Plastic Recycling
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June 07, 2023
Incineration
Bio-based plastics that cannot be disposed of via normal recycling processes can still be used for energy. Waste incineration plants can capture carbon dioxide from incinerated bio-based plastics to create new bio-based products.
The Role of Industrial Machine Knives and the Plastics Loop
Regardless of which Plastics Loop is required, industrial dies,
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February 21, 2022
In today's advanced manufacturing world, plastics are used to produce everything from lawn furniture and automobile dashboards to medical tubing, computers, and children's toys such as Legos. Plastic molding (sometimes spelled moulding) is the process of pouring liquid plastic into a hollow form so that it hardens into that shape when it cools.
There are a variety of different plastic molding processes. The type of molding process put into use depends on the product being manufactured. Regardless of which type of plastic molding process is in use, there are cutting requirements at various points whether it's the pelletizing of virgin material to make plastic pellets, trimming the excess plastic from a finished part, or plastic recycling knives at the end of the line to granulate excess material so it can be used at the beginning of the process.
The following are considered some of the most effective forms of plastic molding manufacturing.
Injection -
February 17, 2021
One of the goals of the plastics industry is to close the loop of plastic production to increase the use of existing materials and significantly reduce waste. You can't turn around without seeing plastics. They're absolutely everywhere. As far as materials go, plastic is cheap and can be used in seemingly endless applications. It's estimated that a single plastic bag only has a 15-minute lifespan. Brief use of plastic products has become a hallmark of what many consider to be a modern disposable lifestyle in which many plastic products are only used once.
Six Sobering Statistics:
- Globally, over 1-million plastic bottles are used every minute
- 5-trillion single-use plastic bags are used annually
- 300-million tons of plastic waste is produced every year
- Only 9%
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February 09, 2021
The critical importance of reducing the amount of waste in landfills is more prevalent than ever. As environmental concerns increase, granulating operations globally are growing in number and looking for ways to maximize efficiency by increasing output and reducing costs.
How granulator knives fit and how sharp they are have a significant impact on the efficiency of any granulating operation. Well-maintained knives reduce dust and fine-free, uniform regrinds. Dull blades do the opposite and produce regrinds of various sizes with dust and fines. Granulator blades that are not well-maintained can cause premature wearing of the knives and can make setting the desired gap impossible.
The Gap
The gap between
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October 15, 2020
In the past six decades, since the mass production of plastics began, the global production of plastics has increased rapidly resulting in the development of 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics. Since plastics take more than 400 years to degrade, plastics recycling programs are essential to ensure both the health of our planet and the health of the plastics industry.
Recycling plastics keeps the product out of landfills and oceans; however, we need to recycle more. According to Science Advances, 79 percent of the plastic produced in the previous 60 years is accumulating in landfills or resting as litter.
Why is recycling plastics so important?
At some point,the United
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October 15, 2020
When the life of your granulating blade is optimized, your entire granulating process is improved. Your production lines experience less downtime, your output is consistent and reliable, and your work environment is safer and more efficient.
Utilizing a precision granulator knife sharpener, establishing an appropriate feed rate, and accurately setting the gap between your granulator blades ensures the highest possible efficiency from your operation.
Pride, precision, and perfect product. “ Tom Buchanan
Precision Sharpening Your Granulator Blades
Granulating requires precision blades. To properly maintain your knives and achieve optimum life and performance, blades must be professionally sharpened by a vendor with precision grinding experience. Many vendors claim to offer granulator
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October 15, 2020
The cutting chamber of a granulator is where the most critical processes occur. It also contains the most essential replacement parts on your granulator, your knives. When the cutting edge of a granulator knife fails, the machine must use more energy cut. A failed knife edge also increases dust and fines, leads to poor regrind quality, and prevents the ability to produce uniform particle-size.
By concentrating on precision, one arrives at technique, but by concentrating on technique, one does not arrive at precision. “ Bruno Walter
A Balance of Toughness and Wear Resistance
The most common reason for premature granulator blade failure is improper blade selection. D2 steel hardened up to 59HRC Rockwell is commonly used to manufacture these knives and is appropriate for many applications. However, since every granulating operation is unique, it is imperative that processors evaluate their blade
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October 15, 2020
As a vital step in many production processes, granulating reduces materials, such as plastics, metals, and films so that it can be repurposed into other products. As the importance of reducing the amount of waste that enters landfills becomes more evident, granulating operations are increasing and facilities are looking for ways to improve efficiency and output.
Granulators with well-fit, sharp knives produce regrinds of a uniform size that are free from dust and fines while dull, ill-fitting blades do just the opposite, producing regrinds of various sizes that are peppered with dust and fines. Ill-fitting granulator blades also cause premature wearing of the knives and make it more difficult to accurately set the gap.
The gap between the rotor knife and the bed knife must be set based on the widest knife in the machine. When knives are not uniformly sized, gap increases cause inefficiencies. For example,
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October 15, 2020
Granulating blades endure some of the most grueling conditions in the size reduction industry. Granulating hard plastics, paper, and other materials dull knives and lead to frequent blade changes. During this maintenance action, the machine is down and production is halted.
However, precision sharpening of these blades dramatically increases both the life of the blade and improves the output of the granulator. Machines that utilize precision sharpened blades operate more efficiently, which increases the overall output of the machine while simultaneously creating more consistency in the output
Precision sharpeners utilize sharpening equipment and processes specifically developed for the maintenance of these type of blades. Blades are returned to the customer in like-new condition, in both straightness and tolerance. This ensures
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July 13, 2020
COVID-19's final impact on the world remains to be seen. The ripple effects are being felt at every turn, in every community both on a personal and professional level whether businesses have had to temporarily close during lockdowns or convert production operations to help overcome PPE shortages. While some outcomes such as higher unemployment rates, potential supply chain disruptions, and market volatility are foreseeable, the converting and packaging industries as well as the recycling and sustainability movements are seeing a ripple effect.
As the long-standing nemesis of the sustainability and zero waste movement, single-use and flexible packaging represent a unique business case as the world faces this unprecedented crisis. Beyond the benefits of convenience that toss away plastic utensils and water bottles bring come the health benefits