Through our long history with thermoplastic composites material processing, Accudyne Systems, Inc. has developed several technologies for temperature management in materials processing.

Heating technologies include heated rollers, heated shoes, conformable heated-line compactors, and conformable heated-area compactors. Line- and area-conformable compactors can operate at temperatures up to 500°C. Typically, heated elements have utilized resistive heating elements. We have also combined these technologies with gas-burner and infrared heating sources. The former heating techniques make efficient use of conductive heat transfer mechanisms, while the latter two provide efficient radiation heating. These mechanisms are particularly effective in applying localized heating to the materials’ surface.

For effective, full-volume heating, Accudyne has utilized induction heating techniques, as they can be particularly effective in rapid heating of thermoplastic laminates. We have applied these heating techniques in the manufacture of polymer fibers, polymer matting materials, polymer films, polymer webs, and thermoplastic composite tow and tape.

For cooling, we have created chilled rollers, shoes, line compactors, and area compactors. Using load-cell feedback we have demonstrated continuous-process, cold-compaction zones.

In the addition to thermal processing of web materials, we have developed expertise in the thermal control of high-pressure systems. To this end, we have developed electric heating systems for high-pressure reactors, fluid jacketed vessels, SCCO2 preheaters, and heated metering valves. We have employed a variety of sensor techniques for the closed-loop PID feedback regulation of these heating systems.

If temperature is your problem, we have your solution.