Development of recycling technology

Polyurethane (PUR) is an indispensable plastic material used in a variety of products – from insulation materials, mattresses and shoe soles to components in wind turbines and aircraft, as well as life-saving medical devices. More than 14 million tons of polyurethane are consumed annually, and consumption is expected to increase rapidly in the future.

Polyurethane is one of the ten most mass-produced polymers. Today, the waste generated in connection with its production and use mostly ends up in landfills or incinerators. They thus represent a huge ecological burden.

Currently, there are only a few methods for recycling polyurethane, despite the high value of this material compared to other materials.

The company ROBEX DK, s.r.o.® is a long-standing manufacturer of recycling lines for the recycling of foam materials such as Molitan® and others. That is why we are now involved in waste recycling projects. We have developed technology that allows different types of materials to be recycled into boards or blocks.

These recyclable materials include, for example, PUR foam materials (soft and hard), Visco foams, PE foams, waste from plastic production and rubber production, textiles, glass fibers, basalt wool, insulating materials, etc. All these materials can be joined together to obtain a new, unique product that will find a new application on the market.

For many years, we have been involved in the recycling of waste soft flexible polyurethane foams of the MOLITAN type, especially from the production of upholstered furniture and mattresses. To date, 5 classic recycling lines have already been produced, which serve their owners, important Czech and Slovak mattress manufacturers. Waste, clean material from mattress production is recycled, and the recycled material is usually inserted into the mattress, as its core, which increases its rigidity. The standard dimensions of recycled blocks are approx. 1 x 2 meters with a height of 0.6-1m. The line processes waste in the amount of 2,000 tons/year.

Recycled blocks serve as the basic material for the production of mattress cores for beds and daybeds, where they form an irreplaceable place, as well as for the production of upholstered furniture, the production of sports mattresses for diving boards, protective barriers, sprung surfaces, etc.

Another possible use of recycling lines is the similar processing of waste of rigid and inflexible foams, especially from the production area for the automotive industry and the industry of building and thermal insulation materials. In this area, more than 1,000 trials of various combinations of recycling were carried out with positive results, with a view to the possibility of their reuse, especially as building insulation materials, heat and sound insulation materials, acoustics, packaging and other materials.

Principle of recycled PUR

The waste mass is ground into a fraction of approx. 8-10 mm, the required amount is weighed, thoroughly mixed, saturated with the exact dose of dispersed binders, poured into a shaped mold and pressed.

The result is a block of the exact size and shape of the mold. The chemical reaction time is approximately 30 minutes. After this time, the block can be removed from the mold and after about 24 hours it can be further processed into the necessary formats. After the recyclate block has matured, this cut to the required dimensions and further used, according to the processor's request.

In addition to two-component recycling, it is also possible to use one-component recycling, where the binder is activated using hot (sharp) steam (higher production, but high technological demands) or chemical recycling, where Molitan is dissolved back into Polyol (time consuming, complex chemical management).

As part of supporting our customers' projects, we participate and are able to ensure:

• production of recycling line incl. crushing section, chemical management
• production of technologies for cutting and subsequent processing of blocks
• calculation, design of suitable technology
• carrying out tests and samples from the supplied materials (permanent workplace for the production of samples)
• carrying out tests of the properties of these materials (we will submit the samples for approval of the properties)
• communication with the examination room (providing documents)
• ITC®, OEKO-TEX® and other certifications
• advice on the usability of recycled materials (mutual communication and friendliness, maximum secrecy of your project)
• securing supplies of waste grit, etc.

All that remains is for you to find the application of these products (insulation, spacers, landing pads, car ceiling panels...)

After agreeing on the concept of recyclate production, you can purchase the technology and carry out the recycling on your own recycling line under your own management. Of course, we will fully transfer the technology to you. As we are a direct manufacturer, we offer the possibility of additional advice, service and other related services!

Our history

We have been working on this project since 2006, so we can now present the entire range of full-size samples from our laboratory (approx. 1500 pieces). As part of improving the quality of services in the field of research, we are continuously equipping our laboratory with additional test machines and equipment. You can see the recycling lines made by us here!

In total, we have developed 7 basic types of recycling lines, of which 3 are intended for recycling hard foams from the automotive industry and insulating building foams and 4 for recycling soft foams. The basic variants are plate, block, carousel and continuous production. Part of the production of recycling lines is also the offer of production of other machines intended for the recycling system, such as crushers, mills, scrap mills, dosing conveyors, pipe systems, cyclones. Furthermore, machines for the subsequent processing of recycled PUR blocks, such as vertical and horizontal band saws, or peeling machines, machines for creating reliefs so-called knotting machines, milling, grinding and other additional machines and all accessories.

Why recycle?

The impact on the environment, none of us can even imagine. We would like to present to potential interested parties a demonstration of how we can produce high-quality input recycled material for various uses from these raw materials. However, we would need help with the application of these products on the market, as this is a very distant area for us, as manufacturers of single-purpose machines.

In addition to protecting the environment, recycling will bring you:

• reduction of costs for landfilling, transportation to landfills
• reduction of costs for using the services of incinerators
• increasing the know-how of your company
• new application of your company on the market

The company ROBEX-DK s.r.o. is very interested in cooperation with all institutions and investors in the area of recycling bulk materials, thereby also protecting the environment. "We cannot protect nature without recycling"