The Applied Polymer Technologies (APT) Gateway is based in Athlone IT’s Materials Research Institute has just installed a state of the art melt spinning line for technical fibres with integrated filter test capabilities, supplied by Italian extrusion experts, Eurotech Extrusion Machinery SRL. The unit comprises of a 25mm single screw extruder (L/D 25) controlled by a state of the art touch screen technology which allows the operator the option of manual or fully automatic modes due to the closed loop feedback control from the 50cm3 melt pump for an optimum and non-interrupted through put, whilst also allowing full data acquisition capabilities for pressure/temperature curve analysis. The extruder has a manual screen changer which feeds the melt pump and 80 hole spinneret head. From there the fibres travel through the cooling box with blower and onto the two heated godet rollers which are all fully controllable in terms of temperature and speed for efficient draw down ratios. The unit also has the capability to carry out complete filter tests to analyse pigment dispersion or other various additives incorporated into the polymer, in accordance to EN 13900-5. Below is an example of freshly spun and drawn PET fibre from the unit.
Melt spun fibres
Submitted by Declan Devine
