex handling of their rheology and the limited thermal processing range . “ The most recent guidelines issued at European level show that the reduction of virgin plastic consumption is one of the cornerstones of the new directives . Among the sectors in which plastics volumes remain particularly high is packaging . In order to limit the exploitation of natural resources , it is therefore essential to promote the use of viable alternatives , which are both environmentally friendly and high-performance ,” says Massimiliano Fenili , Technical Manager at Bausano , who continues , “ In this context , corporate strategies must also be renewed to contemplate long-term sustainable development goals , considering these changes as an opportunity to search for novel and pioneering solutions ”.
Insulating Panel Production Lines
Cannon Ergos is dedicated to manufacturing turnkey plants and machinery for diverse resins systems for composite , and thermoplastic materials . The company has extensive knowledge and experience in the supply of plant technology for large scale , high-speed continuous manufacturing of high-quality polyisocyanurate ( PIR ) and phenolic resin-based insulation panels with flexible facings mainly for roofing , walls , floors and ceilings applications in the building and construction industry . “ Today , Cannon Ergos can provide customers an all-inclusive state-of-the-art integrated post-processing system which guarantees high speed together with efficient flexibility and productivity for insulation panels of any size , with any substrate ,” said Luciano Boscari , Technical Manager for Post-Processing Systems at Cannon Ergos .“ Drawing on decades of
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experience and knowledge , the array of our post-processing machines and equipment are designed and custombuilt with the same attention to detail , robustness , and reliability that our customers have come to expect , and provide the optimum , tailored solution for each post-production step which includes sawing , cooling , trimming , profiling , machining , packing , stacking , and storage .” The complete turnkey plant technology Cannon provides to manufacture PIR and Phenolic resin-based insulation panels includes raw materials tank storage , upper and lower unwinding equipment to manage and feed rolls of substrates such as craft paper , aluminum foil , glass or mineral fiber facings , and pre-heating equipment ; the metering and mixing of the reactive resin base components which could include catalysts , blowing and curing agents , and fire retardants ; and the foaming and lamination section with double-belt conveyors to create panels with the desired flexible substrates and thicknesses . Post-processing equipment now supplied by Cannon Ergos include flying cross-cutting saws which divide up the continuous stream of laminated panel into ‘ motherboards ’ which pass into a cooling and hardening unit using specifically configured conveyors and are subsequently sawn into several pieces of the desired finished dimensions . These are then trimmed longitudinally and transversely with , for example , tongue-andgroove and shiplap profiles . The final panels are handled in a fully automated packaging station to produce shrink wrapped unitized and palletized stacks ready for warehousing and delivery . Cannon Ergos has paid particular attention to the optimization of every stage of production , including post-processing , applying lean manufacturing principles , automated systems , and optimized cycles to save energy , chemical raw materials , and substrate facings .
Cannon insulation panel post processing line upper & lower unwinding equipment
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Italian technology plast / April 2023 |
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www . plastmagazine . it |
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