AUTOMATION
SPEEDS MATERIAL HANDLING AT DABUR
Dabur, the manufacturer of the popular herbal
hair oil "Dabur Vatika", is launching a new brand of herbal
oil, which will be packaged in PET bottles. Dabur has its own captive
PET processing plant where PET bottles for packaging this new brand
of oil are manufactured. Dabur uses Nissei
moulding machines to process virgin PET resins and has installed Bry-Air
Ecodry Dehumidifying Dryers, of different models, for ensuring proper
drying of resins prior to processing.
Dabur has totally automated the conveying between the storage bins
and moulding machines with a 4-station Bry-Air EcoMove Centralised
Conveying System. The system helps Dabur to save on time as well as
labour, increase productivity and maintain a clean shop floor. The
Bry-Air EcoMove Centralized Conveying Systems provide all the benefits
of a central system with the added convenience of portability, low
maintenance and incorporation of the latest technical features. This
complete Conveying System provides automatic loading (upto 8 stations)
of 3000 lb/h (1350 kg/hr), and also for a maximum conveying distance
upto 240 ft (73 metres). |
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DON'T
LET MOLD SWEATING SLOW YOU DOWN!
Can simple mold sweating cost as much as 30%
in increased cycle time ? Yes, when a mold sweats, so does the molder.
Chilled water, commonly used to significantly reduce the cycle time
of a job can cause parts to be imperfect, structurally or cosmetically,
thereby increasing scrap.
The usual method for correcting this condensation condition has been
to raise the mold temperature, thereby increasing the cycle time and
decreasing production - an unattractive solution to a continuing problem.
An eminently attractive alternative is to blanket the mold surface
with a constant supply of dehumidified air at an appropriate dewpoint,
below that of the mold surface. |
| This is achieved with
the help of Bry-Air mold dehumidification system (MDS) during high
humidity periods resulting in greater safety, shorter cycle times,
less scrap and, therefore, increased profitability. |
SWEAT
CREATES 'FINISH' PROBLEMS FOR GOLF BALLS
Professional Golf Co. Sdn. Bhd., a DMIB/Sime
Tyres Group Company, manufactures high quality golf balls. The manufacturing
process involves injection moulding of outer shell of the balls.
The multi-cavity moulds are cooled using chilled water (7° C).
Due to year - round high ambient humidity in Malaysia, condensation
occurs on moulds, spoiling surface quality and finish of balls. To
combat condensation, the chilled water temperature is raised to 15°C
which lengthens the cycle times, resulting in lower productivity.
To solve the problem of sweating, Bry-Air installed 3 dehumidifiers
model 3A to maintain a condition of 72°F DB at 35% RH (7°C
dewpoint) i.e. the temperature of surrounding air maintained is lower
than the water temperature. This eliminates 'sweating' totally. The
result, higher productivity, better product, and of course, great
putting!! |
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BRY-AIR
PLASTICS DRYERS FOR TELEPHONE INSTRUMENTS
Sleek, good looking, push button, electronic
telephones in all shapes and colours have already replaced the old
black coloured instruments. The finish of these phones are superb,
operation easier and of course, they look much better. For moulded
plastics to get a world class finish plastic resins need to be dried
before being processed. Bry Air plastic dryers are being used by a
leading PBT manufacturer to dry resins effectively. |
BRY-AIR PLASTICS
DRYERS FOR UV RESISTANT HDPE PIPES
UAC Pipes Sdn. Bhd, Malaysia manufacturer of
UV resistant HDPE pipes was facing problems in drying HDPE with carbon
black.
The HDPE material is blended with carbon black to make the pipes UV
resistant. Carbon black, being highly hygroscopic, did not dry completely
when dried in hot air dryer (the conventional method of drying). The
result was poor internal and external finish on the pipes due to improper
drying of resins. Defects like orange peel effect, air bubbles, craters
etc. led to large rejection of the material. |
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To solve their problem
UAC Pipes have installed a Bry-Air Large Volume Dehumidifying type
Plastic Dryer LVD-10 with an auto loader VLS-1500 along with drying
hopper model HP-400. The unique heat pipe based heat recovery system,
'built-in' the LVD allows a 30% reduction in the reactivation energy
bill, thus allowing for a better quality finish at a lower input cost.
Similarly, Manikya Plastichem, a leading seamless solid walled HDPE
pipe manufacturer, opted for Bry-Air RD Series dehumidifying dryers
to dry the HDPE resin prior to processing it for pipes.
Now Manikya Pipes can stomach practically any liquid or gas, of virtually
any nature - be it acidic, caustic or corrosive which flows through
it.
Manikya emphasizes that quality virgin raw materials, quality HDPE
extruders, quality dies, quality testing facilities, supported by
quality drying make Manikya's HDPE pipes tough and resilient to even
harsh operating conditions. |
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BRY-AIR
DRYERS FOR AUTOMOTIVE PLASTICS
Plastics are being increasingly used in automobiles
today, because of their sheer versatility and flexibility.
Plastics are light in weight, do not rust or corrode, have a high
impact strength, are heat resistant, can be produced in attractive
colours and moulded into stylish shapes. These are few of their properties
which make them so popular with automobile manufacturers. This has
resulted in many major commodity plastics processors turning into
specialized moulders for auto components with high levels of quality
consciousness. |
| To mould
an auto component to the required quality, a whole host of auxiliary
equipment are needed to support the process effectively and play a
major role in the final quality of finished component. Bry-Air Plastics
Auxiliary Equipment has helped many automobile component manufacturers
to support their principals effectively. For instance, when APM, Malaysia
faced the problem of improper drying of ABS/Acrylic resin used in
the components for Proton Kembara or when Tata Automotives faced the
problem of drying, in components used for Mercedes Benz, they looked
to Bry-Air for a solution. |
DRYING 'PET' IS THE KEY TO MOULDING
PRODUCTIVITY
A few decades ago, when the PET Resin (Polyethyene
Terephthalatel was introduced, very few people knew its drying requirements.
Starting with the beverage bottle, PET is now being extensively used
for packaging personal care, food and many other items. Produced by
the biaxially oriented blow moulding process, PET bottles combine
outstanding performance and aesthetic qualities. They give superb
crystal clear clarity needed to show any product to advantage. They
have excellent carbon retention properties and a good barrier to oxygen.
Light to handle, transport and safe to health.
However, for PET to have all the qualities for which it is well known,
the PET resins have to be absolutely moisture free prior to processing.
As the market for PET products continues to grow so does the need
for a better technical understanding of it's processing requirements.
The most critical of these are proper drying equipments.
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The Drying criteria
for PET
When PET is used for moulding beverage and other packaging bottles,
its molecular weight, as indicated by intrinsic viscosity (I.V), is
of primary importance. Maintaining a relatively high I.V. is essential
to produce good quality bottles.
PET resins are highly hygroscopic (and when received, may contain
about 0.05% moisture by weight). They absorb moisture more quickly
than other plastics resins. This affinity of the PET resin towards
moisture makes it one the most difficult resins to dry. Even traces
of moisture present in the resin can result in splay, internal bubbles,
loss of clarity and strength in the finished part or product.
Hence, proper drying of the PET resin is the first critical step towards
the final required quality of the moulded product. The resin must
be dried so that it may contain less than 0.005% moisture prior to
moulding.
Drying PET requires stringent control over dewpoint, drying temperature,
residence/dwell time and air flows.
To achieve this very low moisture content, the resin must be dried
at 180°C (350°F) and exposed to air having a moisture content
of -40°C (°F) dewpoint at a flow rate of l ft/sec. This low
dewpoint and high temperature create "pressure dewpoint differential"
i.e. conditions are created within and around the resin that it "sweats
or boils" out the moisture.
Ideal conditions for PET Drying
PET resins dried at -20°C dewpoint retain 8 times more moisture
than PET resins dried at -40°C dewpoint, which can be disastrous
for the end product.
The residual moisture retained by the PET resins -20°C results
in hydrolysis of the PET resins in screw barrel of the processing
machine, due to high heat and pressure. This degrades the polymer
chain of the resins and causes loss in chemical and physical properties
of the end product.
Due to high moisture, the Acetaldehyde content increases which results
in reduced shelf life of the contents stored in the PET bottles. Typically,
beverages packed in PET bottles with high Acetaldehyde content get
a bitter taste.
World's biggest suppliers of raw materials e.g. Eastman Kodak, Sabic,
Reliance etc. recommend drying PET at -40°C.
The F 'n' F PET Drying System from Bry-Air
Drawing on its long experience in drying various type of plastics
resins, specially PET, Bry-Air has designed the ultimate PET Drying
Package - The Bry-Air F'n'F PET Dryer, which ensures the strict moisture
control required to successfully process PET.
The Bry-Air F 'n' F PET Drying System packages a multi-bed desiccant
dehumidifying dryer guaranteed to maintain -40°F dewpoint regardless
of ambient conditions with a unique closed loop cool down cycle design
along with double skin insulated Hopper in a single unit. |
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