THERMOFORMING

Servo Valves Give Smart Air, Oil, Vacuum Control 
    Electronically fired valves that control air, vacuum, or oil supply on a thermoforming unit normally have only two positions: open and closed. But the new Smart Valve from Lyle Industries Inc., Beaverton, Mich., is a servo valve that can be programmed for a continuous range of flow control from 0 to 100%. Microprocessor control of the valves permits saving valve parameters as part of the “recipe” for making a particular part. Lyle offers the Smart Valve as an option on its machines and also offers them for use on other units.

Cups Get Fast Lip Service 
    Roll lips on 500 to 5000 cups/min with the new LR-2000 lip roller from Brown Machine, Beaverton, Mich. The unit uses four curling screws powered by a single AC variable-speed drive. Screw distances can be adjusted for a different size cup (2 to 32 oz) in minutes using a micrometre-type adjustment. Brown says the new model is faster, more reliable, and easier to adjust than units with a single curling screw and helper roller.