“Percentage” Mode (Most common in extrusion and blow molding)
Extrusion processing often requires recipes in percentage format, especially if regrind is not involved, i.e. blown or cast film.
In this mode, operators enter in values for each hopper up to 100%. The total of all the hoppers must equal 100%. If they don’t, an error message appears on the Recipe screen and prevents the recipe from being accepted. All hoppers are a percentage of the total batch size.
Note: All ingredients are weighed as a percentage of the total batch. “Parts” Mode (Often used in Compounding Applications)
The “Parts” recipe entry mode lets the operator enter in values based on a parts ratio rather than a percentage. Each entry can be up to 999.99 and the total of all hoppers does not have to be 100. After all values are entered, the total parts are calculated. The individual hopper target is then calculated based on each hopper’s entered parts. These parts represent ratios of the total batch. For instance: Hop 1=300 parts, Hop 2=100 parts, Hop 3=10 parts, Hop 4=5 parts. This would mean that if the batch was divided into 415 parts, then Hop 1 would make up 300 of those parts, Hop 2 would make up 100, Hop 3 10 parts, and Hop 4 5 parts.
Note: The preset part will be divided by the total of all parts, with each part representing the calculated weight for ratio control.
Figure 37: Example Calculations of a 4-component blend in “Parts” mode
Feeder Tag |
| Preset Part | Calculated Weight |
| (Ratio Control) | ||
|
|
| |
Virgin | #1 | 7,200 | 7,200/10,000 |
Regrind | #2 | 2,000 | 2,000/10,000 |
Color | #3 | 500 | 500/10,000 |
Additive | #4 | 300 | 300/10,000 |
Total: |
| 10,000 |
|
Current Recipe Menu
Throughout the menu structure, the top left corner of the display will list the name of the current screen that you are in. Each individual button will indicate instructions for keystrokes. In the Recipe Format menu shown on the previous page, pressing on the mode button displayed at the top of the screen will show the Current Recipe menu.
Note: The blender will always run the percentages shown in the Current Recipe menu display.
Switching Modes
Recipe Modes can be switched while the blender is making a batch. At any time the operator can switch the recipe entry mode without affecting the current batch being made. The recipe mode is part of the “New Recipe” and is separate from the running recipe.
Recipe Setup
Batch Size
The Slide Gate/Auger blending system is a gravimetric batching system. The blender will weigh a preprogrammed batch of material each cycle. This batch size is determined by the blender’s weigh hopper size, the current recipe, and the bulk density of the ingredients.
Chapter 4: 3BOperation | 52 of 101 |
