Extrusion International 4-2020

24 Extrusion International 4/2020 INDUSTRY NEWS With production equipment under increased pressure to meet the higher demand for printed packaging caused by the COVID- 19 pandemic, it is more vital than ever that it is kept in top con- dition to ensure maximum output. This includes every link in the chain, including surface treatment, as Vetaphone’s Steen Clausen explains. Corona treaters work best if they are correctly and regularly main- tained – but it’s not quite as simple as that. The level, type, and frequency of maintenance can vary significantly from one cus- tomer to another depending on a variety of factors, including the substrate being treated, the degree of usage, and the production environment. Vetaphone believes that there are fivemain points that all Corona users need to factor into their productionmaintenance schedules: • Regular inspection at intervals of nomore than two weeks – this will head-off potential problems down the line and save the time andmoney wasted on unexpected stoppages and downtime. • The electrodes need cleaning on a regular basis to continue to perform at maximum output so any deposit build-up should be carefully removed. • Check the inside of the unit for carbon build-up. This is a fire risk that can be easily prevented – look for burn or scorch marks on the side. • Check the air gap between the electrodes and the substrate. This will have been set at installation to achieve an even spread of Vetaphone www.vetaphone.com power for optimal performance, but the gap can begin to open or close through usage and the result will be inconsistent perfor- mance and poor-quality treatment that can cause issues down- stream leading to a costly reprint. • Make sure the ozone exhaust system is operating as it should. Assuming it was specified and installed correctly, you need to en- sure that it is kept free from any blockage. If you are experienc- ing problems with back pressure and are using 100 mm diameter ducting, then consider upgrading to 200 mm tubes. If there is a problem that cannot be solved from the client, the Vetaphone Support Team should be contacted – they are set up to do remote diagnosis and offer online assistance with all Veta- phone equipment, wherever the client is located. New 800 Series Hybrid Extrusion Tooling Guill announced the introduction of a new version of its popu- lar 800 series, known as 800 Series Hybrid. In some extrusion ap- plications that utilize crossheads and inlines, layers of the exact same material are applied multiple times, using a single die. This method is used to reduce the propensity for errors caused by gels breaking through a thin wall, weld lines, inconsistent wall thick- ness, plus material and process variations. Additional errors in- clude difficult-to-process materials and demanding applications where there is zero fault tolerance. Seeking to design the next generation multi-layer die to over- come these challenges, the engineers at Guill looked for a way to incorporate this technology into an updated version of the 800 Series. This led to the creation of the 800 Series Hybrid. The inherent benefits of the 800 Series are retained, including compact design, low residence time and a common deflector bore that eliminates tolerance stack up. The challenge was to create a hybrid design that incorporates the benefits of layer overlapping, while reducing unnecessary complexity and mak- ing the technology more cost-affordable for customers. This was achieved by overlapping layers in each semi-deflector, us- ing a single cone. The highly efficient design of the 800 Series Hybrid reduces cost and size, as opposed to other methods of overlapping layers. Guill Tool & Engineering Co., Inc. www.guill.com Essential benefits of the 800 Series Hybrid in- clude eliminating weld lines in materi- als through patented overlapping technology, producing a more con- sistent finished product; reduced sensitivity to changes in viscosity; reduced sensitivity to changes in line speed; myriad material and multi-layer application possibilities; works in all tubing and jacketing applications with a wide range of materials; low residence time; compact design and a low toler- ance stack-up error factor, all resulting in improved concentricity. The 800 Series Hybrid extrusion tool greatly reduces stagnation, because overlapping layers are more inherently balanced than single layers and also because each semi-deflector is “tuned to flush.” Conventional deflectors must simultaneously achieve a balance between flushing, balancing and eliminating the weld line. There is less difference between the slowestmovingmaterial and the fastest moving material in the deflector channels, thus making the viscosity more consistent in the deflector. A visual reminder of the importance of keeping electrodes clean if they are to function correctly Maintainance of Corona Treaters