Rotuba’s Global Profile Business Thrives with Davis-Standard Super Blue® Extruders

 

Profitability in the extrusion business largely depends on finding the right equipment. For Rotuba Extruders, Inc. of Linden, N.J., the right piece of equipment has been Davis-Standard’s Super Blue® extruder. Rotuba, an industry leader in the extrusion of LED lighting, point-of-purchase displays and specialty applications, purchased its first Super Blue in 2005 shortly after the machine’s introduction. Since then, Rotuba has added six more Super Blue’s while experiencing robust growth of 400 percent in just over 10 years. The company will add five more extruders this calendar year and look to Davis-Standard for even more extruders to outfit the company’s facility expansion within the next two to three years.

“When we purchased our first Super Blue, our salesman Larry Giammarco told us he could deliver it in two weeks with everything we needed. I was a little hesitant, but decided to go for it,” said Gil Carmichael, Project Manager for Rotuba’s Extrusion Division. “It was delivered in one week and the performance has been outstanding. The reliability of this extruder and Davis-Standard’s responsiveness has been ideal for our business. This is why we have come to solely rely on Davis-Standard for extruders.”

The collaborative nature of Davis-Standard’s sales team has been a big plus for Rotuba. Whenever they need anything, Carmichael contacts Giammarco who investigates Rotuba’s needs and provides guidance on additional options and new technology depending on requirements. This type of cooperation is essential since Rotuba addresses a variety of applications and specific client needs on routinely short timelines. The spare part service, ease of maintenance, and functionality of the Super Blue are also appreciated.

“Maintenance is minimal and the knowledge of Davis-Standard’s sales staff and parts department is excellent. They always seem to have everything in stock and many spare parts are interchangeable. This helps our bottom line by keeping inventory costs low,” explained Carmichael. “From an operator perspective, the functionality of the TPC touchscreen controls is a big advantage. We also have flexibility with different Davis-Standard feedscrews. The screws are engineered to fit any Super Blue, which makes production scheduling much easier.”

Pat McEvoy, Vice President of Sales, added that one of Rotuba’s primary market advantages is their solution-based approach as a specification extrusion company; another reason the versatile Super Blue is a good fit. Just as Rotuba seeks collaboration with Davis-Standard, the company seeks collaboration with clients as early as

possible within the design cycle. Jointly with clients, Rotuba reviews product designs and designates a project manager. The manager reviews all aspects of the project to ensure optimal performance, quantitative process repeatability, lowest cost manufacturing and fast delivery.

“Our main advantage is that we house engineering, tooling design, machining, specialized quantitative measuring and production all in one location. This is what has led to us being recognized as the North American leader in new product development for LED lighting. Our dexterity to utilize all of these resources in a fast and highly efficient manner enables us to realize new products for clients,” stated McEvoy.

To support a wide range of applications, the Super Blue Product line is available in 2-inch (50mm), 2 1/2-inch (65mm), 75mm, 3 1/2-inch (90mm), 100mm, and 4 1/2-inch (114mm) sizes, each with the option of a 24:1 L/D ratio or 30:1 L/D ratio. The extruder is standardly equipped with preferred features including a low noise, high torque double-reduction gearbox; cast aluminum finned heaters bolted to the barrel; an AC drive and motor; and a high capacity air cooling system. Design advantages include a rigid base with structural steel construction; a wear-resistant bimetallic barrel designed for 10,000 psi operating pressure with removable barrel flange, rupture disc and pressure transducer; a modular, “inverted-L” style control panel for improved accessibility; and a gear drive reducer with heavy-wall, two-piece iron housing and single helical gearing. The Super Blue is standard with a three-year warranty and is available with a wide range of DSB® barrier screw designs.

“We have thoroughly enjoyed supporting Rotuba in their business growth,” added Larry Giammarco, Regional Sales Manager for Davis-Standard. “The short lead time and cost-efficiency of the Super Blue has worked well for them. We’ve been able to exceed expectations by completing the electrical and mechanical assembly and testing procedures in-house. When these machines are delivered, they are ready to go. We appreciate their business and look forward to future collaboration.”

For more information about Rotuba, visit www.rotuba.com. For more information about Davis-Standard, visit www.davis-standard.com.

Davis-Standard Expands Polymer Lab in Suzhou to Support Medical Tubing

 

As healthcare markets in the Asia-Pacific region have grown, so has Davis-Standard’s ability to support those markets. The company recently expanded its polymer process laboratory at its subsidiary in Suzhou to provide customers with the ability to develop new medical tubing products and test resins. In addition to development and testing, customers are able to contract small-scale production runs prior to making large capital equipment investments.

Medical OEM’s are continually forced to develop new products with smaller diameters, thinner walls, and more complex lumens to meet today’s clinical requirements. The Suzhou lab is equipped with a micro-bore extrusion line capable of single and multi-lumen tubing with up to three layers in the wall and as small as 2 French in diameter. This technology is designed for multiple applications including tubing for intravenous and micro dialysis catheters, endotracheal, tracheotomy and radio opaque products.

The line features direct drive 19mm and 24mm single screw extruders, each with a polymer melt pump, a sophisticated three-layer spiral flow tubing die, and PLC line control with data acquisition. The line provides precision vacuum tank sizing for both rigid and flexible products, closed loop ID/OD control via ultrasonic gauging, a servo controlled combination puller/cutting system, and a transport conveyor with single-zone air eject.

A single layer tubing line for the production of FPVC tubing for IV and fluid delivery applications is also available to support another growing market in China. Products ranging in size from 2mm OD to 10mm OD can be produced with an accuracy of +/- 50u at line speeds up to 100mpm. Line components include a 63mm 24:1 extruder, stainless steel tubing die, 8-meter water-cooling tank, OD gauge with closed loop feedback to a precision internal air supply, combination puller-cutter, and transport conveyor with single-zone air eject.

For more information about the lab or to schedule a trial, contact Jinsong Lin, General Manager of the Suzhou facility at +86-512-6269 5108 or via e-mail at jlin@davis-standard.com.

DS Brookes Ltd. Renamed Davis-Standard LImited

 

DS Brookes Ltd., Davis-Standard’s subsidiary in West Midlands, United Kingdom, will now be called Davis-Standard Limited. The modification is in name only, better reflecting Davis-Standard’s global market position and current activities. Davis-Standard Limited will continue supplying screws and barrels associated with the DS Brookes brand, and will remain Davis-Standard’s key supplier of extrusion systems for the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) region. This includes support of aftermarket and spare parts activities across all product platforms and heritage brands under the Davis-Standard umbrella.

“The name change better aligns with Davis-Standard’s corporate uniformity in serving customers worldwide,” said Mark Woodgate, Managing Director of Davis-Standard Limited. “In addition to this development, we are pleased to announce that our facility is Davis-Standard’s European service center for blown film, servicing the recently acquired Gloucester Engineering product range. As such, we have appointed Jon Bourne as our service center manager. He comes to us with more than 35 years’ experience with the Gloucester, Battenfeld/Gloucester and Gloenco brands.”

Davis-Standard Limited plays an integral role in Davis-Standard’s strong global presence, supporting the EMEA region with extrusion equipment, barrel and screw production, timely customer service and regional spare parts access. For more information about Davis-Standard, visit www.davis-standard.com.

Davis-Standard Building All Blow Molder Accumulator Heads at Pawcatuck Facility

 

Davis-Standard is pleased to announce that all sizes of blow molding accumulator heads are now manufactured and assembled at its primary facility in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. Davis-Standard began moving blow molding head production to Pawcatuck in 2014 as part of an expansion of in-house manufacturing. Today, every accumulator head is manufactured in Pawcatuck, including a 75-pound head currently being engineered for a U.S.-based customer.

“With the design, assembly and testing of accumulator heads in-house, customers appreciate that we control the production and quality of the two most important blow molding components; the accumulator head and the extruder,” said Mark Panaro, Product Manager of Davis-Standard Blow Molding Systems. “We have always been discerning when it comes to quality, but this further strengthens our control. Our customers are seeing the results and they are pleased.”

Prior to moving production in-house, Davis-Standard contracted with local machine shop vendors. According to Panaro, about one-third of blow molding equipment manufacturers produce accumulator heads in-house. The move is part of Davis-Standard’s focus to continually improve value to the customer in terms of price, performance and delivery.

Davis-Standard’s accumulator head systems are known for shot-to-shot consistency, cycle-to-cycle precision and excellent parison control for both polyolefins and engineered thermoplastics. As an added benefit, Davis-Standard can upgrade and refurbish all makes and models of single screw continuous blow molding extruders. This includes replacement screws, process improvements, and mechanical, electrical and hydraulic upgrades.

For more information, contact Mark Panaro at mpanaro@davis-standard.com or visit www.davis-standard.com.

Davis-Standard to Promote New Technology and Regional Capabilities at Chinaplas

 

Davis-Standard’s new technology and regional capabilities will be promoted at booth C01, Hall W1 during Chinaplas in Shanghai, April 25-28, 2016. Davis-Standard has seen strong demand throughout Asia for feedscrews, control systems, medical tubing technology, and its dsX™ product line for cast film, blown film and packaging applications. Davis-Standard’s regional presence has continued to grow since opening a subsidiary in Suzhou two years ago. This facility is Davis-Standard’s manufacturing base in China and houses an R&D laboratory for process development and trials. Davis-Standard will also promote the expansion of its film technology and aftermarket services with the recent acquisition of Gloucester Engineering.

“With strong demand in Asia and continued expansion at our Suzhou facility, we anticipate a very busy Chinaplas show,” said Sekaran Murugaiah, Davis-Standard Vice President of Business Development, Asia. “Customers appreciate our regional presence and the availability of the medical tubing laboratory in Suzhou to test new resins and processes. The addition of Gloucester is especially exciting for our film customers because we are able to offer the largest installed base of film technology and aftermarket services under one roof.”

The medical tubing sector is one of Davis-Standard’s strongest markets in China. The lab in Suzhou has been instrumental in supporting customers in this segment. The lab features direct-drive 19mm and 24mm single screw extruders, each with a polymer melt pump, a sophisticated three-layer spiral flow tubing die, PLC line control with data acquisition, precision vacuum sizing tank for both rigid and flexible products, closed loop ID/OD control via an ultrasonic gauging system, a servo controlled combination puller/cutting system, and a transport conveyer with single-zone air eject. It also includes a single layer tubing line designed specifically for the production of FPVC tubing for IV & fluid delivery applications. Products ranging in size from 2mm OD to 10mm OD can be produced with an accuracy of +/- 50u at line speeds up to 100mpm. Davis-Standard’s facility in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, also has a fully equipped medical tubing laboratory.

Both labs support applications for alternate polymer, microbore tubing, multi-lumen and catheter tubing, edotracheal and tracheotomy tubing, radio opaque tubing, bubble tube, taper tube, pipette tubing and multi-layer tubing, among others. Turn-key medical tubing systems support extruder outputs up to 700 pounds per hour (315kg/hr) and line speeds up to 800 feet per minute (240 mpm) for a range of materials including PLA, PLLA, PEEK, FPVC, polyurethane, nylon, PEBAX and FEP. Extruder options are available depending on process and application and engineered for a fast delivery and competitive pricing.

Another area of strength has been the sale of Davis-Standard’s dsX™ machines. These have been well received throughout Asia due to a competitive advantage in price, performance and delivery. Davis-Standard offers these machines for cast film, blown film and extrusion coating applications. Demand has been especially strong for the dsX flex-pack™ (extrusion coating) due to continued demand for flexible packaging applications. This machine is built for cost-sensitive flexible packaging applications where fast and reliable production is essential.

For more information about Davis-Standard’s Global Advantage™ prior to Chinaplas, visit www.davis-standard.com.

Davis-Standard and Conair Collaborate for Medical Tubing Innovation

 

Continued growth in the healthcare segment has meant steady collaboration between two industry leaders, Davis-Standard and Conair. The two companies are busy supporting customers across the globe with medical tubing systems equipped with Davis-Standard extruders and controls and Conair downstream equipment. Recent sales include lines sold in China for processing FEP and PLLA with embedded stripes and ongoing sales of high-speed FPVC tubing systems worldwide. The two companies are showcasing equipment during the upcoming MD&M West show in February with a running line for making two-lumen polyurethane “Double D” bump tube.

“We appreciate the quality and reliability Conair adds to our system technology,” said Kevin Dipollino, Davis-Standard Product Manager for Pipe, Profile and Tubing Systems. “We’ve been working together for more than 20 years and they always do an excellent job supporting Davis-Standard and our customers. In addition to partnering on system components, we do a lot of collaborative R&D work in our laboratories.”

Dipollino explained, “Our new ‘clean room’ medical lab system in Pawcatuck has Conair equipment and they have three of our extruders in their lab in Michigan. This has been invaluable in allowing customers to do trials and proof of concept prior to purchasing equipment. A customer from Argentina recently took advantage of this by doing lab trials with our process engineers in Pawcatuck. This ended in the sale of a new medical tubing line.”

Chris Weinrich, Conair’s General Manager of Extrusion added, “The goal for both companies has always been to take care of the customer. We are in an application intensive business. Being commited to the development and pursuit of the highest level of technology for customers has allowed us to be successful project after project.”

The medical tubing lab line at Davis-Standard features two MEDD (Medical Extruder Direct Drive) extruders and Conair vacuum sizing tanks, dual servo belt puller and conveyor. The line’s versatility makes it ideal for running a variety of resins and incorporates Davis-Standard’s alternate polymer technologyÔ. Last fall, Davis-Standard, Conair and other vendors partnered to host a medical tubing symposium at Davis-Standard’s lab. Highlights of the two-day event included demonstrations of FEP tubing with barium sulfite stripes and alternate polymer tubing.

“Conair and Davis-Standard have common objectives in terms of business philosophy and customer satisfaction,” said Ernie Preiato, Conair’s Vice President of Extrusion. “Davis-Standard’s people are knowledgeable and truly understand the extrusion process. We are both dedicated to serving the industry to the best of our ability and this has made for a lasting relationship.”

For more information about Davis-Standard’s medical tubing capabilities, contact Kevin Dipollino at kdipollino@davis-standard.com. For more information about Conair, visit www.conairgroup.com.

Davis-Standard’s Clean Room Considerations for Medical Tubing Manufacturers

 

As a global supplier of medical tubing equipment used in clean room environments, Davis-Standard is vigilant about essential standards required for meticulous processing conditions. The following clean room considerations are recommended by Davis-Standard’s engineering team for medical tubing manufacturer’s extrusion machinery.

Machine Construction

  • Use of stainless steel or rust corrosion-proof materials where coatings are not practical
  • Ensure wipe-down zones are accessible
  • Minimize potential collection areas for dust and debris stagnation
  • Design containment options for possible fluid or residual lubricant leaks
  • Use compact designs to minimize floor space

Machine Surfaces/Treatments

  • Use water-based or epoxy-based paint in areas not constructed with rust or corrosion-resistant materials
  • Polish surfaces and design with smooth, tapered or round edges for effective wipe-down
  • Use stainless steel surfaces to avoid contamination in product “contact” areas

Extrusion Drive Systems/Control Systems

  • Use direct drive systems where applicable
  • Brushless AC motors
  • Water-cooled motors (eliminate turbulent air movement from cooling blowers)
  • Permanent magent synchronous motors (eliminate the need for gearbox/oils/mechanical drive train; less noise and more energy efficient)
  • Use cooling blower designs that minimize dust generation
  • Route control cabling and wiring for ease of cleaning
  • Consider viewability of control interface monitors from outside cleanroom windows

“We do everything possible to ensure our equipment meets or exceeds clean room production standards,” said Kevin Dipollino, Product Manager of Davis-Standard’s Pipe, Profile and Tubing Systems. “To further support our customers and their development efforts, we recently installed a medical tubing line in a clean room environment at our Technical Center in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. With continued growth in medical tubing applications worldwide, it has already been very well received by customers.”

The line in the Technical Center features two MEDD (medical extruder direct drive) extruders and associated downstream equipment in a climate-controlled environment. Customers are able to test new resins, make parts for proof-of-concept, and conduct downstream R&D prior to making large capital equipment investments. The line is extremely versatile and set up to run multiple resins including high temperature resins such as PEEK and corrosive material like FEP. It also incorporates Davis-Standard’s patented alternate polymer® technology with all components monitored and controlled by the EPIC III® control system.

Dr. Jason Baird, Ph.D., Davis-Standard Process Development Engineer added: “The healthcare segment is an important industry for us and extensive capablities for clean room processing is a big part of that. Having multiple equipment options and a lab to test new processes is essential to serving our customers around the globe.”

For more information about Davis-Standard’s medical tubing capabilities or clean room engineering practices, contact Kevin Dipollino at kdipollino@davis-standard.com or Jason Baird at jbaird@davis-standard.com.

Davis-Standard’s Clean Room Considerations for Medical Tubing Manufacturers

 

As a global supplier of medical tubing equipment used in clean room environments, Davis-Standard is vigilant about essential standards required for meticulous processing conditions. The following clean room considerations are recommended by Davis-Standard’s engineering team for medical tubing manufacturer’s extrusion machinery.

Machine Construction

  • Use of stainless steel or rust corrosion-proof materials where coatings are not practical
  • Ensure wipe-down zones are accessible
  • Minimize potential collection areas for dust and debris stagnation
  • Design containment options for possible fluid or residual lubricant leaks
  • Use compact designs to minimize floor space

Machine Surfaces/Treatments

  • Use water-based or epoxy-based paint in areas not constructed with rust or corrosion-resistant materials
  • Polish surfaces and design with smooth, tapered or round edges for effective wipe-down
  • Use stainless steel surfaces to avoid contamination in product “contact” areas

Extrusion Drive Systems/Control Systems

  • Use direct drive systems where applicable
  • Brushless AC motors
  • Water-cooled motors (eliminate turbulent air movement from cooling blowers)
  • Permanent magent synchronous motors (eliminate the need for gearbox/oils/mechanical drive train; less noise and more energy efficient)
  • Use cooling blower designs that minimize dust generation
  • Route control cabling and wiring for ease of cleaning
  • Consider viewability of control interface monitors from outside cleanroom windows

“We do everything possible to ensure our equipment meets or exceeds clean room production standards,” said Kevin Dipollino, Product Manager of Davis-Standard’s Pipe, Profile and Tubing Systems. “To further support our customers and their development efforts, we recently installed a medical tubing line in a clean room environment at our Technical Center in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. With continued growth in medical tubing applications worldwide, it has already been very well received by customers.”

The line in the Technical Center features two MEDD (medical extruder direct drive) extruders and associated downstream equipment in a climate-controlled environment. Customers are able to test new resins, make parts for proof-of-concept, and conduct downstream R&D prior to making large capital equipment investments. The line is extremely versatile and set up to run multiple resins including high-temperature resins such as PEEK and corrosive material like FEP. It also incorporates Davis-Standard’s patented alternate polymer® technology with all components monitored and controlled by the EPIC III® control system.

Dr. Jason Baird, Ph.D., Davis-Standard Process Development Engineer added: “The healthcare segment is an important industry for us and extensive capabilities for clean room processing is a big part of that. Having multiple equipment options and a lab to test new processes is essential to serving our customers around the globe.”

For more information about Davis-Standard’s medical tubing capabilities or clean room engineering practices, contact Kevin Dipollino at kdipollino@davis-standard.com or Jason Baird at jbaird@davis-standard.com.

Davis-Standard Expands Fulton Operations with New Facility

 

Davis-Standard is pleased to announce the opening of a new facility in Fulton, N.Y., to house the company’s blow molding business. The new facility, made possible by a lease agreement with Universal Metal Works (UMW), is located next door to Davis-Standard’s existing Fulton plant. A grand opening celebration hosted by Davis-Standard and UMW will be held on Friday, October 2.

“The UMW facility is exactly what we needed in terms of space and location. We are grateful for their helping us make the Fulton expansion a reality,” said Floyd Backes, Davis-Standard’s Director of Operations for New York and New Jersey locations. “This enables us to relocate our blow molding business from Bridgewater, N.J., to Fulton, supporting ongoing efforts to achieve cost effective manufacturing and superior customer service.”

The 20,000 square-foot facility housing Davis-Standard’s blow molding manufacturing is nearing completion and will be fully functional by October. In addition to housing Davis-Standard, UMW will be using another part of this facility to accommodate its growing business.

“This has been a win-win for both of our companies and for Fulton’s economy,” said John Sharkey, Vice President of UMW. “It’s an example of a collaborative effort between two industry leaders that makes sense for our manufacturing operations and our customers. We look forward to giving tours during the grand opening on October 2.”

Davis-Standard supplies versatile accumulator head systems for a variety applications including automotive parts, packaging and consumer products. Davis-Standard blow mold machinery advantages include shot-to-shot consistency, cycle-to-cycle precision, and excellent parison control for both polyolefins and engineered thermoplastics. Davis-Standard’s Extrusion Technical Service Group can upgrade and refurbish all makes and models of single screw continuous blow molding extruders. This includes replacement screws, process improvements, mechanical and electrical upgrades.

For more information about the Fulton facility, contact Floyd Backes via e-mail at fbackes@davis-standard.com.

Davis-Standard Acquires Gloucester Engineering

 

Davis-Standard, LLC announced today the acquisition of blown film leader Gloucester Engineering of Gloucester, Mass. The purchase of Gloucester strengthens Davis-Standard’s blown film offering by adding experienced design and process engineering capabilities, a large installed base and greater aftermarket capabilities worldwide. Like Davis-Standard, Gloucester has been a respected brand name and innovator in film applications for more than 50 years. Customers of Davis-Standard and Gloucester will now have access to the industry’s premier blown film technology and aftermarket service under one roof.

“We’re excited about combining the strengths and market reach of Davis-Standard and Gloucester,” said Jim Murphy, Davis-Standard president and CEO. “Gloucester has always been a strong company, so bringing their technology and engineering expertise to our operation is significant for our combined customer base. It also supports our ongoing goal of continuing to provide equipment and service that improves process efficiency and profitability. We welcome their team to Davis-Standard.”

Carl Johnson, Vice President of Sales, Gloucester Engineering commented: “The alignment of our companies leverages our sizeable base of installed equipment with the the industry’s best resources for sales, engineering and service,” he said. “Both companies have a reputation for strong people and strong brands. This is going to be a game changer in the global blown film market. We look forward to delivering the very best the industry has to offer.”

Ernie Plasse, Davis-Standard’s Executive Vice President, will lead Gloucester’s integration into Davis-Standard to ensure a seamless transition of first class service and support for customers.

For more information about the acquistion, contact Ernie Plasse at 860-599-1010 or via e-mail at eplasse@davis-standard.com