MACHINERY | CORRUGATED PIPE
Right: ITIB’s new FV800SH9 corrugator is used to produce pipes up to 800mm in diameter
The operator interface is easy to understand: for
instance, by entering pipe diameter, the corrugator positions itself at the predefined height, while other moving parts of the corrugator automatically reach their working positions according to the mould size. The corrugator hardware can commu- nicate with management systems through the OPC UA protocol, which allows for remote assistance. Overall, these improvements can raise produc-
tion to around 900 kg/hour for the largest diameter HDPE pipes.
Socket production IPM of Italy offers a range of injection socketing machines for corrugated pipe. Its BA/INJ range of machines is automatic and
Below: These corrugated pipes were socketed with IPM’s BA1200/ INJ machine
works in-line, forming sockets by injection directly on double-walled corrugated pipes made from polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). They are fast enough to keep up with the extrusion line speed, producing good sockets at a very low scrap percentage, says the company. IPM says the versatility is a key attribute: it can be switched between PE and PP corrugated pipe, for instance, by changing the moulds and some settings. In addition, the socket profile can be customised and personalised: this could allow a logo to be engraved, or the design of the socket to be changed. Some customers have developed special socket shapes for their corrugated pipes. When developing the patented technology, the company carried out testing in collaboration with the University of Bologna in Italy. One example was using microscopy to prove the performance of the injected sockets. IPM says that sockets injected onto corrugated pipes with its machinery show good weld performance and are mechanically solid. The machines also ensure reliability, geometrical and dimensional stability over time and regular cycle time – which is independent of the raw material formulation. The socket is made from the
same material formulation as the pipe. This means that the so called ‘memory effect’ of shrinkage is eliminated.
Double boost Unicor has helped a customer to produce a double-walled corrugated pipe with NS 32mm outer diameter – at speeds of nearly 20 m/min, thanks to the use of a cooling mandrel for the inner layer. The company says that the nominal diameter
extends the currently standardized range of cable protection pipes up to 40 mm outside diameter. The company points to several customer benefits:
higher production speeds; superior surface quality of the inner layer; and greater process stability. For making the pipe, it recommends using its UC 36 or UC 58 with its DWP 75/90 die head. Separate to this, the newly designed UC 90-G3 has been used to produce a 40mm double wall pipe according to EN 61386-24. With its Unicool cooling system, it achieved a stable output of up to 25 m/min. As well as its high efficiency, the new corrugator has two synchronised servo motors, a redesigned vacuum system, a new curve and a new mould block design. “The overall concept of the machine transfers the cooling capacity of the Unicool system to the production process,” said the company. In addition, the third generation of its UC 36 has
reached production speeds of nearly 70 m/min due to a new drive concept. One system, equipped with 80 mould blocks, ran for more than 5,000 hours, producing more than 20,000km of pipe – for an average production speed of 67.4 m/min.
Third generation Drossbach of Germany says that the latest version of its HD500 corrugator includes a number of new features. The third generation of the large corru-
32 PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION | May/June 2022
www.pipeandprofile.com
IMAGE: IPM
IMAGE: ITIB
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