Around 280 industry professionals from all over the world came to the SML headquarters in Upper Austria on 9 and 10 October 2024 for specialist presentations, expert discussions and live demonstration runs.
The topics covered on SML Innovation Days were varied and diverse; they ranged from new technologies for recyclable, flexible packaging to innovative stretch film products, and from coating lines for liquid packaging board to solutions for data-based process optimisation.
“The Innovation days were a perfect opportunity to show the outstanding technical capabilities of SML to a range of high-ranking industry experts. In the relaxed and inspiring atmosphere of our headquarters, we discussed the latest developments in our industry face to face and let our visitors experience state-of-the-art extrusion technology live in operation up close,” Karl Stöger, CEO of SML states.
Cast film technology:
Revolutionising mono-material packaging: MDO-PE film as thin as 15 µm
The innovative cast film line was designed to manufacture MDO-PE film as a substitute for BOPET film. Naturally, film production takes place in an absolutely stable process, and with no compromises in performance, functionality and printability. A thickness range from ultra-thin 15 µm to 60 µm, production speeds up to 300 m/min, a perfect thickness profile across the entire film width, and the possibility to manufacture various mono-material PE film types are the main advantages of SML’s latest cast film line with an integrated MDO unit.
Extrusion coating and laminating:
Live Demonstration: Manufacturing mono-material PE structure for stand-up pouches
A highlight at the SML Innovation Days 2024 was the live production of films for easy-to-recycle mono-material stand-up pouches from PE. A highly innovative MDO-PE film for the surface layer and a CPE sealant film were laminated on a high-performance FlexPack coating and lamination system.
Cast stretch film technology:
World premier: Inline pre-stretch production live
For the first time, SML presented its inline pre-stretch unit live in operation to a wider public. Integrated in a state-of-the art SmartCast Infinity stretch wrap film line, the system is setting a new standard for efficiency at production speeds of up to 850 m/min. With the integrated pre-stretch unit, ready-to-sell-products can be manufactured straight from the line. At the end, the inline manufacturing of pre-stretch film means significantly lower production efforts, less space requirements and logistics.
SML EcoCompact II: High-speed winding for 2-metre-wide stretch film line
Live demonstration runs were also performed with an EcoCompact II stretch film line. Visitor interest centred on the high-performance winder W4000-4S 2T. Its short winding shafts make significantly higher production speeds possible. Even for hand rolls on 2-inch cores, production speed can be extended to 800m/min and more, leading to a significant increase in output - and line efficiency.
About SML
SML is a manufacturing company specialising in plastics processing machinery and a global market and technology leader in manufacturing high-end extrusion lines. Products manufactured on machinery from SML range from packaging films to textile yarns and from medical applications to laminates and compounds. The company’s core competencies lie in detailed engineering and automation, application technology and global service. SML’s research and development efforts are currently focused on increasing capacity and productivity, lowering consumption of energy as well as helping to advance recyclability towards a circular economy. www.sml.at.
