Gneuss, Inc.

There won't be many blown-film lines running, but there is still much in the way of innovation going on in extrusion and compounding.

German equipment supplier Gneuss (U.S. office in Matthews, N.C.) last month received an unrestricted non-objection letter from the U.S.

Flat film and sheet toolmakers are focusing on technologies for nanolayer systems.

In blown film, equipment and material suppliers have come together to push five-layer technology into non-barrier applications previously held by three-layer films.

Most of the news to be found at NPE in post-consumer recycling comes from Europe and concerns direct recycling of PET flake into sheet without repelletizing.

Tailor-made for blown film lines, the SFXmagnus from Gneuss, Matthews, N.C. is said to offer a large filtration area, which allows blown film processors to incorporate more reclaim in their product.

Davis-Standard, Pawcatuck, Conn., and Gneuss, Matthews, N.C., have joined forces to supply a PET sheet line that requires no material predrying and offers throughput rates of up to 2000 lb/hr.

This NPE show won’t have a lot of extruders on the floor, either running or static. Instead, look for videos and announcements of new technology. You will also find lots of ingenious peripheral devices to improve output and quality and save resin. Some will do all three, and cost less into the bargain.

The first extruder in this country to have the new eight-screw devolatilizing section from Gneuss, Inc., Matthews, N.C., was delivered last September to a processor in Florida.

A 90-mm single-screw extruder produced PET strapping from 100% undried PET bottle flake at a July open house of SIMA SrL, Bologna, Italy, a builder of extrusion lines for strapping.

Melt-filtration specialist Gneuss Inc., Matthews, N.C., has moved to a larger facility in the same town.

In addition to the news reported in our September K Show preview (see Learn More), previously unrevealed developments in Dusseldorf include several ingenious devices designed to save energy, reduce wear, and safeguard compounded material properties.

A single-screw extruder with a bulge in the middle for a multi-screw planetary section is said to degas undried PET fl ake and extrude it directly into strapping, film, or other products.

Compounding machinery news at the K Show next month focuses on more torque, more output, and sometimes both, for kneaders, mixers, and twin-screw extruders.

The new factor in extrusion machinery at this NPE is the influx of Asian suppliers.