Plastics

Zorn Compressor Vacuum Audit at Midland Plastics

By Troy Dreier, Senior Editor, Blower & Vacuum Best Practices

The 105,000-square-foot Midland Plastics plant in New Berlin, WI, employs 100 people and manufactures a variety of custom plastic materials, including dashboard and door panels for the automotive industry, created with thermoforming. The plant has three thermoforming machines that operate nearly around the clock. Plastic comes in large sheets, which the plant heats and vacuums into a mold.
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Vacuum in Plastic Extrusion

By Tie Duan, E.W. Klein & Co.

The basic function of vacuum degassing is to remove the vaporized gas and moisture from the extruded material. During the extrusion process, as raw materials melt under heat and pressure inside the extruder. The polymer chains and chemical compositions are going through changes, and a variety of gases are released.
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Vacuum Solutions for Plastic Recycling

By Tracy Mosshart, Business Development Manager, Edwards Industrial Vacuum

More than 300 million tons of plastic is produced every year, and much of it ends up causing environmental problems. In response to these challenges, there are widespread global efforts to increase recycling capacity and innovate for more efficient and effective recycling solutions. Vacuum plays a critical role in achieving these improvements.
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Optimizing Booster/Liquid Ring Vacuum Pump Performance with a Plastics Manufacturer

By Michael Cicalese and Chris Halbach, Wintek Corporation

Wintek Corporation was contacted by a plastics manufacturing company in the summer of 2015 to evaluate their process vacuum capabilities. The customer was looking to replace a recently purchased used vacuum system to be used in a PET solid state polymerization/drying application. The process required high heat and vacuum and needed to run at 1 mBarA (0.75 Torr). The customer had purchased the dryer and accompanying vacuum system from an overseas supplier. While they were happy with the dryer, the vacuum system was not delivering the desired performance.
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Riding the Waves to Resolve Common Issues with Dilute-phase Pneumatic Conveying

By Mike Grennier, Blower & Vacuum Best Practices Magazine

A long-held practice in the plastics industry is the use of high-speed, dilute-phase pneumatic conveying to deliver plastic resins to plant processes even if those same materials are the kind that can create problems ranging from excessive dust to damaged resins and more. All the while, slower-speed conveyance is normally unthinkable given production goals and the potential for plugged conveyor lines.
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Less Maintenance Thanks to the Centralization of the Vacuum Supply

By Jasmin Markanic, Coordinator Global Press & Media Relations, Busch Dienste GmbH

Choosing the right vacuum supply can lead to huge cost savings in plastics processing. Mar-Bal, Incorporated has undertaken a critical review of the existing vacuum supply for injection molding when moving to a new plant and has collaborated with Busch, LLC to find a solution that will achieve savings in energy, maintenance and production times.
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Energy Management at Intertape Polymer Group

By Rod Smith, Blower & Vacuum Best Practices Magazine

Blower & Vacuum Best Practices® interviewed Michael Jones, Corporate Energy Team Leader, from Intertape Polymer Group (IPG). Intertape Polymer Group (IPG) is a manufacturer of tapes, films, woven fabrics, and complementary packaging systems for industrial and consumer use. The company operates 10 production plants and employs approximately 1,800 people. IPG has developed a robust energy management program by using ENERGY STAR energy management tools and actively participating in the ENERGY STAR partnership. IPG is receiving ENERGY STAR recognition for the growth of its energy program and leadership as a medium-sized manufacturer.
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Blow Molding Equipment: Review and Process Steps to Minimize Energy Usage

By Donald Miller, Vice President, Technical Services, Plastic Technologies, Inc.

Stretch blow molding equipment requires a significant amount of energy—both compressed air and electrical—to produce bottles. Creating an effective and efficient process, as well as monitoring and maintaining optimal process settings, can result in significant energy cost reduction. These efforts will also help produce containers that meet all of the required quality standards.
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MGM Industries Reduces Chilled Water Requirements with Dry Vacuum Pumps

Blower & Vacuum Best Practices Magazine interviewed John MacKorrell (Extrusion Process Engineer, MGM Industries) and Dave Brittain, Steve Gilliam, and Wayne Kemp from Becker Pumps.

Two years ago, sales were picking up and we began operating six extrusion lines on most days. We had to bring in some portable chillers, to keep up, and we started looking at buying a larger cooling system. We wanted to get rid of the portable chillers and have room to grow into four more extrusion lines. The new system we looked at was a 100-ton system that would have cost us around $150,000 in capital and installation and with a larger monthly electricity bill. We were about to buy the new 100-ton chiller when our President, Abe Gaskins said, “Hold-on, can we replace the Liquid Ring pumps with something that doesn’t consume water”? That was our “Eureka!” moment.
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