AutoTherm gauge helps film flatness
Hosokawa Alpine American said its AutoTherm is an automatic gauging system that uses computer-controlled, segmented cartridge heaters at the die lip to improve gauge control and film flatness, eliminating wrinkles and improving film appearance.
A sensor, either contact or noncontact, measures gauge variation around the circumference of the bubble, then processes the data through Alpine's software. A segmented heating ring for the die lip has independently controlled heater cartridges, which add heat to thick spots and reduce heat in thin spots.
AutoTherm operates with all Alpine dies, including monolayer and up to eight-layer dies for packaging film, said the company in Natick, Mass.
Tel. (508) 655-1123, fax (508) 655-9337, e-mail [email protected]
Bekum has package to retrofit machines
There are plenty of Bekum blow molding machines from the 1960s and 1970s still in operation, and now Bekum America Corp. has developed a retrofit package to update the vintage machines at customers' plants.
Bekum technicians install Barber-Colman controls, a new air-conditioned control cabinet, all related wiring. There is no need to ship the machine back to Bekum America in Williamston, Mich.
Along with the standard upgrade, Bekum offers several options, including proportional hydraulic controls, a color operator display and various pneumatic and hydraulic sequences.
Tel. (517) 655-4331, fax (517) 655-4121, e-mail [email protected]
Hellweg MRS grinder handles disc sprues
Hellweg Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG of Roetgen, Germany, said its small, light grinder called MRS is designed for recycling sprues from molding compact discs and digital versatile discs.
Hellweg will display the MRS at the Fakuma 2002 show, Oct. 17-21 in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
The slow-speed granulator turns at 25 revolutions per minute - guaranteeing dust-free grinding of uniform-sized particles, without the use of a sieve. Both sprues and thick-wall parts can be ground because the material is pre-crushed between the roller mills.
Hellweg also has added a CD/DVD granulator under the MRS line that works in a vertical position, so the equipment can operate directly inside the injection molding press.
Tel. +49 (2471) 4254, fax +49 (2471) 1630.
Motan dryer/conveyor operates press-side
Motan Inc. of Plainwell, Mich., has released a new line of press-side systems for drying and conveying resin, called FlexSide.
FlexSide boasts a modular design and is mounted on coasters so it can be moved easily. The unit can dry and load 20-200 pounds an hour.
All FlexSide systems use twin-tower dehumidifying dryers. The microprocessor-controlled units have an audible and visible alarm.
The FS style handles single or multiple bin-drying systems. Hopper loaders are available. The FSC style is designed specifically for clean room molding of compact discs and digital versatile discs.
Tel. (616) 685-1050, fax (616) 685-1059, e-mail [email protected]
Maguire WSB-160 blends six materials
Maguire Products Inc. of Aston, Pa., said its WSB-160 weigh-scale blender packs a punch.
The blender is for extrusion companies that run production lines at 450 pounds an hour or less and want to blend as many as six components, without investing in a larger, more expensive blender that's really designed for a higher throughput.
Until now, the only Maguire blender sized for the 350- to 450-pound-an-hour range, the WSB-140, was limited to four components.
The new WSB-160 has a six-compartment hopper, each with its own material-dispensing valve.
Tel. (888) 459-2412, fax (610) 459-2700.
TG-series granulators target thermoforming
Ball & Jewell of South Attleboro, Mass., introduced the TG series of granulators for thermoforming.
TG machines continuously reclaim skeletal web scrap directly from the thermoforming trim press. Less than 2 feet high, the low-profile units are positioned under the trim press. They are available in two throat sizes, measuring either 8 inches by 36 inches or 8 inches by 56 inches. Throughputs range from 800-1,500 pounds per hour.
Features include low power consumption, low revolutions per minute and a six-knife, offset-mounted configuration. The granulator has two adjustable stationary knives.
Dual feed rolls are covered with polyurethane, so they resist wear.
Ball & Jewell is a division of Milwaukee-based Sterling Inc.
Tel. (508) 399-3100.
Batch blenders tout self-loading system
Process Control Corp. said its new self-loading system is now available on all Guardian gravimetric batch blenders from the Atlanta company.
The simple, microprocessor-based loading system replaces the need for a programmable-logic-controller-based sequencing control.
The self-loading system mounts to the Guardian's operator station. It can control all vacuum-loading functions, including a central vacuum pump, continuous-run valve, central dust collector and as many as eight vacuum receivers.
Tel. (770) 449-8810, fax (770) 449-5445.
Battenfeld lab adds 3-layer swing line
Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering Co. Inc. has added a three-layer blown film ``swing'' line at its technical center in Gloucester, Mass.
The line began operating in May. It allows customers to test high-molecular-weight high density polyethylene, high-stalk bubbles on Battenfeld Gloucester equipment.
The production-size line features three Contracool extruders, one grooved-feed extruder with a screw diameter of 3.2 inches, and two smooth-bore extruders, each with a 21/2-inch screw diameter. All the extruders have a 30-to-1 length-to-diameter ratio.
Each extruder has a three-component AcuraBlend feed-throat blending and loading system. Dynisco EM-35 and EM-25 screen changers are mounted on the extruders.
The die packages consist of a 16-inch, three-layer Optiflow low-profile IBC die for conventional bubbles, with parts to change the die diameter to 10 inches to run three-layer HMW HDPE high-stalk bubbles.
Also at its technical center, the company has a five-layer sheet line, a seven-layer cast film line and a seven-layer blown film line.
Tel. (978) 281-1800, fax (978) 282-9111.
Ventax LS expands linear robot offering
Ventax Robot Inc. of Ayr, Ontario, launched the LS 323 linear robot, the first in its LS series.
The high-speed robot can be used on injection presses with clamping forces of 100-300 tons.
The LS linear robot line complements the recent launch of Ventax's Viper-series robots.
The LS 323 uses servo-control technology. A user-friendly, color, hand-held pendant can hold 25 programs that can be recalled instantly using a mold-identification screen.
Other features include heavy-duty steel-beam construction and a quick-change system for end-of-arm tooling.
Tel. (519) 632-7834, fax (519) 632-7702.