R.L. Bud Smith, President and CEO of Brampton Engineering (BE) today
announced the sale of two AquaFrost® lines to undisclosed European
blown film producers. By using water as a cooling medium AquaFrost
produces film with high clarity, balanced orientation and deep draw
thermoformability at high output rates.
"Following nine months of extensive customer trials we received orders
for a nine-layer and a 10-layer line from European customers," says
Smith.
BE introduced the concept of the AquaFrost line at K2001. "Since then
we have been refining the process and learning more about the benefits
and abilities of the system on our 5-layer AquaFrost line at our Blown
Film Technology Centre and at a customer's 9-layer beta site. Through
trials at our site we have been able to demonstrate to several customers
the benefits of our technology," says Smith.
Customers are looking at AquaFrost to produce exceptionally clear,
soft film and are considering replacing cast film lines with these
high output lines. Smith says, "We anticipate other sales of AquaFrost
lines soon. This technology will make a significant contribution to
the blown film processing market. When competitive processors see
this film in the marketplace they will realize that they need to be
making film using AquaFrost to produce clear film at high output rates."
In addition to the benefits of clarity and high output rates, AquaFrost
is more economical to operate because it generates significantly less
scrap than cast film lines both as trim and at width change-over.
Brampton's Technical Director Bill Wybenga says, "The AquaFrost system
uses all the BE components that our customers have come to expect
from us. The heart of the system is our SCD (Streamlined Coextrusion
Die). On an AquaFrost line the die and extruders are located at the
top of the tower and the bubble is blown downward through an AquaRing,
which quickly cools the molten polymer and creates extremely clear
film at high output rates. The bubble passes through an inverted collapsing
frame and an oscillating haul-off. The system uses BE I-Flex AutoGauge
Lips for excellent gauge quality. "
Brampton Engineering Inc. based in Brampton, Ontario, Canada is the
world leader in the design and manufacture of blown film equipment
for the flexible packaging industry.
