Factors Affecting Devlopment of Masterbatches

Hello friends. I wish you memorize me. Last time I wrote about plastic industry and masterbatches. This time I am going to fling some light on development of masterbatches.

Honestly, unless you see for yourself the manufacturing process of masterbatches, it is tough to imagine just how much of technology and hard work goes into getting the formulations right. We, most frequently don’t give a second thought to the packaging, marveling at the most at the attractive colors and designs that make give the product a hard-to-resist “pick-me-up-please” kind of look.

It took me a visit to RP industries a Delhi based masterbatch exporters, supplier & manufacturers, to open my eyes wide to the various factors affecting different aspects of formulation. A idea of whatever I learnt over there is here for you:

Formulations differ depending on whether a supplier is designing a new masterbatch or copying someone else's. It is measured best to be involved at the color conception stage where it's possible to optimize formulation choice. Their difference also depends upon whether they are manually designed or computer generated.

Depending on the formulations, the cost of masterbatches also differs. Sometimes formulations over specify performance, and thus become more expensive. Contrarily, they can generate borderline performance to minimize cost. Buying power, production costs and general operating costs, formulations, opacity and pigment loadings are other factors affecting the cost of masterbatches.

There are many factors which influence the performance of masterbatches such as processor machine type its size, capacity, screw-type. Some suppliers prefer to use extenders and some don’t. The ability of a color masterbatches to mix into the polymer varies depending upon its viscosity and flow.

Bulk density and specific gravity variations can occur if distinct base ingredients are used. This can cause further difference in the end result if gravimetric or volumetric dozers are used at the processor.

I was also made aware of the importance of asking customers before formulating about the specification, application and commercial parameters in order to craft a tailor-made masterbatch.

This is attractive much all I could appreciate, rest was some very technical blah blah. Hope, you guys can explain the procedures further in simpler language, so that novices like me can understand the whole process better.