Extrusion 3-2018

owing to the plain language on the con- trol with no need for knowledge of high- level programming skills. Finally, all com- pound recipes can be easily transferred via USB for portability and security. Allen Donn, product development engi- neer at KRAIBURG TPE, along with his team of engineers and tech specialists, evaluated the installation and commissio- ning of the machine at the Duluth facility. “The data transfer from the PLC into the same process data archival & analysis sys- tem that we use for our other lines at KRAIBURG TPE. A simple Excel file is generated with any para- meters desired for analysis, plus we can easily exchange data between R&D and production here. The result is that our ability to utilize production machinery more efficiently has increased substantially with the use of the new KraussMaffei Berstorff machine in our test department, as the control system gives us real-time hard data we can use to make adjustments on new recipes and entirely new materials.” KRAIBURG TPE performs extensive new compound property performance testing on its TPE formulae and the time compression realized by using the new extruder line in this “real world” R&D operation is provid- ing substantial advantages for the compounder. KRAIBURG TPE typically runs materials in the 20-80 Shore A hardness range and, as an example, might test out a variety of adhesion grades for over-molding onto polycarbonate, nylon, or other substrates, Donn explained. “When we can pull the data from any machine in the system, adjust it, run it on the R&D machine, and then feed that data back into production, it makes a huge difference in our efficiencies.” In one instance, shortly after the KraussMaffei machine was installed, KRAI- BURG TPE engineers were testing 15 compound varieties on the machine very quickly, compared to using production equip- ment to do that task. “I could look into the software to com- 45 Extrusion 3/2018 At a glance, the operator sees the condition of the machine in real time and can make better on-the-fly adjustments Extruder line built by KraussMaffei Berstorff in Florence, Kentucky for Kraiburg TPE pare all set point and actual values, remotely, over the entire test period,” Donn noted. He added that the substantial raw material cost savings of more tests, faster results and less waste all contribute to an improved profitability for the company, as well. KRAUSSMAFFEI GROUP USA 7095 Industrial Road, Florence, KY 41042, USA www.kraussmaffei.com SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC. 390 Kent Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007, USA www.usa.siemens.com/cnc KRAIBURG TPE CORPORATION 2625 North Berkeley Lake Road, Duluth, GA 30096, USA www.KRAIBURG-tpe.com Various compounds are formulated at Kraiburg and test run on the KraussMaffei Berstorff extruder at the Kraiburg lab in Duluth, Georgia