Problem

A major PVC flooring manufacturer had a problem with PVC plastisol clogging whenever their production line had to be shut down. That meant that the line had to be stripped and cleaned. This was a huge waste of time and money. I was charged with finding an additive (dispersant) to prevent their plastisol from thickening up. They had tried all additives from the world’s largest additives / dispersants companies and they challenged me to find something better.

Action

Using a quick rheological screening test I had developed in another project, we identified a new additive, not on the market as a dispersant, that was cheap, safe and readily available. The work was done in just a month and on a tight budget.

Solution

In a full-scale factory trial they found that the additive allowed them a 48 hour shutdown with no clogging. In fact, after 48 hours, the flow of the PVC plastisol was better than before the stoppage. The new additive was immediately implemented in production.