KM Berstorff
At K 2013, extrusion brand KraussMaffei Berstorff will present its QuickSwitch system for fast dimension changes, which has now been extended to the 250–450mm diameter range. The system was designed to offer an economical consumption of both energy and material during the dimension change.
Each PO pipe extrusion system (for the 110– 2500mm diameter range), as well as the QuickSwitch systems, can be equipped with IPC (internal pipe cooling) technology. This means that in addition to external cooling, the pipe is also cooled from the inside using ambient air, which is suctioned with help of a side channel compressor, contrary to the extrusion direction. As well as reducing space and investment costs, this may also lead to a more sustainable production, as the cooling water consumption is reduced and ambient air is used.
The trend towards more complex plastic pipes with various functional layers has continued to develop, claims the group. Individual layers meet technical requirements for the functionality of a pipe. Thus, for instance, barrier layers reduce diffusion, fibre-reinforced pipes increase internal crush resistance and pipes filled with glass fibre reduce linear expansion. KraussMaffei Berstorff says it offers suitable systems for every application area using specifically designed multilayer pipe heads. "In addition to that, the well-considered process technology concept of this kind of complex system also plays a critical role. It ensures, for instance, that the layer thicknesses of the barrier layers can be minimised and thus the pipe manufacturer saves on costs. In addition, the market demands for flexible solutions are also met," said Peter Roos, President of the Extrusion Technology segment and the KraussMaffei Berstorff brand.
