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| Friul Tubeasy die head |
Friul Filiere was established almost 40 years ago as a manufacturer of dies for the extrusion of plastic material. The company now sells complete, turn-key systems all over the world to anyone looking for high-quality performance when manufacturing pipes and profiles, from technological extrusion lines, fully customised and guaranteed 100% Made in Italy.
Customers have access to decades of experience and flexibility; a "yes, we can" approach that reflects the ongoing belief in R&D. The company holds several European and international patents and customers look to it for projects characterised by the use of complex materials or the section of the product they require.
Every system is a prototype
From the conception to the delivery of the system, complete with machines and dies, all custom built. "Taking care of the customer and the project, for which we act as the sole partner, remains our main concern," stresses Valdi Artico, Chairman and CEO.
"Our passion for research is what leads us and determines the ambitious goals which we set for ourselves. This means we are motivated partners when undertaking projects for manufacturing special profiles and pipes which require a specific study and a made-to-measure technological solution. Starting with the customer's idea, after a preliminary feasibility study, we take care of the combination of materials and process know-how to obtain the best possible performance in terms of production capacity and quality."
Luna Artico, the Sales Manager, adds more details to the profile of a Friul Filiere customer: "We design systems and dies for profiles and pipes used in a wide variety of industries. This year alone, we have worked for companies in telecommunications and industrial, irrigation, garden machinery, conveyor belt, lighting, and window systems, in addition to the building and furnishing industry".
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| Friul PA pipe extrusion plant |
Complete extrusion plant for PA6 – PA11 pipes
Today Friul Fliere is announcing a surprising achievement: the highest speed ever reached in the extrusion of PA6 – PA 11 pipes with 6 to 12 mm diameter. The company has recently built a complete plant that delivers high production speeds, putting to good use the experience gained by the company in the pipe sector after its patented Tubeasy system proved a hit at its launch at the K 2016 fair. Tests on the plant have confirmed expectations by producing a 4 x 6 mm pipe at a speed of 102 m/min, which is more than double the current standard speed. Ideal for the compressed air, automotive and industrial installations in particular, this plant comes complete with technology and processes developed by the in-house research and engineering team of Friul Filiere.
Omega single screw extruder
Equipped with dedicated screw designed by Friul Filiere, the single-screw Omega extruder with 60 and 36 mm diameters combines energy saving and high output rates (160 kg/h) thanks to specific technology that reduces absorption.
Head and calibration
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| Friul PA pipe sample |
The extrusion head and calibration systems are particularly interesting. The head features the Tubeasy patented system that rapidly centres the material flow in the start-up phase by simply adjusting just two screws. It appears almost incredible given the fact that traditional adjustment systems are difficult and slow to manage because of the numerous screws placed around the head that are used in order to move the flow. Tubeasy instead reduces start-up scrap by 60% and controls the material in order to improve not only the production performance of the whole plant, but also the quality and physical-mechanical properties of the end product. The cooling system, also a special feature, makes an important contribution to the positive outcome of the process.
Traditionally, the calibration of PA pipes is generally done in tanks with a vacuum pump system that inevitably moves water in the tanks, as a result affecting the pipe quality. Friul Filiere has, then, developed a vacuum calibration system where the water does not move. This solution requires the application of special technology designed by the Friuli-based company for the management of complex and extreme materials like PA and PU. This technology can control flows that are otherwise difficult to calibrate and create smooth surfaces and sections that meet the minimum dimensional tolerances.
Auxiliary machinery
The extrusion line had to be equipped with different auxiliary machinery:
• A drying and automatic material loading system
• A masterbatch metering unit on the extruder
• An electronic marker
• A laser control system placed before the haul-off to monitor the diameter and thickness of the pipe
• A special haul-off allowing high extrusion speeds over 100 m/min.
• A semi-automatic double-reel winder at the end of the line.
One technology, multiple product possibilities
This plant delivers the opportunity for production performance levels that have never been reached before, as well as high quality finished products. In this case, the products are PA pipes for applications above all in the automotive, air compressed and industrial installation sectors. However, the same technology can be applied to extrusion plants for the production of polyethylene PP-HDPE pipes for telecommunications or for cosmetics, for example, or plasticised PVC pipes, particularly for the medical sector, or for PMMA or PC pipes.
