Solid WPC profile demonstration
Decking is and remains the number one among applications for WPC profiles in Europe. But a new trend has emerged in the products themselves, with the effect that the demand for solid WPC profiles has increased by some 20% over the last three years at the expense of hollow profiles, which were mainly used previously. Due to changes in market trends and the rising demand for solid profiles, Battenfeld-Cincinnati developed a custom-made extruder for this purpose and presented it directly to the international public in full production. At the 9th Wood Plastic Composite conference a solid profile with a width of 160mm and thickness of 25mm was produced on the new Fiberex 114 parallel twin screw extruder with an output of about 500kg/h and at a line speed of 1.6m/min. The material consisted of 50% PVC and 50% wood fibre and was supplied by the Belgian company Beologic. Thanks to its special process technology, the extruder provided good process stability in addition to high output. The die, as well as the calibration unit and an active haul-off device, came from Greiner Tech.Profile, Austria. All other downstream components were supplied by Battenfeld-Cincinnati and functioned with low energy consumption and high efficiency.
With an output ranging from 280 to 520kg/h, the Fiberex 114 extends the machine portfolio of Battenfeld-Cincinnati by yet another twin-screw extruder model. (photo: Battenfeld-Cincinnati)
Defying the weather
The extrusion of biomaterials is booming: decking profiles produced from wood plastic composites (WPCs) are among the most dynamic growth sectors of the plastics industry reaching annual growth rates of up to 25%. Greiner Tech.Profile, Austria offers innovative tooling and machinery for WPC production worldwide. Thanks to its global network the company offers various market solutions for WPC processes that vary from continent to continent (Europe – hollow section profiles; USA – full profiles). Europe, like all the other established WPC markets, is dominated by the decking end application. In addition WPC is now positioning itself strongly for use in “sidings” (wall panelling) and for profiles used in furnishings and interior decoration.
WPC decking profiles (photo: Greiner Tech.Profile)
Direct extrusion process for WPC production
Oceplast in Aizenay, France, founder of the Ocewood trademark, successfully commissioned a complete WPC direct extrusion line from KraussMaffei Berstorff at the end of 2012. The special feature of the line is the single step process which permits direct metering of the two components, wood and PVC. A two-component gravimetric system transports wood flour and PVC dryblend into a dynamic mixer which feeds the perfectly homogenised material mixture directly into the extruder. The complex compounding process using a heating-cooling mixer is therefore not required; the processor saves valuable production space and energy since the wood flour is already pre-dried.
KraussMaffei Berstorff profile extrusion line for producing WPC decking profiles using a 32D twin screw (photo: KraussMaffei)
New WPC decking system
Reifenhäuser Extrusion Technology has developed a new wood polymer composite (WPC) decking system which combines new profile and die-head designs. According to the company it can be manufactured for 50% less than the current market standard primarily because of the design of the visible profile: the new geometry alone allowed developers at Reifenhäuser Extrusion Technology to save more than 20% on material. The stability and technical properties of the profile surpass the VHI standard even with these material savings. Suitable for the new profile, the company has developed a new die-head design for the Reifenhäuser Bitrudex extrusion line that is said to enable higher production speeds. The Reiwood profile has been developed to be neither hollow chamber nor full profile, but rather to combine the advantages of both systems. The Reiwood WPC extrusion line has been installed in the new Reifenhäuser Extrusion Technology Center and the new profile and associated technology will be presented to a large public for the first time at the K 2013.
Reiwood can be installed perfectly level and has been designed as a click system, so that the planks can be conveniently connected with the supporting base. (photo: Reifenhäuser Extrusion Technology)
