SONDERHOFF^® Dosing Cell 3E FLEX

How to use

1. Connection and assembly



As soon as power, water and compressed air are connected and the two material components of the selected 2K polyurethane or silicone system are filled into the separate material pressure tanks, production can begin: Place, Plug & Work. With the 3E FLEX, even small and medium part quantities can be produced very economically. The dosing machine is equipped with an automatic high-speed door which separates the operator from the linear robot inside the cell. Accordingly, the machine is CE-compliant, so that no additional safety fences or light barriers are required. This boosts efficiency, saving space and costs.


2. Easy transport



The SONDERHOFF 3E FLEX dosing cell is designed in such a way that it can be delivered in a high cube sea container, fully assembled as a single unit, and only needs to be set up and connected at its installation location.


3. Internal transport



The dosing cell is moved from the transport container with a fork-lift, set up at the production place and connected to electricity, water, and compressed air: place, plug & work. All features are arranged on a single chassis so that the location of the dosing cell can be changed very easily in production.


4. Measurements



The 3E FLEX dosing cell measures 4,217 x 2,200 x 2,165 mm (W x D x H): it requires very little space, just approx. 9 m², and can be used flexibly as a production island.


5. Automatic high-speed door



The dosing machine 3E FLEX is equipped with an automatic high-speed door. Thus, the operator is separated from the linear robot inside the cell. Accordingly, the machine is CE-compliant, so that no additional safety fences or light barriers are required.


6. Optional hand scanner



For the 3E FLEX an optionally available hand scanner can be used to select the part program including the dispensing and CNC program.


7. Mixing head



The standard mixing head of the 3E FLEX is the sensor-controlled MK 800 PLUS or the MK 825 PLUS for processing a 2K material system with high-pressure water rinsing of the mixing chamber and dynamic mixing and precise dispensing for gasketing, bonding and potting.

The dosing quantity of MK 800 PLUS ranges from 3.0 to 100 g/s and for the MK 825 PLUS from 0.2 to 3.0 g/s, with infinitely adjustable mixing ratios from 1 : 100 to 100 : 1 and a dosing accuracy of ±1 %.

The MK 800/825 PLUS mixing heads have a travel range of 2,500 x 1,250 x 300 mm (x/y/z).

- Servo-pneumatically and hydromechanically controlled dosing valves for precise dispensing
- Can also be equipped with stub lines for bonding or potting applications
- Electronically adjustable stirrer speed
- Special stirrer design enables gentle material mixing
- Blast air needle valve for drying the mixing system
- Low-drip and low-maintenance nozzle closing system STOP-DROP DVS 3
- Stroke adjustment can be easily adjusted by means of an adjusting wheel
- Material pressure measurement at the dosing valve
- Mixing chamber temperature sensor


8. High-pressure water rinsing system



The 3E FLEX is equipped with the MK 800/825 PLUS precision mixing head for 2-parts materials with dynamic mixing and high-pressure water rinsing for ecological cleaning of the mixing chamber.


9. Dosing machine components for 2K silicone material processing



The SONDERHOFF 3E FLEX dosing cell for 2K silicone systems has the dosing machine components mounted on the left narrow side of the cell.
This is where e.g. the Compressed air connection, dryer and maintenance unit (1), Agitator for homogenization of the material component A (2), Overfilling protection for the use of an optional refilling station (3), High-pressure water unit for effective and ecological mixing head rinsing (4), Capacitive sensors for filling level regulation (5), Material pressure tank with optimized dimensions for symmetrical mixing ratios (6), Precision gear pumps with 0.75 ccm/rev delivery rate of the A and B components of the 2K silicone systems (8).


10. Dosing machine components for 2K polyurethane material processing



The SONDERHOFF 3E FLEX dosing cell for 2K polyurethane systems has the dosing machine components mounted on on the left narrow side of the cell.
This is where e.g. the Compressed air connection, dryer and maintenance unit (1), Agitator for homogenization of the material component A (2), Overfilling protection for the use of an optional refilling station (3), High-pressure water unit for effective and ecological mixing head rinsing (4), Capacitive sensors for filling level regulation (5), Material pressure tank with optimized dimensions for asymmetrical mixing ratios (6), Plate gap filter for the material component B (7), Precision gear pumps with flow rate 0.75 ccm/rev (material component A) and 0.3 ccm/rev (material component B) (8).


11. Shuttle table



Optional Equipment: Shuttle / Sliding Table
The SONDERHOFF 3E FLEX dosing cell offers an attachable shuttle/sliding table with manually shifting mounting plates as an alternative option for placement and processing of industrial parts for gasketing, bonding, or potting. With this solution, a machine operator loads the two mounting plates with the parts in an alternating sequence.


12. Shuttle table enlargement



Optional Equipment: Shuttle / Sliding Table
For material application on oversized parts with a maximum dimension of 2,500 x 1,250 x 300 mm (x/y/z), the two mounting plates can be connected to form a single large sliding table.


13. Standard working height



The standard component height to be processed with the 3E FLEX can be extended from 300 mm to 600 mm by lowering the table plate height from 1.000 mm down to 700 mm.


14. Removal cover plate for automation purposes (front view)



For automation purposes the 3E FLEX is offering a removal cover plate. Picture shows the machine with cover plate and work height of 1,000 mm.
The below picture shows the 3E FLEX with removed cover plate (front and back side) to enable an automation (e.g. conveyor belt) passing through at height of 700 mm.


15. Removal cover plate for automation purposes (back view)



Rear side of 3E FLEX with mounted cover plate.
The below picture shows the 3E FLEX with removed cover plate (back side) to enable an automation (e.g. conveyor belt) passing through at height of 700 mm.


16. Control cabinet



The control cabinet, the expandable future-proof control center of the SONDERHOFF 3E FLEX dosing cell with DM 50x technology, includes the electrical distribution as well as the control and safety technology for the dosing machine and the CNC control of the 3-axis linear robot installed in the cell:
Servo technology with integrated safety logic,
Modular B&R branded “IPC control system” with Powerlink,
VPN router for remote collaboration and maintenance,
Safe Limited Speed / Safety Modules,
Cooling device for temperature control of switch cabinet.


17. Mobile panel



The SONDERHOFF 3E FLEX dosing cell is designed to enable the operator to perform a wide variety of tasks easily and safely. The system is operated via the easy-to-use, multi-functional MP 2 mobile panel with integrated 10.1“ (WXGA TFT) touchscreen.

The MP 2 enables intuitive operation with programmable keys, function keys and touch keys and offers display language options for DE, EN, ESP, IT, F & CHIN (further languages upon request).
This makes the contour programming of parts easy to handle.


18. Visualization



The user interface visualization of the MP 2 mobile panel offers intuitive system operation and simple evaluation of machine parameters: continuous information on the performance status of the dosing cell and the process status of the processing according to the predefined dosing program.

Due to the high level of detail of the display, the machine operator can always take corrective action and adjust the process parameters of the system if necessary. The use of universally comprehensible symbols on the operating keys simplifies operation. Clear menu layouts, the use of colored graphics, and the clear structuring of different functions in the operating menu enable intuitive operation and programming of the dosing system.


19. Refilling station for the A-component



Optional Equipment: ELEVATOR Refilling Station
The 3E FLEX dosing cell can optionally be equipped with a refilling station for automatic material supply. This ensures material-specific preparation, homogeneous consistency and a continuous supply of materials to the material pressure tanks of the mixing and dosing system – without exposure to or contamination of the products to be filled. The ELEVATOR refilling stations for the A-Components have an automatic lifting device for improved ease of operation and greater operational and system safety. Production interruptions are therefore a thing of the past.
The stations are controlled via the mixing and dosing system. Capacitive sensors monitor the filling level in the material pressure tanks.
A choice of unregulated and regulated agitators with adjustable speed ranges and a programmable timer are available to ensure optimal homogenization of the reaction materials. For the ELEVATOR refilling stations, the agitator can be equipped with different agitating elements depending on the material.
Existing production plants can be retrofitted.


20. Refilling station for the B-component



Optional Equipment: SUPPLY TAP Refilling Station
In addition to the A-Component refilling station the SUPPLY TAP is an automatic drum refilling station for low-viscosity products like B-Components (e.g. isocyanates).