Conair TrueFeed User manual

Gravimetric Dual Feeder
TrueFeed™
USER GUIDE
UGB025-0806
www.conairgroup.com
Corporate Office: 724.584.5500 | Instant Access 24/7 (Parts and Service): 800.458.1960 | Parts and Services: 814.437.6861

It’s a good idea to record the model and serial number(s) of your equipment and the date you
received it in the User Guide. Our service department uses this information, along with the
manual number, to provide help for the specific equipment you installed.
Please keep this User Guide and all manuals, engineering prints and parts lists together for
documentation of your equipment.
Date:
Manual Number: UGB025-0806
Serial Number(s):
Model Number(s):
Please record your equipment’s
model and serial number(s) and
the date you received it in the
spaces provided.
DISCLAIMER:Conair shall not be liable for errors contained in this User Guide or for incidental, consequential
damages in connection with the furnishing, performance or use of this information. Conair makes no warranty
of any kind with regard to this information, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
Copyright 2006l Conair l All rights reserved

INDEX
1. Introduction _____________________________________________________________________________________ 1
1.1 Symbols ______________________________________________________________________________________ 1
1.2 Terms ________________________________________________________________________________________ 1
2. General information_______________________________________________________________________________ 2
2.1 Safety ________________________________________________________________________________________ 2
2.2 Certification____________________________________________________________________________________ 2
2.3 Operating environmental conditions_________________________________________________________________ 2
3. Overview feeding unit _____________________________________________________________________________ 3
TrueFeed component overview _______________________________________________________________________ 3
Weighing frame____________________________________________________________________________________ 4
Motor and feeding system ___________________________________________________________________________ 4
4. Metering principle ________________________________________________________________________________ 5
5. Feeding systems / Capacities _______________________________________________________________________ 6
6. Installation ______________________________________________________________________________________ 8
Transport ________________________________________________________________________________________ 8
Receipt __________________________________________________________________________________________ 8
Mechanical installation ______________________________________________________________________________ 8
Changing from feeding cylinder to feed screw ____________________________________________________________ 9
Electrical installation________________________________________________________________________________ 10
Operation_________________________________________________________________________________________ 12
Navigation________________________________________________________________________________________ 12
Startup and Login __________________________________________________________________________________ 13
Keyboard lock_____________________________________________________________________________________ 14
Configuration _____________________________________________________________________________________ 15
Loadcell calibration_________________________________________________________________________________ 22
Material pre-calibration______________________________________________________________________________ 23
Production________________________________________________________________________________________ 25
Filling the hopper __________________________________________________________________________________ 27
Consumption______________________________________________________________________________________ 30
7.10 Alarms _______________________________________________________________________________________ 31
7.11 Files_________________________________________________________________________________________ 33
7.12 Select mode___________________________________________________________________________________ 33
7.13 Material ______________________________________________________________________________________ 34
7.14 Event log _____________________________________________________________________________________ 34
System Performance________________________________________________________________________________ 35
Reset regulation ___________________________________________________________________________________ 35
Troubleshooting____________________________________________________________________________________ 36
Appendix A: TrueFeed print view ______________________________________________________________________ 37
Appendix B: TrueFeed wiring diagram__________________________________________________________________ 38
Appendix C: TrueFeed technical specifications ___________________________________________________________ 39
Appendix D: TrueFeed general dimensions______________________________________________________________ 40
Appendix E: TrueFeed quality checklist _________________________________________________________________ 41

1. Introduction
Thank you for purchasing a Conair Dual TrueFeed. This manual is addressed to operators and qualified
technicians taking care of the feeding of dry additives to ensure correct use of the Conair feeder.
LIMPORTANT: THIS MANUAL MUST BE READ BEFORE INSTALLING THE FEEDER. KEEP THIS
MANUAL IN A PLACE THAT IS ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL OPERATORS.
It’s a good idea to record the model and serial number(s) of your equipment and the date you received it in the
User Guide. Our service department uses this information, along with the manual number, to provide help for
the specific equipment you have installed.
Please keep this user guide and all manuals, engineering prints and parts lists together for documentation of
your equipment.
Date:
Manual Number: UGB025-0806
Serial Number(s):
Model Number(s):
Software Version:
Disclaimer: The Conair Group, Inc. shall not be liable for errors contained in this User Guide or for incidental, consequential damages
in connection with the furnishing, performance or use of this information, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
1.1 Symbols
LImportant note
Attention safety regulations for the operator
1.2 Terms
Operator: A person charged to operate, adjust, maintain and clean the machine.
Qualified Technician: A specialized, suitable trained person authorized to execute the installation, non-
routine maintenance, or repairs requiring special knowledge of the machine and
how it operates.
© Copyright 2008, The Conair Group, Inc., All rights reserved
1 Dual Feed TrueFeed Manual

2. General Information
2.1 Safety
The equipment is only designed and may only be used for the feeding of dry additives.
Any use that is not in conformity with the instructions is considered improper and as such frees the
manufacturer from any liability regarding damage to objects and/or persons.
Before switching on the unit for the first time, ensure that the main power voltage applied is between
80 VAC and 260 VAC.
Always switch off the Conair control cabinet and disconnect the main power plug from electrical power
before performing maintenance.
Ensure that all parts are securely fixed to the injection molding machine.
Dangerous voltages are still present inside the control cabinet for up to 2 minutes after the power has
been switched off.
2.2 Certification
The Conair Dual TrueFeed is designed and produced in conformity with the following European
regulations:
Standards for machinery (health, safety, environment)
EMC (electromagnetic compatibility)
VEM (safety electric material)
98/37/EC, Annex 1
2.3 Operating environmental conditions
The unit must be protected against weather conditions
Operating temperature -4 to 158 F {-20 to 70 C}.
Protection class: IP-50
2
Dual Feed TrueFeed Manual

3. Overview Feeder
3.1 TrueFeed Component overview
LNote that the Dual TrueFeed will have two (2) of all the components listed above, except the
standard NST40 throat adapter. The Dual TrueFeed only requires one (1) throat adaptor.
1 Stepper motor
2 Dispensing cylinder
3 Hopper 0.2 ft3 {6 liter}
4 Thumb knob M10x40
5 Standard NST40 Throat adaptor
6 Material discharge slide (in closed position)
7 TrueFeed Load frame
8 Slide frame (Optional)
9 Slide locking bolt
(locking the slide-out position)
Only supplied together with the optional slide mechanism
10 Slide locking bar
(locking the slide-in position)
Only supplied together with the optional slide mechanism
3 Dual Feed TrueFeed Manual

3.2 Weighing frame
IMPORTANT: Do not touch the weighing frame (and dispensing unit) while feeding.
It will have influence on the feeding.
IMPORTANT: Do not touch the safety bolts under the weighing platform. These are for overload
protection. There must be some space between the safety bolts and the frame.
3.3 Motor and feeding system
There are two main feeding systems, the dispensing cylinder and the feed screw.
(For more information see Section 5)
Safety bolts
(total of 4)
Balance frame
Transport protection pin
(Remove before operation)
Hopper loader tube support
(when option selected)
The serial number for the motor can be found on the
backside of the motor.
Motor shaft:
The motor shaft is equipped with one flat side which
fits precisely in the shaft of the dispensing cylinder.
To connect the dispensing cylinder, put it on the
motor shaft while turning it to the keyed section to find
the flat side of the shaft, then press the dispensing
cylinder completely backwards.
4 Dual Feed TrueFeed Manual
Weighing frame

Fig. 3
1. Color 2. Virgin material 3. Throat adaptor 4. Dispensing cylinder
5. Cover plate 6. Mixing zone 7. To production machine
4. Metering principle
The Dispensing cylinder®of the Conair TrueFeed is combined with a very precise adjustable stepper motor to
ensure that the additive output is accurate and consistent. The throat adapter (mixing chamber) is designed to
blend the main material and the additive homogeneously. Conair supplies a large range of machine throat
adaptors to fit injection molding machines. The most common mounting of the throat adaptor is between the
production machine and the machine hopper. In the figure below, a cross-section of the NST40 throat adaptor
can be seen.
Standard throat adaptor
During operation, the virgin material runs from the
machine hopper through the throat adaptor into the
machine. Inside the throat adaptor the virgin material
flow is divided into two streams by the cover plate. In
the space below the cover plate, the rotating cylinder
feeds additive material.
Additive material is added directly into the center of
the virgin material flow, just before it enters the
production machine. This is a great advantage over
metering devices that use batch pre-mixing that can
cause material separation. Separation of materials
results in an irregular additive flow into the
production machine.
2
5
1
4 3
6
7
5 Dual Feed TrueFeed Manual

5. Feeding systems / Capacities
Depending on the application a different feeding system might be needed.
Use the following table to determine roughly the best system for the application. For more detailed information
please contact a Conair representative.
Feeding system Pellet
materials Regrind/hard-to- flow materials Accuracy Feeding capacity†
Gram/sec. Feeding capacity† Kg/hour
GLX YES No ++ 0.01 to 1.1 0.05 to 4.1
GX YES No + 0.1 to 5.0 0.5 to 12.6
HX‡NO No ++ 0.007 to 0.4 0.03 to 1.3
A-20LT YES No +/- 0.4 to 14.0 1.3 to 50.4
A-20HT* YES YES +/- 0.4 to 14.0 1.3 to 50.4
A-30HT* YES YES +/- 1.4 to 35.0
5.0 to 126.0
Note * Used for regrind and irregular shaped materials.
Note †Feed rates are based on materials with a bulk density of 35 lb/ft3.
Note ‡For granular/free-flowing powder.
Which type of feeding system do I need with which throat adaptor?
The last 3 numbers are related to the length of the feeding system.
TYPE CODE FOR STANDARD THROAT
ADAPTOR CODE FOR WATER-COOLED THROAT ADAPTOR
GLX GLX GLXC
GX GX GXC
HX HX HXC
A20LT A20 A20C
A20HT A20HT A20HTC
NOTE: The “C” suffix for the water-cooled throat adapters symbolize a longer dispensing cylinder.
Front side view GLX
Back side view
A
20LT
A
20HT A30HT
GX HX
6 Dual Feed TrueFeed Manual