Marine debris such as old fishing nets and plastic ropes is often a headache for environmental agencies and local governments. But in the workshops of the Norwegian company Oldroyd, they are turned into valuable raw materials. With the help of KraussMaffei’s injection molding equipment and technical solutions, Oldroyd has turned waste into treasure, using marine plastic waste as raw materials to produce high-quality fasteners for the support structure of the tunnel’s waterproof layer, which are more durable than metal parts and more environmentally friendly.
Norway has the longest road tunnels in the world, with a total of more than 900. Oldroyd provides waterproof membrane systems including injection molding fastening materials for 90% of the tunnels in the Navia Peninsula, which can effectively prevent water from penetrating into the soil and damaging the concrete layer.
In order to fasten the waterproofing membrane to the tunnel surface, corresponding support structure fixtures are required. This fixing has a grid structure and has a certain bending elasticity, which can keep a certain distance between the tunnel rock layer and the waterproof membrane. Oldroyd, which started in the field of extrusion, is a leading supplier of waterproof membrane materials in Northern Europe. It has introduced KraussMaffei CX series injection molding equipment and technical processes, and extended its business scope to structural fasteners for tunnel waterproof layers, realizing more income and value added. KraussMaffei has provided Oldroyd with three CX160-750 series injection molding machines with a clamping force of 1600kN for the production of its fixtures. The fixtures weigh 150g and the injection molding cycle is about 15 seconds.
From left: John Oldroyd Cheetham (Oldroyd founder), Linda ACelin (Oldroyd CEO), Rolf Kjønnerud (KraussMaffei business agent SAXE) and Carl Kremer (Oldroyd product development/operation head)
All KraussMaffei’s injection molding equipment for Oldroyd is equipped with super-large LRX linear robots, which further improves production efficiency.
The LRX linear manipulator adopts a vertical long axis, which is reliable and durable, and can easily stack products from the ground to a height of 2 meters; it can also realize automatic production under unattended conditions, save labor costs for customers, realize more production possibilities, and greatly enhance Customer’s global market competitiveness.
All injection molding equipment is equipped with KraussMaffei APCplus (Adaptive Process Control) digital function, which can effectively deal with the viscosity change caused by the change of material composition. At the same time, it can further maintain the injection volume in a stable state by adjusting the injection switching point and pressure level, ensuring the consistency and high quality of products of all sizes.
Only one tunnel generally requires 300,000 to 400,000 such fixings to form a grid structure to keep the waterproof membrane at a certain distance from the tunnel rocks. For such a huge demand, it is ecologically worthwhile to use recycled materials.
Oldroyd creatively uses 100% ocean plastic to manufacture the fixings – ocean plastic is made up of 50% PP and 50% PE. After being recycled by a professional company, crushed, cleaned and re-granulated, it is handed over to Oldroyd Company, and then molded by KraussMaffei’s injection molding machine, which has good economic and social benefits.
Oldroyd recently introduced the RoadStar two-component platen, which is used to fasten to the steel rod connecting the concrete wall and the rock layer. The pressure plate on the market is generally made of metal, which is easily corroded, and needs maintenance or replacement in about 50 years.
RoadStar mounts use thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) for sealing on one side and polyethylene for impact resistance on the other. Aging tests show that the RoadStar pressure plate invented by Oldroyd has a service life of up to 120 years, effectively reducing maintenance and repair costs.
In order to achieve better and more satisfactory practical results, Oldroyd will purchase another CX two-component injection molding machine to start mass production of RoadStar platens in the spring of 2023. KraussMaffei’s injection molding machine equipment performance and excellent professional technical support services have won appreciation and long-term recognition from Oldroyd.
Ocean plastic “transforms” tunnel waterproofing equipment
It is the interpretation of innovation
It is also the practice of promoting the development of circular economy
In the future, KraussMaffei will continue to work with partners
Contribute to a green future!
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