Milacron Renews Exclusive Partnership with Barr Inc.

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January 31, 2020

CINCINNATI, OH – January 31, 2020 – Milacron Injection Molding & Extrusion is a leading industrial technology company that is committed to helping our customers tackle challenging plastics processing applications through extending our exclusive partnership to offer screw designs by Robert Barr, Inc. Barr ET and VBET screws are available on new Milacron machines, or as aftermarket products from Milacron’s ServTek business.

“We are excited to extend our partnership with BARR. Together, we have delivered superior products and innovative solutions to solve complex processing issues and drive customer performance,” said Mac Jones, President of Milacron Injection Molding & Extrusion. “We value strategic partnerships like this, that link both Milacron and BARR’s deep industry expertise, while adapting to new obstacles in our industry.”

Barr Screws

The ET (Energy Transfer) screw has a patented low-shear solid/melt mixing section that provides faster melting and better energy efficiency. The patented newer VBET (Variable-Barrier Energy Transfer) screw has a much longer solid/melt mixing zone, to significantly increase energy efficiency, eliminate hot spots, and produce an exceptional, uniform melt.

These custom-designed screws can enhance performance and increase productivity on any model of Milacron Injection Molding Machine, new or used. We pride ourselves on continuing this partnership to provide innovative technologies for our customers, and sustainability initiatives as the plastics industry evolves.

Barr VBET Screw

Faster, more efficient melting is achievable using the Barr VBET (Variable Barrier Energy Transfer) screw – available exclusively from Milacron.  For even the most challenging applications, our team customizes a solution that yields better mixing and melting, lower energy costs and processing productivity improvements of up to 50 percent.

A Superior Screw

  • Higher thru-put rates
  • Lower melt temperatures
  • Improved mixing
  • Reduced shear energy
  • Improved energy efficiency
  • Increased conductive melting
  • Eliminates hot spots and reduces splay

 The Barr VBET Difference

Typical barrier screws largely keep the unmelted and melted resin separated, with a narrow barrier flight. This design generates higher melt temperatures and requires additional cooling of the molten polymer downstream. The Barr VBET keeps the unmelted pellets mixing with fresh melt, yielding significantly higher melting rates because its surface area for unmelted pellets far exceeds the solid bed surface area of a conventional screw.

How the Barr VBET Works

The Barr VBET screw channel is divided into two sub-channels. The unmelted pellets continuously shift their positions as they circulate from one sub-channel into another sub-channel along the screw. A pellet in the surface layer of one sub-channel ends up in the center layer of the other sub-channel. This Solid/Melt Flow mechanism gives uniform melt quality and uniform melt temperature by continuously mixing the melt and eliminating undesirable hot spots inside the screw channel.

Sustainable Initiatives

Injection molding screw geometry needs to match the resin and applications to yield the best parts. The higher the melt and shear curve of materials are accommodated, the greater the opportunity to achieve a high quality, homogenous isothermal melt quality. Barr’s VBET screw is just one component that Milacron offers to help reach more sustainable plastics processing. The VBET screw can handle various types of engineered Bio-Resins and Bio-Based resins.

Additional Barr VBET Advantages:

  • Unique, low-shear design geometry. Nearly half of the screw’s length functions as an energy transfer section, providing an increase in conduction melting by 30 to 50%.
  • Reduced heat loss and lower melt temperature. The Barr VBET energy transfer section melts 30 to 50% of the polymer by conducting heat from the previously melted polymer, reducing the time for downstream cooling.
  • Uniform melt quality and temperature. The Barr VBET screw channel is divided into two sub-channels. The pellets continuously change their positions as they flow from one sub-channel into another along the screw. This solid/melt flow mechanism continuously mixes the melt, eliminating undesirable hot spots.
  • Substantially higher processing power. The mixing/melting section of the Barr VBET Screw is 30-50% longer than a regular screw. The conductive melting capacity of the Barr VBET Screw can process a wider variety of resins, including high-viscosity materials (including PVC) and high melt-flow rate materials.

These screws can be custom designed for many kinds of resin and mold applications. Milacron is taking steps to test BARR screws in house to provide the best feedback for customers and apply that knowledge to applications in their manufacturing facilities. Milacron’s ServTek team can accommodate the process of retrofitting these screws into any injection molding machine.

“I’m extremely pleased and excited to see this long-term relationship between our companies continue. The benefits of providing this leading-edge technology in feedscrew design along with the vast knowledge and years of experience Jeff Myers brings, in my mind, has certainly allowed us to provide another level of service to our customers,” said Ritch Waterfield, Manager of Application Solutions for Milacron Aftermarket. “I’m also looking forward to the new year because collectively we have plans and commitments to provide additional new and exciting services that will further enhance our current feedscrew technology offerings, which I believe our customers will find very beneficial.”

Milacron continues to push the boundaries of possibilities in plastics with breakthrough products. To find out more about Barr VBET Screws offered, contact [email protected].

About Milacron Injection Molding & Extrusion

Milacron Injection Molding & Extrusion is a global leader in the manufacture, distribution, and service of highly engineered and customized systems within the plastic technology and processing industry. Milacron offers global solutions that include injection molding and extrusion equipment, plus a wide market range of advanced auxiliary technologies. Visit Milacron at milacron.com.

About Barr

From the time BARR Inc was incorporated in 1976, the main focus and commitment to the plastic industry have been to maximize machine efficiency and supply the highest quality product. Robert Barr was already known for his work on screw design and had a barrier screw patent granted in 1970. His background was as a development engineer working for a leading extruder manufacturer in New Jersey, Hartig division of Midland Ross, Corp. In 2002, the company developed and patented the VBET screw which has since proven to be a superior design to anything on the market, including the ET screw. In addition, BARR has developed a number of new types of polymer mixer sections such as the Fluxion, which has been very successful in many applications. Visit robertbarr.com.

Media Contact:

Lacy Wise
Milacron Injection Molding & Extrusion Communications Manager
[email protected]
O: +1-513-536-2073