The melt flow sensor brings data collection right into the production line. | Photo courtesy HydraMotion
Equipment supplier HydraMotion has released a new line of melt flow analyzing tools, which report crucial resin composition information in real time. The company says the new equipment is particularly well-suited for RPET production lines.
The U.K.-based equipment company recently announced its ViscoMelt line, which is equipped with its new Scorpion sensors that display “the entire viscoelastic picture of thermoplastics in real time.” The sensors detect and report data points like intrinsic viscosity, molecular weight and the melt flow index of a thermoplastic polymer, in real time and on the production line.
“These were measurements previously only accessible in the laboratory, or with expensive, heavy and slow mechanical equipment,” the company wrote.
In a statement, John Rowe, chief marketing officer at HydraMotion, said the new sensors represent “an entirely new approach to wave mechanics that allows resonant technology to provide a new level of detail previously only achieved by its laboratory counterparts.” The company’s goal was to bring “traditional lab-level insight for thermoplastics straight to the production line,” he added.
The collected data provides a good picture of how a given batch will perform and is especially important for RPET, according to the company, “where batches can vary widely and an out-of-spec (intrinsic viscosity) can have significant downstream consequences.”
The equipment supplier positioned its technology as coming at a time of growing resin demand and challenging business economics.
“Recycled content mandates continue to drive demand for materials like rPET, which in turn drives processors to look for ways to optimise downstream processes and increase efficiencies,” Rowe said. “The industry is really feeling the pressures of rising costs in energy, raw material and labor right now and are in need of innovative solutions to support their goals.”