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Pelletizing: Overview

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Overview

Davis-Standard, LLC Black Clawson Converting Machinery manufactures all the products and systems you need to produce the high-quality pellets your business demands. And, since we offer a full range of equipment sizes and types, you get more than just proven quality and reliability. You get the freedom to build your process system around the components that meet your exact process requirements. The end result is superior quality, high reliability and high performance technology that can produce better pellets.

Typical Products Pelletizied

  • PolyolefinsPolyethylene (LDPE, VLDPE, MDPE, HDPE, LLDPE, UHMWPE etc.),
    Polyethylene Copolymers (EVA, EMA, EMAA, EAA, EVOH etc.),
    Polypropylene (PP)
  • StyrenicsImpact and Crystal Polystyrene (PS), Styrene Acronitrile (SAN), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
  • Nylon / Polyamide (PA) and Polyester (PET)
  • Polybutylene (PB)
  • Polycarbonate (PC)
  • Polyester (PET, CPET, APET)
  • Styrenics, Polyamide, Polyester, Polybutylene, Polycarbonate, PolyesterThese and similar products exhibit the tendenancy for die plate hole freeze off. Our highly efficient heat exchanger type die plate technology allows underwater processing of these products.
  • Elastomerics / Rubber (ELA)Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), Thermoplastic Olefins (TPO),Block Copolymers SIS, SBS SBR, EPDM, TPU products, with some grades that generally exhibit tacky surfaces, are easily pelletized.
  • Hot Melt Adhesives (HMP)Various and unlimited formulas of base materials like EVA, PET, PA, Elastomerics, etc. with tactifiers, extenders, fillers and the like are pelletized. Low viscosity and tacky or long open cure time formulations are processed from continuous or batch systems using unique equipment arrangements, orientations or solutions dependant on the product characteristics.

Industries Served

  • Chemical and Petrochemical - Virgin Resin Production (VRP)Initially formed products from various processes and reactor types are easily extruded and pelletized with the unique Black Clawson Converting Machinery equipment design solutions.
  • Plastics - Compounding (COM)Products from the combining of virgin resin product with additives, such as listed below, are processed to tailor the material to specific end use needs. Short run toll or longer run compounding is accomplished with efficient easily cleanable equipment components to prevent cross contamination.
    • Titanium Dioxide (TiO2)
    • Carbon Black (Carb. Blk)
    • Other colorants
    • Slip
    • Antiblock (AB)
    • Antioxidant (AO)
    • Antistat (AS)
    • Plasticizer (Plast.)
    • Flame Retardant (FR)
    • Calcium Carbonate(CaCO3)
    • Extenders (Ext.)
    • UV Stabalizer (UV Stab.)
    • Fillers
    • Fiberglass (F. glass)
  • Converting - Scrap Reclaim (SRP)Industrial On-line, Post Industrial Off line (beside the press), Post Consumer scrap product can be converted to usable pellet form. Size reduction equipment and specific extruder designs accommodate difficult to handle low bulk density feed materials to allow low product conversion costs.
  • Food (FOD)Snack Foods, Pet Foods, Chewing Gum and Gum base may be extruded and pelletized. Special product shapes, sized and configurations are offered.
  • SpecialtyMunitions (gunpowder) and others – Unique, custom, special and proprietary process equipment types may be offered or developed for your specific needs.

Pellet Size Range Capabilities

  • Micro Pelletizing (MIC)Generally pellets produced up to 0.040 inches ( 1 mm /1000 micron).
  • Normal PelletizingGenerally pellets from 0.040 inches (1 mm /1000 micron) up to 0.187 inches (4.75 mm).
  • Macro Pelletizing (MAC)Generally pellets above 0.187 inches (4.75 mm).

The Black Clawson Converting Machinery pelletizing equipment can easily produce the above pellet size ranges generally with simple selection of the proper die plate hole and dryer screen sizes.

Typical Process Applications

Whether lab, small production, intermediate or very large commodity size production lines, we provide new equipment, upgrades, and debottlenecking to produce the product quality you need with our efficient, reliable and easy to use equipment technology. Very broad viscosity ranges, product densities and very large production rate turndowns are possible without die change. “Wet” or slurry water flowing on the die face start-ups are typical with our unique die plate design.

The modular extrusion pelletizing systems can be designed to receive molten or solid feed materials from a reactor or holding vessel, single or twin screw extruder, continuous mixer, batch mixer, mill or other device. Additives can be incorporated and mixed with the main product through a feed port, injection pump, or satellite side arm extruder. Degassing of volatiles and product filtration may be included where required. The pelletizer then receives molten homogeneous feed material and creates dry pellets on a continuous basis. Accurate pellet size uniformity is by precise knife speed control. Interchangeable die plates allow various normal, micro or macro pellets to be produced. Fixed upward, fixed downward or rotatable extrusion orientation allows ease of purging or processing a broad product inlet viscosity range.

Global Offering and Support

With the experience gained from many small to major world class installations worldwide, you can be sure that we can meet your needs no matter where.

While the above may sound similar to other suppliers, we can assure you that the specific execution that we utilize is dramatically better. Upon request we can provide further specifics of our unique and proprietary approaches, on-going continuous improvements and can supply specific contact references. You can easily see why billions of pounds (kilograms) of pellets are produced every year on Black Clawson Converting Machinery extrusion pelletizing lines.

Contact us for the best possible process and equipment solution.