The Austrian plastics engineering company ARTEC machinery GmbH (Advanced Recycling Technology) has specialized in the development and construction of high-performance systems for the recycling of Polyolefin and Polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) films and fibers.

The machine program comprises all plant components, starting from the conveyor for the primary material, the extrusion system, the degassing and particle-filter system to the granulation in different versions.

The modular concept is the basis for a highly flexible plant concept that can be matched perfectly to the qualities of the primary material and the recycled material to be produced.

Comprehensive model range

ARTEC equipment is available in eight unit sizes for throughput rates from 250 to 1600 kg per hour. The central components are single-screw extruders, which are combined with harmonized peripherals.

These include cutting/condenser units, the patented and proven CUFEX-System for supplying the film flakes while reducing the moisture content. These basic units are complemented by the extruder, which is combined with degassing and filtering devices for the separation of solid, fiber-or gaseous contaminants from the polymer melt.

The purified polymer melt is then processed in the downstream-process to granules in the pelletizing unit.

No Problem with Highly Polluted Waste Materials

Standard impurities such as sand, soil, dissimilar plastics, metal particles or moisture can be removed with the single-stage degassing and filtration technology. Contaminantsbeyond that,  for example ink particles from print coatings and dissimilar plastics in multilayer films require an additional purification step.

The related ARTEC-solutions are systems according to the cascade principle with two following purification processes. The first extrusion process, including filtering and degassing is combined with a second stage, which includes an additional degassing and a fine filtration, before the melt is fed to the granulation unit.

New developments for the recycling of plastics

The latest ARTEC developments are systems for the separation of low molecular weight and / or monomer fractions from the polymer melt. Such plants are an innovative combination of a special polymer screw unit and new high performance degassing units.