Challenges related to the optimization of technologies and production processes

Virgin materials vs recycled materials

Plastics processing is a complex industrial field. Processing plastic requires the control and mastery of many production parameters.

However when working with virgin raw materials the production parameters remain stable and constant. Over time you learn to know and master them quite quickly. In the industry of virgin materials you don't necessarily need to do extensive training in plastics processing because the experience acquired through practice is generally enough to get the know-how.

Indeed, thanks to progress and advances in polymer chemistry, we now have ideal raw materials that are not only efficient and easy to implement but are also extremely resilient.

The virgin materials generally offer a large margin of tolerance and therefore a large margin of error. This large margin of error often compensates for the growing lack of expertise in the field of plastics processing due to a growing lack of interest among students for this industry.

In the field of plastic recycling, materials are very sensitive to both thermal and mechanical degradation. In the recycled industry, therefore, there is no room for error. Moreover, due to the strong heterogeneity of recycled row materials, the production parameters must be adjusted regularly. Production technologies must therefore provide the flexibility to make such adjustments and technical personnel must have the technical knowledge and expertise to make the necessary adjustments in due time.

There is a wide variety of production processes, each of them calls for specific knowledge and know-how that cannot simply be acquired by practice.

The image below shows some polymer production processes and their control parameters.

The challenges of the recycling industry

As recycling becomes mandatory in more and more countries, the recycling industry faces more challenges than ever.

The price of recycled materials has skyrocketed. The aberration that a recycled material is more expensive than a virgin material has become frequent.
Plastic products are increasingly complex and their recycling requires advanced technologies and expertise.
However, technologies and industrial practices in the field of recycling often remain similar to those used in the field of virgin materials.

The recycling industry suffers from a growing lack of expertise in its workforce as the challenges become more complex daily.

These are the challenges that led us to create our expert office. We work in close collaboration with manufacturers of production equipment in order to develop solutions adapted to the needs of each of our customers, since there is no universal solution.

Each company, each factory is unique and knows its own challenges.

Generalizing and underestimating the specificities of each client is a mistake that many suppliers/manufacturers make and it is the customer who must ultimately bear the consequences.

In the field of virgin materials, the industrial does not have to worry about the quality or the resilience of his raw materials and can therefore concentrate his efforts on the productivity and performance of his plant.

As a result, manufacturers generally seek to meet this type of expectation and develop technologies that prioritize performance in terms of productivity and production rate. Then plastics production equipments tend to specialize themselves to reach higher productivity rate but become less flexible.

In the field of recycling, the reality is quite different. Of course, we want to maximize performance and productivity, but we must not do this to the detriment of the flexibility and resilience of the process.

The lack of constancy, homogeneity and resilience which constitute the main defects of recycled materials must be compensated for by increased flexibility and resilience of manufacturing technologies and processes. Equipment adapted to the realities of recycling plastics, particularly post-consumer and residual materials.

It is not enough to develop technologies responding to needs. We still need to know how to calibrate them and optimize its operation according to the types of raw materials used. This time it is the lack of expertise on the floor that is hurting the industry.

It is therefore no coincidence that many companies in the field go bankrupt just after making a large acquisition of industrial equipment.

Generally the equipment are not or are badly adapted to the realities of the business and unfortunately there is often not enough expertise within the company to provide the solutions.

At Inno-Performances Consulting we understand your realities.

Our team of local and international experts will meet your needs and guarantee the success of your company.