WCA September 2014

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48 Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2014
Technologynews
SIKORA offers a complete product
portfolio of inspection and sorting as
well as measuring and control
technology for online quality assurance
of energy cables.
1. The purity of XLPE pellets as they
are used for the insulation of medium,
high and extra-high voltages cables as
well as for on- and offshore cables is a
decisive characteristic for the quality of
the end product. Damages caused by
breakdowns due to contaminated
material can easily run into the millions.
Therefore, the production of highly
clean material as well as the
continuous detection and sorting out
of contaminated pellets before they get
into the extrusion process is of
essential importance.
With the purity scanner, Sikora
provides a system for 100 per cent
online inspection and automatic
sorting of PE pellets. The purity
scanner intelligently combines X-ray
technology with an optical system.
This allows the detection of metallic
and organic impurities of 2mil (50μm) in
the pellet itself and on its surface to
100 per cent.
Contaminated pellets are detected and
sorted out in order to ensure that they
do not get into the extrusion process.
The application of both technologies is
unique, and is exceeding previous
solutions on the market. Due to the
specially developed X-ray technology,
the purity scanner is the first system
that inspects transparent and coloured
(eg black) pellets as well as
semi-conductive XLPE material for
impurities and sorts them out
automatically.
2. In a CV-line, for example, a CSS 2
(cleanliness scanning system) is
installed for real time monitoring and
detection of impurities of the polymer
melt. The flow channel between main
extruder and the crosshead is
equipped with sight glasses and an
optical CCD colour camera system,
which inspects the insulation material.
The CSS 2 detects contaminants
down to a size of 20μm and
distinguishes between metallic
contaminants, scorches and ambers
of selected sizes. It provides
information as to when the production
may start after bleed-off, respectively
as to when it is necessary to stop
production, because of an extensive
number of detected contaminants.
3. Sikora’s product range for energy
cables also includes the Ultratemp
6000 which measures the temperature
of the PE melt during extrusion on a
non-contact basis between the
extruder screw and the crosshead.
Besides temperature determination,
the Ultratemp 6000 detects
inhomogeneities in the melt. Early
cross-linking after screens which may
lead to ambers or scorches in the
material can be avoided by this
reliable ultrasonic temperature
measurement. The device optimises
the output of a planned production
time.
4. The X-ray measuring system X-Ray
8000 NXT is installed in the moving
part of the telescopic tube directly after
the crosshead for precise
measurement of the wall thickness of
all three layers (concentricity, diameter
and ovality) directly after the triple
crosshead. Measuring values for
centring and control are therefore
available immediately after starting up
the line. The system is used in
catenary and vertical lines.
5. While the X-Ray 8000 NXT provides
information for a fast centring and
direct control, the X-Ray 8700 NXT
supplies precise quality data of the
final product. The X-Ray 8700 NXT
measures the diameter, wall thickness
and eccentricity and is suitable for all
cable types with solid, stranded or
Milliken conductor and with single,
double or triple layer insulation. With
the use of the X-Ray 8000 NXT at the
beginning of the line for collection of
the hot measuring values and the
X-Ray 8700 NXT at the end of the line
for measuring the cold values, three
shrinking values are analysed for every
insulation layer of the cable.
Consequently, an optimum process is
assured.
Sikora AG – Germany
Website:
❍ CV- and VCV-line with Sikora inspection and sorting as well as measuring and control
technology for reliable quality assurance during production of energy cables
100 per cent quality assurance at production
Cosmos North America Inc’s innovative split-thread air wipe AWM 71 features
include effortless threading, extended life service, low air consumption and
knot passage. A tension spring and the surrounding air pressure keep the air
wipe closed during wiping but it will open readily to pass knots. A
performance data sheet registers the air consumption at delivery, and the
wear-bearing components carry a two-year warranty.
Cosmos offers four wiping cylinders of bore diameters 2, 3, 4 and 5mm for
wiping at optimum efficiency of wire diameters 1.4, 2.4, 3.4 and 4.4mm.
Wiping wires with diameters less than the optimum diameter will reduce
efficiency but will not have any adverse consequences on the wire.
Cosmos North America Inc – USA Website:
Threading with little effort