PCX EXTRUDER RANGE
The IPCO extruder design team evolved from their experience with the early developments of powder coating clamshell extruders and with their journey from regional to global success in supplying and servicing major brands as well as navigating pitfalls in established designs, they were able to develop to the latest version of their PCX range. The decades long journey has led to what IPCO has demonstrated to be premium extruders in a class of their own.
Key PCX Features:
Optimised Feeding
- The pre-blended raw material recipes that could include, or only consist of, recycled fines are evenly top fed (typically with volumetric feeder, and/or potentially with IPCO’s new gravimetric feeding solution, that can lead to system automation) into the extruder feeding elements through a specialised trapezoid extruder port evenly for accurate processing (conveying, melting, dispersion, and distribution) into the desired homogeneous mix.
- The mix is unhinderedly discharged into the waiting cooling system, no forced material directional changes. Side feeding options have been catered for and can be seamlessly integrated. Purge feeding is an available option for discussion.
Clamshell design
- Allowing for optimised outcomes the clamshell barrel design makes the unit operator and maintenance friendly. One can open, clean, replace screw shafts in a matter of minutes.
- “Clamshell” designs have become the standard with progressive extruder manufacturers for powder paint process equipment. Further to producing clamshell designs IPCO focused on operator experience design logic. An example of the unique user friendly features is the shell tie down bolts.
- The spring fixed, self-aligning, easy to replace, bolts are positioned on either side of the liners ensuring effortless and continuous liner sealing. The liners themselves are another example of user focused design, as they are interchangeable being 4 L/D long.
“Long Barrel”
- PCX 29 L/D unhindered “long” barrel allows for enough residence time (even cruising at 1200RPM) for even the most challenging materials to reach the required specific energy for homogenisation in a single pass.
- PCX 25 L/D unhindered barrel is shorter yet maintains all the same design features and like alternatives in the market (reaching 900RPM). “Delaying” screw elements could be used to process some challenging materials, attempting to simulate the extended residency time longer barrels (29L/D) offer, however IPCO prefers to avoid this due to the risk of over cooking the material (creating bits and blockages) by offering the longer barrel or compromising on the throughputs. Fortunately, the length isn’t further compromised by directional changes like some alternatives in the market where the process length is interrupted by a bottom barrel discharge.
Intensive Cooling
- The PCX comes into its own with it’s large bore cooling channels that ring fence or surround the liners with the hot extruding material, keeping it from over heating and crystallising. This ringfenced cooling is what makes the “long” barrel concept (29L/D) work, essentially mitigating the need for multiple passes of material.
- For the more standard barrel length (25L/D) the cooling means less maintenance and greater productivity in comparison to its closest market alternative.
- Even with the ringfence liner cooling process material temperatures can be hard to control. High volume long runs of some sensitive materials particularly when cruising at speeds like 1200RPM can spike, hence IPCO developed its low maintenance game changing shaft cooling technology. Resulting in the client getting uncompromised material quality and an easy to clean system. No matter the material temperature sensitivity, gumminess and/or its quick-setting behaviour IPCO offers clients the best opportunity for quality in one pass.
- Another notable differentiator against alternatives is that all liner zones offer both heating and cooling abilities.
Translating Power into Torque into Volumes
- All PCX units are supplied with uniquely setup reliable water-cooled AC motors (an example being Siemens for the higher throughput units).
- They transfer their torque through industry leading twinscrew co-rotating gearboxes that are able to deliver class leading torque through the precisely spaced shafts.
- The shafts have unique splines with high tensile strength enabling them to maintain the intense torque 24/7 to IPCO’s own seamlessly connected mega-volume (1.8 Do/Di) high wear screw elements.
- The screws are configured with the client to meet their production requirements. We can assist in meeting any finish needs while at least matching any throughputs in the market today (we are confident we will exceed them).
