3 Reasons You Should Shutdown & Seal With Purging Compounds

Shutdown like a boss with Asaclean

In my last blog, titled “3 Considerations for Purchasing the Best Purging Compound", I discussed a few essential things to consider before selecting and purchasing the best purging compound(s) to use in your process (or processes). In my latest blog today, I’ve listed 3 basic reasons why you should shutdown & seal with Commercial Purge Compounds (CPC’s):

Neutralize & Stabilize
With the presumption that the plastic processing machine has been thoroughly and effectively cleaned (or purged) prior to shutting it down, you want to park the shutdown purge inside and let it reside in there for the duration of it being idle. This will neutralize & stabilize the machine. Over the long run, this will reduce wear and tear on the equipment and prolong the life.
Preventing Degradation:
Generally, there are 3 main components that can cause production resins to burn and inevitably lead to contamination issues: 1.) Time; 2.) Heat; and 3.) Oxygen. By leaving a thermally-stable shutdown purge parked in the machine, you prevent oxygen from entering the system. By removing one of these 3 main components, you put yourself in a much better position to prevent degradation, due to the simple fact that presence of oxygen is not there. Furthermore, when the temperature zones drop on shutdown and the machine cools off, the shutdown purge will follow suite, cool off too and shrink. As the shutdown purge shrinks and it pulls away from the barrel and screw surfaces, it ingests (or attaches to) the contamination and pulls it out with itself one the start-up.
Promotes faster and easier start-ups while generating less rejects: This is the “Holy Grail” or “the whole kit and kaboodle,” as they say. In my opinion, this is where the most value of the shutdown purge is squeezed out. Minimizing machine downtime, while lowering production resin waste, purely saves money and increases productivity. Who doesn’t want this, right?

Are you approach the holiday break, are you shutting down & sealing your plastic processing machines with Commercial Purge Compounds (CPC’s)?

Should you like to learn more or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at bmoore@asaclean.com.

Ben Moore

Ben Moore brings over 20 years of experience as a Purging Expert at Asaclean Purging Compounds, a leading manufacturer and distributor of purging compounds. As part of Asahi Kasei Plastics North America, Inc. (APNA), Ben has personally assisted hundreds of customers, helping them achieve significant cost savings. Based in Parsippany, NJ, Ben specializes in optimizing operations for thermoplastic injection molding, extrusion, compounding, and blow molding processes. His expertise lies in maximizing production efficiency by minimizing downtime and reducing scrap. For those interested in trying Asaclean products or seeking expert guidance, feel free to contact Ben directly. You can contact him at 800-787-4348, extension 227, or via email at bmoore@asaclean.com.