Contact:
Kathrin Steimle
Marketing & Communication
Coperion GmbH
Theodorstrasse 10
70469 Stuttgart / Germany
Phone +49 (0)711 897 25 07
Fax +49 (0)711 897 39 81
[email protected]
www.coperion.com
Press Release
Coperion Open House in Stuttgart/Germany on 28th and 29th January 2009
Turnkey compounding lines in modular design from one single
supplier
Stuttgart, February 2009. In view of the steadily growing demand for its modular plants for the
compounding of plastics, Coperion GmbH, Stuttgart/Germany, has considerably widened not
only the scope of application of these systems but also their performance range. At present,
there are a good 50 such systems in service worldwide. Coperion is the only single-source
manufacturer able to offer a complete system from start to finish backed by the collective knowhow of two Competence Centers, Compounding & Extrusion as well as Materials Handling: raw
material handling, feeding, compounding and pelletizing, drying, conveying and bagging of the
finished goods. The advantages for the user: he has only one supplier to deal with and need
not concern himself with the mechanical or electrical connections and/or interfaces between the
individual system units, which would be the case if the system units were all sourced from
different suppliers.
Today, the market especially demands compounding systems with an output capacity of
anything between 2,000 and 3,500 kg/h. For such high-capacity applications, depending on the
actually required output and the type of product, Coperion offers either a ZSK 70 or a ZSK 92
MEGAcompounder PLUS. A typical example is a complete turnkey plant equipped with a
ZSK 92 MEGAcompounder PLUS for the production of glass fibre reinforced polyamide (PA)
compounds. It is contained in a steel structure with two overhead working platforms and prehopper integrated cranes and comprises the following main modules:
the pre-hopper module for bulk storage and refilling of material to be fed into the ZSK;
February 2009
the feeder module for the various PA grades and the necessary fillers and additives;
the ZSK module as the compounding extruder, installed at floor level and equipped with a
92 mm diameter screw; and
the downstream modules such as the pelletizing unit, the cooling unit, the silos for the
finished product and the bagging unit.
Prior to delivery, this complete turnkey production line was, like all such systems, completely
assembled at the Competence Center Compounding & Extrusion (formerly Werner & Pfleiderer)
and tested under production-specific conditions in the presence of the customer. It was with the
aid of this example, among others, that Steffen Bader, Business Segment Manager Modularand Turnkey Plants, explained the particular user benefits of such pre-tested turnkey plants at
the Coperion Open House in January 2009. Size and capacity may range from the ZSK 26
MEGAcompounder up to systems with a screw diameter of 133 mm and/or output ratings of up
to 5 t/h. The equipment variations possible with modular plants are exemplified not least by the
downstream module. Besides the usual strand pelletizer, for example, it is also possible to
equip the downstream module with waterring pelletizers or underwater pelletizers with varying
drying systems. Further examples of existing modular plants include compounding lines for
direct long-fibre thermoplastic (D-LFT) compounding or for the production of special compounds
for the insulation of offshore pipes.
Coperion generally understands a modular line to mean a completely equipped compounding
line built up from standardized modules. These modules cover all stages of operation and
range from the upstream handling of raw materials via feeding systems to the downstream
bagging and logistical handling of the finished product. It goes without saying that the modular
concept also embraces a uniform and user-friendly control and automation technology for the
entire system. The individual units are each contained in a steel structure that can be readily
separated via just a few interfaces for easy transport. This form of construction offers
numerous advantages, e.g.:
Every modular plant can be thoroughly tested at Coperion's production facility prior to
delivery. Trial production runs can also be carried out, thus providing the future operator with
sample quantities for opening up of a new market.
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February 2009
The modular plant can be quickly installed and put into service. The operating personnel can
already be trained during the trial production runs at Coperion.
The modular plant makes no particular demands on the building in which it is installed
except for the required headroom and the load-bearing capacity of the floor.
The modular plant can be quickly transferred to another location if required.
Every modular plant is equipped with a uniform, user-friendly control system that unifies all
functions under one common user interface.
A modular plant can be readily installed in an existing production facility, even in a confined
space, without unduly affecting the production of the adjacent production lines.
Every modular and turnkey plant is designed and engineered by Coperion exactly in
accordance with the actual requirements of the customer. For its choice of the materials
handling units, the ZSK equipment and peripherals and the configuration of the screw, Coperion
can rely on its vast processing know-how acquired in the fields of materials handling and
extrusion. Coperion modular and turnkey plants are in service worldwide.
Coperion (www.coperion.com) is the international market and technology leader in compounding
systems, bulk materials handling systems and services. Coperion designs, develops, manufactures and
maintains systems, machines and components for the plastics, chemicals, food and aluminium industries.
With its three Competence Centers Compounding & Extrusion, Materials Handling, Service and over
30 sales and service companies, Coperion achieves annual sales of over 600 million euros worldwide
and has a total work force of 2,100 employees.
Dear Colleagues,
an MS-WORD file of this press release in English and German and
a printable-grade copy of the enclosed image are available for download at
http://www.coperion.com/technicalpress
Editorial contact and voucher copies:
Dr. Diether Burkhardt, KONSENS Public Relations GmbH & Co. KG,
Hans-Kudlich-Strae 25, D-64823 Gro-Umstadt
Phone: +49 (0)60 78/93 63-0, Fax: +49 (0)60 78/93 63-20
E-Mail: [email protected], Internet: www.konsens.de
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February 2009
Fig. 1. Photo of pre-tested turnkey modular plant comprising the raw materials handling
module, a ZSK 92 MEGAcompounder PLUS for the compounding of polyamide. Taken during
trials at Coperion.
Photo: Coperion, Stuttgart/Germany
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February 2009
Fig. 2. Waterbath, pelletizer and spiral cooling conveyor in a modular plant awaiting acceptance
test at Coperion.
Photo: Coperion, Stuttgart/Germany
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February 2009
Fig. 3. The modular plant for laboratory and development applications, equipped with a ZSK 26
MEGAcompounder, affords plenty of space and flexibility.
Photo: Coperion, Stuttgart/Germany
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