Aluminum Composite Panel Core Production

Recipe Based Raw Material Preparation for Core Compounding

The core formulation is one of the defining elements of an aluminium composite panel. Depending on the panel type and performance requirements, the formulation may combine polyethylene-based polymers, mineral fillers, process aids and liquid additives in precisely defined proportions. VOLDE designs automated raw material preparation systems for aluminium composite panel core production, integrating storage, vacuum conveying, gravimetric weighing, kneader feeding and liquid dosing within a single recipe-driven process. Each system is configured around the formulation, material characteristics and production capacity of the line.

| Raw Material Storage & Vacuum Conveying

Polymer granules forming the base of the core formulation can be stored in central silos and supplied automatically to the preparation area. Powder ingredients and mineral additives delivered in bags are introduced through dedicated feeding stations selected according to their flow characteristics and required production volumes.

Granular and powder raw materials are transferred through enclosed vacuum conveying lines to the weighing point. Separate conveying routes and automatic line selection allow multiple ingredients to be managed from the same preparation infrastructure without unnecessary manual handling.

The system architecture can incorporate.

• Central polymer storage silos
• Bag-fed powder and mineral additive stations
• Vacuum conveying
• Automatic line selection
• Intermediate material storage
• Dust extraction at feeding points

The result is a compact raw material infrastructure capable of serving different core formulations from a common production platform.

| Weighed Vacuum Receiver & Recipe Based Batching

At the heart of the preparation system is the weighed vacuum receiver, where polymer granules and powder ingredients are collected according to the active recipe.

The PLC determines the required raw material, target quantity and conveying sequence. Each ingredient is transferred to the weighing unit and measured before the system proceeds to the next component in the formulation.

This approach combines conveying and weighing within the same process step, reducing intermediate handling while creating a direct relationship between the selected recipe and the actual amount of material prepared.

Different core formulations and batch sizes can therefore be managed through the same system without relying on manual weighing or operator-dependent material selection.

| Kneader Feeding & Liquid Additive Dosing

Once the solid ingredients have been weighed, the prepared batch is discharged directly to the kneader feeding stage.

Liquid additives or binder components required by the formulation can be introduced separately through gravimetric dosing systems. Solid and liquid additions are coordinated through the same PLC/SCADA architecture so that the kneader receives the materials in the quantities and sequence defined by the active recipe.

This integration is particularly important in formulations containing significant mineral filler content, where the relationship between polymer, mineral phase and process additives must be maintained accurately before compounding.

VOLDE focuses on creating a reliable interface between raw material preparation and the kneader, allowing the downstream compounding process to start with a correctly prepared formulation.

"The Panel Begins with the Core Formula"
Before aluminium skins, laminating and final panel geometry, there is the core formulation. Accurate material preparation provides the foundation for repeatable compounding and a more stable downstream production process

| SCADA, Traceability & Production Integration

The complete raw material preparation process can be managed from a central SCADA platform. Recipes, target weights, conveying sequences, liquid dosing parameters and production records are stored and managed from a single interface.

The system can record

• Recipe and batch information
• Target and actual weighing values
• Polymer, powder and liquid consumption
• Production history
• Operator actions and alarms
• Raw material inventory data

Where required, this information can be exchanged with ERP, production-planning and quality-management systems.

VOLDE combines raw material storage, vacuum conveying, gravimetric batching, kneader feeding and process automation into an integrated preparation system developed around the requirements of aluminium composite panel core production.