| Gravimetric Batch Blenders Target Difficult-Flow Powders | |
| March 1999 issue of Modern Plastics By Tom Rajkovich, President, Comet Plastic Equipment. |
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Reprinted with permission from Modern Plastics Magazine. ©1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Complete article is available on Modern Plastic's Web Site. |
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Processor interest in gravimetric feeders and blenders remains high, and the hottest segment of this auxiliary equipment market during the last 18 months has been batch blenders. As for technical advancements, many equipment suppliers have focused on improved dispensing of difficult-flow powder additives.
Demand for gravimetric equipment is driven by additive and resin cost control, as well as the need for greater manufacturing consistency (Jun 98 MP, 115; MPI, 81). Self calibrating gravimetric feeders and blenders give ever cost-conscious processors a means to accurately track and document material consumption. |
| In recent years, Processors have spurred equipment suppliers to broaden their product lines to include less expensive, smaller gravimetric batch blenders, in addition to the more expensive, sophisticated continuous blenders. Batch blenders dispense materials into a single "gain-in-weight" weigh hopper. The materials then are released into a mixing chamber. By comparison, the continuous blenders operate in a loss-in-weight mode, with continuous blending...
Difficult-flow powders a focus for |
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| like titanium dioxide, that carry a deserved reputation as being difficult-flow materials. Machine builders say this area has garnered attention due to customer feedback, primarily among specialty compounders and extrusion processors doing in-line compounding... | |
 Comet's Exact-A-Batch gravimetric weigh blender features a disposing system designed for non-free-flowing powder additives, such as flame retardants, UV stabilizers, and pigments. |
The Exact-A-Batch gravimetric blender from Comet Plastic Equipment, has been redesigned with a novel dispensing system for non-free-flow powder additives. In addition, Comet has incorporated pinch valves for pellet dispensing, designed to eliminate the jamming problems associated with slide gates. The upgraded unit (EAB-2105-MP), base priced at $10,500, is designed to handle two powder and two free-flow materials, and can provide batch mixing in a range of 2 to 18 kg/h. Much like the computer controls for most current-generation batch blenders listed here, the Comet unit can store up to 100 material recipes.
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