High performance plastics require precision and accuracy in all phases of production. Even the slightest deviation from the prescribed ratio of materials leads to products that are unusable and huge overhead expenses. Gravimetric blenders solve this problem by automatically weighing multiple components to produce the exact blend of materials necessary to create a high-quality product every time. A gravimetric blender is essential to get the most out of blow molding, plastics extrusion, and injection molding processes.
Batch blenders achieve the goal of striking the correct balance of materials by measuring the gain in weight as multiple hoppers dispense individual materials over a weigh pan. Each hopper releases materials individually until the desired weight of that component is achieved until all the components have been added and the proper weight for a single batch as been reached. Next, the contents of the weigh pan are released into a mixing chamber to create a homogeneous mixture.
Other types of gravimetric blenders measure the loss in weight from each individual hopper in order to calculate the correct ratio of components in a plastics mixture. This configuration typically employs high-precision dosing units to ensure that the correct quantity of each component is dispensed. Many blenders have built-in error detection and correction features that allow the unit to adjust mixtures in real time. These features often compare the number of pellets dispensed through the hoppers with the actual weight of the weigh bin in order to compensate for pellets that are irregularly sized. Cross checking the number of pellets with the weight at a given moment ensures a greater level of accuracy.
Gravimetric blenders can be deployed in a variety of ways depending on the type of manufacturing process. Most can be mounted directly on other machines in order to create a seamless production process. Some models include removal bins for simple maintenance or repair. Easily removed weight bins and mixing components make blenders easy to clean or repair and provide access to all of the contact surfaces in the machine. Pneumatic Loaders are often a desirable peripheral for blenders in order to facilitate the loading process and avoid human error or injury.
In any industrial plastics environment, gravimetric blenders are an absolutely essential component of the production process. Their efficiency and easy use facilitate faster production rates, reduce human error and injury, and increase quality control.
