Medical Device Link.

Originally Published EMDM January/February 2002

EXTRUSION EQUIPMENT

Cleaning out extrusion dies is a tough and dirty job. While observing workers "grunting and groaning to lift a die in order to clean it out," John A. Ulcej, executive vice president of engineering and technology at Extrusion Dies Inc. (Chippewa Falls, WI, USA), thought to himself that there must be a better way. Indeed there was, and EDI Europe (Wiehl-Hübender, Germany) unveiled it at the K 2001 show in Düsseldorf, where it introduced what Ulcej calls the world's first boltless die.

The flat-die clamping system replaces arduous die clean-outs and colour changes with a mechanized process that clamps and releases the die halves in less than 1 minute. A series of hydromechanical clamps are positioned along the backline of the die manifold in the same locations occupied by the body bolts in a conventional die. "It's a simple operation," says Ulcej. "You push a button and turn a switch to begin the unclamping or clamping process." In-line servicing is facilitated by the use of a cart designed by the company to hold the die and the hydraulic and mechanical components of the clamping system. The cart installs on most extrusion lines and can accommodate a range of die widths.

The boltless die enables extrusion processors who do frequent "split and cleans" to increase machine productivity. Although the die will be more expensive than conventional models, the reduction in downtime should offset the increased investment cost, according to Ulcej. An added benefit, he notes, is that the ease of the system will prompt processors to clean their dies more frequently to ensure higher levels of product quality and consistency. Companies that operate on a custom, short-run, or just-in-time basis and who must change materials and colours frequently and those who manufacture critical medical and electronic products or optical-grade film will benefit, he adds. "It may be especially useful to processors of medical-grade PVC and other heat-sensitive resins whose degraded by-products must be cleaned out of the flow channel to prevent defects," says Ulcej.

The company, which has its headquarters in Wisconsin in the United States, also announced at the show that it has established a second European subsidiary. Extrusion Dies UK began operations in Leicester, UK, in November.

Norbert Sparrow

Copyright ©2002 European Medical Device Manufacturer