What may be the only extrusion line running recycled PET (R-PET) sheet at the K 2010 plastics show also demonstrates a full range of crystallizing,
drying and material handling equipment supplied by the Conair Group. The extrusion line, manufactured and exhibited by Rajoo Engineers Ltd (Hall 15 D58), is producing three-layer (A-B-A) clear PET sheet intended for thermoforming of disposable containers. The 700 mm (27.5 inch) wide sheet can produced at rates of up to 300 kg (660 lb) per hour.
“This line not only showcases the advanced capabilities of Rajoo Engineers equipment,” comments Jamie Jamison, Global PET/Packaging General Manager for Conair. “It also demonstrates the global capabilities Conair is able to offer in support of PET processors around the world. Not only do we have the full range of auxiliary equipment these customers need, but we also have the engineering knowledge and the resources on the ground in India, China and elsewhere.”
Conair, with corporate offices in Cranberry Township, PA, USA, operates a joint-venture company, Nu-Vu Conair Pvt. Ltd., in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, through which the contract with Rajoo Engineers was negotiated. Conair also has members of its PET/Packaging team based in Taiwan and China, and in Monterrey, Mexico.
The Rajoo Lamina RS1x 1490-50 / 900 rPET sheet line incorporates two extruders 每 a 90-mm / 30D / 76-kW unit that processes the rPET flake that makes up 90% of the finished sheet, and a 50-mm / 30D / 22-kW unit that runs the virgin PET that forms the outer layers of the sheet. A grooved feed section and barrier screw ensure efficient melting and homogenous mixing of the flake feedstock. The line is capable of running at rates up to 35 m (115 ft) per minute.
Conair supplied the material handling and conditioning equipment upstream from the extruders, including:
– Crystallizer, Model CR42: efficiently processing amorphous PET flake at temperatures up to 177～C (350～F) with continuous agitation to prevent agglomeration. Temperature probes ensure that the material is fully crystallized, while process air throttling to control airflow through the system.
– Carousel Plus dryers: a Model W800 will process rPET, while a Model W200 handles the virgin resin stream. Both deliver rock-steady drying with proven desiccant wheel technology. Precise, adjustable dew-point control allows the dryer to lock onto a user-entered dew-point and automatically adjust internal settings to maintain that set point.
– Drying Hoppers with Temperature Control: are designed for mass material flow and uniform air/heat distribution to ensure each pellet is exposed proper drying conditions. Hopper temperature control provides precise heating of the process air while insulated side walls prevent energy loss and provide better overall drying performance.
– DuraLoad and Filterless Material Receivers with FLX Control: provide versatile, rugged and reliable material transfer to drying hoppers mounted on the extruders. The Filterless receiver features a dual-cyclone design so there are no filters or screens to clog when handling dusty materials like rPET flake. Operation of the receivers and a 10-hp positive displacement pump is controlled by the modular, expandable FLX material-handling system control. It combines an easy-to-use full-color, touch screen with expandability features that are typically only available on more expensive central controls.
Other Conair auxiliaries like a dust collector, materials distribution box and a vacuum-line purge valve add to the efficiency of the Rajoo extrusion line.
Speaking for Rajoo Engineers, R.N. Doshi said that Conair has supplied similar equipment for other extrusion lines and, based on that experience, they chose the Conair equipment for its “quality, workmanship and technology.” The fact that Nu-Vu Conair and Rajoo are both located in the Indian state of Gujarat is also an advantage. Rajoo has supplied more than half a dozen rPET lines within the past year.
“PET is a technically challenging material and customers like Rajoo Engineers are both highly knowledgeable and quite demanding,§ notes Conair’s Jamison, ※so we need to be just as smart and right on top of the latest trends and technology. The Conair PET Team has just one purpose: helping these companies – wherever they are in the world – stay competitive by optimizing their process, cutting costs and increasing efficiency.”
Founded in 1986 and based in Rajkot, Gujarat, India, Rajoo Engineers Limited manufactures sheet extrusion for up to five layers and blown film lines up to seven layers. Rajoo equipment is used in processing a wide range of resins including LDPE, LLDPE, MDPE, HDPE, PP, EVA, barrier materials like nylon, EVOH, Surlyn, elastomers and thermoforming materials like PVC, PET and polystyrene. The Company serves the domestic market in India, although exports today account for over 60% of its total sales. It boasts satisfied customers on five continents.
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