ITPLAST Ottobre 2024 | Page 51

MACHINERY
Cannon Afros Extends Range of EG-AX
Cannon Afros , a company of Cannon Group , which specializes in mixing equipment and dosing systems for polyurethanes ( PU ) and other reactive resins , has extended the range of its EG-AX multi-component mixing head system to include viscoelastic foams , continuous sandwich panels and poly-iso boards . With the range extension Cannon can now offer the EG-AX system to process expandable graphite in any kind of product , including insulation panels , flexible foams for furniture , molded foams for mass transit as well as integral skin and flexible molded foams for automotive applications . “ We developed our EG-AX system in response to the increasing use of expandable graphite due to other flame retardants being phased out . This includes melamine , which is now classified in the EU as a ‘ substance of very high-concern ’, and many material suppliers and players in the industry anticipate it too , will soon be phased-out ,” said Stefano Andreolli , Sales and Marketing Manager at Cannon Afros , referring to the REACH ( European Union ’ s Registration , Evaluation , Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals ) regulation 203- 615-4 issued on June 2022 . “ Expandable graphite is considered as an eco-friendly , highly effective intumescent char-forming fire retardant with low smoke and toxicity . However , it ’ s very fragile and sensitive to mechanical stress , and therefore requires expertise when processed in a PU dosing machine . Thanks to the very short high pressure recycling time before the shot and special injector , the EG-AX system results in far lower particle breakage than other solutions offered on the market . For customers this means double savings . They need less expandable graphite to achieve the same fire resistance , while also reducing waste of chemicals and downtime due to spoiled formulation .” Expandable graphite is a fragile and ‘ tricky ’ flame retardant . If broken , the expandable graphite particles release sulfuric acid , which damages the catalyst blended in polyol . The EG-AX system allows to process high-quantity of expandable graphite drastically reducing the release of sulfuric acid . EG-AX consists of a Cannon AX mixing head with 4 streams - one for slurry made of polyol and expandable graphite , two for isocyanate , fed by a single pump and split into two by a flow divider . A fourth stream is available as an optional input to process additives or blowing agent , depending on the application . The EG-AX system can also be used for processing other solid flame retardants , such as ammonium polyphosphate ( APP ). Even though APP is not as fragile as expandable graphite , the base concept of EG-AX of using 2 iso streams and 1 slurry stream allows for very efficient mixing , even with high percentages of filler . For sandwich and board panels requiring a continuous process , a generous proportion of the polyol is drawn from the slurry and injected via the fourth stream , thus allowing much lower injection pressures for the slurry . At present Cannon EG-AX is already in use with several manufacturers of seats for mass transit , automotive engine covers , sound deadening parts for white goods , insulated piping and sandwich panels . Moreover , those customers who could see and try EG-AX system , selected it for their manufacturing due to easy and economic processing of expandable graphite fire retardant filler .
Cannon Afros has extended the range of its EG-AX multi-component mixing head system for expandable graphite to include viscoelastic foams , continuous sandwich panels and poly-iso boards . Photo Cannon Group
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Italian technology plast / October 2024
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