The Swiss Oerlikon Group’s Polymer Processing Solutions division will present itself at the K 2022 under the banner of ‘Feel the Flow. Keep Control’. The leading international trade fair for the plastics industry is taking place in Düsseldorf, Germany, between October 19 and 26 this year, with around 200,000 visitors expected.
Today, innovation no longer means producing ever faster and ever more but also producing sustainably. The plastics industry is as aware of its responsibility concerning sustainability as it is of the demands that end users and politicians place on their products. Correspondingly, the eight K 2022 trade fair days will focus on topics such as reducing CO2 emissions, avoiding waste, energy efficiency, and the continual expansion of the circular economy.
Solutions for polycondensation, extrusion, pumps, and hot runner systems
The efficient, high-quality Oerlikon Barmag Huitong Engineering continuous polycondensation systems produce homogeneous melt utilizing a chemical reaction, which combines different monomers to create polymers. The benefits of having your polycondensation system include non-reliance on external granulate manufacturers, offsetting short-term raw material market price fluctuations, and direct influence on the polymer quality. Topics that the Oerlikon polymer experts would like to discuss in person with visitors at the K 2022. These also include the new application possibilities for processing new, sustainable materials.
Innovative flow control equipment
Hot runner specialist Oerlikon HRSflow will showcase a comprehensive hot runner assortment tailored to small shot weights and its new Xp nozzle series for use in thin-wall injection molding. Both support the trend towards greater sustainability by helping to reduce energy and material consumption in plastic processing. Oerlikon FLEXflow hot runner technology applications and other progressive hot runner solutions specially developed for PCR materials and biopolymers will also be presented at the stands of several partner companies (see below).
Coating solutions for plastic components and tools
A further Oerlikon Surface Solutions division technology brand will also be attending the K 2022, with Oerlikon Balzers presenting BALINIT MOLDENA, a new coating for the injection molding process, and the extrusion of filled polymers with outstanding abrasion and corrosion resistance. This coating is the optimum solution for processing new and recyclable plastics, improving energy efficiency and reducing resource consumption. A current application is the fully-electric BMW iXe SUV, which utilizes ePD™ technology (embedded PVD for Design parts) from Oerlikon Balzers – a future-oriented, environmentally-friendly coating process for high-quality, metallic-looking surfaces on plastic parts with intelligent functionalities. Here, Oerlikon Balzers will also provide information on INUBIA I (Integrated) – the fully-integrated, automated solution for large-scale plastic metallization. The INUBIA I 6 and I 15 are fully-automated, user-friendly systems for applying ePD™-based coatings. The integrated systems, developed in their entirety by Oerlikon Balzers, permit high-volume mass production as demanded by the automobile industry.
Technologies for manufacturing nonwovens and sustainable filtration applications
The Oerlikon Nonwoven meltblown process can be used to manufacture nonwovens made from classical virgin elastomer-based and bio-based raw materials, including PLA and TPU products with recycled content. With its hycuTEC hydro-charging solution, Oerlikon Nonwoven will also present its new technology for charging nonwovens, increasing filter efficiency to more than 99.99% with simultaneous material savings of up to 30%. hycuTEC enables considerably lower water and energy consumption, as this system allows an additional drying process to be dispensed with in the case of many applications.
State-of-the-art systems for recycling plastics
Oerlikon’s joint venture company BBEngineering has been looking at the topic of recycling for many years now and has made it the focus of its presence at the Düsseldorf trade fair this year.
In addition to extruders, filters and mixers, BBEngineering offers the VacuFil®, a complete system that enables innovative, unique PET LSP recycling. VacuFil® unites gentle large-scale filtration and targeted IV regulation for consistently-excellent rPET melt quality. The modular system can be used for various recycling applications.
Diverse accompanying program: presentation series and open-house event
In addition to product and technology innovations, Oerlikon will be offering a diverse accompanying program at the K 2022: Visitors to the stand will be shown the company’s total solutions offering in an audiovisual 4D experience: in a 15minute simulator flight, attendees by invitation will be taken on an exciting journey into the future of a sustainable circular economy with technology solutions from the Oerlikon Group.
Thanks to the trade fair’s close proximity to the Oerlikon Barmag site in Remscheid, existing and potential customers will also be offered an insight into the world’s largest manmade fiber R&D Center. They can watch how PET waste is processed into high-quality recycled yarn at the BBEngineering Recycling Technology Center. There will be an open-house event running parallel to the trade fair over four days (October 20, 21, 24 and 25, 2022), which will be by invitation only.
Furthermore, Oerlikon technology will also be showcased at the stands of numerous partners throughout the trade fairs grounds:
• ENGEL (Hall 15, Stand C58, door cladding and smart back panel)
• Tederic (Hall 15, Stand D40, 2K high-gloss B pillar)
• Arburg (Hall 13 / Stand A13-B13, multi-component tool box made from PC+ABS and RECOPOUND® the PET-based recycled
• Haitian (Hall 15, Stand A57, fruit crate made from PE plus Tetra Pak recycled shredded flakes)
• Wittmann-Battenfeld (Hall 15, Stand C06, 3K coffee cups)
• Billion (Hall 15, Stand B24, gardening tools)
• Netstal (Hall 15, Stand D24, thin-wall R-PP cups).
