A machine manufacturer is expanding its wide program of cast and blown film lines with a system for water-quenched blown film extrusion. This provides a unique system portfolio for the production of flexible packaging. The article presents these extrusion processes, their specific characteristics and the resulting application areas. 

Blasfolienextrusion

Kunststoff-Verpackungsmaschine

Flachfolien- und Plattenextrusion

Folien

Medizintechnik

Film Production: System Options for Wafer-Thin Protection 

There is little doubt where we are heading: multilayer packaging will have to become easier to recycle – but what does that mean for the technology? And what solutions will the market need and accept? Manufacturers of branded goods are not the only ones who will have to rethink their specifications.

How Film Packaging Will Have to Develop

Verpackungsmaterial

Logistik

Klotz, Karlhorst, Dr.

Verpackungsanlagen

Coilhandling

Recycling

Umweltmanagement

Flachfolienanlagen

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Extrusionsanlagen

Nachhaltigkeit

Sondermaschinen

Halbzeuge und Zwischenprodukte

Kunststoff-Halbzeuge

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Europe Needs to Catch up

Desire for hygiene and food safety increase worldwide demand for flexible packaging films.

Extrusion

Unternehmen

kunststoffe.de

KU-Verarbeitungsmaschinen allgemein

Kunststoffverarbeitungsmaschinen

 Brückner Maschinenbau to Increase Order Intake Significantly in 2020

Multi-layer cast films can be created using a multi-manifold die or by means of an injector block and an end-fed die. The numerical simulation helps to better understand the coextrusion process for polyester films and the emergence of clear edges. In addition, it can be determined how different viscosities influence the film structure. 

Numerical Simulation of the Processing of Multi-Layer Films 

Prozesssimulation

Smooth Extrusion 

MDO (machine direction orientation) can be used for the production of polymer films that have unique properties. By using an optimized machine and control technology, existing MDO applications can be produced much more efficiently and new areas opened up. 

Selective Modification of Film Properties through Uniaxial Stretching 

Stretching the Limits  

A new method for foam extrusion combines the advantages of physical and chemical blowing agents. Solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) pressed into pellets is used as blowing agent that is added via the extruder hopper. The foaming method, which is simple to retrofit, provides a good entry-level solution to foam extrusion. 

Foam Extrusion with Dry Ice as Blowing Agent 

Icy Foaming  

Since the recent market trend is gradually growing more in favour of synthetic components than bituminous ones, Amut S.p.A., Novara, Italy, now offers extrusion lines producing waterproofing membranes capable to process different thermoplastic materials, such as F/PVC, TPO, TPE in a single step. The use of these materials improves the technical performances and the physical features of the membrane, complying with international standards and requirements in the civil works sector. 

Multi-Layer Membrane Production in One Step 

Thermoplaste

Polyvinylchlorid

Extrusion Lines for Waterproofing Membranes 

In 2013, Reifenhäuser introduced the high-performance extrusion lines for PET thermoforming sheets with the patented mechatronic polishing stacks of the MIREX-MT-V design series. Now Reifenhäuser introduces the next generation of this line type. 

Reifenhäuser Combines Improved Components 

Industrie 4.0

Polyethylenterephthalat

Extrusionswerkzeuge

New Generation of PET Thermoforming Sheet Lines 

Like plastics manufacturing and processing, the recycling of plastic products requires specialization to be efficient. Accordingly, a Dutch company has dedicated itself entirely to the recycling of agricultural and packaging films ¿ and invested in a machine technology, which was found along tortuous ways. 

Technical Answers to World Political Changes in Film Recycling 

Schmelzefilter

Sortierer

From Waste Collector to the  Plastic Recycler 

The Chinese global film supplier invests in two 7-m sequential film stretching lines for the production of BOPA films. 

Xiamen Changsu orders production line for BOPA film 

Brückner delivers sequential film stretching lines 

A surface inspection system for film and sheet must now do far more than just identify defects. It is important to provide a consistent overall concept, which besides flexible, high-precision defect detection also permits extensive quality assurance, continuous quality verification and optimization of the manufacturing process. Highly advanced systems offer the possibility of implementing a coherent supply chain from sheet production through to print inspection. 

Sheet/Film Inspection: Perfect Eyes 

The technological advances achieved in high-frequency technology are making radar units increasingly attractive as driver assistant systems. Using plastic film, it would be possible to position an antenna at any desired point of the vehicle body. 

Elektronik

HV-Anwendungen / Hybridisierung / Elektrifizierung

Functional Integration: Outer Body Skin with an Integrated Antenna 

The range of offerings from the manufacturers of machines for film and sheet was almost impossible to take in: there were 64 exhibitors in the area of blown film and 105 in the field of flat film and sheet extrusion. As usual the achievable output rate of the systems above all was a key topic for many plant constructors. Keywords such as high speed machines, low temperature screws as well as improved cooling and winding concepts were crucial points in discussions. Furthermore, the processing of PET was also once again a hotly debated topic. 

Film Extrusion (Trade Fair Report K 2007): Throughput Counts 

Previously it was not possible to apply a solar protection film on acrylic or polycarbonate (PC) substrates without blisters being formed. Plastic S15 which was developed by 3M Deutschland GmbH, Neuss, Germany, is the first protective polyester film that can be blister-free bonded to PC or acrylic substrates. This has been made possible by a special aging resistant acrylic adhesive system that hinders blister formation in spite of outgasings from the polymer. 

Protection from Sunlight without Blisters 

Solar protection film 

Décor films based on polyamide are replacing varnishing in the area of engine covers, giving them precious metallic looks. For several years already, films have been successfully used as protective and decorative elements in sports articles. They impress consumers by their constantly new and sumptuous designs. 

Polyamide

Polyamide Sheets: Premium Surface Protection 

Special Requirements of Jam and Roof Tiles

Beumer Group packs a wide variety of goods using its stretch hood lines and films that are often custom-made. Safely and economically.

Humid beverage cartons that must not be subjected to mold under the packaging film, stacked roof tiles that should not break on the loading area of a truck in case of heavy braking, and expensive articles that must not be removed from the packaging unnoticed – how can all three of these shipments be packaged safely and economically at the same time? Beumer Group supplies individual solutions for almost every task.

“For our customers, it is often not just a matter of packaging goods simply to protect them from environmental influences”, says Jörg Spiekermann, sales manager for palletizing and packaging systems in the Consumer Goods area of Beumer Group. Especially in his business sector the requirements are often very different – and above all demanding. Thus it must be possible to transport the packed stacks safely on the loading space of a truck, preventing them from slipping and being damaged due to sudden steering moves or hard braking. This is especially concerning for transported goods such as glass, stone or roof tiles. Companies often use the stretch wrapping process and this is because of the significantly lower initial investment for the machines compared to stretch hood systems. However the stretch wrapping process presents some disadvantages. “Stretch wrapped film’s elasticity allows to solidify the palletized goods during packaging, but only provides little vertical tension force to the load,” explains Spiekermann. “But it is exactly this vertical tension force that is responsible to provide stability for the transportation loads. This technique is not suited for materials with sharp edges, such as bricks”.

The Highly Elastic Stretch Hood Adapts to Any Shape

With stretch hooding Beumer Group offers an efficient possibility, even for difficult cases. The high-capacity packaging system: Beumer stretch hood A, covers the palletized load units with a highly elastic stretch hood. In the consumer goods sector, these can be bricks or glass items but also boxes of detergents, buckets of paint or packages stacked in a chaotic way. During transshipment and outside storage, merchandise is protected reliably against environmental influences such as sunlight, dirt and humidity. Owners can transport the products in a perfect state to the customers. The stretch film fits every stack. Similar to stretch wrapping, the film is very elastic and reinforces the material both by the horizontal and vertical restoring forces. Thus, this process offers a considerably higher load stability. “We can prove that,” promises Spiekermann. In order to prevent the goods from detaching from the palletized unit in case of determined loads, the system provider together with Dekra, the world’s leading expert organization for safety, quality and environmental protection, have performed different driving tests under extreme conditions.

In Stretch Wrapping, the Forces Act Mainly Horizontally

Spiekermann remembers a customer who had to stack filled jam glasses directly from production on pallets and pack them securely. The challenge: the glasses were not in cardboard boxes, which would be easy to pack, but in trays. Reusable sheets were placed between the glasses for protection. Thus the easily fragile goods were stacked up to two meters high. The customer first thought about the stretch wrapping process. “However, the film force acts on the whole stack. The glasses would be pressed together and could get damaged,” says Spiekermann. “Our stretch hooding makes sure that film and stack form one unit”. But what happens if the stack is tilted up to 27° during the loading process? This was the first requirement of the manufacturer. “We are able to fulfil this request,” says the expert. “This was done by packing the stack with two thick film hoods, which also meant both more time and materials”. Since it is not only a matter of load securing, but also of economic efficiency, the Beumer team together with the customer performed various tests and developed a solution in which the stack can tilt safely up to 14°; this was absolutely sufficient for the user.

Success also Depends on the Choice of the Right Film

“We perform these packaging tests in our own test center until we achieve the required result,” says Spiekermann. The film plays a major role. The experts in Beckum have about 100 different types of test films with different characteristics – thick, thin, soft, tough or even completely different. “If we are not able to meet the requirements, we contact the film manufacturers,” says the Beumer expert. The decisive factor is: What kind of product are we handling with, which are the dimensions and the requirements to the packaging? The film manufacturer finds the ideal formulation for the required characteristics and suggests the optimum film format. The customers are often present during these trials, which clearly strengthens their trust in us,” Spiekermann has noticed.

From hoses and cable reels to randomly stacked packages – time and again, companies approach the system provider with tricky packaging issues. And in most cases, the customers had previously used the stretch wrapping process, but could not solve the task in a satisfying way. This was the case, for example, with a Dutch company which sells Christmas items, and also with a Swedish furniture manufacturer. In both cases packages of different dimensions are stacked on pallets. “This looks terrible and is very unstable at first,” says Spiekermann. “But this is exactly how the stacks have to reach the customers. As every package has a different weight, the weight of the loaded pallets can vary between 100 kilograms and two tons. The Beumer stretch hood A is equipped with a measuring system in order to measure such complex stacks by means of laser and ultrasound. The machine recognizes the highest points and adapts the film length accordingly. Depending on the application, the Group also relies on dual-format machines in order to work with different film sizes or film variants. The machine itself recognizes the respective pallet size and choses the suitable film.

Spiekermann uses the following examples to illustrate how various the requirements to a film can be: If roof tiles are stored outside and are not protected against humidity, moss can grow on the surface relatively quickly. Therefore they have to be packed. However, the corners and edges of the roof tiles are often razor-sharp. “Before starting the packaging process, the film is first overstretched. If it then shrinks around the stack, holes can develop at these sharp points,” says the sales manager. “So, together with a manufacturer, we have developed a puncture-resistant film”. But sometimes the films shall have holes which enable the escape of humidity from the packed stacks – as in the case with a sparkling wine producer. “The bottles come from the filling system. Some of them are moist and are packed in cardboard boxes. If there is an air-tight stretch hood over the stack, the humidity remains in the packaging. Mold can develop so quickly,” describes the expert. Moisture also occurs when the filled bottles stacked on the pallet are exposed to extreme heat, caused for example by sunlight during transport. “Together with the manufacturer we have developed a film with very small holes distributed on the whole film,” says Spiekermann.

It happened with some customers that goods kept disappearing on their way from picking to the warehouse until they arrived at the customers’ premises without being noticed. With the stretch wrapping process, someone can easily reach into the opening of the packaging from above and take a drilling machine or a toolbox, for example, without destroying the film. This was the case with a manufacturer of power tools. Also at a drugstore chain, not quite inexpensive products repeatedly disappeared in this way. The losses could amount to up to four per cent of the turnover. “The moment the companies started using our stretch hooding process, this problem was solved,” reports Spiekermann. “Because without destroying the film, no one can take anything out of the packaging”.

As important as the protection of the goods is during packaging, the solution must always be profitable for the owner in the end. It’s like the jam manufacturer. “We can calculate exactly how much film our customer can save with the stretch hooding process compared to the stretch wrapping process,” explains Spiekermann. In addition: how often does the film roll have to be changed in a shift? Because that also means time. How economical a changeover can be is shown by the example of a logistics company that handles distribution for various customers. In order to pack the large number of palletized stacks, twelve stretch wrapping machines were in use. “The stacks had to be driven on the machine, the film was fastened to the pallet, the packaging process was initiated, the film was cut off and the stack was finally driven to the forwarding department. “That was about 1000 pallets a day. About three minutes were necessary to have each pallet packed,” Spiekermann explains. Beumer Group replaced the twelve machines by one stretch hood system – and the logistics provider could save up to 3000 working minutes per day.

Not quite Trivial: Covering Bath Tubes with a Film

“Of course we cannot package everything with a stretch hood,” says the sales manager and remembers a customer, who wanted to cover bath tubes with a film. These products were simply too large for our procedure”. It was possible, but finally too complex and therefore too expensive. “But, we are able to find a suitable solution for most special applications. For our customers we are definitely the problem solvers, who also answer very specific packaging questions very confidently”.

Beumer Group GmbH & Co. KG  

https://www.beumer.com

Stretch hood lines are initially more expensive than stretch wrapping lines. However, they offer an advantage for many tasks

According to the company, the easy, intuitive and reliable operation of the new Beumer stretch hood A is especially appealing to customers

Before starting the packaging process, the film is first overstretched, then it shrinks around the stack

Jörg Spiekermann, sales manager for palletizing and packaging systems in the Consumer Goods area of Beumer Group: “We perform packaging tests in our own test center until we achieve the required result”

2021-06-23 Beumer EN

Schneid- und Wickelmaschinen für Folien

issue 05/2021

issue 04/2021

issue 03/2021

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