Swiss thermoforming machine maker WM Wrapping Machinery and Russian chemicals supplier Sibur combined their material and machine expertise to bring new possibilities to the PP thermoforming market.

Newly developed Sibur grade PP H032TF was used to demonstrate the advantages of high speed thermoforming process. A combination of the process and additive formulation provides better process stability, thickness uniformity, higher crystallisation temperature and improved mechanical properties of the final PP products, according to the firms.

Inline extrusion and thermoforming line INTEC FT500 manufactured by WM provides an option for process optimisation to maximise the efficiency of PP thermoforming.

As demonstrated on PP yogurt cups, where manufacturing process is very sensitive, to line speed, combination of the PP grade and the thermoforming line brings advantages of forming material saving (up to 25% thickness production) and productivity increase (up to 15% cycle time reduction).

High transparency and gloss of the final articles is an additional competitive advantage of PP O32F material which is achieved by unique material properties including innovative additive formulation and by proper thermoforming line adjustment.

The INTECT FT500 in-line thermoforming plant includes the 90 mm diameter mono extruder with flat die head and a 3 rolls vertical laminating calender installed in-line with a thermoforming machine with lower titling paten

A fully automatic stacker with rotating heads takes the products from the mould cavities and stacks them in counted piles providing the transferring and discharge on a conveyor belt.