MATERIALS HANDLING | TECHNOLOGY
alarmed. Advanced programming algorithms make installation and reconfiguring the system intuitive. The unit also has improved data logging capabili- ties which allow users to review alarm history to help troubleshoot upstream system issues at the HMI display. The Ethernet capability allows the system to be
networked to virtually any device in a facility. A built-in VNC server allows remote monitoring or control on any computer, tablet or phone, the company says. VacTrac Plus is now compatible with MiVue, a real-time condition monitoring service offered by AEC’s sister company under the ACS Group that improves uptime, reduces costs and enhances service and maintenance, the company says. MiVue includes web-enabled software and cellular connectivity to easily monitor the convey- ing system and optimise the process. New developments in materials handling from Movacolor focus on blender technologies where it introduced its new MBS line of gravimetric batch blenders. “Our blenders are of the same high quality as our dosing units and can handle all commonly used materials. In addition to the 17 standard configurations, they can also be custom- ised based on the customer’s specific require- ments,” the company says. The MBS blender line is designed to be com- pact and sturdy, of modular construction, and with no mechanical or moving parts in the hopper. The new blender line can efficiently handle various low bulk density materials and is said to be a cost- effective choice compared to dosing units that may be better suited to smaller-scale or continuous processes. The units work well with expensive and critical additives in a production process, where it is especially paramount that a batch blender’s dosing accuracy and mixing uniformity is required to avoid over- or under-dosing, the company says. All the blenders in the MBS line can dose accurately up to 0.02%, the company says. Movacolor offers the blenders in three standard configurations. The MBS 3 series is comprised of three models (MBS 32, 33 and 34) which offer throughputs from rates up to 280 kg/hr to 480 kg/hr depending on the model selected. Models in this MBS series tier feature a weighing bin capacity of 1.2 l and use a high-efficiency, compact and robust mixing chamber having a capacity of 3 l. The units in the series are configurable with 2-4 hoppers, which can be placed
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off-line, or configured with 1-6 of Movacolor’s MDS Balance series of dosing units. The models feature an 8-in colour touch screen controller with internal memory for static changes and logging software for dynamic changes. The multi-language controller can store up to 1,000 recipes, Movacolor says. The MBS 20 is the next series tier, offering seven models (MBS 202-208) which deliver throughput from rates up to 650 kg/hr up to 1,600 kg/hr depending on model. These units have a weighing bin capacity of 6 l, a mixing chamber capacity of 20 l, and are configurable with 2-8 hoppers or 1-6 MDS Balance dosing units. The construction, modularity and controller type are like the 3 series in the model line.
Movacolor also offers the MBS blenders in a hybrid version, whereby its MDS gravimetric feeder is integrated with the blending unit into a single system. “Despite the advanced mechanics of our blenders, there are limitations when it comes to accuracy,” says Movacolor. “In comparison to feeders, blenders tend to exhibit higher shot-to- shot fluctuations. Furthermore, inside the blender’s mixing chamber, there is a risk of de-mixing and segregation of dosed materials due to variations in bulk density, resulting in an uneven blend. This issue becomes particularly noticeable when blending low percentages,” the company says. Movacolor’s new MHBS line combines the MBS
blender, gravimetric feeder and specialised inserts into a single hybrid unit. It works by introducing materials inline, after the batch blender’s mixing chamber, right in the middle of the batch. Mova- color says this innovative approach effectively prevents de-mixing within the batch. The company says the hybrid MHBS line offers high throughput gravimetric blending and high accuracy gravimetric dosing that yields optimal
results and traceability. The MHBS line is offered in 3 series and 20 series
sizes. Movacolor also offers the MBS blender line in a 20 Extrusion series specifically developed for extrusion. Movacolor also announced new developments in its software and controls. Basic Recipe Mode (BRM) is a new software feature developed to streamline operations and minimise errors during dosing unit
October 2023 | INJECTION WORLD 43
Above:
Movacolor’s MBS 32 gravimetric batch blender
Left: Movacolor has developed the MHBS hybrid
technology
IMAGE: MOVACOLOR
IMAGE: MOVACOLOR
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