Polymer processing

Spinning is the process whereby a material, usually a polymer, is shaped into a bundle of filaments, called a fiber. In order to shape a polymer into a fiber, the polymer must be brought into a processable liquid state. This can be done by melting the polymer (melt spinning), or by dissolving the polymer in a suitable solvent (solvent spinning). In the case of melt spinning, the liquid fiber-forming material is extruded through the small holes of a spinneret to produce a continuous filament fiber. The spun fibers solidify by cooling in contact with air after extrusion from the spinneret. In order to achieve the desired properties spun fiber is drawn and heat-treated. This can be done in a separate process, or directly in an integrated spin-draw-winding process. API Emmen has a wide variety of melt spinning equipment at its disposal, including various spinning and spin-draw-winding (SDW) machines and small-size drawing equipment. The spinning equipment varies in size from bench-scale monofilament apparatus to production-scale machines with spinning speeds up to 8.000 m/min and a mass output per spinning position up to 60 kg/hour. Auxiliary research tools include advanced equipment for the on-line measurement of filament temperatures, spin line tension measurements, yarn velocity, and birefringence measurements. There is also a system for the detection of foreign particles in the melt.

A twin-screw extruder, including dosing equipment for solids, liquids and gasses, is available for compounding trials and/or film extrusion trials. In addition, the extrusion equipment is ready to develop new reactive extrusion processes. Testing trials with the obtained products can also be performed on a small-scale injection moulding machine or on a profile-extrusion line.

Contact API Institute 

API Institute
Postbus 2250
7801 CG Emmen
Eerste Bokslootweg 17
7821 AT Emmen
The Netherlands

T +31 (0) 591 69 2117
F +31 (0) 591 69 3456
E info@api-institute.com