Granulators with new digital control system

Hellweg Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, a granulation machinery specialist from Roetgen, located in the north of the Hohes Venn-Eifel nature park in Germany, presents its granulators at K 2019 with a new digital Smart Control system. This enables networked communication of the machines with upstream and downstream components, as well as with operators, according to Industry 4.0 “Internet of the Things” (IoT) principles.
The new Smart Control system measures and stores, for example, power consumption, rotation speed, bearing temperatures, as well as the service life of bearings, blades, sieves and the wedge-profile drive belts (V-belts). Evaluation of the data enables conclusions to be drawn about the energy consumption used in granulation of various plastics down to defined particle sizes and about the related service lives, for example of bearings, blades, V-belts, etc. The efficiency of the granulation process can be assessed by comparison with stored reference values, enabling potential malfunction and damage to be predicted at an early stage and then avoided.
The new so-called “boost operation” enables a short-term increase in grinding performance, in order to compensate for production-related fluctuations. In addition, certain rotation speed ranges have been defined for various plastics, by means of which, for example, granulation of low melt-temperature can be performed in continuous operation without problems arising, so that water-cooling is not required.
Smart Control evaluates measured power consumption over longer periods of time. The operator can use a digital Ampere meter in real-time operation and access detailed statistics that have been created over long-term operation.
Standardised soft starting of the motor and a new motor brake make the granulators energy saving and safe. Power consumption can also be reduced with the new “eco” operating mode, as this adapts the rotation speed according to input quantity.

Detailed instructions
Detailed, user-friendly “step by step” instructions are available, for example for changing blades, maintaining V-belts and cleaning the granulator quickly and efficiently. It also explains checking the V-belt pre-tensioning force, which can be carried out with a test device included within the scope of delivery. Further instructions are provided for performing recommended visual inspection.

Fast spare parts management
Fast spare parts management can be achieved, as Smart Control allows you, for example, to monitor the state of cutting blades and of the sieves in use. A visible alarm informs the operator of the necessity of a replacement due to wear. An active V-belt monitoring system automatically switches off the granulator in the event of a deviation from the nominal value.
Also integrated within Smart Control is an automated enquiry system that issues requests for quotations for spare parts such as blades, sieves and V-belts directly from the manufacturers.