Extrusion International 3-2016

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1200 pipe sockets per hour
on a quadruple extrusion line
Multiple strand extrusion lines
for plastic pipes are growing.
Lately, the market demand seems to
be moving from double extrusion
lines to quadruple extrusion lines.
So Sica, Italian machine manufac-
turer, produced the first belling ma-
chine of this kind, Multibell 75Q.
This is a very fast automatic belling
machine specifically designed to re-
ceive PVC-U pipes coming from
four-strand extrusion lines at inde-
pendent speeds. It handles high
production extrusion lines and can
socket up to 1200 pipes/hour.
Multibell 75Q can socket pipes with
output diameter ranging from 16 to
75 mm and of length from 1 to 6 m
plus socket.
The pipes coming from each strand are moved to a buffer by
means of a high-speed handling system to form a group of 2,
3 or 4 pipes, depending on the diameter. The group of pipes
is moved to the hot air-recirculation oven, which warms with
high precision the required pipe length to be socketed, thanks
to the double automatic aligning system integrated in the
oven. When the heating stage is finished, the group of pipes
is moved to the multi-forming station and socketed.
Solvent cement cycle or air-blowing cycle are both available,
and sockets are cooled externally by precooled compressed air
and internally by cold water circulating through the mandrels.
For producers who want to bundle the socketed pipes, an
available bagging or strapping machine can be placed in-line
contributing to a complete process automation.
If we compare a four-strand to a two-strand extrusion line hav-
ing the same output rate, we can highlight the following ad-
vantages:
-high quality of the end product: by extruding at a lower
speed, the quality of the pipe is higher and constant during
production;
-short payback period: the four-strand extrusion line ensures
achievement of very high machine availability at the maximum
pipe output rate possible, therefore attaining a shorter pay-
back period of the investment;
- small footprint: four-strand extrusion line footprint is practi-
cally the same as a two-strand extrusion line, but with a higher
achievable output rate;
- low maintenance costs: a four-strand extrusion line needs
less maintenance than a two-strand extrusion line thanks to
the lower extrusion speed of each strand;
-user-friendly: the higher the line speed, the more difficult it is
to control the line. Thanks to the lower extrusion speed of
each strand, a four-strand extrusion line is easier to set than a
two-strand extrusion line.
Multibell 75Q is a low energy consumption modern belling
machine capable of satisfying the most demanding customers
who look for value, consistent high output and fast return on
investment.
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