FlowFree

The development of a high output processing method for the extrusion of solid thermoplastic sheet & profile.

The aims of the FlowFree project are to increase output extrusion rates, reduce processing temperatures & reduce energy consumption in the plastics extrusion process.

The research project is being part-financed by the European Commission under the Sixth Framework Programme as a Collective Research project supporting the participation of small- & medium-sized enterprises & industrial associations in European research (Contract number: COLL-CT-2005-516225).

A 14-strong team of companies, trade associations & research partners will develop the technology & disseminate the results.

The Project

Extrusion & co-extrusion of sheet & profile are important industrial processes within the EU. There are approximately 1100 distinct extruder operations in Western Europe, extruding some 10 million tonnes of thermoplastic. However, due to the inherently viscous nature of polymers, output rates are limited at normal processing temperatures. If the processing temperature is increased, degradation of material can occur, resulting in loss of mechanical properties, flow instabilities & discoloration. These issues have environmental & cost issues that have resulted in the loss of production capacity to lower-wage economies outside the EU.

A technology developed by two of the consortium partners has shown that plastics extrusion equipment can be modified to allow for compressed CO2 to be used as a processing aid for the production of solid extrudate with reduced melt viscosities, thus allowing processing at faster output rates, reduced temperatures or reduced energy.

The project aims to develop the necessary technologies to allow for industrial scale, commercially viable extrusion & co-extrusion of solid sheet & profile either by retrofitting the equipment to current machinery or by fitting to new extruders.

The main technical goals of the FlowFree project are to:

• Develop a prototype extruder that will allow full industrial & commercial development of the process.
• Develop the process on an industrial scale for SMEs with different production requirements.
• Demonstrate the technical & commercial viability of the process at full industrial scale

Start date: 01/09/2005
Completion date: 28/02/2009

For more information, please visit – www.euflowfree.com

Participants