Chemistry | Polymer- and Plastic Analysis | Analysis and Quality Determination in Polymere Production

Polyoxymethylene (POM) is a plastic used for items such as gears, housing parts, coffee machines, zippers and toothbrushes. It is a very important component in the area of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, vehicle construction, and the medical technology sector. The quality requirements for this plastic are very stringent, which is why the production must be closely monitored.

In the polyoxymethylene manufacturing process, the composition of various components must be kept within narrow limits. Methanol must be checked by means of gas chromatography together with other ingredients. To control the process within the narrow tolerance range, measurements must be taken several times a day in a laboratory.

The sample collection and laboratory measurement are not only very time consuming but also cumbersome and error-prone. In the time between sampling and measurement (about 45 minutes), the process continues without direct control, which entails considerable risks. Quick and efficient control of a process is crucial in order to measure out components, adjust concentrations and avoid polymerisation. If production managers or process engineers do not react quickly enough, this can cause for entire batches to be discarded or that the plant will be shut down. Both scenarios can cause losses of millions of dollars.

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