Extrusion International 5-2026

49 Extrusion International 5/2026 More Recycling, Fewer Process Steps A t Fakuma, KraussMaffei Extrusion will present the new ZSA UltraCycle, a side-feed system for twin- screwextruders developed speci cally for recycling. It en - ables the direct and reliable processing of light, low bulk- density materials such as plastic akes and bers without additional pre-compaction. The integrated compaction of the material allows multiple process steps to be com- bined. This simpli es the recycling process, reduces ener - gy consumption and capital expenditure, and can signi - cantly increase the cost-effectiveness of processing. The ZSA UltraCycle is speci cally designed for uffy recycled materials that pose challenges for conventional feeding systems due to their low bulk density of 10 kg/ m³ or more and their high volume. These include, for example, thin-walled akes, lm scraps, or plastic bers from consumer waste, as well as bers from textile recy - cling. Typical materials include PET, (LD)PE, and PP akes, as well as bers and fabrics made of PA and polyester. Although the twin-screw extruder used has suf cient processing capacity, the material feed often limits the achievable throughput with these materials. The ZSA Ul- traCycle creates the conditions necessary to reliably uti- lize the extruder’s existing processing capacity. Directly into the process − without any additional pretreatment The new ZSA UltraCycle compacts the lightweight and the low-bulk density recycled materials during feeding, enabling continuous and reliable feeding of the twin- screw extruder. This eliminates the need for additional pre-treatment steps such as compacting or agglomera- tion. At the same time, material feeding, melting, com- pounding, degassing and ltration can be combined in one continuous process. This reduces the number of process steps and lowers both equipment and energy requirements. Ef cient compaction, ‚exible screw design At the heart of the newly developed side-feeding system are two screws, whose special design ensures ef cient compaction of the material. This allows even large quantities of light recycled materials with a low bulk density to be reliably conveyed into the feed zone of KraussMaffei Extrusion’s ZE BluePower twin-screw extruder without compromising gravimetric dosing ac- curacy. The result is consistent throughput, high recipe accuracy, and stable process control. Themodular screwdesign also allows for exible adap - tation to different materials and applications. The design also offers advantages when it comes to wear: Individual screw elements can be replaced selectively instead of having to replace the entire screw. This reduces down- time and lowers maintenance and spare parts costs. Technology Center con rms energy-saving potential Trials conducted at the KraussMaffei Extrusion Technology Center in Laatzen/ Germany con rm the potential of the new solution. By eliminating additional pre- compaction steps and enabling the direct processing of low bulk-density recycled ma- terials, energy consumption and operating costs can be signi cantly reduced. At an exemplary throughput of 1,000 kg/h, this results in potential savings of up to 400,000 The new ZSA UltraCycle side feeder from KraussMaffei Extrusion enables the direct and reliable processing of lightweight and low bulk-density recycled materials such as plastic akes and bers which were previously considered dif cult to feed and not economically viable for recycling More recycling, fewer process steps: With the ZSA UltraCycle and the ZE BluePower twin-screw extruder, low bulk-density recycled materials can be processed in a continuous ow from feeding to ltration (Photos: KraussMaffei)