www.convertingtoday.co.uk CONVERTING TODAY AUGUST 2006
PROGRESSPartners in
COVER STORY psg
London based PSG Group, whose newcleanroom facility was featured in ourNovember, 2004, issue, has continued toimprove its operational efficiency by installing anadvanced Kongskilde waste removal systemserving all of its converting machines. Inaddition to the tangible benefits this hasachieved, the installation is representative of theclose level of collaboration that exists betweenPSG and its suppliers. This is typified both by thework with Kongskilde UK - and by theconverting company's long standing partnershipwith slitting machinery supplier TS ConvertingEquipment.
The new bespoke waste handling system wascommissioned last month. It removes continuousedge trim from the various machines in thefactory (including the Deacro slitter in thecleanroom), chops it into small pieces forcompaction, and conveys these through airducts to a central collection point.
Kongskilde UK sales manager John Kightleyreflects: “Considering the layout, the number ofdifferent machines involved, and the types ofmaterial thicknesses, it is one of the mostdiverse systems we have installed. We have usedseveral different items of equipment from ourrange within the installation.”
The initial waste removal system supplied forthe cleanroom slitter two years ago wasdesigned by Kongskilde to extract two-edge trimup to a maximum width of 40mm, 250 micronthick, at a rate of 500m/min. It comprised two60mm diameter flexible pick-ups feedingthrough an in-line twin blade Multicutterrunning at 2,800rev/min. A Multiair 215TR quietpressure fan provided the air for an ITF100Venturi to create the suction required to conveythe chopped material into a roll-top containerpositioned under an air separator some 30maway.
Now there are edge trim removal systems forall four of PSG's slitting machines, with provisionto connect to a second Deacro slitter plannedfor eventual installation in the cleanroom.
“We considered the various materialparameters and line speeds for each of themachines and designed a specific edge trim
removal system for each one,” reveals JohnKightley. This was achieved using a computerprogramme designed by Kongskilde thatcalculates the required air speed and backpressure of each system, and confirms the mosteconomic and power efficient method for eachone.
Three different methods of extraction are
used to convey the chopped edge trim wastefrom the various slitter positions within thefactory to a collection area outside. The twoKU4000 air separators have been positionedwithin the roof structure of a small extension tothe building which is close to the road, enablingeasy access for collection of the wastecontainers.
A 'through fan' system was selected toconvey the material from the existing andproposed Deacro slitters in the cleanroombecause of the long conveying distancerequired. It also generates the largest volume ofwaste material, due to the fast operatingspeeds. A Multiair 1075S with an RVS rotaryseparator operates in conjunction with singlecutters on two of the machines handling thelighter gauge materials to convey the waste.
Kongskilde was able to use the initial Multiairit had supplied for the first system at PSG inconjunction with an FVO Venturi and air returnto extract the waste from the slitter dealing withthe heavier gauge materials. Here it wasconsidered prudent to use a cutter for each ofthe trims in this application to ensure longerblade life.
Particular attention was paid to operationalnoise levels for the three systems. In-linesilencers are positioned either side of thecutters, and at various points in the system to
Below: trim pipe on DeacroC24 in cleanroom. Right:
tailormade trim pipes leadto chopper motors on old
Harnden slitters. Opposite,top: Multicutter in-line on
C24. Below: Multiairs, rotaryseparator, Venturi system
and air return. Far right: Airseparators above waste
trimstorage
Converter PSG and suppliers Kongskilde andTS Converting Equipment co-operate closely
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