THIS WEEK IN PRODUCTION TECH: Drill Heads, Gauge Profilers and More

New products from ANVER, Nexen Group, Nordson and Sumitomo Electric Carbide.

Ergonomic Vacuum Tube Lifting System from ANVER

ANVER Corporation has recently announced the new VT160 Vacuum Tube Lifting System with upgraded comfort-grip control handle is now available.

The improved control handle adds a comfortable, ergonomic grip for the operator and it features an integrated control lever that allows a single operator to lift and lower loads in one smooth motion. This versatile material handling approach is ideal for customers who need to load and unload heavy bags and sacks from pallets, conveyors belts and skids.

The modular configuration of the VT160 Vacuum Tube Lifting System offers flexibility with instant attach and release suction – initiated right from the control handle – suitable for a wide variety of applications that are repetitive in nature.

An optional vacuum pad attachment for this system is the BH90-P-C5 that is constructed with foam rubber sealing rings and is suitable to lift loads up to 175 lbs @ 18 in. Hg. For added safety, a Power Loss Safety Check Valve is built into the 360-degree top swivel to help slowly lower a load if power supply to the vacuum pump is interrupted. A heavy-duty pump, wire-reinforced tube, and vacuum gauge

The ANVER VT160 Tube Lifting System is designed and manufactured in the U.S.A. and is compatible with a variety of vacuum pump sizes and vacuum pad attachment types. ANVER also offers numerous accessories in addition to tube assemblies, which come in standard and customized lengths.

For more information, visit www.anver.com.

Flange Mounted Clutch-Brake Enclosed from Nexen Group

Nexen Group has recently introduced the Flange Mounted Clutch-Brake Enclosed (FMCBE), offering food-production machine builders a clutch-brake with built-in hygiene features to prevent contamination.

The FMCBE is BISSC-approved (Baking Industry Sanitation Standards Committee) and ideal for any environment where cleanliness is a primary concern. Compared to electrically actuated clutch-brakes, Nexen’s air engaged clutch-brakes lasts two to six times longer, use a third less power, has 30 percent less reaction time, 40 percent more torque and 30 percent more thermal horsepower.

The FMCBE BISSC-approved clutch-brake is typically paired with BISSC-approved motors and gear reducers. A single double-acting piston prevents simultaneous clutch and brake engagement. The FMCBE features a smooth, nickel-plated finish to resist corrosion. Stainless steel, hex-head bolts with no exposed threads or sockets protect against bacteria build-up. All machined mating surfaces are sealed with O-rings to prevent ingress of fluids. The FMCBE has no indentations, allowing easy cleaning and eliminating areas of possible build-up and contamination.

Typical applications for the FMCBE include: pharmaceutical, packaging, food handling/processing, bakery machinery, beverage equipment, meat/dairy processing, measuring and dispensing or any operation where moisture, dirt or corrosion is a problem.

For more information, visit www.nexengroup.com.

Autoflex Gauge Profiler from Nordson

A redesign of Nordson Corporation’s EDI Autoflex VI flat extrusion die has increased the “stroke” of the lip adjusting system by 43 percent without adding to response time, enabling it to correct a wider range of process variations, often without need for manual intervention.

The design of the new Autoflex VI-E lip adjusting system is also smaller and more streamlined, simplifying disassembly and substantially reducing the time for maintenance.

While all flat dies with gauge profiling systems have a flexible lip made up of individual adjuster blocks arrayed along the product width, the adjusters in the Autoflex VI die include thermally actuated copper alloy translators that are linked to a computer-controlled downstream gauge monitor. The movement, or stroke, of these translators provides gauge control by causing the die gap to increase or decrease. By providing a much larger stroke without an increase in response time, the new Autoflex VI-E system has a greater capacity to correct for changes in throughput, line speed, target thickness and other process parameters while remaining in automatic mode.

To reduce downtime, Nordson has redesigned the Autoflex VI gauge adjustment system to make replacement of wear components in the adjuster blocks faster and easier. In the new-generation Autoflex VI-E system, disassembly has been reduced from 19 steps to six and each lip adjustment component can now be accessed individually.

It takes about 10 minutes to replace a lip adjustment component, compared to an hour with the standard design. In addition, the Autoflex VI-E system is smaller and lighter than the standard system. A unit for an 82-in. (2085 mm) die, for example, weighs nearly 20 percent less.

The new Autoflex VI-E unit is retrofittable on existing dies. It is available with either convective or forced-air cooling. Like the earlier Autoflex VI system, the Autoflex VI-E system is also available in a modular version that can be removed from the die as a complete unit.

The combination of the Autoflex VI-E system and a computerized gauge monitor typically yields closed-loop control that reduces gauge variation to about half of the minimum achievable with manual systems.

In addition to mechanical adjustments with screws, the lip adjustment components in all Autoflex VI-E systems are actuated by cartridge heaters. When a thicker-than-target area is detected in the film or coating, power to the cartridge heaters at the corresponding points in the flexible lip is automatically increased; this causes the adjuster blocks to thermally expand, which tightens the lip gap in the area. 

Conversely, thinner-than-target areas are addressed by a reduction in power.

Key aspects of the redesign to streamline the Autoflex VI-E system and make it more compact include:

  • Making all lip-adjustment components accessible from the top or rear of the Autoflex unit, eliminating need for disassembly near the lips of the die
  • Eliminating exposed electrical leads by routing the wires from each adjuster segment directly to a junction box
  • Eliminating multiple components that previously needed to be removed for disassembly

For more information, visit www.nordson.com.

12xd Replaceable Drill Heads from Sumitomo Electric Carbide

Sumitomo Electric Carbide, Inc. has expanded their SMD Replaceable Head Drill line to include 12XD drills. SMD Replaceable Head Drills allow for deep hole making at a lower cost – SMD users buy just one drill body to fit up to five head sizes.

Featuring an original radial serration coupling design, SMD drill heads, or tips, are designed for high precision stable drilling. A polished flute ensures good chip evacuation.

The SMD nickel-plated body provides longer tool life than conventional replaceable tip drill bodies. A tough carbide substrate with patented DEX coating offers greater wear-resistance at the cutting edge. A rigid serration coupling system affixes the replaceable carbide tips to the drill face, improving drill accuracy and repeatability.

The SMDT-MTL drill tip excels in steel applications, while the SMDT-C has a chamfered edge to eliminate break out in cast iron applications. The SMDT-MEL machines super alloys, stainless steels and cast iron proficiently.

Along with the new 12XD, Sumitomo’s SMD line includes 3XD, 5XD and 8XD replaceable carbide tip drills.

For more information, visit IMTS Booth #W-2422 or www.sumicarbide.com.