Battenfeld-cincinnati demonstrates extrusion lines

Battenfeld-cincinnati welcomed 260 customers and partners to an Open House at its new Technical Center in Bad Oeynhausen. During the event, the extrusion equipment specialist presented solutions for pipe and sheet production on two operating production lines. "The fact that we are able to welcome so many visitors, particularly in today's challenging market environment, makes us very proud and demonstrates how important it is to stay connected and continue the dialogue," said CEO Dr. Henning Stieglitz in his opening speech. Visitors were able to tour the facility for the first time and take part in technical presentations, live demonstrations and discussions with the company and its technology partners.

The Technical Center was completed earlier this year following a two-year construction period. Its approximately 1,300-square-meter technical hall is combined with office workspaces, conference rooms and meeting rooms located above the hall. The building also incorporates an environmentally oriented energy concept and a floor plan designed to support the assembly and demonstration of production equipment. "We are now able to fully assemble and demonstrate complex extrusion lines," Stieglitz explained. Referring to management pioneer Peter F. Drucker's principle that "the best way to predict the future is to create it," he invited customers to contribute ideas, engage in technical dialogue and challenge the machine manufacturer in the joint development of future solutions.

Battenfeld-cincinnati supplies extrusion equipment for pellets, pipes and profiles made from PVC and polyolefins, as well as for sheets and boards. The Open House focused on two of these application areas, pipe extrusion and sheet extrusion. Each program included presentations by internal and external speakers and a demonstration of an operating production line.

PP sheet thickness reduced to 200 μm

The sheet extrusion demonstration featured the new multitouch-X roll stack, which was introduced at K 2025. "For the first time, customers can see the new multitouch-X roll stack, introduced at K 2025, operating on our sheet extrusion line," said René Hartmann, Regional Sales Manager. Its roll adjustment system is designed for the production of high-quality ultra-thin sheets.

During live production, the line was changed from manufacturing PP sheets with a thickness of 280 μm to sheets measuring 200 μm. The result exceeded the original target of 220 μm. The line can be configured with three different extruder concepts for material plasticization and is designed to manufacture both sheet and board products. Its melt filtration system also enables highly contaminated material to be processed while maintaining consistent melt quality.

Automated adjustment in PE pipe extrusion

The second live demonstration involved a PE pipe extrusion line producing pipe with a diameter of 160 mm. Its central feature was Intelligent Operating Adjustment, or IOA, first introduced at K 2025. "The highlight of our pipe extrusion line, which was also introduced at K 2025, can be seen in operation for the first time today," said Andreas Türk, Head of Sales.

IOA enables dimensionally accurate pipe production without manual intervention by the machine operator. The helix II 400 TZ IOA pipe die automatically sets the required pipe gap using data from an inline wall-thickness monitoring device. Servo drives with spindle lift gears adjust the inclination of the adjustment screws through ball joints.

The line also supports changes in pipe diameter and wall thickness using the established FDC technology. The die head is supplied by a solEX NG 75-40 extruder, designed to provide high output rates at low melt temperatures. Downstream equipment includes a calibration sleeve, vacuum tank, spray cooling tank, haul-off unit, saw and tilting table.

Configured as an FDC line for pipe diameters from 90 to 160 mm, the installation allows dimensional changes during production at the push of a button. During the demonstration, the diameter was changed from 120 to 160 mm. Several monitoring systems supplied by partner companies were integrated into the line. Sikora's Centerwave and Inoex's Warp monitor pipe dimensions and wall-thickness distribution, while an n-line system inspects the pipe surface for defects. An MES system from Idoo controls and monitors the overall production process.

Partner systems presented at tabletop stations

Partner companies also presented their systems at tabletop exhibition stations and answered technical questions from visitors. "We would like to thank our many partner companies and are convinced that they played a significant role in the success of the event," Stieglitz said. "They not only provided and installed their systems as integral components of the production lines, but were also available throughout the day at our tabletop exhibition stands to answer visitors' questions."

Nils Zimmermann, Managing Director Strategy and Organization at WKT Westfälische Kunststofftechnik GmbH in Sprockhövel, commented: "Thank you once again for the special invitation today. Your company and your team made an outstanding impression. Congratulations!"