Sandvik Process Systems will be taking a stand at Achema (Hall 4.0, Stand F2-G3), presenting the versatility of steel belt-based plant technology which, for the last 40 years, has been enabling processes as diverse as continuous conveying, cooling, drying, freezing and pressing of products for the chemical and petrochemical industries, as well as for fertilizer, wood and food processing. Among the processes to be featured will be the production of artificial stone surfaces and panels for use in kitchens and bathrooms. An acrylic-based liquid product is mixed with particles and pigments and distributed evenly across the width of the lower belt of a double belt machine. The product is heated and polymerized before then being solidified and cooled as it travels through different temperature zones of the machine. After discharge from the steel belt, the final sheet size is achieved by longitudinal and transversal cutters. In another widely used process, Sandvik’s Rotoform system, homogeneous free-flowing pastilles are generated by controlled dropforming of liquid products on the upper surface of a water-cooled steel belt. Besides being applicable to the chemical industry, the Rotoform system has also been qualified for cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical applications.
