Erema Engineering Recycling Maschinen und Anlagen GmbH, Ansfelden, Austria, has upgraded the software on its Laserfilter model that processes PET to further automate operations.
"The idea is to make the filtration process as maintenance-free and operator-friendly as possible," said Martin Baumann, VP of sales for Erema North America, Ipswich, Mass.
The version of the Laserfilter for PET, introduced in Europe in October, will make its U.S. debut at NPE2018.
The Laserfilter is a continuous filter. It has fixed screens that allow resin to flow through but block contaminants. A rotating scraper disc moves contaminants off the screens to a discharge system. The PET version has thousands of 70-micron holes cut with a laser into the hardened steel screens. Larger hole sizes are available for different filtration needs.
The filter is designed to remove non-melting contaminants plus soft contaminants like rubber and other unwanted polymers that have a melting point different from the PET.
For washed PET flake applications, the auger screw does not need to turn very often. But PET resin needs occasional movement to prevent it from degrading. The first version of software required an operator to initiate movement. The software upgrade takes that out of the operator's hands.
"We automated it to eliminate the potential for PET degradation in the output screw," Baumann said.
"Depending on the application, this filter can literally run up to three months without being touched. That's very good compared with backflush filters," he added.
The software update automatically rotates the auger screw for a few turns based on pre-determined time intervals. The intervals are tailored to different applications.
Baumann said a typical application might require the auger screw to operate one time per hour. "You don't want to turn it any more than necessary, but it has to turn enough to prevent the material from degrading," he said.
Erema said the 70-micron screens have a throughput of about 3,000 pounds per hour. There are two-, three-, six- and eight-screen versions for higher throughputs.
"I am really excited by this product," Baumann said. "When I explain continuous filtration with no backflush to customers, it is really eye-opening for them.
"The more automated a machine runs, the better product it delivers and it needs less labor," he said.
The PET Laserfilter costs about the same as other high-end products offered by Erema's European competitors, according to Baumann. "From a performance output ratio to capital costs, it is actually quite competitive," he said.
Ron Shinn, editor
Contact:
Erema North America Inc. Ipswich, Mass., 617-548-4927, www.erema.com
Ron Shinn | Editor
Editor Ron Shinn is a co-founder of Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing and has been covering the plastics industry for more than 35 years. He leads the editorial team, directs coverage and sets the editorial calendar. He also writes features, including the Talking Points column and On the Factory Floor, and covers recycling and sustainability for PMM and Plastics Recycling.
