---

Editor's Note: Dipl.-Ing. Ulrich Helbing is manager, Research & Development, Gear Pump Division, at Oerlikon Barmag, a business unit of Germany-based Oerlikon Textile GmbH & Co. KG.

---

Overview:
In the case of many production processes in the plastics-processing industry, the polymers used require dyes or additives. Dyeing polymers frequently takes place during the manufacture of films, pipes, profiles, etc., but also in the production of yarns. Here, it is common to use colored master batch granulates, which are usually added to the main polymer by means of gravimetric metering systems in the hopper zone of the extruder. The drawback of this method is that manufacturers must warehouse a separate mast batch of each shade f the end produce, which results in considerable warehousing and logistics costs. Furthermore, determining the pigment ratios of each individual master batch requires comprehensive preliminary trials to be carried out, whereby the master batch granulates must first be manufactured followed by testing of the production process. Liquid dyes — which can be mixed continually during production — are an extremely efficient alternative to the above-mentioned utilization of dye master batches. This offers two decisive alternatives:

• Manufacturers only have to stock a few basic dyes on the basis of which all final dyes are mixed. This substantially lowers warehousing and logistics costs.
• The color of the end product can be corrected during on-going production, which can significantly reduce time and costs.

Please click the link below to read the complete paper.

May 31, 2011

Source: Oerlikon Barmag