TECHNOLOGY | SIZE REDUCTION
Right: The EV916 from CMG, which has introduced the Evoluzione series of heavy duty granulators for post-consumer recycling applications
advanced monitoring and controls, compatible with Industry 4.0. This includes operating tempera- ture, blade wear, productivity, operational efficien- cy and energy use. All functional parameters can be managed on the machine or remotely, with connectivity based on OPC-UA protocols. All CMG units for recycling applications, with capacities from 800-5,000 kg/h, feature the Adaptive Motor Power (AMP) function. This enables the granulator to be able to establish autonomous- ly the power level needed for the work being undertaken, according to the quantity of material to be ground, shape, weight, thickness, type of plastic, and temperature of the piece. The AMP allows the quality of the regrind material – dimen- sional and physical homogeneity of particles and absence of dust – to be optimised, while minimis- ing the use of electricity. CMG says that its granula- tors use 20-25 Wh/kg compared to over 40 Wh/kg that a conventional unit consumes. The return on investment for the AMP is less than 12 months.
Digital control Digitalisation is the major focus for Hellweg Granulators. “These represent the biggest chang- es in machine building in many years, which offer significant possibilities,” says Mark Hellweg, Managing Director. “We call it Capture – Monitor – Report – Learn – Service to make the work easier, safer and more acceptable for the operator. This means that the operator can focus on more important things instead of the granulator, which will alert the operator of any upcoming problems. For the past two years, our main focus has been to achieve more digital control and network connec- tions. We have opened our own R&D department and employed IT specialists to set up our own programming. For example, we can now offer various turning speeds and different torque programs for different plastics, meaning that only one granulator is needed for all applications.”
Right: Granumaster is Hellweg Granulators’ new smart control system
Granumaster is the company’s new smart control system that can measure and store power con- sumption, rotation speed, bearing temperatures, as well as the service life of bearings, blades, sieves and the wedge-profile drive belts (V-belts). Data evaluation enables conclusions to be drawn about the energy consumption used in granulation of various plastics down to defined particle sizes and the related service lives of bearings, blades and V-belts, for example. The efficiency of the granula- tion process can be assessed by comparison with stored reference values, enabling potential malfunction and damage to be predicted at an early stage and then avoided. Hellweg adds that a new ‘boost operation’ enables a short-term increase in grinding perfor- mance, in order to compensate for production- related fluctuations. In addition, certain rotation speed ranges have been defined for various plastics. For example, granulation of low melt-tem- perature plastics can be performed in continuous operation without problems arising, so that water cooling is not required. Smart control evaluates measured power consumption over longer periods of time. The operator can use a digital Ampere meter in real-time operation and access detailed statistics that have been created over long-term operation. Standardised soft starting of the motor and a new motor brake make the granulators energy-saving and safe. Power consumption can also be reduced with a new ‘eco’ operating mode, which adapts the rotation speed to input quantity. “Detailed, user-friendly ‘step by step’ instructions
16 PLASTICS RECYCLING WORLD | November/December 2020
www.plasticsrecyclingworld.com
IMAGE: HELLWEG IMAGE: CMG
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
