Customers in special pipe & tube applications share something in common. They have an individual requirement, a particular product design, a specific production constraint, and they come to us looking for a specific solution. Their manufacturing need is out of the ordinary, where Maillefer excels with a unique and knowledgeable response. The diversity is revealed through the few examples that follow.
The delivery included a single-layer extrusion group with calibration and downstream equipment, including full integration and synchronous control of all components, some of which were customer-supplied. The line configuration took inspiration from our medical line designs, since the tube specifications and production requirements matched well. The extrusion line has the flexibility to produce a large family of polymers and elastomers corresponding to the variety in the customer’s product program.
The most recent lines we delivered to key players in the industry produce small diameter tubes made of engineering polymers such as Thermoplastic Polyurethane. This line configuration relies on the extruder’s stable and homogeneous flow when processing the plastics and limits the need to include a melt pump. The line can thus be simplified from a cost, operational, maintenance, and energy savings point of view.
There are interesting orders too for equipment to produce a plastic element for a more complex product. We have seen this in pneumatic tube where the mandrel provides temporary support to a delicately applied extrusion layer. It is then later removed, leaving the finished tube empty.
Or there are cases where a particular product is used in the areas of transportation, communication, mining, or other. The plastic rod becomes one part of the assembled product, which can be composed of different materials (plastic, metal, textile, etc.) The plastic rod then becomes a functional part of the product, essential in the final assembly.
Thanks to cooperation with Exelliq, a member of the Davis-Standard group, we got word of this special and fun project. Designing a single layer line for low-density PE tube was pretty straight forward to begin with. The extrusion group, some downstream equipment, a high-speed cutter, and a full line integration with controls formed a classic configuration. However, there was a challenge to realize the high frequency cuts, with high precision, high regularity, and very short lengths. We had the cutter for the job. Customer expectations, originally based on their existing capacity, were well exceeded.
This type of request comes on occasion. The most recent line delivered is designed to produce large single- and multi-layer heat shrink tube. Some components, like the big traversing take-up, were chosen from the wire & cable program. The co-extrusion group was optimized for processing the customer’s own polymer-elastomer mix. In comparison to the client’s existing line, the overall output and performance were notably increased with the new line.
Specialty pipes, tubes, hose and profiles represent the diversity of extrusion applications, the expression of ever-changing needs, and the potential for newfound opportunity.
The examples above are a small selection of what is possible with extrusion. Other unique applications include tubes for beverage taps, pencil extrusion, insemination tubes, and more.
Customer demands regularly challenge us to find the right solutions to fit the unique requirements – putting us to the test constantly. The know-how and expertise we gain from the diversity serves our customers and helps strengthen our place within the House of Experts.
Maillefer welcomes manufacturers to share new project ideas with us. Whether the product is indeed a specialty or one that can be considered more standard, we assist in finding a solution that fits best.
Philippe Giovangrandi
Technology Director, Pipe & Tube Business Unit
philippe.giovangrandi@maillefer.net