- Sophisticated IR (Infra-Red) scanner in the lay-flat
- Several new auto-profile functionalities
- Turck pre-made cables provide plug-and-play connection
The company Addex is well known for its gauge control systems for blown-film, including its air ring-based external gauge control (EGC) system, IBC-based (IGC) system and Digital Internal Bubble Cooling (DIBC) system which provides one of the fastest reaction time in the industry to ensure precise bubble control. Now the company announced a wide range of upgrades.
Sophisticated IR (Infra-Red) scanner in the lay-flat
The company has completed a major overhaul of its auto-profile hardware and software, utilizing the latest electronic miniaturization and distributed controls. It also increased the number of thickness measuring devices from the cost-saving ALF (all Lay-Flat) capacitive sensor mounted in the collapsing frame to the highly sophisticated IR (Infra-Red) scanner in the lay-flat with its barrier material discerning capability.
Several new auto-profile functionalities
Among the new auto-profile functionalities are a Smart-Fusion distributed control with Ethernet point-to-point connectivity and AC power which provides the interconnection between major modules. An identical electronic Smart-Fusion control “blueboard” (with different programming) distributes locally to each main function of the gauge control system.
A new user interface panel replaces the existing systems’ main control panel, and is based on a Windows 7 Pro-based touchscreen PC. It has a separate Ethernet channel for plant data mining and centralized connection to other modules. An Auto-Profile Converter Module (ACM) replaces the existing automatic air ring junction box and provides local control over the air ring/pancakes including the control algorithm itself.
Turck pre-made cables provide plug-and-play connection
Other key upgrades include a Live Ring (LR) module which replaces the present Live Ring junction box and all electronics. Turck pre-made cables provide plug-and-play connection to the LR module. In addition, the Shuttle Module (SH) replaces the current Shuttle junction box and all electronics except the thickness measuring sensor. Again, Turck pre-made cables provide plug-and-play connection.
Another key upgrade is the Mapper Module (MAP) + 485 Convertor Modules which replace the existing 485 hand-wired modules. The MAP module is located near the reversing nip unit and provides a fully mapped thickness profile based on input from the Live Ring and Shuttle Modules as well as being directly connected to the reversing nip position and the nip roll speed.
At the recent #NPE2015 show, the company exhibited three Auto-Profile systems: one with the ALF (All Lay-Flat) capacitive sensor module, another with the Kundig non-contact capacitive sensor, and the third with an Addex Live Ring and all of the above mentioned upgrades.
