Nordson Corporation has built a dedicated production line for BKG die plates used in underwater pelletising, enabling the company to deliver a new electrically heated die plate in only three weeks after order placement.
Nordson
Nordson die plate line reduces lead times
While most common die plates are on stock and can be delivered within a couple of days, building a new plate requires a range of engineering and manufacturing steps. By creating a database of standard designs, Nordson has eliminated upstream engineering processes that had contributed to longer lead times. To reduce manufacturing time, Nordson has dedicated a complete production line to die plates. The line is part of an extensive new facility for BKG pelletising and melt delivery products completed in Münster, Germany, last year.
While the dedicated line produces only two-piece, electrically heated die plates in the BKG A, AH, Compact, and AHD190 families, these standard designs constitute the largest share of Nordson’s die plate output. At the same time, the company continues to produce die plates based on custom designs, as well as oil-heated die plates.
Andreas Trouvain, Sales Director EMEA for Nordson’s BKG product line, said: “The dedicated production line for die plates enables Nordson to meet the needs of customers much more quickly, helping then to reduce downtime and maintain product quality. We continue to expand the range of designs that can be produced in this line, and we are looking for more ways to shorten the processes upstream and downstream.”
The BKG A, AH, Compact, and AHD190 families of die plates are available with the most common nozzle bore diameters. Optional features include several different carbide inlays, thermal insulation layers, pressure reduction, staggered rows of nozzle bores, and both standard and short land lengths.
