“TAKE 2”, GOT CLUMPY? That is, do you frequently have plastic pellets or regrind material that clumps together making it difficult to feed?
In February of last year we supplied several unique batch blenders that integrate the cost effective 12kg, 5 component Guardian Series 2 Batch Blender with auger metering. That design incorporated a remote mezzanine mounted material multi-hopper, due to customer height restrictions.
The latest version incorporates cylindrical material hoppers mounted on the blender base along with auger feeders for each component. As before, the blender base includes a weigh hopper and mixing chamber. AC motors equipped with variable frequency (VFD) drives allow frequent motor starting and stopping without overheating. As usual a powerful, off the shelf, color touch screen control provides user a friendly blender interface.
For more information on our unique engineering solutions, send us an email at sales@process-control.com.
Unequaled customer support is available at PCC including complete refurbishing of aging equipment. What is a good engineering design? At PCC it includes backwards compatibility of components which translates into drop-in upgrades. Our continuous blender upgrades include state of the art brushless motors and drives, weigh modules and a user friendly touchscreen control.
Most customers choose to upgrade their existing blenders while in place in the production line, thereby minimizing down time. Sometimes equipment is transferred between sister plants which allows a “stopover” at PCC for a redo. This was recently the case for two PCC continuous, loss in weight gravimetric blenders. The blenders were stripped down to the frame. All defective and normal wear parts were replaced, the frame and all components were painted, re-assembled and thoroughly tested. The end result, a blender that runs and looks like new.
Model XLC large frame, 6 element blender, manufactured in 2001
Before:
After:
Model XDG small frame, 4 element blender with integral downcomer, manufactured in 2002
GOT CLUMPY? That is, do you frequently have plastic pellets or regrind material that clumps together making it difficult to feed? PCC has recently supplied the perfect solution which integrates the cost effective 12 kg, 5 component Guardian Series 2 Batch Blender with auger metering.
Multi-Hopper
The supply multi-hopper (individually segmented design = no dividers for better hopper cleanout), with vacuum receivers, is remotely located on an overhead mezzanine. In addition to receiver loading, tube stubs on two segments of the multi-hopper allow loading from over head bins.
Metering Augers, Weigh Hopper, and Mixing Chamber
The metering augers, weigh hopper and mixing chamber are mounted below on a magnet drawer directly on the extruder feed throat. Rounding out the system is the non-proprietary color touchscreen control which can also be remotely located (up to 1000 ft.) for easy operator access.
Gunther Niedermoser, Plant Manager at AgruAmerica was looking at an economical way to upgrade his 90 mm pipe extrusion line, utilizing existing equipment on the line and blending equipment received from Process Control GmbH. The 90mm line was already equipped with a Gravitrol® (gravimetric extrusion control) system from PCC, which was designed to control the weight per unit length of the pipe by monitoring extruder output and adjusting the puller speed.
With the assistance from PCC’s service manager, Jonathan Phelps, the PCC continuous blender was mounted on a mezzanine above the extrusion line and the existing Gravitrol system was combined with the PCC blender control system. With the addition of hardware and software for the control of the extruder output, now the material blending and full gravimetric extrusion control were integrated into one system.
With the new on-line blending capability, in addition to gravimetric control of both the puller and extruder, the materials feed and total line yield were now fully automated and accurate to within +/- 0.5% by weight. This resulted in faster line start-up, reduced overall scrap and improved product quality. Gunther and Jon were successful in adding a significant level of automation and process improvement to the line, with a minimal capital expenditure and utilization of surplus equipment.
Process Control has recently shipped a 12kg Guardian Series 2 Batch Blender with 12 elements for a compounding application. The goal for the end-user is to eliminate clean-out of the material multi-hopper segments. Each segment is dedicated to a particular material which is chosen according to the compound recipe.
For more information on our Guardian Series 2 Gravimetric Batch Blender, please visit our website!
Here is the second part of last week’s post on the completed ASR system. Shown below are pictures of the 100HP GF Series film grinder that has been equipped with a roll feed allowing additional scrap to enter the system. An air eliminator (not pictured) has also been made to separate the conveying air from the edge trims.
GF Series Grinder – Side 1
GF Series Grinder – Side 2
Roll Feeder
For more information on Process Control’s ASR Systems, please visit our website!
Process Control Corporation (PCC) just completed an ASR (Automated Scrap Recovery) System featuring three 20HP Inducers, equipped with its trademark adjustable venture design that provides higher induced air to primary air ratio than conventional systems. The trim pickup manifolds are designed for up to 16 bleeds, 2 edge and 1 center trim. Trims are conveyed to a 100HP thin film grinder equipped with a roll feed allowing additional scrap to enter the system. The ground scrap is then blown to a cyclone feeding an extruder mounted RMX refeed machine. The PCC refeed machine’s unique design provides a consistent column of compacted ground scrap surrounded by virgin material to the extruder.
IN Series Inducers
RMX Series Refeed Machine
Trim Manifolds
Check back here next week for pictures of the 100HP GF Series Film Grinder!
For more information on Process Control’s ASR Systems, please visit our website!
Process Control GmbH (PCC’s German subsidiary) currently has a special six element continuous blender going through production. Three hoppers on the blender are for powder material and the other three are fed with regrind. The powder feeders are installed on a slide base that can be easily removed for cleaning purposes. There is also a separate base for feeding powders to a side feeder. The small base for the single powder feeder has a turnable upper plate so that the feeder can be set to both of the side feeders on the extruder.
PCC has recently shipped two 2.5kg Guardian Series 2 batch blenders, each with a powder feeder in place of one of the standard material hoppers with high and low proximity sensors. The stainless steel feeder will mix powder material with regrind and pellets.
