SABIC Wins 2022 EPSE Awards in Design & Innovation Categories
SABIC has received two awards –– one for Innovation, the other for Design –– from European Polycarbonate Sheet Extruders (EPSE). The Brussels-based association announced the results today in an award ceremony during the K 2022 trade fair in Düsseldorf, hosted at the SABIC booth.
In the “Innovation” category, SABIC won for its Lexan Extrite Sheet panels that were used to create an exterior dome in a beautiful private home located at Kavouri Beach, Vouliagmeni, just south of Athens, Greece.
In the “Design” category, SABIC was honored for its Lexan Exell-D Sheet panels that were used to create the façade design of the LuLu Hypermarket in Sharjah Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
An innovative dome
The material chosen by Glazetech – Mich.Vakirtzis & Co. (www.glazetech.gr) for the Greek dome needed to be UV-resistant, with high weatherability, and provide protection from the elements and against abrasion. SABIC’s Lexan Extrite Sheet, in 6mm thickness, was used to fulfill the task, as a substitute for glass. SABIC produced the sheet in an Infra-Red (IR) Green color.
This polycarbonate (PC) sheet has a high abrasion-resistant coating and can withstand aggressive atmospheres such as saline environments and areas facing sand storms, making it the perfect solution. As SABIC’s Lexan Extrite Sheet has a protective layer on both sides, it is ideal for applications where abrasion, scratch, and chemical resistance are crucial. This low-maintenance, cost-effective PC sheet also has a long life.
A stunning façade
London-based architects Design International has developed a unique visual signature of using triangles in backlighted façades in its projects for the LuLu Group supermarket/shopping mall chain around the world. For the LuLu Hypermarket in UAE’s Sharjah Dubai, the group cited the design freedom and aesthetics of SABIC’s Lexan Exell-D sheet as the primary reasons for that material choice. Especially at night, the building’s backlit façade creates an almost magical atmosphere to the surrounding of Sharjah.
Design International (www.designinternational.com) and Blue Rhine (www.bluerhine.com) chose to use a 3mm-gauge Lexan Exell-D sheet to incorporate into the façade design. Other benefits included the ease of cutting the PC sheet versus cutting glass, polycarbonate’s excellent screen-printing capabilities, and the virtually unbreakable impact resistance of the lightweight PC sheet.
SABIC is proud of this project, which is a testament to the promise of polycarbonate solutions such as Lexan Exell-D Sheet being able to meet high aesthetic standards and design preferences. At SABIC, being an industry leader means always meeting the highest standards related to safety, innovation, sustainability and circularity.
In the “Innovation” category, SABIC won for its Lexan Extrite Sheet panels that were used to create an exterior dome in a beautiful private home located at Kavouri Beach, Vouliagmeni, just south of Athens, Greece.
Winning these EPSE Awards is a wonderful recognition of the work we do, in which SABIC’s solutions have been implemented to meet the needs of clients who are seeking the most innovative choice possible.
The annual EPSE Awards are an internal competition designed to promote the unique properties of polycarbonate sheet and showcase the wide range of applications where it can be used. EPSE (www.epse.org) has been organizing this awards competition since 2007, as a way to recognize the most innovative, sustainable, and best-designed projects made out of polycarbonate.
Coperion Supplies Plant for Chemical Recycling of PMMA to Renov8
Highly economical process and technology solution for recycling PMMA
Coperion is supplying a complete system for the chemical recycling of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) to Renov8, a subsidiary of just right based in JAFZA, Dubai, one of the leading manufacturers in plastics processing and manufacturing, specializing in sustainable solutions.
The Coperion system for the chemical recycling of PMMA will be installed at the Kezad Polymers Park in Abu Dhabi, which is among the most popular vertically integrated Polymers downstream manufacturing eco-systems in the region. It will thermally convert PMMA into liquid rMMA in a continuous process. The system includes material handling, two ARW discharge agitators with discharge screws and two Smart Weigh Belt (SWB) feeders, as well as a ZSK 92 Mc 18 twin screw extruder with 92 mm screw diameter, a vacuum system and a condenser. Key components of the system are produced in-house by Coperion.
Nilesh Jain, founder of Renov8, visited Coperion at its booth 14/B19 at K 2022 to sign the contract. The conclusion of the contract was preceded by extensive tests on the chemical recycling of PMMA at Coperion’s Test Center.
Coperion solution for the chemical recycling of PMMA
Coperion’s process solution allows for the thermal recycling of PMMA to rMMA in a very economical, continuous process.
The PMMA recyclate is conveyed via a discharge agitator ARW and a discharge screw to a Smart Weigh Belt (SWB) feeder. This low-headroom gravimetric feeder weighs large quantities of bulk material with at high accuracy and feeds it reliably into a ZSK twin screw extruder.
In the Coperion ZSK Mc 18 twin screw extruder a great deal of mechanical energy is quickly introduced into the PMMA via the co-rotating twin screws thanks to the very high torque of 18 Nm/cm³. The temperature of the melt rises very energy-efficiently in a very short time. The material depolymerizes. Gaseous MMA is produced, which is reliably extracted via the degassing domes of a vacuum system and then converted into liquid rMMA in a condenser. Coperion’s solution for chemical recycling takes place with significantly lower energy consumption than pyrolysis processes without extruders or compared to recycling with single screw extruders.
The chemical recycling system for Renov8 will allow the processing of two separate product streams. Thanks to its very good self-cleaning properties, PMMA with different light transmittances can be recycled on the same ZSK 92 Mc 18 twin screw extruder in a very short time without any loss of quality.
Closing the loop through plastic recycling
Renov8 specializes in the recycling of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE). Located in Kezad Polymers Park Abu Dhabi which is fully integrated with one of the fastest growing ports in the world, Khalifa port, the company’s 30,000 m² site is dedicated to using closed-loop process solutions and best-in-class, efficient technologies to conserve resources, eliminate waste and save energy for a sustainable, long-term future.
Borealis and Rehau Accelerate Circularity for Furniture Products With Bornewables Premium Circular Polyolefins
Rehau chooses Borealis’ Bornewables over conventional polypropylene (PP) for production of their Raukantex evo sustainable edgebands
Robust and durable, the Bornewables boast colour-stable chemistry and flexibility, and are suited for straight and contour processing
Partnership embodies Ever Minds approach to unlocking plastics circularity by using innovative and more sustainable material solutions in a variety of industries
Borealis, one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and sustainable polyolefin solutions and a European front-runner in polyolefin recycling, and Rehau, a leading supplier of polymer solutions to the automotive, construction, medical, and furniture industries, are advancing circularity in furniture manufacturing through the use of grades from Borealis’ Bornewables portfolio of premium polyolefins based on renewable feedstock. Rehau has selected the Bornewables material for the manufacture of edgebands based on its durability and robustness in combination with suitability for straight and contour processing. In the spirit of EverMinds, the long-term partnership between Borealis and Rehau has been taken to the next level as they drive plastics circularity in furniture manufacturing.
Polypropylene (PP) has long been a preferred material in the production of polymer edgebands thanks to its excellent chemical and heat resistance, and the wide range of processing opportunities it enables. It is also fully recyclable and odourless. As drop-in replacement solutions in edgeband manufacturing, grades from the Bornewables portfolio are also suitable for use on standard edgebanders and contour processing machinery due to their colour-stable chemistry and flexibility. Like conventional PP, the Bornewables offer:
Very good heat conductivity and absorption
Excellent UV stability
High degree of heat resistance
Extremely low shrinkage.
The Bornewables grades are ISCC Plus certified polyolefins (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) produced according to the mass balance model in which fossil-based feedstocks can be replaced by identical volumes of more sustainable ones. Using the Bornewables – which are made using renewable feedstock derived solely from waste and residue streams not fit for human consumption – reduces the carbon footprint of the end product.
“As accelerators for plastics circularity, we appreciate how important it is for the furniture industry to have a range of renewable-based and recycled material solutions in order to lower their own carbon footprint,” says John Webster, Borealis Global Commercial Director Infrastructure. “We believe that leveraging our polymers expertise and collaborating with trusted partners like Rehau is the best way to re-invent essentials for sustainable living.”
“The home furnishing sector is keen to find new ways to enhance the circularity of everyday products, but maintaining top product quality and longevity is essential,” explains Daniel Elfe-Degel, Manager Product Management Edgebands and Sustainability Officer at Rehau Industrial Solutions Division. “Borealis has long been a reliable and trusted partner. We are glad to have enhanced the sustainability of our product portfolio through the use of a more circular material solution.”
K 2022 is taking place from 19 to 26 October 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
We invite you to “Innovate Collaborate Accelerate” together with us by visiting Borealis and Borouge in Hall 6 at Stand A43.
SABIC to Debut at PCIM Asia Conference 2022 40% Thinner ELCRES HTV150a Film to Support High-heat SiC Inverter Technology for xEV
SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, will introduce at the PCIM Asia Conference 2022 a thinner gauge of its ELCRES HTV150A dielectric film. This new product can be used for capacitors in the traction inverters, onboard chargers and electrical compressors of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles (xEV). The 3-micron (µm) film is 40 percent thinner than SABIC’s previously announced 5 µm film, enabling further volume and weight reductions and greater design flexibility through enhanced energy density for the capacitor. Like the 5 µm ELCRES HTV150A film, this exceptionally thin film maintains stable performance at high operating temperatures up to 150°C and addresses the critical performance gap experienced by traditional polypropylene (PP) films above 135°C. This new level of thermal performance helps customers increase the adoption of SiC power modules, improving inverter efficiency. A smaller package size with a thinner gauge film reduces weight while providing improved performance such as range and acceleration desired by xEV consumers.
SABIC will conduct a presentation at the PCIM Asia Conference 2022 titled, “Reliability Evaluation of New Generation High Temperature Capacitor Films for Inverter Applications,” which is part of the Packaging and Reliability session. Yuan Zhou, lead scientist, Technology & Innovation, SABIC, China, will present on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 12: 20 pm in conference room 2F201.
“When we launched the five-micron ELCRES HTV150A film last year, we committed to develop thinner gauges to meet requirements for different capacitor voltages – and we’ve delivered on that pledge,” said Greg Stoddard, technical director, Resins and New Chemistries, SABIC. “Our new three-micron film can help customers design smaller package sizes that potentially avoid the use of active cooling systems associated with films that perform at lower temperatures. As OEMs design electric and hybrid vehicles to operate at specific voltages, the new three-micron film can help with differentiation by providing tailored properties. Segmentation of voltage performance aids automakers to match capacitor performance to the needs of different vehicles in their product lines.”
Higher Temperatures, Thinner Gauges
ELCRES HTV150A dielectric film is the first capacitor film in the industry to be engineered for stable performance at operating temperatures of -40°C to 150°C and frequencies up to 100 kHz, while offering stable capacitance, high insulation resistance and good dielectric performance (dielectric constant (Dk) of 2.9, dissipation factor (Df) of 0.0017). Other key properties include high breakdown strength over the full temperature range, good self-healing and excellent adhesion to aluminum and zinc. The film has been validated by customers for use with both film-foil and metalized electrodes. Capacitors built with 3 µm and 5 µm metalized films pass standard electrical and life tests at 150°C for 2,000 hours with low capacitance change and stable insulation resistance. Additional key features and benefits, typical properties and potential applications for SABIC’s ELCRES HTV150A film portfolio can be found in SABIC’s new brochure.
SABIC will continue to develop new products to meet higher dielectric and thermal performance requirements as inverter technology advances, demonstrating its strong commitment to deliver innovative material and film technologies to the power electronics industry.
The PCIM Asia Conference 2022 will be held on Oct. 26-27 at the Chuangjing Technology Center in Shanghai, China.
K 2022: Starlinger Focuses on Reducing Resource Consumption
After two years of pandemic, interest in the packaging solutions made of woven plastic tape fabric supplied by the Austrian world market leader Starlinger & Co GmbH continues to be high. Especially sought after are sustainable packaging and closed-loop solutions.
The most important exhibition for the international plastics industry has been a success for the Vienna-based machine manufacturing company. “This year’s K show has been sensational for us. Everybody is happy to get together personally and talk about the developments in the sector after all the restrictions due to the pandemic”, said Hermann Adrigan, Head of Sales at Starlinger, summing up the exhibition. “A lot of customers, among them many long-time business partners, visited us both here at our booth in Düsseldorf as well as in Austria during our Open House in our factory which took place at the same time.” The number of deals closed during the exhibition shows that many companies in the sector are willing to invest. “For us, K 2022 equals K 2019 in this respect”, confirmed Adrigan. “Both here in Hall 16 as well as at the booth of our division Starlinger recycling technology in Hall 9 we sold a number of projects already in the course of the exhibition.”
A main attraction for many customers was the conversion line for Adstar woven polypropylene block bottom valve sacks at the Starlinger booth in Hall 16: It produced Adstar sacks with a share of 22 % recycled content at a speed of 140 sacks/minute. Also, big bags made of 100 % recycled polypropylene and 100 % recycled Pet supplied by Starlinger customers drew a lot of interest. With the “Circular Packaging” concept for big bags initiated in 2019 Starlinger offers a model for a closed packaging loop for packaging producers.
“Sustainability plays a major role in almost all inquiries we receive nowadays”, explained Adrigan. “As machine manufacturers we have been putting the reduction of resource consumption – be it energy, be it raw materials – in the central focus of our technical developments for decades. Now, also recycled material can be processed on our lines without loss of quality. Packaging producers know: If you want to produce woven PP or Pet sacks in a sustainable way, Starlinger is the place to go.”
W&h Presented New Machine Technologies and Packaging Solutions for Sustainable Flexible Packaging Production at a Very Successful K 2022.
Windmöller & Hölscher, specialist for machinery in the flexible packaging market, presented new developments in three areas at K 2022: Efficient Production, Circular Economy, and Digitization. The W&H slogan at K 2022, “Get in the Loop” and the infinity symbol illustrate the way these three topics influence each other and contribute to the success of sustainability.
“The K trade fair has proven itself as a meeting point for the industry, as a performance show and as an important point of contact with our customers,” says Peter Steinbeck, CEO of W&H. “Just like before the pandemic, we had visitors from all over the world at the W&H booth. With the live machine demonstrations three times a day, we reached several hundred visitors each time,” adds Dr. Sascha Witt, CSO of W&H. On four exhibition days, W&H hosted an in-house Expo at its headquarters in Lengerich, where another 12 lines including extrusion, printing, and converting machinery were presented. Around 1,100 visitors from 83 countries traveled to Lengerich.
The highlight for trade fair visitors was the Varex II blown film line in operation at the booth. The daily machine show in Düsseldorf featured live demonstrations of the new Easy2 Change assistance system, an autopilot for product changes. Compared to an experienced operator, the number of necessary clicks for a product change is reduced by more than 70% and the time needed is cut by more than half – and all that with the certainty that no errors are made. This is especially important for difficult products, for example containing recycled materials with varying qualities. After the end of the trade show, the line is now being delivered to the customer IsoFlex Packaging, a member of the Sigma Plastics Group in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
W&H also highlighted new packaging solutions ready for the Circular Economy: Six examples that are made for recycling and four solutions that use high percentages of recycled materials. All solutions have been extruded and printed with W&H lines and have been tested for their practicability with W&H sack making lines or with converting partners – proving that sustainable solutions with the required functionalities are possible today.
Circular Economy – Solutions ready for recycling Recyclable pet food bags: W&H is showing two different approaches to this recyclable packaging solution, that is trending in the market: a blown film with a co-extruded EVOH barrier layer and one made with a functional barrier coating during the printing process. Recyclable Coffee Pouch: A stretched MDO PE-film with an EVOH barrier layer combined with PE sealing film. With a total amount of only 2% EVOH this solution exceeds the current recycling regulations, while at the same time providing the barrier properties for oxygen and water vapor required for this kind of packaging.
Circular Economy – Solutions using recyclates
50% PCR Collation Shrink: All new collation shrink film with 50% post-consumer recycled material. It offers the same shrink values and
Mechanical properties as conventional, non-PCR recipes. PE Valve Sack: All new film recipe with 30 % post-industrial material that displays similar mechanical properties as a conventionally produced film.
Digitization Easy2 Change: The new Easy2 Change assistance system supports the operator during every necessary step of a product changeover saving time,waste, and resources.
RUBY App: The brand-new app for mobile production monitoring based on the IOT-System by W&H.
Efficient Production
MDO-PE in 2×1260 MM: W&H shows a new line set-up for MDO-PE producing 2×1260 mm net width with optimal film properties, increased output and bag-making efficiency. This solution shows that recyclable monomaterial solutions can be produced at highest efficiency. Filmatic II V: The new winder generation with best-in-class winding performance, Easy operation and excellent safety standards. The start of the winding process is critical, therefore the surface winding from the beginning to the very end of the roll was improved.
Arburg Makes an Impressive Showing With “Plan A” at K 2022, the World’s Leading Trade Fair
Centre stage: Sustainability, digitalisation and resilience
Plan A: Trends, technologies and strategies for sustainable plastic parts production
Overwhelming: Thousands of enthusiastic visitors at the Arburg stand
“There is only a Plan A”: Arburg clearly hit the bull’s eye with this message at the world’s leading trade fair, K 2022, in Düsseldorf, Germany – inspiring countless trade fair visitors in the process. A total of around 30 machine exhibits on its main stand, in the arburg Green world pavilion in the VDMA Circular Economy Forum, and on partners’ stands showcased sophisticated applications and technologies in injection moulding, additive manufacturing and automation. Sustainability, digitalisation and resilience were the topics that took centre stage.
“We experienced a huge footfall at our main stand 13A13 and the arburg Green world pavilion in the VDMA Circular Economy Forum. We are very much satisfied with the quantity, quality and internationality of the visitors, especially in view of the current conditions,” said Juliane Hehl, Managing Partner responsible for Marketing and Business Development, summing up the company’s successful trade fair appearance. “At K, we gave an impressive demonstration of where the journey is headed.”
Innovative solutions for resource conservation
“As a machine manufacturer, we are vigorously pursuing a strategy towards greater resource efficiency, CO2 reduction and circular economy. This is an important issue for our customers worldwide, and one that we are bringing to life,” said Gerhard Böhm, Arburg Managing Director Sales and Service. Among the items on show was a demonstration of how PIR and PCR recyclates can be processed into high-quality products with the help of hardware and software together with the new “aXw Control RecyclatePilot” and other smart controller functions. One such product was a tool case in Arburg design, probably one of the most coveted give-aways at the entire trade fair.
Visitors to the arburg Green world pavilion were able to gain an impressive insight into how Arburg, with its “Plan A”, is playing its part in solving a global problem affecting society as a whole. It was there that Arburg trainees not only “rocked” the pavilion but also held numerous discussions on the future of plastics as a recyclable material – with young visitors in particular. Talks were also held with experts from science and industry. And an electric Allrounder produced “Greenline” anchors from Fischer using plastic based on castor oil.
Arburg shed a focused light on the multifaceted issue of sustainable plastic parts production at the arburg Green world pavilion in the VDMA Circular Economy Forum.
High-end injection moulding technology
At its main stand 13A13, Arburg presented a wide range of sophisticated applications and innovative technologies from its entire portfolio: injection moulding machines, additive manufacturing, automation, plus internally developed control systems, drive trains and digital products and services. “We offer our customers everything they need not only to work in an energy- and production-efficient way in these challenging times, but also to strengthen resilience in the long term,” explained Guido Frohnhaus, Arburg Managing Director Technology & Engineering.
The Freeformer 750-3X celebrated its world premiere at K 2022. The machine is systematically designed for industrial additive manufacturing, and boasts a part carrier around 2.5 times larger than the previous model.
One highlight in terms of injection moulding and mould technology was an automated three-component Allrounder Cube 1800, which produced a functional component from PP, TPE and POM using an 8+8+8-cavity cube mould including new index turning technology from Arburg’s partner Foboha. The challenging assembly process took place in the gripper of the associated six-axis robot.
Another application that attracted a lot of interest was an all-electric packaging application. As an alternative to thermoforming, an Allrounder 720 A with a new 1300 electric injection unit and in the new “Ultimate” performance variant produced thin-walled IML cups with a wall thickness of only 0.37 millimetres using the injection compression moulding process, achieving an injection speed of up to 400 millimetres per second.
Together with its mould partner Braunform, Arburg used a two-component Allrounder More 1600 to demonstrate how time and costs can be saved by integrating functions, with Luer connectors made of PP and TPE as an example. Capping and unscrewing took place directly in the mould. Handling was carried out by a Yaskawa six-axis robot, which Arburg will add to its automation range from spring 2023 as it becomes a system integrator.
On show as an example of particularly compact automation without additional floor space was an interlinked turnkey system based around a vertical Allrounder 375 V, which produced a bicycle tool called a “tyre lever” from PIR recyclate. Handling and “ready-to-use” assembly were carried out by a suspended six-axis robot. The Arburg Turnkey Control Module (ATCM) ensured 100 percent traceability in this application.
An example of the future of digital production cells was the “smart” turnkey system based around a hybrid Allrounder 630 H. The injection moulding machine produced blood tubes from PET and communicated with the mould, hot runner controller, material dryer and automation via the Gestica control system and OPC UA. The “Moldlife Sense” computer system integrated into the 32-cavity mould provided by Arburg’s partner Hack, also enabled monitoring across the complete life cycle.
Full house: Arburg trade fair stand 13A13 was the place to be at K 2022.
Digital Center – All-round digitalisation
In the “Digital Center” exhibition area, Arburg gave a very hands-on demonstration of digital products and services for the injection moulding world. In addition to the Arburg host computer system and Remote Service ALS, a large number of features for the arburg Xworld customer portal were presented. New to the Machine Center app is the digital product passport, for example, which indicates the carbon footprint of each machine’s manufacture. Another new feature is a machine comparison tool in the Machine Finder app, which has been expanded to include equipment options.
Visitors could see for themselves just how much transparency the Machine Terminal app offers. Each exhibit was equipped with an iPad, which could be used to access information such as current production figures.
An automated three-component Allrounder Cube 1800 produced a functional component from PP, TPE and POM using a cube mould from partner Foboha – including assembly injection moulding and capping directly in the gripper.
New developments in additive manufacturing
The Freeformer 750-3X celebrated its world premiere at K 2022. The latest machine for Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) is systematically designed to meet the requirements of the industry. Compared to the previous model, the part carrier is around 2.5 times larger – with the same external dimensions. The APF process is also around seven times faster and more economical. Another exhibit, a high-temperature Freeformer 300-3X, demonstrated the production of complex components from original material Ultem 9085 and a new break-away support material. The additive manufacturing portfolio was supplemented with two exhibits from Arburg’s sister company innovatiQ, including the new TiQ2 for entry into filament-based industrial 3D printing.
26 Companies Present R-Cycle at K 2022: Digital Product Passport Enables Circular Economy for Plastic Products
R-Cycle – the digital product passport for plastic products – enables all stakeholders in the value chain to easily exchange recycling-relevant information in an open standard format across company boundaries and make it accessible for various applications, such as improved waste sorting. A total of 26 leading companies and organizations will present R-Cycle at K 2022 as part of a joint booth in the Circular Economy Forum (OA 16 / CE 07).
Dr. Benedikt Brenken, Director R-Cycle, explains, “More and more leading companies along the entire value chain are relying on R-Cycle and benefiting from the added value of standardized data exchange along the life cycle of plastic products. At K 2022, we will be showing a wide variety of applications and product samples that have already been manufactured in high volumes and whose data can be accessed via automated digital product passports.”
Looking at today’s waste streams, recyclable products – especially plastic packaging – cannot be sorted with sufficient accuracy for high-quality recycling. With R-Cycle, production machines read and record relevant data in a digital product passport, route it through the value chain, and make it retrievable via appropriate marking (e.g., QR codes or digital watermarks) on semi-finished and final products. In this way, waste sorting lines can easily identify recyclable packaging and form recycling-friendly and single-variety fractions. This is the basis for obtaining high-quality recyclates and building a functioning circular economy.
In addition to improving product sustainability, manufacturers also increase their process efficiency and product quality by using the digital product passport. Accurate information about source materials accelerates and optimizes production, while capturing proprietary product characteristics adds value for customers in the downstream value chain.
“Data exchange is the key to an efficient circular economy,” Dr. Brenken adds. “The data is already available at the individual stations of the value chain. They just need to be transmitted, aggregated and made usable via an open standard. This is exactly what we offer with R-Cycle.”
R-Cycle was developed to market maturity by various technology companies and organizations along the entire lifecycle of plastic products and can be networked with all systems (e.g., PPS, ERP) and production facilities: from film, blow molding or injection molding machines to processing, packaging and filling machines to waste sorting and recycling lines. The traceability technology behind R-Cycle is based on GS1 standards – the leading global network for cross-industry process development and a founding member of R-Cycle.
R-Cycle is an interoperable infrastructure offered as software-as-a-service. In addition, an open community exists for interested companies, institutions or stakeholders who want to use, support or further develop R-Cycle. Members gain access to a broad network of application-experienced partners and know-how in digitalization and sustainability. The goal is to realize individual applications, generate benefits by networking the value chain and jointly establish R-Cycle worldwide. Interested companies can obtain all information about membership at: www.r-cycle.org/en/community
R-Cycle captures all recycling-relevant data along the entire value chain via digital product passports.
R-Cycle was awarded the prestigious “Sustainability Award” in the category “Driving the Circular Economy” in September 2022. The award was presented during this year’s “Sustainable Packaging Summit” in Lisbon. The event is the leading international forum for sustainable packaging.
New “Ultrathin Coating” Process Enables Production of Particularly Lightweight and Cost-Effective Film/Nonwoven Composites
Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating will showcase a completely new production process for cost-effective film/nonwoven composites with outstandingly low grammage, which allows economical production also in Europe.
The Covid-19 pandemic and current supply shortages have exposed the dependence of companies on global supply chains. This situation is both a warning signal and an opportunity to boost and reorganize the local production of semi-finished products from the ground up. Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating has now developed a trend-setting production process termed Ultrathin Coating, in particular for the sector of medical protective clothing. The process will permit customers to produce particularly lightweight film/nonwoven composites with greater cost efficiency and, as a result, more competitively.
The patent-pending process has several advantages: It cuts film grammage by 66%; material consumption in the overall composite is reduced by 28%; and it slashes costs by up to 34% compared to conventional semi-finished products. Significant cost savings are achieved in various ways, for example, by replacing hotmelt adhesives, which rises line availability by reduced maintenance effort at the same time.
Mark Borutta, Sales & Marketing Specialist at Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating, explains: “We are currently experiencing a sustained increase in demand for medical protective clothing combined with a return strategy for local production capacity. Against this backdrop, producers achieve a fast return on investment and high profitability with Ultrathin Coating – even when production is based in Europe.”
Even if manufacturers already produce medical protective clothing and prefer to handle the coating process internally in the future instead of importing the necessary composites, it is worthwhile to set up an in-house production facility. In either case, the investment in Ultrathin Coating usually pays for itself in less than 12 months. The lower material input also reduces the consumption of fossil raw materials and this in turn responds to the increased demand for more sustainable products.
What is so special about Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating’s solution is that its sister company, Reifenhäuser Reicofil, an experienced and global leading manufacturer of nonwoven lines, provided their invaluable support to the development. Customers already operating a Reicofil nonwovens line or installing a new one will thus receive a perfectly matched extrusion coating line for seamless semi-finished product production.
EFSA/FDA-Compliant Production Process Enables Manufacture of Food-Safe Film From PET Recyclate
Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating has developed a particularly efficient production process with which PET recyclate can be processed directly into food-safe film without a pre-drying process. The process meets the criteria of both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). This was proven via a so-called challenge test.
If recycled goods come into direct contact with food, special certification by the EFSA or the FDA is required in advance in some markets. The production of films for such food packaging is correspondingly complex and demanding. Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating now facilitates the economical production of such films for flat film manufacturers with a simpler production process and provides advice on certification.
Mark Schuster, Product Manager PET Sheet at Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating, explains: “The market for recyclable food packaging made of PET already has a high volume. At the same time, the growth potentials are equally interesting considering the current global collection rates. We are now making it easier for customers to successfully participate in this market.”
The EFSA/FDA-compliant PET process uses a co-rotating twin-screw extruder and a specially developed high-performance vacuum system that enables producers to process PET recycling material directly, without pre-treatment and pre-drying – as is necessary with other processes. Processors thus save the investment in an additional line component and avoid additional energy and maintenance costs, which leads to significant savings, especially in times of rising energy prices. Fast material and product changes are also possible, for example between post-consumer PET bottle scrap (PCR), post-industrial PET production waste (PIR) and virgin PET. The end product, for example a meat tray, meets the highest hygiene standards and can be used safely in direct contact with foodstuffs in accordance with the criteria of the authorities.
Certification made easy: Consulting
Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating supports customers in the certification process with the relevant authorities. For this purpose, not only the cleaning process of the ground material, but also the quality monitoring of the input material and the production under the criteria defined by EFSA are considered.
EFSA audits made easy: automatic documentation
Another feature of the line is the automatic documentation of relevant production data. For EFSA audits, recipe- and product-related data of the certified process must be stored for several years. The specially developed ExtrusionOS Production Compliance software bundle helps to monitor and securely document production processes and compliance with EFSA-relevant thresholds in a data-based and real-time manner. A live dashboard transparently shows ongoing production and its thresholds, enabling fast action in case of irregularities. ExtrusionOS Production Compliance is based on Reifenhäuser’s connectivity solution ExtrusionOS Core & c.Hub Middleware, and can also be retrofitted to existing lines.
Recycling made easy: digital product passport
Via ExtrusionOS, production data can also be transferred to a digital product passport – for example, via the open R-Cycle standard. Digital product passports are data records clearly linked to primary and end products that contain relevant data on materials, ingredients and the use of the product. Via special markings, they can be used, among other things, for data-based and thus more precise waste sorting and recycling processes.
