Extrusion International 4-2018

23 Extrusion International 4/2018 Making bio-based TPEs using a Modular System By developing customer-specific and application-specific com- pounds using renewable raw materials, KRAIBURG TPE is aiming tomeet the growing demand for environmentally friendly and sus- tainable thermoplastic elastomers and is playing a pioneering role in the innovative developments involved. In close contact with its customers and with a reliable network of raw materials suppliers, the company is benefiting from its core competence in custom-en- gineered TPEs based on both existing and new, innovative formula- tions. Climate change, finite oil resources and customers who are increas- ingly environmentally aware are leading more and more materials manufacturers and users to turn to “renewable” and “bio-based” solutions. However, “bio” is a broad term that is by no means syn- onymous with “sustainable” in the sense of a strategy for saving resources and protecting the environment. Because even renew- able raw materials also have carbon footprints, as well as water footprints, that can have an impact on the environmental balance, depending on their provenance and the way they are grown. Fac- tors that play a decisive role here include irrigation, fertilizers, trans- port energy and energy consumed for reprocessing. “Part of the challenge involves taking intoaccount the environmen- tal balance of thematerials’ whole life cycles, including their impact on ecosystems and people’s health,” emphasizes CEO Franz Hinter- ecker fromKRAIBURG TPE. “It has also become apparent that what our customers expect from the properties of ‘bio-materials’ varies widely depending on the application – while at the same time we have to meet strict criteria regarding the materials’ conformity and perfor- mance.” KRAIBURGTPE has therefore opted for a basically customer-specific approach. KRAIBURG TPE GmbH & Co. KG www.kraiburg-tpe.com In its Code of Conduct, KRAIBURG TPE has committed itself to sus- tainable business operations and to protecting the soil, water, air and biological diversity. Environmentally harmful impacts are to be prevented by appropriate environmental protectionmeasures, and resources are to be conserved. Based on this principles, KRAIBURG TPE’s modular system makes it possible to develop customer-specific materials with different pro- portions of renewable raw materials. Typical performance charac- teristics that are also relevant here include mechanical properties such as tensile strength and elongation, as well as processability, heat resistance and adhesion to ABS/PC or PP and PE, for example. The requirements are determined in close collaboration with each customer and translated into a sustainable and cost-effective solu- tion by our developers. Bi-axially oriented Line for Bone-in Applications Macro Engineering and Technology, a leading supplier of film and sheet extrusion systems, has recently enhanced its Quadex™ bi-axially oriented multiple-bubble lines for the production of films with Nylon and EVOH, particularly for bone-in-meat high barrier shrink bags. Macro has developed the process and the right combination of materials for a successful product. This line offers the lat- est bi-ax process technology, computer-based automation, and overall control. Line features: • Different configurations include 7, 9 or 11 layers • Ability to run up to three layers of nylon layers with the main barrier layer being EVOH • Film width from 200 to 500 mm • Film thickness from 40 to 90 microns • Production output from 50 to 150 kg/h • Equipped with our newest Quadex™ technology to better tailor the film properties. Macro Engineering and Technology has earned its extensive reputation for delivering unmatched technology, flawless execution and after sales support for the most efficient pro- cess with over 60 Macro bi-ax lines running worldwide. The newest Quadex™ line has just been successfully installed at a customer in South America. Macro Engineering & Technology Inc. www.macroeng.com KRAIBURG TPE sees tremendous potential for custom-engineered thermoplastic elastomers with adjustable proportions of renewable rawmaterials of up to 90%, both in the consumer market and also in the industrial and automotive markets. (Photo: © 2018 KRAIBURG TPE)