Transforming Plastic Compounding for a Specialty Materials Innovator

Challenge:
A polymer compounding enterprise struggled to blend recycled plastics with performance-enhancing additives (glass fibers, flame retardants) due to inadequate dispersion. This resulted in weak interfacial adhesion, inconsistent mechanical properties, and rejection rates exceeding 15%—severely limiting high-value applications in automotive and electronics sectors.

Breakthrough Solution:
Avian engineered a twin-screw extruder featuring:

1. Hybrid Mixing Zones:

   • Dispersive Section: High-shear kneading blocks pulverized additive agglomerates.

   • Distributive Section: Intermeshing elements created laminar flow for molecular-scale homogeneity.

2. Smart Conveying Geometry: Barrier flights segregated melting/compounding stages, preventing premature degradation.

Quantifiable Outcomes:

• ↑ 40% Dispersion Efficiency: FTIR analysis confirmed additive distribution within ±2% variance—surpassing ASTM D5592 standards.

• Performance Leap:

  • Tensile strength ↑ 25% (ISO 527)

  • Impact resistance ↑ 30% (ISO 179)

• Cost Savings:

  • ↓ 22% energy consumption via optimized shear-to-residence time ratio

  • ↓ 18% raw material waste through precise gravimetric feeding

• Market Advancement: Achieved IATF 16949 certification for automotive supply contracts, capturing 15% new market share.

Technical Superiority:
The screw’s modular design enabled rapid configuration swaps (<45 mins) for diverse formulations—from carbon-black-filled PP to halogen-free PE compounds. Real-time pressure monitoring via integrated sensors eliminated flow instability, reducing gel defects by 90%. Post-trial rheology tests showed melt viscosity deviations <5% across batches.

Strategic Impact:
This innovation positioned the compounder as a sustainable materials leader, enabling 50% higher recycled content in end-products. Clients now leverage these advanced compounds for lightweight EV battery housings and UL94 V-0 compliant connectors—demonstrating how precision screw design unlocks circular economy potential.