SMED QUICK-CHANGE EXTRUSION DESIGNS These design options for American Kuhne extruders minimize changeover time, focusing on screw changes, material changes and tooling changes. At NPE the company is retrofitting its various new SMED Quick-Change technologies onto its general-purpose, energy-efficient E3 extruder.
WHAT'S NEW? A quick-mount pusher design for rapid screw change, a new rotary hopper design for fast material change and a dual-hinge design for instant tooling changes. The quick-mount pusher's clamp-style design eliminates multiple steps involved in installing, positioning and tightening screws. The rotary hopper rotates, or spins, to the dump/open position to release material vs. using a standard dump chute. In the dual hinge design, one of two extrusion heads swings aside via a hinged arm while another head swings into place, ready for production.
BENEFITS More efficient operations with much less lag time due to quick changeovers, using SMED (single minute exchange of die) standards that originated with the auto industry. With the rotating hopper design, the feed throat is exposed for easy access and thorough cleaning. In the dual-hinge extrusion head design, both heads have their own heat zones and controls so the head not in use can be cleaned and preheated off-line, making it production-ready while the other is being used.
American Kuhne Inc., Ashaway, R.I., 401-326-6200, www.americankuhne.com
