KiefelGmbH
Sudetenstraße3
83395 Freilassing
Germany
Areaof business:
Developingandbuilding
systems for thermoforming
and joiningpolymer films
“With theVFOFwehave reduced
assembly timeand installation
space. Insteadof threeparts,we
nowneed to install onlyone.”
Peter Kronawitter, PneumaticsDesignEngineer, Kiefel GmbH
Fromfilm tobag
Although the individual systems fromKiefel
areall used toproducedifferent products,
the fundamental automationprinciple
behind themedical technologymachines
is thesame.Theprocess isbest illustrated
byanewsystem formanufacturing infu-
sionbags. In thefirst step, thefilm is
unrolled. Dancer rollersperformabuffer
function to cushion thesynchronised
motionsequences. They isolate thepower
from themachine,which isneeded toset
theparent roller inmotion.This is followed
by contactlesselectrostatic cleaningof
thefilmandapplicationof theproduct-
specific information in theprintingstation.
Thesystem laterally feedsafilmwith the
printmedium. The inlet andoutlet tubes
for fluidssuchasbloodor infusionsolu-
tionsare thenweldedon. In thenext pro-
cessingstep theentirebag isweldedand
the coolingsystems then reduce the tem-
peratureof theweldedsections. Finally,
thebagsareseparatedbypunchingor
cutting, placedona conveyor and trans-
portedonwards.
Three functions, onevalve
Until ayear ago, twopneumatic control
elements– theone-wayflow control valve
GRLAand theshut-off valveHGL–were
still requiredonmany cylinders. TheGRLA
wasused toadjust theflow rate,while
theHGLblocked theflow inonedirection.
Theblocked connection couldbeopened
againbya control signal. Bothvalvesare
still installed insystemswhere called for
by thedesignspecifications. Inotherareas,
however, the compact,multifunctional
valvesVFOF-LE-BAHareused. Thenew
components integrate three functions:
variablepistonspeed, short intermediate
stopand individualmanual exhaust. The
efficient control element thereforesaves
timeandmoneyand reduces the installa-
tionspacebyover50per cent. It iseasy
tooperateandassembleand canbe
usedeverywhere. Thepneumatic control
elementsoffer versatile functionality, are
energy-efficient andnon-polluting, and
reduce compressedair losses.
Two-thirds lessassembly time
For Peter Kronawitter, PneumaticsDesign
Engineer at Kiefel, useof thevalves
VFOF-LE-BAHhaspaidoff right down the
line. “Previously, our installation techni-
cianshad to install up to threedifferent
parts.Now they install just onepneumatic
component. Assemblynowonly takesa
thirdof the time that it used to”, explains
Kronawitter.Healsoseesbenefits for his
company in theextensiveportfolioof Festo
pneumaticproductsand in the fast,world-
widesparepartsdeliveryservice. “This
haspermanently reducedourwarehousing
requirements”, hesays.With theone-way
flow control valveVFOF-LE-BAH, Festohas
openedupnewpossibilities in termsof
timeandspacesavings for Kiefel.
Easy toadjust:
simpleadjustment
of the cylinder speed.
