Technological watch

At IFAT 2024 (13-17 May, Munich, Germany) Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim will present innovative product and process solutions that make the recycling of plastics markedly more efficient and increase the product quality achieved.

Virtual Plant Demonstrates Entire Process
The added value from the merger of Herbold Meckesheim, specialist in mechanical recycling of plastics and plastic waste, and Coperion, expert in material handling, feeding, extrusion and compounding, is evident at the booth in a virtual PET recycling plant that both companies have created.

This virtual plant presents one of the complete solutions for plastics recycling that Coperion, together with Herbold Meckesheim, is now making available from a single source. It demonstrates the entire process and at the same time allows a deeper glimpse into numerous key components and their functions.

Moreover, rotors from Herbold granulators will be on display in different designs for various applications. The rotor concept with the cutting geometry is a decisive reason for the outstanding efficiency of the granulators from Meckesheim.

Plastics Recycling Plants from A Single Source
Along with individual components, Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim now build entire systems for plastics recycling. From mechanical processing – size reduction, washing, separating, drying and agglomerating of plastics – to bulk material handling as well as feeding and extrusion all the way to compounding and pelletizing, such plants cover the entire plastics recycling process chain. Since their merger, both companies have continued to develop and optimally attune their technologies for individual process steps so that entire systems excel in operation with very high efficiency.

Coperion and Herbold Meckesheim realize solutions for mechanical recycling of post-industrial and post-consumer waste, chemical recycling, solvent-based recycling, and deodorization, tailored to the type of plastic being processed.

The Right Rotor Geometry for Every Application
Pivotal for the high efficiency of Herbold granulators are both the rotor concept and the cutting geometry, individually adapted for the task and the input material. Granulators from Herbold Meckesheim work with true double cross cutting action. Not only the rotor knives are mounted at an inclined angle, even the stator knives are creating a clean cut with a constant gap across the entire knife width. The end product is a regrind with very good flow characteristics, low fines percentage, and high bulk density. Three different rotor types from Herbold Meckesheim will be available to view at the booth as examples.

Source: Coperion