Krauss Maffei developed a new system for the production of TPE-V

The combination of the extruder mono-husillo with the gear pump provides high precision feed performance.

Sheets of rubber cut into strips without using pellets can be processed.

The process efficiency and cost effectiveness are improved substantially, as the time required and the high cost of the process of pelletización of the rubber are no longer needed.

The benefits offered by the new system of KraussMaffei Berstorff are significant especially in the production of soft materials type TPE-v. In many cases, TPE-V soft materials are produced using an extended rubber EPDM, which is quite difficult to pelletizar due to the sticky surface and oil to the necessary use of separating agents.

The extruder mono-husillo guarantees a reliable food and the pre-composición of the rubber. A control based on pressure system adjusts speed extruder in such way that the lower gear pump is always completely fills. The gear pump is designed to achieve accuracy in volumetric feed of rubber on the inside of the extruder doble-husillo compounding.

Inside the extruder compounding of doble-husillo, the rubber is mixed with thermoplastic material, and the intermingling of rubber phase reaction gives rise to the required form of TPE-v.

The phase morphology and physical properties of the finish of TPE-V is determined by the configuration of the extruder mono-husillo.

The first section of the extruder is designed for the compounding and the main components of the mixture, usually EPDM and PP, for the incorporation of additives and processed oils. A dynamic cross-breeding is carried out in the areas of mixing lower of the extruder. The last section of the extruder is used for the degassing by vacuum.

The new system can be used with an internal mixer. In this case, rubber, fillers, plasticizers oils and additives will have previously been intermixed with the internal mixer and will be introduced in the extruder in the form of strips. With this solution the extruder compounding of doble-husillo is only necessary to mix the thermoplastic material, and if necessary for the agent to perform the dynamic vulcanization process and cross-breeding.

Due to the amount of properties of these materials, thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) are becoming increasingly important. The TPEs can be easily processed, dyed and recycled. The weight, energy consumption, and billing costs are significantly lower than the intermingling of rubber (example: pure EPDM). In addition the TPE's can be combined easily with other thermoplastic materials such as polypropylene or polyamide, which allows an easy integration of soft components such as hard.