September 2, 2013
SIKORA had already informed about a new R&D project under the working title PELLET SCANNER on their website. This project is now close to its market launch and will be offered under the name PURITY SCANNER.
The PURITY SCANNER serves the inspection of plastic pellets for contaminations. Contaminated pellets are sorted out, assuring that only clean material is processed at the production of high-voltage respectively off-shore cables. SIKORA sets new standards with the PURITY SCANNER
In the cable industry, contamination in the polymer compound can be a major problem in the production of high-voltage and off-shore cables. Therefore, the use of highly clean material is of essential importance. Challenging is the detection of contaminations that are embedded inside the pellet or granulate material. Discharges of a cable, which have their cause in contaminated material, can easily result in severe customer claims.
Progress by pioneering innovation
SIKORA accepted the challenge of developing an intelligent system that can detect contaminations reliably. SIKORA now presents its latest innovation, PURITY SCANNER, at the “K” fair for plastics and rubber. The impressing system intelligently combines the advantages of an x-ray measuring system and an optical system. Thus, impurities of 50 µm in the pellet itself and on the surface are detected. Contaminated pellets are sorted out reliably.
Unique principle
Not only the use of x-ray technology for this application is unique, but also the performance of the optical system is exceptional and exceeds previous solutions on the market. The promise is a 100 per cent inspection of the raw material used.
“It is vitally important to reliably detect impurities of 50 µm,” says Dr. Siegmar Lampe, Head of Research and Development at SIKORA AG.
Highest precision even when it comes to non-transparent pellets
“Especially for high voltage and off-shore cables, the purity of raw material for insulation is crucial. Every little contamination is a potential risk for the quality”, explains Dr. Lampe. Interestingly, the PURITY SCANNER, besides the common insulating material, is also able to check DC material.
The possibility to inspect even non-transparent material is a characteristic feature of the PURITY SCANNER and exceeds the capabilities of optical systems. The PURITY SCANNER is the first system that can check pellets independently of its colours for impurities due to its specially developed x-ray technology and thus to keep the material clean.
No contaminations from outside
The progressive PURITY SCANNER features a unique measuring technology as well as a novel transport system of the pellets within the device. The feeding of the pellets is carried out via a vibrating ramp and not via a conveyor belt.
“A conveyor belt itself can create contaminations”, Dr. Lampe explains. “Furthermore, the material in the PURITY SCANNER does not come into contact with the ambient air. During the inspection, the pellets are in a hermetically sealed channel. This guarantees absolute purity.”
The device is designed for a throughput of 500 kg/h. Bigger throughputs can be realised with a grouping of PURITY SCANNER devices.