Munich, January 22, 2009 - Industry leader chooses QuickSwitch: Netherlands pipe manufacturer Wavin, Hardenberg, part of the European market-leading Wavin Group, is Benelux market leader in its field of technology. Since late 2007, Wavin has been operating a complete QuickSwitch line from KraussMaffei Berstorff for flexible production of PVC pipe. The innovative system for dimension change on the fly, without stopping production, offers huge potential for cost savings.
The QuickSwitch line installed with Wavin is headed by a KMD 90-36/R twin-screw extruder, a KM-RK 23 QS QuickSwitch pipehead and a KM-KK 160 QS QuickSwitch calibration basket. The whole line, including the complete QuickSwitch-adapted downstream, is controlled by the QuickSwitch system control. Wavin uses the line to produce compact PVC pipe. including pressure pipe, non-pressure pipe and gas pipe. The line configured for Wavin also incorporates ultrasonic wall-thickness measurement and thermal pipehead centring. The QuickSwitch line is capable of manufacturing pipe with thicker walls in the socket zone, essential for pressure pipe.
Substantial scope for savings
There is a fast-growing trend in the pipe sector for extremely short order lead times and small batch sizes. Filling these orders requires frequent dimension changes and this is where a QuickSwitch line scores. Changing pipe diameter or wall thickness on a conventional pipe extrusion line means stopping the line, resetting line components and restarting the line. With QuickSwitch, pipe dimensions are changed during running production - at the touch of a button. All the parameters for each pipe dimension are stored with the line control system. The labour-intensive tasks previously associated with a dimension change fall away completely. Without the expense of maintaining large stocks, pipe manufacturers can now fill orders for any size pipe very quickly.
The innovative QuickSwitch system from KraussMaffei Berstorff gives the Wavin team the ability to produce and supply pipe in different dimensions with very short lead times
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