Processing Technologies International LLC, based in Aurora, Ill., has big expectations for its small footprint Super-G HighSpeed extruder.
The company, which makes high-performance sheet extrusion machinery for the packaging, construction, automotive, and lawn and garden industries, among others, said its "tuck under" motor option can reduce the machine footprint on certain models by 33 percent.
During NPE, PTi will have its Super-G HighSpeed extruders on display at Booth W6744. The Super-G HighSpeed extruders are used for processing polypropylene and high-impact polystyrene for the packaging market.
PTi entered the high-speed extruder segment in 2017 when it first launched the Super-G HighSpeed. Matt Banach, senior vice president of sales and marketing, said customer response has been "overwhelmingly positive."
"At this point, we're kind of doing some research on what we call 'pounds output per square foot of plant space,' but we believe, right now, that we have the highest output per square foot in the world in terms of our Super-G HighSpeed design," Banach said in a phone interview.
The company's SGHS3000-36D model, for example, features a vertical U-configuration and tuck under motor, reducing the machine's footprint to 12 feet 8 inches compared with 17 feet 7 inches for the original model. It has a production output of approximately 3,000 pounds per hour.
PTi sold three Super-G HighSpeed extruders in 2017. Banach said the company has "a lot of interest in the machines going forward," while also acknowledging that the machines are a narrower offering compared with its conventional extruders and HVTSE (high-vacuum twin-screw extrusion) technology that have a broader range of material applications.
"What we've seen is, again, the specific application of high-speed technology has a lot of people excited because of that small footprint, but it's not necessarily the market direction that everybody is going for," Banach said.