At NPE2018, Maguire Products, Inc. will exhibit a new, intermediate-range model in its VBD™ line of vacuum resin dryers, expanding the throughput capacity of these systems and introducing an energy-monitoring capability that will be available with all VBD models (Booth W5747).
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VBD™-600 vacuum dryer |
The new Maguire® VBD-600 dryer achieves throughputs up to 600 pounds (275 kg) per hour. This capacity is suitable for the manufacture of sheet, large automotive parts, and many other extrusion and molding applications. With the new model, Maguire now offers vacuum drying systems with throughput capabilities ranging from 30 to 1,000 lb. (15 to 450 kg) per hour.
The VBD-600 dryer on exhibit at NPE2018 will include a new controller display that monitors energy consumption and enables processors to track consumption over time. This is the latest addition to an intuitive control system which enables operators to manage all drying parameters simply by means of a touch screen.
“The new energy consumption display makes the radical energy efficiency of vacuum drying immediately measurable,” said Frank Kavanagh, vice president of sales and marketing. “Since drying polymer can account for as much as 15% of total process energy cost for a molding operation, the substantial reduction in energy consumption made possible by the vacuum dryer can yield a rapid return on investment for the equipment.”
In comparison with desiccant dryers, the VBD vacuum dryer consumes up to 80% less energy, dries resin in one-sixth the time, and substantially reduces the heat history to which polymer is exposed. The speed with which the VBD system removes moisture makes properly dried polymer available for production only 35 minutes after a cold start.
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Touchscreen controller interface |
VBD vacuum dryers use gravity to move material through three vertically arranged stages of the drying process, with the discharge of material from one stage to the next controlled by high-speed slide-gate valves with an accuracy per dispense of +/- 4 grams. The vessels for the three stages are, from top to bottom: a heating hopper that brings resin to a target temperature; a vacuum vessel in which vacuum reduces the boiling point of water, causing moisture within the pellets to volatilize and be forced out of the pellet into the low-pressure environment surrounding it; and a heavy insulated material retention hopper with transparent shroud to protect dry material. For hygroscopic materials, a membrane purge option is available.
The vacuum vessel and retention hopper are mounted on load cells that monitor the weight of material at two critical points, making possible precise control over material consumption and documentation of process conditions for certification to customers.
Like all Maguire equipment, the new VBD-600 dryer comes with a five-year warranty.
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 four 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, and Maguire IMEA.
