News items July 2014

SMC, the world’s leading pneumatics provider, is proving to customers it has its finger on the pulse with the relaunch of its popular VDW Series. A compact direct operated 2 port solenoid valve for a wide range of applications, the new VDW Series is as small as a little finger and lighter than a mobile phone and offers SMC customers’ savings in terms of space, energy and labour. With a new one touch fitting option that reduces the amount of labour required for piping, the VDW has an IP65 enclosure, protecting the valve against dust and water sprayed from all directions. Also, with the size one conventional model being 10% smaller and more lightweight, the VDW can be used in narrow spaces, making it extremely flexible. The VDW uses less power, from as little as 2.5W up to 3W in the larger model and apparent power of 2.5VA and 3VA, when compared to similar products. This makes it ideal for dental units, water curtain manufacture and lens polishing processes that

DIN mounted static grounding control system The new Earth-Rite OMEGA II is a compact panel mounted static grounding module that can monitor a range of resistance values, based on the grounding application and installation requirements of specific processes. The OMEGA II monitors the resistance of the static grounding circuit for processes where a risk of static charge accumulation on the equipment could result in an incendive electrostatic spark within locations that have potentially flammable atmospheres present. It is specified primarily for applications where an alternative means of ground status indication is provided, e.g. via panel mounted indicators or remote indicator stations, as opposed to more regular grounding solutions in the Earth-Rite range. The DIN rail mountable module can be located in an electrical panel mounted in a non-hazardous area or inside an Ex(d) / XP certified enclosure located inside the hazardous area. Two volt free changeover contacts can be used to switch power to additional

Innovative screwdriving system for vehicle bodywork production Whereas in the past, steel sheets were easy to join by spot welding or resistance welding, today this is no longer economical due to the modern material mix. The automobile industry is under pressure from legal requirements to reduce CO2 emissions, use lightweight construction and consequently to find alternative joining methods. Where access to both sides of the connection point is available this can be done using rivets. If however only one side is accessible then the well-established direct screwdriving flow form principle comes into use. A flow form screw is positioned on an aluminium or steel sheet without pre-drilled holes and the screwdriving process begins. The screw is applied with a high pressure down-force and rotates at high speed, generating a frictional heat which forms a crater through which the screw’s thread passes under reduced pressure. A machined thread is created, a normal screw can also pass through in the case of repairs. After the flow passage

Low profile, guide slider electric actuator SMC, the world’s leading provider of pneumatics, has unveiled a low profile, guide slider electric actuator which offers a multitude of benefits. The LEM Series will last up to three times than the previous E-MY2 model thanks to a newly designed belt and bearings, which reduces maintenance and production costs and improves productivity. Using an offset construction, mounting the belt is easier and the connection between the separable drive unit and guide has also been improved. With a compact design, the LEM Series has a low profile and low centre of gravity due to a reduced table height, making it ideal for narrow spaces. This efficient design avoids interferences with the motor even when using large workpieces. The mounting dimensions are also interchangeable with the E-MY2 Series. The LEM Series is available in two different sizes with four guide types and the motor has four mounting options. Further productivity is increased thanks to reduced cycle times,

The radiometric gauge SENSseries LB 480 is awarded SIL2/SIL3 certification. Thus Berthold Technologies is the first supplier providing SIL certified radiometric systems for both level (point level / continuous level) and density measurements. “While the certification for the level gauge was a pretty straightforward task, the density gauges were much trickier to do and only possible due to our years of experience with this technology – we know where the pitfalls are!” said Thomas Bogner, Business Unit Manager of Berthold Technologies. The high level of availability and operational safety of the SENSseries LB 480 detectors was intensively tested and approved by TüV Süd according to IEC 61508:2010. In redundancy installations (1oo2) SIL3 can also be achieved. Moreover the Berthold detectors offer the most stable and reliable measurement performance available on the market. Unlike other instrumentation available on the market that require frequent recalibration,

Easy automation with ultrasonic sensors The new microsonic product catalogue presents the current range of ultrasonic sensors in a stylish look. The catalogue consists of 140 pages well filled with technical details for each ultrasonic sensor as well as interesting background knowledge of ultrasonic technology. A look at the overview table is an easy way for customers to select the right sensor. Today, microsonic is a globally recognised specialist for ultrasonic sensors in applications for industrial automation technology. Wherever other types of sensors have reached their performance limits, there are almost no restrictions to solve an application with ultrasonic sensors. Whether solid, liquid, powder or transparent materials; ultrasonic sensors detect objects without contact. What’s new? lcs+ cuboidal ultrasonic sensors, bks+ web edge sensors plus the shortest M12 ultrasonic sensor in the market, the nano, complete a wide product range. The portfolio provides ultrasonic distance sensors in different

Busch has introduced a completely new range of rotary vane vacuum pumps for medium vacuum applications. Zebra rotary vane vacuum pumps are two-stage and oil lubricated, and can reach an ultimate pressure of 0,002 hPa (mbar). A total of five sizes are available, from 6 to 30 m³/h (50 Hz) and 7 to 36 m³/h (60 Hz). The new Zebra range complements the proven R 5 rotary vane vacuum pump series, which in many industries is considered the standard for low vacuum applications. Busch introduced rotary vane vacuum pumps more than 50 years ago, and has been developing the technology continuously ever since. The introduction of the Zebra series is a further step into the future of vacuum technology. Zebra rotary vane vacuum pumps use the same working principle as R 5 vacuum pumps, but employ a second stage to reach considerably lower ultimate pressures. A sophisticated integrated oil separation system ensures clean and oil-free exhaust air. Zebra vacuum pumps have a selectable

All three models feature the AC type ion discharge; the most basic model is capable of deionizing in just 3.2 seconds at 1,000mm with a simple ON/OFF function. The high speed model rapidly removes static electricity with its feedback sensor and it’s also very flexible thanks to its selectable energy saving or continuous neutralization run modes. Alternatively, the dual AC type model reduces both the potential amplitude by 25V or less and the amount of ion given to the work-piece, allowing for close installation in the electronic device and semiconductor industry. In addition, this series incorporates two auto balance sensors, one within the body of the ionizer as standard and the option of a high accuracy external sensor. With the added bonus of a wireless remote control, operators can easily adjust and set up to 16 ionizers remotely from 5m away. Easy and quick serial wiring is also achieved thanks to link cable connectors, joining up to eight units. With a

Busch has now launched a new product line for the high-vacuum range: the Turbo TM turbomolecular vacuum pump. Busch offers these new vacuum pumps in a total of three sizes, from 1080 to 2200 l/s. The Turbo TM series, which has been specifically developed for industrial high-vacuum applications, achieves an ultimate pressure of >1 x 10-10 hPa (mbar). Designed for high pumping speeds and gas throughputs, the Turbo TM also offers full reliability for pumping light gases without operating fluids, thanks to the optimised compression. Not even high loads or unintentional gas break-ins impair the high pumping speed. The Turbo TM can be operated at any installation position. The compact rotor design is unmatched in its class and combines the highest possible suction performance with the smallest possible dimensions. The drive and control unit is fully integrated into the pump housing. Connections for sealing and flushing gases are provided as standard. A special high-pressure

... or via suction lance - CFE-L If there is less space at your production side or if you want a weight controlled dosing out of the drum, the Containment drum discharging station CFE-L is an innovative possibility to discharge drums dust- and contamination free. The drum is positioned under the isolator by the automatic lifting device and connected to the box via a roller conveyor. The drum can be discharged completely by using the suction lance with linear guidance and, as an option, with actuator. The window provides a clear view into the glovebox. The ProClean conveyor transports your bulk solids to the next process step. As an option, inerting with N² is available. The isolator box perfectly suited for low space processing, because of its compact design. Automation and integration into an existing roller conveying system is also possible.

By gravity... - CFE-K Containment means highest safety for product and operator, for HECHT it means even more: safe, clean and efficient. Due to our vision we developed two systems for containment drum discharging, which are especially tailored to the requirements of our customers. The focus has been on easy handling of the discharging station and also of the local conditions of our customers. This challenge made us devise two solutions for the discharging of drums, which have the same containment level (OEB 5), but with different working processes exactly optimized for the requirements of our customers. The Containment Drum discharging station with glovebox and integrated lifting device is one of the leading systems in the dust- and contamination free bulk solids industry. The easy handling during the discharging process as well as the simplicity of the drum connection is unique. Depending on your requirements, the transport to the next process step is possible by gravity (multi floor

Pneumatic dense-phase conveying is among the gentlest solutions and is often the only technology available to transport large product volumes gently and hygienically without segregation. On the one hand, it enables low-abrasion transport as well as complete emptying of the conveyor pipe. On the other hand, minimal maintenance costs and employee effort allow Gericke conveying systems to simplify internal processes and provide the optimum conditions for downstream production processes. Gericke technology facilitates the conveying of a wide range of goods over short and long distances and selects the type of conveyor system best suited to the particular product to be transported. Gericke offers the entire spectrum of lean- and dense-phase conveying systems. Pressure vessels convey products directly, fully automatically and gently to mixers, filling stations or further processing levels. Specially constructed pipe elbows and deflectors guarantee that no unnecessary product

Product recovery, à la carte The latest addition to the ProFi product line is a stand-alone filter system especially developed for product recovery in milling processes. The newly developed and patent-pending ”ProFi – Clean” filter is easily installed by a clamp connector as a module on the milling chambers or Inlets/outlets housings of all Frewitt mills (OscilloWitt, HammerWitt, ConiWitt, and TurboWitt). Sieve mills in existing systems can be retrofit in a few simple steps. Numerous advantages set this filter system apart from others. Low-pressure filling Exhaust air at atmospheric pressure escapes from the milling chamber via the filter, which traps any product. To prevent product build-up on the filter, the exhaust air filter is cleaned by a time-controlled pressure surge (shown by the blue arrows in the drawing). The advantage of this method is that continuous, uninterrupted product filling is possible. The product is fed back into the process by means of the exceptionally

1....2....3....FreDrive People talk about modular systems in the automobile industry often and correctly as a model for efficiency and quality, and it is often cited in software development as the preferred basis for today"s automation. Frewitt"s development department has worked intensively on a modular system since this first approach, which not only brings together the conical reduction of powders and granulates, but also the control screening and fine grinding in one machine. Three milling processes - one system, the FreDrive In plain English, the concept was to put together a conical sieve mill with a rotor at medium RPM with a cylindrical sieve mill with a turning stator with lower RPM and the hammer mill with high RPM"s in one modular system. The interface was the drive arm, which connects the entire drive and control system with the milling system electronically and mechanically. The control and operator interface design was completely reworked in order to

Controlled metering of solid materials Although rotary feeders have become firmly established in process engineering for feeding and metering powders and granulars, this doesn’t mean that the possibilities of this technology have been exhausted. For Frewitt, the rationale behind the development of a new rotary feeder lay not only in the continuous feeding of products, but also in the capability of fulfilling several other criteria. Hence increased service life, GMP compliance, process reliability, and versatility in use became the stated objectives. Blades under scrutiny Product trials demonstrated that the straight design of the blades was not leading to the desired outcomes. A series of test results were ultimately instrumental in the decision to bend the six blades mounted on the rotor axle slightly, in the lengthwise direction of the axle (see the drawing). The advantage: greater resistance and torque could be achieved by doing so. A special grinding process was used to achieve the Ra 0.4

RETSCH have extended their range of cutting mills by a new model which combines powerful size reduction with very easy handling. The new cutting mill SM 300 is perfectly suitable for many different – and also difficult - size reduction tasks thanks to the variable speed from 700 to 3,000 min-1. The powerful 3 kW drive with RES technology and a high torque ensure excellent grinding results so that even heterogeneous sample mixtures are no longer a problem! Another advantage of the SM 300 is the easy access to the grinding chamber for rapid cleaning: the hopper is simply folded back and the push-fit rotor can be removed without tools. This only takes a few seconds. The cutting mill SM 300 can be equipped with a wide range of accessories, among them three different types of rotors which allow for optimum adaptation to sample properties. With the budget-priced basic model SM 100 and the universal standard model SM 200 completing the product family, RETSCH offers the

Unmatched ease of cleaning Ideal for size reduction of soft to medium-hard, tough-elastic and fibrous materials as well as for heterogeneous mixtures. They are indispensable in the areas of environment, plastics, agriculture, forestry, construction materials, textiles, chemistry and as well as for analytic and sample preparation for RoHS-analysis. Unmatched ease of cleaning A particularly important criterion for a Cutting Mill is the question how fast and easy it can be cleaned in daily laboratory use. Therefore we have placed particular value on the easy cleaning when we developed the FRITSCH PULVERISETTE 19. While you are still tightening the screws on other mills, your FRITSCH Cutting Mill is already clean! Because the entire grinding chamber can be opened easily in seconds and both the rotor and the sieve can simply be removed with simple motions. Only at FRITSCH Cutting Mills it is possible to lift open the entire top part of the housing as well as the door – in fact, the door

New weight instruments must have more functions and features, be smaller and offer more value for money. PENKO responds to this with a new product range, type 1020. The instruments are suitable for automatic as well non automatic applications, including those for trade. They are a perfect interface between load cells and systems for data processing, control systems etc. Moreover there are four models, certified where applicable, for belt weighing, force measurement, filling machines and check weighing. The unique PENKO way of measuring high speed 1600 conversions/s, and high internal resolution, 24 bits, guarantees a fast and accurate data transfer and/or cut off. These characteristics allow application of the instruments for static and dynamic weighing as well as for fast applications such as filling and check weighing. As a standard, all models are provided with USB to facilitate set-up and back-up functions. Additional models include RS232, RS485/422, Ethernet,

Less steel, more capacity A smooth wall silo has a sanitary design and it got its strength from inside reinforcements, creating a hollow wall space. Especially with small bins for e.g. minerals or micro components, the hollow wall space absorbs storage volume. Therefore TSC introduces an innovation: ultra slim wall panels. These panels are 50% slimmer compared to the standard wall panels and still meet the constructive strength requirements. Ultra slim wall panels are typically suitable for bin sizes varying from 1.5 meters down to 1 meter or even less. The storage capacity increases significantly up to +10%, while at the same time being more economical as they require less steel. Shortly after TSC introduced the ultra slim wall panels, already two orders can be announced. Vobra (specializing in pet food) and ABZ (a Dutch feed miller) were both looking for a small square silo block with smooth walls. The first project is commissioned by Ottevanger Milling Engineers, the latter by Heemhorst

J-Tec Material Handling offers process engineering solutions to the industry leaders in the chemical and food industry all over the world. The main goal is the creation of value for their customers in their predefined niche markets within the process & material handling industry. Thanks to a flawless organizational structure and its high quality services, J-Tec has been experiencing substantial international growth in recent years. As a commitment towards further continuous improvement and warrant this well-structured organization towards their customers, J-Tec chose to implement a certified quality label. Once again their people made the difference. They succeeded in achieving an ISO 9001 certificate emphasizing their professionalism, sustainability and organizational skills, leading them to an even higher quality level in the future. Their ISO 9001 scope of supply: Sales, Design, Supply, Construction and commissioning of material handling installations for

New in our productrange For several years now, Bijl & de Jong is the distributor for Tecofi in the Netherlands. Tecofi is a French manufacturer of butterfly valves, knife gate valves, gate valves, filters and ball check valves. Since this year they also supply the bidirectional knife gate valve. The cast iron bidirectional valve has a stainless steel knife that seals on both sides of the knife and can be supplied from DN50 to DN400. The valves are mounted between PN10 flanges and can withstand a maximum working pressure of 10 to 4 bars, depending on the diameter. Temperature ranges ut to +180° Celsius. The valves can be equipped with a handwheel with non-rising stem, as well as with an electric or pneumatic actuator. Knife gate valves are widely used in water treatment, sewage and waste water plants, pulp production, chemical industry, pneumatic transport of granules, powders, crystallizing and sludge products.