Coupling Stations

Material distributors or coupling stations (also called transfer stations or coupling tables) are the central granulate distribution systems in plastics processing plants. The coupling station, which is tailored to the respective application, is usually composed of a modular system of pipes, pipe branches and pipe bends. A coupling station is used to connect the incoming lines from the granulate feed stations, bulk material containers or silos with the granulate-removing processing machines – i.e. the injection moulding machines or extruders – as required.

For conveying applications in which particularly abrasive granulates are processed, selected components of the coupling station can be constructed from glass elements. This measure, which is particularly useful for glass-fibre reinforced plastic granulates, serves to minimise wear at the coupling station and in the conveying system as a whole.

Coupling stations are available in standard designs and sizes as well as in application-specific configurations. As a rule, such material stations consist of pipe distributors in commercially available connection diameters:

• Standard tube diameters in 40mm, 50mm or 60mm.
• Other nominal diameters can be realised upon request and technical clarification.

At the connection points of the granulate distribution, Digicolor material distributors are equipped with quick couplings to make the manual coupling of rigid conveying pipes and flexible conveying hoses as simple and user-friendly as possible. These quick couplings are seal-less, self-centring and can be attached and detached with just one hand. Even existing coupling stations that are not equipped with quick couplings, can often be easily converted to Digicolor quick couplings.

Advantages of coupling stations:

• Simple and clear organisation of granulate distribution
• Use of a modular system of installation components
• Therefore, modular construction and expansion of the coupling station is possible
• Use of quick couplings for pipe-hose connections
• Low maintenance, as there are no electrical components or sensors.

Equipment options:

• Quick couplings in various nominal diameters
• Increased wear protection due to glass installation components
• Use of glass elements, e.g. glass pipes, glass bends, glass branches
• Barcode system for documentation and coding of source-destination queries
• Industry-compatible labelling system for granulate inlets and outlets

Manual coupling stations are also interesting when existing or historically grown granulate supply systems are to be reorganised or material logistics in a plastics processing plant are to be optimised. We advise you on the possibilities of setting up and integrating coupling stations.