Biax film production for sustainability and environment
Environment protection within the plastics industry is much about recycling and circular economy – but not only. Efficient use of energy and raw materials should be at least as important. At Araplast 2021 (15-18 November 2021, Dubai World Trade Centre) German market leader Brückner Maschinenbau will present latest stretching line concepts with significant efficiency increases, energy savings and for future recycling solutions.
Mono-materials
Brückner Maschinenbau has developed mono-material packaging solutions with the highest possible recycling capabilities. So, the life cycle of plastic packaging can be closed, as requested by brand owners and legislations. The state-of- the-art materials BOPP and BOPET have a great potential for high value second life products in an upcoming circular economy. A new opportunity is opening up with BOPE. Mono-material polyolefin film structures made of BOPP or BOPE with superior mechanical, optical or barrier properties, will be able to supplement multi-layer films made from different materials. These are ideal for the use in new, single-origin packaging and guarantee good sortibility in waste separation and optimal recycling. One example: Ultra-high barrier BOPP films with a super-thin EVOH coating – allowing packaging laminate simplification and reducing the number of further converting steps.
Hybrid line concepts: Combination of BOPE and BOPP production
Brückner introduces two completely new line concepts for the production of BOPE films. As the demand for innovative BOPE films is only now starting to develop, film producers will be able to react swiftly and flexibly to market trends: The new lines also have the flexibility to produce BOPP films. Film producers can choose between a working width of 6.6 m and an output of 3 t/h, or a working width of 8.7 m and an output of 5 t/h. These are 5-layer concepts for an extended range of films.
New inline coater
Even if recycling stands at the forefront of a circular economy, new mono-material structures must fulfil the highest demands and must not be inferior to previous packaging films. This is why Brückner has developed a new inline coater for all BOPP and BOPE lines, installed in the line before the transversal stretching. It allows the production of extremely thin functional layers within the nano-range. Due to the extreme thinness, the layers don’t disrupt the sorting and recycling, but cater, for example, for an improved adherence during metallising and excellent barriers in combination with the equally thin but effective aluminium oxide coating.
Line concepts for recyclable shrink films
Polyolefin shrink films are the trend for a better sortability and recyclability of bottles and sleeve labels. Brückner Maschinenbau has developed special low-density (<1) sleeves, fulfilling exactly this, and offers dedicated stretching line concepts.
Brückner Servtec: Solutions for existing lines – circular and digital
Brückner Servtec focusses on latest service & upgrading solutions for film stretching lines:
- The digital service platform Brückner ONE, a one-stop solution supporting all matters of the line and its operation such as service requests, spare parts inquiries, communication and line documentation
- Process optimization, including process audits, live tutorials, software upgrades for an improved film-quality, higher uptime and increased competitiveness
- Line conversion to enter new, high-margin markets by modifying existing lines into special purpose lines with an upgrade to 5 or 7 layers
At the joint Brückner Group booth, besides Brückner Maschinenbau and Brückner Servtec, Kiefel will be showing the latest developments for the packaging, medical and appliance industry.
*Picture from Arabplast 2019
