Your April Newsletter is Now Available!

Your April Newsletter is Now Available!

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April 2021 Newsletter: See the Difference We Make

Check out this month’s issue to learn about the following:

  • Importance of Low Filter Pressure in your Manufacturing Process
  • We are Rolling out a New Computer System to better Serve our Customers
  • Shepherd Color’s Virtual Showroom is Now Open!
  • Subscribe to our YouTube channel for weekly updates on products!

Importance of Low Filter Pressure in your Manufacturing Process

Pigments, being dry powders, are dispersed in a variety of plastic polymers.  This is usually achieved through extrusion using either a single or twin-screw extruder.   During the extrusion process, it is important that the Filter Pressure Value (FPV) of the pigment remains low. Why? Well, let us first discuss what Filter Pressure Value means, and then explore its importance.

What is FPV?

FPV describes the quality and dispersion of the pigment. FPV tests are used to assess whether a pigment is suitable for polymers that undergo the extrusion process. For example, if the filter pressure through the extruder is low, then there are less undispersed particles accumulating on the surface of the screen, thus the pigment has excellent dispersion properties.  This means fewer screen changes and faster throughput which ultimately improves the overall efficiency in the plant.  Oppositely, a significant accumulation of undispersed particles on the screen will result in very high filter pressure which leads to costly plant delays as the screens need to be replaced with new ones.  In this case, the pigments dispersion properties are very poor.  (Image 1).

The screen pack itself is a two-layer construction where the first screen is a reverse 400-mesh plain dutch weave and the second screen is a 70-mesh plain weave which is referred to as the support screen.  The breaker plate and sealing ring are used to support the screen pack as the pigmented molten resin travels through the two screens (Image 1).

Depending on the customer’s requirements and their specifications,  different screen sizes are used to determine the pigment’s suitability.   For example, finer mesh screens are typically used in the fiber industry as opposed to coarser screens used in packaging.   

Image 1. DCL simulates EN 13900-5 to evaluate the FP of pigments in LDPE and PP

Pigments with Low FP

There are many pigments that have different levels of filter pressure.  For example, when comparing three of our pigments to a competitor’s, you can clearly see that our pigments have very low pressure rise over time.  In this case, 1364P achieves the lowest pressure build, thus, the FPV will be much lower versus the competitive product. 

Image 2. Screen Pack Filter Pressure Test

Pigments with low filter pressure values offer significant benefits, including:

  • Excellent product quality (pigments are highly dispersed in the polymer)
  • Less mesh screen changes (due to less build up on the screen)
  • Higher manufacturing efficiency (due to less manufacturing downtime)

DCL Offers a broad range of pigment chemistries that are designed to have significantly lower FP, including:

If you have any questions about these pigments, please contact us today!

We are Rolling out a New Computer System to better Serve our Customers!

For just over a year, teams of our employees have been working diligently on the set up of a new computer system to run our business and serve customers better.  We currently have three different legacy computer systems on which we operate.  They served their purpose but now that we have merged to form DCL, they are being replaced with a new, state-of-the-art ERP system that the entire company will operate on. 

A key goal of this project is to provide better service to customers through an integrated planning system and more detailed management of our supply chain to improve on-time-delivery.  Our business has stretched the capabilities of our current planning systems and the new tools that our cloud-based ERP system offers will bring us to the forefront of modern supply chain management.  The roll out of this ERP could not come at a better time, given the challenging supply environment that the entire pigment industry finds itself in.

This is the first of a series of articles we have planned to introduce our new computer system and changes that you’ll see as a result of the upgraded ERP System.  The changes we are making will give our employees the powerful tools they need to better serve our customers and be the industry’s best pigment supplier.

Have a question about the new ERP System?

Please feel free to contact Frank Lavieri, DCL’s Executive VP of Sales & Marketing.

 

Shepherd Color’s Virtual Showroom is Now Open!

The Shepherd Color Company announced the launch of our Virtual Showroom this month, where customers can learn more about their brands and products for specific applications. Their Virtual Showroom is now open for you to browse and watch the first of many Webinars.

In the Knowledge Center, you may now view the webinar ‘Ultra-High Performance Yellow and Orange Pigments’, with the introduction of our newest color in our easy-dispersing Dynamix® range, Bismuth Vanadate Yellow (30C133).

While browsing, try and find all the sounds hidden…you could win a prize! Once you have looked around, click on Frosty’s picture to take their survey. Check back often as they will continuously add more content!

Visit the showroom today! https://www.shepherdcolor.com/virtual/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel Today!

Interested in new products? Upcoming events? And more?

Stay connected and subscribe to our YouTube channel for frequent updates! 

 

 

 

Your Sales Representatives

Please contact your regional sales representative for more information on the products advertised here and any others in our product range. 

North America:

Europe:

Asia Pacific:

MEA:

Latin America:

 

About DCL Corporation
DCL Corporation is a manufacturer and supplier of pigments for our customers in the coatings, plastics, printing ink and paper industries worldwide. Our extensive range of pigments is backed by technical expertise, our commitment to service excellence, continuous improvement, environmental, health, safety and social responsibility. Please visit www.pigments.com for more information on our product range.