A new blender that provides extrusion control based on batch precision and metering accuracy can be interfaced with a supervisory system that controls the total production line, according to Maguire Products Inc.

The new machine has been test in blown and cast film, sheet, pipe and profile, as well as wire and cable applications.

The WXBTM Weigh Extrusion Blender incorporates a gain-in-weight weigh bin and a loss-in-weight mix chamber in one machine with a Maguire® 4088 controller.

The GIW function weighs batch ingredients as they are dosed sequentially into the weigh bin, and the LIW mix chamber makes accurate metering of the blend into the processing machine and facilitates control of extrusion and haul-off in accordance with process variables. The tight tolerance achieved by the blender, within more or less 0.1 percent, is essential to conserving raw materials, Maguire says.

The controller, according to Maguire, is designed for communication with other systems in an Industry 4.0 setting, and it enables the WXB blender to interface with the Maguire + SyncroTM supervisory system. This system provides control of all segments of the production line from a single touchscreen HMI control.

In blown film production, for example, the system controls extruder temperature, raw material metering and consumption data, air ring automation, gauging, internal bubble cooling, web and cage handling, haul-off, and winder. The system can be deployed for coextrusion with multiple extruders.

The Maguire + Syncro brand is a product of a partnership between Maguire and SYNCRO srl that began in 2016 with an investment from Maguire.

“The partnership draws on Maguire’s experience in materials handling and blending systems and SYNCRO’s extensive range of control systems for extrusion applications,” says Frank Kavanagh, Maguire’s vice president of sales and marketing. “It enables us to provide customers with turnkey control systems for virtually any type of extrusion operation.”

» Publication Date: 09/07/2018

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