Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 1

Brampton Engineering (BE) is a worldwide leader in design and fabrication Streamline Co-extrusion Die (SCD) systems for multi-layer blown film systems. BE's patented dies are engineered to a specific array and range of film structures which reduce purge time and lower maintenance costs in the blown film manufacturing industry. A key parameter in the quality of the final product and the performance of the blown film multi-layer dies is the surface finish of the injection path. Accuracy and uniformity of the injection path surface finish plays an important role in film thickness, film flatness, molten resin resistance, prevention of premature degradation of thermally-sensitive materials, and carbon build up avoidance. Currently, due to the complexity of injection path geometry and section profile, dies are manually polished at BE with an average process time of 12-24 hours per die. Polishing of dies is an inefficient, labour-intensive process that requires hours to reach the desired surface finish. In order to make the process more efficient, Brampton Engineering seeks to partner with Sheridan College to investigate the feasibility of automating the polishing process to improve product quality and reduce production time. The proposed project aims to enable BE to develop a new integrated robotic system to carry out the die polishing process to increase efficiency, improve product quality, and reduce the lead time for product delivery to customers. The proposed automated polishing system will be equipped by a closed-loop force feedback controller to optimize the polishing parameters to reach the desired surface texture level while tracing the complex injection path of die.