MACHINERY | PELLETISERS
Coperion’s fully automatic ASC strand pelletising system reduces product loss and downtime
specifications. Such an approach could include monitoring the melt upstream of the die (in the case of an underwater pelletiser) or the strands coming out of the die (in the case of a strand pelletiser), as well as in-line measurement of pellets. Forgash says BPM is working with several
over a cooling water chute and downstream conveyor belt to the SP 700 HD strand pelletiser’s intake. Startup is fully automatic, as is conveying and rethreading of any broken strands. As a result, Lechner says there is no product loss or production interruptions.
Streamlining trend The growing interest in automated production equipment is also identified as a significant trend at US-based pelletising systems maker Bay Plastics Machinery. “Companies are trying to streamline their existing process with the goal of reducing the number of operators. This includes automation of repetitive tasks to where a single operator can be responsible for multiple pelletising lines without being overwhelmed,” says Vice-President of Sales James Forgash. However, he sees pelletising system automation
offering more, citing improved safety through the elimination of the need for operators to interact with hazardous pieces of equipment as well as gains in efficiency and quality. Automation combined with measurement and data collection, for example, opens potential for improved process control and tighter adherence to quality
partners to develop vision systems that will allow more autonomous pelletising lines. “The systems would monitor and control strands coming out of the die to determine if several key quality issues are being maintained (strand diameter, temperature, strand separation, dropped strands, etc). This system will detect quality issues as they are happening and make adjustments or signal alarms to prevent or reduce scrap downstream,” he says. Data collection is another key step to improved
control. Forgash says BPM is working to give equipment users the ability to store product recipes or to enter a pellet-per-gram requirement that the system can then use to automatically adjust pelletising line variables to achieve target specifications.
Tackling dust One of the latest BPM equipment developments aims to provide a solution to the long-standing issue of dust created during pelletising. “Whether the pellets were fractured at the time of cutting or sharp corners are ‘knocked off’ during conveying, this dust is a potential problem with downstream operations and needs to be removed efficiently,” says Forgash. The company’s pellet evacuation system
transfers cut pellets from the cutting chamber, which initially reduces the amount of dust generated by preventing pellets from being cut twice. “A double cut generates a pellet that is now a fraction of the intended size and out of spec. Evacuating the pellet immediately reduces the
Above: Dust is commonly produced during pellet cutting and conveying (left). BPM’s pellet evacuation system and dedusting cyclone results in a marked reduction (right)
44 COMPOUNDING WORLD | January 2022
www.compoundingworld.com
IMAGE: COPERION
IMAGE: BAY PLASTICS MACHINERY
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
