K 2013 WRAP UP: AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT

New polymer drying control

The Conair Group unveiled its new DC-T TouchView control, which the company says provides an easy-to-use interface for monitoring and controlling the entire polymer drying process.

The DC-T TouchView dryer control features an eight-inch-diagonal graphical touchscreen interface that shows everything going on in the drying system, so that operators can make easy adjustments. It also shows current and historical temperature data and includes precise dew-point control.

At K, the new control was part of a central-drying cell that includes a W300 Carousel™ Plus desiccant dryer and a four-hopper ResinWorks system equipped with the patented Conair Drying Monitor. According to Conair, the DC-T also provides a gateway for control of multi-hopper central drying cells, like the ResinWorks system, which combines multiple hoppers with integral air manifolds, ducting and wiring on a sturdy platform for simplified shipping, installation and operation. Each hopper can be equipped with a Drying Monitor probe that incorporates RTD sensors spaced along its length. The probe measures the temperature at up to six different points in the bed of plastic material so that a temperature profile can be created to verify that conditions for proper drying are maintained.

Up to 15 hoppers equipped with Conair temperature controls can be linked to the DC-T for monitoring and duplicate control. All settings can be made, viewed and adjusted at the dryer. Data from individual Drying Monitor probes, including trending graphs, can also be displayed on the DC –T monitor, or anywhere else through standard Internet connectivity.

The Conair Group  (Cranberry Township, Pa.); www.conairgroup.com; 724-584-5500

  Dier International Plastics; (Unionville, Ont.); 416-219-0509

  Industries Laferriere (Mascouche, Que.); 450-477-8880

Upgrades software and new material dispense options for blender

At K 2013, Maguire unveiled a series of improvements to its Weigh Scale Blender (WSB).

An upgraded gravimetric gateway networking software, the new G2 Version 5, increases the capability of manufacturers to monitor plant-wide or even multi-plant operations by accessing the blender network via a PC server. The software enhancement addresses the need for more data to facilitate cost savings through increased control, and for greater documentation of process conditions. G2 software provides exhaustive material-usage reports, displays alarms from anywhere in the network, downloads and updates recipes in specific machines from remote locations, and monitors inventory levels, providing alerts to reorder raw materials. The Version 5 increases the capability for “live” monitoring of material consumption by authorized parties, Maguire said. The Version 5 software also includes standard updates, such as compatibility with Windows 8.

Also, a new dispense device has been added for dispensing ingredients from the hopper bins of the WSB to the weigh chamber: the carousel valve, which mimics the action of a vibratory feeder to make possible accurate dosing of “difficult” ingredients at very low rates. The new device can dispense masterbatches and additives at rates less than a gram per second. Like the other dispense devices available for the Maguire WSB, the new valve has a modular interface that enables it to be exchanged with another device.

The company also offers more than 50 dispense devices, whose interchangeability means that a device used on our giant MaxiBatch blender, with throughput up to 5,500 kg/hr., can also be used on our smallest unit, the 63-kg/hr. Microblender.

Maguire Canada/Novatec Inc. (Vaughan, Ont.);

www.maguirecanada.com; 866-441-8409

  Barway Plastic Equipment Inc. (Vaudreuil-Dorian, Que.); 450-455-1396

New addition to innovative segmented wheel dryers

The new DryMax Aton F30 from Wittmann Battenfeld made its debut at K 2013 as the third model of the innovative Wittmann segmented wheel dryer series, with a capacity of 30 m³, and designed to dry material at a rate of 20 kg/h.

As with the earlier models, the silo return air is dehumidified in the segmented wheel and fed back into the process while maintaining a constant dew point. The dryer operates with countercurrent regeneration and the heating element has an exceptionally high efficiency – but despite that, the energy consumption of the Aton₂ F30 corresponds to that of a conventional two-cartridge dryer, Wittmann said: The pre-set drying temperature has a direct influence on the duration of the regeneration heating phases, which means that the regeneration air diverted from the segmented wheel doesn’t require additional heating.

The Aton₂ F30 can save up to 40 per cent of the energy consumed by other drying wheel technologies, and in addition it maintains a constant dew point of as low as -65 °C. The so-called EcoMode, which permits cartridge mode operation when the water load of the drying agent is low, has also been integrated into the Aton₂ F30. It enables the dryer itself to select the optimal arrangement of the drying process. If the Aton₂ F30 is operating in cartridge mode and determines, for example, that wetter material demands a suitably adapted drying process, the unit automatically switches to wheel mode. Even in regions with relatively extreme climatic conditions which have a strong influence on drying quality, the Aton₂ always achieves absolutely superior values, Wittmann said.

Wittmann Canada (Richmond Hill, Ont.);

www.wittmann-canada.com; 866-466-8266

All-in-one materials conveying

The new VP series vacuum pumps from AEC provide a complete materials conveying system with controls, filter and blower all in one compact and versatile unit. With more than five different filter types, the VP series can convey pellets, regrind and dusty materials over short to medium distances and is available in open or closed-loop operation.

The VP design is ultra compact. It is suitable for all virgin and for most powder and regrind applications. Models are available from 0.75 to 8.5 kW, with single, 4-station or 9-station controls. The units convey continuously using an atmospheric relief valve to provide high conveying rates.

AEC, an ACS Company (Schuamburg, Ill);

www.aecinternet.com; 800-423-3183

  Auxiplast Inc. (Ste-Julie, Que.); 450-922-0282

  Equiplas (Toronto); 416-407-5456

  Shaw & Christler Equipment Technologies (Vancouver, Wash.); 800-528-8011

Integrated metal detection boosts granulator productivity

The patent pending Integrated Metal Detection (IMD) system from low-speed granulator specialist MO.DI.TEC offers the ultimate in cutting chamber protection. As soon as a metal part is detected (by contact between two areas of the cutting chamber) the granulator rotor stops within 40 milliseconds. The operator will read at the same time, on the LCD screen of the electrical cabinet, the corresponding malfunctioning message.

This feature offers significant savings in repair cost of the cutting chamber, press screw and mold and mai
ntains productivity. Production need only be stopped during cutting chamber cleaning.

IMD is available as an option on MO.DI.TEC’s GOLIATH Plus and TITAN Plus granulators. It is available in two versions: with an electrical cabinet run by an automatic cycling (including ABS system) or by an electronic card.

MO.DI.TEC (Vienne, France); www.mo-di-tec.fr

  Auxiplast Inc. (Ste-Julie, Que.); 450-922-0282

Doser designed for metering powders

Movacolor’s gravimetric in-line dosing system MCBalance continuously calibrates dosages and adjusts automatically, thus providing stability in coloring with masterbatch, powder or regrind. The MCLan enables the producer to monitor all MCBalance dosing systems from one computer. This gravimetric unit can easily be adjusted to a multi-component system, so that you can dose up to six additives at the same time. Controls are available in various languages, including French.

New at K was a powder dosing unit designed for powders that are not free-flowing, such as calcium carbonate and talc. It uses a twin screw for dosing, and has an agitator inside the hopper. This new model in the MCBalance line is currently available up to 15 kg./hr.

In light of the interest at the K show in liquid colorants and additives, Movacolor points out that it has for some time offered a gravimetric liquid doser. Since viscosity changes when the temperature changes, there are definite advantages to gravimetric versus volumetric dosing when using liquids.

Movacolor B.V. (Sneek, The Netherlands); www.movacolor.com

  Hamilton Plastic Systems Ltd. (Mississauga, Ont.); 800-590-5546

Upgrades in TCUs, gravimetric dosers

The new STM-910MW water heater from Shini offers more functionality than previous models, and now features a 3.2 inch LCD to visually display the operation. It is also more precise, with mold temperature control accuracy to +/- 0.5 degrees C.

Conventional water pumps have seals at the shaft, but Shini’s STM-W water heater is equipped with a magnetic pump. Since there are no seals, there is no possibility of leakage, and no problems in high-temperature applications.

Also new from Shini is the SGD-12 gravimetric doser, which applies loss-in-weight technology to the dosing process. Up to 100 recipes can be recorded. With aberration compensation and auto weighing /calibration, the unit can adapt to variations in material bulk density. Ethernet communication is used for data transmission and storage.

Shini Group (Taiwan); www.shini.com

  Shini Plastics Technologies (Canada) Inc. (Mississauga, Ont.); 905-890-0055

Automatic, autonomous material handling system

The revamped MetroLink material selection system from Motan Inc. has its own autonomous control system based on Motan’s well-known MetroNet MK control system and it can therefore be used independently for remote controlled and automatic material supply.

The unit is designed to offer simultaneous conveying of a number of different materials, automatic switching in of the material route, and secure material change free of material inter-contamination through use of automatic process management.

MetroLink is compatible with all system conveyor equipment and can be networked with all other network control systems. The operator now has a full-graphic 5.7-inch color touch-panel in his/her view.

A maximum of 15 processing machines with up to 16 different materials can be fed per MetroLink tower, and several towers can be operated together.

Motan Inc. (Plainwell, Mich.); www.motan.com; 800-991-9921

  D Cube (Montreal); 514-272-0500

New cyclone filters range for clean conveying

The new FC cyclone filtering system from Moretto SpA is designed to provide 100 per cent efficiency for filtering conveying systems without the need of cleaning operations.

The filtering capacity is up to 0,5 micron.

The system has an easy-to-remove container to collect dust for disposal, and an infrared sensor that can be installed to signal the complete container filling.

The new FC filters have also been equipped with an assisted opening system of the filter container that allows the assisted opening for inspection. The closing system is completely hermetic.

Moretto SpA (Massanzago, Italy); www.moretto.com

  Advanced Blending Solutions LLC (Menominee, Mich.); 888-204-5080

Thermorefrigerators are compact and save energy

The new Digitemp thermorefrigerators from Piovan SpA heat and cool the process circuit of injection and blow molding machines, integrating both temperature control and free-cooling functions to provide water to every single circuit at specific temperature (from -5°C to +90°C for every single circuit), pressure and water flow.

The combination of compressors with digital technology and the electronic expansion valve – installed in all the Digitemp models in their standard version – ensures superior energy efficiency.

With a floor dimension of only 0.4 m2 and a height of 108 cm, these models are the most compact units currently on the market, Piovan said.

Available in single and dual circuit versions, the Digitemp units can be equipped with medium or high pressure pumps, which guarantee adequate water flow and thermal exchanges, in any application.

On request, the control can be provided with serial interface, for connection with a supervisory system such as Piovan SVS or Win Factory, which permit to manage the thermorefrigerator within a complete system of Piovan auxiliaries.

Piovan Canada Ltd. (Mississauga, Ont.);

www.piovan.com; 905-858-8052