Npe 2015 Wrap-up

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Knowledge Center Supplement September 2015 The Shows Within The Show NPE Wrap Up • NPE New Product Recaps • Guide to Energy Saving Drying • Central vs. Press Side Installation Guide • New Predictive Maintenance Products for Processors Sponsored Content NPE 2015 Wrap Up–The Shows Within a Show Easiest to Use Mobile Wheel Dryers CONTENTS 4............... How to Pick Press-Side vs. Central in Drying and Conveying 10.............. How to Save Energy with Dryer Installations 12.............. NPE Update on Intuitive Dryer Controls Standard Dry Air Conveying Package Standard LED Alarm Light...Matsui Charges Over $250! Just Enter Your Polymer Type and the Smart Control PLC Does the Rest… What Good is a Mobile Dryer if You Don’t Know the Dewpoint? We Include It. Matsui Charges an Extra $900! 14.............. Tips to Improve Dryer Performance 18.............. NPE Update on New Downstream Extrusion Products 22.............. Minimizing Conveying Maintenance Through Pellet Speed Control 31.............. NPE Update on New Resin Conveying Products 33.............. Predictive Maintenance Platform for Conveying Pumps and Dryers 37.............. New Prophecy Products for Plastics Processors Exclusive Overdry Protection Ideal for Nylon and Other Sensitive Materials Very Smart Upgraded Software Senses Faults… Automatically Tells You When to Change Filters Standard Conveying Blower Package Need More Answers? Go online to www.ptonline.com and click KNOWLEDGE CENTERS Best Practices, Cost Saving Tips, Product Technology Pictorially Guides You in a Solution Built-in Standards... Sold as Options Everywhere Else! www.novatec.com/dryers Comprehensive collection of technical content On-Demand Videos & Webinars The latest technology in action and explained by industry experts Ask Experts Connect with industry leaders for immediate answers Visit our five Knowledge Centers for detailed information on each of these critical areas: DRYING CONVEYING DOWNSTREAM EXTRUSION PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE BLENDING www.ptonline.com Standard 5-Year Warranty | Made in the USA | 800-237-8379 | www.novatec.com © Copyright 2015 Novatec, Inc. NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 3 NPE2015 Wrap Up | DRYING Press-Side vs. Central Drying How to Select Whether Press-Side or Central Drying Works Best for Your Processing Location. There are, of course, reasons why pressside dryers may be best for some processors but more and more are converting to central systems because their production requirements have changed over the years. Once they make that change, they will never go back because the economic advantages of a central system are very favorable to most processors profit margins. Let’s examine: • Reasons for maintaining a press-side arrangement • Reasons for considering a Central Drying System • Economic benefits of a Central Drying System Press-side or press-mounted dryers are commonplace where processors have fewer than 10 process machines and have low throughputs on those machines (under 25 lb./hr.). It also helps if the processor is running the same material on the same machine day-after-day, making very few material changes. This requires that there be a vacuum loader at each machine and a source of material (usually a bulk box or drum of resin). Processors learn to live with fork lifts delivering material to the presses. Note that if access is ever required to the machine throat, the dryer and loader have to be removed, then re-mounted. Still, this arrangement seems to work for this group of processors. 4 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW Small press – mounted dryer for medical application Portable Dry/ Convey Model The interim move to a Central System for most processors is to introduce multiple portable dry/ convey units. These dryers are usually mounted on a cart with a drying hopper, a loader or receiver to supply resin to the drying hopper and a machinemount loader or receiver to deliver material to the machine throat. The throughputs range up to about 300 lb./hr. The bulk boxes and forklifts are still present – clogging up the production area. If multiple material changes are required, processors often have extra dry/convey units in an area off the production floor that can be wheeled into place beside the process machine. This adds to the confusion on the production floor and the whole process often results in material being left in the bulk bins and or contaminated and simply wasted. Yet another scenario occurs when a processor needs higher throughputs than 300 lb./hr. and larger stationary dryers are introduced to the production floor – taking up even more floor space. Or, worse yet, they will be mounted on racks above process machines. In these cases, routine maintenance will probably not be performed – ultimately resulting in excessive rejected parts and higher energy bills. It should be noted that even when you are drying the same material in different dryers (even of the same model) you may experience variation in the levels of drying. Differences in the age of the desiccant, heaters, blowers or even condition of the filters may cause this. often have more than one central dryer – each serving a bank of hoppers with a back-up central dryer for times when a dryer may be taken offline for maintenance. YOU ARE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR CENTRAL DRYING/CONVEYING IF… • • • • • • • • • •  ou have dryers on 10 or more machines Y You have a single material that requires drying at multiple machines You have frequent material changes on your machines You use more material types than you have machines You have dryer to dryer quality issues when drying the same material You want to expand, but do not have sufficient space You need flexibility to serve the needs of your customers You have a Just-in-Time objective to reduce inventory You need to reduce operating costs You want to improve safety for your workers WHAT IS CENTRAL DRYING? Dryer Mounted Above Press Central Drying allows one dryer to provide -40°dew point air to multiple material hoppers of different sizes. An adjustable heater and blower are mounted on each hopper so the heat and air flow can be adjusted to the material in that hopper. So you have custom drying of multiple materials from a single central dryer that is sized to match the requirements of that bank of hoppers. Central Dryers are available with throughputs from <200 lb./hr. through 5,000 lb./hr. so a wide range of processor needs can be easily met. Processors Compact Drying, Blending and Conveying area NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 5 Press-Side vs. Central Drying WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CENTRAL DRYING? We will discuss specific savings but here is an overview of benefits: • Space savings • Fewer materials handlers • Energy savings (Rebates often available) • Increased machine uptime (no waiting for material to pre-dry) • Material control reduces waste (small inventory to clean) • Improved product quality (drying consistency through your plant) • Fast payback of investment (because there are multiple sources for savings) ADDITIONAL SAVINGS NOT CALCULATED: • • Unclog your production floor  aintenance on 12 dryers vs. 1 Central M Dryer Brush changes & filter cleaning for 12 loaders vs. just filter cleaning for 12 vacuum receivers • •  nergy usage for 12 dryers and 12 E loaders vs. 1 dryer and 1 vacuum pump Loss of material due to bulk box movement, material contamination and poorly made parts On this point, let’s assume that 10 lb. of material is lost per bulk box and that is not unusual… Yearly Costs: Press-Side Cost/Year Yearly Costs: NOTE: These figures were not picked out of the air! They are based on typical results of before and after plant surveys of processors who moved from press-side drying to a Central Drying/Conveying System. Based on 12 machines – Average throughput 200 pph - Drying Nylon/ABS/PC Press-Side Cost/Year Example: Central Dry/ Convey Cost/Year Energy Costs: Press-Side–$.10/kwh x 11 kw x 8,000 hr./yr. x 12 dryers 12 x 3 = 36 x 10 lb. X 50wks. - 18,000 lb. /yr. ABS - 18,000 x $0.74/lb. = $13,320 PC Injection, General Purpose - 18,000 x $1.90/lb. = $34,200 PC – Flame Retardant – 18,000 x $2.42/lb. = $43,560 And how about the wrong material being processed? Has that happened at your plant? $108,000 Central–$ 10.kwh x 51 kw x 8,000 hr./yr. x 1 dryer = 12 Press-Side Dryers – 3 changes/wk./press $41,000 Add: Cleanup, disposal and lost machine time and you can easily triple these costs. Material Changes: Press-side dryers require 30 minutes to 4 or 5 hours for material changeover. Press Side– Based on 2 hr. average x 3 changes/machine/week x $50/hr. $180,000 Central– Based on .25 hr. average x 3 changes/machine/week x $50/hr. $22,500 Labor: Central Conveying typically eliminates at least one material handler/12 machines. $ 30,000 $0.00 $318,000/yr. LET’S TALK ABOUT SPACE! Typically, a processor using press-side dryers has to allow and extra 75 sq.ft. per process machine for a dryer, hopper and bulk box. Now add the space required for a fork lift to maneuver in, haul the old bulk box away and replaced it with a new one…suddenly, you are up to about 120 sq. ft.! Multiply that by the number of presses you have and you will see how many additional presses you can fit into that space – that, after all, is supposed to be your manufacturing area – where profits are made. $63,500/yr. Central Drying/Conveying Savings: $254,500 /Year – EVERY YEAR! 24 Machine plant: $509,000 Savings/Year! • 36 Machine plant: $763,000 Savings/Year! 6 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 7 Press-Side vs. Central Drying CENTRAL CONVEYING – ADDS BENEFITS TO CENTRAL DRYING! Reduced Material Costs - Central conveying may allow you the option of buying materials in bulk for silo storage with a “free” silo from your material supplier or you may be able to increase your purchases to a point where it is advantageous to use bulk bins for storage instead of those pecky bulk boxes. But, even if you have to continue with bulk boxes, for some reason, they can at least be stored in a designated area where one person is responsible for ensuring that the material remaining in the liners is emptied into the new container and they are properly covered to prevent contamination. Quick and Correct Material Changes Central conveying is the reason that material changes can be reduced to about 15 minutes and with Auto ID validation of materials, you can be sure that the right material will always go to the correct machine. Central Drying/Conveying improves process flow and reduces costs. Need Help Making a Decision About Converting to a Central System? Auto ID validation eliminates molding the wrong material Safety – Reduced material spillage means safer conditions on the production floor. A Central Drying/Conveying System can pull materials from a combination of silos, bulk bins and bulk boxes to drying hoppers, or blenders or a combination of those. 8 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW Jim Zinski [email protected] 443-457-1379 Ask for a plant survey to determine whether, and how much, you can save on energy costs, wasted materials, reduced rejects, labor, maintenance and increased up-time. The usual payback time is 12-18 months so the sooner you act, the sooner you start saving. Bulk Purchases reduce resin costs NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 9 NPE2015 Wrap Up | DRYING Energy Saving Drying Tips Energy costs are one of the few things you can control. You can exert some control over those monthly energy cost whether you continue to use existing dryers or you are planning to replace existing dryers. Let’s examine your existing dryers and hoppers first: Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance! Clogged filters increase energy consumption • • be required to sign a checklist (like you see in restrooms) when they perform the cleaning. You should also keep replacement filters in stock for each dryer. Newer dryers use pressure drop indication to alarm when filters need attention. Plasticizer Filter and Drain – It is equally important that plasticizer filters be cleaned on a regular basis and excess plasticizer be drained to ensure that contaminants do not get into your desiccant – which will cause it to lose effectiveness and require early replacement. Differential pressure switches can warn of filter clogging  rocess & Regeneration Filters - Do P you realize how much dirty process and regen filters can reduce the efficiency of your dryers? Would you believe a 30-40% reduction in efficiency? That means you are using a lot much more energy to dry your materials or – your percentage of rejected product is increasing. Most older dryers do not provide an alarm when filters are clogged so it is imperative that a regular cleaning schedule be established and followed by production personnel. The schedule should be based on the dustiness of the material being processed and operators should 10 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW Drain plasticizer and wash filter regularly •  heck and Replace Desiccant – Poorly C performing desiccant can also increase energy usage because it does not absorb moisture as readily as it should nor does it regenerate as quickly so process Worn out desiccant beads cause higher energy costs times increase – using more energy or poor product is produced which also represents wasted energy. A good sign of ineffective desiccant is when the dryer is not consistently producing -40°D dew point process air. One of the easiest ways to check desiccant is visually. If it is discolored – replace it. Also, grab a handful of desiccant of cool desiccant and squeeze it…you should feel it warm up quickly – without crumbling. • Hose and Hose Connections – Every few months, all hose clamps should be checked for tightness and all hose should be examined for holes and cuts in and around the dryer and at the hopper. Air leaking from these points represents energy flying off into the air. • Hose Insulation – Be sure that all hoses that carry hot air are well wrapped with insulation. Note that the process return air hose from the hopper to the dryer should not be insulated. • If the dryer is not attaining the proper process and regeneration temperatures, it could be a sign that a heater needs to be replaced. Any delay, means that poor parts are probably being produced. Every poor part that is produced represents wasted energy, labor and higher material cost. Now let’s look at energy considerations for new dryers and hoppers: First and foremost, when replacing an old dryer, talk to suppliers who offer more than one or two types of dryers. If all they have to sell are Type 1 and Type 2 Dryers, they will try to pigeonhole you into one of those. Today, you have many choices and you can find the type best-suited for each application you have. Just like energy usage has been reduced for home appliances and automobiles, energy usage has been reduced for newer types of dryers while older dryer types have lagged in energy-saving features. Dryers: • Compare energy usage for the typed of dryers that meet your processing requirements. Any manufacturer you talk to should be able to show you the kw/lb. or kw/kg of material processed so you can relate that to your cost/kw in your area. • Ask whether the dryer control includes any special energy-saving features – see article on Dryer Controls. • Make sure that high temperature hose or ducting is well-insulated. • Ask whether the dryer you are considering qualifies for an energy-savings credit. Hoppers: • A minimum of 2” of insulation should be sandwiched between the walls of the hopper cone, hopper door and hopper sides, but not in the section where the return air exits the hopper. You want relatively low-temperature air Hopper insulation to be returning. should extend from Placement of Process bottom of cone to Heater: This depends largely just below process on the size of the dryer. return outlet. • For smaller dryers, the process heater is usually in the dryer when the hopper is very nearby. • For larger systems, where the hopper is several feet from the dryer, the process heater should be mounted on the hopper to minimize heat loss. NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 11 New Product Recap: Intuitive Dryer Controls NEW CONTROLS AND SOFTWARE FOR MOBILE DRYING Novatec’s mobile dry/convey systems, used for beside the press drying operations, was one of the most popular attractions at NPE. These modular carts can be equipped as stand-alone dryers or equipped with an integral hopper/conveying package as shown. Sizes for these wheeled models are available from 25 lbs./hr. to 400 lbs./ hr. and are all featured with standard color touchscreen HMI with PLC controls. “Plus” models feature a 7” HMI with over-dry protection while standard models come with 4” color. All models are now equipped with Novatec’s advanced high-definition software which provides complete control over the dryer, the hopper, and receivers within the system. Complete onboard drying system diagnosis and trending is included within the standard package. NEW CONTROL AND SOFTWARE FOR CENTRAL DRYING Novatec central dryers not only control drying parameters at the dryer, including energy optimization, but also have the ability to control operations of up to 12 hoppers. These dryers come complete with self-diagnostics and troubleshooting alarms. The alarms utilize easy to understand language and if something is not understood the operator simply presses the screen for more detailed explanations. The larger central dryers also come with standard variable frequency drive for the regeneration blower. Novatec’s new central drying software includes standard drying optimization controls. This ensures that the resin is exposed to the specified levels of heat and dryer air without the danger of under-drying or over-drying , which leads to either excessive energy use and/or improperly formed parts. These systems provide the capability of controlling, trending and monitoring the dew point, drying temperature and pre-drying time as well as the temperature and dew point limits on each hopper in the central system. UPDATED LOCAL CONTROL HOPPER TECHNOLOGY SHOWN AT NPE Novatec’s central drying hoppers, with new advanced controls, allow easy entry of drying temperatures plus high and low set points. Options include a dew point display, or a dew point display plus patented moisture manager software, to carefully control the drying process. This feature can be particularly useful for moisture sensitive resins such as nylon where under-drying or over-drying can result in loss of physical properties and defects in final products. Standard Central Drying Hopper includes control of drying temperature plus high and low set points and a hopper with greater energy efficiency. Control options provide either dew point display or a combination of dew point display and the patented Moisture Manager software that closely controls moisture content. 12 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 13 NPE2015 Wrap Up | DRYING Always have an extra set of clean filters ready for changing. It’s never a convenient time to shut down the dryer to clean and change the filters but operation of the dryer without filters, even for a short period, can allow plastic dust to get into the heater and can lead to destroying the desiccant or even a fire. Haynie’s Dozen Drying Tips 2 We call Mark Haynie, “The Drying Doc”. Mark Haynie has almost 40 years experience in dryer and desiccant design for plastics and industrial applications. He has helped many processors achieve improved drying performance throughout by consulting with them and understanding their specific drying issues. Proper maintenance is a key to having your dryer perform to your expectations. Also, dryers need to be equipped differently depending on the resin you are processing and the required drying temperature, high (225°-300°+ F) or low (below225° F). Here are some factors you should consider to ensure that the dryer performance meets the requirements of the resins you are processing. 1  onitor Dew Point M The dew point produced by a dryer is not directly tied to the dryness of the resin, but rather the dryness of the air produced by the dryer. However, knowing the dew point can tell you that the dryer is probably operating up to its specifications. The dryer should have continuous monitoring of the dew point to help you in determining if it’s fit for the job. 14 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW Monitor Air Flow Proper air flow is important. It is both the vehicle that provides the low dew point air for drying of the resin and it carries the heat from the process heater to the resin. The best practice is to have a continuous monitor – typically a pressure drop device –which gives a warning when air flow is reduced. 4 5 Monitoring Current Flow and Inspecting Filters Monitoring Current Flow 3 Inspecting Filters  eep Air Filters Clean K There are filters in both the process and regeneration air streams. The filters should be checked frequently (every 2 weeks) and  onitor the Return Air M Temperature to the Desiccant Molecular sieve desiccant dries the process air best at low temperatures. When the temperature of the air returning to the desiccant bed exceeds 140-150° F the dryer will not achieve a -40° F/C dew point. If the return air temperature is exceeding this level, then there is too much process air or too high a processing temperature. A thermocouple or temperature indicator, at this point will let you know this. In some modern systems, this temperature is fed back into the controls so that a VFD (variable frequency drive) can change the air flow rate automatically. Maintaining a return air temperature of 140-150° F also minimizes energy usage.  ake Precautions for T Low Temperature Drying Drying temperatures lower than 160-170 F are difficult to achieve for most standard dryers. These temperatures apply to some nylons, co-polyesters, PLA and a few other resins. Although the return temperature to the dryer may only be 140-150 F, there is a temperature rise as the air passes through the blower and another rise as it goes through the desiccant. For these applications you’ll need to add, typically, an extra post-dryer cooling coil in the case of desiccant drying. This is also a difficult thing for twin tower dryers to achieve. They experience a spike in temperature each time the towers switch as the partially cooled regenerated bed comes on line. Another option for these low temperature resins is the membrane type dryer that can typically get to low temperatures without the need for water. They are limited to throughputs of about 200 lb./hr. 6  ake Precautions for T High Temperature Drying When drying resins at temperatures in excess of typically 220 F, there should be a post hopper cooling coil with tower water. This may also have a water saver valve to limit the amount of cooling water used. Remember, over-cooling (below 130 F) the air in the cooling coil will require additional heating in the process air heater and additional load on the cooling water system. 7  eep Volatiles Out of Your Desiccant K Volatiles (organics) can come off of some resins during the drying process. Resins such as PET, nylons, PBT and some others can give off significant amounts of these, over time, and they can contaminate and destroy desiccant. Even more, this contamination can lead to carbon dust and that can enter the drying hopper and contaminate the resin. All systems subject to volatiles should have a well maintained plasticizer system. 8  heck Moisture Level in the Resin C The moisture in the resin isn’t just a function of the -40° dew point from the dryer. Best practice is to use either an on-line or off-line measurement tool to verify that the resin leaving the drying hopper meets the process requirements. Many products can have flaws from under-dried resins and some, like nylon and PBT, can become brittle if over-dried. The only true way to know if you are sending properly treated resins to the process is to measure the resin moisture. NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 15 Haynie’s Dozen Drying Tips 9 Inspect Your Desiccant The desiccant types that are typically used in plastics industry dryers are Molecular Sieve beads, Silica Gel beads and Pure Crystalline Molecular Sieve. The molecular beads are typically used in twin bed dryers and produce -40°dew point drying air when functioning properly. They have a base of about 30% clay so they are not as efficient as the pure crystalline desiccant and should be replaced on 2-year intervals. You can check it in the following ways – if it is discolored – replace it. If you gather a handful and squeeze it, you should feel it warming up quickly. If it does not – replace it. Silica gel does not produce -40°dew point air so it is typically used to provide a blanket of desiccated air in the tops of silos. Pure Crystalline Molecular sieve is typically used in desiccant wheel dryers. It produces consistent -40°dew point air for several years. 12 Don’t Ignore Warnings Most dryer controls provide some kind of warning when something is going wrong in the system. Some controls give very simple warnings while others will tell the operator exactly what is going wrong and even offer instructions for a “fix”. In either case, the warning is indicating that some correctional action is necessary or greater consequences are going to follow. Simply acknowledging the warning and turning it off is not the correct procedure. Your Central Dryer Has Pending Temperature and Lung Failure... 10 Install A Return Air Hopper Screen As a minimum, there should be a screen in the return air (at the hopper) to insure that resin pellets don’t leave the drying hopper. Listening for Abnormalities Checking and Imagine Having ESP for What’s Happening Inside. Listening for Abnormalities 11 Check for Leaks Leaks anywhere in a closed loop system are bad. Inspect the system regularly to determine if you have any CheckingFollowing these simple tips will help keep Pressures issues. Leaks generally allow ambient air, with your production line running more smoothly, with a high moisture level, to enter the “closed fewer emergencies – and that increase productivity loop”. Air leaks can lead to significantly high and profits. power bills when more moisture has to be “boiled” off of the desiccant. The heaters inside your central dryer or the hopper heater boxes ultimately fail. Typically the only way you know is when the dryer finally doesn’t make temperature. But with Novatec’s ESP Prophecy Sensorlytics, that’s a problem of the past. This exclusive platform detects progressive heater failure before the entire bank of heaters is shut down. Plus our sensors are also monitoring and predicting future performance issues with the regenerative blower, process blower and cassette wheel drive to warn you in advance so you can avoid unscheduled shutdowns. Only from Novatec. Have Drying Issues? Contact the doctor: www.novatec.com/dryers Mark Haynie: [email protected] | 443-457-1152 www.ptonline.com/knowledgecenter/plastics-drying 16 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW © Copyright 2015 Novatec, Inc. 800-237-8379 | www.novatec.com NPE2015 Wrap Up DOWNSTREAM EXTRUSION NEW SIEMENS TOUCHSCREEN CONTROL FOR UP-CUT SAWS INCLUDES MANY FEATURES AT NO EXTRA CHARGE... New Product Recap Introduced at the show, but prototyped with major extrusion customers over the past two years, Novatec’s new NS-6 up-cut Extrusion Saw features a standard 7” color touchscreen control with built in features that others consider options. Along with the unrivaled servo drive inclusion, this makes the new Novatec saw unparalleled in precision, ease of use and value. SERVO UP-CUT EXTRUSION SAW INTRODUCED AT NPE 2015 Hinged table for easy access to blade shroud and internal area Pressure and speed control for saw blade and clamp motions Following suit with their exclusive line of all servo pullers and cutters for downstream extrusion, Novatec introduced its NS-6 up-cut Extrusion Saw with a capacity of 20” diameter X 6” cut capacity. As with other Novatec extrusion products, the servo drive has been incorporated as a standard feature and is not an optional extra as with all other ordinary up-cut saws on the market today. The fully enclosed blade cavity rises above the table with included guarding for operator safety. A 3HP saw motor with variable speeds from 22753300 rpm is standard with a 20” diameter blade and 24” table travel. The machine also comes with a standard touch screen PLC control with a full range of standard controller options that are optional elsewhere. Easy to Use Touchscreen Control Home Screen–Access to All Saw Functions Access to QUICKOPS screen Home Screen has quick access to all saw functions including the quick-ops screen, recipe selection, user setup and batch counter screens. Opens RECIPE SELECT screen Access to SETUP Opens the BATCH COUNTER screen Quick Ops Screen–View RealTime Performance of Saw SET LENGTH to be cut Quick Ops Screen gives the operator or supervisor a quick visual check on all vital saw functions including length control, recipe selection, piece/box count and scrap/test controls. Touch buttons to CUT PRODUCT, STOP, CUT SCRAP or TEST CUT Select/edit recipe Piece & Box Count Recipe Select–Store and Recall Up To 30 Recipes Recipe Selection Screen allows the operator to set parameters for up to 30 recipes in the control including product identification, cut lengths, speed control, test/ scrap cuts and clamp control. Upper chip collection tube 18 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW Rich Vester [email protected] 913-912-2973 www.novatec.com/products/extrusion/saws/ NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 19 All Servo. All PLC. All Touchscreen. Now UL Panels Too! ® Precision Control & Ease of Use Should Not Be Optional... New Servo Up-Cut Saw Servo Cutters for On-Demand or Continuous Operation Choice of Single and Dual Servo Drive Puller Models Ranging from 2” Wide to 6” Wide Models Downstream extrusion for this century. Standard Touchscreen Intuitive Control. Standard Servo Precision Drives. Now, UL 508a Electrical Panels as well. Smart machines that offer the very best in precision, control and value without compromise. www.novatec.com/extrusion Standard 5-Year Warranty | Made in the USA 800-237-8379 | www.novatec.com © Copyright 2015 Novatec, Inc. NPE2015 Wrap Up | CONVEYING Conveying Speed Can Be Your Enemy Put the Brakes on Resin Conveying Speed to Minimize System Maintenance By Jim Zinski, Novatec Inc. Here’s how to manage pneumatic conveying speeds to extend equipment life and reduce material waste in your plant. rials can soften during conveying, smearing inside the conveying tube surface. This causes buildup that can contaminate other materials or lead to streamers and angel hair that block material flow. Other materials can break easily during conveying, leading to excessive dust, plugged filters, and waste. Moving bulk plastics from storage to process These issues may sound like polar opposites, through pneumatic conveying tubes is common but in reality, both are in most processing largely a function of plants and has been for conveying velocity. As As material moves faster, decades. But times and material moves faster, particles generate more heat, materials are changing, particles generate friction, and impact force, all of and what worked in more heat, friction, and the past isn’t always which contribute significantly to impact force, all of which enough for reliable attrition and wear issues. contribute significantly to results today. attrition and wear issues. One key issue processors face is VELOCITY EFFECTS ON the problem of erosive wear of conveying tubing, ELBOWS AND MATERIAL bends, and other equipment subjected to abrasive While it’s customary to use feet per minute materials. Unexpected part failures can create (fpm) when discussing air speed in a conveying costly repairs and unplanned downtime. This is system, this article uses miles per hour (mph) to a growing problem due to expanded use of glass more easily relate to everyday experience. For and mineral fillers for improved part performance. added context, we’ll consider two examples of Another common problem is attrition, or speed-related conveying issues. degradation of sensitive raw materials. This is often the byproduct of conveying heat-sensitive materials like LDPE or dried acrylic. These mate- 22 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW The first issue is erosive wear of elbows. Figure 1 illustrates how conveying speed affects elbow life when transferring abrasive materials. As expected, higher speeds create faster erosion, with a dramatic decrease in relative service life from 35 to 45 mph. Continuing through the range of expected conveying speeds, the actual drop in service life is less dramatic, but as a coarse rule of thumb, the relative service life drops by about half for every 10 mph increase in air speed. Understanding the impact of velocity on conveying system operation can greatly improve your chances for success, especially when moving abrasive plastics and those sensitive to degradation. FIG 1 ELBOW SERVICE LIFE DECREASES AS CONVEYING SPEED INCREASES 100% (Based on material conveyed before failure; 2-in. carbon steel pipe transferring sand) 40% 19% 35 mph 6% 45mph 55 mph 65 mph Conveying Air Speed 75 mph Higher speeds create faster erosion, with a dramatic decrease in relative service life from 35 to 45 mph. As a coarse rule of thumb, the relative service life drops by about half for every 10 mph increase in air speed. FIG 2 LDPE STREAMER GENERATION GROWS AS CONVEYING SPEED INCREASES 1.6 oz (Oz/ton LDPE conveyed; 4-in. pipe, 8:1 solids loading; 122 F) The second example of velocityrelated conveying issues results from material degradation. Figure 2 illustrates how conveying speed affects streamer generation when transferring softer, heat-sensitive materials—LDPE in this case. Once again, higher speeds contribute to increased problems. Streamer generation increased linearly through the range of speeds, assuming a consistent level of material loading in the conveying line. Using 45 mph as a baseline, streamer generation increased an additional 55% for every 10 mph increase in air speed. Clearly slower is better to avoid these problems. Unfortunately, there is more happening inside a conveying system than meets the eye. 9% 1.2 oz 0.9 oz 0.6 oz 45mph 55 mph 65 mph Conveying Air Speed 75 mph Here, streamer generation increased linearly through the range of speeds, assuming a consistent level of material loading in the conveying line. Using 45 mph as a baseline, streamer generation increased an additional 55% for every 10 mph increase in air speed. QUESTIONS ABOUT RESIN CONVEYING? Visit the CONVEYING KNOWLEDGE CENTER at www.PTonline.com NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 23 Conveying Speed Can Be Your Enemy AIR MOLECULES MOVING WITH/WITHOUT MATERIAL LOADING Pump On (air only) Lower vacuum = Less air expansion (modest air-speed increase) Vacuum = 0 Hg Air Speed = 35 MPH (target pickup speed) Vacuum = 6 in. Hg Air Speed = 44 MPH Pump On (air and material) Higher vacuum = More air expansion (large air-speed increase) Vacuum = 0 Hg Air Speed= 35 MPH (target pickup speed) Vacuum= 12 in. Hg Air Speed = 60 MPH When air molecules move without material loading (top), less vacuum is needed, so the air is “stretched” less and accelerates to a modestly higher speed. When material is added (bottom), every foot of tube, every change of direction through elbows, and every pellet being carried create more resistance to air moving. This steadily growing resistance is overcome by increasing vacuum to keep air and pellets moving. This elevated vacuum “stretches” the air even further, so the air moves much faster as it reaches the pump. UNDERSTANDING VELOCITY IN A VACUUM SYSTEM Picture a drag race. The light tree turns green and the dragster goes from zero to 30 in a heartbeat, then continues to accelerate faster and faster down the track, throttle wide open to the finish line. Pellets in your conveying system are like a dragster on the strip—starting from a standstill at your source, then accelerating faster and faster all the way to your receiver. The vacuum pump is like the engine at full throttle, pulling the material ever faster. And the harder it pulls, the faster it moves everything down the line toward it. The pump’s “pull” is the vacuum it draws, measured in inches of mercury (in. Hg). As vacuum increases, air is essentially being “stretched” farther and farther apart, or expanding, as it moves from the source toward the pump. The top graphic in Fig. 3 above illustrates air molecules moving without material loading. Less vacuum is needed, so the air is “stretched” 24 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW less and accelerates to a modestly higher speed. The bottom graphic in Fig. 3 adds material loading. In this case, every foot of tube, every change of direction through elbows, and every pellet being carried create more resistance to air moving. This steadily growing resistance is overcome by increasing vacuum to keep air and pellets moving. This elevated vacuum “stretches” the air even further, so the air moves much faster as it reaches the pump. SPEED ZONES IN CONVEYING SYSTEMS The area where material enters the conveying line is often referred to as the pickup zone. For a conveying system to work, air in this area has to move fast enough to sweep the pellets into the airstream from a standstill. The acceptable speed range in the pickup zone is approximately 35-45 mph. The required speed varies depending on material properties such as bulk density, particle size, and surface friction, but for most plastic pellets, the minimum speed, or pickup velocity, is around 35 mph. Figure 4 shows how much air FIG 4 AIR SPEED INCREASES FROM PICKUP TO PUMP speed increases in a conveying 100 mph system. When a pickup speed is 90 mph Pickup chosen, the pump air speed is Air speed at pump for 45 80 mph Zone selected based on the expected mph at pickup 70 mph (air in) operating vacuum. A higher vacuum 60 mph “stretches” air more, which requires 50 mph higher air speeds downstream at the Air speed at pump for 35 40 mph mph at pickup material receiver and at the pump. 30 mph Air moves faster as it is stretched by vacuum → Why is this important? As pellets 20 mph 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 gather speed moving through a conveying system, they become Pump Inlet Vacuum projectiles hurtling toward impact Higher vacuum leads to proportionally higher air speeds downstream and at the targets like elbows and the receiver/ pump. A lower pickup speed keeps the downstream increase to a minimum. separator. More speed equals more problems, which are typically more prevalent toward the destination To reduce velocity, we might be tempted to rather than the source. We want to target choose a conveying tube size larger than needed these areas for protection, and when possible, to reduce vacuum. Less vacuum will “stretch” the limit the downstream speed to minimize the air less, and air speed will change less from start damage it can cause. to finish as a result. Unfortunately, most standard pump packages already pull air at a preselected speed. If it pulls less vacuum, the unintended CONVENTIONAL DESIGN APPROACH result is more speed at the pickup area. And since Designers consider the conveying rate required most standard pumps pull more air when faced to keep up with processes, and the physical layout with less target resistance, the maximum speed of a given processing plant, to select the required increases as well. More speed at all points in the combination of tube size and pump to carry the system leads to more problems with abrasive or load. Higher vacuum yields higher conveying rates sensitive materials. and improved efficiency for a given tube size. There are a variety of ways to reduce velocity Larger tube sizes carry more material for a given in a conveying system, some simpler than others, vacuum level. and some more versatile. We’ll consider several Many standard pump packages on the market methods, starting with the simplest: have been selected to provide the maximum rate for the selected tube size by delivering • System-wide velocity reduction: A the maximum safe vacuum level. This vacuum, controlled air leak is one of the easiest ways combined with the target pickup air speed, to reduce velocity to all receiver stations in an dictates the maximum air speed required downexisting vacuum-conveying system operating stream at the pump. above minimum pickup speed. An air leak creates an alternate path for air to enter the conveying line, like a simple bypass. It’s created As pellets gather speed moving through by adding a series of holes to the vacuum line a conveying system, they become before the pump safety filter. The size and projectiles hurtling toward impact targets number of holes, along with operating vacuum, like elbows and the receiver/separator. determine the magnitude of the air bypassing the conveying system. More speed equals more problems. Air Speed FIG 3 Continued on pg 28 NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 25 Novatec IS Plastics Conveying & Systems More Products. More Expertise. More Solutions. • Certified team of conveying systems specialists • Complete line of products for almost every application • Turnkey design and installation availability • Industry leader in client satisfaction and problem-solving results Standard 5-Year Warranty | Made in the USA 800-237-8379 | www.novatec.com © Copyright 2015 Novatec, Inc. Conveying Speed Can Be Your Enemy An air leak that’s carefully controlled can reliably reduce system air speed by as much as 30%. But keep in mind that the air leak steals air from the pickup area, so it can cause problems if unplanned or poorly implemented. Symptoms such as material slugging, or a complete line plug, can result when the leak is large and the material loading is high. It’s important to work with a knowledgeable system designer to ensure expected results. Reducing the pump rpm also reduces air speed across the system, with the added benefit of modest energy savings. If the pump package is belt driven, the sheave combination can often be modified to slow the pump to a new target performance point. If the pump package is a direct-drive setup, a variable-frequency drive (VFD) can be used to select the new target performance point. Once again, a knowledgeable system designer having full application details and pump performance information should be consulted to ensure safe operation and a successful outcome. When overall air speed is reduced, the system vacuum may need to be reduced to ensure enough air speed at the pickup. This can be done at the material source pickup probe by rotating the collar to pull more air through the screen, so less material enters the conveying line (see photo, right). A word of caution when operating at lower vacuum levels, particularly less than 8 in. Hg vacuum: In these situations, the limiting factor can sometimes be the pump’s ability to get a fully loaded conveying line moving from a complete stop, which can exceed the vacuum needed to carry the material once in motion. This is affected a great deal by the system installation, particularly how well the designer managed to avoid material plug areas, such as the arrangement at the base of a vertical tube, or consecutive 90° elbows. • Controlling velocity variation: A central conveying system often moves material from a common source to multiple points of use. To optimize operation, the material feed rate is adjusted while transferring material to the receiver station farthest from the material source. This is the 28 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW station that will encounter the most resistance, and the feed rate is adjusted here to achieve the target operating vacuum. But when the same source feeds another station located a shorter distance away, the system resistance is reduced, and the vacuum level at the pump decreases. Unfortunately, once more, system air speed will increase when vacuum load on the pump decreases, assuming the pump rpm stays the same. There are two basic methods to address this common variation in air speed. One is mechanical, and the other uses advanced system controls and a VFD. The simple mechanical approach is a flow-control valve, which acts like a governor on the air speed inside a conveying system. When system resistance drops (think short distance vs. long distance), the flow-control valve adds the resis- FIG 5 FLOW-CONTROL VALVE REGULATES AIR SPEED INSIDE A CONVEYING SYSTEM When overall air speed is reduced, the system vacuum may need to be reduced to ensure enough air speed at the pickup. This can be done at the material source pickup probe by rotating the collar to pull more air through the screen, so less material enters the conveying line. tance back into the system, so vacuum and air speed remain steady in a targeted range. When the system resistance is already high, and the system air flow is near the design target, the flow-control valve allows the air to pass through unimpeded (see Fig. 5, p. 7) The flow-control valve is also a good addition to a system that purges the material line empty during each conveying cycle. Purging is often done when conveying dried or blended material from a central location to preserve the material dryness or blend integrity. In a purge system, the resistance in the empty conveying line starts low, then rises to a peak value as material fills the line. When the purge cycle begins, the line gradually A flow-control valve acts like a governor on the air speed inside a conveying system. When system resistance drops, the valve adds the resistance back into the system, so vacuum and air speed remain steady in a targeted range. When the system resistance is already high and the system air flow is near the design target, it allows the air to pass through unimpeded. empties, and the resistance slowly drops to the lower vacuum level. This natural variation in resistance and vacuum level is automatically corrected by the flow-control valve to guarantee a predetermined maximum air speed for all stations. • Selecting velocity by station: Advanced conveying controls offer the ability to select a conveying speed for individual stations. A pump speed setting is stored with each station’s parameters, and this setting communicates to a VFD installed with the pump. This flexibility allows the operator to compensate for variations in setup, such as lower rpm and airflow to convey shorter distances and lighter line loads. The ability to select conveying speed by station adds versatility to handle specific materials differently. General-purpose resins that are less sensitive to velocity effects can be set to move at default speeds to achieve maximum conveying rate. Very heavy materials, or those having poor flow characteristics, may be set to move at NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 29 Conveying Speed Can Be Your Enemy NPE2015 Wrap Up | elevated speeds. And, of course, stations can be set to lower speeds to minimize material attrition and erosive wear as needed. These controls sometimes offer speed variation during a single conveying cycle. With this capability, the pump can initially run at full speed to reliably initiate material movement, and reduce the possibility of line plugs or slugging at the start of the conveying cycle. Once material is moving, the pump rpm can be dropped to provide the selected speed for the duration of the fill cycle. Going one step further, if the material line is purged, the pump rpm can be reduced as the conveying line empties and resistance drops. This reduces air flow as the vacuum decreases, ensuring a maximum speed will not be exceeded. the large-diameter distance, speed decreases, along with resistance to movement, so the pump can carry more material. The key is understanding how resistance builds in the conveying line and how it affects the air speed throughout the entire distance material travels. Understanding the impact of velocity on conveying system operation can greatly improve your chances for success, especially when moving abrasive plastics and those sensitive to degradation. Selecting the right system, and applying advanced velocity-control methods, will protect your investment, improve system uptime, and reduce maintenance. In addition to velocity management tools, appropriate component options should be considered to extend maintenance intervals and the An air leak that’s • Velocity control in overall life of the system. For carefully controlled long-distance conveying: softer, heat-sensitive materials, can reliably reduce Conveying materials over longer using surface-conditioned elbows system air speed by distances requires more vacuum (shot-peened, spiral-grooved) as much as 30% to achieve a given transfer rate. provides improved protection When rate and distance require against streamers and angel hair. vacuum levels from 12 to 15 in. Hg, For abrasive materials, glass resulting air speeds are often faster than preferred elbows and extended-wear options on receiver for both abrasive materials and those sensitive to stations can extend service life. There are also a degradation. number of specialty elbows available that enhance But there is a way to achieve lower conveying system operation and service life for both of these speeds at high vacuum and improve your transsensitive material types. fer-rate efficiency in the process. Velocity in A conveying system is a sizeable investment these systems can be reduced by implementing that can impact a facility’s operations for years to a dual-diameter conveying line, or stepping the come. Ask your system designer to explain these tube diameter to a larger size at a strategic point options and their potential benefits before making between the material source and the material your decision. destination. To understand what happens, think of water ABOUT THE AUTHOR: flowing through rapids, then into a wider area Jim Zinski is v.p., system design for Novatec Inc., of the stream. The same amount of water flows Baltimore and has more than 25 years of experithrough each area, but it expands into the larger ence in auxiliary equipment. His responsibilities area and flows more slowly. include strategic planning, product management, In a conveying system, we can take advanand R&D for pneumatic conveying and central tage of the reduced speed in the expanded line control product lines, plus application oversight for to increase the material transfer rate substantially engineered systems. Contact: (443) 457-1379; under higher vacuum—up to 50% or more added [email protected]. rate versus traditional systems. By maximizing 30 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW CONVEYING New Product Recap BRUSHLESS LOADER GSL SERIES EXTENDED TO INCLUDE BOTH 19 LB. & 12 LB. SIZES Novatec’s popular GSL series brushless loaders which have only been available in 19 lb. sizes for the last three years have now been augmented with the addition of the GSL-12 which is a 12 lb. loader. As before, the GSL-12 will feature integrated pendant control, brushless motor, a patented tilt feature for easy clean-out, and a micro-burst patented high flow blowback valve and on-board compressed air accumulator to keep the discharge clear and the filter clean. The included pendant control includes a magnetic back for easy mounting on the machine—and has timers, counters and alarms already installed. COMPONENT WEAR WITH ABRASIVE MATERIAL IS INEVITABLE, BUT EXTENDED LIFE IS POSSIBLE THE PROBLEM Abrasive/filled resins may add value and strength to end products, but processors are at the mercy of these resins wreaking havoc on their equipment. Accelerated wear of conveying tubing, bends and other equipment can lead to unexpected part failures, vacuum leaks, plugged lines, costly repairs and unplanned downtime. THE NOVATEC SOLUTION Extend the life of installed conveying equipment by choosing Novatec wear-resistant components. Glass elbows can last up to 20x longer than traditional 16 gauge stainless steel elbows. Replaceable, ceramic coated receiver parts such as inlet tubes, vacuum checkvalves and body wear plates improve service life and reduce future replacement costs. Reducing conveying air and pellet speed extends life as well as conveying system velocity control methods such as an air flow regulator, dual diameter convey lines and variable speed controls. NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 31 Conveying: New Product Recap NPE2015 Wrap Up | Detect When Equipment Needs Maintenance—Before It’s Too Late MANIFOLD SELECTION STATION– REPLACE GUESS WORK WITH PEACE OF MIND Novatec’s QSM Quick Select Manifold, equipped with Auto-ID Proofing of material sources to machine mounted receivers prevents sending the wrong material to your process, eliminating waste and lost productivity. The QSM’s upright manifold design delivers pellets to the target station more reliably, and empties more quickly, than manifolds mounted on an angle. The upright design also means that when pellets bypass the intended branch, they are captured in the manifold overshoot extension and quickly fall back into the intended conveying air path. Auto ID is an efficient, less expensive alternative to other material selection methods. New technology to debut at NPE warns when preventive maintenance is needed, before equipment failure disrupts production. Enjoy the conveying benefits of a positive displacement (PD) vacuum pump without the excessive noise. Novatec’s exclusive Silencer Vacuum Pumps operate less than 80 dbA even at full load –with no enclosure required. Delivers strong,consistent PD vacuum and airflow in a safe, lower noise, working environment. Space Saving Design–almost 20% reduction in width versus standard VPDB series, and more than 40% reduction in overall footprint versus PD with sound enclosure. of sensor specialists Zreyes Technology, also of Columbia. Prophecy offers patent pending machine-mountable (using magnets or screws) sensors made out of a single silicon chip, as well as a patented wireless sensor network, a cloudbased distributed data-management system, and analytics that monitor a variety of machine signals to help predict incipient failure and alert users when maintenance is needed or should be scheduled. Data can then be viewed with app-equipped smart devices. By monitoring vibration data in real time, a Prophecy app will track abusive operation for preventive maintenance so that pumps can last longer. NEW SVPD PUMP REDUCES NOISE IN YOUR PLANT 32 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW PROPHECY On a “Prophecized” pump, machine-mounted sensors (yellow) gather temperature and vibration data from the blower on a real-time basis. Is the “run-to-fail” era of operating plastics processing machinery until it drops dead about to come to an end? It will be if a startup company specializing in “smart” predictive-maintenance sensors and a cloud-connected mobile app has its way. NPE2015 next month in Orlando, Fla., will mark the coming out of Prophecy Sensorlytics, a Columbia, Md., company (prophecysensorlytics. com) launched last year following the purchase Data from these sensors is uploaded to a cloud server or to the processor’s own intranet, where trends can be viewed and analyzed from anywhere in real time on smart devices equipped with the mobile app, and over the internet via PC, etc. “We have developed a complete and cost-effective platform to bring the new era of the ‘internet of things’ to mid-sized manufacturers, which traditionally can’t afford expensive sensors and sensor networks, for predicting machine failures and getting the initial trend of a fatigued machine to mobile apps,” explains Dr. Biplab Pal, co-founder and chief technology officer of Prophecy Sensorlytics. “Most machines indicate pending failure in the form of rising or falling surface temperature, pressure, flow, vibration, sound, power factor, and NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 33 Detect When Equipment Needs Maintenance— Before It’s Too Late so forth. Our machine-‘wearable’ sensors can be placed on old and new machines to track their gradual failure so that a complete disruption of production can be avoided by scheduled maintenance—knowing exactly where and when the machine is going to fail or cause trouble.” The technology is available through a licensing arrangement. Prophecy’s first licensee is Novatec Inc., Baltimore (novatec.com), which has exclusive rights to the technology on drying, conveying, and downstream extrusion systems. At NPE, Novatec will display what it is calling “Prophecized” pumps used in materials conveying, and officials from Prophecy Sensorlytics will be on hand in Novatec’s booth. “We feel once we expose processors to this technology, they’ll realize they can’t live without it,” states Conrad Bessemer, Novatec’s president and CEO. Novatec systems will include the predictive-maintenance technology at no extra cost, Bessemer says. “Our objective in equipping systems with this technology is to prevent machinery breakdowns and failure,” he states. “With open-source data and cloud-based computing, it’s much less expensive to store and access information for trending on what actually is going on inside machinery. There’s nothing new about sensors. But until now they’ve been expensive and ‘dumb’ from the standpoint that they cannot communicate. “There is also nothing new about ‘wearables,’” Bessemer adds. “Consumers have for years been wearing watches and other devices that monitor their temperature, heart rate, and so forth. What we’re doing is helping bring this technology into an industrial environment where ‘run-to-fail’ is too often the norm.” HOW IT WORKS In the system developed by Prophecy Sensorlytics, data from these machine-mounted devices is uploaded via a local wireless network created by radio-frequency connected sensors. Using proprietary software, this data is then trended and analyzed to indicate if preventive maintenance is needed. The system will also send maintenance alarms to personnel in the form of emails and text messages. The data is visualized graphically, and Prophecy app running on a tablet shows rising temperature trend for a pump operating with old or low oil. Real-time reporting is done against a baseline for more visual understanding of deviation from normal behavior. Zone: 1 Machine: Motor Process: All Range: 6 months Jul 14 Oil Overfilled Aug 14 Low Oil Level 34 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW Sep 14 “Unfortunately, because such machines are located in noisy and dusty industrial locations, in most cases nobody acts on the alarm,” he adds. “However, the system we developed tracks temperature of airflow and the surface of the dryer, which is extremely sensitive to changing filter conditions of the blower. Even a slight change in dirt condition in filter is detected with high and repeatable precision, and its effect on drying is captured in our mobile app visually.” Motors on pumps and other devices are tracked mostly from the vibration, rumbling noise, and bad power factor they produce when the core starts to fail due to abusive operation, low pump oil level, etc. “All machines have a temperature, vibrate, and emit sounds,” states Dr. Pal. “Pumps are typically the core of any industrial system. They have a pulse. They have a pressure. They make sounds that can be analyzed. No different than the human heart. In many plants, signs that suggest maintenance is needed are Once we expose processors to this technology at no additional cost, they’ll realize they can’t live without it. Motor Issues By Month 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 classified to identify a particular maintenance problem so that personnel can quickly learn about it; any data point shown in red, for example, warrants immediate attention. By clicking on a red alarm, more detailed analysis logs are available on possible causes of the problem so that maintenance personnel don’t have to waste time figuring out what’s wrong. Moreover, any new failure can be logged in as fresh data, which helps the system identify trends and patterns to enable it to continuously “learn” when a machine is properly functioning, and when it isn’t. States Dr. Pal, “Supervised learning for predictive maintenance on our platform is extremely sensitive to changing machine conditions triggered by a bad motor, clogged filter and pipes, etc. Most of it is delivered via a combination of machinelearning algorithms based on sound, vibration, and temperature data from the machine. “Today the most common way to alert plant personnel of possible machine failure is through an Oct 14 Clogged Filter Nov 14 alarm system of sensors inserted inside the equipment,” adds Dr. Pal. “However, in most manufacturing plants, the alarms are visual and available at machines usually located in noisy and dusty environments. In some advanced systems, alarms are transmitted via an industrial bus network and are available from the internet or a mobile app, but such systems are beyond the reach of the most of mid-sized manufacturing operations due to high cost of sensors and data-acquisition systems. But even the most advanced system does not use predictive analysis of data involving multi-sensors and their historical behavior to predict and track continuous machine failure.” Nowadays, Dr. Pal notes that if a dryer filter is clogged with a lot of dirt, a differential-pressure gauge will typically send a local alarm. ignored until the pump fails.” Dr. Pal continues: “Sound analysis of human hearts can diagnose the 23 most common heart diseases. That is well understood, and we have learned from these studies. Machine sounds are easier to analyze since machines of a particular model will not show the level of variation that can be found in a human heart.” WIDE RANGE OF OTHER APPLICATIONS While Novatec has exclusive rights to Prophecy on its systems, the technology can be used on virtually any other type of equipment. On injection molding machines, for example, it could be applied not only to pumps, drives, and motors, it could conceivably be deployed to ensure platen parallelism as well. Dec 14 Abusive Operation NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 35 Detect When Equipment Needs Maintenance— Before It’s Too Late NPE2015 Wrap Up | With extruders, Prophecy technology can, for instance, be used on gearboxes to monitor oil pressure and vibration, as well as motor temperature. “We are also looking at ways in the future to use vibration to measure changes in screw/ barrel wear,” states Dr. Pal. “Ultimately Prophecy Sensorlytics will look to work with extruder and molding OEMs who have their own sense of things to be monitored. Other markets that we are working on in the future include motors and the like for chillers, etc.” States Dr. Pal, “The vision of Prophecy Sensorlytics is to bring a ‘3P’ maintenance mode to small- and mid-size manufacturers: Equipment will be predictive in that it provides an early warning before failure; preventive in that it indicates when a machine is being abused; and prescriptive in that it compares historical data looking for solutions.” Prophecy app running on a tablet shows rising temperature trend for a pump operating with old or low oil. Real-time reporting is done against a baseline for more visual understanding of deviation from normal behavior. By Jim Callari, Editorial Director, Plastics Technology magazine Reprinted with the permission of Plastics Technology magazine, Gardner Business Media. 36 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW DATE ISSUE 1-Dec-14 3-Dec-14 10-Dec-14 14-Dec-14 20-Dec-14 23-Dec-14 3-Nov-14 5-Nov-14 10-Nov-14 20-Nov-14 23-Nov-14 24-Nov-14 4-Oct-14 6-Oct-14 12-Oct-14 21-Oct-14 27-Oct-14 4-Sep-14 6-Sep-14 12-Sep-14 14-Sep-14 27-Sep-14 4-Aug-14 6-Aug-14 12-Aug-14 21-Aug-14 27-Aug-14 1-Jul-14 3-Jul-14 10-Jul-14 14-Jul-14 20-Jul-14 Abusive Operation Abusive Operation Clogged Filter Low Oil Level Oil Overfilled Low Oil Level Oil Overfilled Low Oil Level Clogged Filter Abusive Operation Abusive Operation Low Oil Level Oil Overfilled Low Oil Level Clogged Filter Abusive Operation Abusive Operation Oil Overfilled Low Air Flow Clogged Filter Abusive Operation Abusive Operation Oil Overfilled Low Air Flow Clogged Filter Abusive Operation Abusive Operation Abusive Operation Abusive Operation Clogged Filter Low Air Flow Oil Overfilled 23-Jul-14 Abusive Operation 30-Jul-14 Abusive Operation Personnel can access historical records of alarms on motors in real time on a mobile app with Prophecy technology. Graph and table above detail specific issues. PROPHECY Update on Predictive Maintenance Sensorlytics Novatec introduced several of their machines at NPE 2015 featuring the new Prophecy Sensorlytics Predictive Maintenance Platform. Without a doubt, it was one of the biggest hits of the show as processors from all across the plastics industry witnessed typical dashboard demonstrations via a large interactive screen presentation. We’ve interviewed Dr. Biplab Pal, the Chief Technology Officer and founder of Prophecy as well as Conrad M. Bessemer, President of Novatec, Inc. about the impressions from the show and the next steps for this new development. Mr. Bessemer: The reception was enthusiastic, however it was soon clear to us that processors wanted a solution not just on their new Novatec equipment, but also on existing equipment in their plants. As a result, we’ve been working with Dr. Pal and his team to develop some retrofit sensor packages that can be applied not only to existing Novatec pumps, but also other competitive brands as well. (see inset on page 39) EDITOR: Since The National Launch Of Prophecy Was At NPE 2015 Within The Novatec Booth, What Did You Learn From Processors And About The Industry In General? Dr. Pal: The launch was a huge success. We talked to thousands of processors and also many other machinery manufacturers and demonstrated the Prophecy dashboard platform as well as discussed the infrastructure behind our solution. The processors instantly understood the value of the new platform and the improvement that it could offer to avoiding unscheduled maintenance in the facility. For example, on our product that attaches to a new vacuum pump, we can see belt variation and wear, oil viscosity changes, and high and low oil levels. Since these pumps are normally in isolated locations of the factory, this avoids the problems associated with manpower trying to measure the changes themselves. EDITOR: So In The Few Months After The Show What’s Been Going On With This Exciting New Product? Dr. Pal: Our first priority has been to commence the user trials for the Novatec dryer and pump customers so that we can fully commercialize those products during late 2015. Our team of over 20 developers has been working on extensive tests and re-tests using Novatec pumps and drying equipment as well as fine tuning the app we previewed at the show. In addition, we have filed over ten patents protecting our intellectual property. NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 37 Update on Predictive Maintenance Sensorlytics NPE2015 Wrap Up | We expect to start incorporating the sensors on all Novatec central dryers and large hoppers shortly. This will detect process and regen blower trending and predictive analytics in addition to diagnosing which heater bank has the potential to fail so that individual heater can be replaced in advance of full failure. Mr. Bessemer: The heater sensor should be a great advance for the industry. Most heater boxes have multiple legs and multiple heaters. Individual heaters ultimately fail and then if multiple heaters fail, the dryer fails to reach proper drying temperature. In the past, the processor then needed to diagnose which heater bank had a problem resulting in long downtimes. Now with our Sensorlytics platform we can detect which heater bank has an individual failed heater so that the processor can replace that heater in advance of full heater bank failure. Until now, this has never been available for central dryers in the plastics industry. In addition to the dryer platform, we’ve been working on a commercial introduction of the sensor platform with Novatec pumps. As shown at NPE, our platform will detect pump and blower anomalies including oil viscosity, oil level, belt vibration and more. We plan to start shipping these in Q4 2015. These systems are especially targeted to processors with multiple pumps in a central conveying environment. 38 | NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW PROPHECY Prophecy to Release New Predictive Maintenance Retrofit Products for Plastics Processors EDITOR: So, What’s Next? Dr. Pal: We plan to work in other industries with requirements similar to Novatec. Many industries use industrial blowers for conveying material including pharma, food and others. Novatec is a great proving ground for us due to our joint-Maryland location, but the next step is offering similar platforms to other industries outside of plastics. In addition, as detailed in the sidebar on inset 39, we are also developing some direct-toprocessor products. These direct to user sensorlytic products are a result of the processor input at the NPE show. Processors told us that they needed sensor platforms for existing equipment so we’ve come up with some exciting products that will be available to processors in early 2016. Editor’s Note: Prophecy is the first machine wearable predictive maintenance platform that can detect machine problems over an extended period of time. Using a unique non-invasive sensor, the platform recognizes oil viscosity changes, oil level changes, heater variations, power factor, bearing anomalies, and much more. For the full article introducing Prophecy, please see pages 33-36. In addition to supplying ESP+ Predictive Sensorlytics on new Novatec central dryers and silencer vacuum pumps, Prophecy has announced that over the next 6 months, it will also be introducing a series of products aimed directly at plastics processors. “This is a direct result of the thousands of conversations we had with plastics processors at the National Plastics Exposition during March 2015”, according to Dr Biplab Pal, Chief Technology Officer of Prophecy. “Although processors welcomed the announcement that several new Novatec products would be equipped with the predictive maintenance platform, they also wanted predictive maintenance solutions for existing equipment.” Pal estimates that there are well over 30,000 vacuum pumps used in the plastics industry primarily for resin conveying, but more importantly well over 500,000 vacuum pumps in general industrial usage throughout North America. These older pumps typically suffer from issues involving rotor bearing or motor anomaly. While the ESP+ version found on the Novatec pumps offers a full pump predictive maintenance system using the new machine baselines, the ESP retrofit version will check more limited pump attributes including bearing anomaly, oil viscosity and abusive operation. Further, because of the extensive baseline tracking on Novatec’s new vacuum pumps, those users will also be able to check filter condition, oil level and belt tension. NEW LOW-COST CLOUD BASED POWER QUALITY PLATFORM TO BE COMMERCIALIZED IN 2016 With the widespread use of sensitive electronic equipment and machine controls, the need for consistent power quality has accelerated dramatically. Dr. Pal commented, “Our internal analysis has found that 80% of power quality issues are due to internal, not external, issues including improper wiring, overloading circuits and varying internal loads due to high initial draws. This power quality problem significantly contributes to premature failure of electronic equipment and motors, as well as downtime on process lines. But the problem is often intermittent and with current instrumentation costing thousands of dollars, the solution often requires an experienced electrical engineer to analyze the results. As a result, many processors have just lived with the financial drain of power quality problems”. Now as part of the development effort done for the ESP+ Sensorlytics on Novatec’s central dryers, Prophecy will be introducing a cloud based power factor and power quality platform that will enable processors to simply and inexpensively understand what’s going on with power in their factory. The new ESP Retrofit Sensors will be available for select Beta customers in Q4 2015 and will be available for sale directly to users Q1 2016. Processors interested in participating in the select beta program should send emails to [email protected]. NPE2015 WRAP-UP–THE SHOWS WITHIN A SHOW | 39 The Leader in Mobile Drying Raises the Bar for Central Dryers... Standard Rotating Desiccant Wheel Just Enter Your Polymer Type and the Smart Control PLC Does the Rest… Standard UL508a Electrical Panel Standard Siemens Touchscreen PLC Control Prewired for Prophecy ESP Sensorlytics. Alerts You to Pending Heater Bank Downtime as Well as Blower Performance. Exclusive on Novatec. Very Smart Upgraded Software Senses Faults… Standard Variable Frequency Regen Heater Drive. No Extra Charge. Saves Energy During Use. Pictorially Guides You in a Solution Built-in Standards... Sold as Options Everywhere Else! www.novatec.com/dryers Standard 5-Year Warranty | Made in the USA | 800-237-8379 | www.novatec.com © Copyright 2015 Novatec, Inc.