Laser Helps Keep Twin-Screws Aligned

The L-703 Bore & Spindle Alignment Laser from Hamar Laser Instruments Inc. is a compact and versatile laser with many applications, including bore alignment, barrel and cylinder straightness, spindle alignments and hard-to-align twin-barrel extruders.

The L-703 is combined with the company’s patented self-centering bore-measuring targets for extruders in the L-703 Twin-Barrel Extruder Alignment System kit, which also includes Hamar Laser’s new A-703T Spline-Shaft Adapter, A-510 2-Axis Target, bore adapters, readout and accessories. Additional L-703 Laser kits for other applications, including bore and spindle alignment and surface plate calibration, will roll out later this year.

Processors that already have the L-705 Extruder Borescope Laser for single-barrel extruders can now align twin-barrel extruders by purchasing just the L-703 Laser and A-703T Adapter and use the rest of the L-705 system components. Designed specifically for the L-703 Laser, the A-703T Adapter positions the laser on the end of the spline shafts on twins for alignments in tight spaces and features an adjustable centering plate to accurately indicate-in the center mounting hole to the rotation axis.

The small L-703 Laser solves the space-limitation problem that makes aligning twins difficult, the company says. The laser is short, so it’s easy to use with the typical limited space off the end of the gearbox shaft. This allows the laser to be aligned to the shaft rotation axis so each barrel section can be aligned to a common reference, resulting in much better alignment. This eliminates errors that come from trying to use the outside of barrel sections to check the alignment, since these may not be parallel to the inside.

Hamar Laser explains that extruder misalignment causes barrels and screws to wear out quickly and leads to expensive repairs, not to mention causing heavier electrical consumption.