Abstract
Continuing advances in resin development and plastics processing in recent years have resulted in many companies using several coextrusion processes for a wide variety of products. The typical processor is now being squeezed by increasing com petition on one side, greater technological demands on another side, and the uncer tainty of future petrochemical prices on the third. When producing complex struc tures including layers for barrier, structural, and/or sealant properties, the producer is always trying to balance the scales between product cost and product performance. A method to perform on-line measurement and control of coextrusion components/ layers would be of great help to the processor in improving product quality while reducing the extrusion of excess polymer.
Recent technological advances in infrared measurement technology have helped to turn this desire into reality. This paper describes the principles of infrared mea surement technology, and then shows how the new sensor technologies are solving many of the limitations of the older IR sensors.
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