Apparatus and methods for managing molds and forming transverse corrugations and other shapes in extruded tubular polymer melt parisons

摘要

A corrugator and mold management apparatus and methods for continuously forming transverse corrugations and other shapes in a tubular polymer melt parison formed by an extrusion die employs a plurality of molds that interlock when mated. Each mold has common outside dimensions and a pair of open linear bearings that provide the mold axis and maintain alignment of the molds parallel to and in the same horizontal plane as the axis of the extrusion die. The molds are moved axially along supported rails by bi-directional linear actuating modules and between the pairs of supported rails by lateral transport units. Inner supported rails define the mold tunnel and outer supported rails provide an outer path to move molds upstream back toward the extrusion die. The lateral transport units include extensible rails that facilitate the transfer of molds to and from the mold tunnel and the outer return paths. Delivery units remove from and introduce molds from a plurality of parking stations. The apparatus also has the capability of identifying, locating and tracking molds by continually scanning molds as they are transported or on demand. Automated “on the fly” mold changes automatically introduce molds to and remove molds from the corrugator from and to parking stations simultaneously without interrupting the normal operation of the apparatus and the molds may be rapidly purged and loaded.