MACHINERY | EXTRUDER MAINTENANCE
Right: Service- Box is an integrated system from Coperion for online monitor- ing and fault logging of plant and components
updates are simply transmitted, control parameters can be adapted online and there is a general reduction in costly on-site deployments. The company has also developed MyCoperion, which provides an online platform providing a fast and convenient way to keep customers up-to- date on the progress of their spare parts enquiries and orders. In addition, it allows custom- ers access to a digital spare parts catalogue and specific machine documentation, making handling of service orders transparent and convenient. “This private area of the Coperion website offers customers a quick and easy way of checking the status of offers and existing service orders, rapidly identifying and requesting spare parts from a digital catalogue and downloading operating manuals,” says Matzke. “This online service is divided into four modules and can be accessed from the Coperion home page with just one click. The service portal allows customers to communi- cate efficiently with Coperion service staff, because both parties have access to the same database. At present, customers of Coperion’s Stuttgart and Weingarten Germany offices in Germany can use the service portal, while additional locations are under development.”
Barrel diagnosis Coperion has also introduced measures for preventive maintenance, including the Cobra and GBM Barrel Bore Measurement System. “With the
Cobra LG wear diagnosis system, it is possible to obtain rapid, compre- hensive and relevant information on the actual state of wear of the inner walls of the barrels of extruding and com- pounding systems in the size range from ZSK 240 to ZSK 380,” Matzke says. “The system comprises a high-resolution video camera and a laser-guided
surface measuring device, both of
which are mounted on a carriage that travels along the inside of the extruder barrel. All that is neces- sary in order to use the Cobra LG is to remove the screw shaft assembly from the extruder barrels. Dismantling the extruder barrels is not necessary.” From a cost and time saving aspect, the wear diagnosis is best performed during one of Coperi- on’s routine servicing programmes. For smaller compounding systems, such as the company’s models ZSK 40 to 133, Matzke says the GBM barrel bore measurement system has proven to be an ideal means of diagnosing barrel wear. As well as preventive maintenance, Matzke highlights big data monitoring, direct links to machine history and documentation via QR (Quick Response) code, self-maintaining systems, and intelligent crash preventing systems among other important issues influencing extruder maintenance. He also predicts further development in high capacity compounding solutions with 24/7 remote expert support. Janik Bessinger, Engineering Manager at CPM
Century Extrusion (part of the CPM Extrusion Group), also believes that predictive maintenance of machinery is important for customers wanting to know the condition of their machines and to plan ahead for maintenance issues. “However, there is a never ending challenge with extruders,” he explains, pointing out the continual trade-off between a maintenance-friendly machine, where all areas are easily accessible, and a ‘clean’ ma- chine, where surfaces can easily be cleaned and are not obstructed by instruments and piping. “Our process section audits continue to grow
Schematic showing the key components of Coperion’s Cobra LG barrel wear diagnosis tool Source: Coperion
36 COMPOUNDING WORLD | April 2018
with more customers wanting a bi-annual audit of their barrels and screw elements to enable them to determine whether they need to replace certain wear parts immediately, as well as starting to build historic trends of which sections of the machine wear more than others. This further enables
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PHOTO: COPERION
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