Asaclean® will be closed on Friday, July 3rd, in observance of the Independence Day holiday.
We hope you and your team enjoy a safe and relaxing holiday weekend. Since many plastics processing facilities may also be closed or operating on reduced schedules, this is a good time to review your shutdown and sealing procedures before machines sit idle.
A short shutdown can still create processing challenges if material is left in the barrel, screw, hot runner, die, or other flow areas. Heat-sensitive resins can degrade. Carbon buildup can form. Color or material residue can become harder to remove. When production starts again, these issues may show up as black specks, streaking, contamination, scrap, or extended start-up time.
Taking a few extra steps before the holiday can help make your restart smoother.
Why Holiday Shutdowns Deserve Extra Attention
Even when a plant is only closed for a long weekend, machines may sit longer than they do during normal shift changes. If resin is left inside the equipment, it can continue to experience residual heat. Depending on the material, temperature, and machine setup, that can lead to degradation or buildup.
This is especially important if you are running materials that are prone to burning, sensitive to heat history, highly pigmented, filled, or difficult to clean. It can also matter when moving from dark to light colors, processing clear materials, or preparing for a high-quality production run after the holiday.
A proper purge before shutdown helps remove the previous resin and reduce the risk of contamination during start-up.
Tip 1: Purge Before You Shut Down
Before shutting down for the holiday, purge the machine thoroughly with the recommended Asaclean® grade for your process, resin, and temperature range. This helps remove leftover production resin, color, and residue from the screw, barrel, hot runner, die, or other flow areas.
Purging before shutdown is often easier and more effective than trying to clean out degraded material after the machine has been sitting. It can also reduce the amount of scrap produced when the machine starts back up.
If your team has had issues with black specks, carbon contamination, or long start-ups after previous shutdowns, this step is especially important.
Tip 2: Seal the Machine When Recommended
For many shutdown situations, sealing the machine with Asaclean® can help protect the barrel and screw while the equipment is idle. Sealing means leaving the appropriate purge material in the machine after the cleaning process is complete, based on the recommended procedure for your grade and application.
This can help prevent oxygen from entering the system and reduce the chance of resin degradation during the shutdown period. It can also make the restart process more controlled when production resumes.
Because sealing procedures can vary by process, machine setup, and material, your team should follow the specific instructions for the Asaclean® grade being used.
Tip 3: Do Not Leave Problem Materials in the Machine
If you are processing heat-sensitive or degradation-prone materials, avoid leaving them in the machine over the holiday weekend. Materials that degrade can create carbon, residue, odor, contamination, and other start-up problems.
Instead, clean the machine before shutdown and follow the recommended Asaclean® shutdown procedure. This can help reduce the risk of burned material breaking loose when production restarts.
Tip 4: Plan for Start-Up Before the Holiday
A good shutdown procedure should also make start-up easier. Before your team leaves for the holiday, confirm what material will be run when production resumes. If the next job involves a different color, resin, or quality-sensitive application, purging and sealing become even more important.
Planning ahead can help prevent delays on the first production day after the holiday. It can also reduce the amount of time operators spend troubleshooting contamination, streaking, or black specks.
Tip 5: Keep Purging Instructions Available
Holiday shutdowns often involve schedule changes, reduced staffing, or different operators handling start-up and shutdown procedures. To avoid confusion, make sure the recommended purging instructions are available at the machine.
This is especially helpful if your team uses different Asaclean® grades for different machines, materials, or temperature ranges. Clear instructions can help operators use the correct amount of purge, follow the right temperature guidance, and complete the process consistently.
Need Help Before the Holiday?
If you are unsure which Asaclean® grade to use for a holiday shutdown, sealing procedure, or difficult restart, our team can help. Contact an Asaclean® purging expert before the closure so we can recommend the best approach for your process.
You can also request a free sample orschedule a consultation to prepare for future shutdowns, color changes, material changes, or contamination challenges.
From all of us at Asaclean®, we wish you a safe and happy Independence Day.
Comments