WCA September 2015

Technology news

New extruder from Japan

JAPAN Steel Works (JSW) has introduced the TEX 25 Alpha III laboratory co-rotating extruder. The new compact 25mm screw diameter machine, for production of compounds and masterbatches in engineering and high performance thermoplastics, is the smallest of seven TEX Alpha III extruders (up to 130mm diameter) available in Europe. Its introduction follows the K 2013 European launch of the TEX 44 Alpha III model. TEX 25 Alpha III series advantages include a new gearbox design combined with enhanced gears and bearings, screw shafts and barrels. The result is a high torque of up to 194Nm per shaft (or 387Nm in total) combined with wider processing windows as well as more powerful kneading and mixing. A standard torque limiting function stops the screw to protect machinery and operators. A low-noise water-cooled version of the infinitely variable three-phase motor is optional, as is direct drive instead of the standard V-belt drive. The NIC special kneading barrel invented by JSW achieves good mixing/dispersion at low shear rate and high viscosity without dead zones for good compound material properties, through introduction of several longitudinal grooves of particular geometry on the inside barrel surface for more screw-to-barrel clearance. A TKD twist kneading disc kneading screw element with a twisted tip developed for energy efficiency supports this “tip-clearance technology” by ensuring fast, relatively low-temperature material conveying, while retaining appropriate mixing efficiency. JSW claims such features make the Tex 25 Alpha III the “worldwide highest performance compact twin screw extruder”. While feed section water temperature control is manual, PID (proportional- integral-derivative, ie closed-loop/ feedback) water and heater temperature control is used for other barrel sections. The extruder is suitable for research and development work with frequent

❍ TEX 25 Alpha III

material and process changes, as cartridge heaters and a patented barrel clamping mechanism enable easy and rapid barrel section block changes, achieving screw length/ diameter (L/D) ratios of 42 with 12 blocks, 52.5 with 15, and 70 with 20 blocks. The machine accommodates vented or closed barrel sections and side feeding of abrasive reinforcements, heat- or shear- sensitive compound additives and materials into the melt via a later barrel section. Wear-resistant LSP-2 modified tool steel screws and barrels in N60-S nickel-based alloy made by JSW promise long life of barrel and screw (high wear and corrosion resistance) for various kinds of compounds containing abrasive and/or corrosive materials and additives. JSW’s patented TEX-FAN flow analysis network research and development support tool developed for TEX twin-screw extruders analyses polymer melt pressure, temperature, residence time and fill factor with a special dedicated computer developed by JSW. The TEX 25 Alpha III comes with the EXANET 64-bit RISC high-speed control system. Its 15" colour LCD touchscreen provides for optimum process control and monitoring, storing thousands of settings and process parameters. It integrates with ancillary equipment, from JSW compact JSW-TTF 20 and SFT-15 gravimetric feeders and mixers, TSF25 side feeder, through to strand pelletisation and underwater granulation. Japan Steel Works – Japan Website : www.jsw.co.jp

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2015

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