New calibration basket for blown film lines

The mechanical engineering company Hosokawa Alpine presents a new development for its blown film lines: a new, modular calibration basket for stabilising and calibrating the film bubble above the frost zone.

The calibration basket plays a central role in the production process: directly after exiting the die, it stabilises the blown film bubble and precisely defines its circumference. In this way, it reliably guides the film bubble and makes a decisive contribution to the quality of the film. The premium calibration basket from Hosokawa Alpine has roller arms with ball-bearing rollers in a V arrangement and centre-guided roller positioning. It works with a solid, high-precision scissor principle for optimum film quality. It also has retaining elements for attaching the ultrasonic sensors for bubble control. "Our calibration basket is perfectly matched to the other components of Alpine blown film lines and fully integrated into our overall system. For example, the diameter adjustment and height adjustment can be controlled via our ExVis system control unit," says Bernd Bayer, Director R&D Blown Film Extrusion at Hosokawa Alpine. Customers thus receive everything from a single source. This also facilitates service and maintenance, as suitable spare parts are always readily available.

The calibration basket from Hosokawa Alpine has a modular design and can be optionally equipped with additional features. An additional monomer separator is available for monomer extraction, which collects the extracted monomers separately. This prevents contamination of the bubble. Another option is a post-cooling unit to increase the output. It reduces blocking of the collapsed film bubble and is particularly suitable for faster cooling of the film bubble with limited roof heights. The basket can also be fitted with an infrared sensor to monitor the film temperature. 

The calibration basket from Hosokawa Alpine is available in four different sizes, covering the entire spectrum of layflat widths.

The new calibration basket marks the start of Hosokawa Alpine's own modular basket series. More baskets will follow. "This gives our customers a blown film line with a completely modular design - flexible for a wide range of products, expandable and future-proof," concludes Bayer.