Page 168 - Flipbook_SolidDesignSoutheast2020

Case History Toward the end of 2010, the company
developed project possibilities for new
required
that
products

additional
Network Polymers, Akron, Ohio, production capacity. However, because
produces highly engineered, custom many of the products are made with
thermoplastic resins and alloys for the
difficult-flowing powder and pellet
automotive, medical, hardware, and many
blends, the company's existing feeders
Loss-in- other industries. At the end of 2010, the couldn't effectively handle them. To
company wanted to increase production
handle the increased production, the
company needed to develop a new
to meet customer demand for newly
developed products made with extruding line with feeders that would
weight specialized powder and pellet blends. To consistently and precisely meter the
accomplish this, the company needed a
challenging blends into the extruder.
new turnkey extrusion system for the
compounding facility. The company Finding the right feeders
gravimetric worked with a nearby Ohio-based When the company began planning the
extrusion equipment manufacturer and
extrusion system, it contacted NFM
systems provider when designing the Welding Engineers Inc., Massillon, Ohio,
extruding line and selecting loss-in-
feeders weight gravimetric feeders to meter the an extruder manufacturer and systems
supplier for the plastics and rubber
various powder and pellet blends into the
industries. The company had successfully
extruder. worked with Jim Surma, NFM TEM
help boost Expanding the extrusion process (Toshiba Extrusion Machine) sales
manager, in the past on similar projects
The company's manufacturing processes
with demanding compounding conditions
company’s require extremely consistent and accurate that required extrusion systems with
integrated feeders, controls, and ancillary
feeding equipment to meter the various
powder and pellet blends into the
equipment. For this project, NFM worked
extruders to ensure consistent product closely with the Network Polymers
production quality and optimal operational engineering team when selecting the new
extruder and feeders and programming
efficiency. For this reason, Network
Polymers uses a variety of loss-in-weight
gravimetric feeders for the various the system to meet the company's
quality
required
throughput
and
capacity extruding lines in the facility. The feeders specifications. To ensure that the
feed materials into the extruders by
company selected the best feeders for
weight at a controlled rate, typically in current and future applications, NFM
pounds per hour. invited sales reps from various feeder
suppliers to the NFM facility to present

A custom compounder
selects reliable and
accurate loss-in-weight
gravimetric feeders for a
new extrusion system.

The six loss-in-weight gravimetric feeders and feeder control panel (back left)
are installed on a mezzanine directly above the twin-screw extruder.

Reprinted from Powder Bulk Engineering December 2012