Extrusion International USA 6-2019

65 Extrusion International 6/2019 Innovative Medical Extrusion, Blow Molding, and Sheet Systems powered with Intuitive Controls Originally developed for Graham En- gineering extrusion blow molding sys- tems and then adapted for Welex sheet extrusion lines, Navigator ® controls are now available for American Kuhne ex- trusion systems such as those for medi- cal tubing, profiles, and wire and cable. There are three levels of functionality: XC100 for stand-alone extruders, XC200 for one or more extruders in simultane- ous operation, and XC300 for integrat- ed production lines with the extruder and components such as a puller, water bath, or winder. Extrusion systems on display at the Gra- ham Engineering Corp. booth will in- clude: • American Kuhne medical extrusion systems, including ULTRA MD systems, compact modular extruders, and other systems such as the tri-layer tubing line. This line consists of three compact mod- ular extruders and the XC300 Naviga- tor control with integrated TwinCAT ® Scope View high speed data- acquisi- tion system. • Revolution MVP ® rotary wheel blow molder. This system provides the ben- efit of high output molding with flex- bility to produce a range of package sizes and quick mold changes. A key innovation in the Revolution MVP sys- tem is that each clamp station is inde- pendent of the others, with all forces self-contained within the clamp. Water manifolds through the platens facili- tate quick mold change, and individ- ual clamps can be removed for offline maintenance to reduce downtime. This modularity enables the user to vary the number of clamp stations from 12 to 24 on the same platform and configure the wheel based on the application and bottle height. • Welex Evolution ® sheet extrusion system, a complete production line for use in sheeting, winding, and in-line thermoforming applications, equipped with XSL Navigator control. While the equipment on display at K 2019 will be for thin-gauge polypropylene, the Evolution system can be custom- ized for widths from 36 to 90 in. (90 to 230 cm), gauges from 0.008 to 0.125 in. (0.2 to 3.2 mm), and throughputs up to 10,000 lb./hr. (4,535 kg/hr.). Monolayer or co-extrusion systems are available, with up to nine extruders. In addition to a customized roll stand, the Evolu- tion system can also be equipped with screen changers, melt pumps, mixers, feedblocks, and dies. Additional fea- tures of the line on display include a proprietary roll-skewing mechanism for thin-gauge applications, maintaining quick roll change and electric gap ad- justment under full hydraulic load with- out interrupting production. On display at Graham Engineering Cor- poration’s K Showboothwill be innova- tive extrusion-based systems for medi- cal tubing, blow molding, sheet, and other applications, each equipped with a proprietary Navigator ® control system for live demonstration of its accuracy and ease of use. “Graham Engineering Corporation’s Navigator ® control technology utilizes an industrial PC with a Windows ® plat- form to enable intuitive, integrated ex- trusion process control,” said Graham CEODavid Schroeder. Real-time graphical display is a hallmark ofNavigator control, notedGrahamvice president of engineering Justin Kilgore. “High visual correlation between the touchscreen and machine function en- sures an intuitive user experience that provides ease of use and a rapid learn- ing curve for both newand experienced operators,” said Kilgore. “Powered by a friendly, open architecture that allows a high level of flexibility, Navigator con- trol is delivered via hardware designed to withstand harsh industrial conditions such as vibration, electrical interference, high temperature, and humidity. The ease and ability to integrate is bound- less. From synchronized supervisory control of a line to its open architecture that supports connectivity for data col- lection systems to internet for remote support and trouble-shooting, Naviga- tor offers integration without limits.” Graham Engineering www.grahamengineering.com American www.americankuhne.com Welex www.welex.com American Kuhne compact modular medical extruder Graham Engineering RevolutionMVP ® extrusion blowmolder Welex Evolution ® sheet extrusion line