K 2022: Starlinger Focuses on Reducing Resource Consumption
After two years of pandemic, interest in the packaging solutions made of woven plastic tape fabric supplied by the Austrian world market leader Starlinger & Co GmbH continues to be high. Especially sought after are sustainable packaging and closed-loop solutions.
The most important exhibition for the international plastics industry has been a success for the Vienna-based machine manufacturing company. “This year’s K show has been sensational for us. Everybody is happy to get together personally and talk about the developments in the sector after all the restrictions due to the pandemic”, said Hermann Adrigan, Head of Sales at Starlinger, summing up the exhibition. “A lot of customers, among them many long-time business partners, visited us both here at our booth in Düsseldorf as well as in Austria during our Open House in our factory which took place at the same time.” The number of deals closed during the exhibition shows that many companies in the sector are willing to invest. “For us, K 2022 equals K 2019 in this respect”, confirmed Adrigan. “Both here in Hall 16 as well as at the booth of our division Starlinger recycling technology in Hall 9 we sold a number of projects already in the course of the exhibition.”
A main attraction for many customers was the conversion line for Adstar woven polypropylene block bottom valve sacks at the Starlinger booth in Hall 16: It produced Adstar sacks with a share of 22 % recycled content at a speed of 140 sacks/minute. Also, big bags made of 100 % recycled polypropylene and 100 % recycled Pet supplied by Starlinger customers drew a lot of interest. With the “Circular Packaging” concept for big bags initiated in 2019 Starlinger offers a model for a closed packaging loop for packaging producers.
“Sustainability plays a major role in almost all inquiries we receive nowadays”, explained Adrigan. “As machine manufacturers we have been putting the reduction of resource consumption – be it energy, be it raw materials – in the central focus of our technical developments for decades. Now, also recycled material can be processed on our lines without loss of quality. Packaging producers know: If you want to produce woven PP or Pet sacks in a sustainable way, Starlinger is the place to go.”
W&h Presented New Machine Technologies and Packaging Solutions for Sustainable Flexible Packaging Production at a Very Successful K 2022.
Windmöller & Hölscher, specialist for machinery in the flexible packaging market, presented new developments in three areas at K 2022: Efficient Production, Circular Economy, and Digitization. The W&H slogan at K 2022, “Get in the Loop” and the infinity symbol illustrate the way these three topics influence each other and contribute to the success of sustainability.
“The K trade fair has proven itself as a meeting point for the industry, as a performance show and as an important point of contact with our customers,” says Peter Steinbeck, CEO of W&H. “Just like before the pandemic, we had visitors from all over the world at the W&H booth. With the live machine demonstrations three times a day, we reached several hundred visitors each time,” adds Dr. Sascha Witt, CSO of W&H. On four exhibition days, W&H hosted an in-house Expo at its headquarters in Lengerich, where another 12 lines including extrusion, printing, and converting machinery were presented. Around 1,100 visitors from 83 countries traveled to Lengerich.
The highlight for trade fair visitors was the Varex II blown film line in operation at the booth. The daily machine show in Düsseldorf featured live demonstrations of the new Easy2 Change assistance system, an autopilot for product changes. Compared to an experienced operator, the number of necessary clicks for a product change is reduced by more than 70% and the time needed is cut by more than half – and all that with the certainty that no errors are made. This is especially important for difficult products, for example containing recycled materials with varying qualities. After the end of the trade show, the line is now being delivered to the customer IsoFlex Packaging, a member of the Sigma Plastics Group in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
W&H also highlighted new packaging solutions ready for the Circular Economy: Six examples that are made for recycling and four solutions that use high percentages of recycled materials. All solutions have been extruded and printed with W&H lines and have been tested for their practicability with W&H sack making lines or with converting partners – proving that sustainable solutions with the required functionalities are possible today.
Circular Economy – Solutions ready for recycling Recyclable pet food bags: W&H is showing two different approaches to this recyclable packaging solution, that is trending in the market: a blown film with a co-extruded EVOH barrier layer and one made with a functional barrier coating during the printing process. Recyclable Coffee Pouch: A stretched MDO PE-film with an EVOH barrier layer combined with PE sealing film. With a total amount of only 2% EVOH this solution exceeds the current recycling regulations, while at the same time providing the barrier properties for oxygen and water vapor required for this kind of packaging.
Circular Economy – Solutions using recyclates
50% PCR Collation Shrink: All new collation shrink film with 50% post-consumer recycled material. It offers the same shrink values and
Mechanical properties as conventional, non-PCR recipes. PE Valve Sack: All new film recipe with 30 % post-industrial material that displays similar mechanical properties as a conventionally produced film.
Digitization Easy2 Change: The new Easy2 Change assistance system supports the operator during every necessary step of a product changeover saving time,waste, and resources.
RUBY App: The brand-new app for mobile production monitoring based on the IOT-System by W&H.
Efficient Production
MDO-PE in 2×1260 MM: W&H shows a new line set-up for MDO-PE producing 2×1260 mm net width with optimal film properties, increased output and bag-making efficiency. This solution shows that recyclable monomaterial solutions can be produced at highest efficiency. Filmatic II V: The new winder generation with best-in-class winding performance, Easy operation and excellent safety standards. The start of the winding process is critical, therefore the surface winding from the beginning to the very end of the roll was improved.
Arburg Makes an Impressive Showing With “Plan A” at K 2022, the World’s Leading Trade Fair
Centre stage: Sustainability, digitalisation and resilience
Plan A: Trends, technologies and strategies for sustainable plastic parts production
Overwhelming: Thousands of enthusiastic visitors at the Arburg stand
“There is only a Plan A”: Arburg clearly hit the bull’s eye with this message at the world’s leading trade fair, K 2022, in Düsseldorf, Germany – inspiring countless trade fair visitors in the process. A total of around 30 machine exhibits on its main stand, in the arburg Green world pavilion in the VDMA Circular Economy Forum, and on partners’ stands showcased sophisticated applications and technologies in injection moulding, additive manufacturing and automation. Sustainability, digitalisation and resilience were the topics that took centre stage.
“We experienced a huge footfall at our main stand 13A13 and the arburg Green world pavilion in the VDMA Circular Economy Forum. We are very much satisfied with the quantity, quality and internationality of the visitors, especially in view of the current conditions,” said Juliane Hehl, Managing Partner responsible for Marketing and Business Development, summing up the company’s successful trade fair appearance. “At K, we gave an impressive demonstration of where the journey is headed.”
Innovative solutions for resource conservation
“As a machine manufacturer, we are vigorously pursuing a strategy towards greater resource efficiency, CO2 reduction and circular economy. This is an important issue for our customers worldwide, and one that we are bringing to life,” said Gerhard Böhm, Arburg Managing Director Sales and Service. Among the items on show was a demonstration of how PIR and PCR recyclates can be processed into high-quality products with the help of hardware and software together with the new “aXw Control RecyclatePilot” and other smart controller functions. One such product was a tool case in Arburg design, probably one of the most coveted give-aways at the entire trade fair.
Visitors to the arburg Green world pavilion were able to gain an impressive insight into how Arburg, with its “Plan A”, is playing its part in solving a global problem affecting society as a whole. It was there that Arburg trainees not only “rocked” the pavilion but also held numerous discussions on the future of plastics as a recyclable material – with young visitors in particular. Talks were also held with experts from science and industry. And an electric Allrounder produced “Greenline” anchors from Fischer using plastic based on castor oil.
Arburg shed a focused light on the multifaceted issue of sustainable plastic parts production at the arburg Green world pavilion in the VDMA Circular Economy Forum.
High-end injection moulding technology
At its main stand 13A13, Arburg presented a wide range of sophisticated applications and innovative technologies from its entire portfolio: injection moulding machines, additive manufacturing, automation, plus internally developed control systems, drive trains and digital products and services. “We offer our customers everything they need not only to work in an energy- and production-efficient way in these challenging times, but also to strengthen resilience in the long term,” explained Guido Frohnhaus, Arburg Managing Director Technology & Engineering.
The Freeformer 750-3X celebrated its world premiere at K 2022. The machine is systematically designed for industrial additive manufacturing, and boasts a part carrier around 2.5 times larger than the previous model.
One highlight in terms of injection moulding and mould technology was an automated three-component Allrounder Cube 1800, which produced a functional component from PP, TPE and POM using an 8+8+8-cavity cube mould including new index turning technology from Arburg’s partner Foboha. The challenging assembly process took place in the gripper of the associated six-axis robot.
Another application that attracted a lot of interest was an all-electric packaging application. As an alternative to thermoforming, an Allrounder 720 A with a new 1300 electric injection unit and in the new “Ultimate” performance variant produced thin-walled IML cups with a wall thickness of only 0.37 millimetres using the injection compression moulding process, achieving an injection speed of up to 400 millimetres per second.
Together with its mould partner Braunform, Arburg used a two-component Allrounder More 1600 to demonstrate how time and costs can be saved by integrating functions, with Luer connectors made of PP and TPE as an example. Capping and unscrewing took place directly in the mould. Handling was carried out by a Yaskawa six-axis robot, which Arburg will add to its automation range from spring 2023 as it becomes a system integrator.
On show as an example of particularly compact automation without additional floor space was an interlinked turnkey system based around a vertical Allrounder 375 V, which produced a bicycle tool called a “tyre lever” from PIR recyclate. Handling and “ready-to-use” assembly were carried out by a suspended six-axis robot. The Arburg Turnkey Control Module (ATCM) ensured 100 percent traceability in this application.
An example of the future of digital production cells was the “smart” turnkey system based around a hybrid Allrounder 630 H. The injection moulding machine produced blood tubes from PET and communicated with the mould, hot runner controller, material dryer and automation via the Gestica control system and OPC UA. The “Moldlife Sense” computer system integrated into the 32-cavity mould provided by Arburg’s partner Hack, also enabled monitoring across the complete life cycle.
Full house: Arburg trade fair stand 13A13 was the place to be at K 2022.
Digital Center – All-round digitalisation
In the “Digital Center” exhibition area, Arburg gave a very hands-on demonstration of digital products and services for the injection moulding world. In addition to the Arburg host computer system and Remote Service ALS, a large number of features for the arburg Xworld customer portal were presented. New to the Machine Center app is the digital product passport, for example, which indicates the carbon footprint of each machine’s manufacture. Another new feature is a machine comparison tool in the Machine Finder app, which has been expanded to include equipment options.
Visitors could see for themselves just how much transparency the Machine Terminal app offers. Each exhibit was equipped with an iPad, which could be used to access information such as current production figures.
An automated three-component Allrounder Cube 1800 produced a functional component from PP, TPE and POM using a cube mould from partner Foboha – including assembly injection moulding and capping directly in the gripper.
New developments in additive manufacturing
The Freeformer 750-3X celebrated its world premiere at K 2022. The latest machine for Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) is systematically designed to meet the requirements of the industry. Compared to the previous model, the part carrier is around 2.5 times larger – with the same external dimensions. The APF process is also around seven times faster and more economical. Another exhibit, a high-temperature Freeformer 300-3X, demonstrated the production of complex components from original material Ultem 9085 and a new break-away support material. The additive manufacturing portfolio was supplemented with two exhibits from Arburg’s sister company innovatiQ, including the new TiQ2 for entry into filament-based industrial 3D printing.
26 Companies Present R-Cycle at K 2022: Digital Product Passport Enables Circular Economy for Plastic Products
R-Cycle – the digital product passport for plastic products – enables all stakeholders in the value chain to easily exchange recycling-relevant information in an open standard format across company boundaries and make it accessible for various applications, such as improved waste sorting. A total of 26 leading companies and organizations will present R-Cycle at K 2022 as part of a joint booth in the Circular Economy Forum (OA 16 / CE 07).
Dr. Benedikt Brenken, Director R-Cycle, explains, “More and more leading companies along the entire value chain are relying on R-Cycle and benefiting from the added value of standardized data exchange along the life cycle of plastic products. At K 2022, we will be showing a wide variety of applications and product samples that have already been manufactured in high volumes and whose data can be accessed via automated digital product passports.”
Looking at today’s waste streams, recyclable products – especially plastic packaging – cannot be sorted with sufficient accuracy for high-quality recycling. With R-Cycle, production machines read and record relevant data in a digital product passport, route it through the value chain, and make it retrievable via appropriate marking (e.g., QR codes or digital watermarks) on semi-finished and final products. In this way, waste sorting lines can easily identify recyclable packaging and form recycling-friendly and single-variety fractions. This is the basis for obtaining high-quality recyclates and building a functioning circular economy.
In addition to improving product sustainability, manufacturers also increase their process efficiency and product quality by using the digital product passport. Accurate information about source materials accelerates and optimizes production, while capturing proprietary product characteristics adds value for customers in the downstream value chain.
“Data exchange is the key to an efficient circular economy,” Dr. Brenken adds. “The data is already available at the individual stations of the value chain. They just need to be transmitted, aggregated and made usable via an open standard. This is exactly what we offer with R-Cycle.”
R-Cycle was developed to market maturity by various technology companies and organizations along the entire lifecycle of plastic products and can be networked with all systems (e.g., PPS, ERP) and production facilities: from film, blow molding or injection molding machines to processing, packaging and filling machines to waste sorting and recycling lines. The traceability technology behind R-Cycle is based on GS1 standards – the leading global network for cross-industry process development and a founding member of R-Cycle.
R-Cycle is an interoperable infrastructure offered as software-as-a-service. In addition, an open community exists for interested companies, institutions or stakeholders who want to use, support or further develop R-Cycle. Members gain access to a broad network of application-experienced partners and know-how in digitalization and sustainability. The goal is to realize individual applications, generate benefits by networking the value chain and jointly establish R-Cycle worldwide. Interested companies can obtain all information about membership at: www.r-cycle.org/en/community
R-Cycle captures all recycling-relevant data along the entire value chain via digital product passports.
R-Cycle was awarded the prestigious “Sustainability Award” in the category “Driving the Circular Economy” in September 2022. The award was presented during this year’s “Sustainable Packaging Summit” in Lisbon. The event is the leading international forum for sustainable packaging.
New “Ultrathin Coating” Process Enables Production of Particularly Lightweight and Cost-Effective Film/Nonwoven Composites
Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating will showcase a completely new production process for cost-effective film/nonwoven composites with outstandingly low grammage, which allows economical production also in Europe.
The Covid-19 pandemic and current supply shortages have exposed the dependence of companies on global supply chains. This situation is both a warning signal and an opportunity to boost and reorganize the local production of semi-finished products from the ground up. Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating has now developed a trend-setting production process termed Ultrathin Coating, in particular for the sector of medical protective clothing. The process will permit customers to produce particularly lightweight film/nonwoven composites with greater cost efficiency and, as a result, more competitively.
The patent-pending process has several advantages: It cuts film grammage by 66%; material consumption in the overall composite is reduced by 28%; and it slashes costs by up to 34% compared to conventional semi-finished products. Significant cost savings are achieved in various ways, for example, by replacing hotmelt adhesives, which rises line availability by reduced maintenance effort at the same time.
Mark Borutta, Sales & Marketing Specialist at Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating, explains: “We are currently experiencing a sustained increase in demand for medical protective clothing combined with a return strategy for local production capacity. Against this backdrop, producers achieve a fast return on investment and high profitability with Ultrathin Coating – even when production is based in Europe.”
Even if manufacturers already produce medical protective clothing and prefer to handle the coating process internally in the future instead of importing the necessary composites, it is worthwhile to set up an in-house production facility. In either case, the investment in Ultrathin Coating usually pays for itself in less than 12 months. The lower material input also reduces the consumption of fossil raw materials and this in turn responds to the increased demand for more sustainable products.
What is so special about Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating’s solution is that its sister company, Reifenhäuser Reicofil, an experienced and global leading manufacturer of nonwoven lines, provided their invaluable support to the development. Customers already operating a Reicofil nonwovens line or installing a new one will thus receive a perfectly matched extrusion coating line for seamless semi-finished product production.
EFSA/FDA-Compliant Production Process Enables Manufacture of Food-Safe Film From PET Recyclate
Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating has developed a particularly efficient production process with which PET recyclate can be processed directly into food-safe film without a pre-drying process. The process meets the criteria of both the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). This was proven via a so-called challenge test.
If recycled goods come into direct contact with food, special certification by the EFSA or the FDA is required in advance in some markets. The production of films for such food packaging is correspondingly complex and demanding. Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating now facilitates the economical production of such films for flat film manufacturers with a simpler production process and provides advice on certification.
Mark Schuster, Product Manager PET Sheet at Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating, explains: “The market for recyclable food packaging made of PET already has a high volume. At the same time, the growth potentials are equally interesting considering the current global collection rates. We are now making it easier for customers to successfully participate in this market.”
The EFSA/FDA-compliant PET process uses a co-rotating twin-screw extruder and a specially developed high-performance vacuum system that enables producers to process PET recycling material directly, without pre-treatment and pre-drying – as is necessary with other processes. Processors thus save the investment in an additional line component and avoid additional energy and maintenance costs, which leads to significant savings, especially in times of rising energy prices. Fast material and product changes are also possible, for example between post-consumer PET bottle scrap (PCR), post-industrial PET production waste (PIR) and virgin PET. The end product, for example a meat tray, meets the highest hygiene standards and can be used safely in direct contact with foodstuffs in accordance with the criteria of the authorities.
Certification made easy: Consulting
Reifenhäuser Cast Sheet Coating supports customers in the certification process with the relevant authorities. For this purpose, not only the cleaning process of the ground material, but also the quality monitoring of the input material and the production under the criteria defined by EFSA are considered.
EFSA audits made easy: automatic documentation
Another feature of the line is the automatic documentation of relevant production data. For EFSA audits, recipe- and product-related data of the certified process must be stored for several years. The specially developed ExtrusionOS Production Compliance software bundle helps to monitor and securely document production processes and compliance with EFSA-relevant thresholds in a data-based and real-time manner. A live dashboard transparently shows ongoing production and its thresholds, enabling fast action in case of irregularities. ExtrusionOS Production Compliance is based on Reifenhäuser’s connectivity solution ExtrusionOS Core & c.Hub Middleware, and can also be retrofitted to existing lines.
Recycling made easy: digital product passport
Via ExtrusionOS, production data can also be transferred to a digital product passport – for example, via the open R-Cycle standard. Digital product passports are data records clearly linked to primary and end products that contain relevant data on materials, ingredients and the use of the product. Via special markings, they can be used, among other things, for data-based and thus more precise waste sorting and recycling processes.
Fully Recyclable Pouch – Now Also With Barrier Effect for Food Packaging.
At K22, Reifenhäuser Blown Film will be presenting a fully recyclable pouch with a barrier effect against oxygen and water vapor that is suitable for food packaging. The solution is a further development of the all-PE mono-pouch already established on the market. The Reifenhäuser Barrier Pouch makes a further contribution to higher plastic recycling rates and a functioning circular economy.
While fully recyclable pouches for non-food packaging have been established on the market for some time, the necessary oxygen barrier in food packages – and the materials and film thicknesses required for this – has stood in the way of their recyclability. The Reifenhäuser barrier pouch achieves the necessary barrier effect with an EVOH content of less than five percent and thus meets all the requirements for complete recycling. The use of the patented EVO Ultra Stretch stretching unit makes it possible: it increases the barrier effect of the EVOH by stretching and thus reduces the EVOH content while maintaining the barrier effect.
Eugen Friedel, Director Sales at Reifenhäuser Blown Film, explains: “The demand for recyclable products is growing steadily. This also increases the demand for EVOH, which is already hard to come by. With our fully recyclable barrier pouch, we meet two challenges at the same time: the pouch meets all market requirements for sustainable packaging and at the same time enables resource-saving handling of scarce and high-priced EVOH.”
As before, the film produced can be further processed and converted without any problems. Thanks to the patented position of the stretching unit directly in the haul-off of the blown film line, the film is stretched at the ideal time and from the first heat, which makes the process particularly efficient and stable.
The Reifenhäuser barrier pouch – a further development of the ALL-PE pouch – is fully recyclable thanks to an EVOH content of less than five percent.
Record Output Rates Beyond 600 Kg/h for Form-Fill-Seal Sack Applications With Reifenhäuser Ultra Cool 2.0 FFS
Reifenhäuser Blown Film is introducing a new high-performance cooling system for its “EVO FFS” blown film line, which has been specially developed for heavy-duty sack applications. This system increases the cooling capacity by more than 20% compared to conventional systems on the market. In the production of heavy-duty sacks, record output rates of more than 600 kg/h can thus be achieved from a die with a diameter of 175 mm – while maintaining the best film properties.
The production of blown film for form-fill-seal (FFS) bags for heavy goods puts manufacturers in a tough competitive environment where output is the key to economic success. Thanks to the increased cooling capacity, producers can now exceed the market’s peak output values by around 50 to 100 kg and thus secure a significant competitive advantage in terms of productivity.
Eugen Friedel, Director Sales at Reifenhäuser Blown Film, explains: “With our record output capacity beyond 600 kg/h, we enable our customers to achieve an attractive return on investment and the potential to be successful on the market in the long term. EVO Ultra Cool 2.0 FFS achieves unrivaled performance values without compromising quality or process reliability.”
EVO Ultra Cool 2.0 FFS is suitable for all common FFS formulations and applications (petrochemical, fertilizer, salt bags, etc.) while offering ease of use and high line availability. In terms of mechanical film properties and thickness tolerances, the best results have been demonstrated in all product tests, enabling high throughputs in the filling process and stability for bag handling. Long service life, easier machine start-up and reliable quality also ensure high competitiveness and ease of operation. In order to also participate in the growing market for sustainable products, the line safely processes recyclates and recyclable raw materials.
In addition to the premium version “EVO Ultra Cool 2.0 FFS”, Reifenhäuser also offers the standard version “EVO Cool FFS” for its EVO FFS lines, so that the perfect solution can be found for every requirement – but its performance is always above the market average. All EVO FFS lines are equipped with Reifenhäuser’s proven EVO extruders and blow heads, thus ensuring optimum melt quality at lowest melt temperatures.
Today, the constant further development of Reifenhäuser technology ensures the highest output rates for form-fill-seal sack applications.
Highly Wear-Resistant Screws and Barrels Enable Safe Recyclate Processing
Whether film manufacturer, injection molder or line manufacturer: the processing of recyclate involves many challenges because recyclate is a rather complex raw material and a stress test for the plasticizing unit. Highly wear-resistant barrels and screws from Reifenhäuser Reiloy give the unit a long service life and ensure high product quality.
Recyclate is often a grab bag, because it is not always clear how carefully the starting material has been sorted and cleaned, or which additives and possibly aggressive residual components are contained. In addition, high-quality recyclate processing requires special additives that enable the polymer to become a high-quality product again. However, many of these additives are also challenging because, among other things, they have an abrasive effect or adhesive tendency – others have an aggressive effect due to inorganic acids. Many colorants and fillers also stress the components.
Reifenhäuser is the only manufacturer to develop and produce the hard alloys for the wear protection of its screws and barrels in-house.
Reifenhäuser Reiloy offers a reliable solution for this with its highly wear-resistant screws and barrels and regularly sets benchmarks in terms of quality and performance. The components offer a demonstrably longer service life, precise matching of raw materials and additives, exclusive alloys developed in-house, and process-optimized surfaces. Manufacturers of injection molded and extruded products thus benefit from the best cost-benefit ratio in the industry. Higher resistance to wear is provided by special iron-based alloys and nickel-based alloys that match the raw material being processed. The decisive factor here is the composition of the alloys, because wear protection depends not only on the hardness of the layer.
Ralf Pampus, Managing Director at Reifenhäuser Reiloy, explains: “We are the only screw and barrel manufacturer to develop and produce the hard material alloys – and even the powders required for wear protection – in-house in our own materials laboratory. This means we offer expertise across the entire process that is unique in the market. Recent independent tests have again proven that Reifenhäuser Reiloy’s wear protection is the best on the market and that the investment pays off – because high-quality components need to be replaced less frequently, produce consistent quality and thus ensure the productivity of a line.”
Reiloy screws and barrels from Reifenhäuser regularly set benchmarks in wear protection and offer proven longer lifetime.
Reifenhäuser Reiloy has decades of experience in wear protection systems and takes a holistic approach to wear protection consulting. The Reiloy experts calculate the optimum interaction between barrel and screw for each plasticizing unit and select the appropriate surface treatment.
Cross-vendor Approach: Reifenhäuser Launches Digital Offensive That Focuses on Enablement of Film and Nonwovens Producers
Countless producers of films and nonwovens could be more productive today if they fully exploited the enormous potential of digitalization. Reifenhäuser presents therefore a digital offensive at K 2022 to help all producers get started with digitalization. In doing so, the company is focusing on the empowerment and independence of customers – and is deliberately turning away from the usual vendor-centric approaches. Instead, Reifenhäuser offers easy-to-implement, open digital solutions designed to help producers of films or nonwovens worldwide to increase their production efficiency (OEE) independently and sustainably. All customers, regardless of company size, thus benefit from a new dimension of process transparency that for the first time includes all line manufacturers and line types of a production.
The core of the digital solution is the so-called c.Hub, a middleware that ensures the secure exchange of data between different IT systems, applications, extrusion machines and line controls. This includes Reifenhäuser systems as well as third-party systems. The c.Hub becomes the single point of truth for all production-relevant data by merging and harmonizing production data streams. The central advantage is that all users can access all data from anywhere at any time and document them securely. The data is collected and stored on premises without interfering with the production process. The producer retains full control over the data at all times.
“So far, digitization in our industry has mostly failed due to heterogeneous factories with machines and peripherals from different vendors and of different ages and types, as well as applications that are not connected with each other,” says Daniel Kajan, Director Product & Operations at RE:, a Reifenhäuser Group subsidiary specializing in digital products for extrusion line operators. “Without looking at the big picture, however, production is inefficient and error-prone. Unnecessary complaints, material loss and downtime are the result. Only a cross-vendor solution maps the production reality of our customers and thus offers real benefits,” Kajan continues.
To enable customers to easily connect all their equipment in production, Reifenhäuser offers out-of-the-box connectors for the most important industrial protocols. They enable fast and complete acquisition of all production data. The associated ExtrusionOS software provides user-friendly applications and dashboards that help monitor, manage, store and analyze this data. Line operators can, for example, monitor the condition of their connected equipment and adjust it optimally based on the knowledge gained. They also have the option of monitoring defined thresholds and KPIs and, if desired, receiving notifications when thresholds are exceeded. This enables users to act faster and more efficiently, thereby significantly reducing errors and customer complaints. Legal requirements such as compliance with EFSA-relevant threshold values when processing recyclate for direct contact with food can be monitored and documented securely.
“Our open digital ecosystem helps line operators capture all production data from the first meter to the last meter of the roll, easily gain insights from it, and benefit from their data in the long run,” Kajan explains. The digital package can either be purchased together with Reifenhäuser machines or retrofitted on existing lines and servers.
