COMPUTERIZED SYSTEMS FOR FILM THICKNESS CONTROL AND PRODUCT QUALITY CERTIFICATION

COMPUTERIZED SYSTEMS FOR FILM THICKNESS CONTROL AND PRODUCT QUALITY CERTIFICATION

EASY CONTROL Plus... easy quality Our blown and cast film lines are now more productive and flexible than ever; however even the very best in extrusion technology alone is not always enough and should be complemented with a line supervision and quality control system to ensure traceability and reproducibility. Macchi has developed a specific system called EASY CONTROL Plus; as the name implies, the system ensures complete control of production in a user-friendly, intuitive and practical way, allowing all workers at the factory to obtain information on the state of the system and the quality of the product. The EASY CONTROL Plus system features a modular, expandable structure comprising two types of module: - S modules for controlling film thickness uniformity - Q modules for controlling and recording system operating and quality parameters Fitted with all the S and Q modules, the EASY CONTROL Plus system is the most complete and advanced product currently on the market and comes in two versions: - version with Rack and printer (standard on coex, option on mono) - wireless version with mobile console (optional) S modules for controlling the film thickness consist of a control console with touch screen interface: S1 (S2) automatic die: it regulates the melt temperature at outfeed with thermal variation of the die s surface S3 profile detector turning around the bubble: the sensor is normally in contact with the bubble, but there is also a contactless version as option S4 support frame that turns 360 around the bubble for the profile detector which is positioned after the first bubble guide S3 S4 RACK (standard on coex, optional on mono) WIRELESS TERMINAL (optional) (S2) S1

Wireless version Version with Rack Polar and linear profile Previous profiles and trend

EASY CONTROL Plus... easy quality The architecture of the control system is based on the principle of centralized electronics. This means that on the control boards there are only specific required instruments such as main switches and safety alerts. Each board contains PLC centralized logics to control all the machine functions. This decision was based on over a decade of experience. The benefit over a distributed electronics principle is the ease of remote assistance via modem or via internet. These logics, combined with a simple graphical interface, enable manual operation without the need for specialized staff, so can be used even during night shifts or at week-ends. We abide by the principle that a system should never have to be at standstill due to a control problem! EASY CONTROL Plus means also this. Q modules for controlling and recording system operating and quality parameters: Q1 serial communication (for mono) and profibus (for coex) of extrusion temperature control, screw speed, gravimetric, etc. Q2 positioning of bubble guide according to bubble diameter and frost-line height Q3 automatic film gusseting control Q4 communication with the winder PLC Q5 infra-red scanning bar for automatic regulation of film width Q6 serial communication with downstream webguide system for width control Q7 detection of power consumption and data processing Q8 serial communication with ultrasound IBC system Q9 weighing of reels by load cells mounted on the winder Q10 printers for labels with barcode and relevant software Q11 system printer Q12 remote assistance via modem or internet Q13 network communication with remote PLC (excluded) Q14 backup for historical processing data INTERNET Q13 Q14 Q3 Q1 Q8 Q2 Q7 R T Q5 Kw P T S

Emergency operation panel Start - up Q6 Line running status Q10 Q9 Kg Q4 N Kg Q9 Q10 Q11 Q12 N Kw= power consuption P= melt pressure T= air cooling temperature/melt temperature S= profile control Kg= reels weighing R = oscillating take off position N= film tension (Newton) ON LINE SERVICE

EASY CONTROL Plus... easy quality Macchi s most recent developments include two new functions to make the line even more automated. The Q3 module enables management and automatic regulation of the gusseting system, minimizing the need for operator interaction in the film production. The Q5 module uses an infra-red scanning bar to enable automatic regulation of film width through the management of the IBC system and by regulating the automatic positioning of the bubble guide by means of the modules Q2 and Q8. This vastly facilitates changeover and reduces waste. Film gusseting Q2 positioning of bubble guide according to bubble diameter and frost-line height Q3 automatic film gusseting control Q5 infra-red scanning bar for automatic regulation of film width Q8 serial communication with ultrasound IBC system R Q5 Q3 Q8 Q2

The interface should not only ensure quality control but also be user-friendly and provide a guide for system use: hence the 19-inch touch screen. There is an easily accessible main menu that lists the other main pages and their respective sub-pages for configuring the data and recipes. On each page the green button indicates a value that can be configured; the grey button indicates a value read by the instrument. The centralized electronics combined with an user-friendly interface enable quick changing of the blends and materials, minimizing the time required for changeover. Moreover, the interface which is the same from the single-layer to the 7-9 layer coextrusion systems ensures easy management of different systems by the same operators. A diagnosis system signals any system alarms and provides information on how to resolve the problems encountered. In the event of a serious fault, you can contact Macchi remote assistance service via modem or internet. The system is already available in 20 different languages; simply open the language choice menu and select the one required. All the pages will appear in the selected language. Thermoregulation Language choice Dosing system

EASY CONTROL Plus... easy quality The traceability and reproducibility of a production cycle are at the basis of a quality certification (ISO or EN). The EASY CONTROL Plus system allows each reel to be provided with a product certificate. Whenever a reel on the extrusion line is changed and a new one is produced, a label bearing a unique barcode and a progressive number is printed (when foreseen by the Q modules) to permanently identify the created reels. This means all production data can be recovered at any time. To trace a document with a reel s production data, simply: scan the barcode with a specific scanner connected to the system computer or on line. enter the reel s alphanumeric code. Data will then appear providing the product s certification which include: - date and time of manufacture - operator - film widths - configured thickness - material formulation - extrusion data such as temperature/ pressure/screw speed/percentage per layer - winding data such as film tension/ metres wound/reel weight - film thickness from start to end of the reel - historical graphs on extruder capacity, melt pressure and melt temperatures during manufacture of the reel - any alarms at the time and other data and specifications. The content of this catalogue is for informative purposes only. All data concerning technical specifications and production rates granted depend exclusively on contractual agreements. Rev.003-02/09 www.bonobodesign.it Macchi S.p.A. - 21040 Venegono Inferiore (VA) Italy - via Papa Paolo VI, 5 - Tel. +39 0331 827.717 - Fax. +39 0331 827.750 Service Hotline +39 0331 866.427 - email: macchi@macchi.it - www.macchi.it