EXPERT EVOLUTION & SUCCESS news Wire 2016 Düsseldorf Germany Wire China 2016 Shanghai P.R.China Since its founding, microdia remained focused on manufacturing tooling and cross heads instead of spreading efforts over other sectors. To be the expert and gain the trust of the wire and cable industry has always been microdia management goal Through 31 years of existence, microdia successively developed, manufactured and sold several cross heads families keeping in mind dimensional and tool compatibilities. This evolution has been dictated by customers’ requests and needs in terms of productivity increase and down time reduction. The growth of the company in spite of numerous competitors demonstrated that persevering with a strategy aimed at customer satisfaction inevitably leads to success. In this issue Page 2 microdia’s CEO words Page 3 The power to accomplish more Page 5 Color change systems Page 6 Microdia concept square cross heads Page 7 Economy heads round shape Page 8 Heating systems Page 9 R & D, after sales Page 10 Often copied Page 11 New cross heads Page 12 Optical fiber buffering Page 13 Compression dies calculation Page 14 Manual center cross heads Page 15 Fixed center cross heads Page 16 Events, Microdia in the world WORLD PRESENCE There are numerous wire exhibitions, too many; however microdia has always been trying to be present at the major ones, not only with pictures and brochures but with real operating cross heads and also with its experienced engineers and technician, available to discuss customers projects and plans. +++ SWISS MADE Your expert in extrusion needs
Transcript
EXPERT
EVOLUTION & SUCCESS
newsWire 2016 Düsseldorf GermanyWire China 2016 Shanghai P.R.China
Since its founding, microdia remained focused on manufacturing tooling and cross heads instead of spreading efforts over other sectors. To be the expert and gain the trust of the wire and cable industry has always been microdia management goal
Through 31 years of existence, microdia successively developed, manufactured and sold several cross heads families keeping in mind dimensional and tool compatibilities.
This evolution has been dictated by customers’ requests and needs in terms of productivity increase and down time reduction. The growth of the company in spite of numerous competitors demonstrated that persevering with a strategy aimed at customer satisfaction inevitably leads to success.
In this issue
Page 2 microdia’s CEO wordsPage 3 The power to accomplish morePage 5 Color change systems
Page 6 Microdia concept square cross heads Page 7 Economy heads round shape Page 8 Heating systems Page 9 R & D, after sales Page 10 Often copied
Page 11 New cross heads Page 12 Optical fiber buffering Page 13 Compression dies calculation Page 14 Manual center cross heads Page 15 Fixed center cross heads Page 16 Events, Microdia in the world
WORLD PRESENCE
There are numerous wire exhibitions, too many; however microdia has always been trying to be present at the major ones, not only with pictures and brochures but with real operating cross heads and also with its experienced engineers and technician, available to discuss customers projects and plans.
+ + + SWISS MADE
Your expert in extrusion needs
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CEO words
Forerunner and leaderWith its 31 years of experience microdia is the oldest among all Swiss cross heads manufacturer. From a small extrusion tool manufacturer microdia rapidly turned into a renowned cross head maker recognized by major wire and cable manufacturers in the whole world.
Passion of well done workAt microdia we love what we are doing and believe in what we are doing and we are proud of it because all of our products are created by our engineers and exclusively manufactured in our works in Yverdon-les-bains in Switzerland.Our sources of inspiration are the needs and the requests of our customers as the successive cross heads families show it. Improving our product making them more efficient, more comfortable to operate has always been our concern.
SecrecyBeing cross head suppliers of many large companies, it is surprising to notice that microdia never published a reference list. What could be a handicap to microdia is in fact of advantage to many customers, unwilling to see their sensitive projects disclosed.microdia has frequently signed binding secrecy agreement when building a special and unique cross head for a particular application.
Your know how is safe in microdia’s hands.
Green up to the roofMore than 700 square meters of photovoltaic cells installed on the roofs of 2 of the 3 microdia’s buildings in Yverdon-les-Bains, develop a power of more than 100 KVA and can produce yearly about an average of 120 MW/h. which will be injected into the public network. The green cross head ecomexDerived from the avantis concept, ecomex has been engineered with the aim of improving biopolymers extrusion conditions. Although it looks like an avantis, the head block has been redesigned in order to reduce drag and friction heating during
compound transit through the cross head, allowing higher speed without product alteration.
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The power to accomplish more
With a R % D department equipped with the best 3D designing program, a park of high precision CNC lathes and cutting machines, computer controlled electro-erosion machines microdia has the resources to manufacture the most complex parts within extreme dimensional tolerances.
Easier handlingmicrodia also counts with a team of experiences commissioning engineers which feed back has been a precious source of information to gradually improve the cross head design making them more comfortable to handle after elimination of all time consuming elements during assembly, disassembly, setting and cleaning.
Fixed CenterSince the very beginning, microdia believed in the future of fixed center (self centering) concept; nowadays, even jacketing cross head for OD 60 mm fixed center have been built and successfully in operation, saving precious time at every product change.Only precision of computer calculated path flow and high precision parts made it possible.
ConcentricityVery high concentricity leads to material saving and has been made possible thanks to the development of reliable concentricity monitorsThe results of the fixed center combined with a manual fine tuning option offered by microdia mflex system is a substantial material saving when concentricity is brought close to 100%
AccessoriesMultiple elements like dismantling extractors, handling accessories, quick fit mini clamps are contributing to the time saving during hand handling operations.
microdia increases your profitability and competitiveness increasing material saving & reducing down time.microdia increases your profitability and competitiveness increasing material saving & reducing down time.
cheaper option is always the one that ends up costing more !
… and microdia customers know it well
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Intuitive
microdia’s modular concept, the ultimate in flexibility.Fits any type of extruder configuration.Simple, reliable and affordable.
An innovation making it possible microdia heads adaptation to any extruder, even when available space is limited.microdia compact cross heads can replace any existing cross head without the need of machines repositioning.
Personalised operating instruction manual content full description of the cross head were each part is clearly identified.
Lists of all head’s components with reference numbers makes easy replacement parts order.
Step by step description of assembling and disassembling with use of a comprehensive set of tooling represents a valuable tool to train technicians and operators
Most of the operations of assembling, dismantling or tooling change can be performed in only two steps saving precious downtime.
Multiple assembly bolts have been suppressed wherever possible and replaced by single nuts, making cross head assembling/disassembling much faster and easier.
microdia’s modular concept
Operating manuals
Simple construction
Main emphasis on task and users, clear design, detailed information.
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Color change systemsWhen relatively frequent stripe or outer layer color changes are required, substantial savings can be realized with microdia QCC (quick color change) systems.
Bleed out Cross flowIn the case of a stripe or skin quick color change on medium size cable, the Bleed out QCC system is simple, easy to operate and economical solution.
Working principleThe main extruder extrudes the main layer.• Two auxiliary extruders process the stripe/skin.• In the QCC bleed out system, only one auxiliary
extruder is in operation while the second one is in the waiting state during the production, ready to start just before the next color change.
Bleed out QCC are usually attached to a one layer + skin/stripe cross head.
This kind of head has only one distributor.
Skin/stripe compound flows through a distribution sleeve or collet placed at the front of the head, it holds the extrusion die.
In the cross flow system, all three extruders are permanently feeding a three layers cross head
Working principle• One main and two auxiliary extruders are needed.• Both auxiliary extruders are running at the same speed• The main layer can be made of cheaper compound and is
colorless.• The inner layer is colorless during the run and the
master batch is added just before the next color change for an extra saving of master batch.
The three layers cross head has 3 different distributors.It can run any kind of 3 layers construction and any type of cross flow sequence.
Many different distributors, shallow, deep, extra-deep are available and optimize the extrusion conditions with different constructions and compounds.
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microdia’s concept
The square shape is a characteristic of most of microdia’s crossheads since the founding of microdia more than 30 years ago, and its no accident that this shape has been preferred as a result of the experience in the field of the company’s engineers and constructors.
RigidityBasically, the square shaped head is much more rigid and stable compared to the other types of heads, it is also easier to level and particularly suitable for rod heating without loss of mechanical strength.
StrengthNowadays, the crosshead is almost always attached to several extruders, at least two and often four. Being the connecting point between those machines it is submitted to extremely high mechanical stress due to the thermal expansion or shrinkage of the extruder’s barrel during the heating and cooling phases.
This is particularly critical when the extruder’s frames are not equipped with devices designed to absorb the length variations caused by changes of temperature of the barrel; in this case, the worse, the expansion is absorbed by the deformation of the extruder’s frame and all the mechanical forces have to be supported by the head.
If the head is not strong enough to bear the stress, its deformation will result in loss of centering, leaks or event destruction of the crosshead.
StabilityAn extrusion cross head is thermically sollicited, frequent heating and cooling are causing dilatation and shrinking resulting in coss head mechanical distortions in the long term.
Through 3 decades microdia has been improving its cross head performance and stability by selecting the best steel grades in terms of resistance to frequents temperature changes, corrosion and abrasion.
Long life span is the characteristic of microdia square shape cross heads.
Square shape: rigidity, strength & stability
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3 extruder instead of 4 means:• More space around the cross head.• Less electrical power consumption (heating, motor).• No line upgrade required.
microflex guarantees a perfect and stable concentricity during the run.
• Main extruder applies foam layer• Auxiliary No1 applies 75% of outer skin (red)• Auxilary No 2 applies 100 % inner skin and 25%
of outer skin (white)
Skin-foam- skin + stripe with 3 extruders
mflex 9000-10 SFS + stripe connexion & distribution block
Characteristics:• Mflex Fixed centering with fine tuning. • Distribution: 3 conical distributors • Mono-flow . cartridge easy to clean• Uniform and smooth compound flow..• No stress, no shear in the melted compound .• Gum Space Axial die adjustement.
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Cross head heating
Rod heaters: heat onlyRod heaters have been microdia standard from the very beginning for many good easons..1. Embedded heaters are fully protected against mechanical
and chemical hazards.2. 100 % heat transfer to the heat body. 3. Maximal efficiency because close to the flow path.4. Proximity to the thermocouple guarantees accurate
temperature control.5. Uniform temperature distribution all over cross head body6. Short cross head heating time.7. Long heaters life span.8. heating rods are at least 4, in case of one element failure
production is not stopped.
Band heaters: heat only.Still widely used in spite of numerous shortcomings.Unavoidable on round cross heads where the cross head’s walls are thin with no room for rod heaters.
Thermostatic: heat/cool.Although in most of the cases the electrical heating allows good performance in term of productivity extrusion of heat sensitive compound like cross linkable copolymers or LSZH compounds requires heat/cool temperature control.Prior to the line start, the fluid circulation brings the head to production temperature, it will cool it down during the run, when the heat generated by the mechanical friction of the compound needs to be dissipated. Compared to electrically heated cross heads, higher production speeds can be achieved without risk of compound degradation.
Water or oil ?Water or oil, both fluids are commonly used. Leaks are reduced to a minimum during connexion & disconnection of the pipes thanks to the quick couplings devices. Water is environment friendly, any leak will evaporate quickly, but over the boiling temperature the pressure inside of the circuit become important, a leak could be harmful for the operating personal.
High temperature.Oil can operate over 350 °C, without pressure build up, but leaks mean pollution and proper handling of the leaking material is required.Cross heads & CV curing tubes.Tube fittings developed by our engineering department and manufactured in microdia facilities in Switzerland match any existing tube. Optional anti die drool feature can dramatically reduce scrap and down time.
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R & D departmentCreative power
Equipped with a leading edge 3D modelling and computer-aided design software, microdia’s R&D can create completely new heads, design complex Cross head assemblies like this cross flow quick color change triple layer + stripe with precision and in a very short time.
Such a compact design with 4 extruders’ entries, 4 hydraulic by-passes and a layers switching unit can only be optimized with a powerful 3D CAD program.
3D approval drawings are be sent to customers prior cross head manufacturing eliminating risks of concept misunderstandings and showing in advance to the customer what will be delivered.
Our R&D has created hundreds of cross heads each one developed in numerous versions to suit customer’s requirements:• Left-right; right- left line running direction.• Auxiliary extruder at 180°, vertical, horizontal, inclined.• Twin main extruders in “V”.• Use of existing tooling.• Use of cross head on different lines.• Compound of very different viscosities.• Etc.Our R&D has already proven any times: to it nothing is impossible.
After sales serviceEven the best or newest equipment occasionally may fail due to mishandling, accident or just overload. A break down can cost money, customer’s confidence loss, penalties etc.
At microdia a large stock of standard parts like head blocks, tooling, distributors, heaters etc. in prevision of new cross head order but also to be sent immediately in case a customer needs a replacement part.
Stock management is integrated in microdia’s computer system, existences are instantly known and minimum stock automatically completed.
Head blocksAs all their parts are available from stock, a complete standard cross head, a by-pass, a standard module can be assembled overnight and sent the next day in case of emergency.
Several customers have already experienced our after sales extremely fast response and saved heavy production losses.
With microdia you are in good hands.
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Often copied, never equalled
Know how acquired through decades of hard work cannot be copied
microdia technology is world-wide recognized and appreciated, no wonder why others take inspiration from us to manufacture similar cross heads in appearance but without comparison with the original.
Equipped with a leading edge 3D modelling and computer-aided A cross head, although it looks relatively simple must fulfil many requirements:
• Wear resistant.• Corrosion resistant.• Frequent heat changes resistant• Dimensionally stable.• Pressure resistant (some of our customers works over
70 mPa (700 bars; 10’000 PSI)The choice of steel, heat treatment, surface coating is decisive to the performances and life span of a cross head.Through the years our engineers, in cooperation with metallurgy experts managed to find the perfect balance between all those parameters.
At microdia we know what we are doing.
Be careful for all the imitation products which are a mere shadow our original microdia design.
microdia symbol and reference number are laser engraved on every original part and guarantees the quality of our products manufactured 100% in Switzerland
dual flow, a genuine microdia product :
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New cross heads for the first time at the Wire
avantis 10 mflex SLS V2
mf 3000-10 SLS
mf 9000-20 SLS H (Ø50) fluoropolymers
Fluomex 10 mflex SL H fluoropolymers
Mflex 9000-10 SFS+S
An remastered version of the original single layer + skin or stripe cross head avantis 10 mflex SLS with manual fine tuning.
Applications: small solid and stranded wires, optical fiber buffering loose or tight, LAN cat 5,6 & 7. Small precision tubes, etc...
Inline single layer + skin/stripe fixed center, for small PVC, PE, PBT,PA, LSZH etc. tubes maximum tubing die opening 10 mm.
High temperature corrosion resistant cross head, single layer + skin or stripe specially designed for FEP high speed extrusion with high DDR value. Suitable also for PFA, ETFE, etc.
Economy high temperature corrosion resistant cross head, single layer suitable for FEP, PFA, ETFE extrusion of precision small wires or tubes; with mflex manual fine tuning.
Three layers cross head for skin-foam-skin + stripe LAN 6,7 & 8 extrusion. Specially designed to work with only 3 extruders making it possible upgrade from skin-foam-skin to skin-foam-skin + stripe without addition of a skin extruder, saving material and heating power.
romex 10 mflex SLS
Economy version of avantis 10 mflex SLS V2, manufactured with the same material and the same precision.
mflex 3000- 20 SL
Inline single layer cross head with mflex manual fine tuning, multipurpose head for PVC, PE, PBT,PA, LSZH etc. maximum tubing die opening 20 mm.
Avantis 10 Mflex SLS V2
Mflex 3000-20 SL
MF 3000-10 SLS
Mflex 9000-10 SFS+S
ROMEX 10 Mflex SL H
MF9000-20 SLS H (Ø50)
Fluomex 10 Mflex SLS
Min core ø 0.1 mm 0.004”Max core ø 5 mm 0.200”Max ø over insulation 7 mm 0.275”Max tube die diameter 10 mm 0.400”
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Optical fiber buffering with jelly injection
Based on the famous avantis 10 and avantis 20, the exceptional avantis 10 SLS FO and avantis 20 SLS FO are the ideal solution for optical fiber buffering with jelly injection. Both cross heads can run single layer and single layer + skin or stripe PE, PA, PBT etc.
Buffering of multiple fibers has never been so easy thanks to the comfortable rear snap-in guiding system.
Precision X-Y jelly injection needle positioning.
Sliding cart holding the dual micro tube jelly
injection module; it can be tilted during the tooling
preparation and the head cleaning to prevent
damages on the fragile external micro-tube.
Conversion SL to SLSSingle layer SL or single layer + skin/stripe SLS head blocks are identical.
Conversion is easily made replacing the blank sleeve holding the die by a skin or stripe distribution sleeve (collet)
avantis 10 SLS FO and avantis 20 SLS FO Characteristics
Avantis SL and SLS FO cross head 10 20
Maximum core diameter (mm) 5.0 12.0
Typical maximum tubing overall diameter (mm) 7 .0 16.0
Maximal tubing die diameter (mm) 10.0 20.0
Typical throughput PVC [kg/h] standard distributor 100 354
Typical throughput HDPE [kg/h] standard distributor 70 250
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Optical fiber buffering with jelly injection
Compression die calculation, a new approach
For years, extrusion tooling has been calculated using simple thumb rules and it worked well, the choice of compound was limited, the machines speed low and the productivity was not as important as it is nowadays.
For instance in the case of telecom or installation wire we used to define the dies diameter equal to the DOD for PVC insulation, 10% larger in the case of HDPE etc.
With the extension of the polymer choice and the variety of the grades, the simple thumb rules are no longer satisfactory, it is necessary to consider the variation of the melt specific volume to define the tooling size.
Shrinkage during cooling downBetween the exit of the cross head and the end of the cooling trough, the specific volume of the compound decreases as its temperature goes down from process temperature to room temperature,
The specific volume of the compounds doesn’t decrease in a linear way but changes abruptly during the transition from the fluid to the solid state.
The diagram shows the specific weight variation of LDPE and HDPE.
Compression die calculationIn an extrusion line this variation results in a reduction of the outer diameter of the insulated core.
When the insulation thickness is small against the core diameter, the overall diameter reduction is insignificant but when the insulation thickness is important, this reduction must be taken in account to define the extrusion die.
Example:
Core mm
over insulation cold mm
over insulation hot mm
Difference Hot Ø ---> Cold Ø [ %]
1 1.2 1.24 3.2
1 1.4 1.47 5.1
1 1.8 1.93 7.1
Die calculation exampleCOD = core overall diameter DOD = Diameter over dielectric (cold)K = cross section shrinking factor. [hot section/ cold section ]
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Manual center cross heads
The still popular cross head, economical and easy to operate. It doesn’t require precise tooling because the tooling inaccuracy can be manually compensated but it may take time to adjust the centering, moreover the quality of the extruded product relies on the operator’s skill what should be avoided.
All the Microflex heads are fixed center heads with the possibility of a fine manual tuning. Depending on the head construction, the tuning is made via 4 axial or radial adjusting screws.
The die assembly will not slide during the adjustment but only tilt thanks to a flexible element, part of the head’s front part with the following advantages:
• No leak because of no sliding.
• Adjustment possible during the run will full head pressure.
microdia microflex system, manual fine tuning cross heads
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Fixed center cross heads.
For more than 31 years now microdia has successfully built fixed cross heads, initially for the high speed telephone lines then for building wire and now thanks to the computer designed flow path even for middle size jacketing heads.
The main advantage of the fixed center cross head is that no adjustment has to be made. Once the extrusion tooling, tip and die are in position held by their respective retaining nuts, production can start without any need of adjustment, saving precious set up time increasing significantly the line productivity
+ + + SWISS MADE
Wire shows 2016
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Wire shows 2017
Wire 2016 Düsseldorf, Germany4-8 April
Wire China 2016Shanghai, PR China26-29 September
Wire & Cable India 2016Mumbai, India5-7 October
microdia SwissHead Office & works:Prés du Lac 69bis1400 Yverdon les BainsSwitzerlandTel: +41 24 447 3500Fax: +41 24 445 [email protected]
For USA & GermanyContact in Switzerland:Stephanie Chasseloup Sales assistantMicrodia Head Office + 41 24 447 [email protected]
Roger KingSales EngineerTube division13533 Camino CarmelDel Mar CA 920141-858-792 6962 (office)1-858-442 4587 (mobile)[email protected]
T. Fukase & Co., Ltd. Sole agent of microdia in Japan2-10-10 Makuhari HongoHanamigawa-Ku, Chiba, Japan 262-0033Tel: +81-43-276-0630Fax: +81-43-276-0463
microdia Asia PacificRoom A201, Building 3, No. 526,3rd East Fute RoadPilot Free Trade Zone200131 ShanghaiP.R.China 中国（上海）自由贸易区富特东三路526号3号楼A201室，邮编: 200131
