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Measurement of plastic hose, tubes, and pipes on extrusion lines is taking a step forward thanks to new products being launched by Sikora at NPE2024.

Sikora will demonstrate its new Centerwave 6000 series of devices based on millimeter wave technology. Operators can measure tubes and pipes in sizes from 32 to 1,600 mm diameter with the touch of a button. Eliminating the need for a coupling medium (water), calibration, or presetting parameters, the Centerwave provides measurements with a continuously rotating transceiver. Diameter and wall thickness are measured across the full product circumference with a level of precision that allows fast centering of the extrusion tools to optimize material usage.

X-ray technology enables reduction in wall thickness.

Meanwhile, Sikora’s X-Ray 6000 Pro enables further material reduction by allowing wall thickness to be reduced to the smallest allowable value. X-ray technology measures wall thickness, inner and outer diameter, and eccentricity. The unit can be placed after the extruder, between two vacuum tanks/cooling sections, or even at the end of the line for cold measurement.

Scanner detects contaminants as small as 50 microns.

To maintain the integrity of plastic pellets by removing the smallest contaminants, Sikora has developed its Purity Scanner Advanced. Different types of cameras can be used in the scanner’s modular design depending on the material being inspected, including:

Related:The End of the Extrusion Line Is Where Savings Begin

Key to the scanner’s precision is a hybrid blow-out feature that lets users define non-critical contaminants to reduce by-catch.

“Our customers can look forward to reliable, future-oriented products that continue to lead the way with their performance and make a significant contribution to increasing productivity and cost efficiency in production,” said Katja Giersch, head of corporate communications at Sikora.

Visit Sikora at booth W5589 at NPE2024 in Orlando, FL, from May 6 to 10.