Page 58 - Plastics News May 2018

produCt news

Teknor Apex introduces new A new-design pellet dryer from

materials GRP 66 Nordson

eknor Apex has introduced its new materials GRP new-design pellet dryer for use with Nordson
T66. The new series of ultra-high performance A Corporation’s BKG® pelletizing systems meets the
glass-reinforced polyamide 66 compounds bridges the challenge posed by the steady
cost-performance gap between standard engineering growth in use of glass-filled
thermoplastics and high-heat specialty polymers, and other abrasive materials
providing injection molders with a more economical by substantially reducing the
alternative to metal or current polyphthalamides (PPAs). time and cost associated with
High-heat polyamides with up to 60% glass content allow
for metal replacement with custom formulations and replacing “wear” parts. The
processabiliy “The greater design flexibility of injection design reduces the number,
molded parts and the fact that they require much less complexity, and cost of the
post-process machining enhances the attractiveness of dryer components that are
metal replacement projects for OEMs,” said Michael subject to abrasion and makes
Roberts, vice president in charge of the Engineering them more accessible to
Thermoplastics Division of Teknor Apex. maintenance or replacement.
While the new dryer has much
the same overall appearance
and footprint as a standard BKG dryer and provides the
same throughput, there are substantial differences in
the configuration of components subject to wear. The
new design reduces production downtime by simplifying
maintenance, making it possible for one person to carry
out maintenance tasks.
“We have seen a reduction in maintenance times by up
to 70%,” said Matthias Köhler, operations manager at the
“Our new materials expand the scope of metal replacement Domo Engineering Plastics GmbH facility in Premnitz,
opportunities into higher-temperature use environments.” Germany. “It is now possible to determine concrete
Creamid TM A3H7.5G Series compounds provide the maintenance intervals, so downtime becomes more
strength and stiffness of highly glass filled engineering plannable and less unexpected.” Domo, an initial user
polymers while maintaining high levels of critical of the new pellet dryer, installed the unit on an existing
mechanical properties even after continuous service underwater pelletizing line that processes polyamide
at temperatures up to 240°C (464°F). These materials 6 compounds with up to 50% glass fiber content. As a
exhibit dramatically improved property retention in result of a new design made in accordance with flow
comparison with standard, similarly glass-filled PA 66 simulations, the inlet now enters the dryer housing
compounds At the same time, as high-flow materials, they
are well suited for thin-wall parts with long flow paths, tangentially, reducing the impact on all parts in the
as in automotive light-weighting applications. These new lower part of the dryer, and allowing quick access to
compounds process at temperatures in the range of 280 all remaining wear parts and due to the optimized
(464) to 300°C (572°F) and with mold temperatures of 80 pellet inlet, the rotor has been simplified, especially in
(176) to 110°C (230°F); the corresponding ranges for PPA the lower area, and wear is minimized by the reduced
or PA 4.6 are 330 (626) to 350°C (662°F) and 130 (266) to impact of abrasive Other measures taken to reduce or
150°C (302°F), respectively. Creamid A3H7.5G compounds eliminate wear from pellet flow include a new cover
are recommended for under-hood parts in vehicles with plate design and countersinking of screw heads.
turbo-charged engines.

Plastics News May 2018 58