The new Automatic Resin Selection Station (AutoRSS) from Conair offers processors a powerful, space- and labor-saving solution for resin management. Available in three models, this compact station performs fully automated, proofed and traceable material transfers from up to 60 resin sources with a speed and accuracy that conventional, operator-assisted fantail manifolds cannot match. The AutoRSS makes its debut at the Conair booth (W2113) at NPE 2024, May 6-10 in Orlando.   

Unlike fantail manifolds or tabletops that require operators to manually connect sources to destinations and then execute conveying commands, the AutoRSS station makes the connections and conveys automatically on command.  An operator simply uses any SmartFLX conveying control to input which source needs to feed which destination. The AutoRSS does the rest. Conveying commands can even be made remotely using either a SmartFLX HMI or any web-enabled device running Conair’s SmartServices monitoring and management dashboard. Material transfer is fast, traceable, and fully autonomous. 

Thanks to an elegant design, the AutoRSS station uses less pipework than other material distribution systems and has a smaller footprint than fantail manifold systems. When in operation, two centrally mounted arms rotate along material ports held in circular manifolds (source manifold/destination manifold) located at the top and bottom of the unit.  When a fill command is received, the upper arm rotates and clamps to the correct destination port, while the lower arm rotates and clamps to the correct material source port.  

Compared to the sliding port contacts used in similar resin selection systems, the AutoRSS uses pneumatic clamping, creating vacuum-tight port connections that reduce the risk of leaks or lost pellets. As soon as the port-to-port circuit is completed through the common port at the center of the unit, a conveying cycle begins, followed by an automatic line purge. The AutoRSS has an innovative cleaning system that prevents cross-contamination during and after resin changes. 

“With the introduction of the AutoRSS station, Conair now offers a fully automated material management solution for processors who have to manage, proof, and trace a lot of material changes, but can’t spare the time, labor, and space required to do them with older fantail systems,” says A.J. Zambanini, Director of Product Management for Conair. He adds that, with the addition of the AutoRSS, Conair now offers a full range of resin selection stations – manual, RFID-proofed, and fully automated – to meet varied processor needs. 

Three AutoRSS models are available, which may be configured to handle incoming line sizes from 1.5 to 3 inches.   

  • RSSA20 – up to 20 sources/21 destinations 
  • RSSA40 – up to 40 sources/41 destinations
  • RSSA60 – up to 60 sources/61 destinations 

Every AutoRSS unit features compact design and durable, stainless-steel construction, including heavy duty motors, wear-resistant contact points, and positive pneumatic clamping mechanisms.  

The Conair Group (www.conairgroup.com) offers innovative auxiliary equipment solutions to plastics processors around the world. With 32 degreed engineers, including 16 senior team members with an average of over 23 years of experience, Conair brings unparalleled technical expertise and support to its customers, guaranteeing its products will deliver maximum productive uptime. Twenty parts and service team members respond to tens of thousands of calls each year, answering in an average of about 15 seconds. Over 450 individual products include resin drying systems, blenders, feeders and material-conveying systems, temperature-control equipment, and granulators. Extrusion solutions include line-control systems, film and sheet scrap-reclaim systems, and downstream equipment for pipe and profile extrusion. Conair also has specialized expertise in every major end market – such as packaging, medical, transportation, building and construction, and many others – and strives to ensure plastics processors succeed in today’s competitive global marketplace. 

 

The new AutoRSS resin selection station saves space and eliminates the need for manual matching of sources and destinations. It is ideal for processors who have to handle many different types of resins.