Midlands moulder installs Engin Plast granulator for in-house scrap

A plastic injection moulder based in the East Midlands has installed a large 80-55 Engin Plast Central Granulation system in order to process its in-house scrap.

Tex-Plastics’ Derbyshire division purchased the system from Renmar Plastics Machinery so that it could recycle the larger plastic components from its manufacturing process that were previously sold to a third party.

“As part of an ongoing investment programme, a major target for 2017 was related to improving our ability to recycle plastic waste resulting from our manufacturing process,” explained Tex Plastics’ Manufacturing Director, Guy Sentance. “Primary goals were to improve internal material recovery rates, as well as to meet the requirements of ISO 14001 Environmental Systems.”

In order to quote for a suitable unit for Tex, Renmar assessed samples of the company’s larger mouldings. The evaluation undertaken involved the use of a modelling system that simulated the passage of the 14 products supplied by Tex through the cutting chamber throat. This ensured that all mouldings would pass cleanly through the system, regardless of angle of presentation.

It was established that a smaller 60-40 model would require around 60 percent of mouldings to be pre-cut with a band saw, resulting in the suggestion and subsequent installation of the selected 80-55 model.

The main installation includes features such as compressed air cleaning for the bearing housing. This system counters the typical issue of fine plastic filaments wrapping around the main shaft and being forced into the bearing housings. A periodic blast of air removes contaminants, which are then isolated in a collection chamber. It also has a ‘big bag’ loading system and soundproofing enclosures for both the granulator and the blower.

Tex has subsequently ordered multiple press-side granulators from Renmar to process smaller items, such as cold runner systems, on a ‘closed loop’ basis. These smaller 22-18 units also utilise quiet rotor technology, a compressed air bearing protection system, and offer throughputs of up to 60 kilos per hour.