In January-February 2025, the sixth secondment of PROMATAI project participants took place. The host organization was the Dirmeta UAB (DIR, Lithuania), which hosted representatives of four beneficiaries: Łukasiewicz Research Network – the Institute of Engineering of Polymer Materials and Dyes (IEP, Poland – 6 people), Lublin University of Technology (LUT, Poland – 8 people), Technical University of Kosice (TUK, Slovakia – 6 people) and University of West Attica (UWA, Greece – 4 people).
The guests were given a tour of the production facilities of the Dirmeta company in Kaunas. All secondees and DIR representatives worked on Task 1.6 “Prototype manufacture and machine learning of the FOS”. The teams focused on designing a new "smart" Feed Opening Section (FOS) for the single-screw extruder, based on the results and knowledge obtained in earlier stages of the project, as well as throughput capacity studies of four physical FOS models printed in Task 1.5.
As a result, a universal "smart" FOS prototype was designed and manufactured in metal. This prototype features:
- an adjustable feed opening length, controlled by specialized movable wedges, and
- an automated system for regulating the amount of granulate (or other material).
This approach allows for precise control and regulation of the FOS throughput across a wide range, depending on key parameters such as:
- material type (powder, granules, etc.),
- particle size,
- physical properties (friction coefficient, moisture content, bulk density, flowability),
- extruder screw rotation speed.
To enhance its performance, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms were proposed to control the FOS of the "smart" extruder.
Task 1.6 has been fully completed. On the one hand, each secondee gained new experience and skills and on the other hand, made a significant contribution to the fulfillment of the assigned task.