Technological watch

With the official market launch of SML’s new high-performance PowerCast XL stretch film line, SML is operating one of the largest film extrusion systems under realistic production conditions on K2019. The whole system weights 169 tons and has been set up by a team of SML’s engineers at Booth 17/C42 in a record-braking time of only 20 days. The PowerCast XL is especially designed for customers requiring a high roll-width flexibility, a wide thickness range and high output volumes. It is the latest example of SML’s innovative spirit and its technical leadership in the field of advances stretch film lines.

As the only brand-name supplier in this segment, SML is covering stretch wrap film lines of all sizes, offering solutions in widths from 1,500mm to 6,000mm. The new PowerCast XL is the latest highlight in SML’s extensive portfolio. It is a sophisticated further development of SML’s well-proven PowerCast concept, clearly outperforming similar systems in terms of efficiency, production stability and flexibility. The PowerCast XL has a net film width of 4,500mm. Without increasing the trim ratio, the new line is able to produce 400, 450, 500 and 750mm wide rolls – a key advantage to serve individual requirements in the market. Other technical features of the new system are:

• 8 extruders, 13 layers 
• a 5,435mm wide Cloeren ReflexTM die
• a 1,600mm diameter chill roll which is 5,500mm wide
• a double turret winder, W4000 4S 2T, with 4 shafts per turret

The new PowerCast XL is presented in full operation at SML’s Booth twice daily. It comes with several technical innovations, most of them soon becoming a standard in SML’s other stretch film lines.

Easy product changesSML’s newly introduced "hands-free" operation of the extrusion die makes product changes on the new PowerCast XL line very fast and straightforward. Less manpower is required, waste is reduced and overall line effectiveness is raised significantly. With the new ReflexTM die in combination with the in-house developed Booster regulation, the line operator does not need to manually interfere in cross-profile adjustment at product changes any more. Using a conventional system, it takes sometimes 30 - 45 min until the required product quality is reached. The available “hands-free” and Booster regulation can do this in approx. 10 min completely automatically.

Automatic mapping of die boltsThe automatic mapping of the die bolts is another innovation from SML to minimise both personnel costs and waste production. With conventional equipment, the operator needs to do a manual die mapping at every product change to ensure the good regulation of the thickness gauge. With the new automatic version developed by SML, a special software constantly regulates the expanding and contracting of the die bolt at a defined position to the film. The thickness measuring unit recognises the position of the bolt and automatically readjusts the mapping.

Film temperature measurementAll of SML’s stretch film lines can measure the real temperature of the extruded film directly on the chill roll. This is second to none and gives manufacturers the possibility to predict the quality of the film with regard to its elongation already inline during production! The operator then knows immediately if he needs to modify or readjust anything to achieve the right “Ultimate”.

Post-consumer LLDPE/LDPE recyclingIn the last six months, SML has developed an extrusion method to make high quality stretch film out of 80% post-consumer LLDPE/LDPE recycled materials – a milestone for the circular economy in the field of stretch film.