High Temperature - High
Performance
Air Amplifier For
Controlling Product Wall Thickness
Air amplifiers are used both in the heating process to
increase product wall thickness and in the cooling process to improve the cooling of a
particular area. Amplifiers operate on compressed air from the machine arm, they act as a
venturi moving a large volume of hot oven air or cool air to the desired area. By varying
the PSI of compressed air, molders can control the volume of air directed at a the mold
thus control the product wall thickness in that particular area.
Molders had experienced a number of problems with the
amplifiers previously available. The old units required a large volume of compressed air
therefore many molders were unable to run multiple amplifiers on an arm. The o-ring would
disintegrate at rotomolding temperatures effecting the performance of the unit further.
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Double Wall Container Molded without an
Airflow Amplifier |
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Molded with an Airflow Amplifier |
One of the greatest problems experienced by molders was
that the units were adjustable. If the operator opened the unit to clean it, he/she needed
to make sure that it was reassembled to the exact position prior to the cleaning or a
different volume of air would be obtained. The product wall thickness would change
resulting in inferior quality products until the previous setting of the unit could be
located.
The new unit is fool-proof. The unit is preset by an .008
shim. As long as the unit is tightened, the same volume of air will be obtained each and
every cycle. The volume and resulting wall thickness is then controlled by the PSI of
compressed air.
The .008 shim gap was selected to provide optimum
performance. Almost 50% less PSI of compressed air is required to move the same volume of
air as in the old units. The unit incorporates a crushable silver plated o-ring also
designed to withstand rotomolding temperatures. The .008 shim gap is large enough to pass
grease and dirt from the machine arm requiring less maintenance and cleaning.
The new amplifier also features a silver plated core with a
stainless steel outer shell. This prevents galling and seizing of the unit when exposed to
rotomolding temperatures.
Of all these benefits the most attractive is the price.
This new units is half the cost of previous units. |