Adjustment device EDI® Lip Adjustment Systems

Overview
Nordson supplies a range of EDI® lip adjustment systems to suit different production needs: manual coarse tuning, thermal Autoflex™ fine adjustment, and Prodigi™ motorized actuators for remote, automated control. These systems integrate with processor gauging to reduce gauge variation and improve yield.

Manual Lip Adjustments
Manual adjustments allow operators to change the die lip gap using hand tools to tighten or loosen adjustment bolts. This conventional method is effective for coarse setup and field interventions.

• Push-Only Lip Adjustments: single-thread design giving large movement per revolution (~1 mm/rev).
• Differential Push-Only Lip Adjustments: two-thread arrangement for finer movement per revolution (~0.2 mm/rev).
• Differential Push-Pull Lip Adjustments: two-thread arrangement with pull capability to assist lip opening in lower-pressure applications; provides fine movement (~0.2 mm/rev) and operational flexibility.

Autoflex™ Lip Adjustments
Autoflex™ systems use controlled thermal expansion and contraction of adjustment blocks to achieve finer local lip corrections than are feasible by manual means. Each adjustment station houses a heater and an air-cooling path; Autoflex pairs with inline gauging to reduce gauge variation and increase throughput.

• Autoflex™ VI and VI‑R Features: low-mass translators for faster heating/cooling response; multiple centerline pitch options (21.0 mm / 25.4 mm / 28.6 mm; others on request); stainless-steel protective cover to limit drafts and residue; low-profile design close to the nip; optional VI‑R removable modular assembly for serviceability.
• Autoflex™ VI‑RE Features (US Patent 10,518,459): ~43% increased stroke versus baseline with no added response time, extending correction range; operable with convective or forced-air cooling; heater wiring routed via quick-disconnect; module sets (3 or 4 adjustments) for easy access to wearable parts.

Prodigi™ Motorized Lip Actuators
The EDI® Prodigi™ system replaces manual or thermal bolts with motorized actuators connected to existing adjustment threads, translating motor rotation into precise linear motion at adjustment points controlled remotely. Prodigi enables fast, repeatable corrections and tight automated control of lip-gap positions.

• Enables remote, repeatable adjustment without direct contact at the hot die.
• Development trials: initial thickness variation of ~±25% reduced significantly in ~44 seconds; within ~3 minutes of APC engagement the die gauge reached near-uniformity (compared with ~12 minutes using conventional thermal actuators).

Integration & System-Level Benefits
These lip adjustment families are intended to integrate with gauging and APC systems to reduce scrap, shorten time to tolerance, and improve overall production stability. Nordson provides complementary equipment (melt pumps, polymer valves, filtration, pelletizing, dies) to deliver complete line optimization.

Technical specifications

• Product family: EDI® Lip Adjustment Systems (Manual, Autoflex™, Prodigi™)
• Adjustment centerlines: 21.0 mm, 25.4 mm, 28.6 mm (other spacings available on request)
• Manual adjustment types: Push-Only (~1 mm/rev); Differential Push-Only (~0.2 mm/rev); Differential Push-Pull (~0.2 mm/rev with pull assist)
• Autoflex VI/VI‑R: low-mass translators; stainless-steel covers; close nip approach
• Autoflex VI‑RE: US Patent 10,518,459; ~+43% stroke vs baseline; convective or forced-air cooling; quick-disconnect heater wiring; modular 3- or 4-adjustment sets
• Prodigi™: motorized actuators translating rotation to precise linear movement; designed for rapid automated correction and repeatability
• Optional features: stainless-steel protective covers; removable modular assemblies (VI‑R); multiple cooling strategies
• Applications: blown film, cast film, barrier and breathable hygiene films, stretch film, CPP, extrusion coating & laminating, optical/thermally sensitive films