Micro Dosing of Pigments and Additives

Precise Color. Repeatable Formulation. Cleaner Handling

VOLDE develops pigment and additive handling systems for masterbatch production, combining low-dust material intake, micro-dosing, gravimetric feeding and extruder integration within a single process. Color pigments, functional additives, processing aids and carrier materials are handled according to their individual flow characteristics and introduced into production at recipe-defined quantities. Each system is engineered around pigment behavior, dosing range, formulation flexibility and production capacity. From raw material intake to extruder feeding, the objective is consistent formulation, reliable material flow and full visibility of actual ingredient consumption

| Pigment Handling & Micro-Dosing

Pigments used in masterbatch production are often fine, cohesive and difficult to handle. Their low bulk density, tendency to bridge and high dust generation can directly affect both dosing stability and working conditions.

VOLDE uses filtered bag dumping stations and dedicated additive hoppers to introduce these materials into the process with reduced dust release. Hopper geometry, agitation system and feeding element are selected according to the behavior of each pigment rather than applying a common feeder design to every ingredient.

Low-volume ingredients can be prepared through automatic micro-dosing systems, while formulations with frequent material changes or a wide variety of additives can also be supported by operator-guided manual weighing. For continuous processes, gravimetric Loss-in-Weight feeders allow pigments and additives to be metered directly according to the required production rate.

Typical solutions include automatic micro-dosing, twin-screw feeding for cohesive pigments, gravimetric feeding, manual micro weighing and dedicated pigment hoppers with local dust extraction.

Batch Dosing ⇢

Plastik Masterbatch Pigment Renk Dozajlama 2

Plastik Masterbatch Pigment Renk Dozajlama 5

| Recipe-Controlled Extruder Feeding

Masterbatch production requires the ratio between carrier polymer, pigment and functional additives to remain consistent as line capacity changes. Depending on the formulation and extrusion process, ingredients can be prepared as a premix or introduced separately through the main extruder inlet and downstream feeding points.

VOLDE integrates the feeding system with the extruder so that individual feeder rates follow the production throughput while maintaining the recipe ratios. Automatic refill systems supply the Loss-in-Weight feeders from intermediate hoppers or vacuum receivers, while refill timing is managed to minimize its effect on weighing performance.

Recipe selection, feeder setpoints, actual feed rates and material consumption can be managed through the PLC/SCADA system. This also provides the production history required for color consistency analysis, traceability and recipe comparison.

Where required, the same infrastructure can support multiple pigments, carrier polymers and additive combinations, giving masterbatch producers greater flexibility when changing colors or formulations.