PT Blog

Conventional chillers use a fixed pressure setting based on the warmest summertime temperature the condenser may see. As the ambient air is cooled, the chiller turns fans off of the air-cooled condenser or regulates the flow of cooling tower water to maintain the fixed pressure setting for the condenser.

An alternative method is what Thermal Care calls “Dynamic Lift” control technology. This method is used to adjust the pressure in the condenser based on the temperature of the outside air, the process heat load, and the peak efficiencies and performance points of the components in the chiller.

There has been significant innovation in the industrial shredder industry for plastics processors. Not all shredders are created equal, and now, more than ever, certain product features can make a big difference in a machine’s life expectancy, as well as how easy and safe it is to operate and maintain.

With a long history of manufacturing shredding equipment for several industries and numerous patents in the field, Republic Machine well addresses features and functions that are important to getting the most out of a shredder. Here are a few components and features to consider:

One goal of Plastics Technology’s live events—Molding, Extrusion, Amerimold—is to create an agenda that reflects live-and-in-person the magazine’s primary goal: helping processors improve their operations.  

At Molding 2019 (March 19-21; Indianapolis, Ind.), the opening general session—Best Practices: Molding for Consistent Quality & Optimum Productivity—features multiple regular contributors to Plastics Technology and it sister publications presenting on topics ranging from troubleshooting melt delivery and applying Design of Experiments to molding, to effective training methods and thinking of injection molding as a connected process.

Finland’s Stora Enso, a leading global provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials (pulp and other products extracted biochemically from wood), wooden constructions and paper, has teamed up with Helsinki-based startup Sulapac to produce a demo of a sustainable straws.

Stora Enso has a joint development agreement with Sulapac to license the startup’s biocomposite materials and technology, which is said to complement Stora Enso’s biocomposite portfolio. Produced with Sulapac’s biocomposite material—made of wood and natural binders—the demo straw is designed to be recycled via industrial composting or can biodegrade in a marine environment. Stora Enso is aiming to launch the straws commercially in the second quarter of 2019.

“This is an important step for Stora Enso and showcases our long-term commitment to gradually replacing fossil-based materials with renewable solutions. Our collaboration with Sulapac is a great example of what we can achieve through partnership in terms of driving innovation to create sustainable solutions within the bioeconomy,” says Annica Bresky, executive v.p., Consumer Board division.

According to Stora Enso’s sr. v.p Hannu Kasurinen, head of the Liquid Packaging & Carton Board division, different biocomposite products, such as renewable caps and closures and straws will be add-ons and a complement to their consumer board portfolio,

It’s that time again.

Plastics Technology is bringing the world of extrusion to a new location in Chicago at The Extrusion 2019 Conference. During this two-and-a-half-day event, business owners, plant managers, process engineers and manufacturing personnel will be brought up to speed on technology developments impacting all types of extrusion operations.