TPT March 2012

T echnology N ews

Data processing and recording ONLINE recording of production data has always played an important role in hose and tube extrusion. In the past data was collected separately at every single production line. Therefore, simple plant computers were used in combination with a printer for extensively printing out the data at the end of the production process. In particular, data archiving was a major problem.

Nowadays, the measuring values are recorded and stored digitally in real time. Especially with regard to the high capacity of the lines and the related data volume this is important. There are two possibilities of data processing. On the one hand, production data is online measured and directly transferred to a central quality assurance system. As there is often measuring data of many production lines available to the operator, a line computer is quickly at its capacity. That is why measuring data is first collected and processed in processor systems, such as the Sikora Ecocontrol, before being transferred to a line computer. Data can be stored daily,

Production data such as hose and tube parameters, statistics and trends are collected and processed

batchwise but also reelwise. The processor systems determine trends and statistics over the entire production process and document quality characteristics of the product for defining Cp or Cpk values. In addition, they provide information on possible surface faults on the hose or tube such as lumps and neckdowns. The online processing and recording of quality characteristics is a significant progress for hose and tube extrusion

compared to the past. Only 20 years ago, it was important that the hose was “hollow inside”. If the wall thickness had oversize or whether it was uniformly distributed around the entire hose circumference played only a minor role. Nowadays, measuring systems measure product parameters with highest reliability during production.

Sikora AG – Germany Website: www.sikora.net

GEORGE A. MITCHELL COMPANY

Experts In Design and Manufacture of Push Pointers and Special Forming Machines Since 1963

Tube End Forming Capacities up to 1,500,000 Lbs.

Tube Diameters up to 20”

Visit Mitchell at Tube 2012 March 26-30 in Dusseldorf Stand 4/C10-01

Two 500-ton OCTG Drill Pipe End-forming Machines

“THE PUSH POINTER PEOPLE”

PO Box 3727, Youngstown, Ohio USA 44513-3727 | www.mitchellmachinery.com | T: +1.330.758.5777 | F: +1.330.758.7263

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M arch 2012