Five-layer dies replace feedblocks in cast film.

In the past three years, Extrusion Dies Industries LLC (EDI) in Chippewa Falls, Wis., has delivered around a dozen five-manifold cast-film dies for oriented packaging film, each one replacing a traditional five-layer feedblock and single-manifold die. The multimanifold die is about 21 in. deep--thicker than a single manifold--but it takes up less room overall because there's no feedblock, EDI says. Market interest is said to be growing because a multi-manifold die with automatic gauge control imparts more accurate layer control than a five-layer feedblock. It also controls layer width more accurately with deckles to keep sticky PP copolymers out of tenter clips in OPP, for example. All five-manifold dies so far have been 40 to 50 in. wide. Tel: [phone] * PT Direct: 171GX

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