By Bruce Geiselman
Graham Engineering demonstrated its new toolless CAMGrip Clamp for extruders at the AMI Plastics World Expos in Cleveland on Nov. 9 and 10.
The company first unveiled the clamp, which it calls a safe alternative to traditional manual extrusion clamps, during the IWCS Cable & Connectivity Industry Forum Oct. 10-13 in Providence, R.I.
The CAMGrip Clamp is designed for extrusion systems requiring frequent screw, breaker plate and downstream tooling changes. The clamp is positioned between the extruder barrel and the downstream tooling to allow easy access to the screw, barrel and breaker plate. The newly designed clamp will be offered as an option on new Graham Engineering extruders or as a retrofit for existing extruders. Options also are available to retrofit the clamp on other manufacturers’ extruders.
The clamp can be opened without the use of wrenches or other tools, making its operation safer.
“One of the big issues we have in the industry is safety,” said Jason DiChristofaro, strategic market manager for extrusion and extrusion systems with Graham Engineering. “Typically, there’s a nut, and a wrench that would hold this clamp together.
“Operators, when they see things leak, they just continue to tighten it up and tighten it up. Eventually, the nut may strip out or the tool may break off, and they get injured. So, we’ve developed a toolless way to lock the clamp up without using any tools whatsoever, and it provides a safety feature by having the cam action.
“The clamp itself takes no tools once it’s set up and adjusted,” DiChristofaro continued. “There’s a safety pin you would pull; you would lift the handle; you would open the clamp. The clamp, one of the nice features is it opens to a detent. So, it holds the clamp halves open so they don’t slam shut on the operator. And you can also pivot it out of the way of the barrel while you’re doing discharge or tool changes, so you don’t get polymer built up in the flange itself.”
In addition to offering a safer way to open the extruder clamp, it makes changeovers occur a little faster, DiChristofaro said.
The CAMGrip Clamp can be opened by a worker using only one hand thanks to a knurled handle for improved grip. Cartridge heaters are installed in the top and bottom clamp halves.
The new CAMGrip Clamp is available for extruders sizes from 0.75 inch through 3.5 inches, according to the company.
Contact:
Graham Engineering Co. LLC, York, Pa., 717-848-3755, www.grahamengineering.com/home.htm
Bruce Geiselman, senior staff reporter
Bruce Geiselman | Senior Staff Reporter
Senior Staff Reporter Bruce Geiselman covers extrusion, blow molding, additive manufacturing, automation and end markets including automotive and packaging. He also writes features, including In Other Words and Problem Solved, for Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing, Plastics Recycling and The Journal of Blow Molding. He has extensive experience in daily and magazine journalism.
