Volumetric dosing controls are very simple in principle. A small box, a potentiometer or rotary knob per dispenser to control the speed and off you go.
In principle, this is how many people do it, because this robust analog technology has proven itself over many decades. It works for most applications and is perfectly adequate for simple stand-alone solutions.
Things get complicated when several volumetric feeders are to be operated together in a line, perhaps even coupled via a common analog line setpoint.
You actually want to use a recipe as a percentage and as accurately as possible, and now the challenge arises of how to transfer the respective recipe proportion to the potentiometer with a discrete, coarse scale approximately or pi times thumb. There is also the question of how to react to a changed line setpoint. If the input signal also has to be processed, it may be necessary to improvise with new modules in the control cabinet.
In short, the procedure is not only imprecise, but also complicated and expensive and requires (analog) expertise and is therefore reserved for specialists.
Process data can hardly be processed digitally and many evaluation, diagnostic and archiving options are not available. When changing products, you have to turn the potentiometers again in the hope of getting roughly the same settings as last time.
Intelligent logic + 100% reproducibility: no way!
This is where our EasyControl dosing control system comes in.
You create a recipe conveniently and user-friendly via the user interface in percent. EasyControl supports you with convenient functions that precisely record the performance data of the respective dosing unit for the specific product. This means you are always aware of the actual throughput and consumption of the dosing unit.
Process data can be archived. Extensive diagnostic and monitoring functions are available to you in order to achieve greater process stability. If this is not enough, we can provide you with help and advice via remote monitoring.
You do not need any expert knowledge, the volumetric calibration of the dosing unit is designed as a so-called “setup wizzard”, which guides you step by step through the calibration process.
Another advantage: If you decide to retrofit scales later and switch to gravimetry, you will already be largely familiar with the operation. The software only needs to be reconfigured, which can also be done online
An example of a volumetric dosing control for two dosing units with automatic refilling
Refilling is controlled via two sensors (min / max ). The third module IFU is a control module that ensures that the line setpoint is always adjusted so that the extruder is underfed.