K 2013: Addex unveils industry-leading capabilities

Addex Inc., a leading global supplier of blown film equipment and components, launched several new unique capabilities for its automatic gauge control (AGC) systems for blown film extrusion lines. These new software-related functionalities deliver greater flexibility for processors, enabling easy retrofits of existing or new systems in order to provide reduced thickness variation, increased yields, and raw material savings, according to Mr. Rick von Kraus, President.

At its booth, Mr. von Kraus explained that in the last two years, Addex has embarked on a complete overhaul of its automatic gauge control hardware and software, taking advantage of the latest electronic miniaturization and distributed controls. “Addex has added features that customers could only dream about until now,” said Mr. von Kraus. “These new functionalities are the culmination of extensive development work and are yet another example of how Addex works continually to devise unique products that help processors increase yield and realize major raw material savings.”

Various functionalities have been placed directly inside each component, enabling easy retrofits to existing or new extrusion systems, with all communication handled via a simple and industry standard Ethernet TCP-IP Modbus connection. Processors can now benefit from Addex’s superior technology which incorporates significantly more control zones than other existing systems. “No matter who manufactures the rest of the extrusion line, whether a new or old line – we make automatic gauge control (AGC) highly flexible and easy to accomplish,” according to Mr. von Kraus.

Among the new AGC functionalities are Addex Mapper, a standalone device that directly accepts most thickness profiler system profiles. It then automatically takes into account all the twists, turns, and undulations of the bubble to create a fully “mapped” thickness profile with better than 1 degree accuracy. It even continues to allow profiler information to be properly mapped during oscillating haul-off reversals. This is a unique capability only offered by Addex and the company makes it available to the entire industry in either standalone or in seamless operation with its other functionalities so that other systems can benefit from this enhanced performance. 

Addex has also introduced the ALF (All Layflat) capacitive sensor module which allows for direct collapsing frame measurement of thickness to the Mapper using already available oscillating haul-off motion for highly accurate profiling. Up to two ALFs can be added, one in each side of the collapsing frame for faster response. Other sensor technologies can be used optionally in both positions, such as non-contact capacitive and nuclear.

For the fastest control possible, processors can add another new feature, the Profiler Module. This adds a sepaNike