Film Extrusion - New Technologies, Efficiency

Save the Date!

October 8, 2024 1PM EST

Register and learn more about emerging trends and technology in film extrusion. Tune in to hear speakers advise on how to improve your blown or cast film operation with new technologies, tips and tricks of the trade that will help you squeeze more productivity and efficiency from your film-extrusion operation while bolstering your sustainability initiatives.

Film Extrusion — New Technologies, Efficiencies

Agenda

1:00pm – Maximizing Your Extrusion Efficiency 

1:30pm – New PFAS and Siloxane Free PPA

2:00pm – Troubleshooting and Mitigating Gels in Polyolefin Film Products

2:30pm – Moderated Q&A

Agenda

 

Maximizing Your Extrusion Efficiency 

Christine Ronaghan, Technology Group Director, Cloeren Incorporated
Join Cloeren on a gradual guide for utilizing your existing equipment to optimize total line efficiency!  We will conclude with troubleshooting techniques and enhancement options so your company can maximize productivity.

New PFAS and Siloxane Free PPA

Dr. Robert Sherman, Baerlocher USA
Replacement of fluoropolymer polymer processing aids is an immediate concern for resin manufacturers, converters, and brand owners.  A new to the market solution that meets the performance requirements for polyethylene blown film and polyethylene pipe will be presented.  We will share case studies on performance data for blown film. 

Troubleshooting and Mitigating Gels in Polyolefin Film Products

Mark A. Spalding, Dow Inc.
The term “gel” refers to any small defect that distorts a film product. Eliminating gel defects from extruded polyethylene film products can be difficult, time consuming, and expensive due to the problem’s complexity and the off-specification product produced. This paper discusses how to identify gel types, common root causes, and technical solutions for mitigating gels in film products produced using single-screw extruders.

 

 

Speakers

Christine Ronaghan

Technology Group Director, Cloeren Incorporated

Christine Ronaghan is a seasoned expert in polymer engineering with over 25 years of experience in the extrusion industry. She holds both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Polymer Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and an MBA in Innovation and Technology from Rutgers University. Since 2013, Christine has been the Technology Group Director at Cloeren Incorporated. In this role, she focuses on feedblock and die design, as well as process optimization for various product areas.

Dr. Robert Sherman

Technical Director, Special Additives , Baerlocher USA

Dr. Robert Sherman is the Technical Director for the Special Additives division at Baerlocher USA. Before coming to Baerlocher, Robert held several R&D positions related to polymer additives and stabilization in different resins including: acrylics at Aristech Acrylics, polyethylene at LyondellBasell, and polyesters at GE Plastics. Robert received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Oklahoma State University, did Post-Doctoral research at Texas A&M, and BS/MS in chemistry at Southern Illinois University. He is the current Membership Committee Chair and the former Chairman of the Board of Directors for SPE’s Polymer Modifier and Additives Division.

Mark A. Spalding

Fellow in PE Product R&D, Dow Inc

Mark A. Spalding is a Fellow in PE Product Research and Development in Midland, MI. He joined Dow in 1985 after completing a BS from The University of Toledo and a MS and Ph.D. from Purdue University, all in Chemical Engineering. He has performed fundamental research in single-screw extrusion, developed methods to measure resin physical properties that are important to polymer processing, developed numerous techniques to troubleshoot and increase the rates of extrusion lines, and has developed new mathematical models for extrusion simulation. He has designed and troubleshot numerous extrusion lines for Dow and for resin customers. He is a Fellow and Honored Service Member of SPE and a current member of the Extrusion Division Board of Directors. He was awarded the Bruce Maddock Award in 2006 for his contributions to the industry in single-screw extrusion, and the SPE Research and Engineering Award in 2019. He has won Best Paper awards in the SPE Extrusion and Injection Molding Divisions 10 times.