plastics, such as XLPE that is used for the insulation
of high voltage cables, TPU or TPE. The height of the
test material can be up to 50 mm. 100 g of plastic
pellets can be inspected and analyzed per run. With a
pellet size of 4 x 4 x 4 mm, this corresponds to up to
3,500 pellets.
Conclusion
The plastics industry is characterized by very high
quality requirements and strict standards concerning
material and products. In order to meet these
requirements, a regular offline sample inspection
is necessary alongside a continuous monitoring
during production by online inspection and sorting
devices. Metallic impurities are especially challenging
for plastic producers because they do not only
compromise the purity of the end product but also
its functionality, and finally a safe application. The
system developed by SIKORA AG combines X-ray
technology with an automatic offline inspection and
analysis. The laboratory testing device automatically
detects and visualizes metallic contamination from
50 µm in plastic pellets and statistically analyzes
them. A clear allocation of the contamination and
follow-up inspection are possible at any time. A
reproducible offline inspection and analysis of plastic
pellets leads to a reliable fault analysis and provides
key findings about the causes of impurities and the
own production processes. Only flawless plastics are
being distributed and machine downtimes as well
as reclamation costs are being reduced. Therefore,
the system significantly contributes to the highest
quality and process optimization and hence it is
essential for a future oriented production.
.
www.sikora.net
[1] Dr. Frank, C., Röntgen- und Kameratechnik
kombinieren. Inspektion, Sortierung und Analyse von
Kunststoffpellets, Plastverarbeiter, Edition 10/2017, p.
116-120.
WIRE NEWS December 2019 9