High-speed corrugator

The new high-capacity corrugator recently developed by Itib Machinery, that presents it at Plast 2023, is the fastest in the company's range, making it particularly suitable for the high-speed, no-compromise production of small-diameter pipes. The name FV32/112HP sums up all its main characteristics: FV stands for the vacuum forming system, 32 for the maximum outside diameter in mm that can be produced, 112 for the number of pairs of moulds that make up the chain and HP for High Performance.

The main feature of the FV32/112HP is its high production speed: 80 metres per minute is its maximum mechanical speed; high enough to meet the most demanding performance requirements to produce PVC, PP and PE pipes. The corrugator features a completely new design: each half-mould chain is moved by separate gears, driven by a single brushless motor with gearbox and torque limiter to avoid damage to the mould in case of jamming. In addition, the optimised length of the forming channel and the cooling on all four sides of the moulds are essential keys to making production faster and more efficient, ensuring a consistently high-quality pipe and guaranteeing a constant and perfect shape during the forming process. Openable inlet covers allow easy access to the closing channel in the event of a material jam. This reduces downtime on the extrusion line. The optimised path of the moulds in the closing section allows a very reduced die length, reducing the head pressure and allowing the high cooling capacity of the machine to be fully utilised. Additional central free-running gears, together with independently controlled cooling and right/left channel temperature adjustment, prevent problems with chain thermal expansion.

FV32/112HP is Industry 4.0 ready: it can be connected to other systems and key areas of the production process, making data collection and decision making easier and more efficient. The attention to small but important details, together with the well-known Italian design, make the FV32/112HP corrugator stand out in the extrusion line. Of course, not only performance, but also safety and energy saving are key points of Itib Machinery's corrugators: consumption, temperatures and transmission torques are constantly monitored by the on-board monitoring systems. The new HMI display allows the operator to interact directly with the FV32/112HP: just one touch to start and stop the machine, control any ancillary equipment, change the main operating parameters, and interact with the PLC. The system stores all data and alarms and can of course be synchronised with the extruder to control all components of the production chain directly from the same display panel.