New Maguire + Syncro Extrusion Control System Deployed in Retrofit Installations

Press Release Summary:

• Modes of extrusion control includes grams per meter (or ounces per foot) of extruded product and kilograms (or pounds) per hour
• Contains components such as weigh extrusion blender, 4088 controller and Syncro controller
• Enables the manufacturer to maximize throughput while maintaining tight tolerances

Original Press Release:

Extrusion Control System Enables Wire and Cable Producers to Maximize Throughput While Maintaining Tight Tolerances

Maguire + Syncro™ System Enhances Product Quality and Consistency, Prevents Costly Downtime and Waste Caused by Defects, and Eliminates Need for Over-Coloring

Tamworth, Staffordshire, UK, January 9, 2020: An innovative extrusion control system for wire and cable provides accurate control of grams-per-meter yield, improves product integrity, and reduces operating costs, it was announced today by Maguire Europe, which will highlight the system at Wire 2020 (Hall 10, Stand D37).

The Maguire + Syncro™ extrusion control system can be deployed in extrusion or coextrusion operations and in new or retrofit installations. Using data from a digital post-extrusion encoder and tachometer, the system adjusts extruder screw RPM and capstan speed to ensure tight coating tolerances and end-product consistency. In coextrusion, ratio control provides accurate dimensions for multiple sheathing layers or identifying stripes.

There are three basic components in the Maguire + Syncro system: 1) the Maguire® WXB™ Weigh Extrusion Blender, which incorporates a gain-in-weight (GIW) weigh bin and a loss-in-weight (LIW) mix chamber; 2) the Maguire 4088 controller, which controls the loading, blending, and metering of raw material to the extrusion process; and 3) the Syncro® controller, which uses the consumption data from the 4088 controller and the downstream encoders to adjust line speed and haul-off. Modes of extrusion control available with the Maguire + Syncro system include grams per meter (or ounces per foot) of extruded product and kilograms (or pounds) per hour.

“Given the high speeds in wire and cable extrusion, any coating errors can quickly escalate into severe rejection rates, extensive downtime, and costly waste of polymer compound and conductor or optical fiber,” said Paul Edmondson, managing director of Maguire Europe. “The Maguire + Syncro extrusion control system enables the manufacturer to maximize throughput while maintaining tight tolerances, drawing on Maguire’s expertise in control of material handling with Syncro’s expertise in controlling extrusion lines.” 

The Maguire + Syncro system is the product of a partnership between Maguire and Italy-based Syncro srl that began in 2016 with Maguire taking an investment position with Syncro, which specializes in controls for all types of extrusion process. The Syncro components in the extrusion control system for wire and cable include a master PLC touchscreen controller, digital encoder and tachometer, and a coextrusion interface (one for each layer) that provides polymer consumption data from each additional extruder via the Maguire WXB blender.

Because color is a key factor in wire and cable for branding and coding, Maguire also supplies the MGF™ gravimetric feeder, which precisely measures the amount of additive that is fed directly into the extruder throat. “Over-coloring to compensate for possible inaccuracies in color addition is a problem because it wastes a costly additive and can compromise electrical and mechanical performance,” said Mr. Edmondson. “The MGF feeder prevents this by automatically recalibrating its dosage rate and holding the letdown ratio to within +/- 0.2%.”

Maguire also supplies raw-material vacuum loaders ranging from a compact “mini-central” loader to plant-wide systems.

Turnkey systems that includes the Syncro controller and loading, blending, and color feeding equipment from Maguire are available directly from Syncro or can be ordered through Maguire representatives. For an existing production line which includes a standard Maguire GIW blender instead of the WXB unit, the processor can obtain the new extrusion control capability by installing the 4088 controller, an LIW hopper, and the Syncro controller.

For information on Syncro srl, including Syncro locations in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, visit www.syncro-group.it

Maguire Products, Inc., headquartered in Aston, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., is the world’s largest supplier of gravimetric blenders, liquid color pumps, and vacuum dryers and also manufactures loading systems, auger feeders, granulators and related equipment and software. Its customers include injection, blow, and rotational molders, extrusion processors, and compounders. Founded in 1977, Maguire operates six manufacturing facilities in Aston. The company maintains a network of distributors in the Americas and overseas and has six sales and service subsidiaries that stock, sell, and service auxiliary equipment systems from Maguire and its affiliate, Novatec, Inc.: Maguire Canada, Maguire Europe, Maguire Asia, Maguire China, Maguire IMEA, and Maguire Taiwan. Visit www.maguire.com

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