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NALMARIS
Information service offered to plastics & rubber technological companies by Maris SpA
N E W S F R O M T H E C O M P O U N D I N G W O R L D
Edition / April 2018
N.05
Maris Technological Company
Maris Journal / 01
Regranulation is the easiest wayto recycle a polymeric materialand, for that purpose, single-screw extruders are employed. However, when the aim is to pro-vide an added value to the mate-rial or to preserve its fragile sta-bility, the use of a co-rotatingtwin-screw extruder is manda-tory. Thanks to this type of extru-der - which is a continuousdynamic mixer - fillers, reinfor-cing materials, colors and othercomponents can be added to aless noble product thus enablingit to acquire further value.
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DO NOT THROW WASTE AWAY, IT CAN BE USED IN ANOTHER WAY!
Through a careful selection ofmaterials and an accurate
analysis of their composition, theco-rotating twin-screw extruderguarantees products of constantquality, even when using recy-cling materials. In order to reprocess the mate-rials we intend to recycle, theyfirstly need to be ground. If forthe single-screw extruder, whichworks ‘full-mouthed’ (the screw isalways covered in material),accurate feeding is not essential,the twin-screw extruder, whichworks ‘hungry-mouthed’ (the-screw is never covered in mate-rial), a constant and meticulous
feeding is strictly required, espe-cially if other ingredients areadded to the polymers in the reci-pe. Obtaining a free-flowingmaterial from the grinding pro-cess is therefore necessary and,whereas this is not possible, tape-or vibrating-channel feeders canbe used so as to guarantee asmoother feeding process.Moreover, installing a forced fee-der on the main feeding may beuseful as well. This system willaccordingly facilitate the intro-duction of the material into theextruder. Recyclable polymeric materialsmay derive from two differentsources: industrial wastes or partof the huge amount of MunicipalSolid Waste (MSW). The formeris of known origin and composi-
MARIS
tion and – once sorted – theycan be more easily reprocessed,while the latter must be separa-ted first – using appropriatemachinery – to be then treatedand finally processed. If the for-mer is unlikely contaminated bydirt or foreign materials, the lat-ter require to be washed and areoften subject to various types ofcontamination.It is precisely during the sortingand the washing phases thatsome problems, which couldaffect the processing of materialsfrom MSW, may arise. For instan-ce, this may happen when the fol-lowing elements are present:• water, which must absolutely bereduced, since high quantitiescan limit compounding and gra-
nulation processes, as well asdecrease the productivity;• other polymers, metals or pollu-tants such as wood or paper.In this last case, the filtrationsystem - with the help of a specialdevice positioned in the final partof the extruder, can be a valid solu-tion to these inconveniences, thusguaranteeing the quality of thematerial.
Wastes are washed with specialsoaps whose residues may releasesmells through the processingphase. If it were to occur, a poten-tial addition of anti-odor additiveshas to be considered dependingon the final application of the pro-duct. A recycling process is advanta-geous only when the material isclearly identifiable, volumes aresubstantial and the market provesto be receptive concerning itsreuse. Polymers as polyethylene (PE)and polypropylene (PP) can berecycled showing satisfactoryresults. Polyethylene terephthala-te (PET) from bottles, which is anexample of MSW polymers, has arather clear composition, it canbe easily selected and its reusefor the production of bottles inthe food sector has recently beenauthorized. When recovering the PET, it ismandatory to reduce water tracesso as to minimize the loss ofintrinsic viscosity; for that reason,the process requires the use ofhigh vacuum pumps enabling theremoval of the residual moisturefrom the material and avoid anydecrease in performances.
INDUSTRY 4.0: FUTURE GETTING CLOSERThe term ‘Industry 4.0’ has now become an expression of commonknowledge, even though a widely shared definition or a specific rele-vant legislation still does not exist. The word was born in Germany in2013 to be then interpreted in several and rather different waysaccording to the most diverse realities and specificities of the coun-tries where it has been adopted. Industry 4.0 is a ‘paradigm’ or –rather - a ‘concept’ able to turn the production reality into a leaner,dynamic, flexible, efficient and sustainable system thanks to specificprinciples (e.g. interconnection and/or virtualization). In otherwords, it is the process that will lead users to a fully automated andinterconnected industrial production.
www.mariscorp.com Maris Technological Company
02 / Maris Journal
Criteria for its application varyaccording to the country of
reference. Common standards areparticularly difficult to identify. Asfor the Italian legislation, the‘general guidelines’ applied to theextrusion lines are the following:• control by means of PLC(Programmable Logic Controllers);• interconnectivity with factoryinformation systems and remoteloading of instructions (recipes);• automated integration withfactory logistics systems, supplynetwork or other machinery ofthe production cycle;• simple and intuitive human-machine interface;• remote maintenance, remotediagnostics or remote controlsystems;• continuous monitoring of wor-king conditions and processparameters through appropriatesets of sensors and the adaptabi-lity to process deviations.
HOW DO MARIS LINES MEETTHESE CRITERIA?Maris has already provided linesenabling customers to benefitfrom a specific fiscal advantage.However, which solutions havebeen chosen?Control by means of CNC(Computer Numerical Control) orPLC (Programmable LogicControllers) Maris extruders are equippedwith constantly evolving hardwa-re and software PLCs. Thisallows the communicationwithin different fieldbuses andto meet the interconnectivityrequirement as well. Althoughall our software is in-house deve-loped and is part of our know-how, no custom product and/orprotocol is used for communica-tion purposes.
Other sources of post-consumermaterial derive from the agricul-tural sector (e.g. the mulchingfilm) and from the automotivesector, especially materialscoming from wreckers. In the firstcase, the resulting and remarka-ble quantity of reusable high-density polyethylene (HDPE) canbe employed for the same appli-cation (even if rather polluted byrubble and dirt); as for thesecond case, we have large volu-mes of different materials with adiscreet traceability. In the past, MARIS has carriedout some tests reprocessinghygiene-related items (namelydiapers) with a PE polymerbase. Materials of this naturecan be found in big amountsand have shown some cleaningand sanitation-related difficul-ties, as well as concerning theirfeeding into the extruder. Furthermore, even ‘printedpolyolefins’ from food packa-ges can be discolored thanksto the stripping technique,which is typically carried withwater. Industrial scraps - if appropriatelyselected - provide an excellentsecondary raw material (SRM).In the rubber sector, for exam-ple, thanks to the devulcaniza-tion process patented byMaris, which makes it possibleto recycle production wastes
through a continuous system,producers can re-use part oftheir wastes re-introducingrecycled rubber into the sameproduction cycle in a propor-tion that does not compromisethe material performances. Infact, the devulcanization pro-cess enables the reintroduc-tion of recycled material intothe basic formulations from15% to 50% minimizing theimpact on the mechanical pro-perties of the final product. It should be underlined that - aftera careful selection and the identi-fication of materials - the above-mentioned devulcanization pro-cess can be applied to post-con-sumer materials as well. In thiscase, recycled rubber can beemployed in completely diffe-rent areas when compared tothose of origin.Back to industrial wastes, ther-moplastic materials offer awide range of possibilities.Processing wastes and non-compliant parts – once groundand converted into free-flo-wing material – are likely to bemixed with solid and/or liquidadditives to be then reused.This type of process can beapplied to all types of poly-mers (such as polyolefins andPVCs) and techno-polymers(including TPUs and PCs).
EXTRUSION LINES: MACHINERY ORPARTLY COMPLETED MACHINERY?
Edition / April 2018 Maris Technological Company
Maris Journal / 03
SINCE1962
Co-Rotating Twin-Screw Extruders.
C.so Moncenisio, 2210090 Rosta (TO) Italy
Tel. +39 011 9567925Fax +39 011 9567987
Technology and competence, to lead compoundingformulations to new standards in:
• Organic pigment Masterbatch• Inorganic pigment Masterbatch and mineral fi llers• Additives Masterbatch• White Masterbatch• Black Masterbatch• Polymeric Alloys• Technopolymers reinforced with glass fi ber and natural fi ber• Polyphasic compounds of thermoplastic elastomer with SEBS base• Polyphasic compounds with polyolefi nic base• Reactive Extrusion• Elastomeric compounds complete with vulcanizing agents• Monomers and/or solvent content reduction• Technopolymers qualifi ed recycling• Compounds for cables halogen free• Compounds of Rubber, EPDM, NBR, NR, SBR• Rubber recycling by devulcanizing process• Hot-Melt adhesives• Solvent base adhesives• Extruders for bioriented fi lm lines
(BOPP, BOPS, BOPET, BOPA, BOPE, Lithium Battery Film)
Simple and intuitive human-machine interface The human-machine interface(HMI) – achieved by using colortouch-screen panels – has beenstudied and thought to be easilyunderstood and employed bymeans of intuitive icons alwaysplaced in the same position onthe various video pages, functionbuttons to start and stop severaldevices ordered and representedin logical sequence, soft colorsto avoid eyestrain.Moreover, diagnostic pages havebeen inserted as well in the per-spective of remote diagnosticspurposes. Thus, the wholesystem status can be checkedwithout opening the electricalpanel or, better still remotely.Remote maintenance and remotediagnosticsThe machine manufacturers mar-ket has been using modem tomodem connections to remotelyaccess devices and systems foryears. Nowadays, thanks to theInternet and the broadband –through industrial VPN routersthat easily guarantee excellentlevels of connectivity and reliabi-lity – opportunities to connect anytype of system or device in plantsand installation sites worldwideare constantly increasing. An available remote connectionfor our systems allows us tomeet both the requirements ofremote maintenance and ofremote diagnostics. Interconnectivity with factoryinformation systems and remoteloading of instructions/ Automatedintegration with factory logisticssystem, the supply network orother machinery of the productioncycle ‘Industry 4.0’ means the possibi-lity to intensively use, assess andanalyze production data within theIT (Information Technology)systems of a company’s corporatelevel. Nowadays, PLC programs arealready collecting large amountsof data on production and pro-cess levels (pressure values,temperatures, totalizers). Thanks to Industry 4.0, theexchange of data between pro-duction and corporate levels of acompany, or with other systemsof the line, must be guaranteedand made available to ITsystems in order to – for instan-ce – improve product quality.Taking into account the fact thathistoricizing data and handlingthe communication with thelogistics department are a custo-mer’s task (or of a company on
In our previous articles, we havebeen underlining what an Enduser should be aware of whendeciding to buy partly completedmachinery and to assemble themin a machinery where the CE mar-king is affixed. This article dealswith one of the most criticalissues to be considered: mainte-nance of the final machinery andits documentation.As stated in the MachineryDirective, the documentationaccompanying the final machi-nery plays a significant role inensuring the safety of the wor-kers. The End user assemblingpartly completed machineryshould record in a Technical Filethe risk assessment as well asany other information useful toensure that the machinery issafe. This Technical File shouldinclude all the information for asafe maintenance of the finalmachinery.Maintenance is part of the life ofmachinery, as well as one of theEssential Health and SafetyRequirements, and failing toproperly design the final machi-ne could generate risks for main-
tenance workers, which is to beavoided at all costs.The first step to correctly assessthe risks arising during themaintenance operations is toread and understand the instruc-tion manuals and theInstructions for incorporationtransmitted by the manufactu-rers of the partly completedmachinery. This information isthe basis for the manual of thefinal machine the End user shallprepare. This manual is not just a "copy-and-paste" summary of the infor-mation taken from the manualsof partly completed machinery;in fact, the End user should con-sider the final machinery as anew item, because the interac-tion between the differentmachines could make theaccess for maintenance diffi-cult. Hoppers, gantries andother equipment added to apartly completed machinerywithout previous agreement withthe manufacturer could requireadditional access platforms tobe added. Furthermore, consi-deration must be given to how to
its behalf), one of the essentialrequirements for the success ofIndustry 4.0 is therefore the exi-stence of a uniform standard toexchange data. As for Maris lines, the use ofworldwide recognized andemployed protocols such asProfinet or open protocols as theOPC Unified Architecture (UA)makes reading and writing dataavailable and easier to managewith no need to resort to a morespecific purpose-oriented add-on software.Continuous monitoring of workingconditions and process parame-ters through appropriate sets ofsensors and the adaptability toprocess deviationsThis requirement is naturally ful-filled by Maris lines as it is vitalto meet the basic process andsafety needs of our customers.
The next edition of PLAST - theinternational exhibition for theplastics and rubber industries -will take place in Milan fromMay 29th to June 1st. It repre-sents a very important event forall the operators of this sector.With its almost 1.600 exhibi-tors on an area of about55.000 sq., Plast 2018 will beagain the biggest event in Italyin the innovative plasticsand/or rubber industry.The event is expected to attractaround 50,000 visitors fromover 100 different countries.For this exhibition, Maris hasbeen assigned a booth of 220sq. in the Hall 13, with standnumber C/D 21/22.
HOPE TO MEET YOU THEREIN ORDER TO DISCUSS NEWPROJECTS TOGETHER!
PLAST 2018 EXHIBITION PREVIEW
www.mariscorp.com Maris Technological Company
04 / Maris Journal
C.so Moncenisio, 22 / 10090 Rosta (TO) ItalyTel. +39 011 9567925 / Fax +39 011 [email protected] / www.mariscorp.comEditorial coordination: Maris spa
EXHIBITIONS, CONGRESSES
AND CONFERENCES
IN 2018PLAST ALGER 2018ALGIERS / ALGERIA
on March 11 th to 13th, 201825TH ETRA CONFERENCE
BRUSSELS / BELGIUM on March 14th to 16th, 2018
CHINAPLAS 2018SHANGHAI / CHINA
on April 24th to 27th, 2018NPE 2018
ORLANDO / USA on May 7th to 11th, 2018ELMIA POLYMER 2018JÖNKÖPING / SWEDEN
on May 15th to 18th, 2018ACI’S EUROPEAN
ADHESIVES & SEALANTSUMMIT 2018
WARSAW / POLAND on May 23rd to 24th, 2018
PLAST 2018MILAN / ITALY
on May 29th to June 1st, 2018COMPOUNDING WORLD
EXPO 2018ESSEN / GERMANY
on June 27th to 28th, 2018MASTERBATCH 2018
MADRID / SPAIN on September 3rd to 5th, 2018
… to the next!
The Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC can be downloaded from:http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/mechanical/documents/legislation/machinery/index_en.htm
The Guide to application ofDirective 2006/42/EC can bedownloaded from: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/mechanical/documents/guidance/machinery/index_en.htmI
get tools, spare parts and com-ponents to the areas where theyare needed. If access is by a lad-der then it is difficult to get toolsand equipment safely, so maybebetter access needs to be provi-ded so that they can be lifted byforklift truck or overhead crane.In certain cases, a re-design ofsome machines is the only way -which is very expensive - to allowa safe maintenance of the line. A better result can be achievedif the maintenance requirementsare taken into considerationsince the beginning of the pro-ject, letting the manufacturersof the partly completed machi-neries have a view of the part ofthe project involving theirmachines.In conclusion, CE marking is anissue that should be consideredfrom the very beginning of theproject. The Essential Healthand Safety Requirements are akey part to CE marking so, ifthey are not addressed properly,it is likely things will be missed.Contracts need to specify whereresponsibility lies: the personwho is expected to take care ofthe final machinery preparing allthe documentation required bythe Machinery Directive shouldalso co-ordinate the manufactu-rers of the partly completedmachineries composing the finalmachinery. The role of assemblers is crucialto guarantee the safety of thefinal machinery throughout itslife. The End user should beaware that the final machinery isnot "a set of different machineryassembled together", but a newitem which could generate addi-tional risks that should be asses-sed, providing the correct docu-mentation. Thanks to a long-standing expe-rience, Maris Company is your
right partner, either if you deci-de to buy machinery or partlycompleted machinery, helpingyou to fulfil the Directive and toguarantee the safety of youremployees. (4 - the end)
