CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION | MACHINERY
Monitoring of the extrusion process – from coating weight measurement to control of various ancillary equipment – helps to drive ongoing improvements in production
Control measures: keeping tabs on plastics extrusion
Control functions on extrusion machinery can have a wide variety of functionality – ranging from direct oversight of production to sophisticated data-gath- ering to help improve ongoing operations. German film producer Neemann, for instance, uses the Ruby Go IoT system from Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H) to document hygiene and quality specifications.
Ensuring and documenting customer specifica- tions in accordance with required norms and standards is an essential part of its daily work. To meet increasingly stringent requirements, it relies on Ruby.
“It is an excellent source of data from which we can derive information – for documentation requirements as part of our numerous certifica- tions, for transparency and for optimisation in our supply chains,” said Wilfried Hoppen, manager of engineering at Neemann. For some time, the company has also relied on
the Ruby Check extension. In combination with W&H’s Vision inspection system, the software carries out defect detection and analysis. It helps to identify printing defects – which can be properly identified and located. This analysis helps the company to review and
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evaluate machine settings afterwards. It an define causes of defects and avoid them in future. It can also look at different linked parameters over time, such as the connection between web tension and print deviations. “From this, we derive measures such as the
proactive replacement of wear parts to reduce downtime,” said Marco Kleemann, manager of flexoprinting. “We have already detected defects in machine operation through Ruby and minimised waste in orders.” Next, it plans to use Ruby to monitor its energy usage – as well as using the Ruby app, which will allow Kleemann to keep an eye on production while on the move.
Coat weight measurement NDC – part of Nordson – has developed CW 9000, a compact coat weight system for adhesive measurement of flexible packaging made on coating and laminating lines. “It allows accurate and fast adhesive coat weight and mix ratio measurements,” said Mark Rainville, product manager for film extrusion and converting at Nordson. “We worked with line manufacturers and flexpack customers on this new system.”
Main image: Riverdale’s gravimetric system now has an opera- tor-friendly touchscreen interface IMAGE: RIVERDALE
� March 2024 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 39
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