machinery | Pelletizers
Right: RE Scheer’s recently
introduced Model JV
vacuum strand dryers are said to cut cost and space require- ments
securing a patent covering a novel product technology and will be introducing a new line of pelletizers in 2016. In the meantime, the company introduced its CXP
class large-production 1000-mm strand pelletizer last year. This new series is designed with an isolation coupler that eliminates deflection on the rotor created by the pull of the motor. This feature is said to allow a less than 0.025mm gap adjustment between the 300mm diameter rotor and bed knife. Another claimed advan- tage of the CXP design is elimination of the angle from the nip point of the two feed rolls to the bed knife, providing a flat feed and cut of the pellet and so minimising the risk of angle cuts.
RE Scheer’s upgraded line of vacuum strand dryers, the Model JV Air Knife Series, was officially introduced at NPE2015 in March. The new design is said to be more cost-effective and has a smaller footprint. Vacuum dryers draw water off the strands and contain it, rather than using pressure to blow water off the strands (which the company says can end up on the floor and cause a slip hazard). The Model JV Series head assembly is designed to separate and support the strands. Strand guides, which use grooves to guide the strands, are also growing in popularity. “The guides create a better presentation of the strand to the knife to get the best possible cut,” Sly says. Another new technology from RE Scheer is a roll
puller, intended for use in long fibre reinforced compound production. The new unit is said to provide better contact with the strand and allow a much higher pulling force, according to the company. Work is also ongoing to deal with the problem of
wear. The increasing use of fillers and fibres at high fill levels is driving pelletizer manufacturers to look at more wear-resistant materials and finishes, according to Sly, with a focus on innovations such as coatings that can protect metal while not adding too much expense. Although somewhat distant from the mainstream
Right: Demand
for pharmaceu- tical-grade
pelletizers is on the increase,
according to RE Scheer
polymer compounding market, RE Scheer also reports an increasing market demand for pharmaceutical- grade pelletizers. These are used in applications where drugs are mixed with polymer carriers in an extruder. “These applications have strict regulations on materials of construction, cleanability, and documentation,” notes Sly. Pelletizers for these processes are carefully designed and micropolished to have no hang-up points, which reduces the potential for contamination. Bay Plastics Machinery recently increased manufac-
turing footprint at its second manufacturing plant, introduced a new test/lab facility, and added a new CNC machinery centre for production of rotors for any brand of pelletizer (BPM services BPM and competitors’ rotors). The company says it is also in the process of
30 COMPOUNDING WORLD | January 2016
www.compoundingworld.com
Die-face advances Nordson Corporation recently introduced new designs for the cutter hubs and blades for its BKG die-face pelletizers that increase throughput, improve transpor- tation of pellets from the cutting area, simplify cutter assembly, and provide new options for reducing wear to die plates and blades. The key to the new design is that the blades are cast rather than machined, which enables a greater number of blades to be installed - 40 blades instead of 26 with straight blades, or 36 blades instead of 18 with angled blades (see image). The increase is more dramatic for angled blades because the fixing mechanism is modified on the cast design, explains Frank Asmuss, global product manager at Nordson BKG GmbH. The greater number of blades is said to be an
advantage particularly for products that were tradition- ally limited by cutting speed. For example, output of PET, which is usually limited because of its low viscosity, is claimed to be doubled with the new design. High cutting speeds are also beneficial for smaller- sized pellets. If increased throughput is not desired processors can maintain the same output but reduce cutter RPM, which serves to extend the die plate and blade life. The company says the new cutter hub will fit
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84