WCA March 2009

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Feeder reduces colour consumption in extrusion

The Maguire ® MGF series gravimetric device for feeding colourant into extrusion equipment enables wire and cable manufacturers to reduce colour consumption, increase control over product quality, and document colour usage for each production run. The MGF feeder is a low-cost gravimetric feeder, costing no more than widely used volumetric feeders but designed to provide a much higher degree of accuracy.

The MGF feeder accurately monitors the loss in weight of colourant in the hopper as the material is fed into the extruder by an auger. The only component mounted on the load cell is the hopper, and this is readily removable from the device, as are the auger, the auger tube, the motor, and the load cell bracket. As a result, there is fast and easy access to components for cleanout or servicing.

Revil cable compounds Founded in the ’70s, Lamplast now manufactures 35,000 tons per year of cable compounds and is the tenth largest compounder in Europe. The product range for cables includes Revil GE–HFFR sheathing compounds for high extrusion speed, smooth surface and good flexibility for a wide range of LOI (30-45%). The following high performance grades have recently been introduced: Revil GE 1130: excellent tensile and tear properties [LOI = 30%; • tear strength = 18 N/mm; 12.5 MPa / 320%] Revil GE 47: superior flame retardancy [LOI = 47%; 10.0 MPa / 145%] • Revil–HFFR and non-FR bedding compounds: high extrusion speed, • low adhesion to PVC/XLPE, tandem/two pass, for a wide range of LOI (30-60%) Lamplast’s range also includes Syntegum, PP filled and reinforced • compounds for injection moulding of technical parts Lamplast sas – Italy Fax : +39 0362 852409 Email : lamplast@lamplast.it Website : www.lamplast.it Volumetric feeders do not monitor the weight of colourant as it is fed to the extruder, and thus generate no data about how much of the material is actually consumed from moment to moment. Because a gravimetric system generates a wealth of data on colour consumption, it adjusts colour metering far more accurately to account for process variations. The key to adjusting for process variations is Maguire’s Loss-in-Weight software in the feeder control. This proprietary system scans data on colour consumption every half-second and automatically adjusts dispensing when a predetermined amount of accumulated error is detected. By responding exclusively to accumulated error over a given period of time, Maguire’s proprietary software focuses on real changes in throughput, not transitory or anomalous changes caused by vibration, clumping, or surges. Thus the system provides real-time control and absolutely smooth metering consistency. Gravimetric feeder from Maguire ❍ ❍ Maguire Products Asia – Singapore Maguire China – China Fax : +86 21 588 23420 Fax : +65 6744 3370 Email : Email : mpa@maguirechina.com Website : www.maguire.com magasia@maguire-products.com.sg

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Wire & Cable ASIA – March/April 2009