The suppliers of these teams show their optimism by the increase in sales of the peripheral equipment

Peripherals is an area difficult to assess due to the heterogeneous equipment under this ambiguous term. In any case, it seems out of the whole question is that he is equipment which acquire ever greater relevance in the processes of transformation of plastics. In this report we have come to the main suppliers of peripheral equipment located in Spain. On the basis of the comments made by the companies that have agreed to respond to our questions, we have reached the conclusion that it is a sector that is not being mistreated by the current situation of economic weakness. On the contrary. It is true the suppliers of machines for processing such as the injectors, now also provide times upon request peripheral equipment, by a certain tendency of shoppers to do with complete solutions. But for the moment, this is not the generality and we have therefore come only to those companies that sell peripheral equipment in isolation.

Automation of processes, flexibility in production and cost reduction. These are the features and "goodness" that should offer the peripherals in the modern plastics processing industry. Robots, dryers, mills, temperature regulators, towers of cooling, regulators of flow, feeding systems, dehumidifiers, conveyor belts... in short, equipment needed for the transformation of plastics, that every day evolve into a higher quality and lower costs.

Universal plastics has interviewed different companies suppliers of peripherals of the country to give us your impression of how they see the peripherals for the transformation sector in a year in which all of them present their latest developments and innovations in its fair in Spain par excellenceEquiplast.

All respondents agree that currently the needs of peripheral in the plastics processing industry, and more specifically in the area of injection, focusing on maximum automation of production processes, reducing costs, and the search for a flexibility that allows to a quick rehabilitation of these peripherals to each change of production. The evolution of the teams is very varied, and dependent on its role in the process. The Centrotécnica company stands out as most popular peripherals currently robots and manipulators for extraction of lava flows and/or pieces, the incorporation of systems of recycling for strained and occasional defective parts, through a crusher at foot of machine and a proportional valve manages the reuse crushed at the rate appropriate to the material online Virgin of automatically, by means of a feeder single tire or a centralized food system...

To automate and limit to the maximum human intervention, any peripheral aims to stabilize the production process, maintain constant machine cycle times and control the production of accurately. Are, therefore, also increasingly necessary peripherals such as conveyor belts that evacuated parts and/or lava flows from the machines to a collection point; o separation and even mounting, and, also, the cooling systems of water closed circuit, which can be supplied in the form of large centralized teams or small units for a machine or a group of these.

Eurotecno points out that if the most popular peripherals are the mills and silos mixers. Alboex, for its part, stands out as most requested teams los molinos and the atemperadores, but also have a great consumption centralized facilities, as well as the metal detectors, which have recently experienced a boom.

From Wittmann is qualifies that, in any process, it is very important to maintain the best conditions of production and quality, therefore it is imperative to rely on more than a peripheral. "The use of robots and easy automation of processes with our current technologies, offers optimum advantages over any manufacturing process, allowing greater profitability and control over it."

Equipment inspection, selection and classification are also, in recent years, one of the most popular peripherals. At least so says the Proyecma company that represents and markets to the French brand Proditec. "From our point of view and especially in the food sector, and possibly due to a considerable increase in the last years of number of companies involved in the manufacture of plastic - discussed in Proyecma-seems to detect an increase in the competition when it comes to position itself as supplier of the big brands." On the one hand, the fight as supplier of these brands has adopted as a commercial asset (rather than real industrial need or increasingly higher requirements of the final consumer) give the injection process of machine vision solutions that ensure 100 per cent of the quality of the product supplied. "On the other hand, a reduction every day more necessary the cost of non quality (loss of production due to flaws in the process, return of lots, etc.), manufacturer of caps is more forced to introduce this type of verification systems in its process after the injection."

Another of the interviewed companies, Equiper points as peripherals most requested by the sector of injection of pellet feeders, dispensers of all kinds, mills and elements of transport solutions at estocaje.

A peripheral is required maximum automation and flexibility and low cost

Currently, it is usual that the peripheral is sold separately, although there are certain peripheral equipment usually supplied with the machine, such as the flow regulator. It always depends on concrete circumstances, necessity or cost. The market for the supply of these teams is very specialized and (although not speak of a movie action) the client is usually go to the "specialists".

From Wittmann, for example, States that occasionally sold some robots with the fuel transfer, although the majority of users prefer to select the technology that best fits your needs. And this is done through an expert which allows you to choose to a wider range of models and solutions.

However, in recent years we have seen how some - not many - manufacturers of machines for transformation, due to the strong competition among them, are including peripheral equipment as an argument; It can sometimes be enterprise, other, desire of the client policy... is a trend which, however, not is spreading it. "There are many users who prefer to deal with the purchase of peripherals more freely and directly, for trust in companies more involved in this, or simply to maintain a line of equipment similar to the start at time of its activity", highlights Equiper.

The evolution of the teams is very varied, and dependent on its role in the process

The sector of injection, as the vast majority of industrial sectors in these times, is seeing very affected by the economic situation in general. The consequence of this economic uncertainty is a decrease in investments in companies, something which fundamentally affects the sale of machines and peripheral equipment. However, times of crisis may be to some extent "beneficial for the sector of peripherals", they say optimistic of Centrotécnica, "as the search for cost reduction leads to the implementation of solutions as the maximum recycling of materials", with the subsequent sale of crushers and dosing systems; "application of automatism, tapes, robots and manipulators to reduce staff, or the application of modern refrigeration systems to closed-circuit and low consumption, to eliminate cooling systems with loss of water and need for chemical treatments with regular monitoring by official body."

Reset, crisis, new actors involved? The situation of the sector is somewhat ambiguous, on the one hand it is stated that if they value the year 2004 as a whole peripherals consumption increased, on the other it is said that mold manufacturers (above all), machines and peripherals are detecting a great competition from Asian and South American countries (Brazil and Argentina)that offer ever-increasing quality at lowest price; and finally stresses that you there is a positive adjustment of the sector.

Alboex sums up the situation in the following way: "Although it is true that there is a sense of uncertainty about the market situation, the reality, i.e. sales, contradict this feeling, because the figures speak for themselves." We do not believe to be in a situation of some weakness, but that we believe there is a readjustment of the industrial sector of transformation of the plastic. "We have said that if they value the year as a whole peripheral consumption has increased."

The future of peripherals is so large or larger than the own machines for plastics processing. The needs of the market will depend on how is the overall economic situation and the future of industrial growth, somewhat "erratic" prospects at the moment.

Some of those interviewed expressed moderate optimism "is unclear - say - that in Europe to continue to maintain competitiveness, it will be necessary to evolve further in all processes and there will always need a peripheral is of one kind or another"", to help the profitability of the whole." Others, on the contrary, are pessimistic, and talk about the future as a "very difficult", given that "the globalization of which all speak may demonstrate a lack of competitiveness in our companies to only the most flexible or with more financial means they can be overcome."

In any case, market not waiting and leading manufacturers of peripherals, if they want to stay in the forefront, should, as they have done so far, maintain technical developments, and make dynamic, continuous and flexible to be able to continue to adapt to future innovations in machinery, plastic materials, processes, management, etc.

The progress in this area shall be then, by the increase in benefits, the flexibility to accommodate differing needs of production, by the reduction of energy consumption, and of course, marked, for the cost of the investment in the purchase of this equipment.

Times of crisis may be somewhat beneficial for the sector of peripherals

The atemperador of moulds TT-157 E is a small device of large capacity that allows to work with temperatures of 90 degrees and weights of up to 600 kg cast water as well as with temperatures of up to 150 ° C oil and weight of the mould up to 300 kg.

The main features of the atemperador of moulds of Tool-Temp include automatic emptying of the mold, the system antifugas which allows the device to work with pressure or suction (water comes out of a defective cast, but that we can continue working without interruption), control microprocessor with self regulation and digital display of set and actual values, automatic filling of water (not to work with oil) or the heat exchanger free inlays.

It is an apparatus of long-lasting and resistant to corrosion (all elements in contact with water are of stainless steel or bronze), heating phases (switchable from 3 kW to work with oil to 9 kW to work with water) and safety devices: automatic level control avoiding the operation in vacuum; separate mechanical safety thermostat; thermal limiter mounted in the regulatory and switch protector of motor, transformer for control, thermal insulation. It also has a horn alarm to signal any disturbance and wheels.

The dehumidification of materials represents one of the critical factors during the processing of plastic materials. Moretto, represented by Equiper, responds to this problem with five product ranges and 35 models of ideal dehumidifiers for any requirement, from the usual to the most advanced. Here are some of the features of some dehumidifiers of its range.

The 100 series is a family of very compact machines used to treat small productions. Dehumidification circuit is monotorre with regeneration in upstream, while the temperature control takes place thanks to a microprocessor that uses the PID system and the heating is controlled by "solid state relays". A synoptic panel with led greatly facilitates the user interface.

For its part, the range Sincro 200 is a serious art. THE circuit of dehumidification doble-torre with regeneration in counterflow, along with a microprocessor Synchro, ensures a perfect synchronism between performance and manning of the machine that runs to - 55 ° C in Dew Point. The Modbus port is series ensures the control of the process. THE 200 Master complete flexibility in your thanks to the auto-configuration of system, which includes a list of materials, "superuser password" and programmable maintenance.

Sincro 400 is a series of double pump machine. As the series 200, control is assured by a powerful microprocessor Synchro, in addition to the bomb used during the process, there is a bomb dedicated exclusively to the regeneration. Circuits, then, are independent and make production steady, especially in medium machines.

The Synchro 600 series is designed for the toughest applications. Dehumidification circuit is of the type double Tower and double pump with the implementation of the dual-circuit system. As in the 400 series, the circuits of process and regeneration are separated. In addition, this series has a circuit that full regeneration or closed circuit with a "cooler" that it cools the tower which is regenerating. This mechanism allows to raise yields the Synchro 600 series to - 75 ° C, Dew point. For more complicated applications, such as PET, this series uses an external heat Chamber.

The 700 series is the leaf of the whole range, as it has all the features and benefits of the Synchro 600 series but with a very advanced user interface and a very intuitive screen touch panel. In the screen seen in real time the State of operation of the machine, whereas all the parameters are available in graphic form. In addition, Weekly Scheduler is in series.

Proyecma sells a wide range of solutions to the problems of the industrial segment of the plug. Since its inception, it focuses its activity on the provision of systems of high production and average cadence for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, plastics and packaging industries. Also has a wide range of products and systems of supply and distribution of plugs, cinematic in continuous systems, transportation and cooling of parts and projects and special installations. Visilab Caps and Visicaps Compact are two products marketed.

Automatic measuring system of plugs Visilab Caps of Proditec which provides real-time data of very high accuracy to increase the effectiveness of the process (injection or compression): diameter, height, arrow, weight of the plug. allows instant qualification of the mould and process up to 90 blocks per quarter of an hour (30/25, 28 mm or similar).

On the other hand, Visicaps Compact is a classification system of blocks of high speed that allows control and select the 100 per cent of its production, online or offline, expelling the defective caps automatically. Allows 15 simultaneous control operations (dimensional inspection, defects of appearance, micropore, formal defects). It is easy to use and integrate into their existing facilities. It has a rate of up to 120,000 caps verification per hour (28 mm) up to 50 mm in diameter, maximum flexibility in the handling of various types of plugs and is fully customizable and scalable to the client's needs.

Eurotecno Manufactures a wide range of models of mills with motors from 1.1 kW until 250 kW. The mills of Eurotecno are elaborated in chapones of steel mechanised joined between yes by hardware of high resistance, without weldings and removable in pieces, what facilitates his spare.

The bancada of the mill has of a fixed blade in each side, bent with regard to the horizontal plane of the rotor, that to the incidir with the blades of the rotor produces a true cut type tijera, avoiding the tear that they produce the classical mills.

The blades are a sharp prism without any type of taladro, realised in steel indeformable to the chromium, tempered and revenido. Fine by means of coin to pressesure , what allows an easy reglaje and replacement.

To the not having taladros of fixation, do not produce breaks by concentration of tensions of temper, abarata the cost of the blades and increases his length.

The special conception and design of this system of cut, allows to save until 30% of the power consumed in the molienda.

The rotor, closed or open, is built in steel aleado to the chromium-nickel, and sustains on isolated threads and the system of refrigeration by water of the rotor, threads and lateral blades. It has a modifiable hopper according to the needs of the customer and the work to effect; the sieve is easily interchangeable; the minimum diameter of the taladros is of 5 mm and has of an integral soundproofing, partial or by means of cabin.

Between the models of mills of Eurotecno stand out: MGV-80502 and MGV- 120653, conceived for tritura pieces of big volume of plastic materials in general and ene special boxes, bottles drums, etc. are of polietileno, polipropileno, ABS, PVC or PET; MEV-26151, to grind the colada that expel the inyectoras and, MEC-26151 and MEC-30201, to grind the colada hot, that refuses the extruder at the beginning of the cycle.