ACI, a world leader in industrial air movement solutions, has announced the launch of an innovative new profile drying solution that is set to revolutionize the extrusion manufacturing industry.
Providing a custom drying solution for complex plastic and rubber extrusions, the Profile Dryer is a compact and efficient system, designed to draw out moisture from unusually shaped profiles such as EPDM rubber extrusions, asymmetric profiles and silicone seals during manufacture.
An important innovation for the extrusion manufacturing industry, the profile dryer uses vacuum technology to remove water without damaging or distorting the extrusions rather than compressed air – which often contains oil and water. In addition to achieving high levels of drying efficiency, ACI’s profile dryer offers major reductions in running costs through lower energy consumption – utilizing a 2HP or 4HP motor – and the ability to capture coolant on the extrusion.
The Profile Dryer unit is fully enclosed with a small footprint of just 4’5″ long, which easily fits into most production lines. The main enclosure contains a side channel blower and cooling fan as well as a water separator which collects coolant for recycling. The unit is made from stainless steel with ceramic rollers, eliminating the risk of corrosion. To suit customers’ requirements, the drying head can be configured to meet individual specifications.
Designed for intricate and specific profiles, the solution is capable of drying extrusion of up to 2.56 inches in diameter and is particularly suited to production lines where water collection or spray containment is essential. Drying speed varies with profile size, but smaller profiles of 0.008-0.24 inches can achieve a drying speed of up to 300 feet per minute.
ACI Managing Director, Chris Hellier, said: “Following the release of ACI’s highly anticipated Cable Dryer, we are pleased to announce our latest innovation for the extrusion market – the ACI Profile Dryer.
“Our highly skilled team has developed a product that offers a solution to many of the issues associated with traditional profile dryers. Our blower-driven units greatly reduce noise levels and significantly cut energy consumption compared to compressed air nozzle arrangements.
“After a long period of development, we’re excited to bring this solution to market as we truly believe that it will be transformational for the extrusion manufacturing industry.”
Typical drying applications for the profile dryer include EPDM, nitrile rubber extrusions, PVC, plastic extrusions, silicone seals, profiles, tubes, pipes and bars.
IS RESIDUAL MOISTURE AN ISSUE?
We have a solution. Our range of cable and profile dryers vastly improves drying efficiency and significantly reduces production running costs.
