Alliance to develop compounding process

PlastiComp and Gamra Composites have formed a business alliance to develop profile extrusions based on the patented Pushtrusion direct inline thermoplastics compounding process.

PlastiComp and Gamra Composites have formed a business alliance to develop profile extrusions based on the patented Pushtrusion direct inline thermoplastics compounding process.

Plasticomp is the exclusive global sales and marketing company for Pushtrusion technology.

Gamra, a profile extrusion company, is focusing on the development of new applications and technologies based on thermoplastics composite materials.

Through their application development alliance, Plasticomp will supply Pushtrusion technology and knowhow, whereas Gamra will contribute extrusion manufacturing expertise, and market access to the extruded profile markets.

In forming the alliance, Steve Bowen, President of Plasticomp, and Greg Mitsch and Mike May, principals of Gamra, renew old acquaintances.

Before striking out on their own with Gamra, Mitsch and May purchased thermoplastics materials from Bowen's former employer, Polymer Composites.

"Greg and Mike know the strengths and weaknesses of reinforced thermoplastics, how to process them, as well as potential markets.

They share a vision of what can be achieved with this technology", said Bowen.

"We have always believed there is significant opportunity for reinforced thermoplastics in profile extrusion.

We formed Gamra a little over three years ago to focus on new materials and technologies like these.

This is just what we need to step ahead of the market", said Mitsch.

Gamra currently extrudes reinforced materials with up to 40% glass content as well as other more traditional materials such as PVC, polypropylene, ABS and nylon.

Glass and other types of fibre-reinforced thermoplastics have gained acceptance in replacing aluminium and semistructural steel via injection and compression moulding.

These materials have not been well accepted in profile extrusion because they are difficult to process, tough on equipment and expensive, especially compared to PVC.

Pushtrusion can make profile extrusion of highly reinforced materials viable.

Although traditional extrusion materials like PVC are cost effective and exhibit a good balance of mechanical properties, they have been difficult to reinforce since their high viscosity makes wetting out glass or other fibres nearly impossible.

"Pushtrusion should also allow the use of more amorphous resins, such as PVC", explained Plasticomp's Bowen.

"In the past, it was difficult to wet out fibre with PVC, since the material can degrade in the traditional compounding process.

With Pushtrusion, the polymer is melted and pushed through the process very quickly".

The Pushtrusion process pulls glass fibres from a supply creel, combines the reinforcing fibres with the molten polymer under high pressure and pushes the compound through a patented strand cutter, and then on to the injection, or extrusion, screw in one continuous process.

The polymer is maintained in the melt-phase throughout the process, eliminating material degradation and reducing wear on screws and barrels from remelting pellets.

Gamra President Mitsch is impressed with the advantages that direct inline compounding can bring to profile extrusion.

"The Pushtrusion process is exactly what's needed to bring the cost of reinforced thermoplastics in line with more traditional materials", said Mitsch.

"This technology has the opportunity to bring prices down in line with rigid PVC", he continued.

Gamra Vice President May adds that the increased structural properties are also a plus.

"With 50% glass loading, we should see flexural modulus numbers about three times that of PVC, and two times the tensile strength.

The CTE is less than 10e-5 and with some resins the heat deflection temperatures will more than double", May said.

"We think there are several markets with an immediate need for these types of cost/performance products, including construction, transportation, fluid handling and many more", said Mitsch.

"This technology could also be utilised to increase stiffness and other properties of some of the wood-filled polymers being marketed today at a very low cost.

We all agree that growth of the market for these types of materials benefits all the participants, and we're open to ways this can be best accomplished".

"This is growth of plastics in the marketplace, rather than stealing share from someone else", noted Bowen.

"It's just starting to get fun", he concluded.

In addition to the alliance with Gamra, Plasticomp has already established partners from the polymer industry to develop the Pushtrusion process, including Dow plastics and Equistar Chemicals, and Owens Corning is the exclusive, global partner for glass reinforcing fibres.

Pushtrusion equipment and technology licensing is available on a global basis through Plasticomp, the exclusive sales and marketing partner for the Pushtrusion process.

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