Arburg conducts process testing of bio-based plastics at Lossburg customer center

For many processors, bio-based plastics are materials they have little experience with
.

To better understand how the required processing and cavity parameters differ from conventional injection molding machines, Arburg regularly conducts processing tests on bio-based plastics at its customer center in Losburg, Germany
.

“Our customers are increasingly interested in alternative plastics,” explains Bertram Stern, Sustainability Manager at Arburg, “Depending on the application, bioplastics offer advantages in terms of resource efficiency and disposal
.

The company recently tested the Inzea line of PLA products, produced by Nurel Biopolymers and distributed by Biesterfeld since 2016
.

“As a distributor, we bridge the gap between plastics producers and the processing industry,” said Philip Malke, product manager for sustainable polymer solutions at Biesterfeld.
“We are very proud to actively support our customers and help them achieve greater Sustainability
.
The Inzea product range is an integral part of our range of solutions
.
”

Inzea is an EN13432 compliant biobased, fully biodegradable and compostable polymer based on polylactic acid of renewable and non-GMO origin that does not compete with the food chain
.
Some types also contain a certain percentage of starch
.
Inzea offers grades suitable for injection molding, extrusion and thermoforming
.

The main applications of Inzea are in the household, catering, packaging and agricultural sectors, typically in plastic bags, coffee capsules, bottles and boxes
.
This product line can also be used for many other short-lived applications, as well as 3D printing
.

Processing tests at Arburg are carried out according to the processing parameters specified in the product data sheets
.
During the test, screw geometry and process parameters were changed, and the resulting impact on part quality was analyzed
.
Parameters such as barrel and hot runner temperature, dosing speed, back pressure and injection speed were evaluated
.

Tests have shown that routine production according to the parameters in the product data sheet is no problem, so the moulded parts have a high degree of process reliability without the need for additional machinery
.
"We have demonstrated that our ALLROUNDER machines can be optimally adjusted to the required material-specific process parameters,
" says Stern
.

In addition, during the test, the effect of moisture content was also observed
.
It was found that although the datasheet did not specify the need for additional drying, adequate drying with a vacuum dryer resulted in better part quality
.
The tests also demonstrated that extreme stresses such as hot runners with long runners have negative stress thermal damage effects on part quality, as expected
.

Other comparisons with oil-based ABS confirm that Inzea is an excellent alternative to fossil-derived materials
.

"The tests conducted by Arburg confirm the positive feedback we have received from customers, which is good news," Malke said
.