Four-motor drives double sheet output.

Two machine builders offer sheet lines with 90-mm extruders that reportedly achieve double the usual output, thanks to four-motor torque drives From K&A Knoedler GmbH in Germany (represented here by Henschel America Inc., Green Bay, Wis.). When Battenfeld Extrusionstechnik in Germany launched its High Performance sheet lines with the four-motor torque drive at the K 2004 show in Germany, output was increased only 25% because the takeoff could not accommodate more. Adding six to eight cooling roils after the three-roll stack now lets the line produce up to 3500 lb/hr of PP, 4400 lb/hr of PS. or 3700 lb/hr of PLA sheet, the company says--double the typical rates with a 90-mm extruder. Battenfeld's sister company, American Maplan in McPherson. Kan., has a line available for trials. Maplan: [phone] * PTDirect: 817SD

Welex Inc,. Blue Bell, Pa., has built a sheet line with Knoedler's four-motor drive on a 3.5-in. extruder. Using cooling rolls sized for a 6-in. extruder, the line gets outputs similar to those reported by Battenfeld. These lines save 5% to 10% with the smaller extruder. Welex: [215) 542-8000 * PT Direct: 475TF

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]