Maag: New M²-USG Underwater Strand Pelletizing System Increases Throughput and Process Stability

The new M²-USG underwater strand pelletizing system (Image: Maag)

The Maag Group has introduced the M²-USG, a new generation of its underwater strand pelletizing system. The system has been designed to deliver greater process stability, increased production performance, and improved pellet quality. Design enhancements and comprehensive sensor integration are intended to increase equipment availability while reducing operating costs.

At the heart of the new development is a redesigned cutting head that is intended to simplify operation and maintenance. Many maintenance tasks can be performed without tools, while cleaning times have also been reduced. The goal is to achieve equipment availability of more than 99 percent Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) while simultaneously lowering scrap rates.

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The system produces cylindrical plastic pellets with a low fines content. In the process, the polymer melt is forced through a die plate, cooled, and then fed into the pelletizing process. Since the start-up phase is considered a particularly critical process step, Maag has implemented specific optimizations for this stage. A newly developed stripper guides the polymer strands into the guide system in a controlled manner, reducing the risk of strand sticking, blockages, and excessive start-up waste.

Further improvements relate to strand guidance and cooling. An optimized water film on the start-up table is designed to prevent turbulence and ensure stable strand transport. In addition, process water is injected immediately after cutting to prevent blockages in the cutting head. This is intended to ensure reliable operation, particularly when processing high-temperature polymers and engineering plastics such as polycarbonate.

The new cutting head features an enlarged rotor diameter of 200 millimeters compared with the previous 162.5 millimeters. At the same time, the number of knives has been increased from 30 to 36. According to the company, this enables higher throughput rates while extending cutting tool service life by 20 percent. A stable cutting gap also contributes to consistent pellet quality and reduced maintenance requirements.

The M²-USG is available in machine widths of 600, 900, and 1,200 millimeters. The 600-millimeter version achieves throughput rates of up to 13,000 kilograms per hour for PET, while the largest version reaches up to 24,000 kilograms per hour. According to Maag, the system exceeds the performance of the previous generation and allows comparable production capacities to be achieved with more compact machines.

For process monitoring, the pelletizing system is equipped with integrated sensors. These record parameters including vibration, temperature, flow rates, and pressure. In addition, a camera system monitors strand movement. The data can also be used for remote monitoring applications to identify process deviations at an early stage and prevent waste. The system also records compressed air consumption. Energy-efficient reluctance motors are designed to reduce energy demand.

With the M²-USG, the Maag Group is expanding its portfolio of underwater strand pelletizing systems with a solution focused on higher production performance, improved operational reliability, and enhanced digital process monitoring. In particular, the combination of higher throughput, extended maintenance intervals, and integrated sensor technology is intended to improve the economic efficiency of plastics production facilities.

More information: maag.com

Maag Group, Oberglatt, Schweiz

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