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Millroom
- Tunnel type batch-off cooling lines for slabs and strips
- Cantilever type batch-off cooling lines for slabs and strips
- Optional equipment for batch-offs, such as printing, slitting, weighing, etc.
- Wide variety of stacking equipment for slabs, strips and sheets
- Cutting and feeding equipment
- Combex hot feed strainer
- iCOM - integrated continuous mixing
VMI specialises in the design and manufacture of equipment to handle non vulcanised rubber for a variety of applications.
Tunnel type batch-off
VMI's 'high performance' batch-off is a tunnel styled cooling line that specifically handles rubber compound slabs up to a width of 1200mm with a throughput up to 11 tons per hour. A selection of stackers and other optional equipment is available to meet all your needs. Due to its high throughput performance, versatility and reliability, our tunnel type batch-off procedure provides the perfect solution for both the technical rubber and tire industries and is used in the millrooms of most major tire producers in master, final or remix production.
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The picture shows a tunnel type batch-off for medium to high throughput with the MHD III Stacker.
Cantilever batch-off
The VMI cantilever type cooling line forms the solid foundation for an extensive choice of batch-off and strip cooling combinations incorporating an electrical driven cooling rack with bars attached on one side (cantilevered) and a dipping section. The length of the cooling rack can be adjusted to suit each individual specification.
The cooling system is available in a selection of cantilevered combinations from a cooling rack and six fans and one strip stacker to a complete multi-functional batch-off system, capable of handling separate strips, slab, perforated slab and cut sheet processes.
The pictures shows a Cantilever Batch-off with MHD Stacker, box/pallet conveyor and end-of-strip cutter.
This specific combination enables you to handle slabs or strips. The MHD (Multi High Density) Stacker is capable of very high precise stacking strips at high speed. The pallet, or box conveyor enables a complete automatic operation.
Optional equipment for batch-offs
All batch-off's can be customised with additional equipment to suit individual requirements. Other benefits include:
- Impression batch printer
- Hot strip slitter unit
- Automatic hot and cold sample taking unit
- Excessive dip liquid blow-off unit on dip tank
- Automatic bar cleaning device
- Batch tracking and weighing system
- Flat or box pallet handling systems
The picture shows the automatic cold sample taking unit integrated into the stacking unit
The picture shows the automatic pallet handling systems for flat pallets
Wide variety of stacking equipment
Following either tunnel or cantilever type batch-off's, VMI offers a series of stacking equipment for the stacking of slabs, sheets, perforated sheets and strips.
Other benefits include:
- Pendulum type stacker for uncontrolled lay-down of sheets, and/or slabs
- Patented MHD III high speed stacker with choice of stacking arrangements
- RCP stacker for precise, high speed stacking of very wide slab sheets
- Patented MHD 500 high speed stacker for cantilever type batch-off's, with choice of stacking arrangements
- WWE 200 stacker for stacking either one or two strips up to width of 200 mm
- HP stacker for controlled strip and slab stacking on flat pallets
The picture shows the Detail pendulum type stacker
Cutting and feeding equipment
Rubber's unique properties makes the cutting of a cold rubber slab a challenging task needing a skillful and robust approach. VMI offers a range of specialised cutting machines with various methods for all specific applications including cleaving, shearing and chopping. The machinery is superbly equipped to handle all strong forces throughout the cutting operation.
The picture shows the mixer feeder type 329 for the automatic feeding to the mixer of second stage batches.
Combex hot feed strainer
(Extruder gear pump systems for straining applications in the millroom)
VMI-AZ is a renown expert in delivering extrusion systems for rubber straining applications with all systems consisting of a single screw extruder, gear pump and a strainer head or rapid screen changer. During the last few years, market demand has changed from low output cold feed systems to high output hot feed systems because most straining applications now take place in the millroom where rubber is fed through the strainer system directly from batch-off or mill. Therefore the extruder gear pump strainer has to provide a high output to keep up with the mixer's output.
VMI-AZ's current Combex 150 extruder gear pump system offers an output of 3,500kg/h at a compound density of 1.1g/cm3 and is also available for high output silicone straining applications.
The picture shows the Combex 120 including gear pump.
The picture shows the Combex 150 including gear pump.
iCOM (integrated continuous mixing)
VMI-AZ offers a superior final mixing process incorporating transfermix single screw extruder mixing technology (MCTD) in conjunction with a gear pump. Mixing is carried out in VMI-AZ's Shark® transfermix extruder and mixing efficiency can be optimised per compound through a variable screw speed plus chemical dosing is provided by gravimetric operating feeders. VMI-AZ customers report that our iCOM® process (which is available for all Shark® sizes), significantly reduces production costs as compared to a batch mixing process and improves compound quality (vulcanization characteristics).
The picture shows the iCOM® - VMI continuous mixing line.
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The picture shows the iCOM feeding process
The picture shows the iCOM with the Shark® 150 unit
For more information please see our brochures or contact our sales representatives.