Modular metering system for quick and easy colour changes

14-Aug-08

Colour management is an important aspect of PUR processing. More often than not, colour is the key to making an attractive consumer product. To give consumers a wide choice, PUR products, for example, for automotive applications, sport and recreational products, are produced in a range of colours. There is generally a trade-off in the form of increased manufacturing costs, because every colour change takes time and reduces productivity. In addition, colour changes often lead to colour carryover, resulting in subsequent parts failing to meet quality criteria. The result is increased manufacturing costs due to the higher reject rate, higher material consumption and disposal costs. KraussMaffei, world market leader in machines and systems for plastics and rubber processing, has developed a solution to these problems - the MicroDos colour metering system. It's especially cost-effective for products that involve frequent colour changes. To eliminate the risk of colour carryover, all elements in contact with the pigment are integrated in the colour-change module. For a colour change, the whole module is simply swapped for a new colour module. The MicroDos system makes colour changes quick and easy and totally eliminates the risk of colour carryover. The result is a more stable process and higher productivity. Changing a colour module takes a matter of minutes so that the line is back in production very quickly. No traces of pigment are left in the metering system, so that no cleaning is required and no cleaning waste is generated. Fast, clean colour changes mean more flexibility and a stable production process. MicroDos is engineered for high-precision colour metering; the specified colour concentration is accurately maintained, so that pigment consumption can be reduced to a minimum and product quality remains constantly high. KraussMaffei's MicroDos system can also be used for dispensing other PUR additives such as blowing agent, catalysts and stabilizers, which are usually added in low concentrations. Combining MicroDos with KraussMaffei's multicomponent mixing heads can extend production flexibility even more, right through to colour change from one shot to the next. Company Press Release