New HDPE Pipe Processor Goes ‘QuickSwitch’ Route

Derek Hofer had clear goals in mind when he took over as plant manager for startup HDPE pipe producer Encoma Ltd at its 63,000 ft² plant in Manitoba, Canada: no simple me-too products, but state-of-the art high-end extrusion technology to allow the processor to make high-quality pipe as efficiently as possible.

The search led Hofer in late 2021 to install the first QuickSwitch line KraussMaffei ever installed in North America. So satisfied was Hofer was with that decision that he has since placed orders for two additional production line.

Encoma started manufacturing multilayer HDPE pipes for water supply, geothermal and cable protection applications, and underfloor heating in the fall of 2021 after building a new plant in Manitoba. KraussMaffei Extrusion installed a complete three-layer QuickSwitch line covering the entire production process—from raw material to semi-finished product handling.

“For us as a newcomer in this industry, it was extremely important to have a competent partner at our side who would be able to set up a turnkey plant on our premises and also provide training and support,” says Hofer. KraussMaffei fully met all expectations, he adds, which encouraged Encoma to order a second QuickSwitch line, along with a 5-layer line specifically designed for underfloor heating pipes. “Quality, reproducibility and production time achieved with the first QuickSwitch line for HDPE pipes were so convincing that we decided to go straight back to KraussMaffei as our machine supplier,” explains Hofer.

QuickSwitch is the name of KraussMaffei Extrusion's unique package solution for the flexible production of pipes of widely differing dimensions on one line without requiring any retooling. The core component of each QuickSwitch line is an adjustable calibration basket that is set to new pipe dimensions fully automatically and within a given time without having to stop the production line. The waste produced during the “quick switch” period is limited to a cone-shaped piece of material, which contributes not only to higher efficiency but also to enhanced sustainability in hose production.

In addition to changing the pipe dimensions at the push of a button, QuickSwitch also ensures fine adjustment of pipe wall thickness and pipe centering. Both parameters are critically important in the production of high-quality pipes. Once saved, production data can be retrieved and adjusted at any time, which ensures exact reproducibility.

The entire downstream equipment integrated into the control system is automatically adjusted as well, rendering readjustments unnecessary. Thanks to the intelligent control system, all production parameters can be monitored, documented and correlated with each other. As a result, the line manages itself and operator effort is minimal.

With the line already installed at the Manitoba site, Encoma produces pipes in diam. ranging between 1-2.5 in. The second line will extend the range to more than 6 in. “Thanks to the perfectly tailored machine solution, we are able to produce a wide range of different pipes for changing customer requirements even in small quantities,” states Hofer.