Semi-automatic coiler? When to choose one.

Speed and type of pipes produced

Extrusion speed and production volume are the first parameters to be analyzed. In the case of a corrugated PVC pipe extrusion line that runs at 60 meters a minute with the need to create coils ranging from 25 to 50 meters, an automatic coiler is absolutely necessary.

Otherwise, installing a semi automatic coiler in a slow or prototype line may turn out to be the most ideal choice, while it would certainly represent a loss in time in terms of efficiency and profitability for a standard high production line.

That is the case of the low production pilot productions of about 10-15 meters a minute with the need to make 25 to 50-meters coils. In this type of process, it may be expedient to install a semi automatic coiler, perhaps with automatic transfer from one reel to the other, and have the rest of the packaging be carried out manually by an operator. This solution curbs the investment cost because the price of a semi-automatic coiler is lower than that of an automatic coiler, and requires less personnel training and less maintenance. The total operating costs are therefore lower.

A semi-automatic coiler can also be adopted by companies that have highly differentiated production lines, with pipes that may vary from a diameter of 16 millimeters up to 110 millimeters. In this case it is neither possible nor convenient to have a single automatic coiler able to create coils with such a wide range of measurements. The solution might be to install two coilers: one automatic for measurements from 16 mm up to 40 mm that optimizesthe extrusion capacity of the standard small diameter line to the utmost, while it might be possible to use a semi automatic coiler on the larger products.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

Analyzing the implicit risks in a type of extrusion is another fundamental factor. In fact, above all with large pipes, an automatic coiler makes work safer than when using a semi automatic coiler. FB Balzanelli has recently developed a totally automatic coiler for polyethylene pipes for gas and water systems having diameters from 40 to 110 mm. In this type of process, safety is an essential element because should the worker be struck by a large pipe, the chance of serious incidents would be high. This machine, which provides cutting, coupling, coiling, and ejection of the coil in complete autonomy without operator intervention, guarantees an interruption-free production even at high speeds and therefore offers optimum, programmable productivity that respects the delivery timetable.

The right coiler for a rational investment

Not always does starting off with a highly advanced and expensive machine prove to be appropriate for the expenditure capacity and investment programs that a company may and must have to ensure itself correct production volumes and strength over the years. A semi-automatic coiler might be highly advantageous for those organizations thinking about improving their line quality and efficiency. In this way, the size of the initial investment is reduced but the expenditure payback phase is facilitated and accelerated. Afterwards, a totally automatic model can be added with a resulting savings in time and labor. In fact, it is necessary to consider that in terms of final costs, the automatic coiler is of better value because a semi-automatic coiler requires the almost never-ending presence of an operator, which affects the final costs of the product. The manual labor steps are reduced in an automatic coiler, and the work time can be optimized with the possibility to schedule the concealed time frame.

These are all reflections to take into account when purchasing to get a comprehensive plan of advantages and final costs that entails turning to an automatic coiler or to a semi automatic coiler.