A new, nine-extruder film and sheet line installed by Macro Engineering & Technology Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, can run both nine-layer and 18-layer structures, the company says.
Installed recently to handle food packaging, the nearly 6 feet wide line uses nine extruders and a proprietary nine-layer die design to produce various barrier structures to make film and bags. It can handle various materials including barrier resins such as polyamide, EVOH, PETg. The winding system is designed for film thicknesses ranging from 20 microns to 300 microns. The high-performance surface winder has zero fold-back roll starts. It is able to auto-cut and transfer in both directions and has automatic shaft-and-roll handling, as well as automatic shaft extraction.
Sales manager Martin Baron says Macro cannot disclose the exact location in Europe or company where the equipment was installed.
The new line features several of Macro's -proprietary technologies. The control system uses the ReadyRun feature, which allows technicians to restore frequently used recipes at the push of a button. This significantly reduces changeover time, and improves the consistency of the products.
In addition, the line is also equipped with a Green Energy feature, so users can monitor energy consumption in real time. This features helps them know which recipes are the most efficient.