MACHINERY | PELLETISERS
Pellet inspection In-line inspection of pellets is increasingly being used for quality control purposes, especially in areas such as medical and HV power cables, according to Germany-based Sikora. Its Purity Scanner Advanced system uses both optical cameras to detect and sort contaminants or discoloration (including black specks) on the pellet surface and X-ray technology to detect metal impurities on the surface or inside the pellet in-line. “We see a strong demand for highest material purity among all plastic manufacturers and processors worldwide, as well as in compounding,” says Ralf Kulenkampff, Head of Sales at the company. Sikora also offers two offline laboratory systems,
Above: A UWG 75 S underwater pelletiser from IPS is being used at
bioplastics compounder Tecnaro
automated underwater pelletiser is equipped with its Pellet Vision system to monitor the pellets and, where deviations are detected, automatically adjusts process parameters. The company says the system reduces off-spec material and results in high process stability. The ECONia line also features an integrated
robot that eliminates manual start-up processes and manual knife changes, which Econ says is safer for the operator and reduces production downtimes. The company claims that one operator can efficiently operate and control up to 10 lines from a central control. Early last year, Germany’s IPS (Intelligent
Pelletising Solutions) supplied both an SG 220/2 strand pelletising plant and ips-UWG 75 S underwater pelletising system to bioplastic producer Tecnaro. The new equipment is part of an expansion of Tecnaro’s biopolymer production, which includes bioplastic and biocomposite compounds for markets such as automotive, construction, solar, packaging, and furniture. The UWG 75 S underwater system is said to be
Right:
Inspection Technologies offers an inline system for
monitoring and classifying pellet quality
particularly suitable for production of spherical pellets and, due to its modular design, can be tailored specifically to the applications and requirements of the customer. In this case, IPS optimised the system to Tecnaro’s sustainable material portfolio. This included a specially- adapted perforated die plate that allows bioplastics reinforced with natural fibres to be pelletised without damage. According to IPS, the UWG 75 S provides a
throughput of up to 700 kg/h. It is equipped with a frequency-controlled process water pump that allows energy-efficient setting of the volume of process water. Water temperature is regulated by means of a plate heat exchanger.
48 COMPOUNDING WORLD | January 2022
www.compoundingworld.com
the Purity Concept X with an X-ray camera and the Purity Concept V with an optical camera. These are typically used for quality control, incoming inspection, or for material release before delivery. Israel-based Inspection Technologies also
offers systems to detect and identify pellet quality problems - including contamination, size and shape change, or colour shift - in real time during pellet production. “Most pelletising lines, in either compounding or recycling, are not using in-line pellet inspection systems,” says Gilad Roter, Business Development Manager at the company. “More often, producers take samples to a lab for evaluation of contamination, size and shape. If a problem is detected, troubleshooting can be delayed. Taking inspection into the production line enables an immediate change to be made if a problem is found.”
Another potential concern when using sampling
and off-line testing is that the sample may not represent the entire production flow, so problems
IMAGE: INSPECTION TECHNOLOGIES
IMAGE: INTELLIGENT PELLETIZING SOLUTIONS
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