The exhibition motto for K 2016 says it all: "BST eltromat Drives Your Improvement". Whenever plastics or rubber processors need to monitor production quality, and measure widths, (layer) thicknesses, transparency, gloss, viscosity, conductivity or other parameters in web-oriented processes, they put their trust in the inspection solutions and sensor systems from BST eltromat. Be it extruders, calenders, tire building machines or other systems that process plastic films, flexible packaging, multi-layer packaging materials, rubber webs or other materials: manufacturers around the world opt for the broad portfolio of solutions from BST eltromat. Both the company's inspection solutions and its web guiding systems cover virtually all industrial requirements. In practice, systems from BST eltromat are increasingly being networked with each other and integrated with solutions from other vendors to create complete production processes. This is where the company's comprehensive, time-proven automation expertise is called for.
And particularly at K, numerous exhibitors have to deal with tasks for which the company offers solutions: wherever materials are unwound and rewound, or production parameters measured and quality controlled, it's highly likely that these jobs are handled by solutions from BST eltromat.
"When it comes to quality assurance and the networked automation of sub-processes, BST eltromat is the partner of choice around the world for many manufacturers in the plastics and rubber processing industry who use web-oriented processes. Our presentation at this year's K underlines this strong market position," says Hans-Peter Stockkamp, Global Sales Director at BST eltromat. He says his company, as one of the industry's leading innovators, also emphasizes its particular customer orientation. "Whenever our customers need to cover new, individual requirements in the quality assurance and automation of sub-processes, they know they can work with us to quickly find a practical solution to the task in hand." Finally, as a dependable partner for safeguarding optimum production results, the company also stands for short response times, professional handling and maximum spare parts availability.
Complete portfolio of sensor systems
In the field of sensor systems, BST eltromat will be presenting itself as an all-round supplier in Düsseldorf. So, the company will be showing not only ultrasonic and optical web edge sensors, but also wide-array sensors and digital sensors.
One highlight will be the multifunctional, extremely versatile CCD CAM 100 line scan camera, which covers large measuring widths without moving parts. BST eltromat will be emphasizing the incomparably simple operation of this high-performance digital sensor at K. This line scan camera requires neither expert knowledge, nor a laptop with special software for setting the measuring tasks, including the scanning criteria, via the intuitive user prompting system. As a result, it can be integrated in machines equally easily, and also replaced if necessary. "We've simplified this extremely powerful and flexible scanning technology to such an extent that it is very easy to handle, even for inexperienced machine operators," says Ingo Ellerbrock, Head of Product Management at BST eltromat, summing up the unique features of this digital sensor.
Beyond this, BST eltromat will also be presenting the CLS Pro 600 high-performance sensor in Düsseldorf, which likewise covers a wide range of different capabilities. Operating at high scan rates, its high-resolution CCD color line chip provides non-contact, precise scanning of web edges, as well as of elements printed on material webs, such as lines. It guarantees precise guiding of the material webs, even when dealing with broken lines or weak contrasts.
The wide-array sensors from BST eltromat are time-proven web edge sensors with a particularly large measuring range. Like all other sensors from BST eltromat, the wide-array sensors parameterize themselves automatically after being connected to the company's controllers. These sensors – which automatically compensate for ambient influences, such as temperature fluctuations or dirt accumulation – are used where the web width fluctuates, or where it must be possible to change formats without moving and adjusting the sensors.
The range of sensors from BST eltromat at K will be completed by the sensor for layer thickness and basis weight measurement from its subsidiary BST ProControl. The particular highlight at K in this context will be the PC16S®-wave transmission sensor, which works without ionizing electromagnetic waves. Polymer-based monofilms can be measured particularly accurately and quickly in this way. This sensor can be used without requiring any national or international approval procedures at all. Thanks to its outstanding EMC properties, it ensures interference-free operation, complies with all statutory regulations, and is suitable for cost-efficient use in every conceivable standard application.
iPQ-Center covers a wide range of inspection tasks
Needless to say, the iPQ-Center from BST eltromat also has to be there at the world's leading exhibition for the plastics and rubber processing industry. Based on the modular principle, it allows individualized solutions to be configured for a host of different inspection tasks, such as surface inspection.
Manufacturers of flexible packaging, in particular, use the different modules of the iPQ-Center – iPQ-Check for 100% inspection, iPQ-View for digital web inspection, and iPQ-Spectral for inline spectral color measurement – on their flexo and gravure printing presses. With the help of iPQ-Workflow, these three modules can be integrated into a closed quality assurance process that constitutes the basis for the continuous improvement of printing processes. Beyond this, iPQ-Check and iPQ-View can also be used as stand-alone solutions or successively integrated into production processes.
The abbreviation iPQ stands for "increasing Productivity & Quality" in relation to the printing process. The iPQ-Center reliably detects and logs any defects that occur. Packaging printers and their machine operators can react to these defects in different ways. For one thing, the iPQ-Center offers every option for dependably ejecting defective print products from their production process. For another, the machine operators are put in a position to quickly intervene in the process at an early stage and correct the relevant settings. In this way, they can ensure that specified tolerances are met on the press, and that waste is avoided or minimized from the outset.
Web guiding with CompactGuide and SmartGuide
In the field of web guiding, the BST eltromat presentation at K 2016 will include its particularly reliable and flexibly configurable solutions that countless customers around the world rely on. Depending on the requirements, the CompactGuide with its various sensors, splice tables and clamping devices is selected for narrow-web processes. In contrast, customers rely on the time-proven SmartGuide systems if they want simple handling when working with wide material webs. Among other things, they offer the option of motorized sensor adjustment, which is a particular advantage when faced with hard-to-access sensors, frequently changing web widths or special functions, such as oscillation.
The extremely simple operation of the systems via the various controllers is another key reason why many customers decide in favor of this web guiding system, especially in the plastics and rubber processing industry. Its intuitive operation is based on a remarkably simple, logical structure. The operators can see at a glance whether the materials are being accurately controlled, and can intervene quickly and reliably if the need arises.
All in all, BST eltromat and its subsidiary BST ProControl will be presenting a precisely coordinated offering at K, thereby underlining the exhibition motto "BST eltromat Drives Your Improvement".