CHICAGO (July 14, 2 p.m. EDT) — Buss America Inc. is targeting engineering compounds with its new MKS modular kneader line.
The Bloomingdale, Ill., firm said at NPE 2000 in Chicago that the MKS series can handle difficult-to-compound materials, traditionally the domain of twin-screw extruders, such as polymer alloys and highly filled thermoplastics.
The new Buss Kneaders feature vertical and side feed, venting and full enclosure for machines with capacities of up to 15,000 pounds per hour. The features can be located at any point to optimize feeding and to draw off trapped air or volatiles.
Electric barrel heating with temperatures of up to 420 C and direct water cooling are offered for high temperature applications. Tempered fluid can be used for polymers with lower processing temperatures and uniform temperature control, the company claimed.
The Buss Kneader relies on a single oscillating and rotating screw with split flights that shear material against fixed teeth or pins in the barrel of the process section. The design provides controlled shear and uniform treatment and easy scale-up for larger production runs.