Sophistication in Compact Resin Dryers

The dehumidification of resins prior to molding is an essential part of processing, especially for engineering grade resins. Savvy processors have found that it is best to pretreat all of their resins prior to processing, to be assured of adequate dryness, even though the resins may be supplied in sealed containers and claim to be ready for molding. Too many parts have been produced and found to be defective by molders that take shortcuts in preconditioning their materials.

For processors operating smaller machines with lower throughput rates, the compact drying equipment offered by most manufacturers provides minimal sophistication to permit molders to properly monitor their resin drying process. It seems the smaller equipment gets, a decrease in the level of sophistication accompanies it. As a result, the molder often finds it necessary to provide additional activities and equipment to 'double-check' the drying operation. Actions like manual sampling and testing of resin with independent moisture meters is required.

In this presentation, Gene Flockerzi and Charles Morgan will discuss a range of drying equipment that meets the compact needs of smaller processing machines, yet—despite their compact size—provide a level of sophistication to:

• Guarantee the thorough drying of every pellet


• Match the drying task to the needs of the resin being processed


• Provide easy setup and operation


• Provide a more uniform preconditioning operation, complete with uniform throat temperatures for more uniform molding

Discussed will be two ranges of equipment, designed to cover two throughput ranges with two distinct operating systems:

• For very low throughputs—commonly served by small, compressed air dryers—Gene and Charles will provide an overview of the only dryer on the market that combines compressed air operation with the use of desiccant for incredibly low dew points


• For low-to-moderate throughputs, Gene and Charles will outline a new breed of compact desiccant wheel dryer that simultaneously dries resin and regenerates its own desiccant in a uniform, spike-free process

Both classes of compact drying equipment feature integrated mass-flow hoppers, over-drying protection, touchscreen controls and adaptive airflow, matching the drying functions to the specific throughput and moisture levels of the resin.

Presented by: