Polyurethane-filled panels for structural and insulation applications are produced using discontinuous or continuous foaming systems. Designed to best fit each customer's requirements and budget, Cannon solutions are available in several versions, all characterised by high productivity and optimum foam distribution.

The in-house availability of several technologies allows the Group to offer complex plants, with an high degree of integration between foaming process, metal profiling, automatic handling, production programming and quality control. Different solutions for the substitution of CFC's as expanding agents are available, also based on natural Carbon Dioxide, an inexpensive and non-harmful chemical widely accepted by the industry and by the environment.

The two current manufacturing methods for insulation panels are well known to the industry:

Discontinuous Sandwich Panels Foaming

achieved with various technical solutions - can be afforded with a lower investment, allows for a more flexible production mix, permits to customise the panels with inserts and different types of outer faces; all this is obtained with more manpower, lower output and - sometimes - a lower panel's quality depending on the foam-distribution methods employed.

Continuous Sandwich Panels Foaming

offers very high productivity, low labour cost, very homogeneous foam quality. These advantages cost more in initial investment, and demand a very careful planning of the production mix.

The choice to use a technology rather that another one is mainly due to the production required and also due to the panel complexity and to the investment amount available. The research of a proper compromise between investment, flexibility and output has been pursued for long time by many producers (and equipment manufacturers).

Main objectives usually include:

1. to provide panels with the best possible functional and aesthetic quality

2. to achieve the highest possible productivity

3. to reduce inventories, being able to produce nearly just-in-time the required lots of panels

4. to easily customise the panels with different facings (sheet type and colours), thickness, and type of foam

5. to achieve some savings (in foam, scrap rate, labour)

6. to comply with the latest environmental and health/safety regulations

The various needs have generated a number of technological solutions that meet some of the requirements and leave space for further improvement for the remaining ones. For this reason the Cannon Group have decided to create a full time team of specialists, completely dedicated in the development of projects, equipment and complete lines in continuous and discontinuous related with those productions (insulated panels for structural and insulation applications such as sectional overhead doors, panels for the cold chain and building industry etc.).

“Block Foaming”

Blocks of flexible, semi-rigid and rigid foam produced by discontinuous processes are used for some specific applications in the insulation, furnishing and car industry sectors. In this case the production lines require metering units that guarantee a very high-output with the capacity to pour large quantities of material in a relatively short time.

The dosing units specifically designed for high outputs cover an output range between 40 and 700 kg/min, For example, they are typically used for the production of:

· rigid low-density blocks for insulation

· insulated “offshore” pipes with compact filled compounds (e.g. with glass micro-spheres)

· rigid medium-density blocks that can be worked with machine tools to produce models

· semi rigid, blocks for headliners

· viscoelastic foams for mattresses and pillows.

The quality of a product foamed, moulded or sprayed with polyurethane, highly depends on the ability to obtain an efficient dosing and a homogeneous component mixing, granting a perfect laminar flow. For these main reasons, the mixing head is doubtless the real technological core of a dosing unit, a system or a complete plant for polyurethane processing.

Cannon offers the widest range of high and low pressure mixing heads suitable to process the great variety of chemical formulations (rigid and flexible foams, compact materials, filled or reinforced, semi-rigid), designed to meet the specific requirements of dedicated applications (thermal and acoustic insulation, seating, structural parts, RRIM, flexible and rigid blocks), able to cover all the main industrial production processes (open mould pouring, foaming, injection and spraying).

·        Multi-component mixing heads

·        Heads for filled materials reinforced with glass fibers

·        Heads for micro-shots or very high outputs

·        Spray heads for compact and filled materials

From minimum 0,20 g/sec up to 10.000 g/sec for highly reactive materials.

Cannon’s creative and constructive ability is shown by the great success based on more than 350 patents and innovative technological solutions that have influenced and sometimes revolutionized whole industrial sectors.

“HIGH-PRESSURE DOSING MACHINES”

The use of high-pressure technology offers many and significant advantages:

· chlorinated solvents are no longer required

· improvement in working conditions

· safeguarding and protection of the global environment

· more efficient production processes

· foams with higher quality and better physical and mechanical properties

· significant raw material saving.

“LOW-PRESSURE DOSING MACHINES”

Cannon low-pressure machines can solve the production problems of the small and medium-size business, being very well conceived and at the same time having advanced technical and technological content.

Their use has certainly been shrunk by the advent of more modern techniques and equipment, however the specific nature of some applications (low outputs, small production volumes) requires features, that only the low-pressure foaming process can offer.

For those reasons and also thanks to the development of alternative and more ecological washing systems based on chloride-free solvents, the low pressure technology it is still nowadays the most suitable, competitive and some times, the only possible solution.

Cannon basically offer a complete range of machines, which can be used in a wide range of different foaming processes:

· general purpose low pressure units

· micro shots and low output units

· high output units

· specialties - specific application niches do not only require to meter and mix polyurethane formulations, to meet these particular needs Cannon engineered dedicated mixing heads, dosing equipment and processes able to pour other type of mixture with different physical properties such as silicone, elastomers and epoxy resins.

Tecnos is the Company of the Cannon Group specialized in dedicated manufacturing solutions for the Automotive & Transportation industries.

Tecnos  conceive, design and supply special moulding lines and custom-made complete plants that can include:

* Polyurethane foaming

* Thermoplastics and Thermosetting compression moulding

* Thermoforming

* Glass-reinforcement forming

* Automatic handling, dispensing, trimming, finishing

* Moulds and all relevant ancillary equipment.

An application-dedicated R&D activity - carried by a staff of specialists in a modern laboratory - provides highly-efficient manufacturing tools to this demanding sector of the industry.

Tecnos  co-ordinates today on a World-wide basis all the Group's activities concerning Automotive development and marketing

Crios is the Company of the Cannon Group specialized in dedicated manufacturing solutions for the Refrigerator & Thermal Insulation industries.

Cannon Crios equipment and complete plants are available - on turn-key basis and in different versions - for the insulation with rigid Polyurethane foam of:

· Domestic refrigerators/freezers

· Commercial/industrial refrigerators

· Panels for walk-in cold rooms and cold storage

· Special sandwich panels for the insulation of houses or factory roofs or garage folding doors

· Electric water heaters (boilers)

With thousands of Polyurethane foaming lines installed on a world-wide basis in nearly 40 years of activity, Cannon is the World leader in this area of business and, specifically, in the refrigerator foaming specialty.

Continuous polyurethane foam dispensing system “Block Foaming” Blocks of flexible, semi-rigid and rigid foam produced by discontinuous processes are used for some specific applications in the insulation, furnishing and car industry sectors. In this case the production lines require metering units that guarantee a very high-output with the capacity to pour large quantities of material in a relatively short time. The dosing units specifically designed for high outputs cover an output range between 40 and 700 kg/min, For example, they are typically used for the production of: · rigid low-density blocks for insulation · insulated “offshore” pipes with compact filled compounds (e.g. with glass micro-spheres) · rigid medium-density blocks that can be worked with machine tools to produce models · semi rigid, blocks for headliners · viscoelastic foams for mattresses and pillows.

Thermoforming machine Cannon group CannonForma offers a wide range of products, from simple single station to complete production systems, ensuring efficiency of product solutions to specific customer’s requirements 1) Single Station It provides total versatility across many applications and all types of material. 2) Rotary thermoforming machine This is a cost-effective, tried and tested format especially appreciated for high production requierements, and significantly enhanced excellent service for many years, producing items such as refrigerators, pallets, sanitary ware components and automotive products. 3) High speed thermoforming machine SPEEDFORM Series is ideal for the production of industrial parts manufactured from thick gauge materials. Speedform is extremely valuable for producing automotive trim parts and other similar products using "In Mould Decoration". This is the process in which thermoformed parts are reinforced by injection moulding onto the back of the forming. 4) Twin sheet thermoforming machine This process allows the production of hollow parts welding together two sheets formed in two moulds separately. After the manufacture has been trimmed, there is not any loss in the welding zone characteristics. CannonForma has revolutionised the approach to twinsheet technology developing very innovative plants dedicated to the production of fuel tanks. 5) IMD thermoforming machine (in mold decoration) IMD process allows to thermoform a colour matched or pre-printed graphics using thick gauge material, which is then strengthened by injection moulding on the back surface.

Cannon engineering resources enable the Group to offer packages including moulds. Complete plants can now satisfy needs in the white appliances and automotive applications.

Foaming, thermoforming and injection moulding moulds for refrigerators and freezers can be supplied by a unique producer, Cannon, simplifying the customer's project management and guaranteeing results.

Offering moulds together with Cannon "traditional" products means that the Cannon Group can be responsible for the whole plant, enhancing the quality of products.