The German company TARTLER is one of the most innovative system manufacturers in the field of low-pressure dosing and mixing technology. It offers a wide range of highly efficient system solutions for numerous processes in which synthetic resins, hardeners and additives are processed into ready-to-use polyurethanes, epoxy resins and silicones. In addition to the high modularity of these systems and the fact that TARTLER develops and manufactures all relevant performance components in-house, one technical factor in particular is of central importance to the company’s long-term success: from the very beginning – i.e. since its foundation in 1981 – it has been an advocate of the idea of dynamic mixing with plastic mixers. Early on, the company focused all of its development work and its constantly growing portfolio on this, making it one of the technological pioneers in this field.
Innovative: In the disposable mixers for use with self-cutting
mixing heads, the mixing spiral rotates onto a threaded mandrel.
This increases process reliability and off ers the option of a fully
automatic mixer change.
The process engineering principle of this variant of dynamic mixing is based on the fact that the material components converging in the mixing head of a system are guided through a rotating disposable mixing spiral made of plastic and are mixed quickly and very homogeneously immediately before being ejected (into a mold, onto a surface, into a bath, into an adhesive groove, etc.). „Dynamic mixing with a driven mixing spindle, as we practice it, is the qualitative optimum. It produces synthetic resins that can be processed excellently and can develop their shaping, bonding or sealing eff ect in the best possible way,“ says company boss Udo Tartler.
For the practical implementation of the principle of dynamic mixing with plastic mixers, however, a number of requirements must be met. Ideally, all components of a dosing and mixing system should be matched to this. In particular, however, the choice of the right mixing head and the suitable mixer – that is the mixing spiral with its sleeve – prove to be the decisive aspects in terms of process engineering. TARTLER develops and manufactures both the mixing heads and the mixers in-house and applies very high quality standards. „Our multicomponent mixing heads are easy to handle, guarantee extremely gentle material processing and off er a high degree of process reliability thanks to modern sensor technology,“ reports Udo Tartler. On request, his engineers can also equip the mixing heads with temperature sensors and heating cartridges. One of the quality features of the mixing heads is that they ensure that the actual mixing process only takes place where it belongs: In the mixer itself. „This eliminates the need to rinse the gaps and there is no risk of the inside of the mixing head becoming clogged with material that has already been mixed,“ explains Udo Tartler.
On the hook or on the thread
For dynamic mixing with plastic mixers, only mixing heads that are designed to set the spiral of the mixer in rotation are suitable. This can be done via a drive hook or – another TARTLER specialty – via a self-tapping threaded connection. For both methods, the company not only off ers a considerable selection of mixing heads, but also a wide range of rotating disposable mixers made of pure POM, in which a suitable variant can be found for every case of multi-component processing. Whether high-viscosity, pasty, fi lled, low-viscosity, liquid, warm or hot materials are to be processed in small or large quantities – TARTLER covers almost all facets of synthetic resin technology with its standard selection alone. „Based on our engineering expertise and our injection moulding production, we are also able to create mixers for borderline processes or new requirements,“ says Udo Tartler.
These disposable mixers, which are attached to the drive hook of the mixing head and enable dynamic mixing through the rotation set in motion from there, are manufactured by the company in numerous widths and lengths with various spiral geometries and 4, 6, 8, 12 or 24 mixing segments. There are also variants with additional functional elements. This can be a scraper – for materials with a tendency to agglomerate – or a cone to quickly close the mixer outlet after each shot end. A pulse generator can also be integrated for monitoring and – on request – controlling the speed. Also available are versions for processing materials at temperatures of up to 200° C as well as special versions for connection to the TARTLER LC 6 and LC7 mixing heads, which are characterized by their compact and maintenancefriendly design.
The second important group consists of dynamic disposable mixers, which are designed for use with mixing heads with a self-tapping connection. Here, the spiral of the mixer does not have to be hooked into a hook, but instead rotates itself onto a threaded mandrel, which forms the kinematic interface to the drive of the mixing head. The disposable mixers of this type are available in the same diameters and spiral geometries as the hook solutions and are also available with pulse generators for speed monitoring. „Our self-cutting mixer connection off ers increased process reliability and the option of having the mixer change fully automated. Another advantage is that these mixers can also be completely and easily exchanged after the synthetic resin has cured,“ emphasizes Udo Tartler.
On its website (www.tartler.com), TARTLER provides initial answers to the questions of which rotary disposable mixers are suitable for which mixing heads and which requirements are best met. In a direct discussion with the company‘s consultants and technicians, the customer can then fi nd out many more interesting details: for example, that the use of disposable mixers reduces the need for environmentally harmful cleaning agents to rinse the mixing heads to a minimum, as the material is mixed in the disposable mixer itself – i.e. immediately before the material exits. Or that, when using the powered disposable mixers, error-free mixing results can be achieved right from the start of an application. Or as Udo Tartler points out: „That with the help of variable speed control, optimum mixes can be achieved even with special materials with very diff erent properties.“
