Successful live demonstration at KraussMaffei Berstorff: Sheet extrusion from renewable raw materials

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(Munich, March 31, 2014) KraussMaffei Berstorff presented its innovative concept for producing weatherproof sheets based on renewable raw materials to a large number of customers during a live demonstration in Munich on March 12, 2014. The customers were able to watch the production of so-called “Resysta” sheets at the TechCenter – which is equipped with a twin-screw extruder in the 32D series. Due to their outstanding property patterns and their deceptively realistic fine wood design, these sheets are primarily used for outdoor applications such as facades.
Successful live demonstration with 60 interested customers
“Our customers showed an unexpectedly high level of interest in this innovative product,” emphasized Andreas Kessler, General Sales Manager at KraussMaffei Berstorff in Munich. “We welcomed more than 60 international visitors who provided us with extremely positive feedback on both the production facility and the end product,” said Kessler. The sheet production line – equipped with the KMD 90-32/WPC twin-screw extruder and a vertical three-roll polishing stack as the key components – produced 4-mm-thick, 1000-mm-wide Resysta sheets with a guaranteed output of 300 kg/h. During a series of talks focusing primarily on this topic, the customers were also able to obtain more detailed information on the material composition, the production requirements and the end product. Kessler is anticipating a promising future: “Since we are now also seeing greater use of renewable raw materials in sheet extrusion due to growing worldwide demands for sustainable production, we will be able to serve a new market segment with this product in the long term.”
Optimum wear resistance of the 32D series for extreme material and process requirements 
Processing of natural fiber-reinforced plastics calls for special machine technology, a high degree of process engineering know-how and active wear resistance of the processing unit. “The material mixture supplied by our cooperation partner Resysta is a specially developed fiber-reinforced hybrid material made of ground treated rice husks with an added PVC carrier material,” said Peter Oswald, Head of Product Management at KraussMaffei Berstorff. “We systematically geared our machine concept to these requirements: For example, a specific metering device ensures a constant material feed. Since the adapted special venting zone in our 32D twin-screw extruders ensures that the residual moisture can properly escape, the moisture content during the production process remains constantly below 0.6%,” added Oswald. A high installed screw torque, coupled with internal screw heat balancing and screw geometry specially modified for the Resysta compound, guarantees a homogeneous melt, thus leading to a premium quality end product. “Another ‘must’ for Resysta processing machines is active wear resistance,” said Oswald. “Screws must have wear proof protection well beyond the normal level of wear resistance while the barrels must also be lined to a correspondingly high degree. This combination ensures maximum protection of the processing unit against corrosive and adhesive wear during processing of the Resysta compound.”
Cooperation partner Resysta a worldwide distributor 
KraussMaffei Berstorff recently started cooperating with Resysta International GmbH, a company based in Taufkirchen near Munich which distributes its patented compound Resysta ARF (Active Resysta Filler) all over the world. Extracted from rice husks – an agricultural raw material which has barely been used to date – the material is extremely resistant, has an excellent ecological balance sheet and therefore sets new standards in sustainable production. For further information, visit: www.resysta.com and www.resysta-arf.com
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Outstanding property patterns and different application areas
The Resysta material permanently ensures constantly high quality and has outstanding mechanical and weatherproof property patterns. The end product is extremely UV-resistant, does not rot, and does not form any cracks or splinters; it is colorfast and can be recycled. It therefore requires little maintenance and can barely be distinguished from real wood both optically and haptically. It is therefore mainly used whenever both weather resistance and a wood look are required, for example outdoor furniture, floor coverings in a wet cell or outside, ships’ decks or house facades.
 

About KraussMaffei Berstorff
Around the world, the KraussMaffei Berstorff product brand stands for advanced, futureproof extrusion solutions. The company’s product spectrum ranges from single extruders with application-specific tooling, to up- and downstream components and fully automated extrusion lines. This product range, plus a customer-specific choice of service modules, guarantee that KraussMaffei Berstorff is a robust system partner for customers such as the bulk chemicals, automotive, construction, packaging and pharmaceuticals industries. KraussMaffei Berstorff, part of the KraussMaffei Group since 2007, was created through a merger of KraussMaffei and Berstorff, an engineering specialist with a long tradition.For more information: www.kraussmaffeiberstorff.com

About the KraussMaffei Group
The KraussMaffei Group is among the world’s leading suppliers of machinery and systems for producing and processing plastics and rubber. Its products and services cover the whole spectrum of injection and reaction molding and extrusion technology, giving the company a unique position in the industry. The KraussMaffei Group is innovation-powered, supplying its products, processes and services as standard or custom solutions which deliver sustained added value along the customer’s value-adding chain. The company markets it’s offering under the KraussMaffei, KraussMaffei Berstorff and Netstal brands to customers in the automotive, packaging, medical, construction, electrical, electronics and home appliance industries. Continuing a long tradition of engineering excellence, the international KraussMaffei Group currently employs around 4,000 people. With a global network of more than 30 subsidiaries and more than 10 production plants, supported by around 570 sales and service partners, the company is close to customers around the world. KraussMaffei has been headquartered in Munich since 1838. For more information: www.kraussmaffeigroup.com