AQUAREX
Water-quench blown film line — extrusion turned upside down.
The AQUAREX is W&H’s water-quench blown film line — it extrudes downward and cools the melt with water instead of air. That extremely fast cooling produces a highly amorphous film structure with striking gloss, high transparency and exceptional puncture and tear resistance — properties previously achievable only with PVC or cast film, now open to PE.
- High transparency, gloss and puncture resistance
- Eliminated curling for asymmetric barrier film
- Outstanding film qualities
- Very stable process
- Highly amorphous films
- Cast-film-like properties, now open to PE
Extrusion turned upside down
AQUAREX turns blown film production upside down and changes the typical structure of a blown film line: it extrudes downward and uses water instead of air as the cooling medium. Water cools the melt extremely fast, giving a low degree of crystallization and an extremely amorphous film structure — the result is film with striking gloss, high transparency and exceptional puncture and tear resistance.
These properties could formerly only be achieved by PVC extrusion, or to a limited degree on cast film lines. AQUAREX opens up completely new applications for PE materials in the packaging sector — from thermoforming and barrier films to medical and infusion packaging — and scores with its user-friendly handling and very stable process.
See the AQUAREX in action
Water cooling opens what air cooling can’t
Water cooling, not air
Instead of the conventional upward air-cooled bubble, AQUAREX extrudes downward into a water bath. Water cools the melt far faster than air, locking in a low degree of crystallization and an extremely amorphous film structure that air cooling can’t achieve.
Cast-film properties, in PE
The result is film with striking gloss, high transparency and exceptional puncture and tear resistance — qualities previously reserved for PVC extrusion or cast film. AQUAREX brings them to PE, opening entirely new packaging applications.
Stable, user-friendly, no curling
A very stable process and user-friendly handling make demanding films straightforward to run — and AQUAREX eliminates curling on asymmetric barrier structures, a common challenge in high-barrier packaging.
Why water-quench changes everything
Downward water-quench extrusion
Extremely fast melt cooling.
Highly amorphous structure
Low crystallization.
High gloss & transparency
Cast-film-like clarity.
Puncture & tear resistance
Exceptional toughness.
No curling
Even on asymmetric barrier film.
Very stable, user-friendly process
Easy to run.
What it produces
From food-contact consumer packaging to demanding specialties — thermoforming, barrier, medical, infusion, oil, milk and frozen-food films.
Technical specifications
| Specification | AQUAREX |
|---|---|
| Line width | 1,300–1,600 mm |
| Film layers | 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 |
| Extruder screw diameters | 50 · 60 · 70 · 90 · 105 · 120 · 135 mm |
| Die diameters | 300–630 mm |
| Raw materials | PE, PP, PA, PLA, EVOH, ionomers, biomaterials, recycling materials |
| Winders | FILMATIC II V / T / N (surface, center, gap, turret) |
| Cooling | Water-quench (downward extrusion) |
Is the AQUAREX right for you?
Unmatched clarity & strength
Gloss, transparency and puncture/tear resistance beyond conventional blown film.
PE instead of PVC or cast
Cast-film-like properties from PE, opening new applications.
Demanding specialties, handled
Thermoforming, barrier, medical and infusion films on a stable, user-friendly line.
Local support by K Group
As the exclusive representative of Windmöller & Hölscher in Pakistan, K Group supports your AQUAREX investment end to end.
Related machines
VAREX II
High-output blown film line for demanding applications.
OPTIMEX II
Efficient, proven blown film line.
FILMEX II Barrier
Cast line for high-quality barrier film.
Works well with
- PrimeSlitter (Kampf) — Slit the finished reels to width.
- S:GRAN (NGR) — Reclaim edge trim and start-up scrap.
- COLLIN Pilot Line (COLLIN) — Pilot-scale water-quench trials before production.
- Corona treatment systems (AFS) — Corona pre-treatment so ink and adhesive bond to the film.
Interested in the W&H AQUAREX?
Speak to our machinery specialists in Pakistan for a tailored quotation.
Request a quote
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