EQUIPMENT.

Large volume enhanced mixer

The Co-Flow mixer is an enhanced mixer using rotors with oversized tangential wings and having a larger available mixer chamber volume than conventional mixers. Large chamber size and door openings for quick feeding of raw materials and quick discharging of mixed material are incorporated in this design. The mixer is available with either a hydraulic or pneumatic hopper system. The Co-Flow mixer yields superior performance on a wide range of materials, according to the company. Rotors circulate material both counter-clockwise and clockwise within the chamber. (Skinner Engine, PO. Box 1149, Erie, PA 16512)

Circle 6 on card

Cold feed ram extruder

The Force 10 cold feed ram extruder is capable of pressures up to 10,000 psi and requires no preheating of materials. This is made possible with the combination of high pressure and one or a series of viscosity modulation plates at the forward end of the extrusion cylinder, before entry into the die. These plates have been specially designed to impart controlled shear and reduce materials viscosity. The higher pressure of the Force 10 allows in-line filtration of materials and the controlled flow allows accurate and consistent pellet size, according to the company. (Barwell, 460 Tacoma Ave., Tallmadge, OH 442 78-2 719)

Circle 7 on card

Infrared heaters

The company has expanded its line of unitized low-intensity gas-fired infrared tube heaters with the addition of 15 heaters with more than 80 configurations. The heaters are said to enhance the company's capability of custom designing a radiant heating system that meets precise facility requirements for optimum flexibility and economy and maximum energy efficiency. The heaters are said to complement the company's current line of 15 LTS Series and 15 LTU Series low-intensity infrared tube heaters. (Space-Ray Infared Gas Heaters, 305 Doggett St., P.O. Box 36485, Charlotte, NC 28236)

Circle 8 on card

Parts cleaning 

The Micro-Ramp process controls parts cleaning by precisely monitoring the time and temperature at which a combustible will burn, according to the company. Urethane wheels, vibration mounts, molds and other steel or aluminum parts are said to be safely cleaned. Primary and secondary water spray suppression systems eliminate the risk of runaway fires and hot-spot distortion, while a 1,600 [degrees] F (minimum) afterburner reduces smoke and fumes to exceed EPA emissions requirements. Residual ash is said to be safely and inexpensively disposed. The company's ovens are available in 29 standard sizes. (Armature Coil Equipment, 4725 Manufacturing Rd., Cleveland, OH 44135)

Circle 9 on card

Vacuum presses

This developer of vacuum presses for the rubber industry can design and build a vacuum press to exact specifications. Features include a heavy duty press frame and a large capacity vacuum pump to evacuate the molding chamber quickly to provide high quality parts. Controls can range from simple relay logic to programmable logic controllers. Operator interfaces include various keypad and display combinations or a personal computer with various operator interface choices. Mold handling options are available. (West Coast Rubber Machinery, 7180 Scout Ave., Bell Gardens, CA 90201)

Circle 10 on card

Diverter valve

With the development of the diverter valve M 150-4, the company can now also supply diverters which are smaller in size. The type M diverter valve has smaller dimensions, but at the same time it offers all the advantages which are specific for the large size models, according to the company. The compact design makes it possible to install them in plants with a low room height. The M diverter valve is said to be especially suitable for dense- and dilute-phase conveying systems with smaller conveying capacities in plants of the chemical industry, and for the distribution of bulk solids, such as plastic pellets and powder. (Zeppelin Schuttguttechnik GmbH, D-Leutholdstrabe 108, 88045 Friedrichshafen, Germany)

Circle 11 on card

Pin barrel extruder

The company's rubber extrusion systems are said to meet a variety of applications for the automotive, building and medical markets. The 6-inch (120 mm) 16:1 L/D pin barrel rubber extruder, drive system and temperature control package is completely piped, wired and unitized on a common base. This extrusion system provides maximum process control with a multi-zone temperature control feature that results in uniform temperature and a homogeneous mixture, according to the company. The extruder's barrel features strategically placed rows of custom designed pins which are said to create exceptional mastication capability for a wide range of compounds. The pin barrel extruders can handle heavier extrusion heads without barrel deflection through the use of a front flange support. Custom engineered configurations and packages are also available pre-piped, pre-wired and factory tested prior to shipment for cost-effective, rapid installation, according to the company. (Davis-Standard, 1 Extrusion Dr., Pawcatuck, CT 06379)

Circle 12 on card

Injection molding 

Patented injection molding machines designed specifically for liquid silicone rubbers (LSRs) are manufactured by the company. It is not the typical industry type barrel screw substitute originally designed for the thermoplastic market, according to the company. The unique, extremely precise injection head is said to be much simpler to use and clean. Small parts LSR injection molding machines are said to handle even the extreme precision required for silicone intraoccular lens implant devices. (Kuntz Mfg. Co., Inc., 2614 S. Rousselle St., Santa Aha, CA 92707)

Circle 13 on card

Solids reduction unit

The 1075-L Delumper Crusher is said to handle homogenous or heterogenous materials, waxy, resinous, hard or soft agglomerates without degrading the product or causing a rise in temperature. Output sizes are adjustable by changing the speed or the comb. The size of the material handled could be as large as the throat opening. The unit has a fully enclosed, dust tight body. Optional features include an extended outboard bearing, removable door for easy access, and hopper for feeding. The packing seal isolates the bearing to help with heat dissipation. (Franklin Miller, 60 Okner Pkwy., Livingston, NJ 07039)

Circle 14 on card

Disperser/mixer/tank

A combination disperser/mixer/tank is said to offer the versatility to store, mix and disperse a wide variety of products and materials. The tank provides a generous storage capability for holding materials until the product is ready to be mixed or dispersed. At that point, the product can be processed immediately without the need to transfer it to a separate mixer. The disperser/mixer/tank is available with internal or external heating/cooling jackets, as well as a pocket or dimple jacket. The external design is said to allow it to be easily cleaned without leaving any residue. (Dantco Mixers, 9 Oak St., Paterson, NJ 07501)

Circle 15 on card

Open rotor granulator

The company's granulator incorporates an open rotor cutting action that is said to minimize heat build-up. Stationary bed knives are chevron shaped, which produces a scissor style cutting action. This is said to increase rotor blade life to 400,000 lbs. of production between knife changes on many products. With an easy to use manual hydraulic pump, the infeed hopper and the screen cradle can be raised or lowered for easy cleaning, inspection and maintenance. Besides wire and cable separation, the granulator also reduces tire chips to crumbs, etc. (Reduction Technology, 206 Ashville Rd., Leeds, AL 35094-0297)

Circle 16 on card

Sealant dispense valve

This double air-operated valve is designed to dispense heated materials safely and efficiently in high-volume, repetitive operations. Designed for applications that demand high-volume dispensing coupled with a crisp, immediate shut-off, the 2200-806-003 series is said to eliminate splashing and dripping, and resists the abrasive nature of the dispensed material, according to the company. This series features a double air operated, No-Drip design with a wear-resistant carbide ball and seat. (Sealant Equipment & Engineering, 45677 Helm St., P.O. Box 701460, Plymouth, MI 48170-0965)

Circle 17 on card

Material conveying

This company designs and manufactures conveying, blending, filling and discharge equipment and systems for dry bulk solids. The range of equipment includes flexible screw conveyors (throughput capacities up to 20 tph), aero-mechanical conveyors (throughputs up to 120 tph) bulk bag dischargers, bulk bag filling and weighing machines (1-2 tons), metering and blending systems, batch and continuous weigh systems, and continuous mixing systems. (Spiroflow-Orthos Systems, 2806 Gray Fox Rd., Monroe, NC 28110)

Circle 18 on card

Tire mold cleaning

The latest generation Model SP-72 automatic media-blast tire mold cleaning system utilizes direct pressure media delivery by compressed air and is designed to process both two-piece and segmented tire molds. The Model SP-72 accommodates molds up to 65" in diameter, weighing up to 3,000 pounds. Twin powered turntables mounted on a power-shuttle transfer cart allow one mold to be loaded or unloaded while another is being cleaned, enabling virtually non-stop operation. As the mold rotates at a controlled, pre-set speed, vertically and horizontally traversing nozzles move in a repeatable programmed sequence to thoroughly remove residues from complex mold surfaces. Air-blast media delivery allows the maximum flexibility in the choice of cleaning media, operating efficiently with glass beads, plastic grit, microscopic metallic shot or other blast materials suitable for mold cleaning. Throughout the cleaning process, media and dust are collected by hoppers below the cleaning chamber. Carry-out media are also ducted to the reclaim from catch-trays under the tracks of the transfer cart. A programmable logic controller stores and recalls specifications for 100 different molds. (Guyson, W.J. Grande Industrial Park, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-9044)

Circle 19 on card

Injection molding

This supplier of rubber injection molding machines and systems offers the FIFO (first in, first out) injection unit. Minimum dwell time and constant L/D ratio of the plasticizing screw is said to provide steady plasticizing. The very short nozzle is said to guarantee the smallest pressure losses. The high cooling performance of the nozzle allows it to stay at the mold permanently without needing to be retracted at each cycle. The result is said to be a constant shot volume and perfect repeatability, according to the company. For high shot volumes, the company offers the classic screw/ram injection unit. The production range includes machines from 150 to 10,000 kN clamp force, as well as 50 cc to 20,000 cc maximum shot volume. Clamping units are offered in C-frame and four-column execution. Machines are available in horizontal or vertical versions. (Maplan, A-1060 Wien, Millergasse 9, Germany)

Circle 20 on card

Mixer/dissolver

Mixing of difficult caulking compounds is said to be simplified with the mechanically fluidized bed agitation principle used by the Mixmill. Mixmill horizontal plow-type mixers are used to achieve the homogeneous blending of diverse materials quickly and efficiently. The mechanically fluidized bed agitation principle is based on the rotation of a shaft within the confines of a totally enclosed horizontal cylinder. From this shaft extend permanently affixed arms with plow-shaped mixing elements which causes the material to be lifted and thrust into free space in a pulsing or fluidized bed mixing action. The interaction of the plows is augmented by high speed dispersion mills located between the paths of the plows. Liquids are added via injection lances which are located directly over the high speed mill blades to assure complete dispersion within the product. (Processall, 10596 Springfield Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45215)

Circle 21 on card

Mixer screw design

This company has been granted a patent for the V-Mixer screw design. Designed to achieve a more complete break up of glomerates in dispersionary mixing, the V-Mixer produces an intense chaotic mixing action by creating a high shear rate and a side-to-side (wavy wall) movement of the flow, as well as an up and down (wavy root) movement. The V-Mixer design is said to yield a superior dispersionary flow by controlling depths of the channels from deep to shallow and creating a nearly continuous side-to-side flow. The company markets plasticating components and software. (Spirex, P.O. Box 9130, Youngstown, OH 44513)

Circle 22 on card

Fiber melt spinning extrusion

The Yellow Jacket monofilament fiber melt spinning extrusion system is said to be ideal for monofilament or multifilament, synthetic fibers for medical, textile and aerospace applications, laboratory research and development, and small production. The lines were designed with the laboratory researcher in mind, who often must make quick multiple experimental runs with a minimum amount of raw material. A wide variety of polymers can be processed, according to the company, including polypropylene, polyester, nylon, acrylics and polyethylene. (Wayne Machine & Die, 100 Furler St., Totowa, NJ 07512-1896)

Circle 23 on card

Bench-top model mixers

Bench-top model mixers are available for mixing up to 100,000 centipoise and more. These bench-top mixers have been designed specifically to accommodate a wide range of applications in laboratories, pilot plants and sample production areas. The 1/2" capacity chuck is adjustable. The work table swings out and can be raised or lowered to a desired height. The mixer is available in six models, all variable speed. The 1/2 horsepower direct drive electric models are available in totally enclosed fan cooled or explosion proof configurations. (U.S. Best, P.O. Box 346, New Albany, IN 47151-0346)

Circle 24 on card

CNC CAD/CAM router systems

Quintax standard, custom and turnkey CAD/CAM integrated three- and five-axis router systems are said to be ideal for high-speed, accurate cutting, trimming and routing of composites and plastics. The Quintax CNC routers are engineered and manufactured using high-strength tubing profiles and steel plate. A variety of spindle sizes and types and toolchanger options are available, as well as unique hardware and software packages (digitizers, probe heads and hand-held part scanners) for rapid part program development, according to the company. (Ferry Industries, 1687 Commerce Dr., Stow, OH 44224-1752)

Circle 25 on card

Adhesive metering

The Micro-Meter 2 is a complete system for metering, mixing and dispensing small shots or beads of two-component adhesives or sealants. The lightweight, compact, positive displacement Micro-Meter 2 is designed to dispense precisely metered and mixed micro (.02 to 3.5 cc) shots of mixed materials, according to the company. To ensure small-volume accuracy and consistency, the MicroMeter 2's meter is located at the point of application. The meter is said to enable users to adjust the amount of mixed material that is dispensed each shot, with a calibrated stroke tower providing exact shotsize control. The system's power inlet and outlet valves feature carbide components and eliminate any material bypass that might alter the mix ratio, according to the company. The meter's hard stop is said to insure that exactly the same amount is dispensed time after time. (Sealant Equipment & Engineering, 45677 Helm St., Plymouth, MI 48170-0965)

Circle 26 on card

Seven-extruder line

The company's seven extruder sheet line features seven extruders outfitted with a feedblock for coextrusion, an automatic die and a five (3 + 2) roll vertical sheet stack. The line consists of two 90 mm, one 65 mm, three 50 mm and one 35 mm, air-cooled, nonvented extruders, designed to process PP, PE and EVOH. All electrical cabinets are positioned directly at the extruder frame for easy assembly and efficient utilization. The system will be equipped with a feedblock with exchangeable structure inserts for five, six and seven layers. The line will also include a 310A automatic die with a 1,520 mm slit width. A coathanger design, the 310A's die bolts have thermocouple feedback, controlled by an Exact-S extrusion process control system. Completing the line is the company's production rated five (3 + 2) roll vertical sheet stack. Each roll has a thermally regulated double shell spiral baffle and each roll is powered by an AC motor vector drive which is individually driven to ensure consistent drive control capability, according to the company. (Davis-Standard, 1 Extrusion Dr., Pawcatuck, CT 06379)

Top-loading oven

The Model LD-500 is a standard 500 [degrees] F electric top-loading oven. Workspace dimensions inside this unit measure 96" wide x 48" long x 48" deep. 60 kw power is installed in Incoloy sheathed tubular heating elements, while a 4,200 cfm, 3 hp recirculating blower provides horizontal airflow across the workload. This top-loading oven is said to feature rugged construction, with an aluminized steel interior and exterior, reinforced 1/4" steel plate top, wear bars at sides of workspace, reinforced floor for 4,000 lbs. loading at removable subway grate and an automatically air-operated, rear-hinged door which opens fully for easy loading via the overhead material handling equipment, according to the company. Standard equipment on the No. 819 includes a digital indicating temperature controller, manual reset excess temperature controller with separate heating element control contactors and a recirculating blower airflow safety switch. The UL listed control panel is front mounted on this oven. (Grieve, 500 Hart Rd., Round Lake, IL 60073-2898)

Circle 28 on card

Cutters, pullers, etc.

Downstream production equipment is available for the pipe, profile and tubing industry. The company's downstream equipment capabilities are said to include an extensive range of pullers, cutters, tanks, saws, calibration tanks, water cooling baths and auxiliary equipment. Downstream equipment for precision cutting includes bench model minicutters, puller/cutter combinations, servo cutters to two inches (50 mm), clutch/brake cutters to three inches (75 mm), and heavy duty cutters to six inches (150 mm). Corrugated tube and angle cutting systems round out the cutter line. Pullers with Fenner, Vector and Servo drives are available. Pinch wheels are available in two to five inch (50 to 130 mm) widths. The company's selection of tanks includes heavy duty pipe vacuum, spray, immersion, non-contact low vacuum for medical applications, profile calibration, spray, venturi vacuum and vertical cooling tanks. Profile saws are available to 4-1/2 inches (114 mm) with rectangular profile capacity in addition to pipe saws to five inches (127 mm) cut capacity, 18 inch (457 mm) carbide blade saws, saws with air servo and blade speed, and 39 inch (990 mm) maximum travel speed for higher speed lines. The company designs and manufactures conveyors, air eject/sorting, dancers, winders, payoffs, horizontal and vertical ovens, data acquisition programs, etc. (Davis-Standard, 1 Extrusion Dr., Pawcatuck, CT 06379)

Circle 29 on card

Bulk bag discharge systems

SacMaster bulk bag discharge systems feature the PosiFlow adaptive bulk bag agitation system which uses dual pivot paddles and PLC-based control to dynamically adjust the agitation function in relation to material level in the bag. The result is said to be better material flow and more complete bag emptying even when discharging materials like calcium carbonate and powders. For applications requiring volumetric or gravimetric bulk material metering, SacMaster bulk bag frames have been designed to easily mate with the company's volumetric or gravimetric feeders, according to the manufacturer. (AccuRate, 746 E. Milwaukee St., PO. Box 208, Whitewater, WI 53190)

Circle 30 on card

Enhanced industrial drives

The company has enhanced its drives offering with the introduction of the SV9000 line. The next generation SV9000 series of drives, available from .75 hp to 1,100 hp and 200 v to 690 v, are said to be capable of handling a wide array of applications, from simple variable torque applications to more complex industrial applications such as conveyors, mixers and machine controls. With smooth low-speed performance, and stator flux control to provide high torque for starting, accelerating and accommodating momentary overloads, the company's line of SV9000 drives is said to set the benchmark in power control. The complete line of SV9000 drives contains pre-configured multiple preset applications, which enables the frequency converter to fit almost any application (pumps and fans, conveyors, mixers, lifts, cranes and other custom solutions). Each unit is said to have a highly functional, yet simple keypad or optional enhanced graphic display that is consistent over the entire line, according to the manufacturer. The drives have also been designed to offer connectivity to multiple communications networks. The SV9000 line provides Windows-based PC software programming, is UL, CE and cUL approved, and offers customers the choice of V/Hz or Sensorless Vector standard, or closed-loop vector settings. It is also said to provide application flexibility with its pre-defined and custom applications. (Cutler-Hammer, 4201 N. 27th St., Milwaukee, WI 53216)

Circle 31 on card

Injection molding products

The company's self-actuating, gas assist injection molding nozzle features a simple design with one moving part. The shut off system is positive and features a stainless steel spring arrangement. The nozzle works with gas assist pressures up to 8,500 psi. The self-actuating nozzle requires no hydraulics or pneumatics and is usable with gas assist or conventional molding. It contains no seals to wear, screws into standard barrel thread and is usable with stiff and glass filled materials. Other sizes, tip openings and angles are available to fit any machine's specifications, according to the manufacturer. The self-aligning injection molding tip assembly has three parts that are said to screw easily into the end of any nozzle. The assembly permits perfect radius alignment between the sprue bushing and nozzle tip while compensating for misalignment up to .040" overall travel in all directions. Assemblies are made from hardened and polished standard H-13 steel, but can be designed and manufactured from different materials to meet any and all requirements, according to the company. When wear occurs, only the self-aligning tip is replaced. (Leading Edge Products, 33071 Karin Dr., Suite 110, Sterling Heights, MI 48310)

Circle 32 on card

Rubber processing line

This manufacturer and distributor of conveyor systems is said to offer a complete range of integrated material handling products and solutions for rubber processing and tire manufacturing and handling. The company offers products for slab rubber mixing, robber extruding, tire building, tire curing and associated calender line products. A full range of automated final inspection delivery and exit conveyor systems is also available, as well as products for automated warehousing. The transverse-roller slat shoe sorter is the newest product for tire handling. It was specifically designed for high-speed sortation of tires. Existing standard shoe sorter units are potential candidates for retrofit. The company recently acquired a global supplier of premier material handling industrial equipment and conveyor systems. Design and manufacturing facilities are available. (Mathews Conveyor, PO. Box 928, Danville, KY 40423)

Circle 33 on card

Hydraulic tire curing presses

An optimized concept for the company's hydraulic car tire curing presses has been developed with the aim of meeting specific customer requirements and conditions in the international tire market. Three press models are available, the 4530 RH/1, 4533 RH and 4839 RH. The twin curing press consists of two identical welded frames. Major components have been optimized and checked with the aid of FEM computations. The accurate insertion of the green tires in the molds and their wear-free centering are said to be crucial to the production of quality tires. (Krupp Elastomertechnik GmbH, Hamburg-Harburg, Germany)

Circle 34 on card

Rubber mixer rotor

A six-wing rotor for rubber mixers that is said to be 20% more productive than current four-wing rotors has been developed. The six-wing rotors can also be used by industrial rubber manufacturers and custom compounders. The rotor utilizes a design concept called various clearance mixing technology (VCMT), whereby the tip clearance of the rotor changes along the length. The rotor design is under patent application in Japan and overseas. Tip clearances in conventional rotors, on the other hand, follow a continuous curve. (Kobe Steel, Ltd., 8-2, Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan)

Circle 35 on card

Rubber presses

Ultrapress presses can either die-cut or kiss-cut material ranging from [+ or -] .5 mil to 3 mil. The presses are geared to cut material ranging from 20" to 72", and feature permanent stop blocks to facilitate easy kiss-cuts. In cases where material sticks to the dies, the company can attach a talcing device to the in-feed, creating a double knock-out that punches the product above the die into a chamber. Air is then pumped through the chamber to clear the product onto a conveyor belt for inspection and collection. (Contech, 7570 W. 21st. St., Wichita, KS 67205)

Circle 36 on card

Traverse winder

The Model MS103-PMC Accu-Wind computerized traverse winder was designed to solve problems in winding continuous lengths of extruded profiles. The Model 103 has two winding stations (spindles) to permit winding from a continuous process such as in extrusion, with a common speed and tension controller incorporating digital tension accuracy, and mounted on a common steel frame. The machine incorporates the AccuWind computer control system to manage all the machine functions and winding patterns into a closely supervised and controlled system. Three computerized winding patterns with infinite variations are included. (Progressive Machine, 21 Van Natta Dr., Ringwood Industrial Park, Ringwood, NJ 07456)

Circle 37 on card

Material crushers

Delumper crushers are designed to handle tough processing applications. The Model 2085LP features the proprietary LP series cutters to be used on hard or soft, heat sensitive, sticky or wet agglomerates or lumps. The Delumper LP is provided with a one-piece, seamless, unibody housing. Two standard models are available in either carbon or polished stainless steel construction. The Model 2085-LP has an opening of 14" x 31". The extended cutter teeth rotate completely through a heavy bar cage, self-cleaning the slots with each rotation. (Franklin Miller, 60 Okner Pkwy., Livingston, NJ 07039)

Circle 38 on card