Process Engineering and Improvements
Management of screw rebuild
Opportunity: An extrusion company with several single screw extruders was upgrading their screw inventory. A very large order was placed to rebuild several screws and redesign and purchase several others. Quality issues related to the specific application for these screws resulted in delivery delays.
Solution: Working with the screw manufacturer we were able to coordinate the full order, which was the largest single order they had received and address quality concerns including the need for a new metallurgy due to the application. We were able to address all of these issues and set up a schedule to keep the order moving forward resulting in the completion of the screw rebuilds and the design review of several new screws.
Solution: Working with the screw manufacturer we were able to coordinate the full order, which was the largest single order they had received and address quality concerns including the need for a new metallurgy due to the application. We were able to address all of these issues and set up a schedule to keep the order moving forward resulting in the completion of the screw rebuilds and the design review of several new screws.
Improved screw configuration (compounding)
Opportunity: Alloy of two dissimilar polymers was very unstable. Non uniform mixing resulted in clumping of fillers and uneven extrusion of the strands. The strands were so unstable that the process had to be watched and guided constantly.
Solution: We redesigned the screw identifying the level of mixing required to make a fully homogenous blend of the polymers. This eliminated all of the instability seen in the strands. A new qualitative test method was adopted to measure the homogeneity of the alloy to confirm the level of mixing. The resultant operation was so stable that the product could be run essentially unattended. The net effect is that a product that was slated to be cancelled was instead expanded and became profitable.
Solution: We redesigned the screw identifying the level of mixing required to make a fully homogenous blend of the polymers. This eliminated all of the instability seen in the strands. A new qualitative test method was adopted to measure the homogeneity of the alloy to confirm the level of mixing. The resultant operation was so stable that the product could be run essentially unattended. The net effect is that a product that was slated to be cancelled was instead expanded and became profitable.
Modification of PET molecular weight
Opportunity: Client wants to convert a batch process with a long reaction time that utilizes a large quantity of solvent to a reactive extrusion process that eliminates the solvent and reduces the reaction time to minutes and seconds in a continuous process.
Solution: The client had already demonstrated feasibility. Working with the team, we identified facilities where development work could be conducted to scale up to a commercially viable process. Then we specified and designed a recommended commercial process and provided cost estimates from three potential manufacturers.
Solution: The client had already demonstrated feasibility. Working with the team, we identified facilities where development work could be conducted to scale up to a commercially viable process. Then we specified and designed a recommended commercial process and provided cost estimates from three potential manufacturers.
Development of new TPV materials
Opportunity: Client is developing a new TPV product to address high temperature hose applications.
Solution: Working with the team, we helped develop several product formulations, designed the twin screw configuration for optimal reactive compounding results. We are also coordinating scale-up and process definition for commercial production of the new materials.
Solution: Working with the team, we helped develop several product formulations, designed the twin screw configuration for optimal reactive compounding results. We are also coordinating scale-up and process definition for commercial production of the new materials.