Compounding, mixing, blending systems: product lines reviewed....

Compounding, mixing, blending systems: product lines reviewed.

COMPOUNDING, MIXING, BLENDING SYSTEMS APV CHEMICAL MACHINERY INC. POLYMER MACHINERY DIV. Incorporating the former Baker Perkins and Sterling Extruder operations, the firm offers compounding systems with production rates of 20 to 20,000 lb/hr. The MPC/V line is a twin-screw, high-shear, continuous compounder with barrel valve for variable shear, a melt extruder, pelletizer, and pellet-quenching system for compounding color concentrates, reinforced thermoplastics, and other materials.

The Ko-Kneader line has a single-screw kneader/mixer, power feed, melt extruder and pellet system.

It is used for low-shear compounding of PE, PP, PVC, barrier resins, and engineering thermoplastics.

The MP2000 Series twin-screw compounders feature segmented barrels that allow barrel length to be changed. Newly designed hexagonal shafts are reported to improve torque. Sizes range from 15 to 200 mm.

The company also supplies a CST microprocessor-based control system for compounding. Designed to replace conventional mechanical relay controls, it centralizes control and monitoring functions for the compounding line. The control system is capable of storing up to 10 recipes with up to 15 setpoints for each recipe.

Company also manufactures a line of single-screw compounding extruders designed to handle coldor hot-feed additive blending. Hard-to-feed material can be introduced either by using a ram stuffer or screw auger to force feed the materials at the extruder throat, or through side-arm addition where the material is metered into the molten polymer stream downstream of the extruder's melting section. Applications include color concentrate, filled polymer systems, scrap reclamation, polymer alloying, and compounding.

APV GAULIN CORP., INC. Supplies homogenizers and reciprocating high-pressure pumps.

AARON EQUIPMENT CO. DIV. OF ARECO, INC. Manufactures ribbon and double-cone blenders in stainless and carbon steel for use with resins and powders or colors. A double-sigma blade mixer in carbon steel is available with extruder discharge.

A 300-gal double-arm mixer extruder with roller bearings and split packing glands can be directly connected to a gear reducer of up to 200 hp. The front blade speed is 30 rpm; rear blade speed is 17 rpm. The 13-in.-diam. screw is located in the bottom between the tangent point of the two half cylinders that form the bowl and is directly connected to a reversible hydraulic motor. Screw can run from 0 to 30 rpm in either direction, while maintaining full torque. Unit has a 75-hp motor, pump, reservoir, and heat exchanger. Bowl and extruder housing, including the portion that extends beyond the end wall, are jacketed for steam, water, or oil heating to 100 psi at 300 F. PAUL O. ABBE, INC.

Single- and double-shaft ribbon mixers and sigma-blade mixers are offered for dry or slurry-type blends. Heating or cooling jackets are available. Company also offers a folding/spreading cone mixer for dry materials. The mixer, named the Rota-Cone, is said to provide high internal vacuum and high jacket temperature for secondary polymerization and solid-state applications with capacities of 500 cu ft. Also supplied are plastisol deaerating mixers, ball and pebble mills for particle-size reduction, and vacuum dryers, such as the Rota-Blade Vacuum Agitator Dryers, newly licensed from Deutche Babcock Anlagen AG of West Germany. These dryers are said to provide excellent drying efficiency for a host of plastics applications and come in sizes of 1200 cu ft and more. (See data sheets pp.

254-255.)

ACRISON, INC. Model 350 multipurpose blender is designed for continuous mixing of dry materials. Unit features two concentrically mounted augers, which operate at different speeds to mix the material. Blender can coat pelletized products with lubricant or release agent, blend dry powders into masterbatches, and add lubricants or colors. Output range is 1.2 to 5100 cu ft/hr. Quick-disconnect and sanitary models are available.

ADAMSON DIV. WEAN UNITED, INC. Company's intensive batch mixers can be used to compound PVC, PS, PE, and ABS masterbatches, among others. Interlocking rotors of the mixer continuously knead the batch between the rotors instead of smearing it against the chamber wall. Unit is designed for increased wetted area to improve heating and cooling efficiency. Large feed hopper provides access for feed systems, and dust seals prevent contamination.

ADMIRAL EQUIPMENT CO. SUB. DOW CHEMICAL CO. Designs blending systems for reinforced and nonreinforced liquid systems, such as urethanes.

Storage tanks, valves and piping, weighing and blending stations, control circuitry, and material conditioning units for liquid chemicals and fillers are offered. Tank sizes are available up to 30,000 gal in both mild and stainless steel. Optional electronic packages permit central monitoring and control of the entire system.

AMERICAN LEISTRITZ EXTRUDER CORP. Offers corotating and counterrotating twin-screw extruders and complete hotface pelletizing lines for compounding and scrap reprocessing. Screw diameters are from 34 to 130 mm for outputs from under 50 lb/hr to 5000 lb/hr. All machines are modular and have segmented screws.

A universal laboratory extruder has attachments for single-screw and three twin-screw modes of operation.

AMPLAN, INC. A line of electrically heated, agitated vacuum/pressure tanks is offered for batch heating, degassing, and mixing in sizes from 2 to 75 gal. Continuous thin-film deaeration systems are also available.

ARMORFLITE INC. Supplies a modular dynamic mixing head for extruders that reportedly increases the melt capacity of

the extruder and improves homogeneity of the melt while limiting backpressure to 120-250 psi.

Named the Mark-I Dynastic mixer, the system can adapt to individual processors' needs. Company's tests are said to show that the mixer does the work of 8 to 10 screw flights in plasticating and mixing.

Also available is the Mark-IV thermomixer, which combines a heat exchanger with a static mixer.

Cooling oil is circulated through the blades of the mixer for close temperature control. The blades are test-rated to 50,000 psi and backpressure is limited to 250 psi.

BALL & JEWELL DIV. STERLING, INC. Offers the Tumble Master, a drum tumbler featuring dual-drum mixing and high production rates.

Designed for continuous operation, the unit is constructed of heavy-gauge steel. Mixing capacity ranges up to 300 lb/drum. A 1-hp drive is standard; 2-hp drive is optional. A timer package is also offered to control the mixing cycle to ensure uniform mixing. The unit is designed to meet current safety standards.

BEPEX CORP. Offers a high-speed, high-shear continuous mixer to blend solids with solids, liquids, or gas. Unit is available in six sizes from 8- to 30-in. diam., has adjustable shear and impact action, and may be jacketed for heating and cooling. Paddles are adjustable for varying retention time.

Company's nonintensive ribbon blenders for dry and dry-liquid blending have a capacity of 2 to 680 cu ft. and are used for mixing additives and pigments into powders and pellets. Agitator assembly with inner and outer ribbons provides a gentle mixing action and is recommended especially for mixing small amounts of critical ingredients with large amounts of basic material. Batch or continuous operation is offered.

Company also supplies a unit for mixing and extruding paste and plastic materials. Unit produces a continuous mixing, kneading, and mulling action on materials discharging through an orifice plate for size and mixing control. Unit is also jacketed for heating or cooling.

BERSTORFF CORP. Offers corotating, twin-screw mixing extruders and pelletizing systems, as well as a variety of mixers manufactured by Mixacom. Products include the following: * Container mixer for blending and coloring powder, pellets, pastes, and liquids in sizes from 1 to 530 gal. * Universal high-speed mixer in models available from 10 to 400 gal. * Kontinomix heating/cooling mixer with high mixing capacity through continuous cooling and double cooling area in sizes from 50 to 1200 gal.

BLACK CLAWSON CO. CONVERTING MACHINERY DIV. In conjunction with Company's pelletizers, single-screw extruders/homogenizers/devolatizers/compounders are available in standard sizes ranging from 2 1/2 to 20 in.

STEWART BOLLING Offers its Mixtrumat system, a continuous two-stage, twin-rotor, high-intensity fluxing mixer with transverse discharge screw. The unit provides mixing chamber backpressure and material removal.

It is primarily used for polyolefin masterbatching, homogenization, and compounding rigid and flexible PVC. Units range from 1000 to 40,000 lb/hr. The system features a close-coupled rotorscrew, designed for reduction of energy consumption, temperature control, improved dispersion, higher output, and minimal heat history and contamination.

Company also builds batch-type intensive mixers in capacities from 4 to 1300 lb and two-roll mixing mills in sizes from 2 1/2 x 2 7/8 in. to 30 x 30 x 100 in.

C.W. BRABENDER INSTRUMENTS The Prep Mixer, a high-shear, fluxing, intensive mixer, is designed for lab or pilot-plant mixing of plastics. Mixing capacities are about 1/3-1/2 qt. Liquid or electrical heating is available.

Company's two-roll Prep Mill with a 4-in. diam x 8-in. work area on the rolls is also for lab use. Roll gap is adjustable adjustable from 5 to 195 mils; drive speed is adjustable between 10 and 30 rpm.

A twin-screw continuous mixer is designed for high-shear mixing at rates up to 25 lb/hr. It features counterrotating, intermeshing 1.65-in.-diam. screws.

BRAN & LUEBBE, INC. Manufactures liquid metering/proportioning pumps and systems that are used for in-line blending of two or more liquids. Units handle pressures up to 50,000 psi and viscosities up to 100,000 cps at outputs to 23,000 gph. Liquids that can be handled include resins, catalysts, colorants and promoters.

CARL G. BRIMMEKAMP AND CO. Distributes the Collin 7K-50 laboratory twin-screw extruder. This unit can be made counter- or corotating with a single gear change. Segmented screws and barrels are standard. Closed, vent and feed barrels and numerous configurations are available. Screw diameter is 50 mm, processing lengths vary from 9-18 L/D, and maximum output is 50 lb/hr. Various measuring equipment and microprocessor controls are optional.

BUSS (AMERICA), INC. Buss-Kneaders, continuous, reciprocating-single-screw intensive fluxing units, are used for mixing and dispersing thermoplastics and thermosets. These units feature special profiled screw flights and rows of kneading teeth in the barrel section plus a reciprocating screw action to provide intensive kneading. Primary applications include rigid and plasticized PVC, polyolefins, engineering plastics, masterbatching, and RP blending.

Buss-Kneader continuous calender-feed systems have capacities from 40 to 15,000 lb/hr. Axial and radial mixing are said to offer exceptional plasticating, dispersing and homogenizing of the polymer with additives prior to calendering. The unit processes plasticized and non-plasticized PVC formulations and is said to give wide formulation flexibility and to be suited to feeding all calender types and sizes.

The company also carries Waeschle Subsystems' PGM pneumatic blender for pellets and the WGM blender for powder and pellets. The PGM blender has only one internal blending tube with low energy requirements. Capacity range is 50 to 21,000 cu ft. The WGM gravity blending system comes in models with capacity of 200 to 2300 cu ft.

CACCIA SPA. See Priority Machinery.

CENTER LINE MACHINERY DIV. LYNCH INDUSTRIES Product line includes intensive internal mixers, mills, ribbon blenders, and drum tumblers.

CHEM-MIX CORP. Manufactures a line of metering, mixing and dispensing equipment for use with epoxies, polyesters, and urethanes, including a complete line of static mixers, some which are disposable.

CHEMINEER-KENICS Offers the following motionless mixing elements: * The Thermogenizer for extrusion delivers homogenized melt streams to the die, and has mixing capacity independent of extruder output. * Heat exchangers (multitube and jacketed pipe) use Kenics elements to enhance heat transfer in polymer melt and foam. All units are compact, heavy-duty, have no moving parts, and provide economical and efficient continuous heating and cooling.

CLEVELAND-EASTERN MIXERS EMI INC. Manufactures static mixers, which reportedly achieve a uniform, controlled degree of shear and flow. Unique element shape is simple to manufacture and provides lower-cost mixing than competitive shapes, according to company sources.

COLORTRONIC, INC. Manufactures volumetric continuous blenders designed to automatically meter and mix pellets, granules, nonfree flowing powders, and liquids directly on the process equipment. Blenders incorporate discs instead of augers and disassemble easily for quick cleanout when a material or color change is desired. They are equally suitable for injection molding or extrusion, and models are available for 250-, 1000-, and 2000 plus-lb/hr maximum throughput. Company also manufactures color/additive feeders. Optional microprocessor-based blender control provides memory recipe storage, an "auto calibrate" mode, and totalizer functions as well as interface capability.

COMET AUTOMATION SYSTEMS INC. Manufactures automatic equipment for precision metering and blending of granulate, both freeflowing and nonfree-flowing powders, regrinds, liquids, and pastes on the processing machine. The Series 500 metering/mixing unit uses nylon metering discs for high accuracy.

Also offers central conveying systems using filterless vacuum receivers constructed of stainless steel for longer production life.

THE CONAIR GROUP, INC. Models 5000 and 3000 metering blenders for pellets and regrind can blend up to 5000 and 3000 lb/hr, respectively. The supply hopper of each blender is divided according to the number of components (up to six) to be metered and mixed together.

The Autocolor for metering and mixing colorants and additives with base resins and regrind features automatic volumetric loading, additive metering, and mixing. A variety of models offer ratio loading, integral or remote vacuum dual metering for additives at speeds of up to 600 lb/hr.

The Feeder and Micro-feeder mix materials as they flow through into the throat of the process machine. Coupled with the company's Intermixer, Handy-Hopper, and Resin Loader, a mixing station is available for on-the-machine loading, coloring, and mixing.

Conomix and Micro-Conomix compounding blenders meter and continuously agitate up to four materials. They can be mounted directly on the processing machine or used as central blenders.

Rates are adjustable up to 3000 lb/hr. d-c driven, microprocessor-controlled augers are available in a wide range of sizes; calibration ports are said to provide easy sampling with no disassembly.

The new Conair Gravicon is a 4-component gravimetric weigh blender which includes microprocessor control and loading functions.

R.S. CORCORAN CO. Company's blenders mix and blend virgin material, pelletized or fluff regrind, color concentrate pellets, and other pellets or granulate. A complete line of vibratory-feed blenders with capacities to 14,000 lb/hr for two to eight materials is available for central or beside-the-press blending. Features include 10 turnpot controls for individual ratio adjustments and full repeatability to +/-0.5%.

Complete line of auger-feed blenders is available with capacities to 20,000 lb/hr.

Film blenders and custom designs are offered, as well as weigh-scale blenders with fully automated loading systems and computerized inventory control.

CORNELL MACHINE CO. Versator solid/liquid blender can mix and blend two or more components. Recommended for products such as coatings and pastes, it disperses one or more finely divided solids into liquids and will simultaneously deaerate. A disc in the vacuum chamber revolves at speeds from 900 to 6000 rpm. A broad viscosity range can be handled.

DAVIS-STANDARD DIV. CROMPTON & KNOWLES CORP. Manufactures a Cavity Transfer Mixer (in sizes 25 to 450 mm) under license from RAPRA for continuous blending of rubbers and plastics. The mixer's rotor, with its spherical cavities, is attached to the end of the screw and the stationary housing is mounted at the end of the extruder between the barrel and die. The resulting circulating and cutting motion provides distributive mixing to ensure that polymers, additives and master-batches enter the die system completely homogeneous.

Features include:

* A less restricted flow of material because the unit has no pins, dams, or other obstructions. * Blending of the additives reportedly produces more consistent product properties and appearance. * Reduction of material distortion through the die and residual stress because the unit establishes even heat distribution of the material prior to its entering the die. * Mixer has no "dead spaces," resulting in quick changeover in polymer.

J.H. DAY CO./TAYLOR-STILES Offers a comprehensive line of processing equipment, including ribbon blenders, vertical conical mixers, double arm high-shear mixers, high-speed dispersers, three-roll mills and complete processing systems. Product descriptions follow: * Ribbon and large cylindrical blenders with jacketed tanks are used for precise temperature control, heating/cooling PVC and other resins. Also used for standardizing, color blending, and intimate mixing of different ingredients. Capacities to 1000 cu ft. * The vertical Day Mark II Nauta mixer/processor performs low-shear blending/dispersion and batch standardization for pigments, colorants, plastic pellets, etc. Widely used for plastisol and organasol production, solids and paste mixing. Capacities to 1400 cu ft. * Double arm mixers compound, knead and mix heavy viscous masses that are hard to blend, such as bulk molding compound hot-melt adhesives, etc. Available in capacities from 5 to 1000 gal.

Company's Mixtruder, a specially-designed double arm mixer, is equipped with discharge screw to facilitate unloading the mixed material. Capacities from 1 to 500 gal. * Daymax high-speed disperser is intended for dispersion/dissolving/emulsification and other liquidsolid applications. Used effectively for medium viscosity plastisols, color or concentrate pigment dispersions, and premixes. Capacities from 10 to 1000 gal. * High-speed rotary mills permit continuous size reduction and blending of wet or dry, heated or chilled materials. By interchanging integrated components, mills are readily adaptable to a broad range of applications. Sizes up to 32 in. in width. * Three-roll mills for ultrafine dispersions of thermoplastics, pigments and color concentrate in liquid vehicles. Available in 5 x 12 in. lab size, 10 x 22 in., and 14 x 30 in. production models. * Ultra-precise Regal vertical mixers are available up to 1800 gal capacities and are used for high shear mixing and standardization of viscous materials.

DRAISWERKE, INC. Offers Drais Perl ball mills for fine dispersing and homogenizing high-, medium-, and low-viscosity materials and stiff pastes. Units include a perforated or pinned-disc agitator and a grinding chamber 80-90% filled with small grinding beads ranging from 0.5 mm to 2 mm in diameter. The large number of beads results in very fine grinding and dispersing and is said to increase output by 30-50%. Chamber capacities range from 1 to 1500 liters.

Company's Drais Turbulent mixer/reactors are used for high-speed mixing, kneading, and reaction

processes. They have interchangeable mixing elements for powders, pastes, and reaction processes.

Knife mills, pinned discs, and main-shaft mounted serrated discs can be built into the reactor chamber. Batch and continuous process designs are available with capacities from 2.5 to 40,000 liters.

Company's Drais Gelimat high-intensity mixer is available in sizes from 1 to 250 liters. This mixer uses thermokinetic energy to heat the product for mixing, compounding, and fluxing, and reportedly completes a cycle in 15-25 sec. Mixer can process PVC, PP, PE, UHMWPE, ABS and PVDC. Material can be directly discharged into an extruder, mold or roller mill, and pelletized. Both batch and continuous models are available.

DUPLEX MILL & MFG. CO. Six types of Kelly Duplex mixers are available: * Vertical spiral mixers, available in 10- to 1500-cu-ft sizes for blending large batches of pellets. * Horizontal paddle mixers, available in 2- to 360-cu-ft batch sizes for fast blending of regrinds, slurries and powders. * Fluid-bed mixers for unusually heavy or pasty materials in 2- to 200-cu-ft batch sizes. * Horizontal ribbon mixers for mixing flow-resistant materials up to 580 cu ft per batch. * Continuous twin-ribbon mixing conveyor with capacities from 50 to 12,000 cu ft/hr, combining mixing and conveying of bulk materials. * Continuous twin-rotor paddle mixers for blending solids with solids or liquids at rates from 100 to 3000 cu ft/hr, said to be particularly effective for color batch mixing of PE and color pigments for rotational molding. Multiple batch sizes are available; 600-lb and 1000-lb units are standard. Units provide positive discharge, are said to be easy to clean, and feature air-purged shaft seals that help prevent contamination.

The Kelly Duplex batching and mixing package allows material to be automatically batched, mixed, and stored, then fed directly to extrusion machinery. A line of complementary equipment is also available.

ECLIPSE SYSTEMS, INC. Air-motor-powered agitators from 1/6 to 5 hp handle low- to high-viscosity materials and have air throttles for rpm adjustment. Torque is controllable, permitting increased torque (in higher viscosity materials) with decreased rpm.

Pneumix agitators cannot burn out or overheat and are lightweight and explosion-proof. All couplings, shafts, and propellers are stainless steel.

EGAN MACHINERY DIV. JOHN BROWN INC. Supplies both single- and twin-screw compounding extruders complete with microcomputer process controls, strand and underwater pelletizing systems, and complete test and demonstration capabilities at its technical center in Somerville, N.J. Twin-screw corotating, intermeshing

compounders come with capacities of 100 to 2500 lb/hr and segmented barrel and screw elements.

Special adaptations of the company's CMR control system are available that control product consistency, create reports and offer management information. The controller can interface to feeders and extruder as well as downstream operations.

ERIE MILL & PRESS CO. Laboratory and production two-roll mixing, warm-up, and blending mills are supplied. Working faces are available in sizes from 6 x 13 in. to 26 x 84 in. and up to 120 in. long. Mills can be furnished with standard sleeve bearings or roller bearings, as well as chrome-plated and drilled rolls, adjusting screws, air-operated scraper knives, and tilting stock guides. Drives consist of constant-speed a-c motors and d-c variable-speed drives.

FARREL CORP. Company's Continuous Mixer is a twin-rotor intensive fluxing continuous mixer used primarily for polyolefin color masterbatching, polyolefin homogenization, and compounding engineering resins, reinforced polymers, and rigid and flexible PVC. Units range from 50 to 70,000 lb/hr and feature adjustable discharge temperature and work-input level, and can be hydraulically opened for easy cleaning.

Company also makes the Banbury twin-rotor intensive fluxing batch mixer, and Diskpack, a screwless continuous compounder.

FINN AND FRAM, INC. In-line mixing system for polyester SMC is supplied. (See Reinforced Plastics Equipment.)

FOREMOST MACHINE BUILDERS Offers a complete line of volumetric and gravimetric blenders, either machine-mounted or freestanding.

Volumetric blenders: * Upright duplex series, capable of blending up to 6000 lb/hr of virgin resin, granulate, colorants, and additives in pellet, powder, or film flake form. Series includes holding bins, metering augers or vibrators, and a cascading chute or mixer. * Machine-mounted and mini-blenders capable of blending the same range of materials as the Duplex series are designed for direct mounting on the process machine throat and are available for pellet, powder, or film applications. Continuous mixers are optional.

Gravimetric (weight-based) blenders: * LWB Series and BWB Series for either loss-in-weight or batch-weight continuous blending systems are available for floor or machine mounting. Microprocessor controls provide accuracy to +/-0.05% by weight. Continuous inventory monitoring of all ingredient throughputs is standard on all units.

Feed and control options include plant-wide data acquisition and material usage control with a central microcomputer. Custom and proprietary systems are offered for compounding and offer options such as liquid feed by weight.

Company supplies pellet and powder feeders, both volumetric and gravimetric, for mixing and feeding additives on-stream.

FRANKLIN MILLER, INC. Company's Hurricane (trademarked) mixer is available for 25 to 10,000 gallons or more. Uses include most any chemical process. It will mix any viscosity and completely homogenize and disperse in a short time. Larger units are available from 2-ft shaft lengths and larger. Various propellers are available with either turbine, flat, curved, paddle, ribbon or anchor type. Units are available in carbon steel, Iconel, Monel or other materials.

Also available are units with either direct gear-drive or belt reduction drive and are top-entering mounted. Standard with 1/2- to 25-hp gear motors and prop sizes 6 in. to 10 ft in diameter. Special units are available with variable-pitch props and variable speeds, variable shaft lengths and submersible, electric, air or hydraulic motors.

GENERAL MACHINE CO. OF N.J., INC. (GEMCO) Manufactures tumble blenders, dryers, and formulators for powders. The semi-continuous PortaHopper reportedly combines the speed of continuous blending with the versatility of batch operations. The formulator reportedly combines multiple steps in materials handling and blending to reduce time, labor, material handling, and worker exposure. A full laboratory for process development as well as product testing is available.

HTC CORP. Offers static-mixer components inserted in injection nozzles. Also manufactures nonreturn valves.

HAAKE INSTRUMENTS INC. Intensive internal mixers from 30- to 500-cc capacities for laboratory and pilot-plant use are supplied. The interchangeable rotors are of medium- and high-intensity configurations, counterrotating at a variety of gear ratios over a variable speed range. Controlled electrical heating and air cooling reportedly provide precise temperature control of the mixing chamber to a maximum of 932 F. Torque of the mixing action is mechanically and electronically measured and recorded.

For continuous compounding and extrusion, the company offers a conical twin-screw extruder in corotating and counterrotating models as well as single-screw extruders.

A.C. HAMILTON, INC. Company has developed a modular blending system which automatically weighs as it loads itself with one or more major materials (pellets or powders) and weighs minor ingredients (pellets, powders, or liquids) as they are metered into a fine scale hopper. Blending is done in either a supplied, dynamic mixer or a separate ribbon or high-intensity mixer. These larger systems deliver from 4000 to 8000 lb/hr of blended materials.

A Model 1200 D weigh blender is sized to be used as an individual machine blender or small central blender for up to 1200 lb/hr. Up to six different materials can be blended. Programmed weights of each material are metered in sequence to a weighing chamber. A complete batch is then discharged into a mixing chamber.

All weigh blenders have a +/-1/2% accuracy. Larger models include, as standard, DX electronic controls with CRT screen and custom keyboard for recipe entry and storage. Page messages include totalization, setpoint recipe, stored recipe and alarm signals. Optional printers may be supplied and controls can be interfaced with factory computers.

KURT H. HAMPEL CO., INC. Distributes meter-mix blenders built by Har/Noy Metal Fabricators of Olathe, Kans. These units are designed to blend virgin, regrind, color concentrate and other granular materials at rates of 3000 lb/hr and more. Hampel also distributes machine-mounted proportioning equipment from Plastore and Labotek for mixing mixes, colorants, regrind, and other additives.

HI-TECH SYSTEMS, INC. Offers total materials handling and bulk storage systems, including compounding/blending equipment. Company also provides consulting services. Total turnkey system installation includes system start-up and training seminars.

HITACHI ZOSEN TRADING & MANUFACTURING CO., LTD. HZTM supplies corotating twin-screw kneaders for compounding in 53 to 200 mm diam. Complete pelletizing lines are also offered.

HOCKMEYER EQUIPMENT CORP. Offers a variety of mixers: * A concentric shaft mixer with a high-intensity and slow-speed mixing blade for blending dry materials into viscous liquids. * High-speed mixers with high-shear mixing blades for mixing and dispersing in the low-to-medium viscosity range. * A horizontal mixer with a mixing blade specifically designed for low-intensity mixing of highly viscous products. This design, according to the company, lends itself to efficient batch unloading. A positive-displacement pump can be supplied already mounted on the machine.

Company also offers its CMX-100, a fully automated cleaning system, eliminating workers from exposure to hazardous solvents while providing a more productive approach to washing portable tanks and totes. By incorporating a rotating brush assembly with low-pressure sprays, the CMX-100 provides complete cleaning of a multitude of different sizes and shaped tanks. Typical cleaning time is cut back by as much as 80% and cleaning solvent utilization is increased by more than 33%.

HOSOKAWA MICRON DIV. Offers conical mixing vessel with an orbiting arm and a rotating screw element that follows the cone wall. Reported advantages include reduced mixing times, high mixing accuracy, and reduced power consumption. Nauta mixers are used for dry solids, pastes, and viscous liquids. The mixers are constructed in a variety of materials and finishes to meet process requirements.

HYDRECLAIM CORP.

A complete line of Hydracolor color-concentrate and dry-colorant metering units and blenders is supplied. Units are solid-state controlled by digital counters to maintain a ratio between virgin and color. Large central blenders to 15,000 lb/hr are custom built by the company.

Also available are the 300 Series Apollo extruder-mounted blenders. These are solid-state, digitallycontrolled units designed for blending LLDPE granular and pellet resins with LDPE, and up to three additional pellet additives. Reported accuracy is +/-0.5% at rates up to 6000 lb/hr. Blenders can meter up to six elements simultaneously. Material-usage monitoring is standard.

Company's 400 series accumulative weigh blenders have menu-driven computer controls. Several of these units can interface with each other for total plant inventory control.

The 402 and 402B series offer continuous loss-in-weight and batching loss-in-weight blending for extrusion control and virtually all blending applications. The 402B batching loss-in-weight unit is available with powder feeders for compounding applications.

IMS CO. Company stocks two types of plastics materials mixers. For smaller quantities, a line of heavy-duty drum tumblers features a 20-degree tilt, criss-cross action. A 1/3 hp mini-tumbler accepts 5-gallon pails and up to 55 lb/holder. Larger 1 1/2 and 2 hp twin-drum tumblers handle 55-gallon drums and up to 320 lb/holder. There is also a space-saving single drum, corner unit. Most are available with lower-cost chain drive or longer-lasting, maintenance-free belt drive.

For high-volume, high-speed blending, the Company stocks two large-capacity "Hurricane" mixers.

Loads of 350 or 850 pounds can be thoroughly and consistently blended in as little as 15 minutes.

The "Hurricane" mixers also offer greater versatility and safety along with numerous convenience accessories.

All materials tumblers and mixers are specially designed for injection molders and are ideal for mixing in color, lubricants and other additives.

INCOE CORP. Offers two models of motionless mixing nozzle for injection molding machines. The first is for use solely as a motionless mixer, and the second is a combination mixer/melt filter to remove contaminating particles from the resin. The basic mixing element is a tubular chamber filled with loosely-packed grooved balls; melt flows through the grooves and around the balls. These intersections force the melt in a gentle action to promote thermal homogenization and mixing.

The Mix Pac filter is similar in construction, except the melt must first pass through a tubular filter within the mixing chamber of grooved balls before passing through the mixing balls to the mold.

INDCO, INC. Manufactures a full line of portable mixing equipment, including laboratory stirrers, high-speed laboratory dispersers, 5-gallon mixers, drum mixers (direct and gear drive) to handle a wide range of material from 55 to 5000 gal, mixing propellers, paddles, blades, and pail openers.

INTERNATIONAL MATERIAL CONTROL SYSTEMS (IMCS)

Offers a vertical blender for batch mixing pellets, flakes, and regrind with any number of dry colorants and additives. The unit can be loaded with an auger, a flow-through bin, or a vacuum loader. Reportedly up to 30 cu ft of material can be mixed in about 15 minutes.

INTERNATIONAL PROCESS EQUIPMENT CO. (IPEC) Company is the North American distributor for MTI mixers. The line includes a full range of mixers for compounding, coloring, and plastisol mixing, and is designed for increased throughput and improved quality production. IPEC maintains a fully equipped test center in Camden, N.J., for testing and evaluating performance on production size equipment.

ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION Information is supplied on complete systems available from 40 Italian manufacturers for blending and dosing, turbomixers, roll mixers, and internal mixers.

IVEK CORP. The Ivek Biox proportional fluid blending system provides flow and mixing control accurate to 0.1% at all flow rates. Rates are digitally selected from 0.001 to 999 ml/min. Modes are 100% A, mix, or 100% B. The mix proportion of A to B is selectable in 0.1% increments. Parameter changes are accomplished without stopping the unit by using digital thumbwheel switches. Constant volumetric flow rates are maintained even when the liquid proportions are changed. Solidstate electronics, stepping-motor drives, and valveless, ceramic pumps are reported to provide accuracy with reliability and long life.

JWI, INC. Heavy-duty, dual-shaft plow blender disperses fillers and fibers into heavy, tacky matrix materials.

Batch or continuous system handles viscosities up to 10 million cps and handles long glass without fiber breakdown. Jacketing and construction for vacuum or pressure are available. Potential applications include RP molding compounds.

Single-shaft plow blenders for dry materials blend resins, colorants, and reinforcing fibers in 15- to 30-sec mix cycles.

Also available is a line of small, intensive, nonfluxing, continuous plow blenders for mounting directly above the extruder to blend colorants, fillers or fibers. An 8-in.-diam x 20-in.-long blender can blend 2000 lb/hr. Compacts are suited for all types of regrind and flexible scrap.

JAECO PUMP CO. Propeller-type liquid mixers come in side-entering and top-entering models with either single or dual propellers. These portable Jaccomix units range in motor power from fractional to 3 hp. Square, three-bladed, and steep-pitch propellers are available in steel, stainless-steel, and plastic construction. Shafts and propellers can be furnished with various rubber or plastic coatings. A number of types of mixer supports can be supplied.

JAPAN STEEL WORKS AMERICA, INC. Two basic types of twin-screw compounding mixers are offered. One is the CMP series of

counterrotating twin-rotor mixers with gear pump based on the company's CIM continuous intensive mixer technology. Standard models range in size from 90- to 400- mm rotor diam. at mixing zone.

The largest model has a maximum rotor speed of 320 rpm, a 5900-hp drive, and throughput to about 70,000 lb/hr. Clearance between the screws and the barrel wall can be adjusted by a slot control mechanism.

JSW also offers an intermeshing counter- or corotating twin-screw extruder. The end of the screw has a conical shape, and the mixing can be adjusted by moving replaceable rings. TEX extruder models start at 30-mm screw diam. The largest unit has 200-mm screw diam., 1785-hp drive, and output of about 17,000 lb/hr. Company supplies segmented screws and barrels in L/D of 20:1 and 30:1.

JAYGO, INC. Company's conical-screw blenders for pellets, powders, pastes, etc., can be supplied in mild or stainless steel. Units consist of a conical hopper chamber with an internal screw mixer that helps discharge product through the bottom of the cone. Jacketed units for heating, cooling, and vacuum operations are also available.

Coaxial twin-rotor mixers for PVC plastisols are offered in capacities from 200 to 2500 gal with drives from 15 to 250 hp. Mixing bowl contains a low-speed outer wiper blade and a coaxial but independently driven high-speed dispersion blade.

Planetary mixers are available with 1- to 500-gal capacity, side scraper arms and central high-speed disperser.

Extrumix sigma-blade, double-arm batch mixers discharge product horizontally by means of an extruder screw. Size range is 1 to 1000 gal. Several models are designed to handle highly viscous materials (e.g., PVC coatings, hot-melt adhesives) up to 10 million cps.

Company also supplies ribbon blenders.

JIFFY MIXER CO., INC. Propeller mixer, recommended for heavy or viscous liquids, is available in sizes that will fit over containers from 1 pt to 55 gal. Heavy-gauge metal unit is designed to eliminate sucking in of air and splashing. Different sizes of mixing attachments fit standard 1/4- to 3/4-in. power tools.

JOHNSONS A pneumatic, bung-entering mixer for liquids is said to offer high efficiency and low air consumption.

The DM-55 carries a 0.4-hp air motor and reportedly moves more material per minute than mixers requiring twice as much air.

K-TRON VERTECH, INC. A K-TRON INTERNATIONAL CO. Company's Graviblend continuous, on-line gravimetric blending, designed for in-line weigh blending of up to 8 ingredients and additives, provides gravimetric accuracy for more consistent product quality, eliminates overfeeding critical ingredients, minimizes scrap/regrind, and offers gravimetric throughput control of extruder rate.

For complete access to all process and programming variables, Graviblend's RS485 serial communications link allows host control and convenient, comprehensive performance documentation.

Resins and additives may be fed at a total throughput of over 5000 lb/hr. For high precision, Graviblend features stable, three-point digital weighing for each ingredient. All feed augers are interchangeable and inclined to prevent dribble. Each stainless steel ingredient module is complete with viewing port, access door and features a triple-function discharge chute for sampling or 3minute emptying without tools or product spillage.

Graviblend Control provides full-featured, microprocessor-based display and data entry in a compact package. Complete with a 4-line-by-20-character backlit supertwist LCD display, sealed data entry touchpad and complete programmability, the control offers four user-selectable control modes for total operational flexibility.

KEMUTEC, INC. Offers horizontal mixers, using a series of agitator blades, controlling blades, and a group of equalizers to prevent material from accumulating along the trough. Material is discharged immediately when outlet is opened. Cross-current mixing reportedly speeds the process.

KILLION EXTRUDERS, INC. Manufacturers single-screw compounding extruders. Strand dies, cooling troughs and pelletizers are also available. Lab trials on equipment prior to purchase are offered.

KLOCKNER FERROMATIK DESMA Offers complete units for compounding urethane prepolymers, based on continuous degassing, metering, and mixing of components. Units for mixing complete polyol components are also available.

KOBE STEEL AMERICA INC. Builds in Japan twin-rotor continuous mixers based on Farrel technology, as well as corotating and counterrotating twin-screw extruders with segmented screws and barrels, in sizes from 37 to 200 mm diam. NEXT-T series of two-stage continuous compounders consist of a twin-rotor mixer mounted above a single- or twin-screw discharge extruder.

KOCH ENGINEERING CO., INC. Offers motionless mixing equipment, designed to improve the mix of the melt in injection molders and extruders. Units contain Koch static-mixing elements.

KOMAX SYSTEMS, INC. Company's new state-of-the-art static mixer, Komax Equalizer, is manufactured from unique cast stainless steel construction and guaranteed not to collapse. The mixer ensures thorough mixing for completely homogeneous melt streams in extrusion equipment and divides and recombines the melt stream more than 393,000 times. Extruder screw RPM can be increased for increased product throughput at optimum quality levels and also holds melt-stream temperature variation to 1 F or

less, delivering temperature uniformity. Unit easily comes apart to simplify cleaning. Discs nest together and slip back directly into the barrel for rapid reassembly.

Company also offers its new Komax T.E.D.D. (Thermal Equalization & Distribution Device), a compact static mixing system that provides effective thermal homogeneity in a melt stream, even under short-run laminar flow conditions. Because of its compact size, the T.E.D.D. can be installed just in front of the die, insuring that a thermally homogeneous melt stream reaches the die. The device provides an effective solution to thermal homogeneity and space problems since only four mixing elements are needed to achieve a dramatic improvement in die performance. The T.E.D.D. elements occupy a length of less than two pipe diameters and are also compact enough to be installed in the throat of the die input or adapter on all standard sizes in use today.

KRAMER INDUSTRIES, INC. Drum tumbler for dry-color blending uses end-over-end tumbling motion for mixing. The material is held in removable bins.

LABOTEK INC. Offers the following: * A line of resin/additive blenders that provide metering accuracy of pellets of color concentrate and additives in the range of 0.1% to 1.0%. Company's Mini-Masterbatcher (MMB) and MMB Mixer, with Con-Evator Vacuum Hopper Loader and Ratio-Selector, provide automatic loading, metering and mixing of resin, regrind, color concentrate, and a second additive if required, e.g., blowing agent.

The MMB, MMB Mixer and Con-Evator are driven by a three-phase gear motor. * Conti-Master, a compact machine with two to five metering stations feeding into an inclined screw mixer, offers the same accuracy as the MMB with capacities up to 500-6000 lb/hr, depending on the number of stations and the materials being metered. Metering wheels and the mixer are driven by three-phase gear motors, and automatic loading of the stations is provided by three-phase vacuum motor/blower units mounted in the remote control unit. *Company's new Mini-Contimaster--microprocessor-controlled metering, mixing unit for virgin plastics, regrind and additives in granular form. Has up to five dosing stations, with a high dosing accuracy using step-motors, and a maximum capacity of 180 liters/hr (approximately 240 lb/hr).

Machine has built-in microprocessor and after feeding in material bulk densities and mixing percentages required, proportions are calculated automatically and machine adjusted accordingly.

Detachable keyboard can be removed and the Mini-Contimaster will remember the programmed data, so the same keyboard can be used to program other Mini-Contimasters. Automatic conveying is accomplished by means of single vacuum blower and time of individual dosing units according to program set on the keyboard. Homogeneous mixture is maintained by mixer below the stations.

LASITS-ROHLINE SERVICE, INC. (L-R SYSTEMS) Offers blenders for two to eight materials with capacities to 20,000 lb/hr. Also available is a complete line of auger, vibratory-feed, weigh-scale and loss-in-weight blenders, additive feeders and proportioning loaders.

LINCOLN DIV. OF MCNEIL CORP.

Offers an air-operated proportioning pump (1:1) that mixes fluid compounds of plastic materials and discharges them into molds or containers.

LIQUID CONTROL CORP. Supplies in-line motionless mixers for blending multicomponent streams in process mixing, reactive component blending, and other processes in sizes from 1/4 in. to 2 in. Patented Posimixer 60/40 is available in 1/4-in. and 3/8-in. I.D. with various numbers of elements in disposable assemblies, or in 5/8-in. O.D. stainless-steel tube mixers with plastic elements.

LITTLEFORD BROS., INC. Offers a line of compounding and cooling equipment for rigid and flexible PVC including highintensity mixer/cooler combinations of 180/300 to 1500/4200 liters total capacity, with maximum outputs of 12,000 lb/hr. These combinations are also offered with the company's compounding center, designed for high-volume, continuous processing of powdered PVC. The center consists of a resin scale system, high-intensity PVC hot compounder, large-capacity Littleford cooler. stabilizer dispensing system, take-away system, automated weighing and feeding system for the addition of minor ingredients, and intergrated automatic controls.

Also supplied is a line of medium-intensity fluidized-bed mixers used for mixing plastisols, PVC dry blending, SMC/BMC/TMC, and plastic powder coatings. An in-line continuous SMC paste mixer is also available as part of the company's capabilities in complete turnkey SMC mixing/compacting systems.

The company's BMC mixer, with a 5-10 min complete mixing and discharge cycle, is said to provide efficient preparation of glass-reinforced products and comes in a wide range of sizes and throughput capacities for customized applications.

LUWA CORP. Offers an efficient motionless mixer for extrusion and compounding. The Thermoprofiler blends lowto high-viscosity materials and color additives without streaking and reduces temperature differentials downstream to less than 3 1/2 F. Optional dispersion lug is said to eliminate problems of "center channeling" in special applications for more efficient mixing with fewer elements than other designs. Design reportedly ensures uniform mixing and temperature homogeneity across the diameter of the flow channel.

MAGUIRE PRODUCTS INC. Manufacturers color metering equipment which includes auger feeders for pelletized color and regrind, pumps for liquid color, weigh-scale blenders, central blending stations, color loaders, mixers for premixing color and natural material, magnet drawers, and other related accessory equipment.

MARION MIXERS, INC. Company's nonintensive mixers, either paddle or ribbon design, feature batch or continuous mixing of dry materials such as powder or fiberglass with pellets, or liquids with solids, slurries or pastes.

The mixers are designed to mix dissimilar particle sizes and densities. Close clearances between

agitator and tanks are said to assure complete discharge. Drop-bottom mixers are also available.

Optional fillet-weld sanitary construction for color clean-out is available. The mixers, made from either carbon steel or stainless steel with optional heating or cooling jackets, are available in lab sizes and large production units.

Now available is a high-speed mixer with choppers, an intensive, nonfluxing mixer that fluffs compacted synthetic fibers used in molding compounds, disperses pigments into plastic powder, and heats and disperses plasticizers into PVC. The Marion Mixer is available in U-shaped or semicylindrical designs.

MAX MACHINERY, INC. Manufactures liquid blending systems for use with two or more components. Systems will heat materials up to the desired process temperature, degas, meter with an accuracy of +/-0.5% of the desired flow rate, mix and dispense: Ideally suited for blending of urethanes, silicones, epoxies, and other liquids. Systems are designed around user requirements using standard sub-assemblies and are a "roll-in-place" turnkey unit.

MCNEIL AKRON, INC. Manufactures a complete range of high-intensity mixers for PVC and ABS compounding. With its acquisition of Papenmeir-France, McNeil Akron claims to have one of the finest designs available in high-intensity mixers. Manufactured in the U.S. and utilizing proven European designs, the mixers are available in sizes ranging from laboratory models to full production machines capable of over 8000 lb/hr. One of the key designs of the mixer/cooler combinations is the increased cooling area which reportedly results in reduced cycle times and more efficient production. (See data sheet p.

256.)

MEGACOLOR, INC. DIV. UNIVERSAL DYNAMICS, INC. Offers metering and blending equipment said to be extremely accurate volumetric devices for powder, granular, pellet, or liquid materials in natural, regrind, or concentrate form. Solids metering units include patented dispersion chambers said to improve dispersion of additives.

All systems are used for colors, modifiers, antioxidants, and processing aids. Solids metering units mount on processing equipment for a compact system and are either motorized or direct-driven mechanically. Off-machine units are available for central blending. Units have digital count, pneumatic transfer systems, and outputs from 0.25 to 10,000 lb/hr. For centralized control and monitoring, optional microprocessor controls allow the blenders to be integrated into Universal Dynamics' Plastics Machinery CIM Network.

MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES Supplies directly from Japan special single-screw mixing extruders with a hexagonal-barrel mixing section of 50 to 135 mm, and corotating twin-screw compounders of 45 to 125 mm.

MIXING EQUIPMENT CO., INC. A UNIT OF GENERAL SIGNAL Company's series 50 in-line motionless blender, in standard 2- to 6-in. pipe sizes, blends additives such as dyes or catalysts into high-viscosity materials, and also does liquid/liquid solvent blending.

Blender elements can be indexed in 12 1/2-degree increments for optimum results.

MOREHOUSE INDUSTRIES, INC. Offers a full line of mixing equipment from single-shaft units for lower viscosity products to our multishaft units for high viscosity products exceeding one million cps. Units are available with stateof-the-art options and accessories. Company offers lab use and has lab-size rental units available.

MORIYAMA CORP. Double-bladed batch dispersion mixers with floating pressure lids mix all types of materials and consistencies from silicone rubber to fluoroelastomers. Mixers feature a tilting mixing chamber for easy cleaning and color change. Common bed plate is said to allow for simple, space-saving, low-cost installation. Units range from 0.5-liter lab size to 300-liter (80-gal) production size. Units include main motor, operator panel, and recorder for mixing temperature and amps.

A new laboratory-model, twin-rotor batch mixer has 15-hp, variable-speed drive, heating capacity to 750 F, and NEC personal computer with special software for testing and compound development.

Moriyama recently introduced its first twin-rotor continuous mixer, the CM Series, in 60- and 120mm models, with a 6.5: L/D and clamshell-opening barrel. The counterrotating machine has a patented combination of one tri-lobed mixing rotor and one four-lobed rotor. The unit would typically be mounted over a discharge extruder feeding a pelletizer.

MORSE MANUFACTURING CO., INC. Makes drum rotators and tumblers to agitate up to 1000 lb of material in ordinary closed drums or other cylindrical containers. Common applications include remixing settled material and blending liquids, solids, or solid-liquid mixtures. Some models use a rolling action and others end-over-end tumbling. Portable and stationary models are available. Some models have built-in, self-loading capability. Fixed- or variable-speed drives and a choice of electric motor voltages and types of air motors are available.

MOULD-TEK INDUSTRIES, INC. Company's VBL-300 pellet blender blends up to four pelletized plastic ingredients or free-flowing regrind, comes with low-level alarms in each compartment, and has a throughput of up to 1500 lb/hr. Normally manufactured with a vacuum take-off box, these units are also available with gaylord clearance and machine-mount bases.

MUNSON MACHINERY CO., INC. Rotary mixers and ribbon blenders with volumes from 1 to 500 cu ft are supplied in carbon or stainless steel. Mixers feature low energy consumption plus a low-intensity mix action to help maintain batch uniformity. Also available are special intensifying attachments to reduce mixing time.

NATIONAL BULK EQUIPMENT Offers a portable solids mixer with 8-in.-diam. vertical auger said to mix a batch in as little as 10 minutes. Standard features on seven models include 14-gauge steel construction, two-way entry, hinged covers, 8-in.-diam. slide-gate discharge, safety lock, and 0- to 15-min timer.

A horizontal screw blender with output capacity from 4000 to 12,000 lb/hr is designed for precision metering and blending of virgin materials and regrinds. Features include positive a-c drives, automatic shut-off, adjustable regrind ratio, and blower, vacuum, or gravity loading. An optional color-concentrate bin is available. Company will also modify or build a materials handling system to fit specific applications.

NERPCO, INC. Offers Banbury-type batch mixers for batch sizes of 1 to 11 lb. Hydraulic drives feature load-sensing, constant torque, and rotary servos with a bi-directional rotor control. Units feature drilled chambers for fast temperature response, split and chrome-plated dust stops that need no lubrication, two-wing rotors made of alloy steel, and multipoint recorders. Options include integrators for power, closeloop water systems, and microprocessor controls. Lubricant is recirculated, pressurized, and filtered. Temperature control, sight gauges on bearings, and connecting gears interlocked with the main drive motor are standard.

Also provides two-roll mills in sizes from 4 x 8 in. to 12 x 24 in. with infinitely variable-speed hydraulic drives, constant torque, load sensing, cored or drilled rolls (independently driven available), recirculating pressurized lubrication, speeds as low as 3 rpm, closed-loop water or hot-oil systems, and operating temperatures to 500 F. O.A. NEWTON & SON CO. PLASTICS DIV. Company custom designs complete bulk-storage and materials handling systems for compounding operations. Lines can include conveying equipment, roll mills, tumblers, blenders, dicers, granulators, and pelletizers. If necessary, company will design engineer, and build an item for the system.

NOVATEC INC. Offers its AFCB (auger feeder, cascading blending), which is reportedly capable of satisfying 99% of pellet blending requirements without utilizing an expensive weigh feeder.

Up to four materials are fed in the right proportions (within 1%) into the cascading section of the blender. After falling through a series of pyramids, the resultant blend is completely homogenous with correct particle distribution, and no further blending is required in the catch hopper. Energy costs are reduced because there is no blender motor and maintenance costs are lower because there are no moving agitator parts. Because the static cascading section is removable, clean-out is simple.

Throughput capacities range up to 3960 lb/hr of material having a bulk density of 45 lb/cu ft.

Standard features include a 100 pound surge bin, floor stand, level controls, two-position take-off box, a control panel, and a single bottom slide gate on the feeder for easy calibration. Warning lights, extra-large surge bins, vacuum loaders, regenerative blowers and probe box are optional.

Company backs its AFCB with a two-year free replacement parts warranty.

NOVOPAK WARNER INC. Offers volumetric and weigh blenders for blown film and injection molding lines.

E.T. OAKES CORP.

Specializing in both continuous and batch mixing processes, the Company's mixing principle reportedly offers increased production, greater yield and uniformity/quality for a number of applications including emulsification, aeration, dispersion, dissolution, and reactions. Mixers range in flowrates from 0.1 gpm up to 100 gpm, and up to 1000 psi. All mixers are built to customer specifications. Materials used for construction include 303 SST, 316 SST, Hasteloy and Carpenter 20. State-of-the-art, microprocessor controls for maintaining constant flowrates, formula ratios, and final product density are available for all production size units. Lab test facilities and loan mixer equipment are available at nominal charges.

P.S.H. INDUSTRIES, INC. Gyro Plastic Mixers are available in several sizes for mixing liquid resin compounds of any viscosity in batches ranging from one pint to 16 gal. Mixers are said to be highly effective for mixing chemicals and resins to paste consistencies.

A low-cost vacuum chamber and pump are offered to remove air bubbles entrained during mixing.

The chamber will accommodate up to a 5-gal container and comes with mixing buckets, mixers, and rubber gasket. To ensure high vacuum of 27-29 in., the unit is available with 1/3- and 1/2-hp pumps; larger pumps are available for special applications.

PACIFIC ENGINEERING SYSTEMS Provides a full line of state-of-the-art gravimetric blending systems. Company's Weigh Master is designed to handle powders, granules and pigments, in addition to nonfree flowing materials such as talc, calcium carbonate and regrind. Weigh Master combines up to eight ingredients with accuracies on both major and minor ingredients of 0.25%. Accuracy is provided through standard or custom software packages, which can be interfaced to CIM protocol. All systems are completely SPC and SQC compatible, and able to access production data; they come equipped with automatic material cleanout, changeover systems, and the ability to store up to 99 recipes.

Company offers conceptual, as well as electrical and mechanical engineering for turnkey resin conveying and blending systems and will install, start up, and train personnel.

PATTERSON-KELLEY CO. DIV. OF HARSCO CORP. Company's Twin-Shell blender produces homogeneous mixes of liquids with solids and microingredients with carriers. V-shaped design of the mixer gently blends the complete load, regardless of particle size or density, while the optional intensifier bar is used for intimate dispersion and lowenergy-input agitation.

Zig-Zag continuous blender can handle the same mixing applications as the Twin-Shell and, in many cases, surpasses batch blending accuracy. Working capacity ranges from 1 to 2000 cu ft for batch units and from 20 to 5000 cu ft/hr for the Zig-Zag. PLASTIC PROCESS EQUIPMENT INC. Offers heavy-duty drum tumblers designed for mixing resins and additives such as dry colorants and lubricants. All three models available feature heavy-duty gear drive for smooth, continuous drum rotation. Gear drive eliminates the jerking action and premature wear common to chain or belt-drive tumblers. Models range from the 2-hp Double Drum Tumbler with 300-lb drum capacity to the 1/3hp Mini-Double Drum Tumbler with 50-lb capacity. An optional control panel is available.

PLASTICS EQUIPMENT MARKETING SERVICES Supplies a complete line of blending, mixing and materials handling equipment for extruders, blow molders, and injection molders. Equipment is capable of handling powders, flakes, regrinds and pellets. Company also offers a complete line of high-intensity mixers and cooling systems for compounding and color preparation.

PLASTORE, INC. Offers the Plasticolor proportioning unit for mixing color concentrate, regrind, or other free-flowing, nonbridging materials with the main raw material. The unit is mounted on the production machine under the main supply hopper and can also be combined into mixing stations for up to eight materials. The mixing station is mounted on the machine throat, making batches of material independently of the production machine. Controls that regulate the speed of the screw are said to be extremely accurate. Four different sizes of feeders offer a capacity range of 2.4 oz to 4500 lb/feeder/hr.

POLYNETICS, INC. Manufactures a complete line of volumetric and gravimetric resin blenders for the extrusion, as well as in-line filmscrap recycling systems. Extrusion line temperature-and-yield control systems are also available.

POMINI, INC. Now directly serving the North American market, this Italian-based company offers, in addition to intensive, twin-rotor batch mixers, its new LCM continuous twin-rotor mixer which is designed to monitor the quality of mix in processing operations such as densifying, direct color compounding, pigment masterbatching, and compounding with fillers, plasticizers, foaming agents and polymer alloys. Resembling a twin-screw extruder, the LCM is a mixer with two nonintermeshing counterrotating, wing-type rotors. The mixing chamber has two distinct zones, each with independent temperature control. Transport of the material, dispersion of the ingredients and preheating take place in the first zone, while melting, mixing and discharge of the compound, once it has reached a predetermined temperature, are carried out in the second zone.

PRIORITY MACHINERY Laboratory and production mixers, blenders, and high-intensity compounders in sizes from 10 to 2000 liters, with complete support equipment for automatic additions of various liquid and solid components, are available from Caccia SpA of Italy. Also available from Caccia is a complete line of rotomolding equipment, including compounding equipment for plastisols and powdered resins.

PROCESS CONTROL CORP. Offers a complete line of continuous, low-intensity mixer/blenders, with either gravimetric or volumetric metering. * MV/MX Series machine-mounted blenders feature inclined augers, on-line sampling, quick cleanout, continuous mixing, and optional counter or computer control. They can handle up to six ingredients, including flake regrind, at rates up to 5000 lb/hr per ingredient. The blenders can be converted to gravimetric operation.

* MW/MZ Series machine-mounted continuous weight-loss gravimetric blenders come with hardware similar to volumetric machines, but with load cells and computer for total inventory control.

Operator can select a precise blend ratio by weight or select from any of 99 stored recipes. Optional printer and communication with central computer enable total line control. Continuous weight-loss operation optimizes accuracy, homogeneity, and space requirements. Rates range up to 5000 lb/hr per ingredient for up to six elements. *"Cascade mixing" series of continuous, on-machine gravimetric blenders is a variation of the standard gravimetric line, but with a special design intended to prevent segregation or "demixing" of ingredients that can occur from stirring or agitation of a blend of different particle sizes or bulk densities. All ingredients are "cascaded" simultaneously through a proprietary mixing chamber, and then the mix is captured in a vertical column directly above the extruder throat. Plug flow through that column is said to prevent segregation, improving mix quality in critical jobs.

PROCESSALL, INC. Manufactures horizontal, mechanically fluidized bed mixers with plow-shaped agitators for processing BMC, SMC, plastisols/organisols, and other applications. Sizes range from 4 to 25,000 liters.

Company also manufactures high-intensity vertical mixers with matching horizontal coolers for compounding PVC and other resins. Sizes range from 130/300 to 1800/4400 liters.

PURNELL INTERNATIONAL Markets a line of high-intensity PVC powder mixers and coolers from Thyssen Henschel in West Germany. Mixers come in a range of bowl capacities from 9 to 2000 liters. Henschel coolers come in sizes of 23 to 3600 liters and are of a vertical bowl-type construction. The coolers incorporate cooling cones in the center of the bowl to supplement the usual cooling jacket and offer increased surface area. Purnell also offers a horizontal cooler which features a clamshell lid for easy access for cleaning. Sizes range from 20 to 8000 liters.

Company now supplies the Battenfeld two-stage, planetary-screw extruder used for compounding sensitive materials such as PVC. The planetary-screw compounding stage is available separately.

The Henschel Universal mixer is also available. The bowl-type mixer with high-speed choppers in the wall and bottom mixing tool reportedly produces a vortex flow pattern to ensure short cycle time and a homogeneous blend. For easy cleaning, the mixing tool is keyed on the shaft but not bolted down.

The mixer is suited to blending dry ingredients and making color masterbatches using less energy than a high-intensity mixer. Capacities vary from 25 to 2800 liters.

QUADRAX ENGINEERING, INC. Liquid resin batch mixers come in 4-liter and 10-, 60-, 100-, 300- and 600-gal sizes. They have a variable-speed motor with interchangeable blades to adjust shear characteristics. Double-walled vessel with recirculating-oil heat exchanger has PID temperature control from 40 to 400 F. Four-liter lab system blends resins up to 100,000 cp and can be customized for higher viscosities. Production models can handle resins up to 11 million cp.

Mixer can be equipped with the company's new Exotherm Reaction Control system that monitors rate of temperature change in a mixer or resin bath and halts an out-of-control reaction through an

automatic dilution sequence.

QUADRO, INC. The Quadro Comil conical screen mill is said to be especially suited to heat-sensitive materials and is recommended for dispersing both wet and dry materials before extrusion or other processing steps in order to reduce preblending time and improve final blends.

Mill features low rpm, centrifugal acceleration, vortex flow pattern, 360-degree discharging screen and reportedly eliminates overworked material and heat by friction. Throughput is reported to be high, while fines, dust, heat and noise are said to be reduced.

Five sizes and 14 configurations are available, with capacities from 250 to 50,000 lb/hr with relatively low-hp motors.

REGENCY SALES, INC. Provides laboratory-type two-roll mills, platen presses and laboratory-size intensive high-speed mixers. The electrically heated models operate to a temperature of 300 C. Optional water-cooled models or oil- and steam-heated models are available with various drive systems. Mixer LMX-5 with a 5-liter capacity and model LMX-10 with a 10-liter capacity are easy to clean, have two-speed motors and can be optionally equipped with water-cooling chambers.

RELIABLE RUBBER & PLASTICS MACHINERY CO. Offers two-roll laboratory mills in 3 x 8 in. to 8 x 18 in. sizes with fixed or variable-speed drives and other optional features. All parts are standard and readily available. Laboratory-size intensive mixers are offered that hold approximately 2 1/2- to 5-lb batches, with 25-hp, four-speed or d-c drives.

Company also offers rebuilt equipment: two-roll mills, Banbury mixers, ribbon blenders, and sigmablade mixers.

CHARLES ROSS & SON CO. The Double Planetary Mixer is a heavy-duty, intensive, nonfluxing mixer generally recommended for polyester premixes, plastisols, and pigments. The two stirrers in the tank rotate individually on a common axis. Most viscous materials can be handled; jacketing is available.

The Kneader Extruder, a batch mixer that combines mixing and extruding operates with higher hp and provides more mastication action. High-hp motor permits polymer dispersion at low temperature, reportedly minimizing degradation. Capacities range from 1 to 1000 gal. Applications include polyester premix and color concentrates; jacketing is available.

The liquid mixer/emulsifier, generally used for viscosities under 10,000 cps, combines a high-speed rotor with close-tolerance stators. Units are available for batch or continuous applications such as pigment dispersion and emulsion.

The Versa Mix incorporates low- and high-speed mixing devices for use wherever high shear is desired for emulsions, plastisols, PE, and plasticizer dispersions. Units are available in 40 to 2000 gal capacities.

Three types of motionless mixers, generally used to improve the homogeneity of melt stream in

injection molding machines and extruders, are offered: 1) LPD for lower viscosities, where pigments are added; 2) ISG for high viscosities; and 3) Blendex-modified ISG, used for solids-solids blending, which is mounted vertically, can be used either as a batch or continuous mixer.

SCOTT TURBON MIXER, INC. High-shear and low-shear, batch or continuous, centrifugal mixer/dispersers for liquid/solid systems are based on proprietary mixing elements on a rotating shaft. Units are custom built for applications such as SMC paste mixing and PVC plastisols. Versions can be floor-mounted, cart-mounted, topmounted, C-clamp mounted, horizontally or vertically oriented. Vacuum deaeration is available as an option.

SEALANT EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING, INC. Dynamic and motionless-mixer systems are manufactured for blending plural-component epoxy, silicone, urethane, and polysulfide-type materials while dispensing. Disposable mix chambers are available for use in applications where cleaning solvents are prohibited.

SEMCO, INC. In-tank blenders and powder blenders are available. The company manufactures and designs bulk pneumatic conveying systems.

SKINNER ENGINE CO. Intensive batch-type fluxing mixers with capacities to 1000 lb are offered for color masterbatching and compounding. Features include two- and four-wing rotors (Banbury or Shaw/Skinner Intermix, tangential or intermeshing types), self-purging dust stops, drilled or cored sides, slide or drop door, and special internal surfacing for wear resistance. Complete new or rebuilt machines, chambers, sides, and replacement parts are available.

SOLEM INDUSTRIES DIV. J.M. HUBER CORP. Company's MGP Div. manufactures solid/liquid mixing and resin and filler handling equipment for reinforced plastics. Free-standing and tank-mounted low-speed and high-shear agitators, from 5 to 20 hp, are available. Mix tanks range in size from 250 to 800 gal. Bulk liquid resin holding tanks with agitation are provided with capacities to 6000 gal. Custom-engineered mixing and filler/resin handling systems are available on request.

SONIC CORP. Company's "Sonolator" in-line homogenizer converts the kinetic energy of a high-velocity liquid stream into high-intensity mixing energy.

Also offered is a colloid mill designed to mix, mill, and homogenize in a single pass. Undispersed material is drawn into a cavity formed between a spinning rotor and a fixed stator; centrifugal force propels the material to the outside of the rotor, causing intense hydraulic shearing and grinding of the undispersed phase. Three different angles on the rotor are said to ensure maximum disruption of the material as it moves through the mill.

Company's "Autosonic" system processes multiple streams for continuous production of emulsions

and dispersions; it's said to offer precise metering to deliver a consistent end product.

Company also offers portable propeller mixers from 1/4 to 10 hp.

SPROUT-BAUER, INC. Four types of solids mixers are offered for use in granular or powder compounding. The first three types permit limited liquid addition (e.g., plasticizers and colorants): * The ribbon mixer for heavy-duty mixing has a counterflow action for thorough mixing in a short time. It's available with heating/cooling jacketing. * Counterrotating twin-agitator system gives intensive action for blending of viscous liquids with granular or powdered raw materials. * Air-mix gives batch blends from 1 to 3000 cu ft, quickly using compressed air to supply the mixing action. * Vertical screw mixer is recommended for blending regrind scrap with virgin in pellet form.

STRANCO Company's blending system, called PolyBlend, measures, blends and feeds any polymer: dry, liquid, or emulsion. Can be programmed for dosing and dilution rates, dwell time, energy amount, and energy distribution over time to fully activate polymers for best cost efficiency. Works with all present and future polymers. Automation of system is said to eliminate costly and messy batching.

TAH INDUSTRIES, INC. Offers a complete line of "Knife Edge" Spiral Motionless Mixers for mixing thermosets such as epoxies, urethanes, or polyesters. The mixer features a series of left- and right-hand spiral elements with knife-edges. This patented feature is said to ensure longer life and 30% greater flow rate.

Available in diameters of 1/8 to 2 in., these mixers come in plastic for low-pressure applications and metal for high-pressure applications.

Also offered are low-cost Stata-Tube motionless mixers made from a tough, solvent-resistant plastic molded in sizes from 1/8 to 2 in.

TAYLOR PLASTIC EQUIPMENT & SERVICES A division of Leland Marsh, company offers its LEX high-intensity polymer processor that uses a high-intensity mixing action to rapidly transfer mechanical energy in the form of heat into a wide variety of materials. The processor, sized in 1 to 100 liter formats, can process polymers at rates ranging from 2 to 20,000 lb/hr, and can handle LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, PP, ABS, PVC, Nylon, PC, UHMWPE and other polymers. It can rapidly transform powder, pellets, chips and regrind fluff into a homogeneous charge of predetermined temperature. Cycling at 5-50 sec intervals, resins experience a very brief heat history.

TELEDYNE READCO Manufactures compounding equipment in continuous and batch form. A continuous, extra-heavy-

duty twin-screw, corotating compounder/extruder is the newest addition. High-intensity batch fluxing mixers have capacities to 800 lb and are self-cleaning. Free testing for compounding applications with all units is available.

THOMPSON-CHEMTREX, INC. Manufactures drum pumps and mixers. Products are corrosion resistant.

THORESON-McCOSH, INC. Acra-Color solids blender is designed for blending virgin or regrind with color concentrates or powdered additives. Capacities range from 100 to 10,000 lb/hr. Blenders can be machine-or floormounted. Floor-mounted models may be arranged to blend materials for several molding machines or extruders.

THYSSEN HENSCHEL See Purnell International.

TOSHIBA MACHINE CO., LTD. Company supplies corotating twin-screw extruders for compounding, devolatilizing and reactive processing in sizes from 50 to 160 mm, all with segmented screws and barrels. Likewise equipped are counterrotating twin-screws of 75 and 95 mm.

TRA-CON INC. An electric mechanical blender, 1 ft x 1 1/2 ft x 10 in., and a hand mixer are produced for use with the company's premeasured packages of plural-component epoxy resin, urethane, and silicone systems.

TRI-CLOVER, INC. A stainless-steel blender is designed to combine liquids with liquid, dry or gaseous ingredients. Dry ingredients are dispensed through an inlet hopper at rates up to 350 lb/min, and liquid is simultaneously pumped into an outer tangential diffuser at up to 150 gal/min. A vacuum created by the blender draws the ingredients into the eye of the impeller. Dry ingredients are kept separate from liquids until both reach the impeller, where they are blended. Advantages of the Tri-Blender are said to include minimum foaming and lumping.

UNIVERSAL DYNAMICS CORP. Tri-meter central blenders are supplied in three-bin configurations. Maximum throughput is 1250 lb/hr with auger feeder, 2000 lb/hr with vibrators. Accuracy is said to be 0.5% with augers, 5% with vibrators. Central discharge can be adapted for container filling. Options include CIM-compatible microprocessor controller with material-usage totalizer, auger feeder for fourth material, and higher throughputs with different auger feeders.

Company's Mega-blender is a machine-mounted integral mixer with two, three, or four auger feeders. Maximum throughput is 650 lb/hr. Individual digital-set controllers can be replaced with optional CIM microprocessor controllers. Unit cycles on demand of processing machine. Individual

auger pellet and powder feeders are also available for machine mounting, as are integral intensive mixing chambers.

VENUS-GUSMER INC. Offers a wide variety of liquid resin mixers: * Temperature-controlled high-shear mixer, semi-automatic high-shear mixer with an integral, 235gal vat able to handle more than a ton of material. * High-shear mixer ideal for corrosion barrier additives, abrasion-resistant fillers, and other highly thixotropic resins. * Collapsible blade mixer--blades fold up to fit through a 2-in. bung, then open in the resin to provide complete mixing of fillers and additives while still in the original drum. * Bung-hole mixers designed for mixing various additives into polyester resin while still in 55-gal drums. * Five-gallon pail mixer ideal for mixing medium-viscosity materials such as GP resin. Supported by bracket, so mixer may be left in place. * Hand-held pail mixer used for mixing high-viscosity materials such as gel coat. Allows reaching into corners of pail for complete mixing. * Filler mixing vat mixes heavy fillers with resin for use in pouring, casting, or resin injection. * Double-stage filler mixing vat used for heavy production. Allows the continuous addition of fillers and resin to a premix vat without stopping production.

VIBRA SCREW, INC. Offers the Vibra-Blender, a second-generation continuous blender for dry bulk materials. Controlled vibration, supplied by the company's patented gyrator, fluidizes material as it enters the mixing trough of the blender. The rotating paddle in the trough tumbles the mix and folds it back on itself.

Unit operates at speeds to 600 cu ft/hr.

VIDEX MACHINERY CORP. Sells rebuilt and guaranteed high-intensity mixers; horizontal and bowl coolers; ribbon, double and twin-shell blenders for mixing and blending of plastic materials. Complete extrusion compounding systems are also available.

WALTON-STOUT, INC. Makes proportional blenders suitable for virgin, regrind, and color concentrates and pneumatic conveying systems for pellets or powder.

WAYNE MACHINE & DIE CO. Company's Yellow Jacket (trademarked) line of single-screw compounding extruders with optional

complete microprocessor controls is available in sizes of 3/4 to 4 1/2 in. with throughput of 6 to 800 lb/hr. Twin-screw extruders, corotating and counterrotating, are supplied up to 170 mm. Special extruders for high-speed compounding are available with screw speeds up to 350 rpm. Single or double vents are available for devolatilization. The company will manufacture high- and low-shear mixing screws for any make of machine. Pelletizers from 2- to 6-in. wide are also available.

WELDING ENGINEERS, INC. Offers counterrotating, nonintermeshing twin-screw extruders for compounding, reactive extrusion, devolatilization, latex conversion, and rubber dewatering and drying. Design features include hightorque transmission (capacities up to 5000 hp) and modular machine construction. Machine sizes range from 0.8-in.-diam. lab units to 15-in. production units with capacities as high as 60,000 lb/hr.

Standard parts are provided for a variety of functions, including removal of undesirable residuals, multistage feeding for high-rate powder conversion, compounding and polymer alloying, hot-melt adhesive compounding, gas or liquid injection, and direct conversion of latex to dry pellets.

Bimetallic barrel construction is featured.

A new standardized package for reactive compounding includes, multiple addition ports and all feeders as required.

WERNER & PFLEIDERER CORP. Manufactures a wide range of polymer mixing, compounding, and blending equipment. This includes complete twin-screw compounding systems designed for specific material or processing requirements, the PK shear-cone mixer for plasticized PVC, and the KP two-stage compounder (twinscrew and single-screw) for heat- and shear-sensitive materials. Other standard mixing equipment includes a wide range of universal-type internal mixers available with and without discharge screw, as well as intensive internal batch mixers of both tangential and intermeshing rotor designs.

WHITLOCK DIV. AEC, INC. Manufactures a complete line of blending systems for free-flowing plastic materials, including volumetric, gravimetric, batch-weigh and loss-in-weight systems. Company's SMA, WVB and LMA product lines are volumetric blenders which continuously blend materials at varying rates of up to 5000 lb/hr/ingredient. These units can be either machine-mounted or floor-mounted and are capable of blending from 2 to 6 ingredients.

For more precise blending, company offers its WWB series batch-weigh blenders and the WLB series weight-loss blenders, which are equipped with microprocessor-based controls to deliver accuracies of better than 0.5 to 1 %.

To add free-flowing pelletized or granular additives and color concentrates directly at the throat of injection molding machines and extruders, company manufactures the AM series additive feeder.

These volumetric auger feeders accurately feed up to four different materials directly into the machine throat for processing.

Company will integrate blenders into a complete materials handling system, including pneumatic conveying, drying and storage equipment.

THE YOUNG INDUSTRIES, INC.

Horizontal ribbon mixers from lab size to 1500-cu-ft capacity are offered for blending free-flowing solid/solid or liquid/solid ingredients. Standard units have double ribbon-type agitators. Ribbon, paddle, and trowel agitators are available as options. Jacketing is available.

Twin-shaft mixers for continuous blending feature twin agitators with adjustable paddles. Options for these units include jacketing, vacuum or pressure troughs, and a variety of construction materials.

Gravity blenders handle from 15 to 7500 cu ft of powders, pellets, etc. Various ingredients are dropped through multiple ports to blend.

ZEPCO Manufactures a disposable motionless-mixing tube for blending multicomponent reactive liquids.

The unit can be used with Zepco's metering/dispensing equipment or any other conventional machinery.