Materials handling | processing feature
Jennifer Markarian reports on developments in materials handling technologies, including plans for a major new research facility backed by industry
Materials on the move
Materials handling is a crucial element of every compounding line. Research and development work continues both at equipment suppliers and within academia to gain a better understanding of how materials can be stored, conveyed and dosed effi ciently and effectively.
Equipment that can be easily cleaned is particularly
important for compounding lines that have frequent changeovers. Designs that allow quick and easy access for cleaning help to reduce downtime, facilitate good housekeeping, improve product quality by excluding contamination, and improve safety for operators, notes Manfred Wiedmann, general manager of the Modular Turnkey Systems business unit at Coperion. He explains, “Coperion has developed a consistent
cleaning concept for the entire compounding line. This comprises the handling, conveying and dosing of the raw materials, hoppers and silos, the compounder and its accessories, the handling of the fi nished product and the bagging equipment. Along the entire process chain all major elements have been reviewed and optimized to avoid deposits and contamination and to facilitate cleaning and inspection after cleaning. When possible, cleaning processes have been automated.” Some customers look for smaller-sized feeding equipment to expedite cleaning and smaller hoppers for a more “just-in-time” process, adds Matt Burt, general sales manager of Coperion K-Tron’s Equipment &
www.compoundingworld.com
Systems business unit. He notes that control systems that integrate equipment are also essential. Coperion K-Tron is backing a new research facility that
is aiming to provide an improved understanding of materi- als handling. The new Bulk Solids Innovation Center (BSIC) is being constructed by Kansas State University in Salina, Kansas, USA, and is expected to open in April 2015. Coperion K-Tron Salina donated land and equip- ment for the project, while many other suppliers provided equipment as well, says Todd Smith, general manager of Coperion K-Tron Salina. Funding is also coming from the local, state, and federal governments. The 13,000-sqft (1,200 m2
) facility will include bulk
solids laboratories, a materials testing lab, a 30-ft (9-m) tall open bay for full-scale testing, offi ces for research- ers, and a classroom for continuing-education and university-level courses about bulk solids. Experiments will be possible from small-scale tests (a few pounds/ hour) up to large-scale operations (hundreds of tons/ hour). The BSIC will be the only such university-level research centre for bulk solids in North America. The facility will be a place where the university and
industry can work together on collaborative and proprietary projects. Companies such as Exxon Mobil, Dow and DuPont have committed to engage in research projects with the university once the BSIC opens. In addition to Kansas State, Coperion K-Tron Salina and Vortex Valves will have space in the building. “The
February 2015 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 69
PHOTO: POLYONE
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