LATI and Coperion: Advanced Partnership in Twin Screw Compounding

LATI is an Italian manufacturer of high-performance thermoplastic compounds, serving a wide range of industries including automotive, electrical & electronics, industrial equipment, and consumer applications. With a strong focus on innovation, material development, and sustainability, LATI delivers customized solutions that meet demanding technical requirements.

For many years, LATI has relied on Coperion’s ZSK twin screw extrusion technology and expertise in compounding. This long-standing partnership is built on mutual trust, continuous innovation, and a shared commitment to producing high-quality compounds with maximum process efficiency.

Diego Imbrighi, Group Technology Innovation Director at LATI, shares some insights into the close cooperation of LATI and Coperion.

The machines that have given me the best results have been those from Coperion. Not only because of their performance, but because they enable true industrial scale-up.

Diego Imbrighi , Group Technology Innovation Director, LATI

Scaling technical compounds with ZSK twin screw extruders

For Diego Imbrighi selecting the right compounding technology is about more than machine performance. Maintaining material properties when moving from laboratory scale to industrial production is a key consideration.

With 36 years of experience in technical compounding, Diego Imbrighi has worked with twin screw extrusion technology since joining LATI in 1990, when his first assignment introduced him to ZSK extruders from Werner & Pfleiderer, now Coperion. Since then, he has held increasingly responsible positions at several international companies in the compounding and recycling sectors, working with equipment ranging from 26 mm extruders to production lines with a diameter of 133 mm.

From laboratory trials to industrial-scale compounding production

For Diego Imbrighi, successful scale-up means achieving the required material properties not only in the laboratory, but also when moving to industrial production. “When moving from laboratory to production, maintaining the material properties unchanged is essential. Tight control of tolerances and consistent geometric ratios across the entire machine range make the difference”, Diego says.

Looking back at the development of Coperion ZSK twin screw extruder technology, Diego Imbrighi points to advances in wear-resistant materials, torque, degassing solutions, quick connections for side feeders and temperature control that, in his experience, have improved productivity, quality and reliability of the compounding processes.

The project demonstrates how technical expertise, collaboration and innovation can create tangible value.

Diego Imbrighi , Group Technology Innovation Director, LATI

Three years of collaboration on a new compounding process

This experience formed the basis for a recent LATI project for reinforced, self-extinguishing polyamide-based compounds. Over approximately three years, the LATI team worked with engineers from Coperion in Ferrara, Italy, to develop the process and integrate new ZSK twin scew extruder lines into the existing production facility.

The teams defined the process flow, designed the plant in a BIM environment and integrated the new production lines without disrupting ongoing production. The project was strongly supported by Michela Conterno, CEO of LATI, who recognized its strategic importance for the company’s growth and innovation.

From raw materials to finished product

According to Diego Imbrighi, the project resulted in a fully automated, continuous process, extending from raw material feeding through to packaging of the finished product, together with a significant increase in production capacity.

Technical knowledge beyond the equipment

For Diego Imbrighi, another important aspect of working with Coperion is the exchange of technical knowledge. He particularly values technical information that explains not only machine design, but also the reasoning behind engineering decisions and their practical benefits.

"Coperion’s presentations have always been rigorous, clear and supported by experimental data. They do more than describe the machines: they explain the reasoning behind the design choices and how these translate into tangible benefits. For anyone working in compounding, this kind of technical knowledge sharing is essential", says Diego Imbrighi.

LATI and Coperion: Advanced Partnership in Twin Screw Compounding

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